Considering a trip somewhere tropical? Maybe a tad reluctant to go to Mexico at the moment in case you meet some over-friendly pigs? I’d like to suggest Southern Thailand as a great alternative.

First of all, you can find great deals on airfare to Thailand, but you have to look around. Ticket prices range from $600-1400., so don’t give up too easily if you don’t find what you are looking for right from the start. Once you’re in Thailand, take planes to travel around. There are several great discount airlines to choose from including: Nok Air, PB Air, Air Asia, and Tiger Air  and with most prices ranging from $30-50 one way-there's absolutely no reason to jump on an overnight bus (which would probably be driven by a driver on speed.)

Second, once you are there, you can find great bargains on accommodation. Back-packers should definitely head to Khao San Road as the starting point, which is kind of a mecca of sorts for lost souls, young hippie types with minimal clothing, and those seeking adventure. The street has tons of cheap guest-houses, lots of jewelry and clothing to buy (including some nice knock-offs), DVDs and more. There are multiple travel agents there, so it is no problem to book the rest of your trip once you are in the country. Many of them are online as well, so it’s possible to plan your journey ahead of time. Once in Bangkok, you can check out the weekend market with everything from more knock-off DVDs to live snakes. The palace is also a must-see, but the crowds can get bad on the weekends. For a little view of Thailand's well-known sex-tourism industry, hit the Patpong area. (and no, I'm not going to describe to you what they do with ping-pongs!)

The beaches in Thailand are fantastic. In the Southwest of Thailand, you can choose between Koh Phi Phi hi, Raleigh Beach, and Phuket. Koh Phi Phi, home of the movie the Beach, is stunning despite the mild controversy there during the filming when they covered the already-sandy white beach with more sand.  (Leo, being the champion of the Earth that he is, said all was ok, but not all the locals were convinced. )Raleigh Beach is one of the pre-eminent rock-climbing sites in the world. No joke. Raleigh and Phi Phi have accommodation available from budget to high-end. Phuket’s beaches are also beautiful.  However, Phuket is also known for its large resorts and golf courses and caters mostly to more high-end tourists.

On the east coast of Thailand, three islands stand out as favorites: Koh Samui, Koh Phan Ghan, and Koh Tao. All beautiful, and all with different feeling. Phan Ghan is famous for its full-moon parties, which can best described as thousands of people participating in a beach rave. Koh Samui tends to serve a little higher-end, but you can find good deals there, too. And, finally, Khao Tao is known as the best place in Thailand for diving and to get diving certification.

The National Parks are beautiful to check out in Thailand. In the South, where I’m more familiar, there are a few stand-outs. Kho Seok boasts the oldest rainforest in the world. Khao Phanom National Park, right next to Krabi, has the largest mountain in Southern Thailand, which affords trekking opportunities usually only found in the north of Thailand.