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2008-05-26

How To Enjoy The Best Of Chiang Mai In 1 Day’s Travel

How To Enjoy The Best Of Chiang Mai In 1 Day’s Travel
by Jaxon Toh
Chiang Mai city was founded as the capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom. Today, it is the focal point for northern Thailand tourism. To enjoy and explore Chiang Mai, it is best to spend at least 3 days for your travel. That is the minimum to get that Chiang Mai experience. However, if you had only 1 day, here are some ideas for your travel itinerary to get the best of this city.
Start off in the early morning at about 8am and get your breakfast at the most famous traditional market in Chiang Mai: Warorot Market. Sit with the locals and watch them go about their daily business, shopping for groceries and others. To get here, you can take a red songtaew (pickup). Throughout the day, this will be your choice for a cheap and convenient transport around the city.
The second stop of your tour will be Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, the temple on the hill from where you can get a fantastic view of Chiang Mai below. This is also accessible by songtaew. Wat Phra That is north Thailand’s holiest temple and should not be missed. Many locals and tourists come here and pray. Don’t forget your camera as this lovely temple offers many photography opportunities. The 290 Naga-flanked steps and the huge golden chedi are popular shots.
It should be around lunchtime now and if you’re hungry, there are some Thai restaurants at the carpark further down the road that you came up on. Or you can eat in the old city of Chiang Mai, which is your next stop. Make your way to Wat Phra Singh, a temple within the old city that is surround by a square moat.
This is one of the major temples in Chiang Mai and contains the Lai Kham chapel featuring exquisite woodcarvings and northern-style murals and a magnificent scriptural repository with striking bas-reliefs.
You’d have probably seen enough temples for today and it’s a good time to rest your feet. So head on to a massage shop or even a temple to have a good old traditional Thai massage or foot massage to recharge your batteries. The price is really affordable: 1 hour of massage can be enjoyed for 200 baht or less.
After your massage, you’ll probably be hungry. Take a songtaew to the nearby Ping River where the river banks are lined with many restaurants offering fine food by the river. The tourists’ favourites lie between Nawarat Bridge and Nakorn Ping Bridge. Enjoy your dinner and drinks here with live music.
And if you’re still game for some shopping, visit one of the icons of Chiang Mai: the Night Bazaar. Roadside carts selling all kinds of goods and souvenirs line both sides of the road. The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar building houses many of the province’s handicraft shops and is popular with tourists.
And this ends your day in Chiang Mai. There are much more Chiang Mai has to offer though and travellers often stay longer than they had planned. You may do so too if you’d been enchanted by this beautiful city.

The Best Tour and Travel Pattaya in Thailand

The Best Tour and Travel Pattaya in Thailand
by www.thaitravelpattaya.com
Pattaya (พัทยา) is a popular resort on the North Gulf Coast of Eastern Thailand, 150 km south-east of Bangkok. Most famous for its go-go and beer bars, it's also one of Thailand's best locations for all manner of sports and activities. Some of the beaches are lacklustre (by Thailand's high standards) and rampant over-development has long since destroyed any natural charms it once had, but its plethora of hotels and guest houses and convenient location with quick and easy access from the capital make it a popular weekend getaway. Catering for over 5 million tourists yearly, Pattaya is also able to offer an excellent range of eating choices and a wide variety of things to do and see.Pattaya's name was originally "Thap Phraya", meaning Army of the Phraya - commemorating the surrender of Nai Klom's army to that of Phraya Tak (later King Taksin the Great), without a fight. Thap Phraya became Phatthaya (the name of the north-easterly wind at the beginning of the rainy season), and then Phatthaya (the true phonetic spelling).Since 1978, Pattaya has been administered under a special autonomous system with a status comparable to that of a municipality by the mayor of Pattaya City, who has overall responsibility for policies, public services, and supervision of all City Hall employees. Read More. www.thaitravelpattaya.com

Arriving in Bangkok for the second time

Arriving in Bangkok for the second time
by Caelen King

Bombay airport isn't as I remembered it as a boy. Two decades ago it was a throng of pushing men, clinging women and wailing babies, all crowding around check-in desks like they were the last helicopters leaving Saigon. Today it is a different place with air conditioning and chaise-longues for those travellers that need to grab forty winks. Some things haven't changed though and there is still an air of desperation, of massed humans on the edge, amplified by the sleep deprivation caused by the ungodly hour most international flights depart. Our flight to Bangkok was scheduled for 4.45 am - but with a three hour check-in.
We left India, enshrined in the comfort of our economy class seats, just as the sun was washing out the red charcoal embers of Bombay's urban lights. The plane banked one last time before penetrating the clouds and we took our final look at India with somewhat mixed emotions. We had barely scratched its vast surface and still felt it had a lot to offer us - but on a different trip - we had had enough. As we breathed the canned atmosphere and settled into the orderliness of modern air travel we relaxed, the subconscious worries and frustrations that India breeds draining from us.
Last time we were in Bangkok we hated it and it was tough to see how moving from one of the world's most polluted cities to another of the world's most populated cites was going to be an improvement. However, from the second we disembarked we were struck by the wealth, cleanliness and orderliness of Bangkok airport. Clear signs directed us through spotless, carpeted hallways and soothing music eased our tensions as we waited in line for immigration. The smiling and laughing officials cheerfully went through their work and congratulated me on Barbara's beauty, leaving us both beaming as we walked away to reclaim our luggage.
We made our way directly to Khao San Road, marvelling at the affluence of a city that just three years ago we thought to be a squalid open sewer; the roads were smooth with frequent flyovers, the taxis were air conditioned and there were BMWs everywhere. Khao San Road, a tightly packed area of Bangkok that almost exclusively caters to the budget traveller, provides little in the way of a cultural experience and is either a tourist hell or a Mecca depending your perspective. From where we were standing it was a paradise.
The streets are lined with every convenience: tasty chicken skewers, fresh cut pineapple, charcoal roasted corn on the cod, pad thai, freshly squeezed orange juice, noodles, star shaped burgers and barbequed fish all available for 25 cents. In what little available space is left between the shops and the roads are semi-permanent stalls that sell all travellers' wants; from cheap strappy sun wear to endless displays of $4 CDs. Restaurants ply their trade as much by the latest Hollywood film that is showing on their 14 television screens as the food that they sell.
Later as night begins to settle it becomes the New Orleans of Asia. Strong beer combined with super-heated capitalism and a dash of corruption has nubile Thai women selling beer and liquor out of a flower power painted VW vans. Small stalls spring up selling margaritas and white russians for those that can't make the 20 meters till the next bar without further intoxication. Beer in hand, like an "Access all areas" badge, one can move from club to bar on the assumption that if you bought one you're likely to buy another.
While this was obviously not Thailand proper, we relished the moment, conversation bubbling out of us, glad not to have to cross the culture divide for just a few days. We were drunk on the elation of how easy everything was. We felt giddy just like when you return from a two-week camping trip to rediscover hot water and clean linen.
Very soon the reality dawns; we did not travel half way across the world to be cocooned by the familiar. So we left Bangkok with still a lot to test and taste; the cinema with reclining Lazy Boys that serves beer and food, Thai boxing and excellent international cuisine. We reconciled ourselves, knowing we would be back at least three times, as Bangkok forms the axis for travelling around the South East Asian mainland.

The Best Travel Bangsaen in Chonburi

The Best Travel Bangsaen in Chonburi
by kittichai Sanit
The Best Travel Bangsaen in Chonburi, Thailand by kittichai Sanit
Bangsaen is a popular beach on the North Gulf Coast of Eastern Thailand, 89 km south-east of Bangkok, 13 km of Chonburi . Most famous for its resterant and hotel, it's also one of Thailand's best locations for all manner of sports and activities. Bangsaen is also able to offer an excellent range of eating choices and a wide variety of things to do and see.
Bangsaen beach long curving 2.5 km and Tall coconut very beatiful .Now Bangsaen beach have many restaurants , Haremguna ,Seahouse,@ Home, Shomlom etc .They have live music folk band and live band .Now thai families and teenage looking for a trip, low budget holiday weekend and long weekend.
Now tourists have many choice to stay , hotel , Service aparments, resort and spa , condo

Guide for your first trip around the world

Guide for your first trip around the world
by Niall Buchanan

So you are all ready for your first trip around the world, or perhaps you are still in the process of thinking it over. Well speaking from personal experience I would say just do it! Because you will have the trip of a lifetime.
Now there are some problems that people seem to have when it comes to planning a round the world trip. Firstly the cost involved, after all if you are not planning on working then doing all that travelling is going to hit the bank balance. Second on the list is finding someone to go with, be it a friend or boyfriend/girlfriend. Then the last main issue seems to be the enormity of the task at hand, I mean navigating through all those places and staying in hostels, isn’t that dangerous and daunting? I will answer all these questions in turn.
Ok so money is always going to be an issue, as it is with anything that you would like to do in life. But I think you would be surprised at the cost of a round the world trip, it may not be as expensive as you think.
You can get round the world ticket for around £1200 and that has 6 stops included. Then for accommodation if you stay in hostels you are looking at around £10 per night. As for meals, most hostels have self catering kitchens so if you cook your own meals you could eat for as little as £5 a night (or less).
I budgeted around £50 per day for food and attractions (or bars) and it was pretty much spot on. Some places you need more (USA) and some place you need less (Thailand) but it averages out. You may also want to look into getting 3 day attractions passes for major cities. Things like the New York pass can get you into all the attractions for 3 days for a single fee (that saves you around 30% overall).
Basically for a 2 month trip to Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and America it cost me £4,400 for everything. That even included some internal flights and extra expenses such as the harbour bridge climb in Sydney (a must do if you go there). So it is a lot of money but since it’s a once in a lifetime thing, well worth it. A great tip is to remember to look up relatives or friends of friends that live abroad because the best kind of accommodation is free accommodation.
Now the next issue is finding a travelling companion, well this can be a tough one for some people as not everyone they know has a passion for travel. So many of my friends simply said they would like to travel “some day”, I still have no idea when that is! I ended up going on my own, as do many backpackers both male and female.
This can seem very daunting but really after a couple of cities you get used to it and it becomes no problem. It also encourages you to meet new people, after all you don’t want to be alone for the whole trip. What you find is that at hostels there are so many like minded people there who are very easy to get along with. Don’t think that because you leave by yourself that the entire trip is going to be a solo experience, it will most definitely not be.
Finally the issue of staying in hostels and navigating around foreign cities can be daunting and perhaps a little scary. First of if you have never stayed in a hostel before don’t worry most of them are clean and rather fun places. The best way to describe backpacking in hostels is that it’s like your first day of university, repeated every day for a few months!
By that I mean you tend to meet friendly people who are of a similar age and in a similar situation to yourself. Everyone is just mostly looking to meet new people and share their experiences of their journey so far. This can also be an excellent resource for finding good places off the beaten track to visit. Never mind the guide books, just keep your ears open around the hostel and you will get all the tips and information you need.
As for navigating around foreign cities, for the most part its not that difficult. All you need is a city map (which most hostels provide free) and then to feel your way around. Just take a walk around the local area and move on from there, keep the address of you hostel at hand so if you get lost you can always get a taxi back!
Once you have mastered a couple of city’s you can pretty much do them all by using the same principles. The only exception is when you visit Africa or South America which tend to have a more alien feel. But even with those places the same principals applies, after your first couple of places you kind of adapt to your new surrounding and it becomes easier as time passes it just may take a bit longer than in westernised environments.
I hope all this information has been helpful and that you go on that once in a lifetime trip round the world. I met many fantastic people on my travels and got to do some great things such as drink some tequila in Tijuana and go shark diving in Hawaii! You are sure to come back with great stories just keep an open mind and if things go wrong don’t worry, that’s just a good story to tell later!

2008-04-29

Dusit Laguna Hotels Phuket : Travel thailand Phuket hotel reservation 2008,

Dusit Laguna Hotels Phuket : Travel thailand Phuket hotel reservation 2008,
by Maypopup M.
If knowledge is power, then after you have finished this article, you will be feel like Mighty Man when this subject is brought up in casual conversation.Dusit Laguna Hotel in Phuket - skin as one of the elite hotels in Phuket in Thailand. Each of the quarters at this hotel is large and have acute interior plan. A varied array of leisure and recreational facilities would seasoning up your continue. Priding itself as one of the daintyst hotels in Thailand, Dusit Laguna Hotel plants the guests with several reasons for selection it as their feast abode.position of Dusit Laguna Hotel in PhuketThe look of Dusit Laguna Hotel in Phuket that makes it a rostrum out is its zenith position. The hotel is 22km from the Phuket International Airport. It takes about 20 report to achieve the airport.The hotel gives tranquil access to many of the foremost tourist destinations in the city. The tourist acne that are situated close to the hotel are Wat Phra Tong and the Thalang Museum. These are two of the foremost tourist attractions here. The place where the hotel is situated has good connectivity with the break of the city via different modes of carry. You would also have many breakaurants at the vicinity of the hotel.area Facilities at Dusit Laguna Hotel in PhuketWe hope that you have gained a clear grasp of the subject matter presented in the first half of this article.The hotel gives tranquil access to many of the main tourist destinations in the city. The tourist acne that are situated close to the hotel are Wat Phra Tong and the Thalang Museum. These are two of the main tourist attractions here. The place where the hotel is situated has good connectivity with the support of the city via different modes of carrying. You would also have many supportaurants at the vicinity of the hotel.space Facilities at Dusit Laguna Hotel in PhuketThis luxury hotel offers accommodation of the utmost haltard. Every position of the quarters is crafted custody in intellect that the guests are delivered the extreme comfort. The quarters free by the hotel are superb with amazing interior project. The extent facilities at Dusit Laguna Hotel in Phuket enter every position of your comfort..Guests can opt to continue in the air conditioned quarters. The quarters come with unlikely controlled influence TV with cable connection. You would also have phone with international turn dial capacity in each of the quarters. It's a pleasure and delight to continue in the sincerity of these snug quarters. All the quarters are large. Each of them is painted in quick hues that quicken up the ambience. scenic curtains add to the majesty. Each of the quarters in this hotel is furnished to the extract. Each of the quarters is complete with specially lush orthopedic bed.Hotel military and navy at Dusit Laguna Hotel in PhuketThe hotel offers a beware blowing scale of military and military. As presently as you stair inside the resort, you would be greeted with tender hospitality. The swimming vacant by the hotel is large and handsome. Brush off your weakness by splashing into the water. To feast in form there is also a well equipped gymnasium.The hotel also caters to the sellingmen. The hotel has a handsome and extenty selling middle. The conference extent is equipped with the hottest of apparatus. What more, you want not go far for your dinning. Hotel military and military at Dusit Laguna Hotel in Phuket comprise a great remainderaurant. like your dinning in a beware blowing ambience. some talk watering cuisines are brought to the move by this remainderaurant.With all these facilities, the guests here are treated to a dainty time really. So, come and have a great continue here at Dusit Laguna Hotel in Phuket.Knowing the ins and outs of this topic will help you to fully understand the importance of this entire subject.

Phuket Thailand - The Pearl of Andaman : Travel thailand Phuket hotel resevation review 2008,

Phuket Thailand - The Pearl of Andaman : Travel thailand Phuket hotel resevation review 2008,
by Siripong
T.Phuket, known as the pearl of Andaman Sea, is the biggest island of Thailand. It is a province located in the southern part of the country and has many fascinating attractions that lure people around the world to visit. Because of beautiful beaches and sea, wonderful nightlife and nice weather, Phuket becomes one of the top places in Thailand that travelers choose to go, and of course, when they once visit there, they cannot wait to be there again and again.It is not hard to get to Phuket. If you choose to go there by car, there are almost 900 kilometers from Bangkok to Phuket to drive and may take 8-9 hours totally. However, most people choose to fly there which takes no more than 1 hour and a half from Bangkok and the air fare is not expensive. Thai Airways and other low-cost airlines can serve you with several flights a day from many destinations.The Phuket airport is a bit far from the popular beaches and well-known hotels. After you reach the island by plane, you can find a lot of services which can take you to your hotel cheap and easily. These services include taxi cars, airport limousines, and service vans waiting you outside the airport. Hotels and other accommodations are not hard to find and mostly their prices are really cheap. You can find luxurious hotels along the popular beaches or some easy home-stays near the communities or department stores. As I mentioned, Phuket is one of the top tourist attractions in Thailand. Even though there are a very large number of hotels and lodgings in Phuket, I recommend you to book a hotel earlier if you go there in the festival time or public holiday period and you will not regret doing that definitely.Some well-known beaches that you cannot miss are Patong beach, Karon beach and Kata beach. You cannot imagine how beautiful they are. Also, there are a lot of activities along the beaches, you may sunbathe or swim in the sea. If you like exciting activities, you can play parachute or rent a surfboard. You may book a boat tour to the near islands such as Khai islands, Phi Phi islands and Racha islands, and go diving. Tons of beautiful coral reefs and fish are waiting for you.One of other activities that you can’t definitely miss is watching sunset at Laem Prom Thep. This spot is named for the most beautiful sunset place in Thailand and you will believe it. If you like old buildings and nice architectures, you can also travel to the Phuket city which is located inside the island, a lot of good and tasty food is there. It is another good way for traveling in Phuket if you don’t like crowded tourists.Nightlife in Thailand is very famous especially in Phuket. You can find clubs, bars and restaurants everywhere. These are just parts of what Phuket is and you need to experience them by yourselves. You may not want to go back to your country forever.If you'd like to read more about Phuket, please visit my web blog.