Exotic Thailand

Thailand is described as the “land of smile” or “land of the free”. It is a wonderful country to explore with its blend of ultra- modern and fascinating stories of its ancient history. Thailand is an easy country to travel in, with its affordable accommodation, and efficient transportation.

There are plenty of historical sites to visit, pristine beaches to enjoy, adventurous activities, and floating markets or ultra-modern shopping malls to explore. This country is SE of Myanmar (Burma), SW of Laos and NW of Cambodia and North of Malaysia.

The best time to travel is between November and February as it is not too hot with less rain. Summer is very humid and extremely hot.

Fly into Bangkok and begin your Thai experience. This city is huge with skyscapes, 12 lane highways and many open markets. Crossing an intersection is quite the experience, as it is difficult to figure out the rules of who gives way to whom! Visit the elegant Grand Palace, take a ride on the sky train or visit the notorious Patpong district.  This area has many restaurants, markets and cheap hotels for the abundant backpackers. 

The easiest and best way to see the highlights of Bangkok is to book a city tour. This city is a must see, as it has so many different experiences and sights from the old customs to the bustle of daily life, as it is today. A ride on a Tuk-Tuk is a quick way to get around. They are a three wheeled rickshaw with a two-stroke engine so a little noisy!

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You must bargain and agree on a fare before accepting a ride. After a busy day of sight- seeing, try a foot and leg massage. It is fabulous, very cheap and a wonderful way to end your day. They are everywhere, even in the lobby of your hotel. Bangkok is a great city to shop with squeaky clean shopping centres and umbrella shaded markets.

You will have no problem getting rid of your baht. The biggest market has over 15,000 stalls and an estimated 200,000 visitors a day! Everything is sold here from live chickens and antiques to clothes.

Take a short flight to Chang Mai city, in the northern region of Thailand. Chang Mai is cooler in climate and more forgiving. It is an area of proudly displayed, bright coloured hand-woven textiles. For the cultural traveller try classes in Thai cooking, Thai language or for the adventurous hill-tribe trekking. The city is a neat square bounded by moats and a 700 year old wall, which was built to keep out the Burmese invaders. There is a sense of moving into a quiet world of schoolyards, gardens and people with slow easy smiles.

This city has over 300 temples and shows the incredible variety in architecture and materials. One of the biggest attractions is the famous night bazaar which offers a variety of vendors and a multitude of textiles, pottery, silverwork, woodcarvings, and local food products. The variety is endless! 

The restaurant scene in Chang Mai is top-notch from traditional Thai food to comfort food from home. Try a mango smoothie or a cold glass of Carlsberg beer, while watching the three or so passenger motorcycles wiz by! It is amazing how everyone hangs on without having a major accident. Besides taking in the many tours to villages and temples I would recommend visiting the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre.

The automobile has rendered the elephant jobless in the modern world. Today they are making attempts to remedy this by promoting ecotourism. There are also elephant rides and elephant bathing shows. It is a fabulous experience and well worth the price. Try white-water rafting down the Pai River or relax in the beautiful hot springs.

Chiang Mai serves as the main commercial hub of the Golden Triangle, which contains the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, originally known as Burma.
Getting around Thailand is easy as they have a good rail and road system.

Take the opportunity to visit Southern Thailand, as the choice is endless of either beautiful beach resorts or an island stay. One of the popular resort areas is Hua Hin. It is clean and is famous for its teak colonial architecture with floor to ceiling windows. The beach is stunning and you have many choices of staying at any beachfront property. Keep in mind the price is higher, as closer to Bangkok. One of Thailand’s trendiest islands is Ko Samui. It is glitzy with enticing shopping, restaurants and endless beaches. The water is crystal clear so great for snorkelling and diving.

Travel down to Krabi Town where you can enjoy the beach and the very reasonably priced accommodation. This is a great destination for walking, snorkelling and diving in a much quieter atmosphere with less people.  Take the ferry across to island of Ko Phi Phi. Enjoy the limestone cliffs, water the color of aqua blue and fine white sand beaches. This island tends to be a playground for the wealthy with fabulous yachts and sail boats sitting in the harbour. 

Budget accommodation; do not kid yourself, as there isn’t any! This island makes for a good day trip over on the ferry to see how the other half live!

Phuket is an interesting place to visit. Stay in town as much cheaper and has many great restaurants. Beaches are wide, clean white sand and jade-coloured water. Phuket is one of the world’s top ten dive destinations. It lies off the west coast of Thailand and is the largest island. This island was one of the major trading routes between India and China. It was rich in tin and rubber but now the region derives much of its income from tourism. This region has an amazing amount of things to do and see from tours into the rainforest, mangrove caves and hiking up to the impressive Buddha that overlooks southern Phuket.

It is still under construction, after ten years of building this 45m statue of magnificent white marble.  Canoe through rock caves and enjoys deserted beaches of pristine white sand. Take a winter away from the cold and enjoy this wonderful country called Thailand. Truly, if you want to go to a country where you have little to worry about, Thailand is a great option.

It is a haven for relaxation, from escaping the bigger cities to the incredible experience of living among the rice fields and bamboo huts in northern Thailand or one of the many hotels on the beaches of southern Thailand. Things are more expensive in the south however, especially along the popular coasts and islands. Travelling outside of high season means fewer crowds and often lower prices.

As you know, there are pros and cons of every time of year.

Thailand offers a contrast of jungle, rainforests, big and small cities to incredible beaches. Put this destination on your “bucket list” and enjoy a holiday experience you will never forget.

Lynda Spriggs
 Lobstick Travel, Prince Albert