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Lonely Planet Thailand PDF

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P D F TThhaaiillaanndd PDF ebook Edition 16th Edition Release Date Jul 2016 Pages 808 Useful Links Want more guides? Head to our shop Bangkok Trouble with your PDF? pull-out map Trouble shoot here Top sights Need more help? Hine afdu tlol doeurt aFAilQ s Stay in touch Islands planner Contact us here © Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this PDF ebook is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above – ‘Do the right thing with our content’. 4 easy-to-use How to Use This Book sections Look for these symbols to quickly identify listings: 1 4 Sights Sleeping 1 r 5 Beaches Eating 2 6 PLAN YOUR TRIP Activities Drinking C 3 Courses Entertainment Your planning tool kit T 7 Photos & suggestions to help Tours Shopping you create the perfect trip. z Festivals 8 Information & Events & Transport All reviews are ordered in our authors’ preference, starting with their most preferred option. Additionally: 2 Sights are arranged in the geographic order that we suggest you visit them and, within this order, by author preference. ON THE ROAD Eating and Sleeping reviews are ordered by price range (budget, midrange, top end) and, within these Your complete guide ranges, by author preference. Expert reviews, easy-to-use maps & insider tips. These symbols and abbreviations give vital information for each listing: Must-visit recommendation Sustainable or green recommendation 3 No payment required % Telephone number f Ferry UNDERSTAND h Opening hours j Tram p Parking d Train Get more from your trip n Nonsmoking a pt apartments Learn about the big picture, to a Air-conditioning d double rooms make sense of what you see. i Internet access d m dorm beds W Wi-fi access q quad rooms s Swimming pool r rooms v Vegetarian selection s single rooms E English-language menu ste suites 4 c Family-friendly tr triple rooms # Pet-friendly tw twin rooms g Bus SURVIVAL GUIDE Your at-a-glance reference For symbols used on maps, see the Map Legend. Vital practical information for a smooth trip. ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Thailand Chiang Mai Province p304 Northern Thailand p191 Northeastern Thailand Central p364 Thailand p155 Bangkok & Around Ko Chang & p58 Eastern Seaboard p444 Hua Hin & the Upper Gulf p484 Phuket & the Andaman Ko Samui Coast & the p587 Lower Gulf p517 THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY Mark Beales, Tim Bewer, Joe Bindloss, Austin Bush, David Eimer, Bruce Evans, Damian Harper, Isabella Noble P LAN ON THE ROAD YOUR TRIP Welcome to Thailand . . . . .6 BANGKOK Thong Pha Phum Thailand Map . . . . . . . . . . .8 & AROUND . . . . . . . . . 58 National Park . . . . . . . . . . 186 E-Thong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Thailand’s Top 20 . . . . . . . 10 Khao Laem Need to Know . . . . . . . . . 22 CENTRAL National Park . . . . . . . . . . 187 First Time Thailand . . . . 24 THAILAND . . . . . . . . 155 Sangkhlaburi . . . . . . . . . . 187 What’s New . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Ayuthaya Province . . . . 158 If You Like… . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Ayuthaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 NORTHERN Month by Month . . . . . . . 30 Around Ayuthaya . . . . . . . 167 THAILAND . . . . . . . . . 191 Lopburi Province . . . . . 167 Itineraries . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Lamphun Province . . . . 195 Lopburi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Lamphun . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Kanchanaburi Eat & Drink Like a Local . . 42 Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Doi Khun Tan National Park . . . . . . . . . . 197 Choose Your Beach . . . .46 Kanchanaburi . . . . . . . . . 173 Lampang Province . . . . 197 Travel with Children . . . . . 51 Around Kanchanaburi . . . 183 Lampang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Regions at a Glance . . . . 54 Thong Pha Phum . . . . . . 186 Around Lampang . . . . . . . 203 TRAVEL INK / GETTY IMAGES © KAMPEE PATISENA / GETTY IMAGES © WAT PHO P64, BANGKOK ANUJAK JAIM OOK / GETTY IM AGES © RICE FIELDS P321, CHIANG MAI Contents Chiang Rai Province . . . 205 Around Nan . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 San Kamphaeng Chiang Rai . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 Phitsanulok Province . . 246 & Bo Sang . . . . . . . . . . . . 360 Ban Ruam Mit Phitsanulok . . . . . . . . . . . 246 San Kamphaeng & Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Phu Hin Rong Kla Hot Springs . . . . . . . . . . . . 361 Mae Salong National Park . . . . . . . . . . 252 Hang Dong . . . . . . . . . . . . 361 (Santikhiri) . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Ban Tawai . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361 Sukhothai Province . . . 254 Mae Sai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Sukhothai . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 Doi Inthanon Chiang Saen . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Si Satchanalai-Chaliang National Park . . . . . . . . . . 361 Sop Ruak . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Historical Park . . . . . . . . . 262 Chiang Khong . . . . . . . . . 228 Kamphaeng Phet NORTHEASTERN Phayao Province . . . . . . 233 Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 THAILAND . . . . . . . . 364 Phayao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Kamphaeng Phet . . . . . . 265 Upper Isan . . . . . . . . . . . 365 Phrae Province . . . . . . .235 Tak Province . . . . . . . . .268 Loei Province . . . . . . . . . . 365 Phrae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Mae Sot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 Nong Khai . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376 Nan Province . . . . . . . . . 239 Mae Sot to Um Phang . . . 274 West of Nong Khai . . . . . . 382 Nan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Um Phang & Around . . . . 274 Udon Thani Province . . . . 384 Mae Sot to Bueng Kan Province . . . . 391 Mae Sariang . . . . . . . . . . . 277 Nakhon Phanom Mae Hong Son Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393 Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 Mukdahan Province . . . . . 398 Pai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 Lower Isan . . . . . . . . . . . 401 Soppong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 Nakhon Ratchasima Around Soppong . . . . . . . 289 (Khorat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401 Mae Hong Son . . . . . . . . . 290 Around Nakhon Around Mae Hong Son . . 297 Ratchasima . . . . . . . . . . . . 407 Khun Yuam . . . . . . . . . . . . 299 Phimai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408 Mae Sariang . . . . . . . . . . . 300 Khao Yai National Park . . 410 Around Mae Sariang . . . . 303 Sung Noen . . . . . . . . . . . . 413 Buriram Province . . . . . . . 414 CHIANG MAI Surin Province . . . . . . . . . 417 PROVINCE . . . . . . . . 304 Si Saket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422 Ubon Ratchathani Chiang Mai . . . . . . . . . . 306 Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422 Northern Chiang Mai Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 Central Isan . . . . . . . . . . 432 Mae Rim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 Khon Kaen Province . . . . 432 Mae Sa–Samoeng Roi Et . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440 Loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 Chiang Dao . . . . . . . . . . . . 355 KO CHANG & EASTERN Doi Ang Khang . . . . . . . . . 357 SEABOARD . . . . . . . 444 Fang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358 Bang Saen . . . . . . . . . . . . 445 Tha Ton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358 Si Racha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448 Southern Chiang Mai Ko Si Chang . . . . . . . . . . . 450 WAT PHRA THAT DOI KONG Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360 MU P294, MAE HONG SON Pattaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451 ON THE ROAD Rayong & Ban Phe . . . . . 456 Hua Hin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493 Ko Tao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 555 Ko Samet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457 Hua Hin to Pranburi . . . . . 503 Ang Thong Marine Chanthaburi . . . . . . . . . . . 462 Pranburi & Around . . . . . . 504 National Park . . . . . . . . . . 570 Trat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .465 Khao Sam Roi Yot Surat Thani Province . . 571 Ko Chang . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468 National Park . . . . . . . . . . 505 Surat Thani . . . . . . . . . . . . 571 Ko Wai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479 Prachuap Nakhon Si Thammarat Khiri Khan . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507 Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574 Ko Mak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480 Ban Krut & Bang Ao Khanom . . . . . . . . . . . . 574 Ko Kut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482 Saphan Yai . . . . . . . . . . . . 511 Nakhon Si Thammarat . . 576 Chumphon . . . . . . . . . . . . 513 Songkhla Province . . . . 578 HUA HIN & Songkhla & Around . . . . . 578 THE UPPER GULF . . 484 KO SAMUI & Hat Yai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 579 Phetchaburi THE LOWER GULF . . 517 Deep South . . . . . . . . . .581 (Phetburi) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486 Gulf Islands . . . . . . . . . . 520 Pattani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582 Kaeng Krachan National Park . . . . . . . . . . 490 Ko Samui . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520 Narathiwat . . . . . . . . . . . . 583 Cha-am . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491 Ko Pha-Ngan . . . . . . . . . . 538 Sungai Kolok . . . . . . . . . . 585 LEELAKAJONKIJ / GETTY IMAGES © STEVE OGLE / GETTY IMAGES © ROYAL PARK RAJAPRUEK P321, CHIANG MAI ANNAPURNA M ELLOR / GETTY IM AGES © SAIREE BEACH, KO TAO P555 Contents UNDERSTAND PHUKET & THE Khao Lak & Around . . . . . 602 Thailand Today . . . . . . .704 ANDAMAN COAST . . 587 Similan Islands Marine History & Politics . . . . . . 707 National Park . . . . . . . . . . 606 Ranong Province . . . . . .590 Natai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 608 People & Culture . . . . . .721 Ranong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590 Ao Phang-Nga . . . . . . . . . 609 Food & Drink . . . . . . . . . 733 Ko Chang . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593 Phuket Province . . . . . .613 Ko Phayam . . . . . . . . . . . . 594 Arts & Architecture . . . 740 Phuket Town . . . . . . . . . . . 618 Laem Son Environment & National Park . . . . . . . . . . 596 Ko Sireh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 625 Wildlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 752 Phang-Nga Province . . . 597 Laem Phanwa . . . . . . . . . 625 Khuraburi . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597 Rawai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 625 Surin Islands Marine Hat Kata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 628 National Park . . . . . . . . . . 598 Hat Karon . . . . . . . . . . . . . 633 Ko Phra Thong & Hat Patong . . . . . . . . . . . . 635 Ko Ra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 599 Hat Kamala . . . . . . . . . . . 639 Khao Sok Hat Surin . . . . . . . . . . . . . 640 National Park . . . . . . . . . . 600 Ao Bang Thao . . . . . . . . . 642 SURVIVAL Sirinat National Park . . . 644 GUIDE Khao Phra Thaew Royal Wildlife & Responsible Travel . . . . 758 Forest Reserve . . . . . . . . . 646 Thalang District . . . . . . . . 646 Directory A-Z . . . . . . . . . 763 Krabi Province . . . . . . . . 647 Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . 774 Krabi Town . . . . . . . . . . . . 647 Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 781 Ao Nang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651 Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . 787 Hat Noppharat Thara . . . 654 Railay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 655 Ko Phi-Phi Don . . . . . . . . 660 Ko Phi-Phi Leh . . . . . . . . . 668 Ko Jum & Ko Si Boya . . . 669 Ko Lanta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 670 Trang Province . . . . . . . 680 Trang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 680 Trang Beaches . . . . . . . . . 683 Trang Islands . . . . . . . . . . . 684 SPECIAL Satun Province . . . . . . . 689 FEATURES Satun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 689 Off the Beaten Track Pak Bara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692 Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Ko Bulon Leh . . . . . . . . . . 692 Wat Phra Kaew in 3D . . . 62 Ko Tarutao Marine Wat Pho in 3D . . . . . . . . . 64 National Park . . . . . . . . . . 693 Food Spotters Guide . . 738 RAILAY P655 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 6 Welcome to Thailand Friendly and fun loving, exotic and tropical, cultured and historic, Thailand radiates a golden hue from its glittering temples and tropical beaches through to the ever-comforting Thai smile. Sand Between Your Toes Fields & Forests With a long coastline (actually, two coast- In between the cluttered cities and towns is lines) and jungle-topped islands anchored the rural heartland, which is a mix of rice in azure waters, Thailand is a tropical get- paddies, tropical forests and squat villages away for the hedonist and the hermit, the tied to the agricultural clock. In the north, prince and the pauper. This paradise offers the forests and fields bump up against a varied menu: playing in the gentle surf toothy blue mountains decorated with of Ko Lipe, diving with whale sharks off silvery waterfalls. In the south, scraggy Ko Tao, scaling the sea cliffs of Krabi, kite- limestone cliffs poke out of the cultivated boarding in Hua Hin, partying on Ko Phi landscape like prehistoric skyscrapers. The Phi, recuperating at a health resort on Ko usually arid northeast emits an emerald Samui and feasting on the beach wherever hue during the rainy season when tender sand meets sea. green rice shoots carpet the landscape. Sacred Spaces A Bountiful Table The celestial world is a close confidant in Adored around the world, Thai cuisine this Buddhist nation, and religious devo- expresses fundamental aspects of Thai tion is colourful and ubiquitous. Gleaming culture: it is generous, warm, refreshing temples and golden Buddhas frame both and relaxed. Each Thai dish relies on fresh, the rural and modern landscapes. Ancient local ingredients – pungent lemongrass, banyan trees are ceremoniously wrapped in searing chillies and plump seafood. A var- sacred cloth to honour the resident spirits, ied national menu is built around the four fortune-bringing shrines decorate humble fundamental flavours: spicy, sweet, salty homes as well as monumental malls, while and sour. Roving appetites go on eating garland-festooned dashboards ward off tours of Bangkok noodle shacks, seafood traffic accidents. Visitors can join the con- pavilions in Phuket and Burmese market versation through meditation retreats in stalls in Mae Sot. Cooking classes reveal Chiang Mai, religious festivals in northeast- the simplicity behind the seemingly compli- ern Thailand, underground cave shrines in cated dishes and mastering the market is Kanchanaburi and Phetchaburi and hilltop an important survival skill. temples in northern Thailand. 7 TORSTENVELDEN / GETTY IM AGES © Why I Love Thailand By Austin Bush, Writer It’s easy to say that the thing I love most about Thailand is Thai food. But then I’m reminded of that feeling of freedom during a motorcycle trip upcountry. And of the sensory overload of a busy morning market – or a night out in Bangkok. And of encounters with history and culture, the new and the old, at just about every turn. Did I mention the white-sand beaches, jungles, ancient ruins and Buddhist temples? Indeed, the food satisfies – but on second thought, Thailand offers so much more. For more about our writers, see page 808 Above: Wat Phra That Doi Suthep (p322), Chiang Mai 150 km090 miles0 Chiang Rai ProvinceMae SaiChiang KhongHikes, Golden TriangleChiangand river trips (p205)SaenTha TonFangMLuang PrabangekongrL A O SevChiang RaiiRHuay KonChiang KhamV I E T N A MPaiMae Hong SonGulf ofTonkinDoi InthanonVang Vieng(2565m)NanChiang Mai18º NLamphunBeungDoi InthanonKanMekong RiverNational ParkKheuanLampangVIENTIANETrace it from ChiangSirikitPhraeKhan (p371) to Pha Taem (p430)ChiangDenKhanNong KhaiChaiSi ChiangmaiKkeuanUtaraditPhumiphonUdonLoeiThaniNakhon PhanomTha KhaekPhu KradungSawankhalokSakhonNational ParkNakhonKheuanPhu PhanSukhothaiPhitsanulokUbonNational ParkMae TakRatanaLom SakKheuanNam NaoSotLang SanwaddySavannakhetLam PaoNational ParkNational Park16º NMukdahanPhichitKhon KaenKalasinwlamyaingKamphaengPhetchaburiPhetMahasarakhamKheuanUm PhangRoi EtL A O SAmnatChulabholCharoenKheuanPha TaemYasothonChaiyaphumNakhon SawanThreeMae WongNational ParkPagodasmaN eaMPassUthai ThaniNakhonUbon RatchathaniayarhP oahCSangkhlaburiChainatRatchasimaPhimaiPakseWarin(Khorat)BuriramKhaoChongSi SaketChamrapLopburiKhao YaiSingburiPhanom RungLaemMekSi NakharinSurinNational ParkAngReservoir Historical ParkPak Thong ChaiReservoirThongRuins amidSaraburiSuphanburiPrasatthe rice fields (p414)AyuthayaNam TokPhanom RungTavoyPathumPrachinburiKanchanaburiKhao Yai National ParkThaniNakhonBangkok’s closestBANGKOKAranya PrathetPathomwilderness (p410)ChachoengsaoRatchaburi Thailand Mae Hong Son ProvinceMountain scenery, trekkingand hill tribes (p278) Chiang MaiLaid-back town withculture and cuisine (p306) M Y A N M A RMaeSariang Sukhothai Historical ParkCycle around theruins (p254) YANGONMya(RANGOON) MaGulf ofMartaban AyuthayaWorld Heritage Sitewith historic ruins (p158) 14º N KanchanaburiRiverside town offeringnature and history (p173)

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Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.