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College Tribune | 2nd 3rd February 2009 April 2009
Features News
Travel The Land of a thousand Smiles Genevieve Brennan experiences all the exotic highs and dangerous lows that south east asia most popular tourist destination has to offer For many students the duration of the academic year is not spent essay writing or preparing for exams - it is spent planning the approaching summer. From saving for expensive flights to organising accommodation it can be as stressful as many of our college responsibilities. With most college students having three months and upwards off there is no end to the opportunity one can pursue. Increasingly this leads hordes of students from south Dublin to exotic Asia, more specifically Thailand. Young people who tire of home and its western aspects go to Thailand in search of a fresh experience and a culture shock. Stepping off the plane into the humid, bustling and almost disturbing Bangkok, a culture shock is indeed what they get. The journey to Bangkok from Dublin is long and tiring, backpackers flock to the Khao San Road, a famous travellers’ destination. It is noisy and busy; filled with shopping stalls, hostels and massage parlours. Many are disturbed by the seedy nature of certain places in Bangkok, where one cans see live sex shows; Thai prostitutes seem to be everywhere. This city seems to have been corrupted by Western tourists and more importantly the money they bring with them. Many chose to go directly to the islands but this usually depends on the given time restraints. Some travel to Chang Mai in order to do jungle treks where locals bring you on intense ventures into the jungle.
The trip involves staying in villages in the depth of the Thai jungle, fantastic views and elephant riding. Many of the smaller islands provide young people with the escape they are searching for. The scenery resembles postcards and locals can be very welcoming. The white beaches and clear blue water are things many young people have never seen before other than on their televi-
Insects, lizards, bats and frogs can be a huge pest to tourists as they can easily infiltrate poorly constructed huts. However tourists can be amazed by the wild life in Thailand such as the variety of monkeys, sharks and colourful tropical fish. Koh Tao is among the best diving sites in the world and at around €300 is the cheapest place to become qualified as a diving instructor.
sion screens. There are a multitude of trips and adventures one can undertake such as cliff jumping, kayaking, snorkelling and scuba diving. You can also go on one day trips to spectacular nature reserves which are off limits to tourists and locals alike.
Beginners also can learn to dive and avail of the amazing rates. Another quiet island which young people are drawn to are Koh Phi Phi, where the legendary backpacker movie ‘The Beach’ was shot - there are fire shows, where you can jump through hoops
of fire and skip with the rope ablaze, all the activities mentioned above, and incredible beaches. Others venture to surrounding countries such as Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia or Vietnam which all hold various attractions for students. Surprisingly one of the most popular is Laos. The main and some would say only attraction is the 'tubing' which is where young people can jump into rivers and 'tube' down them, stopping in many bars as they float along. Unsurprisingly casualties are common. However there are a great many dangers even if you do chose to merely stay on the main islands trail. Most of the islands, especially the smaller ones have virtually no police force and the few that are present are easily corruptible. Many young males involved in bar fights or who are found with drugs can feel the wrath of the unmonitored police force. If you find yourself in a cell, the best bet is most definitely to try to bribe local police - this effort usually is successful. The larger islands such as Phuket or Koh Samui hold many of the same traits as Bangkok. They have wild night life, pollution, crime and interestingly an increasing number of transsexuals or 'lady boys' who prowl the streets usually in search of Western men. Young people go to these islands stopping over on the way to more desirable places or for the night life and buzzing atmosphere. There is also a wide variety of shopping to be
enjoyed, mostly street markets where locals try to make a living haggling with tourists. These markets however are a haven for pick-pockets and thieves. An island which every young person travelling Thailand will visit is Koh Phangan. This is where the Full Moon Party takes place every month. During the summer months as the full moon approaches the island's accommodation is fully booked out a week in advance. Thousands flock to Had Rin beach for the night where music plays through the dawn into the mid morning. People paint themselves head to toe in luminous U.V paint and drink buckets, literally beach-buckets, of alcohol into the wee hours. This event is famous throughout the travelling world as being one of the wildest parties on the planet. Although there are dangers, young people will continue tosummer. This is due to Thaiwildness ture. This reputation certainly exceeds itself and while young people strive for a place that will broaden their horizons and make a difference in their lives they will continue to go there in search for more. Having spent a summer in Thailand, these students hop on their flights back to normality, back to rain, exams and deadlines. Somehow on that long flight back to the nest the fear and dangers seem to slip away and one is left with remarkable memories of a place that they may never return to but will undoubtedly never forget.