Gap Year Thailand Locations
Thailand has a magnificent variety of scenery.
The hills in the north, around Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.
The "food basket of Thailand" in the agricultural areas of the north east, around Surin.
The coastal provinces such as Rayong.
The tourist beaches and islands of the south such as Ko Samui
and Surat Thani.
And, of course, Bangkok itself, a lively cosmopolitan city.
Bangkok
The capital of Thailand, a vibrant and international city.
Excellent shopping – international stores (at international prices) and street markets (at very much less than UK prices). Eating places of all types, all nationalities and all prices.
The location of the iconic sights of Thailand – the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Chao Pryha River, Chinatown, Vinmanmek Palace etc.
Easy and cheap transport around the city by tuk-tuk, taxi-meter, bus, Skytrain, underground, etc.
Excellent (frequent and inexpensive) air-con coach connections to all parts of Thailand, and to neighbouring countries.
Rayong
Rayong is a coastal province on the Eastern Seaboard area, towards the border with Cambodia.
Laem Charoen and Saeng Chan beaches are popular, whilst off the coast are numerous islands such as Ko Samet, Ko Kudi, Ko Platin and Ko Talu. There are also many interesting “typical” Thai towns and villages inland from the coast.
Good access to Bangkok, with frequent, inexpensive, air-conditioned coach services to the capital.
Rayong is a rather more developed area than some others (such as Surin), with reasonably good shopping facilities – it is “between Bangkok and rural Thailand” in terms of development and “feel”.
Surin
This is in the Eastern part of Thailand – in the part of the country know as Isaan – towards the borders with Cambodia and Laos.
Isaan is economically the poorest part of the country.
But culturally it is one of the richest.
The most "authentically Thai" experience.
It is most famous for the Elephant Festival. Thai people hold the elephant in great esteem. At the festival, more than 200 elephants from the surrounding region gather for the biggest elephant party you’ll ever see.
Other attractions in the province are the villages famous for Thai silk weaving, other hand-woven textiles, and basketry. Surin silk is amongst the highest quality in the whole of Thailand.
Ko Samui & Surat Thani
Ko Samui (in Thai, “Ko” means “island”) is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Thailand.
So prices there tend to be rather higher than in other parts of the country.
Ko Samui is part of Surat Thani province, which has good beaches on the “mainland” part of the province, as well as other islands, and is less “touristy” (and therefore less expensive) than is Ko Samui itself.
Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai
Chiang Mai is the capital of the northern hills. For centuries it was the capital of the Lanna (million rice fields) kingdom. The second largest city in Thailand, it has the full range of amenities but is less busy than Bangkok and with few high-rise buildings. Its location amongst the hills also makes it cooler than other regions of the country. Chiang Mai (and the beaches and islands of the south) are the main tourist destinations in Thailand.
From Chiang Mai there is easy access to the hill tribes areas, including those around Chiang Rai, Thailand’s northernmost province, bordering Laos and Myanmar (Burma) the Mekong River and the Golden Triangle. Other than for visiting the hill tribe villages set within spectacular hill countryside, there are fewer tourists in the Chiang Rai area than in Chiang Mai.
Elsewhere?
If there’s another part of Thailand where you would particularly like to be based, let us know, and we will probably be able to organise a placement there for you.
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