by Scott Coates

I’ve been in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai the last week leading training sessions for guides, mapping new biking routes for an upcoming cycling trip and am now enjoying a couple days of mountain biking before hosting guests.
The most noticeable thing is how green/lush everything is. Even after living here for more than eight years it’s truly staggering how some rain really gets everything growing at super-speed. Roads are lined with roots and plants trying to take them over, usually wide dirt paths are narrow as foliage sprouts. It’s truly gorgeous. If you don’t mind getting a bit wet here and there then the rainy season is the time to visit Thailand.

Got out for a couple mountain bike rides, one up Doi Suthep, on the edge of Chiang Mai. It was a challenging 11km, 1,000 vertical meter climb and took one hour and twenty minutes. One of our guides from Bangkok, Nee came as well and never stopped pedalling, which meant I had to keep pedalling too. What a push. Today we’ll be heading out for a three-hour ride along the Doi Chang mountain range, south of the city and then tomorrow is a first try at a new dirt trail from the Huai Khum Resort back to Chiang Rai city. Should be about an 80km ride along the Mae Kok river, all off-road and hopefully it won’t rain. If it does then the trail might be nearly impossible. Crossing my fingers.

Time to hit the trail!

by Daniel Fraser

People often ask me to compare the attributes of various beach destinations. This can be an endless series of analogies and weighing of pros and cons, but after 8 years exploring various beach destinations I have a pretty firm grasp of what is available.

Recently someone asked what the difference was between Ko Samed vs Ko Samui. Basically it comes down to this:
Ko Samed is a very small island 3hrs from BKK, accessible by van/boat. There are no major roads on the island and there are no high-rise buildings and the resorts tend to be smaller, family-owned establishments, some of them quite new and lovely, most of them quite simple but clean. It is probably the most laid-back of all the major islands, and once you’re there you don’t really need to put on shoes for the rest of your stay. The resort we recommend, Samed Villa, is new and cozy and is right on the beach, and there are lots of restaurants nearby, beach pubs, etc. It is easy to arrange island-hopping, snorkeling trips, etc. Samed is for those who want to check-out mentally and enjoy an outstanding beach with no fuss and avoid the crowds. Summer weather is tough to predict in Thailand but over the 8 years we’ve been going to the beach it seems that Samed has the most consistent and pleasant weather of any of the major islands. This of course doesn’t guarantee balmy weather, but it always gets my vote for the ideal weekend get-away.
Samed tends to be a little slower, better for reading books and playing beach volleyball. Nothing beats Samed for quaint charm and convenience.
We offer a hassle-free beach escape package to Ko Samet!

Ko Samui is in the league of world-class island resorts. There’s an airport for direct flights ($250-$300US/pp return from Bangkok) and hotels ranging from the Four Seasons at $1,500US/night to simple beach cottages. Samui’s advantage is that you have access to everything from Italian restaurants to monkey shows for tourists to Starbucks, and a wide range of shopping and resort options, and even tour guides who offer boat trips in Russian. You can’t walk around the island barefoot, so renting some kind of transport to go from town to town is necessary. But, you can play a round of golf in the morning and then do a sunset cruise on a nice boat at night. Things like snorkeling and diving trips are possible – as they are at most of the major islands – and are best arranged direct with your resort. Samui boasts the flare and development of an international tourist resort. Samui will be busy, perhaps less romantic, but of course provides a longer menu of things to do.

Conclusion:
Looking for chill-out, hassle-free beach time: Samed
Looking for activity and entertainment options: Samui

Best sand: Samed
Best hotels: Samui

by Scott Coates

Since moving to Thailand in 1999 Bangkok taxi fares have not gone up. There are many who argue that taxi drivers here are lazy, drive dangerously and are impolite, therefore they shouldn’t get to raise their rates. I agree that one often meets drivers who are guilty of one or all three of the above mentioned characteristics. That said, sheer econonmics say fares should go up.

There’s another argument that most taxis use liquid propane gas (LPG), which is much cheaper than gasoline show the fares should not go up. Indeed true, but a look at simple inflation, especially over the last year should warrant a fare increase.
Since 1999, standard ’91-grade’ fuel has gone from 17Baht (B)/liter to 40.5B/liter. This rise not only affects taxi drivers’ direct costs, but their day-to-day costs. A can of Coke goes up, rice goes up, rent goes up, wages then go up and so forth. Food has risen dramatically in the last six months all over the world.

A 10km taxi ride in Bangkok costs roughly 90B (about $3US). Considering there are about 80,000 taxis in the city, you rarely have to wait more than a couple minutes to flag one down and I have never been in an actualy accident in while riding in one in more than eight years. That’s a heck of a deal. Many taxis are new-model Toyota’s, they are kept pretty darn clean and I never have to worry about car maintenance, insurance, parking or drinking and driving.

Considering the absence of fare increases and the dramatic rise in costs, it’s no wonder many of the city’s taxi drivers are a bit gruff at times. Raise the meters!

by Daniel Fraser

As a Director of an adventure travel company in Thailand, I’m regularly asked by westerners if visiting Thailand during the rainy season is “worthwhile”. The indication seems to be that the only time to visit Thailand is during the relatively short, cool-dry season, when the country bubbles over with tourism and beer gardens open for that all-to-short window of alfresco imbibing. I’ve noticed travel websites and international travel magazines often say, “Thailand is, best avoided during the rainy season, Hotel ABC or Resort XYZ may not be open during the months of July and August, or the patios at your favorite coffee shop may be closed until cool season.” It’s as if life stops in the eyes of the western visitor during June – October here in Thailand.

For more than six years Smiling Albino has been running adventures throughout Thailand during the rainy season, a timing that perfectly suits western summer holidays. Sure, you may have to duck into a pub for a few minutes (what a shame) to avoid the occasional downpour, but generally speaking this is an excellent time to travel through SE Asia.

“Worthwhile,” they ask? It certainly is. In fact, we even propose it’s perhaps the best time to travel the region, especially Bangkok and our favorite adventure playground, Chiang Rai, the kingdom’s northernmost province.

Just last year, during July, August and September, Smiling Albino conducted several back-to-back family adventures. Over a total of 18 travel days, the number of days affected by rain: 0 – that’s right, zero! Rural SE Asia blooms during these months and provides more reason than ever to escape snarling Bangkok for an outstanding mountainous adventure.

On that note, here’s our Top Ten Reasons to Travel Thailand During the Rainy Season:

1) Less Rain Than People Think

Several days can go by without a drop, and sometimes it only rains for a few moments at a time. Is that so bad? It wouldn’t be fair to say that it “never” rains….but we certainly haven’t altered any of our programs as a result of a little mid-day shower.

2) More Beautiful Scenery

The greens in northern Thailand rival those in Ireland and New Zealand during the rainy season. Also, the bright sun breaking through clouds creates a surreal silvery skyline during late afternoon. Photography opportunities far out-shadow any other time of year, and the brilliance of Mother Nature shines through like no other time. Here’s food for thought: all those gorgeous postcards we see of velvety green mountains, gurgling northern rivers and stunning rice terraces…well, those photos were most certainly taken during the raining season.

3) Very Few Tourists

Thanks largely to public misconception; most tourists chose to avoid Thailand during June – October. We’ve done trips during these months and we’re often the only guests in some hotels. As a rule our trips stray off heavier-traveled routes anyway, but during the rainy season it’s like your own private kingdom.

4) Amazing Agriculture

As Thailand is an agriculturally based nation, the growing season is bountiful – farmers in the fields tending to corn, garlic, soy, multi-level rice paddies and tea plantations, thick mangrove and banana plantations, grazing water buffalo and full-flowing deep rivers make Thailand’s rural areas a hint more spectacular during this time of year.

5) Better Deals in Markets

With less tourists flocking to local markets, you’ll often find vendors more welcoming and warm. Low-season values can be had on market goods nationwide.

6) Less Crowded Restaurants

As a general rule you won’t be run over by giant tour groups in most places during this time of year. Of course, the neat little enclaves featured on Smiling Albino are never really busy anyway.

7) Friendlier People

We’ve always noticed there seems to be a magical air of friendliness during the rainy season. Children are in school, crops are being planted, the sweltering summer heat has passed and dodging the occasional short shower creates a comical, jovial atmosphere.

8) Bangkok Pretty?

It’s true. One of the world’s busiest and rapidly expanding cities, Bangkok gets a regular coat of fresh rain during the wet season and it actually cleans the town up a bit. Less dust in a city rife with construction is a welcome relief. Some roads even shine!

9) Low-Season Deals Many hotels, resorts, even airlines have some superb deals during June – October. Catch them before the masses come!

10) Smiling Albino

In our more than six years of running great adventures throughout Thailand, we’ve never had to cancel an outing, finish a bike ride early or cut-short a hike due to weather. We plan ahead, work around it, bring rain ponchos and the adventure fun machine never stops. The rainy season has been one of our favorite, if not absolutely favorite time to take our guests around Thailand – and the ones who’ve traveled with us during this time certainly found something special!