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Pattaya / Isaan Thailand
If Pattaya has
the reputation for being the "Sin City" of Thailand, then
Isaan will have the title "Poorest Area". And the proximity
of poor people, along with the American GI origins of this once
fishing village, accounts for why there is such a major sex industry
in Pattaya. And because it is "foreign touristville on the
sea", not a major Thai town per say, this also explains the
lack of an airport.
The countryside
to the north is poor because of its thin soil. This means that only
certain crops can be grown, and not very well. So is there any doubt
as to why a seemingly limitless line of also seemingly nice Thai
girls, who may receive only 600 baht per month working in the fields
(and often plenty of abuse), is ready to sell herself to a foreigner
for the same amount, but for only a few hours (or minutes) "work"?!
This does create
two opposites of choice for the tourist. A vast countryside, unspoiled
with virtually no tourists. Or a seaside town, with absolutely no
Thai culture!
Thai web site owners, have you checked out our Featured
Sites Page?
"Siamfiles" - Don't be shy to suggest extra text, links
or other information.
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Pattaya
Pattaya
is not really for the traveler. It is squarely and firmly for the package,
beach and MacDonalds tourist, or for those who want easy and inexpensive
sex. There are a few quality hotel choices on the beaches just outside
the main drag. But most hotels are 3 star "ghettos" for tour
group hoards from Europe, the Russian Federation (and yes, the Russian
Mafia are rife in Pattaya) and the Middle East, plus large numbers of
tolerant guest house style hotels near the town center. One hotel that
tries hard though is the Flamingo
Hotel (both gay and normal friendly).
Pattaya does have
claim to some fame, in that it is Thailand's busiest beach resort, with
one third of all visitors actually spending some time there. Also, the
large number of water-sport operators and the proximity of some relatively
unspoiled islands, does make it a top destination for scuba divers (mostly
around soi 5/6). With wind-surfers, jet-skiers and parasailers around
Jomtien Beach; the later two being sold to novices who frequently have
accidents and then discover they have no insurance. Downtown soi 13 area
is where the go-go (ladies for rent) bars tend to concentrate, with sois
1 thru to 3 being almost exclusively for homosexuals. One tour operator
that specializes in gay tours is Utopia
Tours.
In recent times, there have been some raw sewage and large quantities
of litter problems on the (narrow, crowded) beach. And the skyline looks
like a battle ground for who can build the tallest hotel. Some useful
links for this resort are The
Pattaya Mail, Pattaya
City Map Site, Thai
Students Pattaya Guide, and this "Girly Bar" site Freelancer
Bar for those that fit the stereotypes. If you need to find your way
around, we can recommend the 
Pattaya Groovy Map.
For a great impression of Isaan, you can not do much better than Chris
Burkill's
View of Isaan.
Koh Samet / Rayong
The white powder sands and low cost accommodations of Koh Samet, make
it a very popular choice with budget foreign travelers and Thai students
from Bangkok alike. On the island, the beach areas of Ao Wong Deuan and
Hat Sai Kaew have the most western standard hotels. With neighboring Ao's
Hin Kok and Phai offering low budget accommodations. The beaches are literally
squeaky clean (the squeak coming from silicone), but they are starting
to have a major problem with jet skis and their insurance less operators.
Rayong (Ban Phe Harbour) is the mainland port for Samet, and many people
chose to stay there and simply take day trips to the island. There are
only radio phones on Koh Samet.
Chanthaburi
Boasts 70%
of the gems mined in Thailand. But bargain stone hunting tourists should
beware. Low grade stones are heat treated to fool all but the real experts,
and red glass ground in gravel chips for days looks like an uncut stone
to the foolish amateur! The town itself has almost a French feel to it
(they did build the cathedral), and has some of the highest grade fruits
to be found. Good
Chanthaburi site.
Trat / Koh Chang
Trat is a wooden building rich, market town, with a beautiful / scenic
(waterfalls, sea views and forests) road to border crossing town of Ban
Hat Lek (with its duty free market). From Laem Ngop pier, you can catch
a boat ride to Koh Chang. An island in a series of 52, with some of the
very best rain forest in SE Asia. Hat Sai Kaew is the busiest beach area,
with the most hotels (some with aircon). Hat Kaibae is less busy, but
the beach is not as good. The beaches on the other (Eastern) side of the
island are not as good. Koh Chang and Trat area generally is malarial.
Isaan
Only receives around 2% of Thailand's tourism, yet it is possibly
one of the most interesting areas of all Thailand. Prehistoric cave paintings
and 4,000 year old bronze culture artifacts predate those of anywhere
else in the world. Also, for the bargain hunters, here you will find the
finest Thai silks and at the lowest prices. A nice Isaan site is This
One, run by a school in England with opportunities for teachers to
help / stay in Isaan. The areas in / around Isaan are;
Khao Yai
Thailand's oldest National Park, and one of the world's best. With
mountains, elephants and even tigers. There are a number of western run
guest house / lodge style small hotels around the park grounds, which
offer some of the better tours within the park. Here are some good Khao
Yai websites; WildAid,
Sawatdee,
Khorat,
Khao
Yai Trekking.
 Khon
Kaen / Udon Thani
The central cities within Isaan. Udon Thani is a maze of concrete
buildings for the most part. Although there is a central(ish) park
/ lake area with an excellent and popular restaurant (Ram Nam) serving
genuine Isaan food, such as Serpents Head fish. Khon
Kaen is more attractive (actually, less ugly), has more in the
way of quality hotels and is further south, so better placed for trips
to the silk areas and a restored Khmer temple. Udon Thani is
close to Ban Chiang (bronze age site), but the river towns probably
have more potential. To help you find your way around "Udon",
why not try
Udon Thani Information
& Maps. |
The River Towns
Along the Mekong river, there is a natural border between Thailand and
Laos / Cambodia, and some stunning natural vistas. All of the following
riverside towns have tourist targeted hotels, although they are normally
very basic in terms of quality. However, the route itself more than makes
up for any temporary and minor loss of creature comforts. 2 nights in
each would make for a very memorable, and relatively tourist free holiday
indeed. Chiang
Khan with its memorable river trips. Nong Khai the border
town for Vientiane in Laos, with riverside promenade and French-Chinese
architecture. Ban Ahong with its natural river swimming pools.
Nakhon Phanom with a chance to stay in some more creature comfort
hotels and good river / Laotian views. That Phanon with its market
dominated by Laotian merchants. Mukdahan, with possibly the best
Mekong views and renowned Asian market.
Some other notable
Isaan / Pattaya sites:
Behand
Lungs Centre: Alternative cancer medication pioneers in Udon Thani
If you like wreck diving,
Thailand Shipwrecks
is a comprehensive resource for divers intending to dive shipwrecks in
The Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. Although they are based in Pattaya,
they detail wrecks throughout Thailand.
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