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| Thailand
Tours |
The
Kingdom of Thailand draws
more visitors than any other
country in southeast Asia
with its irresistible combination
of breathtaking natural beauty,
inspiring temples, renowned
hospitality, robust cuisine
and ruins of fabulous ancient
kingdoms.
From the stupa-studded
mountains of Mae Hong Son
and the verdant limestone
islands of the Andaman Sea,
to the pulse-pounding dance
clubs of Bangkok and the tranquil
villages moored along the
Mekong River, Thailand offers
something for every type of
traveller.
Of course
Thailand, like other Asian
countries, has been influenced
by contact with foreign cultures.
But the never-changing character
of Thai culture has remained
dominant, even in modern city
life. Often depicted as fun-loving,
happy-go-lucky folk (which
indeed they often are), the
Thais are also proud and strong,
and have struggled for centuries
to preserve their independence
of spirit.
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Attraction
in Thailand
Bangkok
Bangkok has dominated Thailand's urban
hierarchy as well as its political,
commercial and cultural life since
the late 18th century. Although you
can shop in air-conditioned comfort
in its Western-style malls, the city
is a long way from being tamed by
commercial homogeneity.
Bangkok's history
of haphazard planning means you'll
have the best experiences in the
most unlikely of places. Just when
you start despairing at the predominance
of concrete and cars, a waft of
incense leads you to a serene temple
in an area you'd written off as
soulless.
Ayuthaya
Historical Park
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ayuthaya's
historic temples are scattered throughout
this once magnificent city and along
the encircling rivers. Several of
the more central ruins – Wat
Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Mongkhon Bophit,
Wat Na Phra Meru, Wat Thammikarat,
Wat Ratburana and Wat Phra Mahathat
– can be visited on foot.
You
could add more temples and ruins
to your itinerary by touring the
city on a rented bicycle. An ideal
transport combination for visitors
who want to see everything would
be to hire a bicycle for the central
temples and charter a long-tail
boat to take a tour of the outlying
ruins along the river.
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Chachoengsao
Tucked away in the countryside
to the east of Bangkok, this
provincial town is hardly
visited by foreign tourists,
mainly because it's not on
the major road or rail networks
out of the capital. It's home
to one of the most sacred
Buddha images in Thailand
- Phra Phuttha Sothon.
Housed
in the Wat Sothon Wararam
Worawihaan, the origins of
the modest 198cm (77in) Buddha
are cloaked in mystery but
the image is said to be associated
with a famous monk with holy
powers who supposedly predicted
the exact moment of his death.
Chachoengsao makes a great
day-trip destination.
Ko
Si Chang
This one-town island offshore
from Chonburi Province on
the Gulf of Thailand is practically
deserted, making it great
fun to explore. Its attractions
include a meditation centre
with hermit caves, beaches
with good snorkelling, a ruined
palace, limestone caves and
a Chinese temple with sea
views.
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Reaching
Thailand
It may be a bit pricey to get to Thailand
by air, but once you're there you
can take advantage of bargain-basement
flights. Just bear in mind that flights
in and out of Thailand are often overbooked
so confirm, confirm and reconfirm.
Buses are a sterling way to get around
- they're fast (often terrifyingly!)
air-conditioned and comfy. There are
even women-only buses. However, there
have been bad reports of the service
on buses booked from agencies on Thanon
Khao San. If you want to get to Malaysia,
there are train services.
The
bad news is that it can be quite
expensive flying to Bangkok, depending
on your point of departure; the
good news is that once you're there
you can shop around for an inexpensive
return ticket. A host of international
carriers land at Don Muang, Bangkok's
major airport terminal. Flights
in and out of Thailand are often
overbooked so it's imperative that
you reconfirm ongoing flights as
soon as you arrive. The departure
tax on international flights is
waived if you're in the country
for less than 12 hours.
Overland
travel from Malaysia is popular
and there are four border crossings
between Thailand and Malaysia, two
on the west coast, one in the centre
and one on the east coast. It's
not possible to buy through-fare
tickets for rail journeys between
Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur or Singapore,
unless you ride the luxurious Eastern
& Oriental Express, but the
trip can be made on express trains
via the Thai-Malaysia border at
Pedang Besar. The journey usually
requires an overnight stop in Butterworth
(Malaysia) in order to comfortably
make train connections.
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