Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) (1)
about Kasma Loha-unchit's Thailand Trips
FAQ's: General questions | Travel Concerns | Accommodations | Meals | Medical Concerns | Miscellaneous || 1-page FAQs (for printing)
These FAQ's also available as one long page.
Kasma does not offer a "tour" in the conventional sense of the word. Her trips are more like a group of people traveling through Thailand with a good friend (Kasma) showing you around her native country. These journeys are designed for adventurous, flexible and easy-going people with a sense of ecological and social responsibility who are willing to leave their preconceptions and expectations at home in order to experience a different living culture on its own terms.
These trips are not for everyone! you must like spicy Thai food, rice and seafood, be open to new experiences, get along with people, be willing to get going early on some mornings, be open to new experiences, and be open to "roughing it" on occasion.
General Questions
How long has Kasma been taking people to Thailand?
Kasma has led two to three trips to Thailand every year since 1986. (Kasma's Biography.)
What sort of a business is Thailand Travel Adventures.
Thailand Travel Adventures is very much a "home-grown" business, evolving out of Kasma's cooking classes. Since Thai cuisine is very much entwined with the culture, Kasma would tell numerous stories in her classes about her homeland and childhood experiences in this exotic tropical country. Many of her students who so enjoyed her classes, the authenticity of her cooking and delightful tales of her beloved native land, urged her to organize personal journeys for them to her homeland, personally escorted by her.
From the start, her groups comprised of cooking students, avid photographers (one of Kasma's hobbies is photography and many who have seen her photographs of Thailand are so touched by them that they want to travel with her) and their families, neighbors and friends. Now she takes two to three small groups of people (maximum of thirteen or fourteen per group) each year. She has no desire to grow beyond these few trips each year for she is doing what she loves – showing people the best parts of her Thailand, her culture and her people with their harmonious Buddhist way of life, and the exquisite cuisine . . . things they might not otherwise see or experience. Each journey must remain fresh for her in order for those who travel with her to receive the greatest benefit and meaning from their personal journey to "the Land of Smiles." As such, Kasma is not really in the travel business but offers opportunities for adventurous people who love exotic cultures and spicy Asian cuisines to travel with her and experience intimately, from an insider's perspective, a very different part of the world.
Because of the personal nature of Kasma's trips, you will be asked in the application to participate to agree to the following:
Because of the personal nature of the trip, I will be kind and considerate of other trip members, the trip leader and assistants. For my benefit and the benefit of other trip members, I understand that any trip member who disrupts group harmony may be asked to leave without refund at the discretion of the trip leader.
How far off the beaten track will we get?
In some instances, fairly far off indeed! In the North we travel to a Hmong village where we may be invited into a home and offered the local firewater as a welcome drink. On the southern trip we will travel far away from large cities and eat lunch in very local, Moslem restaurants. If you are squeamish or nervous about being temporarily away from the modern amenities that we take for granted in America, this trip may not be for you.
Which is the best trip for me?
Every year Trip A is a comprehensive 28-day journey covering central, northern, and a part of southern Thailand. Trip A is always scheduled for mid-November to mid-December (Trip A itinerary). This is an excellent trip for someone who has never been to Thailand before. Every year there also is the shorter 19-day Trip B, which is essentially the 28-day trip without the southern portion. This trip leaves at the end of December or start of January (19-day Trip B itinerary).
Kasma also offers the 28-day trip C of southern Thailand. This trip spends roughly half of its time along the coast and on off-shore islands and the other half exploring the rich culture of southern Thailand. It is quite off-the-beaten track and is a more physical trip than the others. This trip leaves mid- to late- January (southern Trip C Itinerary). To go on this trip you must love the sea, know how to swim fairly well and know how to snorkel. We spend much of the trip at marine national parks where the beauty is found largely under the water rather than above; we choose them largely because of their wonderful reefs for snorkeling. There are 8 days where there is some snorkeling and on many of those days we leave in the morning, snorkel all day and return in the evening: if you do not know how to snorkel, you may not enjoy these days. Because the parks are for their natural beauty, the accommodations may be rustic (we may even need to tent-camp on one island); there is no hot water, no air conditioning and electricity is available only during set hours in the evening night, and/or morning. For someone who loves nature and snorkeling, it is paradise.
View our Trip Schedule to see the currently scheduled trips.
Kasma has also offered, and may offer again, a 19-day trip to northeastern Thailand (Isahn), designed for people who wish to explore this interesting but less-traveled region. (Itinerary unavailable.) Please let Kasma know if you might be interested in this trip. (Contact Kasma.)
Why do you take people only to Thailand?
Kasma is not a travel organization and does not offer conventional tours. She is a native of Thailand and it is the culture that she knows and loves best. She believes that the best way to see a country is with a native speaker and she does not speak other Asian languages fluently. Kasma is an especially good person to go to Thailand with because she is truly bilingual in Thai and English.
What does the cost include?
Accommodations: Hotels, or similar lodging, hut or bungalow, with private facilities, based on two persons sharing a twin-bedded room. An exception will be national park housing, where several trip members may need to share dorm-style bungalows (applies only to southern Thailand trip); tent camping services are available at some parks upon request and at a minimal extra charge.
Meals: All meals (except one or two on the free day) are included – breakfast, lunch and dinner (except meals trip member chooses to have away from the group) – plus countless snacks.
Transportation: Land transportation by motorcoach, car, van, minibus, train, boat or other local conveyance (including air travel while traveling with the group) while in Thailand are included.
Services: Services of bilingual guides and entrance fees to places visited are included.
What is not included in the price?
Round-trip airfare to Thailand, excess baggage fees, forwarding of baggage, baggage loss, charges for inoculations, medical expenses, travel insurance, items of a personal nature such as laundry, beverages, optional trips, meals away from the group, special arrangements, airport taxes, charges, tips for room services and tips for the drivers.
What about getting to and from Thailand?
The air travel portion of the trip is no longer included as part of the total trip price because in recent years airplane pricing has become too volatile. We are happy to make arrangements through our travel agent for you to get to and from Thailand and will add that cost (without additional surcharge) onto the total trip price. Air travel arrangements will be made through a licensed travel agent. Alternatively, you can make your own arrangements.
Why is the price "subject to change"?
As the contracts note, "All rates are subject to change as necessitated by unanticipated increases in room rates and fluctuations in currency." Kasma is a very small operator who strives to keep her trips reasonably priced. Whenever possible she keeps the trip price the same from year to year. Because the trips are scheduled over a year in advance, it is sometimes not until she gets to Thailand for her trips that she's able to assess exactly how much she needs to charge for the next year's trips. Her profit margin is not particularly high and sometimes she may need to increase the initial trip cost in order to continue offering her trips.
What sort of person chooses to travel with Kasma?
People who are adventurous and flexible. Her trip members tend to be active, down-to-earth people interested in learning about other cultures. Call them "travelers" rather than "tourists." They are interested in getting off the beaten track to connect with the real Thailand. They love spicy Thai food and are nature lovers, willing to put up with some inconveniences and rustic accommodations in order to explore unspoiled parklands and beautiful natural areas.
Two more terms for trip members would be "independent" and "self-sufficient." An example would be if you had a dirty towel in a hotel: rather than complaining to Kasma you would take care of the problem yourself by phoning or going to the front desk. It helps to have a spirit of adventure and willingness to get to know people – these can often overcome any language barrier.
Trip members are physically fit: the trips do involve a fair amount of physical activity – from market walks, to steep climbs up a hill to your accommodations, to occasionally carrying your luggage, to climbing into long-tail boats down south. If you have mobility issues, you'll need to check with Kasma.
People who are interested in learning about other cultures: many of the trips have a strong cultural component: you'll be visiting lots of Buddhist Temples up north so an interest in Buddhism is useful. You'll also be visiting some museums on each of the trips. There will be many opportunities to explore local markets and neighborhoods, often on your own.
These trips definitely are not for everyone. We do not stay in first-class or international tourist-class hotels and resorts; we mingle with the local population; we eat authentic Thai food both in restaurants and from street stalls; and we are sometimes very active. You often must carry your own luggage. When we travel down south you will need to climb in and out of boats, sometimes stepping knee-deep into sea water in order to climb on board. Thai culture is very different from American culture and Thai "common sense" might be different from what you are used to. When visiting markets or historical sites, after an initial talk giving background, history, and other pertinent information, trip members are set loose to explore on their own.
We cannot accept anyone who has special dietary needs – including food allergies, strong food preferences or not eating a specific food be it animal (pork, chicken, fish, shellfish), vegetable (such as onions or peanuts) or grain (such as wheat).
Kasma's trips are not conventional guided tours where a tour leader guides the entire group everywhere and explains everything. It takes an active, flexible, independent, open-minded, and easy-going person interested in learning about other cultures to enjoy these trips.
Will there be culture shock?
Do be prepared for traveling in a place where much of what you think of as normal may not be recognized as such. In many ways, each day, you'll see different ways of doing things. As one example, traditionally soup is not served in bowls in Thailand: the serving dish of soup is brought to the table as part of a family-style meal and the soup is served over the rice, or a portion of the broth might be served directly into a spoon. One trip member thought this was "weird" but from the Thai point of view, giving each diner their own soup dish might be considered equally weird. As another example, most restrooms don't provide towels to dry your hand: air drying works perfectly well. These are just a couple example of dozens of times when, instead of judging Thai culture because it is different, you'll get a chance to exercise being open-minded and interested in how what is normal in one place is anything but in another. This, after all, is one of the joys of traveling.
What is the interview about?
Because of the nature of these trips, it is essential that all group members be able to get along harmoniously. Kasma or her husband talk to everyone to make sure that they understand and are in agreement with the nature as well as the specific conditions of the trip.
How physically fit must I be?
You must be fit enough to be on your feet for a couple hours at a time and able to walk 1 to 2 miles in one go. You need to be strong enough to carry your own luggage on those occasions when we do not have porters; this may involve carrying luggage upstairs or across a wide stretch of beach. You must be fit enough to walk up a moderately steep hill of about 1/3 mile or so. One of the places where we stay in Northern Thailand has cabins perched on a steep hillside and requires walking up stone steps to reach them, sometimes in the dark. In some hotels you may need to climb several flights of stairs. You need to be able to climb in and out of boats, particularly in southern Thailand where several days are spent on islands or going to and from islands. You definitely need to have a good sense of balance as even in the cities, the ground can be quite uneven. If you have mobility issues, you'll need to consult with Kasma.
The southern trip requires being in even better physical shape. One of the places we stay requires walking up a flight of very steep stairs, at least once by flashlight in the dark, and another time, carrying your own luggage. A couple places we stay will require good balance as you climb up to your cabin across uneven ground in the dark.
What if I've never been on a tour before?
Kasma's trips are not conventional tours in any sense of the word: they are more like small groups of people traveling together, accompanied by a friend who takes them to her favorite places in her homeland. These trips seem to attract people who don't normally go on tours.
In many ways these trips are a better way to see Thailand than traveling on your own, unless you have lots of time to gradually learn the ins and outs of Thai culture by hit and miss. Because of the economy-of-scale for a group to rent vans and boats, we are able to go to places that would be difficult for you to get to on your own, even if you know where they are. You certainly would have difficulty dining as well on the almost infinite variety of Thai foods (most of the best are unknown even in Thai restaurants outside Thailand) if you traveled on your own. More importantly, unless you can speak the Thai language well enough, you may end up in "tourist ghettos" where authenticity of cultural experiences and of the cuisine may be greatly compromised.
What is the average age of the trip members?
Each year it varies somewhat. There have been trip members as young as 18 and as old as 80 (but in better shape than the youngsters!). Each year there seems to be at least a few recent-retirees in their mid-50s to early-60s. People of all ages enjoy their travels with Kasma. (See testimonials.)
What about children.
Kasma does not accept children as trip members. The trips are very active and geared for adults. They are not recommended for people under the age of 18.
I see a lot of tour packages that go to Phuket and Samui. Why don't you go there?
It is only a slight exaggeration to say that these two islands consist of wall-to-wall resorts along the beaches. It is not really living Thai culture that you encounter there: it is western tourist culture. If that is what you are looking for, Kasma's trips are not for you.
What if I have to cancel a trip at the last-minute because of illness or family emergency?
After you have paid the balance of the trip, 75 days before departure, no monies are refundable. It is recommended that you purchase travel insurance to cover this contingency. There are several companies that underwrite such policies. Individual coverages for accidental injury, sickness and medical expenses; loss of baggage and personal possessions; trip cancellation/trip interruption and emergency medical evacuation and assistance may be purchased separately according to your needs. Ask your travel agent for further information on travel insurance. Or go to Google and search on "travel insurance."
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