alone in Thailand
 

Hi everybody,
I am taking a trip alone to Thailand and Cambodia. After reading the posts, I am going to hire a private guide in Siem Reap for 2 days, but I am not sure about Thailand. I planned on spending 2 days in BKK and 2-3 days in Chaing Mai. I wanted to ride the elephants and go into the jungle, making to the long-necked women. Do you think I need to hook up with an organized tour or can I just fly to Chaing Mai and book a tour at the hotel? Packaged tours get pretty expensive and you miss alot of the culture, but being alone, I don't know if it will be safer and easier to just do it that way. thanks for your help.

In Chiang Mai, you can book through your hotel, but we've had good luck with Sergeant Kai for two trips. He can be reached at ChiangMaiTours.com.

for bkk you might want to contact cherry to assist you with touring as you have such a short stay

[email protected]

a guide will speed things along for you and organize you better than you might do for yourself...

in CM, get one after arrival

We booked individual guides (Sergeant Kai in Chiang Mai and Julie Taxi in Bangkok), but a woman we met in Chiang Mai who was traveling alone booked a small group day tour while in Chiang Mai. It was about 6 to 8 people and included an elephant ride and bamboo rafting plus a market stop as I remember. If you'd like the company of others, I'm pretty sure you could arrange something like that (in Chiang Mai at least) on very short notice. Your hotel should be able to help. For a us a private guide was wonderful - can highly recommend both the ones we used!

It will be easiest and cheapest to wait until you are in Thailand to book any tours you decide you want. Also, once you are there, you can decide if you want a guide, a car and driver or a tour. In Bangkok I never hire drivers unless I am going somwhere that public transport or taxi can't easily take me (like the Prasart). In Chaing Mai, you'll need a car and driver to take you to some of the places you want to go. Your hotel can help you, or any of teh many travel agencies in town can help.

Hi Sally - I saw your query about Tong on another post. Her contact details are [email protected] and she has another email too - [email protected]. Some people's emails block her pornpitcha address as spam. If you do a search for her name you will find many rave reviews. We spent 4 days with her during our trip in July/August and had great fun with her - she is very knowledgeable about thai culture and history, speaks great English, is very chatty and has a good sense of humour. I spent 2 days with her on my own and had a great time - like spending time with a friend. I would definitely recommend her. She is a licensed guide as well so can accompany you into all the sights. I think her current rate is 3000B per day. If she takes you out of Bangkok then there is a petrol charge as well but she will advise you of that in advance. She is v busy as she is a popular guide but has some carefully selected guides working with her now too.

We also spent time with Sergeant Kai in Chiang Mai and had a great time with him. His tour far surpassed the organised tours I have been on in Chiang Mai.

I also did this trip alone and booked it in the nightmarket in Chiang Mai. It's a long trip (about 4 hrs each way) but a great way to meet new people from all over the world, most of whom were also travelling alone.

thanks for all your help. I will definitely give Tong and try and book a tour after I get to Chaing Mai. You guys are wonderful.