Organized Tours of Thailand
Koh Panyi Village at Phang Nga Bay
Organized ToursTour OperatorsThere are literally hundreds if not thousands of Organized Tours to Thailand that can be individually designed and booked from abroad. They usually include all manner of travel, sight-seeing and accommodation arrangements. There are also equally as many local Tour Operators in Thailand itself offering a wide range of both commercial and specialized tours that should suit just about every request. The local TAT offices in Thailand will also recommend reputable tour companies.A typical all-inclusive tour to Thailand from your home country will inevitably last anywhere between one to two weeks but longer periods of up to one month can almost certainly be planned. Most countries are issued with a 30 day entry visa upon arrival but you may need to check whether this actually applies to you. You could spend a few days in Bangkok followed by excursions to Chiang Mai and other northern locations or you could simply fly directly to the Island of Phuket and spend your days relaxing on the beach and exploring the surrounding regions for a spot of diving, snorkeling, sailing or whatever else may take your fancy.
Long Boats on the shores of Phi Phi Island
Organized ToursSight-Seeing TripsWithout going into too much detail, tour companies, street shops and most hotels and guesthouses throughout Thailand offer a huge variety of tours of one kind or another. A typical excursion can range from half-to-one-day city tours that will cover the main sights, to a more comprehensive itinerary that will take in several towns and locations over a few days. Numerous tours also cover entertainment venues such as theme parks, tropical gardens, aquariums and animal sanctuaries.While a single day trip to the most popular local sights can usually be booked one day before departure, longer trips to distant locations may need to be organized a few days in advance to allow for any additional requirements such as transport and accommodation. In most if not all cases, tour companies will arrange to pick you up at your hotel or guesthouse and drop you off after the tour is completed. I am sure that you will be aware that the cost of booking a tour whether in your own country or in Thailand, will naturally be higher than if you use local transport to get to various places of interest. In most cases, entry fees to theme parks, entertainment venues and the likes are much the same for all tourists although you may or may not be surprised, locals are charged a much lower entrance fee. In most cases it is reasonable to say that the convenience of an organized tour will far out-weigh the inconvenience of having to find your own way around any unfamiliar city or town. The only real drawback is that with some tours there are restraints which rarely allow you to linger other than the allotted time stipulated.
Luxury Thai Coaches
Organized ToursTour Buses and BoatsThai tour companies use luxury coaches for long trips. All have air-conditioning, many have reclining seats and on-board toilets. Some even provide refreshments. Minivans are used for shorter trips. Most buses are extremely well maintained and perfectly safe. I do however advise you to keep an eye on your belongings at all times. It's unlikely that you will see a tour bus in shoddy condition but should you come across one that is, hopefully it won't be the one you are about to board.Various boats and cruisers, whether luxurious or otherwise, are immensely popular with tourists at all the resorts. They provide superlative transport for day trips to remote islands and beaches for any number of water sport opportunities and exploration. As part of these water-borne trips, tour companies will often include on-board diving facilities as well as transfers to and from your hotel. Some boats even provide specialized accommodation should the diving trip span several days.
Doi Suthep Temple in Chiang Mai
Specialized ToursElephant Trekking and River RaftingThere are a number of specialized tour packages designed specifically for the more adventurous traveller. They can incorporate activities such as river rafting and elephant trekking. Both of which are fast becoming popular tour attractions in the northern parts of Thailand. These particular tours can easily vary from just a few days to several weeks depending on the length of your stay in the region.It is important to book a tour with a reputable company and one which provides guides who are not only knowledgeable of the area but for safety reasons too, particularly when trekking through the jungle or while visiting hill-tribe villages. You just need to be aware that the quality of guides vary from place to place. For numerous other reasons, it sure takes the stress out of trying to go it alone. It is not uncommon to find bilingual guides accompanying these tours, especially to cultural sites in Northern Thailand, North East Thailand and Central Thailand.
Young Elephants Enjoying the Water
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