February 2012 Bangkok Pattaya Elephant Island Self-help Tour Strategy

Thailand has always been a country I want to go to. The reason is actually very simple. I want to realize my dream of traveling abroad, but the economy is not very comfortable, so I chose Thailand. I have always wanted to take my wife on a honeymoon trip abroad. I struggled hard between following the group or helping myself years ago. Finally, I chose Xiangdao Self-help Tour under the strong recommendation of my travel agency friends. Before leaving, I also made some preparations. Thank you very much for the information provided by You Duoduo. Many travelers have given me great help, who seldom travels. Therefore, although I am lazy, I still hope to share my journey with everyone (my wife can hardly believe I can really write it). Overall, I feel that this trip is very worthwhile, especially for young travelers. Self-help tour is always my only choice and I hope it will be helpful to everyone.

Our trip is Bangkok-Elephant Island-Pattaya-Bangkok. First of all, let’s talk about some preparatory work, some of which are already in other strategies. After my verification, I can almost believe it.

1. Exchange of Thai Baht: I checked on the Internet that Thai Baht can be exchanged in China at the Bank of China (this is a foreign exchange bank, the others do not seem to be), but it is almost difficult to exchange Thai Baht when I really exchange it. This is my first trip, and the Thai baht is still not available before I go out. I can imagine my anxious mood. I couldn’t take my family’s only $100 with me and exchanged it for another $300 (I heard that the $100 can be spent directly there). It is said that Chengdu Bank Gold Card can take Thai baht in Thailand and is free of handling fees. It happens that there is a Chengdu Bank Gold Card in my family, so I have deposited more than 10,000 yuan in this card. Just in case, I brought another credit card from China Construction Bank (isn’t it too careful, hey hey). As it turned out, In fact, as long as you bring a gold card, what can handle it, There is no handling fee, The exchange rate is very satisfactory, Most of the exchange rates I checked before were at 1: Within 4.6, some tour guides even reached 1: 4.3. I went back to Chengdu this afternoon to check my withdrawal exchange rate, which was above 1: 4.8, with an average of 1: 4.86. According to friends, sometimes it could even reach 1: 5. The most important thing is that Thailand’s ATMs are just like fly restaurants in China. They are everywhere. No matter which scenic spot you are in, withdrawal is too convenient and can be done within 5 minutes’ walk.

2. Language: At first, I was also worried about the lack of language, because it has been ten years since I graduated from college. Although I passed the English proficiency test, I am afraid there will not be more than 10 words I can remember except numbers. However, people really have potential and believe in themselves. Thailand’s degree of internationalization is quite good. Most people can say a few words. Not really, English plus body language, your meaning can be understood by the other party. In addition, Thais are really hospitable and enthusiastic, so you don’t have to worry about language and traffic.

3. Strategy Preparation: Most people who are going to travel start preparing strategies long in advance and have been hoping to check more information until they leave. But to tell the truth, my feeling is that the strategy does not need to be too detailed, as long as you know your destination and transportation route, and the rest can be adjusted at random. Most public facilities in Thailand have English names, which the Chinese can understand. In fact, they enjoy exploring all the way.

Let’s begin my pleasant journey.

On the afternoon of January and February 3, I took Thai Airlines flight TG619 at 15:00. The Internet said that I would arrive at the airport 3 hours in advance. Because I was still working in the company in the morning, I started from the office almost at 1 o’clock. I quickly asked my friends to take us to the airport and arrived at the airport almost at 2 o’clock. However, the airport formalities were handled smoothly, and there were few people at the border and security checks of the entire customs. They were on demand and arrived at the boarding gate in 10 minutes. My understanding is that the online statement that 3 hours in advance is for peak seasons such as holidays, and 1.5 hours in advance for off-season is enough.

2. Thai Airlines flights may be delayed than domestic flights. We took off at 3 pm, but we didn’t take off until 4 pm. The whole trip went smoothly. After 3 hours at Bangkok Airport, car ferry was sent to the lobby. Don’t delay too much time through the aisle, because Thailand’s customs work efficiency is very low, and there will be a long queue for each flight. It should be noted here that there are border inspection channels for Thais and foreigners respectively through the customs. We are already foreigners to Thais, so we have to be in the queue with foreign control.

3. Accommodation in Bangkok: Since it takes almost 5 hours by car from Bangkok to Elephant Island, unless it is in the morning to Bangkok, if it is in the afternoon to Bangkok, it is recommended to stay in Bangkok for one night. Bangkok’s main scenic spots are the Meilan River. The Grand Palace, Sleeping Buddha Temple, Zheng Wang Temple and other scenic spots are all beside the Meilan River, so it is best to stay on the Meilan River. When I arrived, I stayed in The Royal CityHotel, and when I came back, I stayed in The Royal River Hotel. Both of these are relatively old hotels. The latter has better conditions, especially the river view room, which is worth recommending. The prices of different rooms in this hotel vary greatly, so it should be clear when booking.