FOOD & DRINK

• Surprise! Thai food is spicy. However, its not unbearable and its pretty easy to order it sans chili. "Mai phet kha(female)/khap(male)" will do the trick.

• You'll see 3 Thai beers often: Chang (pronounced with an AH not an A), Leo, Singha. Chang is unregulated, meaning that even if it says its 5% alc... sometimes its more or less. Singha is good but the most expensive of the bunch. Leo is my favorite (cheap and tastes better than Chang). Don't be surprised if they give you ice with your beer, its just how they drink it. If you see Beer Lao, GET IT. Its the best although rare.

• 711 is amazing. They're everywhere. Find a toastie in the frozen section for drunk food and they'll heat it up for you. Grab beers to drink on the street. Hong thong or Sang Som is a whisky/rum blend that you'll see often, which you can buy at 7 for pregaming.

• If you have allergies, I recommend asking your hotel/hostel to write down in Thai "I am allergic to..." then show it to restaurants/street vendors. A friend who has a deathly allergy to peanuts visited and he used this with no problem.

• Street food is your friend. The street vendors have some of the best food in Thailand and its not to be missed.

• Most of the restaurants you'll frequent will probably have English menus, but here are some things to look for...

• Laab Moo: Minced Pork

• Som Tam: Thinly chopped papaya salad in a spicy lime/fish sauce with tomatoes, onion, green beans, usually with shrimp/seafood.

• Yam Woon Sen: A spicy salad of glass noodles with seafood, onions, herbs served in a really spicy sauce. Only get it if you like spice!

• Tom Kha: I'm sure you know Tom Yum, Tom Kha is a delicious coconut soup often with chicken.

• Moo Yang: Sliced grilled pork neck served with a sweet dipping sauce. Or you can get Gai Yang, which is amazing fried chicken.

• Nam Tok Moo: Grilled pork salad with onions.

• Tom Saap: My favorite Thai soup. Its sweet and sour, with mushrooms, pork, and tomatoes inside.

• Get sticky rice (khao neow) whenever you can, its the best!

GETTING AROUND:

• FLYING: There are plenty of budget airlines that fly all throughout Thailand and to neighboring countries for cheap. These flights leave out of the old airport, Don Meung, that is on the opposite side of the city from the new one, BKK. Some budget airlines include: Air Asia, Nok Air, Bangkok Airways, and others.

• TRAIN: I've personally never taken the train, but the most commonly used one is the overnight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. I've heard good things.

• BUSES: Every town and city has a large bus terminal. The large buses are quite nice (also very uh vibrant) and are always a preferable alternative to flying. Googling online should be able to yield results about various schedules.

• MINI BUSES: They're an experience. They're essentially a 9 seater van that you can take when a large bus in not available or is sold out. They're the least comfortable and sometimes they can take significantly longer than large buses because of having to stop and get more people on/off. If you're taking one, get the station early so that you don't get stuck in the back row with the least amount of room.

• MOTORCYCLE RENTAL: If you are comfortable riding a motorcycle, rent one, but please only do it in tourist destinations (islands/Chiang Mai/Pai) because Thai traffic is extremely chaotic. BE SMART. SO many people get injured due to motorcycle accidents. Never drink and drive & always go slow. If you are worried about being scammed, take photos of your bike when its rented to you.

• MOTORCYCLE TAXI: These are a great way to quickly get around for short distances. Look for a group of men sitting around in vests (typically orange and blue) with numbers on them, tell them where you want to go, and haggle out the price beforehand.

• TAXIS: Taxis in Bangkok are super cheap, but it comes at a price. Their wages are very low so often they won't take you somewhere if isn't financially beneficial for them. Before getting in, you have to tell the driver where you are going and he can (and often will) refuse to take you there. They'll often try to over charge you ("200 baht.") Say no and request "Meter." Its frustrating but you'll eventually find one that will work.

• BTS/MRT: Only in Bangkok, but oh god, its lovely. Its clean, efficient, relatively cheap and you don't have to worry about traffic. The best way to travel by day in Bangkok for sure.

• TUK TUKS: Do not take a tuk tuk in Bangkok - they're only around tourist destinations, they'll likely try to scam you, and they're just more expensive/time-consuming than a cab. In Chiang Mai, these are a better option since there are no taxis.

• SONGTAEWS: These are pick up trucks with seats in the back. They're seen a lot when arriving on an island and they're also used in Chiang Mai/Pattaya. Flag one down, tell the driver where you're going, and work out a price. You'll pay when you get there. Or you can ring the buzzer in the back to notify the driver to stop.

THE NORTH

• CHIANG MAI

• This a very popular small city to visit in the North of Thailand. Its in the mountains and is a good mixture between tourism and Thai culture.

• There are hundreds of beautiful temples to visit. Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep is the most famous and shouldn't be missed. Other than that, I think its best to explore the city and check out any of the temples that you stumble upon.

• The shopping here is killer. The Sunday and Saturday markets are both excellent since they sell a lot of crafts made from the Northern tribes that you are unable to get elsewhere in Thailand. The night bazaar is pretty meh.

• Since there are a lot of backpackers, there is a big party scene. Zoe in Yellow is a pretty popular club. For something more relaxed, the North Gate is a cool open-air jazz club that always has live music.

• There are tons of treks that you can do in Chiang Mai. Most are 2-3 days and provide lots of activities: elephant washing, visiting hill tribes, rafting,. They can be set up through your hostel/hotel with ease. - If you have a soft spot for animals, I advise you do some research regarding what elephant camp you are visiting. Many elephants are beaten and tortured. Elephant Nature Park is a very reputable elephant sanctuary that saves elephants from such locations. No rides are available, but you can wash and play with them instead. Baanchang Elephant Park is supposed to be good as well. - The Mae Hong Son Loop is a popular 4 day trek

• Eat khao soi!

• PAI

• Pai is a small town nestled in a valley amongst gorgeous mountains, a few hours away from Chiang Mai. It has a very stoner, hippie vibe that makes it a huge hit around backpackers.

• This place gets exceptionally crowded in high season (Dec-Jan). My advice? Go the same weekend of the Full Moon Party… that way all the party backpackers will be down south and Pai is quiet and relaxing, like it should be.

• Getting in and around: - The drive to Pai is 4 hours from Chiang Mai and it boasts some 200 turns. Most take minibuses and I advise everyone to take Dramamine because it is a really rough ride and someone always seems to vomit. If you’re stuck at the Chiang Mai bus station waiting a few hours for your van, there is a nearby mall called Star Avenue with coffee shops and restaurants with wifi. - It is also possible to rent a bike in Chiang Mai and drive it yourself to Pai. It will take probably 6 hours and is supposed to be very scenic. But only do this if you’re an experienced bike driver. Driving in Thailand is very difficult and motorbikes never have the right of way so you are expected to stop for everyone. The turns are twisty and you are also very high up too so there isn’t a lot of room for error. - Once you get to Pai, you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not renting a motorbike. Exploring the town and the nearby attractions is the best part of Pai and having to hire a driver takes away from that experience.

• There are several view points around the town that make for an unforgettable sunset.

• Pai Canyon shouldn’t be missed. Just be wary if you have a fear of heights.

• Lots of fun activitites: tubing down the Pai river, strawberry farms, rafting, cooking classes, elephant treks, waterfalls, and hot springs, just to name a few.

• Na’s Kitchen offers some really great Thai food. Make sure to get the fish! Witching Well is very good for Western food.

• I stayed at Baan Tawan which is perfect if you’re willing to spend a little more. Its far away from the town center so that its not noisy, but not too far that you’re out of walking distance.

• You should get a map when you get into town. On that map, near Coffee in Love, you’ll see a lake. To get there, you have to drive down a dirt road and it’s a bit of a hike but once you get there, it is AMAZING. Not a single tourist in sight. Just a bunch of rice farmers and fishermen. One of my favorite hidden gems in Thailand.