Lonely Planet Thailand

811 Pages·2016·60.28 MB·English

by  Lonely Planet

P
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TThhaaiillaanndd
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Edition 16th Edition
Release Date Jul 2016
Pages 808
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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)