Steve & Paul
Sheraton, Koh Samui
Arriving at the Sheraton we were greeted by the wonderful staff at the front desk. It’s the staff at this resort that make this hotel....
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THAILAND
POP: 68.86 MILLION
GPS: 15.8700° N, 100.9925° E
AREA: 513,120 km²
CUR: THAI BAHT
Thailand is a Southeast Asian country. It's known for tropical beaches, opulent royal palaces, ancient ruins and ornate temples displaying figures of Buddha.
In Bangkok, the capital, an ultramodern cityscape rises next to quiet canalside communities and the iconic temples of Wat Arun, Wat Pho and the Emerald Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Kaew). Nearby beach resorts include bustling Pattaya and fashionable Hua Hin.
One of it's close islands, just a short plane trip away is Koh Samui, which has become one of our favourites over the years with some gorgeous resorts to stay at.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
HOW TO GET THERE The quickest way to get to Thailand from anywhere in the world is to fly. Skyscanner will help you look for the cheapest and most direct flights to get there. You'll most probably land at Suvarnabhumi International Airport which is about 32km south east of Bangkok. A taxi into Bangkok will take around 50 mins and cost about 300-400 baht compared to the Airport Rail Link (basement of airport) for 150 baht which only takes 15 mins to Bangkok. We recommend taking the taxi.
GETTING AROUND Bangkok is pretty easy to get around in taxis, but you can use the train as well.
STAYING CONNECTED Free WiFi is usually offered in hotels, airports, train stations, restaurants and cafes in Thailand, but not everywhere. Paid WiFi hotspots are more common. It's pretty easy to buy a SIM card once you get to Thailand though or you can usually organise international roaming with your own career for around $10 per day.
POWER PLUGS Thailand uses two main types of power plugs; type A which is mainly used in China as well as North and Central America or type C. If you are travelling to Thailand from a different country to those mentioned then you will need to bring a travel adaptor with you.
VISAS People from 64 countries including the Australia, USA, UK, Canada and most EU countries coming to Thailand for tourist reasons don't need a visa to enter. You will need your passport and proof of onward travel though. To see whether you need a visa from your country check your visa requirements before travelling.
BEST TIME TO TRAVEL The best times to visit Thailand is between November and early April which is the dry season.
MONEY & TIPPING It's pretty easy to change money on the street with lots of money changer places in operation, or throw some money onto a Qantas Debit Card with Thai Banht straight from your bank account and just use that on your trip. In regards to tipping, most Thai restaurants would appreciate a tip as their staff are on low wages. However if you did not receive good service, then don't feel obliged. When using your credit card to pay, hand it over using both hands and when it's handled back to you use both hands to receive it again.
VACCINATIONS You don't need any specific vaccines before travelling to Thailand, apart from being up to date on routine vaccines such as measles. Just check with your doctor.
ACCOMMODATION When we're heading anywhere, we usually go to booking.com to help get an idea of what sort of accommodation is available, where they are all placed geographically and rates. They offer free cancellation on most properties and have good 24/7 customer support.
SIGHTSEEING Thailand has lots of sights to explore. It's pretty easy to organise your own taxi for a day at a negotiable rate to get around the island. We usually hire scooters to get from A to B pretty cheaply for around 200 baht a day.
DRIVE YOURSELF Vehicles drive on the left side of the road in Thailand and have the driver's seat and steering wheel on their right side. The legal minimum age for driving is 18 years and 15 years for a motorcycle! Drinking and driving is strictly prohibited. Road signs and rules follow international standards, and most signs on major roads are in Thai and English. If you intend on hiring a care, best to lock it in prior to arrival.
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