76 km far
from Bangkok, it was founded in 1350 and was the capital of Siam for four
centuries. It rises up on an island at the confluence of three rivers. The most
important temples are: the Wat Mahathat, the main monument of the city, the Wat
Phra Chao Phanam Choeng (1324), with a large picture of the Buddha, the Wat
Ratburana (1424), the Viharn Phra Mongkol Bopir, with the biggest image of the
Buddha of the whole country, and the Wat Si Sanphet (1424). The National Museum
is really interesting, as it is the place where many artistic objects of
various styles are conserved.
With
its thousand contrasts, this metropolis has had an impressive building
development, but it still preserves the charm for the old Oriental style. As an
example, we can take the canals of the center, that are packed with dozens of
boats, important communication routes and locations of a picturesque floating
market, or the traditional Chinese district. The contrasts can be found also in
the modern architectural styles, that coexist with the precious colonial
palaces and thousands of temples and Buddhist sanctuaries. With the destruction
of the ancient Ayutthaya, in 1767, the Royal residence was transferred at first
in the city of Thon Buri, which is in front of Bangkok on the opposite side of
the river, and later, in 1782, in the Chinatown district, where it is still
situated.
It is a
beach resort town along the Gulf of Thailand mostly known by the local people
for being a weekend destination not very far from the capital.
The
district was established in 1897 and in 1914 the its center was moved to Ban
Nong Chok. After World War II the government moved the office to tambon Cha-Am
and also changed the district name to Cha-Am.
695 km far
from Bangkok, it is the main center of the region and it rises up on the banks
of the river Ping. It was founded in 1296 by the king Rama Kamheng and it was
the capital of the first independent reign of Lan Na. The new city includes an
ancient nucleus with a majestic square of walls and its center is beautified by
the presence of dozens of temples that date back mainly to 1300. Nowadays most
of them have been restructured, like the Wat Phra Sing, one of the most
important sanctuaries of the city and the Wat Chedi Luang, which is famous for
its huge reliquaries in ruins with a pinnacle on the top.
In the
surroundings:
Wat
Phrathat Doi Suthep is the symbolic temple of Chiang Mai and was built in the XVI
c. It includes two sanctuaries and a monastery. It is found on a hill 12 km far
away from the city, it has a big staircase and the frontons of the sanctuaries
are superbly decorated. From here you can enjoy a beautiful landscape of the
whole valley.
About 20 km
far away from Chiang Mai, the Phu Phing palace is the summery residence of the
Thai Royal family. Its buildings are not accessible to the public, but in the
weekends you can visit its park and gardens.
There is an
elephant training camp that is 56 km far from Chiang Mai, northward, at the
door of the village Ta Yaak.
The Chiang
Dao grottos, 70 km far from Chiang Mai, on the way to Fang, contain many
statues of the Buddha. Nowadays this place is a destination of pilgrimage.
Lamphun, 26
km far from Chiang Mai, rises up on the banks of the river Kwang and was
founded in 660 as the capital of the Mon reign of Haripunchai. It is famous for
the Wat Phrathat Hariphunchai temple, one of the main temples of the North that
was built in 1044, in the place where the Royal palace was situated. Here there
is a huge gong made out of cast bronze, dating back to 1860, and an imposing
50-meters-high chedi, covered by copper foils and with a golden umbrella on the
top.
180 km far
from Chiang Mai, this modern city is the starting point of the hikes that reach
numerous tribal villages of the area. You can visit the temples or have a walk
through the market. The cultural Hilltribe Education Centre is very interesting
and it exhibits the craftsmanship of the population of the mountain.
In the
surroundings:
Mae Salong
is a village populated by Chinese people coming from Yunnan and is also called
“Sentikiti” (peace city). In the surroundings there are some villages of the
minorities Yao and Akha.
The golden
triangle, connected with the plantation, production and contraband of opium,
has its center of utmost importance in a village on the banks of the river
Mekong, where the boundaries of Thailand, Laos and Burma meet. Worth-seeing is
the opium museum, that tells the story of the contraband of this drug.
Chiang Saen
is a small city on the banks of the river Mekong and is the ex-capital of the
Thai reign. It had been the location of a very important bronze casting school
for many years, until the king Rama ordered to raze it, so that it could not fall in the Burmese’ hands.
Mae Sai, a
village at the border of Burma, is the border post, even though it is not
accessible to the tourists. As a tourist attraction there is the At Para Chat
Odi Lao, that rises up on a hill from where you can enjoy an amazing view of
the Burmese land. There is also a market of precious stones from Burma.
Mae Hong
Son, 350 km far from Chiang Mai, near the Burmese border, is a village in a
hilly area covered by the forest of
Teck. It is inhabited by the Shan minority and other populations of the mountain.
You can visit the temples and, in the surroundings, the numerous villages of
the minorities Shan, Lahu, Lisu and Karen. The Karen villages are very famous for
the ancient tradition of the women to stretch their necks with the application
of rings, added one at a time over the years (this is why they are also called
“giraffe women”). Other interesting places to visit are the Tham Pla grotto and
the Wat Phra Non temple.
Lampang, 90
km far from Chiang Mai, rises up on the banks of the river Wang. It was founded
in the VII c., and it preserves the island architectural characteristics. Here
you can visit some Lanna-style temples and some Burmese ones. In the surroundings of the city you can find
the temples of the Kokha district and the Young Elephant Training Centre, a
famous training camp for elephants.
Chiang Saen is a small city situated at the northern extreme of the
country, at the boundary with Burma and Laos, in the area called “the golden
triangle”. It was captured by the Burmese in the 16th century and sacked in
1803. It was left a ghost town for a hundred years and it was repopulated
around 1900. Traces of old double city walls and many other antiquities still
remain in and outside town.
Lampang is the third most
populated city of the northern Thailand. Some other names that are used are
Wiang Lakon and Khelang Nakhon. The climate is drier than the one of the near
provinces. Lampang is found in the valley of the Wang river, between the
mountain chain of the Khun Tan (west) and Phi Pan Nam (east) mounts. The modern
city is developed on the southern bank
of the river, while the old city was on the northern one.
Mae
Hong Son is a minor city of Thailand. It is found at 400 m o.s.l. and is touched
by the Pai river, in a valley surrounded by the Shan Mounts. The city has
become an important passage point for many tourists, mostly the ones who
explore the natural beauties and the villages of the various ethnic minorities
present in the province and the ones who love trekking. Another touristic
attraction is the city atmosphere that is less busy and more relaxed than the
one of the other cities of the country. During the cold season, that goes from
November to April, there are hot days and nights when the temperatures fall considerably.
The next dry season goes from April to June and presents an excessive heat. During
the rainy season it is difficult to travel by car, as the paved roads are very
few.
Surat Thani is a
major city of Thailand. It is found in a plain territory along the eastern
coast of the Malay peninsula and is crossed by the Tapi river, that flows into
the Bandon bay. It is 617 km south of the capital Bangkok and 361 km north of
the boundary with Malaysia. The average highest temperature is 35° in April,
during the dry season, with 40° peaks, while the lowest is 21° and is
registered in January and February, in the cold season.
Udon Thani is a regional
group situated in the north-eastern part of Thailand. It extends for 11.730 km2
and has 1.541.859 inhabitants. The area has been populated since the Neolithic
age, as the archeological site of Ban Chiang proves.
Hua Hin is a
city of Thailand situated about 150 km south of Bangkok, that in 2013 was
populated by 58.356 people and that is still the most inhabited city of the
country. It started to be known in the late 20s of the last century as an
exclusive beach for the aristocratic. Many kings of the past built here their
Royal summery residences that are still present nowadays.
This city
is 155 km north of Bangkok. Its origin comes from the Dvaravati period (VI
– IX centuries AC.) and it was later admitted in the Khmer empire, that built gorgeous
monuments. The main ones are the Phra Narai Ratchaniwet, the palace of the king
Narai (XII c.), the Wat Phra Si Ratana Mahathat, the most fascinating temple of
the city, the Wat sai Thong Thong (XVII c.) and the San Phra Khan. Not very far
from the city there is the Band Pa palace, which is an ancient summery
residence of the first Chakri kings, with the magnificent temple Wat Niwt
Thamaprawat.
350 km far
from Bangkok, it is one of the ancient capitals of the reign of Sukhothai and
it rises up on the bank of the river Ping. Its name, “Diamond Fortress”, comes
from the original fortification, which is still intact nowadays. The last king
of Sukhothai sought refuge here before the submission of the Ayutthaya reign in
1378. Out of the walls you can visit the Wat Chang Rob, the elephant temple
that lies on a platform that is supported by 68 pachyderms, and the Wat Phra Si
Iriyabot, that contains four great statues of the Buddha.
425 km from
Bangkok, it is one of the ancient capitals of the Sukhothai reign, that is
about 12 km far from the new city. Most of the old temples have been
restructured: the Wat Chedi Sung, the imposing Wat Mahathat (XIII c.), which is
enriched with four chapels made out of stone and four Khmer-style towers, the
Wat Phra Phai Luang, another great example of Khmer art, the Wat Sra Sri, that was built on an island
and the Rama Khamheng Museum, that exhibits important art objects.
500 km north
of Bangkok, it was founded in the XIII century under the Sukhothai viceroy’s
employ on the banks of the Yom river. The ancient buildings were mostly
religious temples. The main ones are the Wat Changlom (1285), the Wat Phra Si
Ratana Mahathat, which was built on one bight of the river, and the Wat Phra
Borom That. The ruins of the ancient city of Uttaradit are very beautiful and
are only 34 km far away.
53 km south
of Sukhothai, this modern city and active commercial center is the main
locality of the area. Some temples are a must-visit, the most famous is the Wat
Phra Sri Mahathat, with a very large picture of the Buddha made out of bronze
(XV c.). Not far away from the center is the Wat Chulamani, that was built with
a great influence of the Khmer style. The Thawi Buranket museum contains
important collections of folk art.
It is 320
km north-east of Bangkok. The Prasat Hin Phimai temple is very important (XII
c.), as it is one of the main examples of the religious Khmer architecture out
of Cambodia. 100 km south-east of Nakhon Ratchasima there is the wonderful
Prasat Phanom Rung temple, with its Lop-Buri-style (XI c.), that was erected on
the top of a hill under one of the Khmer kings’ employ, in homage to Vishnu.
From the state capital the city of Surin is easily reachable.
Koh Phangan is an
island situated at the south-western
extreme of the Gulf of Thailand, at a few km north of Koh Samui. The island
became one of the favorite vacation localities of some sovereigns of the Chakri
dynasty, especially of the king Chulalongkorn, who visited it 14 times. As a
prove of it there are many incisions on stones around the island. After living
for centuries of fishing and agriculture, the population of this island has had
a great demographic increase during the XX century thanks to the tin mines,
that are numerous in this area. Starting to the first 70s the tourism has had a
great development, becoming nowadays the main sector of the local economy. Fishing
and the agriculture are also very important, especially the coconut.
It is part
of an archipelago of 80 islands. Koh Samui, with its 247 kmq, is the third main
island of Thailand and the greatest of this archipelago. Its territory is
occupied by mountains and a rich vegetation. The coast is occupied by villages
of fishermen, important tourist resorts and very-thin-sand beaches that dive
into a marvelous sea. Amazing excursions by boat let you get to know the
backward little islands that are part of the archipelago.
From Krabi
you can go for an excursion by boat and reach the isolated and calm bays, real
tropical paradises, like the Phang Nga bay, famous for the possibility to climb
the stacks that rise up from the sea and the dry land. Other attractions are
the journey through the grottos, the volcanic beaches and the pinnacles covered
by the vegetation.
Pattaya is a city of
Thailand situated in the north-eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 130
km south of Bangkok. It is one of the most frequented touristic localities,
with about 5,4 millions of visitors in 2005. The city is found in a very
industrialized area of the east coast, however the industries raise up out of
the communal boundaries and so it is exclusively a seaside center; the economy
of the city benefits the proximity to Bangkok.
Phang Nga Bay is a
400 km2 bay in the Strait of Malacca near the island of Pucket. Since 1981, an
extensive section of the bay has been protected as the Ao Phang Nga National
Park. Limestone cliffs with caves, collapsed cave systems, and archaeological
sites are found in this area. Phang Nga is the modern Thai translation of the word
pangan, literally 'pagan, primitive people,' or as proper noun, Pangan in
reference to a generalised tribe or people typically inhabiting jungle areas of
the Malay Peninsula and its islands.
With its 50
km of length, it is the largest island of Thailand and it is part of an
archipelago of 10 minor islands. It is found in the Andaman Sea, connected to
the dry land by a bridge, and the most famous touristic center of the country.
It is near gorgeous beaches, mountains and cliffs made out of granite that seem
like falling into the sea, forming two very beautiful bays. Its vegetation is
protected by the national parks of Pa Pra Taew and Khao Phra Thaeo. The marine
park of Hat Nai Tang is wonderful and goes along the west coast. You can also
visit the Oceanographic Centre, with its big aquarium. There are many beaches,
we suggest Patong, the main and busiest one, Karon, one of the calmest (5
minutes away) and Kata (20 minutes by car from the center of Patong).
Khao Lak is
a series of touristic villages in the southern part of Thailand. Its name
actually means "Lak mountain", which is one of the highest peaks in the hilly small mountain region.
It is
popular for its nice atmosphere and as a departure point for scuba diving trips
to the Similan Islands. Khao Lak is approximately 60 km north of the Phuket island. What makes this
place different form Phuket are its quiet coastal resorts, uncrowded beaches,
family-friendly nighttime environment and provincial ordinances that prohibit
structures taller than the height of a coconut palm tree, keeping the style of
this area very natural.
Koh Lanta
is a district in the south of Thailand, situated at about 70 km from Krabi. It
is believed that the area was populated by one of the oldest communities in Thailand,
dating back to the prehistoric period. This district was established in 1901
and it consists of four island groups : Mu Ko Lanta (170 km2), Mu Ko Klang (162
km2), Mu Ko Rok (3.5 km2), and Mu Ko Ngai (3.6 km2). There are also other small
islands. The origin of the name is not clear, but it may originate from the
Javanese word "lantas", meaning a type of fish cook.
Its attractions are a
lot: stunning beaches, splendid coconut palms, with endless views of the
emerald-green Phang Nga Bay and gorgeous landscapes of the Phuket coastline. Naka
island is only 25 minutes from the Phuket International Airport and is
accessible only by a short speedboat journey, making it a very private and
intimate place.
Ko Yao Yai is the
largest island in the Ko Yao Archipelago.
Its name means "big long island". The area of the whole archipelago is 137.6 km2 and the population of Ko Yao Yai is about 8.000 people.
Second greatest
island of Thailand, Koh Chang is situated on the West coast of the Siam gulf,
at about 330 km from Bangkok, reachable in 30 minutes by boat from Trat. Spectacular
waterfalls, splendid beaches and bays surrounded by a crystal clear sea, are
protected nowadays in one of the most beautiful national parks of the country,
that includes other minor islands.
On the West
coast of the Siam gulf, at 300 km far from Bangkok, reachable in 30 minutes by
boat from Rayong. It is protected in a national park and it shows splendid bays
and very-thin-sand beaches.
It is
situated on the southern extremity of Thailand near the border with Malaysia.
You can reach it flying from Bangkok to Hat Yai. From here it takes about two
hours by car to the jetty and then other two hours by boat to arrive to the
island. The journey is worth for people who are looking for small and pure
paradises. Also known as “Thailand’s Maldives”, it is surrounded by crystal
clear water, where there are a lot of corals and numerous species of colorful
fish. This province counts over 80 beautiful islands, whose most known one is
Tarutao, that is included in the ASEAN Heritage Parks. The high season goes
from November to April. Daily ferry-boats connect Koh Lipe to Pakabara,
Langkawi and Koh Lanta.
Ko Yao Yai island is the larger of the two big islands in the Ko Yao Archipelago. The island group is in Phang Nga Bay in Phang Nga Province. Ko Yao Yai means 'big long island'. The other main island of the group is Ko Yao Noi ('little long island'), off Ko Yao Yai's north side and separated from it by a narrow sound. The two islands form Phang Nga's Ko Yao District. The population of Ko Yao is about 18,000 (2018). Ninety percent are Muslims.
The Koh Mak
island is part of the Koh Chang archipelago and is found in the Siam gulf, only
12 km far from Koh Samet. It is still unknown to the mass tourism and it boasts
16 km of beaches, a crystal clear sea rich of fish and corals. Being mainly
flat and with some hilly landscapes, it is great to travel through this island
by bike. The 80% of the territory is covered by rainforest. The splendid and natural scenarios are
protected by a program of sustainable development. 280 km far from Bangkok, it
is reachable via land or by plane from the Trat airport and a following
transport by boat.
This is a
protected area at 170 km east of Bangkok, covered with rainforests, hosting a
rich fauna. In the park there are many waterfalls, reachable by a series of
easy paths. It was one of the first national parks of the country and it is the
second biggest one in Thailand (2168 km). Here you can find forests of
evergreen plants. This park is the house of 3000 species of plants, 320 ones of
birds and 67 of mammals. Its waterfalls include the 80-meters-high Haew Naro.
In 1984 the park became part of the protected ones by ASEAN, while on the 14th
of July 2005, together with other parks situated in the Dong Phayayen
mountains, it became an UNESCO World Heritage Site.