BANGKOK (City of Angels)
As the Capital City of Thailand, Bangkok is home to around 8 million people. Chao Phraya River runs through its heart, providing a means of transport for travelers and cargo. The East side of the River is often referred to as 'Bangkok proper'. Here lies both 'old' and 'new' Bangkok, business, residential and tourist districts. West of the Chao Phraya River was the original site of Thailand's Capital, Thonburi.
In this diverse city, you can shop in comfort in an air-conditioned mall or peruse the local marketplace for a taste of Thai Culture. Other tourist attractions include The National Museum, Vimanmek Teak Mansion, Chalermkrung Royal Theatre and numerous glittering palaces and Buddhist Temples.
CHIANG MAI
Laying approximately 700km North-West of Bangkok, Chiang Mai Province houses a population of over 160 000 and is often referred to as Thailand's 'second city'. Possibly the biggest attraction of this city is the range of accommodation, cuisine and shopping offered at a very low cost.
Surrounded by stunning mountain scenery, Chiang Mai offers the opportunity for river rafting, jungle tours and elephant riding and visits to traditional hill tribe villages. Chiang Mai is also home to more than 300 temples and has a wonderful variety of nightlife, festivals and shopping venues, all of which can be easily explored by bicycle.
The best time of year to plan a visit to Chiang Mai is between July and March for optimal weather conditions.
KO SAMUI
Home to around 37 000 residents, this island offers many interesting places to visit, including waterfalls, famous rock formations (such as the Hinta Hinyai), temples, crocodile farm, snake farm, an aquarium and butterfly garden. Activities include scuba diving, snorkeling, watersports and fishing, mountain biking, trekking and canoeing.
Dotted with coconut plantations, Samui is surrounded by white stretches of sandy beaches and mountain ridges.
Ko Samui's rainy season falls between September and November, so the best time to visit is between December and June. Once a month on the full moon, residents celebrate a 'full moon party' with dancing, jugglers and music along the beaches of Ko Phangan situated just north of Koh Samui.
PHUKET
Approximately 862km south of Bangkok is the island of Phuket. Often named 'the pearl of the south', this island is home to a population of more than 62 000 residents and is Thailand's largest island. Phuket's scenery is varied, including both rocky and sandy beaches, limestone cliffs and forests of tropical vegetation.
Popular activities include boating, adventure safaris, cycling, snorkeling and scuba diving and dining on an abundance of seafood. Away from the beaches, there are many rice paddies and plantations to visit including rubber, pineapple, coconut and cashew nut.
During late September / early October Phuket residents celebrate the Vegetarian Festival. Running for 9 days, the festival is an explosion of cultural performances, local shopping, dancing, firecrackers and street processions. This time of year can however be extremely wet so for optimal weather conditions, the best time to travel here is from November to February.
Khao Sok National Park
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HUA HIN
The oldest Thai beach resort is Hua Hin, a popular holiday destination for both foreigners and the Thai people. Situated approximately 3 hours South-West of Bangkok, this fishing resort is also home to a large variety of golf courses. A great destination for travelers wanting a quieter more relaxed location.
An easy drive will take you to exquisite Sam Roi Yot and Namtok Huai Yang National Parks. Here you can discover waterfalls, walking tracks, caves, limestone mountains, an abundance of native bird and wildlife and magnificent panoramas. Other popular attractions and activities include historic Hua Hin Railway Station, art and craft exhibitions, Klai Kangwon Palace, temples, island fishing and other watersports.
Hua Hin Market offers a fabulous shopping experience where you can purchase souvenirs, local cuisine, dried seafood, fruits such as pine apples, coconuts, bananas and aloe vera. A renowned local product is “pha phim khommaphat” or khommaphat printed cotton. This magnificent hand made material can be purchased by length or made into placemats, tablecloths, and pillowcases.
The southwest monsoon brings the rainy season from about June to October. November to February it is relatively cool and dry. During the Cool Season, the temperatures drop to an average 21 degrees Celsius and 14 degrees.
KRABI
Famous for the magnificent limestone 'Karst' scenery that surrounds it, Krabi is also home to the Krabi River and incredible beaches. Away from the beach lies tropical rainforests, mountain ranges and many plantations of rubber, palm oil, fruit, coconut and coffee.
River taxis take passengers exploring along some 200 limestone and jungle covered islands which are dotted along the coastline. There are many large caverns and tunnels in the rocks, some which have even been made into Buddhist temples or shrines.
Other popular activities in and around Krabi include rock-climbing, fishing, diving, bird-watching, dining on local Thai cuisine and shopping. The markets are a haven for travelers wishing to pick up a bargain like handmade soaps, jewellery, baskets and local food and wares.
Krabi has year-round average temperatures of around 75ºF to 89ºF (24ºC to 32ºC). The best time to visit Krabi is from November to March when humidity and temperatures remain fairly average. The Thai New Year (Songkran) occurs on April 13th and everyone sprinkles (or throws!) cool water on each other.
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