Thailand for me

I am deeply captivated by all things that provide me with a sense of discovery. Colors, sights, smells and sounds of a unique culture fascinate me and draw me in. Thailand offers attractions suitable the best of all my interests. My dream vacation is one that would provide me with an authentic and unforgettable experience as I explore the foreign culture.

Thailand

(source:Google Images "map of Thailand)

Thailand is a country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. Bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Burma. The exotic landscape and flawless beaches combined with the historically rich culture of the area make Thailand a place hard to resist.

Why Thailand?

Thailand is known for its great food, tropical climate, fascinating culture and beaches. It attracts travelers seeking adventure and beauty and is the most popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia. Thailand has a diverse landscape that ranges from thick green jungles to crystal blue beaches and exotic culturally rich destinations and glamorous luxurious hotels sure to provide something for every visitor’s interest. As a traveler I find it hard to resist any destination that is so rich in history, and culture. A magnetic force draws me to the bluest ocean waves crashing on white sandy beaches under scorching hot sunny rays and is a temptation I could never resist. This description is my paradise. A trip to captivate my senses in a far away region is my dream. A destination so exotic I would never forget. I wish to one day be able to visit the most beautiful destination I have ever read about. Thailand is where I dream about being. My dream vacation includes the best of Thailand’s culture, sacred sites and beaches exploring the islands of the Andaman Sea.

History and Culture

The region once known as Siam is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been colonized by a foreign power. There are four major notable time periods significant to Thailand’s history.
1. The Sukothai period (1238-1438)
2. The Ayutthaya period (1351-1767)
3. The Thonburi period (1767-1782)
4. Rattanakosin period (1782 to present time)
Each period left behind temples, shrines, palaces and ancient sites with unique architectural styles and designs. The area was heavily influenced by the culture and religions of India. Thailand’s national religion is Buddhism. There is several thousands of Buddhist temples spread around Thailand. The Thai name for the temples is “Wat”. A typical Wat Thai consists of 2 parts the” Phutta-Wat” the area dedicated to Buddha and the “Sangha-Wat” containing living quarters of the monks. The temples are largely decorated in gold and multicoloured with numerous roof tiers.

(source: http://www.discoverythailand.com/history.asp)

Some Holidays

Makha Bucha: commemorates the spontaneous gathering of thousands of people before Buddha who were enlightened by the event.
Songkran: celebration of the Thai new year, known as the “world’s largest water fight” lasting for 3 days to wash away the sins of the prior year
Loy Krathong: a thank you offering to the river goddess who gives life to people by floating flowers and candle laden banana leaf floats

(source:http://www.unseenthailand.org/)

Climate

The temperature in Thailand is rather tropical (hot and humid) and ranges between 28-35 degrees Celsius year round. The cooler temperatures appear around the months of November to the end of February marking the peak season for travelling. The hotter temperatures that can go as high as 40 degrees are between March and June. The rainy season is reported from July to October when tropical monsoons hit most of the country.
(source:http://www.amazing-thailand.com/Climate.html)

Dos and Donts of Thailand

The cultural differences that exist between western regions to a place like Thailand are very prominent and important to note before making a trip in order to prevent disrespect and offensive gestures while visiting the kingdom. Taboos in Thailand include touching someone's head or pointing with the feet, as the head is considered the most sacred and the foot the dirtiest part of the body.
(source:http://www.thaizer.com/thailand-dos-and-donts/)

While in Thailand:

During my visit to Thailand there are a number of places that are at the top of my list to visit. For my dream vacation I will be arriving in Bangkok into the busiest airports in Southeast Asia. The first few days will be spent in Thailand’s showcase city. Bangkok offers the best of culture, interest and sightseeing. This will definitely be worth spending some first days in the capital city. Some must sees in Bangkok include the Wat-Po which is one of the most famous temples in Bangkok. It is the oldest and largest Buddhist temples in the city. I would also want to take a tour of Sukkothai Historical Park that contains important ancient monuments and early civilization ruins. Sukkothai was the original capital of Thailand’s first kingdom. The religious art and architecture of the Sukkothai era are considered to be the most classic of Thai styles. The ruins contain the remains of 21 historical sites with Buddha images and large ponds filled with lotus flowers. This will definitely give me an opportunity to look at the cultural architecture left from earlier centuries.

Beyond Bangkok I would definitely love to experience the “floating market” first hand. One of the most talked about floating markets on travelers blogs is at Ratchaburi about an hour or so west of Bangkok. The lively and colourful images of boat vendors trading agricultural products is described to be one of Thailand’s most fascinating and endearing sights.

Travel tip to note: for visitors to Bangkok who are overwhelmed by the city size and traffic, tours are the best option to get the most out of their short visit.

The next stop on my dream vacation would be to pass through Lampang and visit the Wang Kaeo Waterfall and Chae Son National Park, a park that combines natural hot springs with large waterfalls, surely a sight to see and experience. Lampang would lead me onto the next adventure in Amphoe Hang Chat that is still within the Lampang province. This is something that would definitely help define this vacation as truly a dream of mine. The national elephant conservation center offers a variety of activities for tourists to engage in personal encounters with elephants. The Elephant Trekking program provides the opportunity to ride the elephant into the forest to experience life form an elephants perspective. This would truly be enchanting. 12000 baht

I would then proceed to the Chaing Rai Province golden triangle which is one of Asia’s two main illicit opium producing areas. It is the spot where Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet. It might also be a good idea for me to visit the opium museum to fully understand the history of the region.

Chaing Mai is an old city and has been an important Buddhist center since the 14th century. It is home to more than 300 temples. One that may stand out from the rest is the Doi Suthep and would be wonderful to have the opportunity to take a guided tour of.

I would definitely go on and continue my trip to the east coast and take in the magnificent beaches and party nightlife of the region. I would visit Ko Samui, Koh Phangan, Ko Phi Phi Lee and Ko Tao to explore various waterfalls, lagoons, exotic marine life and coral reefs. While in Koh Phangan I would not want to miss out on the full moon party experience.
(source:http://www.gapadventures.com/trips/thailand-discovery/)

The full moon party is a party along the crescent shaped beach of Haad Rin to celebrate the full moon night once a month. The party begins at dusk when a whole yellow moon makes an appearance over the white sand beach. The beach explodes into a dancing frenzy with jugglers and fire eaters entertaining the crowd. The crowd is big with people coming from all over the world to experience the full moon party. For me this scene may be intimidating, so while on my dream vacation I have made a list of tips for the full moon party to ease my nerves.

- Take a passport copy with you, keep the original passport in the resort safe
- Do not bring valuables to the party, thousands of people will be there (pit pocket-ers are likely)
- It may be easy to lose bags so don’t bring something that will not be staying on you the whole time
- Bring enough money for drinks- keep it attached to yourself in a travelers under-shirt pouch
- Take the resorts details for contacting the resort in case of emergency
- Wear shoes to protect your feet from broken bottles
- Take good care of your camera, you won’t only lose the item but all your memories of the good time as well
- Keep away from drugs, no matter what anyone says. Drugs are illegal in Thailand and have very strong penalties
- Do not eat or drink anything that is offered to you by strangers
- If you don’t plan on staying up all night at the party, you are advised to stay in bungalow facilities outside Haad Rin (unless you think you can sleep with very loud party noise)
- Dance and have fun!

(source:http://fullmoonparty-thailand.com/)

Sights to See

Phaeng Waterfall National Park, Koh Phangan: this visit has 2 main attractions, the mountain viewpoint and the Phaeng waterfall. To reach Phaeng Waterfall you have to walk about 250m into the jungles sunny and friendly trail. If you continue 200m further up you reach a fantastic mountain viewpoint. Local guides of the park cost about 500 baht for the day but is definitely worth having especially being new to the jungle.
Ko phi phi lee is another island in the Andaman sea that belongs to Thailand. The island consists of a ring of steep limestone hills surrounding 2 shallow bays, Maya Bay and Loh Samah. Maya bay is sheltered by 100 meter high cliffs on 3 sides. The main beach sounds like my paradise place with silky soft white sand, underwater colourful coral and exotic fish in exceptionally clear water.
Note: there is no food available here, there is a very small snack shack that sells a few drinks and candies, so bring your own food.
Getting into to Maya Bay the typical thing to do is take a ferry tour boat from Phi Phi Don that generally costs 500-1000 baht (16-32 dollars)

Another stop I dream of making is to the Surin Islands. 5 islands of the Andaman Sea located a short distance away from Thai mainland. The Mu Ko Surin National Park covers the area of the islands and their surrounding waters. The park is known for the most famous dive sites in the world. I would love to do some snorkelling in this area.

Basic Greetings in Thai

Hello, good morning: sawasdee (krup/kaa)
How are you?: sabai dee reu?
Thank you: kop koon (krup/kaa)
never mind: mai pen rai
Fine thanks: sabai dee (krup/kaa)
I cannot speak thai: phoot Thai mai dai
Please speak slowly: prohd phoot cha-cha
I don't understand: mai kao chai
Do you understand?: kao chai mai?
May I take a photograph?: tai ruup dai mai?
May I use the telephone?: kor chai torasap dai mai?
Where is the rest room?: hong nam yoo tee nai?
How much does this cost?: nee tao-rai (krup/kaa)
What is this?: nee arai?
Very expensive: paeng maag
Do you have something cheaper?: mii tuuk gwaa nee mai?
The bill please: gep taang (krup/kaa)
Goodbye: la gon
See you again: laew phob gan mai
Pleased to meet you: dee jai thee dai phob gan
Happy new year: sawasdee pee mai
Happy birthday: sooksan wan gerd
Good luck!: kor hai chok dee!
Sorry/excuse me: kor thoad
Does anyone speak english?: mee krai pood pasa ang-grit dai bang mai?
I need a doctor: tong karn mor ma raksa
Delicious!: a-roy!

(source:http://www.learningthai.com/greetings.html)

Flight Cost Toronto-Bangkok

(source: www.aircanada.com)

Packing List

Passport (with photocopies)
Travel insurance (with photocopies)
Airline tickets (with photocopies)
Credit or debit card (see personal spending money)
Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required
Alarm clock
Flashlight
Sun hat, Sunblock, Sunglasses
Insect Repellent
Water bottle
Small towel and swim wear
Toiletries (biodegradable)
Sturdy walking shoes/Sport sandals
Money belt
Shorts
Long trousers
Hiking pants/track pants
Shirts/T-shirts
Waterproof clothes for wet season May-Oct. Umbrella or waterproof jacket.
Cover for backpack or plastic bags to keep clothes dry.
Clothes for temples – long pants or sarongs.
Thermarest or sleeping mat and travel pillow for trekking or sea safari trips.
Snorkel gear
Camera

Optional Things
Reading/writing material
Binoculars
Pocketknife
First-aid kit (should contain lip salve, Aspirin, Band Aids, anti-histamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, re-hydration powder, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)

(source:http://travelhappy.info/thailand/packing-list-for-thailand/)