A gap year in Thailand
Gap years in Thailand
The land of conical hats and orphaned elephants hardly needs an introduction; chances are you’ll already have your own mental image of Thailand. Tourism is the country’s principal form of income and despite recent bad press around the SARS and tsunami disasters, it’s making a comeback. You’ll find the people of Thailand friendly and effervescent, the land diverse and spectacular, and the food truly delicious. Do you really need another reason to choose Thailand for your gap year?
Getting Around
What are your options for exploring this diverse country? Driving in Thailand is inadvisable: the highway code barely registers with native drivers, and illegal undertaking is rife. Motorcycle hire, though it sounds tempting, is probably worse: the UK Foreign Office suggests that around 5 people die in a motorcycle crash EVERY HOUR in the Thai capital. Bus, boat, tuk-tuk, skytrain (Bangkok) and train are your options. Travel out of Bangkok is best done by train – connect to a boat if you’re heading for one of the islands. The central railway will also take you onto the Malay peninsular so it’s easy to travel onwards. Make like the Thais and choose first or second class – and be sure to book your train tickets in advance.
Volunteer Projects
Teaching English is a very popular option for those taking a gap year in Thailand – widely demanded and fairly paid, English teachers can even train on the idyllic island of Phuket. Also on igapyear right now you’ll find opportunities to work at a gibbon sanctuary or train as a PADI instructor in Thailand.
Places of interest
Thailand can be broadly divided into four regions – the tropical southern peninsular, the central rice-growing region (with Bangkok at its heart), the mountainous North, and the north-east plateau. Dialects, cuisines and industry varies between all four – and the charms of each region are distinctly different.
Bangkok
Most visitors to the Thai capital don’t stay too long. Walking around this busy Asian city is difficult – pavements are crowded with motorcycles, street vendors and parked cars. Take a break at Lumphini Park – watch the vendors, kids and tai chi classes before heading, perhaps, for Bangkok’s Ancient City, a park/museum filled with replicas of Thailand’s most remarkable monuments and buildings. When you tire of Bangkok’s bustle, book a ticket on the train and take in the views over the River Kwai. Or simply head on to rural Thailand.
Unmissable Chiang Mai
Set in the gorgeous central region where mountains and jungle landscapes abound, Chiang Mai is an ancient city and the perfect place to discover Thailand’s history. Locally produced art and crafts, historic temples and friendly people make this an unmissable part of your year in Thailand. Chiang Mai also makes an excellent base to explore the region – travel just a little further north and you’ll find native hill tribes, fabulous nature trails, elephant orphanages, and white water rafting.
Phuket and Ko Samui
Long frequented by young travellers and tourists, Phuket is the island for you if you’re looking for nightlife. Busy Phuket town, sleepy and interesting by day, becomes a sprawling neon bar crawl after dark. By day, lounge on the white sands, or try your hand at a watersport. But don’t stop with Phuket: Thailand has lots more islands to explore. From Ko Samui – popularised by The Beach – to lush and verdant Krabi, and plenty of undiscovered gems in-between, you’re sure to find your perfect piece of beach heaven somewhere along the coast.