The vast & cosmic country of Thailand has so much to offer I could spend weeks writing about it. With its cosmopolitan cities, luxury beach resorts & mountain hideaways you can experience very different holidays all in this one country, and there’s more things to see & do than you could imagine! Thankfully, I’m not going to get everything into one article, but this is the first of four blogs about ‘Amazing Thailand’ which we will feature throughout 2012.
Perhaps the most famous city in Thailand is its capital – Bangkok. It perfectly combines ancient traditions and history with modern trends and contemporary life through its attractions, markets, restaurants and just its sheer size! The gleaming spires of the Grand Palace and the surrounding temples are just one of the visually spectacular attractions that are very highly recommended, although there is a dress code policy with it being one of Thailand’s most sacred sites.
Aside from the historical charms of Bangkok, it is also bustling with modern, exciting markets, shopping malls and entertaining nightlife. You can enjoy dinner while cruising down the Chao Phraya River or explore the wonders of the Chinatown district. Shopaholics will love the CentralWorld Shopping Mall with its 500 plus stores and 100 restaurants & cafes, all within a luxury air conditioned hideaway. The street markets of Bangkok are also famous, especially the Chatuchak Weekend Market, filled with an enormous variety of clothes, crafts, pets, collectibles, furniture & antiques – unsurprisingly, it can be quite chaotic!
In Chiang Mai, despite being Thailand’s second largest city, the atmosphere is much more peaceful and calm when compared to Bangkok. The warm Thai Culture can be found everywhere in Chiang Mai from its friendly locals, traditional architecture and beautiful natural landscapes. This cultural feel combined with luxury hotels such as The Chedi Chiang Mai and Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi makes for a perfect holiday. You can enjoy indulge in the comfort of your hotel or explore the city and find local restaurants and bars that offer fantastic value for money!
If you fancy visiting somewhere a bit different then Kanchanaburi will not disappoint. As home to the famous Bridge on the River Kwai, part of the Death Railway, and the Three Pagodas Pass this city has heaps of history and interesting sites to explore. The Three Pagodas Pass that divides Thailand and Myanmar by a gap in the mountains has been visited by thousands and is highly rated on Tripadvisor.
Elephant’s World in Kanchanaburi is a unique sanctuary offering care for old and neglected elephants. You can choose to visit for the day or even stay overnight in one of the on-site cottages, allowing you to see the elephants in a natural habitat anytime of the day. If you can’t make it to Elephant World you may be lucky enough to see wild elephants bathing in the River Kwai close to the city centre.
This just only a teaser of some of the wonderful activities and attractions available in Thailand’s cultural cities and it’s certainly near the top of places I’d like to go to in the not-so-distant-future. Holidays to Thailand are often designed as multi-centre breaks, meaning you can visit all these wonderful places in one trip!