| A few simple tips to keep your holiday
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| | unknown tour company, you could book your
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| expenses down when arranging and making
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| | tours in advance with target="_blank"
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| your trip to Phuket and Thailand.
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| | class="a1">Viators. Their prices are only
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| While we mainly aim this article at
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| | a little above what you will find at the
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| visitors to our part of the world in
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| | local tour shops and you have the benefit
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| Phuket, Thailand, you can apply a lot of
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| | of knowing you are dealing with reputable
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| the advice to holidays anywhere in the
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| | tour operators.
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| world.
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| | Tipping
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| One of the great attractions of Thailand
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| | Tipping was never really a part of Thai
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| is that it is cheap. The Tourism
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| | culture. It is a custom that we visiting
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| Authority of Thailand can carry on
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| | westerners have introduced and which Thai
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| pushing their vision of Thailand as a
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| | customers have now taken up. Most western
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| millionaire's playground for as long as
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| | visitors over-tip.
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| they want but still the majority of
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| | The normal tip in Thailand at restaurants
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| visitors will be people who have a
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| | or bars is 20 baht. That may seem like a
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| limited budget.
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| | derisory sum to leave by western
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| In this article, we will give a few
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| | standards but in Thailand they do not
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| simple tips to help you make your money
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| | expect any more. You are not being
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| go further. We are not talking about the
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| | tightfisted by leaving so little. In
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| sort of penny-pinching measures that
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| | fact, some claim that westerners who come
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| backpackers use to make their tiny budget
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| | here and tip big are actually causing
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| stretch a year. We are not going to
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| | problems for everybody else. They are
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| suggest you eat noodles every day. After
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| | creating an expectancy of big tips from
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| all, you are on holiday and holidays are
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| | westerners that never used to exist.
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| meant to be enjoyed. However, most people
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| | Getting Around
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| have worked hard for their two-week
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| | The tuk-tuks have earned themselves a bad
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| holiday in the land of smiles and there
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| | reputation for both prices and service.
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| is no reason why they should not get the
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| | They are now charging a ridiculous
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| best from their money. Here are a few
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| | 200-baht for short trips around Patong.
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| simple tips to make the money go a bit
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| | Unfortunately, if you have bags or want
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| further.
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| | to make a long journey then there is
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| Accommodation
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| | often no choice but to use them. All we
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| If you want budget accommodation then
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| | would say is make sure you agree a price
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| usually you can find good deals just by
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| | before starting the journey. Considering
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| walking in off the street. Walk around
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| | the prices they charge, there is no
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| the side streets of any of Phuket's beach
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| | reason to give a tip.
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| resorts and you will find guesthouses.
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| | There are motorcycle taxis everywhere.
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| During peak high-season (Xmas & January)
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| | You can recognise them from their
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| it is better to book in advance as there
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| | coloured vests. A short trip around town
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| may not be any rooms available. Whatever
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| | should cost 20-40 baht.
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| you do, do not ask a tuk-tuk driver for a
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| | You can hire a motorcycle for 200 baht a
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| recommendation. They will just take you
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| | day. They are a great way to get around
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| somewhere that pays them commission.
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| | town and see a bit of the island. Drive
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| If you want mid to high range
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| | carefully and always wear a helmet. Bring
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| accommodation then you should book in
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| | an International Driving License and
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| advance. If you walk in off the street,
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| | carry it whenever you are driving. If you
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| you will pay more for your room. It may
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| | do not carry an IDL, you may end up
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| seem strange but it is cheaper to book in
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| | paying the police a few 300-baht fines.
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| advance through a travel agent or
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| | You can hire jeeps from independent
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| internet-booking site. The internet
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| | renters for 800 baht a day (but with very
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| booking sites have the best rates. An
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| | little insurance) or cars from reputable
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| excellent tool for finding the best rates
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| | hire companies from 1,400 baht a day.
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| is target="_blank" >Hotels Combined.
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| | Restaurants
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| This Australian based website does a
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| | Eating out is remarkably cheap in Phuket.
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| price comparison across 30
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| | There are so many restaurants that there
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| internet-booking sites and finds the
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| | is a lot of competition and even the
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| cheapest available rates.
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| | tourist restaurants will seem cheap to
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| If you are on a longer-term holiday of a
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| | most visitors. Still there are big price
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| month or more then it may be worth
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| | differences between restaurants.
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| looking for an apartment. If you go
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| | Generally, the further you go from the
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| further back from the beach (e.g. Nanai
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| | beach, the lower the prices. If you eat
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| Road in Patong), you can find nice one
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| | at one of the major restaurants along the
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| bedroom apartments from 12,000 baht a
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| | beachfront then you are going to pay for
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| month.
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| | the location.
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| Flights
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| | Thai food is cheaper than western food.
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| Finding cheap airfares is a little more
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| | It is also very good and there is a
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| complicated.
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| | tremendous range of dishes. You are sure
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| There is a lot to be said for buying a
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| | to find something you like and
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| package holiday from a travel agent. They
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| | appreciating the local cuisine is part of
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| will use their buying power to ensure you
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| | getting to know the local culture.
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| get good rates for your hotels and
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| | You should also consider getting out of
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| flights. However, many people enjoy the
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| | the tourist resorts and trying some real
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| flexibility and independence of booking
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| | Thai style restaurants. The difference in
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| their own flights.
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| | price and style of food can be startling.
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| We would like to give a link to a single
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| | Check Your Bill
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| site that provides cheap international
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| | Do check your restaurant or bar bill
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| flights across the globe. Unfortunately,
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| | before paying. We would not want to say
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| it does not work like that.
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| | this is common but it does occasionally
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| The airlines do not give their cheapest
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| | happen that they add extra items or total
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| tickets to the major international travel
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| | it up incorrectly to get more money.
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| sites. They know that companies such as
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| | Don't feel bad about it. Thai customers
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| Travelocity & Priceline have the
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| | invariably check their bill and are not
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| marketing power to sell tickets that are
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| | embarrassed to point out 'mistakes'.
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| more expensive. Therefore, while these
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| | Shopping
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| companies sell in more countries and
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| | You should avoid shopping at the tourist
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| cover more destinations, they do not have
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| | stalls along the beachfront and around
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| cheap airline tickets.
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| | the tourist resorts. The quality of goods
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| The airlines give their cheapest tickets
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| | is unreliable and the prices are vastly
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| to small independent travel agents. These
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| | hiked. Unless of course you just want the
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| smaller agents usually only sell flights
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| | fun of haggling and do not mind that you
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| that depart from their local country. So
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| | may be buying overpriced rubbish.
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| for example, if you are in the UK you
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| | You have to be careful when asking
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| could check cheapflights.co.uk and they
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| | tuk-tuk drivers for recommendations. If
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| will check for the cheapest flights from
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| | you are looking for specialty shops
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| a range of small agents. You will
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| | (jewelry, tailors, etc) then there are a
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| probably find return flights to Phuket
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| | lot of these that pay commission to
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| from £500 or less. If you try the major
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| | tuk-tuks for bringing customers. The
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| international travel agents then return
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| | tuk-tuks will take you to these shops
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| flights start from $2,000. Therefore,
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| | rather than the places that will give you
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| whatever country you are in, check the
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| | good deals.
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| internet or classifieds for your local
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| | You should do your shopping at the
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| travel agents and look around.
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| | department stores, shopping malls,
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| The best international internet-booking
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| | markets or at specialty shops which are
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| site is This site covers most major
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| | mostly in Phuket Town. The new Jung
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| destinations and sells tickets in most
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| | Ceylon shopping mall is the best option
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| countries. While their prices are not the
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| | in Patong. Beyond the tourist resorts are
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| absolute cheapest, they are very
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| | Robinsons, Central Festival, Tesco Lotus
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| competitive.
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| | and Big C.
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| Travel Insurance
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| | For cheap clothes, trinkets, accessories,
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| Many visitors seem willing to travel to
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| | etc, two good locations are the Weekend
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| Thailand without travel insurance. The
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| | Market (Sat & Sun 3pm-10pm) on
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| low medical costs in Thailand mean this
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| | Wai-Rat-Hong-Yak Road in Phuket Town and
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| is not such a big gamble as at a
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| | Expo Indoor Market on Tilok Uthit 2 Road,
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| destination such as the United States
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| | Phuket Town.
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| where high medical fees and a litigious
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| | If you are looking for gold, silver,
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| society make travel insurance an
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| | pearls, jewelry, art, antiques, etc then
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| essential.
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| | the best specialty shops are in Phuket
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| However, we really would recommend that
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| | Town. The problem is finding them. You
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| new visitors to Thailand get some form of
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| | have an extra problem here because even
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| travel insurance. Things can and do go
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| | if you know where you want to go, your
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| wrong and it is best to be protected.
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| | tuk-tuk driver may still try to claim a
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| Do not get travel insurance from your
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| | commission from the shop. Unfortunately,
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| travel agent. They may offer good deals
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| | the best option is to drive yourself or
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| on package holidays but they try to make
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| | dump your tuk-tuk after the drop off and
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| the money back on the extras and their
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| | do your shopping on foot.
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| insurance rates are overpriced.
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| | There are good gold & jewelry shops on
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| Get your insurance from a local and
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| | Montree Road in Phuket Town. The best art
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| reputable insurance broker. There are no
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| | & antique shops are in the old town area
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| international insurance brokers providing
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| | of Phuket Town around Thalang Road &
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| competitive travel insurance to all
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| | Dibuk Road. You should be aware that you
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| nationalities. Instead, you need to go to
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| | need an export permit to take genuine
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| an insurance broker in your home country.
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| | antiques out of the country.
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| Price comparison sites are the quickest
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| | Bartering
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| way to find a good a good deal. You need
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| | Bartering is part of Thai shopping
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| to find a site that covers your own
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| | culture but only at market stalls and
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| country. So for example you could try
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| | independent shops. Try to haggle the
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| these if you are a US Citizen or a UK
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| | price down a little (a lot if you are
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| Citizen.
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| | shopping at tourist stalls). It really
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| Rather than just getting an insurance
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| | helps if you have an idea of what is a
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| package for your two-week holiday, it may
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| | good price. Try to haggle in good spirit
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| be a good idea to consider an annual
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| | with a smile.
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| multi-trip insurance package. If you have
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| | If you can speak a little Thai, it will
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| more than one holiday a year or even a
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| | help. Not only does it create goodwill
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| few weekends away then these can be very
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| | but it also gives the seller the
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| good deals.
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| | impression you know a little about
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| Money Exchange
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| | Thailand and might actually know what
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| Do not change money in your home country
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| | would be a good price. Even just an
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| before coming to Thailand. You will get a
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| | opening 'Sawatdee' may be enough to help
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| much better rate of exchange in Thailand.
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| | your cause.
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| Bring an ATM card or travelers cheques.
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| | Girls
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| In fact, it is nice to have two sources
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| | Yes, this little section is for the guys
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| of money in case of problems so why not
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| | who intend to play around with the bar
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| bring both.
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| | girls. If you are not careful, this will
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| Do not exchange your money at hotels.
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| | rapidly become the biggest expense of
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| They give bad rates. Exchange booths at
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| | your holiday.
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| airports also give poor rates. The best
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| | Just because you have picked up a girl at
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| way to get money when you first arrive is
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| | a bar, that does not mean you have to buy
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| to use an ATM at the airport
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| | drinks for every other girl at the bar.
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| Tours
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| | They will try their luck and if you are a
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| The tour prices in Phuket are generally
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| | soft touch, they will keep coming back
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| very competitive. These organised tours
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| | for more. Just say no from the start.
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| are a convenient and reasonably priced
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| | You do not need to ring the bell and buy
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| way to see Phuket's tourist attractions.
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| | everybody in the bar a drink.
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| There are many tour shops and lots of
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| | If you take a girl back to your hotel
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| tours so the competition keeps the prices
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| | then agree the price up front (usually
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| down. Just go to any tour shop and you
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| | 1,000 to 2,000 baht). You do not have any
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| are likely to find some good deals.
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| | responsibility to buy her food, drinks or
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| The only problem with booking tours is
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| | pay her taxi home. It is up to you.
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| you do not know the quality of the tour
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| | Most of all, you do not have to pay for
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| service. The price may be competitive but
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| | her family's healthcare, sick buffalo or
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| if the experience is poor then you will
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| | whatever other sob-story she may tell.
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| still be disappointed. Most of the tour
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| | And you definitely do not need to send
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| organisers provide a good service but
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| | her money once you have gone home.
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| there are also a few stinkers.
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| | .
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| If you do not want to take a shot on an
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