Koh Phi Phi

There are a few reasons why South African's think going to Thailand. The flight time is a little longer than most would fly when flying to Mauritius and the flight is almost all the time more expensive. Any way once you are there, prices are substantially cheaper. This is due to two reasons. One, the country as a whole is still quite undeveloped and so prices are quite low in comparison to other more tourist-developed countries. Second, the prices are in Thai Baht (the local currency) which has a favourable transfer rate with the South African Rand. In Mauritius, most places will charge tourists in Us Dollars, making it quite high-priced once you are there. The cheapness of Thailand was one of the major first aspects of it that drew tourists there. Initially these were generally backpackers and young people taking a gap year. However, things have changed and, although still favorite with the backpacker-type, it is becoming a favorite destination for young couples as well as families. Apart from the affordability of Thailand, another big drawing card is the raw attractiveness of the country. Yes there are quite developed areas like Bangkok, but the islands are still mostly undeveloped and have that natural beauty.

Phi Phi Island

The typical trip to Thailand will consist of landing in Bangkok and spending a few days there. Then people usually go off to one of the islands like Phi Phi, Phuket, Lanta etc. people may even pick to hop from colse to a few islands. After that, they will head back to Bangkok, do some shopping, and then head home.