Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [626]
These adventures rank high on most travellers’ to-do lists, but the final verdict is often mixed. Hill-tribe trekking has many detractors because of concerns over exploitation and tourism overload. Some companies and guesthouses in less-touristed areas are actually able to live up to travellers’ expectations of providing an authentic cultural exchange with hill-tribe villagers and intense jungle experiences but we’re not big fans of running off to the most far-flung place to find ‘same same but different’.
It is difficult to recommend a particular trekking company as guides often float between companies and the participants will vary each trip. Officially all guides should be licensed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). This means they have received at least regional and survival training, and they are registered, which is useful if there are problems later. The guide should be able to show you their licence and certificate. Green licences are for trekking only, pink are for sightseeing only and silver ones are for guides licensed to do both. In general tour companies are safer and better regulated now than years past but you should still talk to fellow travellers for recommendations.
If an organised trek doesn’t appeal to you, consider travelling to Mae Salong ( Click here), an interesting highland town where you can arrange independent trekking trips.
The best time to trek is during the cool season (roughly November to February) when the weather is refreshing, the landscape is still green, the waterfalls are full from the monsoon rains and the wildflowers are in bloom. Between March and May the hills are dry and the weather is quite hot. The second-best time is early in the rainy season, between June and July, before the dirt roads become too saturated.
For a discussion about the responsibility issues of entering hill-tribe villages Click here.
BUSINESS HOURS
Most government offices are open from 8.30am to 4.30pm weekdays. Some government offices close from noon to 1pm for lunch, while others have Saturday hours (9am-3pm). Banking hours are typically 9.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday. ATMs are usually accessible 24 hours a day and bank branches with extended hours can be found at the big department stores such as Tesco Lotus and Big C.
Privately owned stores usually operate between 10am and 5pm daily. Most local restaurants are open 10am until 10pm, with an hour’s variation on either side. Some restaurants, specialising in morning meals close by 3pm.
Please note that all government offices and banks are closed on public holidays ( Click here).
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CHILDREN
Thais love children and will shower attention and sweets on them as if they were celebrities. Children can easily find ready playmates among their Thai counterparts and a ‘temporary’ nanny service at practically every stop. Thais are so family focused that you’ll find otherwise disinterested parties wanting to pinch at your children’s cheeks and play a game of peekaboo (called ‘já ir’) with amusable babies.
To smooth out the usual road bumps of dragging children from place to place, check out Lonely Planet’s Travel with Children, which contains useful advice on how to cope with kids on the road, with a focus on travel in developing countries.
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Health & Safety
For the most part parents needn’t worry too much about health concerns, although it pays to lay down a few ground rules (such as regular hand washing) to head off potential medical problems. Children should be warned not to play with animals as rabies is relatively common in Thailand and many dogs are better at being barkers and garbage eaters than pets. All the usual health precautions apply ( Click here).
Practicalities
Amenities specially geared towards young children – such as child-safety seats for cars, high chairs in restaurants or nappy-changing facilities in public restrooms – are virtually nonexistent in Thailand. Therefore parents will have to be extra resourceful in