06/05/2007

The South

Ranong
Next to Chumphon, but located on the opposite side of Thailand’s southern peninsula and bordering first Myanmar and then the Andaman Sea, is Ranong. The province is distinguished largely by its natural attributes-hot spring spas, dense tropical greenery, picturesque waterfalls and coastal waters dotted with islands. All of this makes for an intriguing area to explore, somewhere off the beaten track and quieter than other holiday destinations.
Ranong also has the unique bonus of allowing a day excursion into Myanmar. A short boat ride across the Chan river estury brings you to Kawthoung, which in the days of British Burma was known as Victoria point. It’s truly a memorable excursion that adds a different dimension to a journey south.



Phuket
Justly famous as one of the world’s premier tropical beach resorts, Phuket blends extraordinary natural beauty with superb tourism facilities to ensure the perfect vacation in the sun. Against a backdrop of green hills, the west coast of what is Thailand’s largest island is blessed with a whole string of magnificent beaches and coves bathed by the clear blue waters of the Andaman Sea. Nature’s bounty is then matched by luxury hotels and resorts of the highest international standard, while for your leisure, pleasure and sheer indulgence there are watersports, yachting, scuba diving, golf, spa treatment, exquisite dining and more.
Yet Phuket is not just an island in the sun; as a province in its own right it has a wealth of scenic and cultural attractions. Buddhist temples, Chinese pagodas and Muslim mosques, as well as fabulous annual Vegetarian Festival, attest to a multi-cultural history; magnificent mansions built in the Sino-Portuguese style tell the story of riches made from tin mining in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and rubber and coconut plantations contrast with areas of surviving virgin forest in a refreshingly green landscape.
In all, Phuket is an island of unparalleled beauty and unique cultural traditions, a place to explore as well as to relax totally and relish the vacation of a lifetime.

Phang-nga
Located immediately north of Phuket, Phang-nga is renowned for its island-studded bay of haunting natural beauty. Typically, you approach this wondrous seascape down a river estuary where mangrove swamps evoke a primeval mood. The eeriness takes a dramatic turn as the estuary widens and the bay is suddenly revealed sprouting countless, weirdly shaped limestone outcrops swathed in tangles of creepers and shrubs. Some rise sheer from the water, others are humped or jagged and all present an unearthly aspect. One is particularly famous; known as “James Bond Island”, it was the location for the movie The Man With the Golden Gun.
A different attraction awaits off the northern shores of Phang-nga, where the waters around the Similan and Surin island groups present ideal conditions for scuba diving, the underwater world teeming with tropical fish and abounding in breathtaking coral formations.

Krabi
For many travelers, Krabi is the most beautiful province along the Andaman coast. It is the kind of place where tired clichés like idyllic and pristine take on fresh meaning, with the beaches displaying the characteristic qualities of the Andaman coast-soft, fine white sand, warm clear water and lush tropical greenery spilling on to the shore. Providing a dramatic back drop to the most beautiful locations are rust-hued cliffs, some soaring to 1000 feet. There are also offshore islands, most famously the twin Phi Phi isles, location for the movie The Beach, and newly popular Ko Lanta.

posted by heroioria @ 14:36 0 Comments

The East Coast

Chonburi
Chonburi, Bangkoks nearest seaside town, is located on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand, only 80 kilometers from Bangkok. The area boasts abundant natural resources, which are highlighted by delightful beaches, local colors, traditions, delicacies and fresh seafood. This is a popular resort among Bangkokians who seek the nearest escape from hectic weekly schedules as Chon Buri has something for everyone. In addition, Chon Buri is the center of the Eastern Seaboard Development Project, with its industrial parks and fishing villages.
Pattaya
 Situated just a 2-hour drive from Bangkok, Pattaya is famous as an international playground in the sun. Facing a wide bay and a long sweep of beach, it is a seaside resort with city status, and goes all out to offer a huge variety of sporting and entertainment opportunities both on the water and on land. By day, Pattaya is alive with watersports action, while come nighttime the place is equally active as vacationers flock to the resort’s neon-bars, discos, nightclubs and restaurants.
Pattaya’s non-stop action can be overwhelming, yet the resort aims to offer something for everyone and easily reached surrounding attractions provide plenty of alternatives. Several excellent golf courses, for example, are just a short drive away, while more traditional beach scenes can be found at Bang Saen or the offshore island of Ko Si Chang. There are also plenty of options for family outings, including a cultural village and a tiger zoo.
A wide selection of hotels, from super deluxe to bungalow style, afford every modern comfort, and a stay in Pattaya can be as much a quiet escape lazing by your hotel pool as a fun-packed action holiday.

Rayong
Further along the coast from Pattaya, Rayong is a province that combines a lush interior with a coastline of quiet beaches that are less developed than Pattaya and promise a more tranquil vacation by the sea. Complementing the mainland beaches is the offshore island of Ko Samet. Immortalized by the classical Thai poet Suthon Phu, who set part of his epic Phra Aphaimani on the island, Ko Samet is indeed a picturesque island with some excellent beaches and simple yet way comfortable bungalow style accommodation. On the way to the beach, Rayong town presents a couple of cultural sights in Wat Pa Pradu, which enshrines a large reclining Buddha statue, and the Taksin monument at Wat Lum Mahachai Chumpon, which commemorates the occasion when King Taksin raised an army to expel the Burmese after the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767.

Chanthaburi
Southeast of Rayong, Chanthaburi is known as Thailand’s “Garden Province”, being famous for its vegetable and fruit cultivation. Topping the list of fresh produce are three of Thailand’s most exotic fruits- durian, mangosteen and rambutan.
Different fruits of the earth, in the form of rubies and sapphires, were also formerly products of Chanthaburi, and while the local gem mines have now been largely worked out, the provincial capital remains a renowned market for gems from all over Southeast Asia. This lends a buzz of excitement and colors the character of what is a fascinating town, where sight includes a French-style cathedral dating from the 19th century.

Trat
Trat, the far boundary of Thailand’s East coast, has long been pretty much frontier territory, literally as it borders Cambodia and figuratively in the somewhat rough-and-tumble world of its gem mining past. The picture is changing today, however, with the growing popularity of the province’s big attraction, Ko Chang, Thailand’s second largest island.
Lying eight kilometers off the coast, Ko Chang is the main isle in a 52-island archipelago that forms Mu Ko Chang Marine National Park. Mainly because of its isolation, only now are the island’s idyllic beaches being discovered by international travelers. There is a choice of accommodation, although infrastructure development is slight compared to other Thai resorts, and it is still possible to enjoy the thrilling sense of discovering a tropical paradise anew.

posted by heroioria @ 10:05 0 Comments

29/04/2007

The Northeast

Nakhon Ratchasima
Also know as Khorat, Nakhon Ratchasima is the gateway to Thailand’s northeast region-know as I-san in Thai-a largely rural area and the least changed part of the country.
The province has a long recorded history and during the pre-Thai period was an important outpost of the ancient Khmer civilization centered on Angkor, in Cambodia. The largest and finest of several Khmer sites in Phimai, an 11th-century temple complex that has been well restored.
Besides places of historical and cultural interest, Nakhon Ratchasima is also home to vast tracts of Khao Yai National Park, ranked as one of the country’s finest nature preserves and featuring a great diversity of habitats from evergreen rainforest to savannah.

Udon Thani
Udon Thani is a busy communications and transportation hub and provides ready access to the surrounding provinces of Khon Kaen to the south, and Nong Khai to the north.
The province’s biggest attraction for the traveler, however, is the prehistoric site of Ban Chiang where, in the 1970s, archaeological finds yielded evidence of a
civilization dating back more than 4000 years. Example of the finds, including skeletons, tools and distinctively patterned pottery, can be seen in excavation pits that have been left open at the site and which give a good insight into the thrill of archaeological discovery.

Nong Khai
Stretched out along the banks of the Mekong river, opposite the Laotian capital of Vientiane, Nong Khai is an attractive province, fascinating for its river views. At Nong Khai town the Mekong is spanned by the 1190-meter Friendship Bridge, opened in 1994, and the charming little provincial capital, distinguished by a handful of fine temples, serves as a gateway to Laos, as well as being an extremely pleasant spot in its own right.

Loei
A trifle off the beaten track, Loei is the region’s westernmost province and thus has features in common with the North. The landscape is one of high hills and mountains, and there is enormous climatic range, the province recording the country’s highest and lowest temperatures. Not surprisingly, the major attractions are scenic, notably the national parks of Phu Kradueng, Phu Luang and Phu Ruea, all three being mountain areas with pines and other cool climate trees and abundant wildlife.

Surin
For most of the year, Surin is a place of deep rural tranquility, but in late November the provincial capital comes fabulously alive as its hosts the annual Elephant Round-Up. This exciting and colorful spectacle celebrates the remarkable role elephants have played in Thai history and the development of the country. It’s most special occasion and not to be missed.

Ubon Ratchathani
Ranked among the largest of the northeastern provinces, Ubon Ratchathani borders both Laos and Cambodia, the juncture of the three country’s being dubbed in recent times “The Emerald Triangle” on account of the areas lush forest cover. The province’s main topographical feature, however, is the Mun ricer and its junction with the Mekong, the latter forming much of Ubon Ratchathani’s eastern border. The meeting of the two rivers affords some most picturesque scenery, while prehistoric rock paintings at the nearby cliff of Pha Taem adds to the area’s fascination. Overall, the province is a showcase for traditional I-san culture, most readily seen in such colorful annual events as the Candle Festival, which celebrates the start of the Buddhist Rains Retreat.

posted by heroioria @ 15:16 0 Comments

27/04/2007

The North

Chiang Mai

The province of Chiang Mai, located 700 kilometers north of Bangkok and served by both air and rail services from the capital, epitomizes the charm and attractions that typify northern Thailand.
Here you will discover a landscape of high forested hills and river valleys, while the cities, towns and villages of the region display a distinct culture arising from a long and separate history. At the same time, deluxe hotels and mountain resorts provide all modern comforts. The city of Chiang Mai, situated on the banks of Ping river, it a treasure trove of ancient temples, fascinating for their distinctive northern Thai architectural style and rich decorative detail, while on the outskirts is the farmed hilltop temple of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Chiang Mai is equally famous for its wealth of traditional handicrafts-in silk, wood, silver, ceramics and more-which the city a veritable paradise for the shopper.
Beyond, the countryside beckons, offering adventure travel by trekking, elephant-back, river rafting or four-wheel drive safaris into a natural wonderland, where the traditional villages of colorful hilltribe people are a unique feature in the landscape.

Mae Hong Son
The remotest of the northern provinces, lying west of Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son is the ideal destination for those who love wild hill country and who seek the thrill of sweeping valley vistas.
Candled in mist-shrouded forested mountains on the border of Myanmar, Mae Hong Son town is one of the most enchanting settlements in the entire north. A superb hill retreat, it is both readily and enticingly remote.
Mae Hong Son is served by flights from Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and the ease of getting there is complemented by a good choice of accommodation. And yet the place appears reluctant to change and Mae Hong Son manages to offer travelers’ comforts without disturbing an enduring sense of a lost world. Sights include a lively morning market and a handful or temples with multi-tiered roofs typical of Burmese religious architecture.
Beyond Mae Hong Son, journeys of discovery and adventure lead you into breathtaking mountain scenery dotted with the villages of Karen, Lisu, Meo and Lahu hilltribes. Alternatively, the little of Pai provides a tranquil escape amid stunning scenery.

Chiang Rai
This is Thailand’s northernmost province, a region of rugged mountains and fertile valleys, where the relaxed provincial capital of Chiang Rai offers excellent accommodation to serve as the perfect center for exploring the far north.
Two high forested peaks, Doi Mae Salong and Doi Tung, are located just a few kilometers north


of the town and both afford easy access into quite spectacular hill country. Of the two, Doi Mae Salong presents the wilder scene, while Doi Tung has been extensively and well developed as part of a royal project conducted under the auspices of the late Princess Mother. A revered temple at the top of Doi Tung adds and Oriental fairytale setting to the splendid views. Northeast of Chiang Rai is Chiang Saen, on the banks of Mekong river. The site of an ancient and once powerful settlement, it is full of historical interest as well as being the nearest town to the famous “Golden Triangle”, where the confluence of the Mekong and Ruak rivers forms the border between Thailand, Myanmar and Laos-a famous and spellbinding spot.

Sukhothai
Situated at the lower edge of the northern region, bordering the central plains, Sukhothai was the cradle of the Thai nation. Here, in landscape of low wooded hills, the first capital city was founded in the 13th century. Today, the extensive ruins of Sukhothai, as well as those of its nearby town, Si Satchanalai, are preserved in well-kept historical parks that have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
At the center of Sukhothai stand the magnificent remains of Wat Mahathat, which was the administrative and spiritual heart of ancient Kingdom. Spreading out from Wat Mahathat, over an area of some 70 square kilometers, are the ruins of more than 20 other major monuments attesting to the glory that was Sukhothai.
Si Satchanalai, 56 kilometers to the north, is a smaller, though nonetheless impressive site, where a cluster of ruined temples are attractively backed by wooded hills.

posted by heroioria @ 14:49 0 Comments

Central Thailand

Bangkok





Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya river, the traditional lifeblood of Thailand’s fertile central plains, Bangkok is an exciting paradox. It is a city that both preserves the old with respect and embraces the new with enthusiasm.
The Thai capital for more than two centuries, Bangkok has more change in the last 20 years. Concrete and glass high-rises have reshaped the skyline and multi-lane expressways re-mapped the city’s thoroughfares, while a Skytrain mass transit system and a subway are opening up new ways to experience the city. So Bangkok is now more comfortable and quicker and simpler to get around. The options for shopping, dinning and entertainment have vastly expanded in the couple of decades.
Amazingly, at the same time as developing as a modern metropolis, Bangkok has succeeded in preserving monument to its traditional Oriental splendour. It is still a city of temples and palaces, of golden spires and orange tiered roofs, of saffron-robed monks and serene Buddha images. Classic sights, most famously the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Vuddha, remain as magnificent as ever.
Thus Bangkok retains a personality that is unchanging and uniquely its own, and which allows the traveler to discover somewhere truly different while also enjoying all modern conveniences.

Ayutthaya
Locate on the heart of the central plains that extend north from Bangkok, by the Chao Phraya river, this ancient city offers an intriguing glimpse into a glorious past.
Founded in the 14th century, Ayutthaya was the nation’s capital for more than 400 years. This city has the extensive ruins of numerous temples and palaces that are today preserved in what is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Kanchanaburi
West of Bangkok and abutting the mountains which devide Thailand and Myanmar, Karnchanaburi is dominated by forested hills and the valleys of the Khwae Noi and Khwae yai rivers, where waterfalls and caves are additional elements of natural wonder. Historically Kanchanaburi is best known as the site of the infamous “Death Railway” and “Bridge over the River Kwai”, built by allied POWs and during World War II.


Phetchaburi
Situated on the western shores of the Gulf of Thailand, Phetchaburi is best known for its beach resort of Cha-am, an established favourite for family vacations by the sea.
Aside from its long sandy beach, the province also boasts both historical attractions of considerable interest. Phetchaburi town, today a small provincial capital, has a distinguished history as witnessed in ancient Khermer ruins and a number of temples, including Wat Yai Suwannaram and Wat Ko Khaeo Suttharam, with contain some fine mural paintings. There is also a 19th-century hilltop palace built by King Rama IV, and an enchanting grotto enshrining Buddha images. The province’s natural beauty is best showcased at Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand’s largest protected area covering 2920 square kilometers of well-watered forested hills and valleys, and home to some 40 mammal species.

posted by heroioria @ 14:43 0 Comments