Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Thailand, 'The Land of Smiles,' earns its rep
TRAVEL by Kelsy Chauvin
2013-01-30

This article shared 16222 times since Wed Jan 30, 2013
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


There are clear universal truths about the Thai experience. Thailand is hot—very hot. In Thailand, it's easy to get used to paying just $1 to a street vendor for the best pad Thai ever. The massages are intense, incredibly inexpensive and never get old. And above all, the country is one of the world's friendliest places—proudly demonstrating its nickname "The Land of Smiles" everywhere you go.

A first-timer to Thailand will find a surprisingly Westernized experience, albeit with some authentically non-Western flair. It is a proud 95 percent—Buddhist nation, making it gloriously laid-back and extraordinarily liberal about the LGBT crowd—as well as vibrant, colorful and welcoming.

Roughly the same size as California, Thailand is famous for its largest cities—Bangkok on the southern edge and Chiang Mai in the north—and for its sandy beaches and plush resorts.

As the bustling capital, Bangkok is home to more than 8 million people, all of whom seem to traversing the streets all hours of the day. The infamous traffic earns its reputation the hard way, slowly grinding to a crawl as zillions of mopeds glide in and out of gridlocked taxis, buses and jazzed-up tuk-tuks. Fortunately, you can stay above or below the fray thanks to Bangkok's speedy, spotless and remarkably cheap metro system, which happily also serves Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Bangkok is teeming with things to do and see, which has made it one of the world's top tourist destinations with more than 12 million visitors annually. And you will feel them, in droves, flocking to the major attractions dotting the city and along the Chao Phraya River. Top among them is the Grand Palace, home to two centuries of Thai monarchs; today, you can marvel at regal architecture, intricate mosaics and embellishments as well as the solid-jade Emerald Buddha statue inside stunning Wat Phra Kaew.

Nearby at Wat Pho, don't miss the great, golden 151-foot-long Reclining Buddha, where newly re-elected President Obama and outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited during their historic November 2012 Thai junket. Across the river, the lovely Wat Arun temple lets you climb 250 feet up for a spectacular city view.

Organized and affordable tours can ease your Thai experience, complete with an air-conditioned ride and English-speaking guide. This is a great option for the must-see Damnoensaduak Floating Market, located about an hour's drive south of Bangkok. There, you can hop on a long-tail boat for a canal tour to the market, where stalls line the banks and you can order fresh noodle dishes and buy souvenirs without ever leaving the boat.

If you're in town over a weekend, practice your bargaining skills at the enormous Chatuchak Weekend Market in northwest Bangkok. While nighttime markets crop up all over town, Chatuchak is a true convergence point of Bangkok, loosely organized into 27 shopping sections that span everything from textiles and electronics, to ceramics and live animals, to handicrafts and Buddhist amulets.

Because Bangkok, like Thailand in general, is so unfazed by all things gay and lesbian, there is a surprising lack of designated queer clubs. In fact, the red-light districts of Patpong and Soi Cowboy, both near the Sukhumvit metro (find Soi 2 or 4), are famous for ubiquitous prostitution and strip clubs, but also are the closest Bangkok really gets to a gay village—and even then the gays are limited to a few mainly late-night bars, like the Balcony or Telephone, where you can find gorgeous "ladyboys" and their more masculine counterparts.

Lesbians are bit more visible throughout Bangkok, where "Toms" are free to dress as boyish (and way stylish) as they like, especially when escorting their femme "Dees." But when it's time to hang out with just the girls, there's Zeta, a women's-only bar on the north side of town. (Just make sure you get a cab driver who knows where he's going.)

Accommodations run the gamut of choices in this capital city. On the high end, splurging on a river-view room at the Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok will make for a tranquil, well-located retreat, with indulgence around every corner.

For less baht (currency is about 30 baht to the dollar), OmYim Lodge is a clean, central option for the budget traveler, and gets even cheaper if you go without windows. The Bangkok Rama Hotel is nearer to the airport, offers low rates for more space and is just 20 minutes from the center of town.

From Bangkok, historic Ayutthaya is an hour north, and a great short trip for visiting some of southeast Asia's oldest temples and royal ruins. Be sure to visit the elephants at the lesbian-owned Elephant Stay, which offers overnight volunteer packages at its sanctuary, or hour-long rides in town.

Few people who cross an ocean to visit Thailand do so for only one city, and many of them come mainly for the legendary beaches that make the heat not only bearable, but welcome. Koh Samui is the big island in the Gulf of Thailand, and an unrivaled, picturesque tropical setting. Many big-time hotels have opened on Samui, but one of the best is Napasai, by gay-friendly Orient-Express. The resort has its own quiet inlet on Maenam Beach, on the calm northern coast, and offers villas on the beach or up the lush slope at competitive package rates.

Another luxurious option is Karma Samui. Located near Samui Airport and the Chaweng strip, it offers private plunge pools, gorgeous gulf views, and multi-bedroom villas that encourage group stays (and minimize rates).

Tour companies like Grand Sea Discovery offer packages at all prices, like a day-long cruise to two nearby islands, snorkeling and lunch for around $70—the going rate for such tours, and a sign that the island paradise of Samui is catching on to Western pricing. (But don't be shy about trying to bargain your way to a better deal.)

For something even more remote, head west to the far side of the Thai peninsula, through the small town of Krabi to Koh Lanta. Here's where things get more remote, and you can soak it up in style at the posh Pimilai Resort, where your hillside villa overlooking the Indian Ocean will leave you mesmerized with serene natural beauty.

Alas, a traveler must move on eventually. And the best final stop is Chiang Mai, a less daunting, more traditional Thai city nestled in the northern hills. Here you can stop by the local zoo, home to Thailand's only pandas, or head up the mountain to the spectacular Doi Sutthep temple. Chiang Mai is a terrific shopping town, so don't miss the sprawling night and weekend markets.

The city also is home to one of the world's most luxurious resorts, the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, which functions like its own kingdom and actually offers tours of its elaborate grounds and palatial, traditional architecture. If you can find an overnight deal that's in your budget, don't miss it.

Undoubtedly, Thailand is on a major economic upswing, thanks partly to its booming tourism, and to its kind and industrious people. There's never been a better time to see this thriving country, just hurry up and catch it before the whole rest of the world shows up.


This article shared 16222 times since Wed Jan 30, 2013
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

WORLD Uganda items, HIV report, Mandela, Liechtenstein, foreign minister weds 2024-03-21
- It turned out that U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Senior LGBTQI+ Coordinator Jay Gilliam traveled to Uganda on Feb. 19-27, per The Washington Blade. He visited the capital of Kampala and the nearby city of ...


Gay News

Baby Tate grows up with 'Sexploration' 2024-01-10
- The multitalented pansexual artist Baby Tate has plenty to say on her Sexploration: The Tour. She's packing up her "Wig" and traveling to Chicago to perform an inclusive set of songs such as "Luv Everybody" at ...


Gay News

Disney exhibition chronicles a century of entertainment history 2023-11-21
- Disney100, a large-scale traveling exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company, has opened at the Exhibition Hub Art Center, 2367 W. Logan Blvd., in Bucktown. Hundreds of props and artifacts from the company's ...


Gay News

Club Q shooting survivors to speak at Chicago's Beer Culture Summit 2023-10-15
- Last November, Jessica Fierro traveled back to Colorado after speaking at the annual Chicago Beer Culture Summit. Just one week later, her family changed forever at Club Q, a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs. Her daughter's ...


Gay News

Newsom ends California's travel ban against anti-LGBTQ+ states 2023-09-14
- On Sept. 13, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he signed SB 447 by Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), which ends the state's restriction on taxpayer-funded travel by state agencies and departments ...


Gay News

After HRC's State of Emergency declaration, Canadian government recognizes threat of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation 2023-08-30
--From a press release - WASHINGTON— Just two months after the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) issued a National State of Emergency in response to the unprecedented and dangerous onslaught of anti-LGBTQ laws passed across the country, the Canadian government has updated ...


Gay News

Stonewall veteran Miss Major visits Brave Space Alliance 2023-08-09
- Miss Major, a Black transgender activist who has fought for more than 50 years for her trans/gender nonconforming community, is on tour to call attention to anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ laws across the country. Traveling with her ...


Gay News

Illinois Poor People's Campaign to join faith leaders from 30+ states on Capitol Hill to demand action 2023-06-18
--From a press release - WASHINGTON - Poor, impacted people, advocates and faith leaders with the Illinois Poor People's Campaign will travel to Capitol Hill June 19-21 to highlight poverty as an American death sentence and demand action to end murder ...


Gay News

Travel consultants release best and worst countries for trans rights 2023-06-06
- Asher & Lyric have released "The 203 Best (& Worst) Countries for Trans Rights in 2023." This new study is an accompaniment to its annual LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index to specifically address trans issues. The countries ...


Gay News

Yucatan adventures--with an LGBTQ+ twist--await in Mexico 2023-06-05
- The Yucatan region lies between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea in southeastern Mexico. It is home to the states of Campeche and Quintana Roo, and features a variety of destinations appealing to LGBTQ+ ...


Gay News

WORLD Zero Discrimination Day, African countries, facility damaged, travel items 2023-03-10
- On Zero Discrimination Day this year (March 1), under the theme "Save lives: Decriminalize," UNAIDS showed how the decriminalization of key populations and people living with HIV saves lives and helps advance the end of the ...


Gay News

SAVOR Peruvian spot Tanta; fundraiser for The Evolved Network 2023-03-09
- One of the best things about Chicago cuisine is that you can travel the world without ever leaving the Windy City. The River North spot Tanta (118 W. Grand Ave.; https://www.tantachicago.com/) embodies one such example. Tanta ...


Gay News

The Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade turns 25 2022-11-02
- The legendary Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade returned for the 25th time on Oct. 31. Kicking off at 7:30 p.m. from Halsted Street and Belmont Avenue, the parade route traveled north before looping back to a large ...


Gay News

Esquire: Chicago has three of the country's 'most fun' LGBTQ+-inclusive bars 2022-10-27
- Esquire magazine's editorial staff curated a list of the "most fun and inclusive LGBTQ+-friendly bars"—and the choices may seem surprising. The magazine chose the Uptown spots Big Chicks and Carol's Pub as well as the Andersonville ...


Gay News

ATTRACTIONS SkyBridge Michigan opens as world's longest timber-towered suspension bridge 2022-10-25
- SkyBridge Michigan is now open as the world's longest timber-towered suspension bridge. After more than a year in the works, SkyBridge Michigan made its debut to the public on Oct. 15, hosting thousands of guests on ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.