My friend Raul and I came back from Thailand amazed by the country and all what we experienced there. However, we made some mistakes. Something quite normal when you are travelling to the country that is very different than yours.
Since most of the bloggers focus their articles on the things you must either see or do there, I wanted to do something different based on our experience. So, this is my 10 Things Not to Do in Thailand
1. Visiting Phuket
We spent 3 nights there and it was probably the biggest mistake we made. Full of tourists, conquered by the Russians and the island itself does not have anything special to go for. It is also very big. As it is the biggest island in Thailand, you will definitely need to rent a motorbike if you want to see something more than a beach.
Only if you go there just to party, we find it worth it. There are a lot of bars and clubs around Pathong Beach, but again, if it comes to beaches and nature, there are dozens of islands way more beautiful there.
2. Staying in Bangkok for more than 3 days
Bangkok, a massive and bustling industrial city. I do not think I would like to spend there more than a week even if I could. You can stay there a month or even a year without seeing it at all. In my opinion, 3 days are perfect to enjoy it (as we did) and not to get eaten by the city.
If you have more than a month in Thailand, then you can spend more days in Bangkok, but if your time is limited, then go either to North or the islands. Much better.
3. Raising your voice
Thais are usually soft spoken. That is why speaking loudly can be disrespectful for them. You can hear foreigners from miles away. Try to keep your voice down while you are in public areas like public transport, restaurants, stores etc.
4. Eating western food
It makes no sense to cross the world just to eat the same food you are usually eating back home. You can learn a lot about culture and history of countries just by the food they eat. If you have a delicate stomach you may want to go to a Thai restaurant in your city first, so you can get used to spices, sauces etc before going to the local ones. For vegetarians and vegans there are also a lot of options, although it will take you a bit more time to find it.
5. Carrying a lot of money in your wallet
There are pickpockets everywhere and a lot of policemen hunting tourists to make them pay for whatever reason, specially during the night in the party areas. My advise is to carry just the money your are thinking to spend and a bit more. You should always have a credit card so you can withdraw cash if needed. Credit cards are easy to cancel if they get stolen.
6. Using Taxis without a taximeter
This is pretty obvious. Without taximeter you are totally exposed to get ripped off. It also applies when it comes to Tuk-tuk´s. Always agree with a price before you start the ride. It can be either cheap or expensive depending on your bargain skills, but at least you will not spend all the way thinking whether you are going to get ripped off or not...
7. Talking about Royal Family
You will see a lot pictures of the King when travelling Thailand, but try to avoid talking about it in public. At least in a negative way. Not only because most of the people love the royal family, but above all, because you can go to jail. How about that?
8. Leaving the passport as a deposit
No one has the right to hold your passport as a deposit, not even a hotel, needless to say a motorbike rent. Don´t do it. I was able to rent motorbikes in Thailand and Indonesia without giving my passport to anybody. If they lose it or just do not want to return it to you...then what? Better to avoid that kind of situation.
9. Packing and carrying the whole closet with you
Packing light is probably one of the best advises you will get when travelling to Southeast Asia. 98 % of the people regret having packed heavily. Don´t do the same mistake. You will want to buy a lot of cheap and cool clothes once you are there.
10. Riding elephants
I didn't know whether to include this one or not. Everyone is free to do whatever if it is a legal activity. The problem with this one is that in most of the cases, it contributes to animal abuse. They basically torture elephants since they are born. This is the way they educate them.
Knowing this, it is totally up to you whether you still want your Facebook profile picture riding an elephant or not.
And this was my 10 things not to do in Thailand. As usual any suggestion is more than welcome. You can drop a comment either here or in the Facebook page PedrOnTheRoad
