Pick & Mix: Thailand VISA: TAKE THE WORRY OUT OF TRAVEL ADVERTISING FEATURE. Table of Contents

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1 Pick & Mix: Table of Contents ADVERTISING FEATURE VISA: TAKE THE WORRY OUT OF TRAVEL Everyone who travels overseas worries about money. But Visa has a range of safe and widely-accepted card options that give you freedom and peace of mind. Take the hassle and risk out of holiday spending, and enjoy your trip! Find out more about travelling overseas with Visa. Splashing cash. It s true: Cash is accepted everywhere in the world even by thieves and scam artists. If you ve ever travelled carrying a wad of cash, you ll know the hassle of trying to guess how much you ll need each day, putting some in pockets, more in a hidden pouch and leaving the bulk of it stashed in your bag or case where you re staying. And if any of it gets lost or stolen, it s gone for good. There s no better way to ruin a holiday. Options for everyone. Leave the risk and annoyance of cash at home; it s additional baggage you really don t want to carry. Visa has a range of credit, debit and even prepaid card options that give you all the flexibility of cash with none of the risks. All Visa cards allow you to withdraw cash at ATMs and pay for goods online or over the counter anywhere. With over 30 million merchants and 1 million ATMs worldwide, Visa is the safe and convenient alternative to cash: Visa Credit: Everyone knows about Visa credit cards; accepted in over 170 countries worldwide. Spread your holiday costs over time, and for premium card holders take advantage of benefits like medical and legal referral, 24-hour replacement service worldwide for lost cards, and more. Visa Debit: All the flexibility and global acceptance of a credit card, but with your money, straight out of your bank account. Visa Debit is like your normal EFTPOS card, but you can also use it to pay online and over the phone too.

2 Pick & Mix: Table of Contents ADVERTISING FEATURE VISA: TAKE THE WORRY OUT OF TRAVEL Visa Prepaid: For ultimate control, save up and pay for your holiday in advance with a Visa Prepaid card. Accepted everywhere Visa Credit and Debit cards are, you can load up a card in the currency of the country you re travelling to it so you re holiday money will not get hit by exchange rate fluctuations and unexpected fees. Plus you have the flexibility to top it up while you re away, and if you loose it you have the security of a back-up card linked to the same funds.. Find out which Visa card is right for you. More people go. All Visa cards come with 100% payment protection, meaning you get reimbursed for any spending on a stolen card. Visa offers 24 hour assistance for lost or stolen cards. And, of course, Visa is recognised and accepted worldwide, which is why more people go with VISA. Learn more tips about using your card abroad.

3 Contents On the Road 4 Traveller Highlights 5 Destination 16 Getting Started 18 Events Calendar 21 Itineraries 23 History 29 & You 45 The Culture 54 Arts 68 Food & Drink 83 Environment 95 Bangkok 103 History 104 Orientation 104 Information 105 Dangers & Annoyances 108 Sights 109 Activities 140 Walking Tours 141 Courses 144 Bangkok for Children 146 Tours 147 Festivals & Events 148 Sleeping 148 Eating 160 Drinking 168 Entertainment 171 Shopping 175 Getting There & Away 181 Getting Around 183 Lonely Planet Publications 13 AROUND BANGKOK 188 Floating Markets 188 Nakhon Pathom 189 Central 193 AYUTHAYA PROVINCE 195 Ayuthaya 195 Around Ayuthaya 204 LOPBURI PROVINCE 205 Lopburi 205 KANCHANABURI PROVINCE 210 Kanchanaburi 211 Around Kanchanaburi 218 Thong Pha Phum 223 Sangkhlaburi 223 Around Sangkhlaburi 226 Southeastern 228 CHONBURI PROVINCE 229 Si Racha 229 Ko Si Chang 232 Pattaya 234 RAYONG PROVINCE 243 Rayong 243 Ban Phe 243 Around Rayong & Ban Phe 244 Ko Samet 245 CHANTHABURI PROVINCE 251 Chanthaburi 251 TRAT PROVINCE 253 Trat 253 Around Trat 257 Hat Lek to Cambodia 257 Ko Chang 258 Around Ko Chang 267 PRACHINBURI & SA KAEW PROVINCES 271 Prachinburi 271 Around Prachinburi 271 Thap Lan & Pang Sida National Parks 272 Aranya Prathet 272 Province 274 CHIANG MAI 275 History 275 Orientation 279

4 14 CONTENTS Information 280 Dangers & Annoyances 281 Sights 281 Walking Tour 297 Activities 297 Courses 300 Festivals & Events 302 Sleeping 302 Eating 309 Drinking 316 Entertainment 317 Shopping 318 Getting There & Away 322 Getting Around 324 NORTHERN CHIANG MAI PROVINCE 326 Mae Sa Valley & Samoeng 326 Chiang Dao 327 Doi Ang Khang 329 Fang & Tha Ton 330 SOUTHERN CHIANG MAI PROVINCE 332 Bo Sang & San Kamphaeng 332 Mae Kampong 332 Hang Dong, Ban Wan & Ban Thawai 333 San Pa Thong 334 Doi Inthanon National Park 334 Northern 336 LAMPHUN PROVINCE 339 Lamphun 339 Around Lamphun 341 LAMPANG PROVINCE 342 Lampang 342 Around Lampang 347 CHIANG RAI PROVINCE 350 Chiang Rai 350 Around Chiang Rai 357 Mae Salong (Santikhiri) 358 Ban Thoet Thai & Around 361 Mae Sai 361 Around Mae Sai 364 Chiang Saen 366 Around Chiang Saen 370 Chiang Khong 371 PHAYAO PROVINCE 375 Phayao 375 PHRAE PROVINCE 377 Phrae 378 Around Phrae 382 NAN PROVINCE 382 Nan 382 Around Nan 388 PHITSANULOK PROVINCE 389 Phitsanulok 389 Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park 395 Phitsanulok to Lom Sak 396 SUKHOTHAI PROVINCE 397 Sukhothai 397 Around Sukhothai 404 KAMPHAENG PHET PROVINCE 407 Kamphaeng Phet 407 TAK PROVINCE 410 Mae Sot 411 Around Mae Sot 417 Um Phang & Around 417 Mae Sot to Mae Sariang 421 MAE HONG SON PROVINCE 422 Mae Hong Son 422 The Charismatic Kingdom 429 Around Mae Hong Son 437 Pai 439 Soppong & Around 447 Mae Sariang 451 Around Mae Sariang 454 Northeastern 455 NAKHON RATCHASIMA PROVINCE 458 Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) 458 Around Nakhon Ratchasima 463 Khao Yai National Park 467 BURIRAM PROVINCE 469 Nang Rong 469 Phanom Rung Historical Park 470 Around Phanom Rung 472 SURIN & SI SAKET PROVINCES 473 Surin 473 Around Surin 476 Si Saket 477 Around Si Saket 478 UBON RATCHATHANI PROVINCE 480 Ubon Ratchathani 481 Around Ubon Ratchathani Province 487 CHAIYAPHUM PROVINCE 490 Chaiyaphum 490 Around Chaiyaphum 492 KHON KAEN PROVINCE 493 Khon Kaen 493 Around Khon Kaen 499 UDON THANI PROVINCE 502 Udon Thani 502 Around Udon Thani 505 NONG KHAI PROVINCE 508 Nong Khai 508 East of Nong Khai 516 West of Nong Khai 517 LOEI PROVINCE 519 Loei 519 Chiang Khan 522 Phu Reua National Park 524 Dan Sai 524 Sirindhorn Art Centre 526 Phu Kradung National Park 526 Tham Erawan 527 NAKHON PHANOM PROVINCE 527 Nakhon Phanom 527 Renu Nakhon 530 That Phanom 531 SAKON NAKHON P R OV I N C E 533 Sakon Nakhon 533 Around Sakon Nakhon 536 MUKDAHAN PROVINCE 538 Mukdahan 538 Around Mukdahan 540 YASOTHON & ROI ET PROVINCES 542 Yasothon 542 Around Yasothon 543 Roi Et 544 Around Roi Et 546 Upper Gulf 547 PHETCHABURI PROVINCE 549 Phetchaburi (Phetburi) 549 Kaeng Krachan National Park 552 Cha-Am 553 Around Cha-Am 555 PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN PROVINCE 555 Hua Hin 555

5 Lonely Planet Publications CONTENTS 15 Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park 562 Prachuap Khiri Khan 564 Around Prachuap Khiri Khan 567 Hat Ban Krut & Bang Saphan Yai 567 CHUMPHON PROVINCE 569 Chumphon 569 Lower Gulf 573 SURAT THANI PROVINCE 575 Ko Samui 575 Ko Pha-Ngan 595 Ko Tao 610 Ang Thong Marine National Park 623 Surat Thani 624 Around Surat Thani 627 NAKHON SI THAMMARAT PROVINCE 627 Ao Khanom 627 Nakhon Si Thammarat 628 Around Nakhon Si Thammarat 631 Andaman Coast 632 RANONG PROVINCE 634 Ranong Town 634 Ko Chang 636 Ko Phayam 637 Laem Son National Park 638 PHANG-NGA PROVINCE 639 Khao Sok National Park 639 Khao Lak & Around 640 Surin Islands Marine National Park 644 Similan Islands Marine National Park 645 Phang-Nga Town & Ao Phang-Nga 646 Around Phang-Nga 647 PHUKET PROVINCE 649 Phuket 649 Ko Yao 680 KRABI PROVINCE 681 Krabi Town 681 Khao Phanom Bencha National Park 684 Ao Nang 684 Around Ao Nang 688 Railay 688 Ko Phi-Phi Don 692 Ko Phi-Phi Leh 697 Ko Jam & Ko Si Boya 697 Ko Lanta 698 TRANG PROVINCE 704 Trang Town 704 Trang Beaches 707 Trang Islands 709 Deep South 713 SATUN PROVINCE 717 Satun 717 Pak Bara 719 Ko Phetra Marine National Park 719 Ko Tarutao Marine National Park 720 SONGKHLA PROVINCE 726 Hat Yai 726 Songkhla & Around 729 YALA PROVINCE 732 Yala 732 PATTANI PROVINCE 732 Pattani 732 Northern p327 p333 Northern p338 Central p194 Bangkok pp Upper Gulf p548 Southeastern pp230 1 Lower Gulf p574 Andaman Coast p633 Deep South p714 NARATHIWAT PROVINCE 734 Narathiwat 734 Sungai Kolok 735 Directory 737 Transport 756 Health 771 Language 781 Glossary 791 The Authors 794 Behind the Scenes 797 Index 806 Map Legend 820 Northeastern p457