THAILAND

Think Thailand and you think of pristine blue waters lapping at long curves of beaches, coral reefs teeming with rainbow colored fish; purple orchids and white lotus; rubies, emeralds and sapphires;; saffron robed monks with cell phones, pulsating nightlife, temple spires reaching up to touch the heavens; golden Buddhas in serene repose; swaying elephants; the cacophony and chaos of the twentieth century. All frozen together in a time warp. Thailand has something to offer to everyone and lures travellers from all over the world.

Sawasdee. Welcome to the land of the Thais – to the country of smiles where visitors are honoured guests.

Capital: Bangkok

Best time to visit:

  1. Most of Thailand -except the cool mountains to the north- is pretty hot throughout the year- and the best time to visit is between November and February, for that’s when it’s as cool as it will ever get, and as dry too.
  2.  If you’re planning to go to northern Thailand, the best time is around November-December or February, when it’s cool, but not uncomfortably chilly.
  3. If you’re going south, then the best time is between March and May. This, incidentally, is the worst time to be in any other part of the country- it bakes!
  4. Do avoid Bangkok in April and in October- respectively the hottest and the wettest months of the year.
  5. But since you can’t do the country piecemeal, come over in the months of November to March – overall the most pleasant months to visit are December and August, the peak months of the tourist season.

Minimum days required :  5 days

Places of Interest:

  1. Bangkok – Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Siam Park city, Wat Arun, Golden Buddha
  2. Phuket – Phang Nga Bay,Old Phuket Town, Wat Chalong,  Phi Phi Island
  3. Pattaya – Jomtien Beach, Walking Street, Sanctuary of Truth, Ko Phai
  4. Koh Samui
  5. Chiang Mia – Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai Zoo, Doi Suthep, Wat Chedi Luang
  6. Krabi- Railay beach, Tiger Cave Temple, Ko Poda

Climate:

  1. Thailand has a typically tropical climate: hot and humid. The country has two monsoons, the South West monsoon (from mid May to September) and the North East monsoon (from November to mid March); November to February are the cooler months while April and May are real scorchers.
  2. The southern isthmus remains sweltering and sultry most of the time, but in the uplands it can be quite pleasant, particularly during the evenings. Average temperatures are around 29 ° C and the country remains hot all year around.

Currency:  Thai Baht

Things to carry:

  1. Bring light, airy clothes; preferably cotton, as Thailand can get unbearably hot. If you’re planning a trip up to Chiang Mai in the north, carry a light sweater or jacket, as it can sometimes get quite chilly in the evenings.
  2. Thailand, and especially larger cities like Bangkok or Chiang Mai have shops selling almost anything you could need- including western medicines, cosmetics, etc, but if you use something hard to find, bring it along with you.
  3. And if you’re planning to go off the beaten track, carry along everything you might need- whether you’ll be able to get hold of it in some out-of-the-way village or not, is always a tricky question to answer.

How to get there:

Air

  1. The main international airport is Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport, where daily flights come and go, linking Thailand to destinations across Australia, Asia, Europe, and North America.
  2. Some popular tourist destinations like Phuket, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai have air links to neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Singapore; some chartered flights also come and go, but not very regularly.