Thailand Tourism News

“This province is home to a revered Buddha image and four of the nation's most beautiful national parks” Known to the locals as simply Phi-lok, Phitsanulok is an ideal base for those wishing to explore the North and the western part of Isaan. And that's what most folk do - just pass through and completely forget to even think of having a look around this amazing province. Situated on the banks of the Nan River, the provincial town is home to arguably the country's second most revered Buddha image, Phra Buddha Chinnarat (second only to the Emerald Buddha). The temple housing this Buddha image is located in the middle of town and welcomes literally thousands of devotees a day from all over Thailand. It was here that King Naresuan the Great was born and Pumpuang Duangjan, the beloved Queen of Thai Country Music, collapsed and died at the tender age of 31 in 1992. Getting out of town, Phitsanulok has four national parks with unique natural endowments such as pristine virgin forest, waterfalls and a diversity of animals and plants, including endangered animals. Considered one of the most fabulous sites in Thailand, Phu Hin Rong National Park, 125 kilometres from the provincial town and ...

Westerners certainly have more of a love for trains than most of the locals in Thailand, the latter of whom consider such mode of transport as almost prehistoric - then again, I guess some of the trains operating actually are! While tripping around Thailand though, it’s almost a must, at least once, to experience the one-and-only Thai train. Take the Bangkok-Chiang Mai train, for example: even though the train does the journey much slower than the overnight bus, you won’t have to tolerate blaring karaoke or sub-zero air-conditioning. Instead, you could be having a lot of fun in the train’s funky restaurant meeting locals and fellow travellers while enjoying a friendly game of cards and a chilled beer. And instead of waking up in the morning to the sight of a six-lane motorway and countless petrol stations, you’ll be relishing a beautiful sunrise from the heart of the Thai countryside. If the North isn’t your cup of tea, then head to Isaan, which definitely has one of the best routes in Thailand: Nakhon Ratchasima to Ubon Ratchathani. The train is incredibly slow but you can break your journey up and spend a night in the groovy provincial towns of Surin, Buri Ram and ...

The beauty of Thailand is equaled by few and nothing exemplifies this point more than Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens. In 1954 Mr.Pisit and Mrs. Nongnooch Tansacha bought 1500 rais (approximately 600 acres) of beautiful land in Chonburi province. By all accounts the land was to be used as a fruit plantation growing mangoes, coconuts and oranges as well as many other local fruits. Fortunately during a trip abroad Mrs Nongnooch viewed many world renowned gardens and decided to turn the land into tropical gardens of ornamental flowers and plants. Originally intended for botanical conservation the gardens were later turned into a tourist attraction. The gardens themselves are some of the most beautiful gardens in the world showcasing everything from French provincial gardens to English gardens as well as Topiary gardens and an awesome orchid garden housing well over 23 species of orchids that they also sell. My first trip to Nong Nooch Gardens was in May of 2007 and I recently returned in January of 2008. The gardens are in a constant state of flux with new attractions being built all the time. Plants and flowers change with the seasons so no matter when you go you’ll be guaranteed to see new sights ...

Traveling in Thailand is as much enjoyable as it is tiring because Thailand has lots of places to visit, lots of nice people to meet, lots of uniqueness, lots of activities and of course lots of new experiences and moments to capture. Currently, the famous and well known musical crew, ‘Chicago – The Musical’, is in Bangkok bringing their music and excitement to Thailand as well as enjoying their trip to Thailand too. As being in Bangkok since Feb 9th 2009, they have captured their special moments in words expressed through their blogs at http://www.chicagothemusical.com/blog/. Well, to highlight few of their expressions about Bangkok are their quotes as below: Feb 18, Tmcleod (Terra) posts, “The highlight of the day for me though was WAT PHRA KAEW the home to Thailand’s most sacred relic- The Emerald Buddha and the country’s most stunning temple. Its glitters and sparkles.  It is the most sacred Buddha image in Thailand and hundreds pay their respect to it every day. Today I was one of those visitors.  It was hot today and at one point I had to take a seat and rest.  Across from me was a group of Buddhist student monks.  They were sitting together and I ...

With fluctuating oil prices, dwindling global economies and volatile currency exchange rates, travelers are now, more than ever, seeking out tourism destinations which offer the upmost value for money. This is where Thailand, the Land of Smiles and the tourism epicenter of Southeast Asia steps in and paves the way; a country where those with higher spending power can enjoy a luxurious 5-star hotel room for just a 100 Euro and an exquisitely romantic buffet dinner cruise for 60 Euro. Then, for those on a budget an exotically located beach bungalow can be had for 15 Euro and a dish of tasty shrimp fried rice for even less than a Euro. It is no wonder therefore, that Thailand has, this year been awarded the designation of Best Country Brand for Value for Money by the coveted Country Brand Index (CBI) during World Trade Market (WTM), London, 2008 (the largest trade conference of its kind in the UK). CBI is a world leader in terms of global brand consultancy which incorporates qualitative and quantitative research, quality opinions and references relevant statistics which link brand equity to assets growth and expansion. Developed by Future Brand in conjunction with the public relations firm Weber Shandwick’s Global ...

On an international scale, the rise in the popularity of spas over the past decade has been utterly phenomenal, and one country which has had an amazing surge in the amount of ‘spa tourists’ is the Southeast Asian country of Thailand. So, how come Thailand’s spa scene has rocketed in the last few years? Well, there’s no way of answering that question in one simple sentence. The answer is a mix of essential factors which outline the variety and quality of spa treatment available in Thailand at very reasonable rates. An ancient country of exuberant culture, Theravada Buddhism, spoiling services and serene ambience means a spa with a difference. The Kingdom’s spas entwine the characters of deep Thai culture as well as harnessing ancient expertise. Many of Thailand’ spas are set in the land’s most exquisite locales in stunning surroundings, offering an impressive range of hand-on rejuvenating treatments. Such a delicate winning combination means an indulgent experience which only a Thai spa can create. Embodying the best of traditional Thai and foreign medicinal treatments available and the caring touch of local therapists, visitors to Thailand’s spas can restore their health, tune the body and feel totally revitalized. The choice of different exotic spa ...

With the advent of the Internet, it is no wonder that online advice on travel destinations has now become the number source for those planning their holiday itineraries. And once again, Thailand has scored well-deserved kudos from experienced and knowledgeable global travelers. This time around, real travelers, have in the 2008 Trip Advisor's Travelers' Choice Destinations Awards, designated six Thailand destinations as among the best in the world and in Asia. Top ranked was the stunning Andaman island of Ko Phi Phi (Best in the World) followed closely by Bangkok, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Ko Phangan and Ko Tao which were all voted best in Asia. All the travelers who voted belonged to the Internet's most popular and largest travel community website www.tripadvisor.com The award-winning www.tripadvisor.com, founded in February of 2004, ranks amongst the world’s top 500 websites with 30 million unique visitors a month, and assists some 20 million travelers from 190 countries a week to plan their vacations. Besides actual destinations, the website offers only real advice from real travelers on the best hotels, flights, restaurants, cruises and guides. This evidences therefore, that Thailand has proudly developed as a tourist destination in a variety of fields. After the designations, Michele Perry, vice ...

Situated just north of Phuket, looking over the Indian Ocean, is the unspoilt province of Ranong. It is unspoilt in the sense that developers have been completely indifferent to the province's natural beauty, preferring instead to pour their wealth into the nearby provinces of Krabi, Phuket and Phang-nga. Ranong receives an incredibly minimal amount of tourists in comparison with its three big sister provinces. Most foreign backpackers are too busy sipping their banana shakes and scoffing banana pancakes in Krabi, it would seem, to even bother contemplating getting off the beaten track and venturing down to Ranong. It really is an amazingly tranquil province, boasting some of the most fantastic natural surroundings in the south of Thailand. (If you don't mind the rain that is - Ranong gets the most rainfall in the whole of Thailand). Ranong's largest island Ko Chang (not to get mixed up with the well-known Ko Chang in Trat province) is one of the least developed islands in Thailand. The island is so underdeveloped it has no motorbikes, minimal electricity and hardly a phone in sight. It's reminiscent of the beaches of Krabi 20 years back. The island boasts a few white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, ideal ...

Ask any one of the literally thousands of travel agents in Bangkok for advice on visiting a floating market and sure enough they’ll point you in the direction of the extremely well-known one in Damnoern Saduak, Ratchaburi province. Damnoen Saduak floating market has been transformed into a tourist sightseeing fad with almost as many foreign tourists as locals. At the end of the day, I’m not going to say that Damnoern Saduak isn’t worth going to, I suppose it is; but if you want to get off this very beaten touristy track and experience a more authentic floating market, then head for Samut Songkhram province instead. Amphawa floating market, open from 3pm till 9 at night, Friday, Saturday and Sunday is a must-go for those who enjoy the genuine charm of life on the river. You will be able to bustle with vendors both on and off the river and sample the culinary delights of popular Amphawa river munchies. So, if you are feeling a bit hungry after the trip from Bangkok, you’ll be able to tuck into a fancy mix of grilled prawn, squid and octopus. Then there is also Amphawa’s specialty of Omelet with Mussel. Along the river is a Walking ...

After doing a bit of research, I found out that there were, amazingly, UNESCO Wildlife sanctuaries in Uthai Thani province. These wildlife sanctuaries were declared UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites on 13 December 1991. They cover an area of about 2.780 square kilometers and are part of a large area of national parks and wildlife reserves. I decided that I just had to go! A little bit about the sanctuaries first though, nearly every kind of virgin forest and jungle found in Thailand is present in these sanctuaries, which are home to a large variety of species, some of which are very rare and endangered: last species of “mahingsa” big buffaloes, are unique to these parks. With only 50 remaining, this means they are the last herd of buffaloes. Special species of tigers and one in particular can also be found; in fact, the sanctuaries rank number 2 in the world for its population, only 13 are left. A lot of red gaur buffaloes (males turn into black when get older). Rare types of bulls ,several herds of not more than 20 bulls some 2 meters in length , tapirs, leopards, wild elephants, bears, hornbills, deer, snakes, etc. Moreover, wild rhinoceros are ...