first time traveller

'Is the Reggae pub still there? And Green Mango'

Reggae pub 19 years and still rocking, I believe. Never much Reggae played there.

And I fecking hate Chaweng! Inflated prices, working girls, and riff raff.

I lub hyperbole.

I prefer the nearby Koh Phangan over Koh Samui, a place I (and everyone) used to love, but that became rapidly and poorly overdeveloped after the airport was built. It looks rather like Phangan is going to head in the same direction, sadly.

Tezzas' blog is worth reading; same with his posts. Very informative.

If this is your first time travelling, it's your first time to the tropics, too. Very basic preparation suggests learning a bit about the place, and the type of scams that happen. Scams are not uncommon, and some of them are fairly clever. There's no need to be paranoid, or have the sort of guard up that will prevent you being open to enjoying the country, just be a bit careful.

The heat is the first adversity. Allow twice as long to do anything (including thinking) as you would allow at home. Keep hydrated. Bottled water (with a seal) is cheap and safe to drink. The tap water in Bankok is ok, but doesn't taste great.

Take half the clothes and twice the money. Clothes are cheap to buy there. Once you've been in the country a few days, you might end up liking the heat. It takes about 2 weeks for most folk to be comfortable in it, and 6 weeks to acclimatize properly.

The largest hazard, probably by far, is the possibility of a road accident. If you don't know how to ride a motorbike, don't try to learn in Thailand. Minivans (I find) can be dodgy. Govt bus services, and trains are good.

If the word "fighting" wasn't a typo, don't make the mistake of getting pissed in a bar and upsetting the locals. Thai guys learn kickboxing from a young age. They are good fighters. People have died.

Enjoy street food. Any cafe/vendor that cooks stuff fresh and has a high turnover is likely to be safe. The food, and the water, is unlikely to poison you. Take hand sanitizer, keep your nails clean and short, and unless you're unlucky, you should be fine.

There is a bit of cynicism around regarding the Thai attitude to tourists. Tourists often get smiles and offers of friendship because they are a cash cow. Sometimes these smiles are genuine. The Thais are a seriously nice people, by and large. Some are not. Be polite (but firm if needed), don't loose your temper.

A good post there, Mark.

'Take half the clothes and twice the money. Clothes are cheap to buy there. Once you've been in the country a few days, you might end up liking the heat. It takes about 2 weeks for most folk to be comfortable in it, and 6 weeks to acclimatize properly.'

Right about clothes and money, but trust me you never acclimatize to the heat-you just learn to deal with it better!

Maybe it's different for different folk? I was pretty used to it after 6 weeks. Had to put jeans and another top on if the temp dropped below about 28-30.

You cold blooded beast. I'm 8 years in and Betty Swollocks still rules the roost in my underwear.

What white powder was made for.

It was. But it makes you so horny, I have tendencies to rub it on my balls!

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