Introducing Thailand
Travel Alert: The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office recommends against all travel to some areas and against non-essential travel to others, please check with your relevant national government.
Advertisement
Thailand’s beaches are mythical: tall palms angle over pearlescent sand, coral gardens flourish in the shallow seas and beach parties are liberally lubricated with alcohol and fun. With a long coastline (well, actually, two coastlines) and jungle-topped islands anchored in azure waters, Thailand is a tropical getaway for the hedonist and the hermit, the prince and the pauper. And in between the kissing cousins of sea and sky are dramatic limestone mountains standing sentinel. This paradise offers a varied menu of playing in the gentle surf of Bang Saphan Yai, diving with whale sharks in Ko Tao, scaling the sea cliff s of Krabi, learning to kiteboard in Hua Hin, recuperating at a health resort in Ko Samui and feasting on the beach wherever sand meets sea.
The celestial world is a close confidant in this Buddhist nation, where religious devotion is a colourful and ubiquitous spectacle. Gleaming temples and golden Buddhas frame both the rural and modern landscape with exuberance. Ancient banyan trees are ceremoniously wrapped in sacred cloth to honour the resident spirits, fortune-bringing shrines decorate humble noodle houses as well as monumental malls, while garland-festooned dashboards ward off traffic accidents. The Thai’s ongoing dialogue with the divine anchors the day-to-day chaos to a solid base of tranquillity. Visitors can join in on the conversation through meditation retreats in Chiang Mai, noisy religious festivals in northeastern Thailand, peaceful underground cave shrines in Kanchanaburi and Phetchaburi or scenic hilltop temples in northern Thailand.
No matter what draws you to the country first, a Thai meal will keep you hooked. Adored around the world, Thai cuisine expresses fundamental aspects of Thai culture: it is generous and warm, outgoing and nuanced, refreshing and relaxed. And it is much more delicious in its native setting. Each Thai dish relies on fresh and local ingredients – from pungent lemongrass and searing chillies to plump seafood and crispy fried chicken. With a tropical abundance, a varied national menu is built around the four fundamental flavours: spicy, sweet, salty and sour. And then there are the regional differences, which propel travellers on an eating tour of Bangkok noodle shacks, seafood pavilions in Phuket, Burmese market stalls in Mae Hong Son, and luscious tropical fruit everywhere. Cooking classes reveal the simplicity behind the seemingly complicated dishes and mastering the markets becomes an important skill.
Ready to go? Our recommended tours make it easy:
- Explore Northern Thailand in 8 days
Last updated: May 25, 2012
Tips & articles
-
Thailand’s islands: where to escape the crowds
15 May 2012
Whether it is riding in the back of an open tuk-tuk or racing across the waves in a longtail boat,...
-
Going beyond pad thai
12 May 2012
There’s an entire universe of amazing dishes once you get beyond ‘pad thai’ and green curry, and for many visitors,...
-
Best adventure travel ideas
29 April 2012
If you’re after an outdoor adventure, look no further. In this excerpt from Lonely Planet’s 1000 Ultimate Experiences, we bring...
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
-
-
RE: 4 countries, 3 months each, for retirement : how do you organise yourself ?
by cyril_madrid 28 May 2012
The issue of switching properties is nice, but if I want for example to avoid Thailand for the rainy season, I am not sure to find a volunte…
-
RE: Overland travel to Myanmar from Thailand
by oshilumbo 28 May 2012
It's been five months since this post was written and things change quickly in Burma (especially now). Does anyone know if Compadres informa…
Hotels & Hostels
Top cities in Thailand
Browse more cities in ThailandFeatured property
See all hotels and hostels in ThailandAdvertisement








