Few countries are as well endowed with touristic potential as Thailand. Whether you are looking for warm tropical climate, excellent beaches, great food, beautiful scenery, bargain shopping, awe-inspiring historic and religious sights, vibrant nightlife, great dive sites, or trekking between indigenous tribal villages, you will find it all and more in Thailand. No wonder Thailand has come one of the most popular tourism destinations in Asia.
Popular holiday destination located in Southeast Asia between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, Thailand is the main economic power as well as the tourism hub in the region, offering something for every type of visitor. With a long history as an independent kingdom, Thailand offers great cultural and natural wonders and has an excellent transportation and tourism infrastructure. The inhabitants of Thailand are largely Buddhist Thais, but there is also a significant minority of Chinese people, as well as Malay Muslims in the south and indigenous hill tribes in the north of the country. The people in Thailand are renowned for their hospitality towards visitors.
Central Thailand destinations. The capital city of Bangkok is a bustling Asian metropolis offering extensive possibilities for shopping and nightlife, as well as beautiful temples and palaces and countless restaurants. The lowland areas around Bangkok offer many historic sites, most famous of which is the old capital city of Ayutthaya with its countless temples and historic buildings. The ancient ruined cities of Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai and the mountain province of Kanchanaburi, famous for the Kwai River Bridge, are all situated in Central Thailand. Pattaya is a very popular beach and entertainment center and a weekend getaway from Bangkok, famous for its go-go bars. In Eastern Thailand, the islands of Koh Samet and Koh Chang are popular beach holiday destinations.
In Northern Thailand, misty mountains, tropical forests and hilltribe villages attract visitors interested in trekking and rafting. The city of Chiang Mai is the center of Northern Thailand with numerous shopping and entertainment options and golf courses. The northernmost province and city of Chiang Rai is also an excellent base for treks and visiting the Golden Triangle border region. In the border town of Chiang Saen you can catch a boat along the Mekong River all the way to China.
In Southern Thailand there are two coasts, both filled with great holiday spots. Along the Andaman Sea coast on the west side of Thailand’s southern peninsula, the famous holiday island of Phuket has developed into one of the most popular holiday destinations in Asia with its excellent beaches and activities such as diving and nightlife. The nearby province of Krabi hosts great beach areas and scenic tropical islands, all incredibly scenic with limestone cliffs excellent for rock climbing, as well as white sand and clear water great for swimming and diving.
On the east side of the peninsula, the beach resort town of Hua Hin is the holiday destination of the King of Thailand himself. Further down south, the island of Koh Samui gathers a great number of sun-seeking visitors, followed by the famous party island of Koh Pha-Ngan and the smaller Koh Tao that is a favorite destination for those wanting to learn to dive.
Traveling to Thailand can be done in a variety of ways. Flying is the obvious choice if you are coming from outside Southeast Asia. The capital of Thailand, Bangkok is one of the main airline hubs in Asia with plenty of flights to Thailand from practically everywhere around the world. There are also international airports in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, Ko Samui and Hat Yai, as well as charter flight options to several tourism destinations around Thailand.
By land or sea. You can travel to Thailand by road from the neighboring countries and even from China, as well as by train from Malaysia and Singapore. Buses to Thailand operate from Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, and Myanmar (Burma).
Popular holiday destination located in Southeast Asia between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, Thailand is the main economic power as well as the tourism hub in the region, offering something for every type of visitor. With a long history as an independent kingdom, Thailand offers great cultural and natural wonders and has an excellent transportation and tourism infrastructure. The inhabitants of Thailand are largely Buddhist Thais, but there is also a significant minority of Chinese people, as well as Malay Muslims in the south and indigenous hill tribes in the north of the country. The people in Thailand are renowned for their hospitality towards visitors.
Attractions of Thailand: from great beaches & diving to trekking, nightlife & shopping
Thailand is the most popular tourism destination in Southeast Asia with a great deal of things to do and places to see from modern cities with inexpensive shopping and lively nightlife to white sand beaches and crystal clear waters of the many beach and diving holiday destinations in Thailand. The country is also home to a wonderful cultural heritage and excellent local cuisine, and offers plentiful activities from trekking and golf to water sports and rock climbing. Thailand is a paradise for shoppers with its countless markets and city malls, and Thai food is as varied and wonderful as the country itself.Central Thailand destinations. The capital city of Bangkok is a bustling Asian metropolis offering extensive possibilities for shopping and nightlife, as well as beautiful temples and palaces and countless restaurants. The lowland areas around Bangkok offer many historic sites, most famous of which is the old capital city of Ayutthaya with its countless temples and historic buildings. The ancient ruined cities of Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai and the mountain province of Kanchanaburi, famous for the Kwai River Bridge, are all situated in Central Thailand. Pattaya is a very popular beach and entertainment center and a weekend getaway from Bangkok, famous for its go-go bars. In Eastern Thailand, the islands of Koh Samet and Koh Chang are popular beach holiday destinations.
In Northern Thailand, misty mountains, tropical forests and hilltribe villages attract visitors interested in trekking and rafting. The city of Chiang Mai is the center of Northern Thailand with numerous shopping and entertainment options and golf courses. The northernmost province and city of Chiang Rai is also an excellent base for treks and visiting the Golden Triangle border region. In the border town of Chiang Saen you can catch a boat along the Mekong River all the way to China.
In Southern Thailand there are two coasts, both filled with great holiday spots. Along the Andaman Sea coast on the west side of Thailand’s southern peninsula, the famous holiday island of Phuket has developed into one of the most popular holiday destinations in Asia with its excellent beaches and activities such as diving and nightlife. The nearby province of Krabi hosts great beach areas and scenic tropical islands, all incredibly scenic with limestone cliffs excellent for rock climbing, as well as white sand and clear water great for swimming and diving.
On the east side of the peninsula, the beach resort town of Hua Hin is the holiday destination of the King of Thailand himself. Further down south, the island of Koh Samui gathers a great number of sun-seeking visitors, followed by the famous party island of Koh Pha-Ngan and the smaller Koh Tao that is a favorite destination for those wanting to learn to dive.
Thailand travel tips and practical information
Thailand enjoys a tropical climate with hot and humid weather around the year, with monsoon winds bringing seasonal changes. There are three seasons in Thailand: the northeast monsoon season between November and March witnesses dry and cooler weather and is the most popular time to visit Thailand; the southwest monsoon from July to October brings rainstorms, clouds and warmth. The season between the monsoons from March to June has high temperatures reaching up to 40°C. However, climate conditions vary within Thailand. The southern isthmus has hot and humid weather around the year, but with less high temperatures in the hottest season as in elsewhere in Thailand, whereas the southeast coast has a rainy season in November to February and a dry season from May to October. The mountain regions in the north are cooler than the rest of the country, often having cold temperatures at night.Traveling to Thailand can be done in a variety of ways. Flying is the obvious choice if you are coming from outside Southeast Asia. The capital of Thailand, Bangkok is one of the main airline hubs in Asia with plenty of flights to Thailand from practically everywhere around the world. There are also international airports in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, Ko Samui and Hat Yai, as well as charter flight options to several tourism destinations around Thailand.
By land or sea. You can travel to Thailand by road from the neighboring countries and even from China, as well as by train from Malaysia and Singapore. Buses to Thailand operate from Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, and Myanmar (Burma).
Photo: René Ehrhardt, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
Shared taxis and tourist minivans to Thailand can be found in Cambodia. There are also ferries to Thailand from Laos and Malaysia, as well as occasional cruise ships to Bangkok from Singapore and Malaysia. You can visit Thailand also by your own yacht – the most popular ports of entry are Phuket, Krabi, Ko Samui, Pranburi and Pattaya.
Once in Thailand, there are plenty of ways to get around. Domestic flights are inexpensive and well available to many destinations around the country. Most domestic flights originate from Bangkok, but there are also flights to elsewhere in Thailand from Chiang Mai, Phuket and Ko Samui. Thailand has an excellent, cheap and fast bus network with air-conditioned buses to all towns around the country. There are several bus companies operating from public bus terminals that are your best choice, as well as private buses and minivans that are not as reliable or comfortable. There is also a railway network in Thailand with comfortable and inexpensive trains to most large cities in Thailand.
Local transport options in Thailand include taxis, fast but dangerous motorcycle taxis called motosais, motorized three-wheeled tuk-tuks and pick-up trucks called songthaews that run regular routes. Long-tail boats are a popular way of transport in coastal areas, and large motorboats and hovercrafts transport tourists between the mainland and many popular Thai islands. Car rental in Thailand is available in cities and popular tourism destinations. Motorbike rental is very popular in Thailand and rental places can be found in all tourist areas. Bicycle rental is also available. Remember that traffic in Thailand is quite chaotic and driving is on the left side.
Visitor services. Thailand is an inexpensive country and everything you might need can usually be bought here cheaper than at home. There is a wide range of accommodation available in virtually every price bracket. Hotels in Thailand can be found in all parts of the country, ranging from cheap city hotels to beach resorts and international business hotels. Cheap guesthouses and beach bungalows can be found in most parts of Thailand, making it a favorite destination for backpackers. Thailand is famous for its spicy cuisine. Restaurants can be found everywhere, ranging from cheap street eateries to fine dining. Nightlife in Thailand is also famous, and the cities and popular tourism destinations in Thailand offer entertainment choices for every taste. These include also the infamous prostitution, although it is something you can easily avoid witnessing in most parts of the country. English is spoken widely in all tourist areas in Thailand.
Safety. Thailand is a quite safe country to visit. Although crime such as pick-pocketing and occasional robberies and assaults happen, the main problem for common visitors is likely to be scams practiced by touts, taxi and tuk-tuk drivers, and even some travel agents, especially in Bangkok. More of a nuisance than a real safety threat, you can easily avoid them with some common sense. Taking care of yourself and your possessions while in the Thai nightlife or on overnight buses will most likely spare you from trouble. Respecting local culture helps you to get respect as well, and staying out of any illegal activity will also help you to stay safe. Drug laws in Thailand are strict and life imprisonment or even death penalty are possible results of drug trafficking. It is also wise to avoid any political rallies or demonstrations. The southernmost provinces of Thailand experience armed insurgency and terrorist attacks, and there is occasional unrest in the border areas near Cambodia and Myanmar, but these areas are off the major tourist track.
Short history of Thailand
Thailand has been inhabited already for 10,000 years and has witnessed various civilizations, including Tai, Mon, Khmer, and Malay kingdoms. The first Siamese or Thai state was the Buddhist kingdom of Sukhothai, founded in 1238. The kingdoms of Sukhothai, Lanna, and Lan became the main rulers in the area in the 13th and 14th century, soon followed by the kingdom of Ayutthaya that formed a unified kingdom of Siam in the mid-14th century. Siam became an important trading region in Asia, receiving many influences from elsewhere in Asia and from Europe. When the Burmese captured Ayutthaya in 1767, The Siamese moved their capital to Thonburi and established Bangkok as the new capital in 1782.Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand was the only Southeast Asian country that was never colonized by Europeans. Thailand allied with Japan during the Second World War, but became an ally of the USA soon after the war. Since then, Thailand has had several military takeovers and inner political conflicts, but has slowly stabilized into a rather democratic nation. The local economy has been growing again after a major crisis in the late 1990s.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi, Bangkok
