Thailand, or the ‘land of smiles‘, is one of the most exotic places to visit for tourists on the face of the planet. Thailand will definitely be in the list of ‘10 places to visit before I die’ for many. Why is Thailand so popular and one of the most visited countries in the world? There is more than one reason for that.

Not for nothing do they call Thailand the ‘land of smiles‘. There is a good reason why the country has by christened by that name. Thai’s are one of those who are known for their hospitality and well mannered behavior. These people are very good at heart and make sure that all the people who visit their country have the best time of their life. This is a very good reason to visit Thailand but there are more in the list of ‘why you should visit Thailand’.

The rich culture and history that Thailand flaunts is another factor that makes it traveled by number of people every year. There are numerous temples beholding some unique history within them. The Grand Palace and the temple of Emerald Buddha in Bangkok are worth a visit. From there, weather you travel North to the Chiang Mai or South towards Phuket, you will come across temples with distinct history that teaches various aspects of Thai culture. Ayutthaya ruins is another major tourist spot and is UNESCO’s world heritage spot. However there are more than temples and ruins in Thailand to visit.

Mountainous rainforest of the north thrills many. If you are interested in trekking Jungles and looking for some real adventure, you can get it in Chiang Mai. You will also have the privilege to visit small but beautiful Thai villages with people who may go out of their way to make your Thailand experience a one to remember. If you are looking for some serenity, you better head towards South. Southern Thailand offers you some of the most pristine beaches you will ever come across in the East. Koh Phi Phi is one of the most popular beaches in Thailand. This is the same beach that has been portrayed in the Di Caprio starring movie, The Beach.

Shopping is another reason why people would visit Thailand. Bangkok is becoming shoppers stop for many around the world. There are gigantic shopping malls all around the city with some great prices that they offer for their products. Siam, Paragon and Central World are the names of the biggest shopping malls in Bangkok, if you want to do some branded shopping. Having been done with the malls, do not forget to miss out the weekend Chatuchak market, which is the biggest open market in the world with more than 15,000 stalls and hundreds of thousands of people visiting the market.

All these factors attract visitors from all around the world and there is no wonder that Thailand is such a ‘must visit’ place. Everyone should visit Thailand at least once in their lifetime.

Most of the resorts in the coast offer adventure games like paragliding, bungee jumping and jet skiing. So, free falling from great heights and cutting through the water at great speeds in easily achievable. For people who enjoy exploring life underwater, places like Phuket and Phi Phi Islands offer diving, snorkeling and also submarine drives.

Many people confine themselves to the south of Thailand and make a mistake of not travelling north. The Northern Thailand is full of adventure with high mountains and terrains with challenging forest areas and waterfalls. Trekking is a very big business in this part of the country and the peak season for trekking is between November and February. During this period the air is clear and the weather is also apt. There are many services in the provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and Pai that offer trekking tours. The trekking often lasts between three to five days and you will need a good pair of trekking shoes and a back pack to encounter the heat.

The trekking tour is lead by a guide who will take you through small ethnic villages of Lisu, Karen, Meo, Akha and Paduang. All these tribes are very different from each other with different language, dress and culture. These people have migrated to this part of Thailand and also to Vietnam from China within the last century. The trek tour will also include rafting and elephant riding too.

If rafting while trekking is not good enough adventure for you then there are many services that offers the white water variety. In the rainy season starts from June to January and the water level raises with intense rainfalls and it adds to the fun. Pai is the place where you can find the best of such services.

If you are a biker then Thailand offers the best off road motorcycle riding in the world. The roads passing through the mountain regions with awesome and flabbergasting scenery are simply excellent. There are many developed motels and restaurants in the route and you will never be in need of anything while riding as it makes you forget almost everything. You can chose to go on a tour or hire your own bike/ Chiang Mai offers the best services when it comes to renting bikes. It is good to have a guide with you while travelling off roads; someone who knows the place very well.

Also nowadays mountain biking is getting really popular and there are many operators who run tours. Thailand is a must go place for people who love to live their life at its fullest. You can have almost everything in Thailand. From serenity to adventure; you can get almost everything and the best part is, all these comes real cheap

Thailand is a modern democratic Nation in Central South East Asia. ” Thai ” is the Tai word for ” free ”. The ” Thai ” identity was formed in the late 13 th C at Sukhothai and is not to be confused with ” Tai ” the name of the ethnic groups of people who migrated from Yunnan in the 12th & 13th Centuries. The character of the Thai Nation today and of its people can only be appreciated by exploring its 2000 years of recorded history and the cultures of the various peoples who live here. Thailand’s natural landscape includes tropical wet evergreen forests in Southern Thailand to temperate deciduous forests in North Thailand and we explore these in the Thailand National Parks. Thailand art architecture and decorative objects need to be considered with regard to the influences of religion, mythological beliefs and regional artistic styles. Thailand is so large and diverse we detail all about Thailand in separate regions, North or Northern Thailand, South or Southern Thailand, Central Thailand and North East Thailand [ I 'san ].

North Thailand Travel & Places Of Interest

The Thailand Government defines North Thailand as consisting of both [ 1 ] the 84,000 square kilometres comprising 8 provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Lampang, Lamphun, Phrae and Mae Hong Son, which area originally comprised the Lan Na principalities detailed in the North Thailand History link [ the Upper North ], and [ 2 ] the 86,000 square kilometres of the Lower North, comprising the provinces of Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Uthai Thani, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit Phitsanulok and Phetchabun, which area originally comprised the Kingdoms of Sukhothai and later the northern parts of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya, Thon Buri and Bangkok Kingdoms.

The Differences Between The Upper North Thailand And The Lower North Thailand

One discernable difference between the Upper and Lower North Thailand is topography. Upper North Thailand is characterised by long valleys generally running north south. The climate has three seasons, hot [ April to May ] cool and rain [ July to September ]. Approximately 72% of the area is mountainous, 21% upland and 8% lowland. The lowland is cultivated by the Tai people to produce wet rice.

Lower North Thailand has 45% of its total land mass less than 150 metres above sea level and is thus similar to Thailand’s Central region. However the two mountain extensions of the Upper North, [ 1 ] Thanon Thang Chai Range to the west and, [ 2 ] Petchabun Range to the east attract an extension of swidden hill tribe communities as in the Upper North, all part of the exodus from China of these ethnic minorities over the past hundreds of years. The geographic differences in topography need to be appreciated as the ethnic, sociological and cultural differences are essentially between lowlanders and highlanders [ Hill tribes ]. These classifications and detailed explanations are discussed in North Thailand People .

About Central Thailand

Central Thailand is situated on the central plains of the Chao Phraya River and the Meklong River valley. The first substantial civilisation here was that of the Mon people and during the 6th - 9th C its Buddhist Kingdom was referred to in chinese records and on silver coins as ” Dvaravati ”. Influences from India when merged with Mon characteristics formed the basis of religion, art, architecture and public administration.

About South Thailand

South Thailand comprises the Southern Peninsula with the Andaman Sea to the West and the Gulf of Siam to the East. It is a mountainous region and the Phuket Mountain Range is the most important on the West from Chumphon to Krabi and to the East is the Nakhon Si Thammarat Mountain Range from Surat Thani to Satun. Between these ranges are the plains and limestone hills and to the South the Sannkalakhiri Mountains which divide Malaysia and Thailand.

Thailand has in excess of 138 wildlife sanctuaries and National Parks. The major locations are listed in the opposite links and we detail 20 National Parks and eco tourism locations. Thailand is home to over 15,000 species of vascular plants and 16,000 species of animals

Thailand travel and tourism to Thailand places of interest is not a matter of a few choices as is the case with many Asia destinations. Thailand is large and diverse with a large selection of travel and holiday options. In 2005 over 14 million tourists visited Thailand and their range of interests varied.

Thailand, island nation located in the south east of Asia. Thailand is a country rich in culture and natural beauty. It has been hallowed with liberal natural parks, productive plains, isolated jungles, beaches washed by turquoise waters and humid islands bathed in endless sunshine. The country has more visible historical indication of its past cultures than any other country in Southeast Asian. Its history is very composite, involving the incursion of many different peoples, the rule of different kings, the concern of various kingdoms and the interaction of dissimilar cultures. Thailand is known for its prominent hospitality, sacred temple, and breathtaking natural beauty.

Thailand offers something for all type of travelers. Thailand’s restrictions stretch to adjacent regions of Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Gulf of Thailand and the Indian Ocean. You plan to visit Thailand between July and November; the weather can be awkwardly for you. Around July and November, it will be rainy season in Thailand. The weather is at its best from February to March. It is perfect time to go to the beaches. Places of tourist significance in Thailand include Phuket, Koh Samui, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Koh Chang and Koh Samui while provinces like Krabi, Koh Libong, Koh Hai provides great photographic memoirs of Thailand as a tour destination.

Buddhism is the main religion in Thailand with the King of Thailand respected as the supreme emperor and also the supporter of all religions embraced by the people. Thailand truly is an amazing place, with so much to offer tourists. The regular and most popular destinations of Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Samui, Chiang Mai etc are only a small part of the country, and there are so many more undiscovered charms to be found. Thus, Thailand has spiritual forbearance wicker into its social structure and respects people of all races. This multiculturalism makes Thailand a hot much loved as a tour destination for the global traveler with add-on visits to nearby cities like Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Butter worth and other major southern Thai towns being part of an avid tourist’s list. You visit Surin islands, again stopping at a couple of top lunge sites.

The sea is mediator and there is less sickness. We again see some truly amazing fish while diving in the clear steamy water. But the most fantastic moment comes when a small husk of dolphins swim alongside our boat. How are barely credible to see this while traveling to and from tropical paradises. There tends to be more boats that have come from Phuket for the diving around the Simolan Islands. The largest groups of non-Thai people are the Chinese who have traditionally played an extremely important role in the economy. Many have assimilated into majority Thai society, and do not live in Bangkok’s Chinatown on Yaowarat Road. After the end of the Vietnam War, many Vietnamese refugees settled in Thailand, mainly in the northeastern region. Muay Thai, after they retired from the army, these soldiers often became Buddhist monks and stayed at the temples. Most of the Thai people’s lives are closely tied to Buddhism and temples; they often send their sons to be educated with the monks. “Muay” is also one of the subjects taught in the temples.

Thinking of Thailand as a tour destination? Think exotic, oriental, majestic and more!

Thailand’s boundaries stretch to neighboring regions of Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Gulf of Thailand and the Indian Ocean. The exciting Eastern city of Thailand offers immense scope for sea, air and road travel, dependent on a tourist’s budget. Its four main regions, namely North, Central Plain or the Chao Phraya River Basin, North East (Korat Plateau) and South Peninsula live up to the true meaning of ‘thai,’ literally meaning free and denoting the same in its multicultural diversity that happily coexists with its diverse inhabitants.

Agriculturally rich, with paddy fields dotted landscape that make room for heritage palaces and famous temples alike, modern Thailand comes as a pleasant surprise for the global traveler: natural beauty of many beaches and islands, innumerable shopping bargains and vibrant festivities of carnivals and shopping centers that offer wide variety in local foods and gourmet cuisine, exotic hill - tribe villages and ancient ruins all contribute to Thailand’s cosmopolitan air as a tour destination.

Thailand as a tour destination: its many exciting activities and pleasures.
Buddhism is the main religion in Thailand with the King of Thailand revered as the supreme monarch and also the patron of all religions embraced by the people. Thus, Thailand has religious tolerance woven into its social fabric and respects people of all races. This multiculturalism makes Thailand a hot favorite as a tour destination for the global traveler with add-on visits to nearby cities like Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Butterworth and other major southern Thai towns being part of an avid tourist’s list. Places of tourist interest in Thailand include Phuket, Koh Samui, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Koh Chang and Koh Samet while provinces like Krabi, Koh Libong, Koh Hai provides great photographic memoirs of Thailand as a tour destination.