Thailand
Who: Roger and Bonnie Person of Loveland, with grandchildren Andrew, Emily and Austin of Bangkok (and Anna the baby elephant of Phuket)
Where: Laguna Beach Resort, Phuket
Best meal: Walk to any restaurant on the beach for a phenomenal meal under $5. Actually, any restaurant or street vendor in the country serves a wonderful meal. Thai food is the greatest. Always ask for your food to be prepared “mai pet” unless you want the tears to roll down your cheeks.
Best deal: Having been to most parts of Thailand numerous times, we always recommend first-time visitors take a package tour. For less than $1,500, a two-week package includes roundtrip flights from Denver, excellent hotels, most meals, in-country flights, ground transportation and knowledgeable guides. Because Phuket and Phi Phi Island are recovering from the lack of tourism following December’s tsunami, the room rates are excellent. Both areas have rebuilt rapidly and you will see little or no devastation.
Best time to go: Thailand has two seasons: hot and hotter. December through February is the most ideal. In October we paid $75 for rooms that are $300 in December. For that we could take a little extra heat.
Don’t leave home without: Immodium, Cipro and a smile. The Thai people are the friendliest in the world.
