Introducing Thailand
Travel Alert: The security situation in Bangkok has become more stable and life is beginning to return to normal. Travellers should still exercise extreme caution and be aware of any developments as they arise. Read this article by Lonely Planet author China Williams, for a description of the current safety situation. Also check the BBC for news and find out what travellers are saying on the Thorn Tree forum.
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Thailand is often referred to as a golden land, not because there is precious metal buried underground but because the country gives off a certain lustre, be it the fertile rice fields of the central plains, white sandy beaches or the warm hospitality of its citizenry.
Thailand's cool season runs from November until the end of February. With its low humidity, relatively low temperatures and clear skies, the cool season is the best time to visit, though regular days of high 20s and low 30s might leave you wondering just who came up with the term ‘cool’. It is also the peak tourist season, so expect lots of new friends at the more popular spots like the islands and major towns.
First introductions are made in Bangkok, a modern behemoth of screaming traffic, gleaming shopping centres and international sensibilities interwoven with devout Buddhism. Chiang Mai, the country's bohemian centre, is where the unique and precise elements of Thai culture become a classroom, for cooking courses and language lessons; while climbing into the mountain ranges around Mae Hong Son you'll find stupa-studded peaks and villages of post-Stone Age cultures. Sliding down the coastal tail are the evergreen limestone islands of Ko Tao and Kho Phi Phi Don, filled with tall palms angling over pearlescent sand. Thailand's beaches are stunning, hedonistic and mythic among residents of northern latitudes.
People come here as miners: first perhaps for the uniquely Western concept of R&R. And while they toast themselves to a bronze hue on the sandy beaches, they find in the daily rhythm of Thailand a tranquillity that isn't confined to vacation time. The northeast is a region better suited for homestays and teaching gigs than quick souvenir snapshots: here, you can dive deep into the Thai psyche, emerging with a tolerance for searingly spicy food and a mastery of this strange tonal language. Welcome to a life-altering experience disguised as a holiday.
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Last updated: Jul 16, 2010
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Thailand
Our Top Picks For Thailand
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1 Ko Tao
Be a small fish in a big tank while diving with mighty whale sharks from this coral-fringed island, stay a while, or choose another beach paradise
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2 Sangkhlaburi
Border outpost amid a misty lake and rugged karst mountains far from the tourist trail; the bus ride here from Kanchanaburi is one of Thailand's best scenic journeys
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3 Cooking classes in Chiang Mai
Learn about Thai culinary herbs and spices, tour a local market and prepare a feast - choose from loads of classes in Chiang Mai, which is also a top ecotourism spot
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4 Khao Sok National Park
You wouldn't be surprised if a T-Rex emerged from the jungle in this amazing tangle of limestone karsts and rainforest. Home to snakes, monkeys and tigers, and the incredible Rafflesia kerrii flower, this special corner of Surat Thani Province in Thailand's south is only a ten hour bus ride form Bangkok.
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5 Mae Hong Son Province
Remote crossroads with ethnic minorities, jungle trekking and the hippie retreat of Pai
Fast Facts about Thailand
- Pick-up joint: the world’s second-largest pick-up truck market after the US
- Border countries: Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma)
- Population: 65,493,296
- Guinness World Records: longest condom chain, most couples married underwater and most Mini Coopers in a convoy (444 cars parked to spell out ‘Long Live the King’)
- Karaoke culture: every major band or singer releases video CDs (VCD) specially formatted for karaoke-style singalongs
- Religion: 95% Buddhist
- Literacy: 92.6%, though reading anything other than the newspaper or comic books is regarded as an eccentric hobby
- Currency: what's the Thai baht worth today?
- Prime Minister: Abhisit Vejjajiva
- Number of 7-Elevens currently: 3912
- Highest point: Doi Inthanon 2565m
- Head of state: King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX)
Related Groups
Our favourite Thailand Blogs (beta)
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Siam Ocean World
Blog: Matthew's Travel Blog - My thoughts on everything - 2 September 2010
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Food in Bangkok: Khao Mun Gai (Hainanese Chicken Rice)
Blog: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog - 1 September 2010
One of Mr. Rojo’s favorite Thai dish that he recently discovered right before we headed to Thailand for our summer trip is Khao Mun Gai (Hainanese Chicken Rice). This Chinese origin dish is one of the main staple of Thai people. The chicken is boiled in the salted water and the rice is cooked from that [...]Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment!
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August 29
Blog: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Koh Chang, Thailand - 29 August 2010
For anyone who has never stayed in a hotel catering to mainly Chinese guests, the choice between going for the breakfast buffet or a cold beer instead, isn’t one that requires much deliberation. A belated update ... Related posts:August 4 August 5
