Five Unusual Things to Do in Thailand

Most people agree that it is a great tourist destination, but everywhere can get boring if you just keep doing the same-old-same-old. Here are five unusual things to do in Thailand to put the fun back in your visits.

- 1. Cycle around the country. I am always a bit envious when I see these people cycling around rural Thailand. It must be really satisfying to arrive somewhere after you have put so much effort into getting there; travelling in a car is just not the same thing. The best time of year to do this sort of thing seems to be during the cool season and most popular routes seem to be around North and Northeast Thailand. Some people even travel on into Laos and even Vietnam. The following websites offer trips; I haven't used either one so I can't vouch for them.

http://www.spiceroads.com/

http://www.northerntrails.com/

- 2. If you want to learn something unusual then why not try Krabi-Krabong. This is the less well known of the Thai martial arts and it uses a variety of weapons as well as open hand combat. This is something that many Thai kids learn in school, and the King's bodyguards are expert in this form of combat. If you want to learn more about this fierce fighting system then visit;

http://pramotegym.igetweb.com/index.php

- 3. If you are not up to cycling or learning martial arts then there are still other unusual things to do in Thailand that take less energy. A nice way to see Thailand is on motorbike. I travelled all over Thailand on my old Honda Wave; much to the amusement of the locals who see this only as a motorbike for short journeys. You do need to be careful on the road because there are some crazy drivers, but it can be a nice way to travel.

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- 4. Ordain as a monk. This is not something that I would advise unless you really want to do it. Thai people are quite accustomed to ordaining for a week or two, but more is expected from westerners. Those who do decide to don the robes will find that it will allow them to learn all about Buddhism and meditation full-time. If people are not ready for such a big commitment then they should just stick to a meditation retreat. I actually intended to ordain seven years ago, but then I met my wife.

- 5. Join a course. If you want to learn more about the Thai culture or Thai language there are plenty of courses available. It is even possible to do a master degree.

So there you have just 5 unusual things to do in Thailand. If you look around you will a whole lot more. There is no reason to ever get bored here.