Similan Islands

The Similan Islands is a group of islands in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Phang Nga Province, southern Thailand. It is a national park which was established in 1982.

Similan Islands National Park was established after the one-year exploration by the Foresty department. The park is the archipelago consisting of nine islands which are Ko Bon, Ko Bayu, Ko Similan, Ko Payu, Ko Miang (two adjoining islands), Ko Payan, Ko Payang, and Ko Huyong. Recently, the park was expanded to included two remoted islands which are Ko Bon and Ko Tachai. The Similans are situated 70 kilometres from Phang Nga town. "Similan" is a Yawi word which means "nine". Similan is one of the most famous diving sites in Thailand.

Ko Similan
Similan Island is the largest island. It has the average depth of 60 feet. Underwater is full of rock formations and coral reefs in several shapes and forms such as deer, leaf, brain, and mushroom.
Above the water are found many diverse species such as the Nicobar Pigeon, Mangrove Monitor Lizards and more.

Ko Huyong
Ko Huyong has the longest and widest beach in the park. However, the park prohibits any tourists from landing on the island as the beach on the island is the place where turtles come to lay their eggs.

Phi Phi Islands

The Phi Phi Islands are located in Thailand, between the large island of Phuket and the western Andaman Sea coast of the mainland. Phi Phi Don, the larger and principal of the two Phi Phi islands, is located at 7°44′00″N, 98°46′00″E. Both Phi Phi Don, and Phi Phi Leh, the smaller, are administratively part of Krabi province, most of which is on the mainland, and is located at 8°02′30″N, 98°48′39″E.
Ko Phi Phi Don ("ko" meaning "island" in the Thai language) is the largest island of the group, and is the only island with permanent inhabitants, although the beaches of the second largest island, Ko Phi Phi Lee (or "Ko Phi Phi Leh"), are visited by many people as well. There are no accommodation facilities on this island, but it is just a short boat ride from Ko Phi Phi Don. The rest of the islands in the group, including Bida Nok, Bida Noi, and Bamboo Island, are not much more than large limestone rocks jutting out of the sea.
Phi Phi Don was initially populated by Muslim fishermen during the late 1940s, and later became a coconut plantation. The Thai population of Phi Phi Don remains more than 80% Muslim.
Ko Phi Phi Leh was the backdrop for the 2000 movie The Beach. Phi Phi Leh also houses the 'Viking Cave', from which there is a thriving bird's nest soup industry. There was criticism during filming of 'The Beach' that the permission granted to the film company to physically alter the environment inside Phi Phi Islands National Park was illegal. [1]
Following the release of The Beach, tourism on Phi Phi Don increased dramatically, and with it the population of the island. Many buildings were constructed without planning permission

Phu Kradueng National Park

Phu Kradueng National Park located in Amphoe Phu Kradueng of the Loei Province, is one of the famous national parks of Thailand, with a high point of 1360 m. Every year tens of thousands of people come to make the climb up this famous mountain. It received the title of a nationally protected forest in the year 1943, and was proclaimed a national park on the 7th of October 1959, the second national park of Thailand after Khao Yai National Park.

The Main Trail to the top from Amphoe Phu Kradueng
This is a very old and historic trail. Travelers start their way on the trail in Amphoe Phu Kradueng at the main park office. There are many places to rest on the way up. These rest plateaus are called Sum . There are seven of these plateaus on the way up. In order of ascent, they are:
Sum Hake The word Hake most travelers believe this means to be out of breath, because of its resemblance to the sound made when out of breath. The real meaning of Hake is sacred or holy object in the local dialect. This plateau is approximately one kilometre from the bottom.
Sum Bawn This plateau is approximately 700 metres from Sum Hake.
Sum Kok Kawk This plateau is approximately 360 metres from Sum Bawn.
Sum Kokwaa This plateau is approximately 880 metres from Sum Kok Kawk.
Sum Kokpai This plateau is approximately 580 metres from Sum Kokwaa
Sum Kok Doon This plateau is approximately 300 metres from Sum Kokpai.
Sum Krae This plateau is approximately 585 metres from Sum Kok Doon.

Travelers must start off at the park's main office at the base of the mountain. They can then begin their climb up to the Sum Krae plateau. On the plateau there are several vendors selling food and water, and it is a good place to rest. There is also a washroom available there. After this plateau there is still 1020 metres to the top. This last 1020 metres to the top is the hardest and steepest part. There are ladders and ramps at parts where it is impossible to walk. Once at the top of the mountain, there is still a 3.6 kilometre walk to the park office at the top and the campsite. At the campsite there are tents available and lodging buildings. There are many hiking trails on top of the mountain, to the many cliffs and waterfalls of the mountain.
Many climbers hire porters to carry their belongings to the top of the mountain for them. As a result, the main trail is often crowded with long lines of porters and following climbers.

Doi Inthanon

Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand. The mountain was also known in the past as Doi Luang (meaning big mountain) or Doi Ang Ka, meaning the crow's pond top. Near the mountain's base was a pond where many crows gathered. The name Doi Inthanon was given in honour of the king Inthawichayanon, one of the last kings of Chiang Mai, who was concerned about the forests in the north and tried to preserve them. He ordered that after his death his remains shall be placed at Doi Luang, which was then renamed.

In 1954 the forests around Doi Inthanon were preserved as one of the original 14 National parks of Thailand. In 1972 and 1975 its area was increased, so it now covers 482.40 km². The park spreads from the lowlands at 800 m altitude up to the peak in 2565 m, thus covering many climatic and ecological different parts, thus with a total of 362 it has the second highest number of bird species of any national park in Thailand. The park is often called The roof of Thailand.
On the lower slope of Doi Inthanon, near the Karen hill tribe village Ban Sop Had, are the Vachiratharn waterfalls, where the river Vachiratharn tumbles over a granite escarpment.

On the main road to the summit of Doi Inthanon stand the two Napamaytanidol Chedi. These temples were built to honor the 60th birthday of the King and Queen in 1987 and 1992 respectively

Sukhothai historical park

The Sukhothai Historical Park covers the ruins of Sukhothai, capital of the Sukhothai kingdom in the 13th and 14th centuries, in what is now the north of Thailand. It is located near the modern city of Sukhothai, capital of the province with the same name.
The city walls form a rectangle about 2 km east-west by 1.6 km north-south. There is a gate in the centre of each wall. Inside are the remains of the royal palace and twenty-six temples, the largest being Wat Mahathat. The park is maintained by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand with help from UNESCO, which has declared it a World Heritage Site. The park sees thousands of visitors each year, who marvel at the ancient Buddha figures, palace buildings and ruined temples. The park is easily toured by bicycle or even on foot.
The protection of the area was first announced in Volume 92, Part 112 of the Royal Gazette on August 2, 1961. In 1976 the restoration project was approved, and in July 1988 the park was officially opened. On December 12, 1991, it was declared a World Heritage site, together with the associated historic parks in Kamphaengphet and Si Satchanalai.

Khao Yai National Park

Khao Yai National Park is a national park in Thailand. It lies largely in Nakhon Ratchasima Province (Khorat), but also includes parts of Saraburi, Prachinburi and Nakhon Nayok provinces. It was the country's first national park, established on September 18, 1962. A major role in its establishment was done by Boonsong Lekakul, one of the 20th century's most famous conservationists in Thailand.
The park is the second largest in Thailand. It covers an area of 2,168 square kilometers, including evergreen forests and grasslands. Its altitude mostly ranges from 400 to 1000 m above sea level. There are 3,000 species of plants, 320 species of birds and 67 species of mammals, including Asiatic black bears, Asian elephants, gaur, tigers, gibbons, Indian sambar deer, Indian muntjac, dholes, and wild pigs. Its waterfalls include the 80 metre Heo Narok, and Haeo Suwat made famous from the film The Beach. Namtok Sarika is popular with the Thais.
Recent wildlife studies show that animal ranges, particularly the few resident tigers, are impacted by human activity near the center of the park. This study has not impacted the government's call for private lodging concessions within the park itself.
The park is often visited by travellers from Isan, Bangkok and beyond, for whom there are over 50km of hiking trails.
In 1984 the park was made an ASEAN Heritage Park, and on July 14 2005 the park together with other parks in the Dong Phaya Yen mountains was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name Dong Phaya Yen–Khao Yai Forest Complex. Lands adjacent to the national park are increasingly developed into luxury hotels and golf courses for weekending visitors from Bangkok. Such development limits wildlife corridors and permanently reduces future conservation and land acquisition ability.
The fee is 200 baht for foreigners (100 for children), and 20 for Thais. Food is available from private concessions within the park. As well, night-time "wildlife spotlighting" is available via pick-up trucks in the early evening. Animals sighted usually are limited to deer and civet cats, and only rarely include elephants.

Ayutthaya historical park

Ayutthaya (full name Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Ang Thong, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom and Suphan Buri.
The name Ayutthaya derives from the Ayodhya of the Ramayana epic.

The Ayutthaya historical park covers the ruins of the old city of Ayutthaya, Thailand, which was founded by King Ramathibodi I in 1350 and was the capital of the country until its destruction by the Burmese army in 1767.
In 1969 the Fine Arts Department began with renovations of the ruins, which became more serious after it was declared a historical park in 1976. The park was declared a UNESCO World heritage site in 1981.

Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai also sometimes written as "Chiengmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand, and is the capital of Chiang Mai Province. It is located at 18°47′20″N, 98°59′00″ECoordinates: 18°47′20″N, 98°59′00″E, some 700 km (435 mi) north of Bangkok, among some of the highest mountains in the country. The city stands on the Ping river, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya river.
In recent years, Chiang Mai has become an increasingly modern city, although it lacks the cosmopolitan nature of Bangkok. It has many attractions for the thousands of foreign visitors who come each year. Chiang Mai's historic importance is derived from its important strategic location on an ancient trade route. Long before the modern influx of foreign visitors, the city served as an important centre for handcrafted goods, umbrellas, jewelry (particularly silver) and woodcarving.

Chiang Mai has over 300 Buddhist temples (called "wats" in Thai). These include:
Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep: the most famous temple in the area, standing on a hill to the north-west of the city. This temple dates from 1383. Its builders allegedly chose its site by placing a relic of the Lord Buddha on an elephant's back and letting the elephant roam until it came across a place where it trumpeted and circled before lying down. The onlookers took this as marking an auspicious place to build the temple. The temple's location also affords superb views over the city on a clear day.
Wat Chiang Man: the oldest temple in Chiang Mai. King Mengrai lived here while overseeing the construction of the city. This temple houses two very important and venerated Buddha figures - Phra Sila (a marble Buddha) and Phra Satang Man (a crystal Buddha).
Wat Phra Singh: located within the city walls, dates from 1345 and offers an example of classic northern Thai style architecture. It houses the Phra Singh Buddha, a highly venerated figure, transferred here many years ago from Chiang Rai. This temple is one of the most important temples in the city. Visitors can also take part in meditation classes here at set times.
Wat Chedi Luang: founded in 1401 and dominated by the large Lanna style chedi which dates from the same time, but took many years to finish. An earthquake damaged the chedi in the 16th century and now only two-thirds of it remains.
Wat Ched Yot: located on the outskirts of the city, this temple, built in 1455, hosted the Eighth World Buddhist Council in 1977.

Wat Suan Dok: a 14th century temple located just west of the old city-wall. The temple was built by the King of Lanna for a revered monk visiting from Sukhothai to spend the rains retreat. The name translates as "the field of flowers temple." There are several unique aspects to this temple. One is the temple's large ubosot (ordination hall). This is unusual not only for its size, but also that it is open on the sides instead of enclosed. Secondly, there are a large number of chedis housing the ashes of the rulers of Chiang Mai. The temple is also the site of Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya Buddhist University.

Pattaya

Pattaya 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 coastal side is divided longitudinally into five contiguous sub-districts (or six, if also including Jomtien). Each one is named after the section of beach or headland at its seaboard.
In the middle are the three Pattaya Bay sub-districts, which share the main Baht Bus route (so most places are within 5 minutes / 10 baht of most other places, at any hour) and have much else in common, and hence in combination make up the main quasi-downtown zone:
North Pattaya (Pattaya Nua) - not the northern-most part of Pattaya (as Naklua lies further north), but the section of Pattaya adjacent to the northern end of Pattaya Beach and extending inland to both the north and south of North Pattaya Road. Does not include Naklua.
South Pattaya (Pattaya Tai) - not the southern-most part of Pattaya (as the Buddha Hill headland, and then Jomtien, lie further south), but the section of Pattaya adjacent to the southern end of Pattaya Beach and extending inland to both the north and south of South Pattaya Road. Includes Pattayaland and Walking Street. Does not include Buddha Hill or Jomtien.
Central Pattaya (Pattaya Klang) - not the dead center of Pattaya, but the section of Pattaya adjacent to the middle of Pattaya Beach and extending inland to both the north and south of Central Pattaya Road. Some maps/guides disregard the Central Pattaya convention, and instead extend North Pattaya and South Pattaya to meet each other along Central Pattaya Road; sometimes, Beach Road is described with a similar division, and the respective halves given "North Beach Road" and "South Beach Road" monikers.

Can you See .

Animals & zoos

1.Underwater World Pattaya, 22/22 Moo 11 Sukhumvit Road (15 minutes from town centre); Aquarium full of tropical creatures.

Open 09:00-18:00, last admission 17:30,

feeding times 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00.

Different prices for Thais (180 baht/adult, 120 baht/child) and foreigners (360 baht/adult, 180 baht/child).

2.Institute of Marine Science Aquarium & Museum, Burapha University, 169 Long-Hard Bangsaen Road, Bangsaen; is open 08:30-16:00 (feeding time 14:30), except public holidays (open 08:30-17:00, feeding times 10:30 + 14:30) and Mondays (closed); admission 20 baht/adult, 10 baht/child.

3.Oasis Seaworld, Paknam, Laemsing, Chanthaburi - full day guided trips including 45 minutes swimming with dolphins - approx. 2000 baht/adult 1500 baht/child - available via travel agencies.

4.Monkey Training Centre, Soi Chaiyaphruk Features monkeys trained to harvest coconuts and undertake other tasks. Also stages cockfighting (a traditional Thai bloodsport) and a snake show. Open daily, shows 09:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 17:00 - admission 250 baht.

5.International Snake Show, Sukhumvit Road (39/4 Moo 5 - near the junction with North Pattaya Road)

6.Khao Kheow Open Zoo (35 km north of Pattaya) A huge zoo with about 8000 animals of 300 species. Open daily - 08:00-18:00, 50 baht/adult, 10-15 baht/child; Night Safari 19:00-20:00, 100 baht/adult, 50 baht/child.

7.Sriracha Tiger Zoo, 341 Moo 3, Nongkham, Si Racha (30 minutes from town centre); A zoo with various shows.

Gardens

1.Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, 163 Sukhumvit Road (15 minutes east of town centre); Beautiful gardens with waterfalls, elephant shows, "Cultural Extravaganza" performances 4 times a day, restaurants etc. - enough to fill an entire day. In Feb 2007 they had major construction ongoing. We did the whole place in 90 minutes. Disappointing. Yet another place in Pattaya that thinks it is acceptable to charge foreigners more than Thais .200 baht for locals, 400 baht for foreigners. This practice is illegal in Thailand but strangely nobody in authority is prepared to do something about it.

2.Saithip Butterfly Garden, 79/5 Moo 11 Bangpra-Khaokheow Road, Bangpra Sriracha; Open 08:00-17:00. Admission for foreigners: 100 baht/adult, 60 baht/child.

Museums

1.Bottle Art Museum, 79/15 Moo 9, Sukhumvit Road, Nongpler; More than 300 miniatures in bottles, open 08:00-20:00.

2.Open Eyes, 2nd floor of Pattaya Bazaar, 266/52-53 North Pattaya Road; "The Great Experience Behind The Magical", a lot of technological magic and illusion shows. Open 15:00-23:00; show time 15:00-23:00; Spy Zone show time 15:00-22:00.

3.Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum is located on the third floor of Royal Garden Plaza. Access from both Second Road (you can't miss this side - there's a large aeroplane protruding from the upper floors) and from Beach Road. Different prices for Thais (280 baht/adult, 230 baht/child) and foreigners (380 baht/adult, 280 baht/child); at the same location there's also a "Haunted Experience" show, a 4D movie theatre and "Infinity Maze" game. Various combination tickets available, all dual-priced - for Thais (480 baht/adult, 380 baht/child) and foreigners (580 baht/adult, 480 baht/child) to enter all four. Open daily 11:00-23:00.

Sacred places

1.Buddha Hill (between Thappraya Road and Phratamnak Road; 5-10 minutes by songthaew) is one of the highest points in Pattaya. At the summit is the biggest Buddha statue in Pattaya, and nearby is a beautiful Chinese-style sacred area dedicated to Confucius and Lao-zi. The next hill, just across the Phratamnak Road, has the best Pattaya Bay coastline viewpoint and is also worth a visit, especially for sunset.

2.Sanctuary of Truth, 206/2 Moo 5, Soi 12, Naklua Road,An unfinished project, but worth a visit even now. The main attraction is a huge ancient-style wooden temple; nearby is a small dolphinarium with dolphin shows at 11:30 and 15:30.

Theme parks

1.Gems Gallery, 555 Moo 6, North Pattaya Road; One of several "World's Biggest" jewelry stores, this one also has a theme park.

2.Million Years Stone Park & Pattaya Crocodile Farm (15 minute drive from central Pattaya) Features an exotic zoo, and crocodile, fire-swallowing and magic shows, as well as the garden and stone park. Open 08:00-18:30.

3.Mini Siam is located on Sukhumvit Road, surrounded by Soi 33, and features miniature replicas of iconic structures from Thailand and all over the world.

4.Three Kingdoms Theme Park, 100 Moo 9, Tambon Pong; Adjacent to Horseshoe Point (20 minutes from Pattaya), this is a Chinese-style garden filled with pagodas, murals and figures from the Chinese epic San Guo Zhi, and more an expression of filial piety than a theme park. Perhaps worth a quick look on a slow day, but unlikely to offer much to visitors not familiar with the story. 60 baht/adult, 30 baht/child.

Pattaya Bay
Pattaya Beach (Hat Pattaya) is 2.9 km long and bordered by Beach Road. Due to its central location and extreme proximity to several hundred hotels, and because it's a relatively narrow strip of sand, it's crowded at the best of times (and even more so at high tide). Hefty fines for littering help keep the sand neat and tidy, however the sea is not so clean around here.
The northern end of Pattaya Bay (Ao Pattaya) is occupied by Wong Amat Beach, which is accessed from Naklua; and beyond the southern end, around the Buddha Hill headland that separates Pattaya Bay from Jomtien, are several more smaller beaches.

Islands

Ko Laan (or Lan or Larn, or Coral Island) is 7.5 km west of Pattaya. It covers an area of 5.6 sq.km and has six popular beaches with a decidedly "touristic day-trip" flavour, offering banana boat rides, jet-skiing, parasailing, and the like. Also available from and around Ko Laan are various underwater activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, seabed walking and submarine rides; there are also numerous restaurants, some accommodation, and a shooting range. Regular ferries from Bali Hai Pier costs 20 baht and take 30-45 minutes - departure times: from Pattaya 07:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:30, 17:00, 18:30; from Ko Laan 06:30, 07:30, 09:30, 12:00, 14:00, 17:00, 18:00. Alternatively speedboats can be chartered just about anywhere along the main beaches, typically for 1500-2500 baht; or you can book a day trip via an agency - expect to pay 500-600 baht for minibus collection from your hotel around 09:00, ferry from Bali Hai Pier direct to one of the main beaches (taking about half an hour), lunch, soft drinks, return ferry around 16:00, and minibus back to your hotel.

Ko Saak (or Sak), less than 1 km north of Ko Laan, is a small horseshoe-shaped island with two interconnected beaches. The northern beach is popular for swimming and snorkeling, and the southern beach is a good place to see coral.

Ko Khrok (or Krok), 2 km east of Ko Laan, is an isolated rocky islet with a single 100 metre stretch of sandy beach to the east, where visitors can see coral reefs.

Ko Phai (Bamboo Island) and other islands in the Ko Phai group - Ko Klung Badan (or Krung Badan), Ko Luam (or Leom), Ko Man Wichai and Ko Rin (or Lin) - are preferred destinations for scuba divers, and are also popular for general relaxation, fishing, swimming and snorkeling day trips. This area is controlled by the Royal Thai Navy, and overnight stays are not permitted. For a return speedboat charter from one of the mainland beaches or Bali Hai Pier (approx. 23 km / 2 hours), expect to pay 2500-4000 baht; possibly less from Ko Laan.

Hat Yai

Hat Yai is the fourth largest city in Thailand and is located in Songkhla Province.

Visa Run - If you need to extend your stay in Thailand another 30 days, you can cross the border at Dannok, near Sadao. Getting there from the airport is easy and takes about 2 hours. From the airport walk straight out into the parking lot to the parking lot ring road. You can wait here for a light blue songthaew to take you into town and get dropped off at The Plaza for 13 baht. The ride takes about 20-30 minutes. You can also take an airport taxi into town. At The Plaza, you can find a van waiting just across from the TOT office, which makes regular trips to Dannok. If you can't find it, just say "Sadao" or "Dannok" to people till they point you the right way. The trip is 50 baht, and vans leave once they are full. The trip should take about 1 hour 30 minutes. It will drop you off near the border at Dannok and you can just walk to exit Thailand. You will be approached by motorcycle drivers who will offer to take you to the Malaysian side. Walking takes about 10 minutes, so it could be worth it to pay 20 baht each way if you are in a hurry. If you have time, a stop at the duty free shop is worthwhile. Minivans returning to Hat Yai depart from outside the 7-Eleven store in Dannok.

Travel Place

Hat Yai Municipal Park on Kanchanawanit Road, is six kilometers from the city center on the Hat Yai-Songkhla highway. It is the major recreation for the people of Hat Yai and surrounding areas as well. The park is full of beautiful flowering plants, with a pavilion in the middle of the pond, avarium, and food stalls. At the foot of the hill near the avarium stands the statue of King Rama V. There is a Brahman shrine at the hilltop. And at the southern foothill near the boy scout camp stands the jade statue of Guan-yin, the Chinese Goddess.

Wat Hat Yai Nai on Phetkasem Road, near Khlong U Taphao Bridge, is the site of a large reclining Buddha measuring 35 meters long, 15 meters tall, and 10 meters wide, named Phra Phuttha Hattha Mongkhon, believed to be the third largest reclining Buddha in the world - revered by both Thai and foreign tourists.

Ton Nga Chang Waterfall is located in the Ton Nga Chang Wildlife Sanctuary. It is one of the beautiful waterfalls of the south, about 26 kilometers from the city. Follow the Hat Yai-Rattaphum road for 13 kilometers, then turn left at Ban Hu Rae for another 13 kilometers. This waterfall has seven levels, the third level is the most beautiful and is named after the waterfall. At the third level the stream separates into two, resembling the elephant’s tusks. Treks have been provided for more adventurous tourists. One can hire a tuk-tuk to the waterfall for two to three hours at 300-400 baht, or one can take the minibus from the fresh market (Talat Sot Thet Sa Ban Hat Yai).

Restaurant

The beer in Hat Yai is especially reasonable so enjoy a can of beer while you are there. More reasonably priced than what you buy at the Singapore Duty-Free Shops.
Oceania out of the City centre, about 10 minutes by taxi from Lee Gardens and about 100m North of the Hansa Plaza/Paragaon night entertainment complex in Hat Yai 'nai' is Oceania, a beautiful open air restaurant and bar set on 2 floors with a landscaped garden of waterfalls and palms, and soft lighting to boot. The kitchen is open until well after 2am, serving decent Thai food at around 100 Baht a dish. A large Heineken is 90 Baht, with draft available also. The theme is quiet and romantic, ideal after an hour or two in the Disco nearby. Live acoustic music accompanies the diners every night until midnight. Oceania closes when the last customers leave at around 4am.
Nakorn Nai - A stylish restaurant with free Internet access (WLAN). They serve very tasty western food (Pizza, Pasta, Beef Stroganoff, Breakfast) for reasonable prices.
The Swan - Nice atmosphere with books and 2 TVs with UBC. Jack Coke - 60 baht. A slight British Pub feel. On Thanon Thamnoon Vithi Rd. One block from The Pubb.
Brown Sugar - Just across the street from The Swan, is similar, but with a bit less ambience. Does breakfast. On Thanon Thamnoon Vithi Rd.
The Pubb - Live music, pool upstairs and decent food. Located downtown.
The Post Laser Disc - Proclaims "We are mentioned by Lonley Planet". Air-con and pool. Jack Coke 80 baht. Farang hangout. On Thanon Thamnoon Vithi Rd.
Brass Monkey - Upstairs disco with pool table. Next to Brown Sugar.
Deep Wonder - Street side and downstair bar. Live music. Across from The Pubb.
Co Art - A cafe-style place to hang-out in the evening / night. There is a live band almost every day with international well-known cover-songs.

Hua Hin

Hua Hin is a seaside resort city in Thailand. It is popular with Thais, having become quite fashionable as a weekend getaway spot for Bangkok residents, as well with foreigners and as an ex-pat retirement or vacation home location.
Although developing rapidly, there is a commitment by the local and provincial authorities to avoid the kind of overheated blight that has affected other beach resorts in Thailand.

Hua Hin as a resort was discovered in the early 1920s by King Prajadhipok as an ideal getaway from the sultry metropolis of Bangkok. The tranquil fishing village was turned into a royal resort and consequently became popular among Siam's nobility and upper class. In 1928, Prajadhipok built his Klai Kangwon (Far From Worries) Palace. As of 2007, Klai Kangwon is the full-time residence of the current king and is not open for visitors, although the outer palace grounds are open for walkers and joggers from 4pm to 7 pm daily. (Wear shoes, bring passport)

Can you see .

Khao Takiab is one of the highest area in Hua Hin, by going up this mountain by driving you will see the whole Hua Hin and also nice beach. This is another good place to wait for the sunset as well. Also the food on Khao Takiab is very delicious too.
Beaches - there is only one beach, which runs from one side of Hua Hin to the other. Basically it's one long beach. At the south end of town, Khao Takiab interrupts the beach. On the other side (technically not Hua Hin anymore) is a lovely swimming beach with a view of Khao Takiab's South face. Just a little further on, Suan Son beach is owned by the thai army, but open to the public. Notable for the tropical sea pines lining the shore. A little south of the Marriott, watch for tiny sand crabs digging industriously, leaving odd patterns of tiny sand clods around their beachfront property.
Parts of the beach closer to the town may have greenish water, in this case continue walking down the beach where the water appears cleaner. There is ample supply of deck chairs along the beach, however many places will charge for their hire (100 baht is common). Deck chairs that are part of a beachside cafe may be free (in the assumption you will buy food or drink).

Phuket Island

Phuket "Poo-ket", is Thailand's largest island and also its second smallest province. It is 48 km in length, 21 km at its widest, and is located in Southern Thailand, on the west-facing Andaman Sea coastline, suspended from the southern tip of Phang Nga Province by a pair of short but substantial road bridges.

Phuket enjoys great popularity as a travel destination. Most beaches are on the west coast, with Phuket Town to the south-east and the airport in the north.

Beaches

Particularly in the monsoon season, there are strong currents on many of the beaches and drownings are a depressingly common occurrence. Heed the warning flags on popular beaches and play it safe if off the beaten track. It is important to note that, while many tourists who flock to the beaches of Phuket are European, nudity is viewed as highly offensive to Thais. It is very rude to go topless to beaches. Thais are generally non-confrontational, but it is always best to be respectful while treading on another's home country.
The major beaches from north to south are:
Bang Tao - long, very quiet beach
Surin Beach - an up-and-coming destination
Laem Singh Beach - small bay with stunning views, between Kamala Beach and Surin Beach
Kamala Beach - a quieter beach to the north of Patong
Patong Beach - the largest beach resort, known for its nightlife
Karon Beach - a quieter beach to the south of Patong
Kata Yai Beach - busy, clean tourist beach with good surf
Kata Noi Beach - quieter sister of Kata Yai
Ao Chalong - home to Phuket's most popular yacht anchorage
Rawai Beach - set off point for lots of local islands, popular with locals for eating on the beach

Islands

Ko Yao — two islands halfway to Krabi, with four upmarket resorts
Kho Hae (also known as Coral Island) — Located on the Southeast of Phuket Island. Only 15 minutes by speedboat from Chalong Bay. Visitors can travel to the island whole year round. They can either visit for a day or stay overnight at the resort.

Activities in Phuket

Explore Phuket
Explore the beauty of Phuket, through exciting day, evening and adventure tours. Experience, diving, snorkeling, kayaking, white water rafting, speed boat excursions to Phi Phi or Krabi, Muay Thai, fishing trips, cultural tours, Phuket Zoo, enjoy the beauty of nature that the Phang-Nga area has to offer and have a relaxing boat trip - the James Bond trip. . With so many things to see and do your time in phuket will be truly memorable.

Elephant riding
This is a good way to support the remaining domesticated elephants of Thailand and their mahout, is fairly cheap, and can be an interesting new experience. The elephants are well trained, and you can tip the mahout by giving the money to the elephant who will hand it to the mahout with its trunk.

Animal sanctuary
Visit the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project by the beautiful Bang Pae waterfall. They have a visitor centre manned by Western volunteers and English speaking Thai staff who will talk to you about the project. Talks are free, but please support the project by buying a souvenir, sponsoring a gibbon or giving a donation. Don't have your photo taken with a captive gibbon in Phuket or on the beaches.

Golf
The golf courses of Phuket are of international standard. Each one has its own particular challenges and scenic splendour that only Phuket can offer. Discount green fee are available by booking through Phuket golf booking agencies.

Muay Thai training (Thai kick-boxing)
Suwit Muay Thai Boxing Camp
Chalong Chi Muay Thai and M.M.A. Training Camp

Experience the sensese of Thai Spa
Sukko Cultural Spa & Wellness

Watersports
Scuba diving, yachting, jet-skiing and parasailing are the most popular activities on the island. Most dive sites are off nearby islands, but distances are fairly short and there are dozens of dive shops and boats to cater to your needs, mostly based near Chalong Pier.

Other Activities
In Phuket, where everything happens for fun and adventure, you live life to the fullest with such a great variety of activities the paradise has to offer. Just besides the popular activities such as diving and snorkeling, golfing, Muay Thai, sailing and sport fishing, there are a bunch of other "must do while in Phuket" activities.

Khaosan road

Khaosan road or Khao San road is a short road in central Bangkok, Thailand. It is located in the Banglamphu neighborhood (Phra Nakhon district) about 1 km north from the Grand Palace with Wat Phra Kaew. It has developed over the years into probably the most profound worldwide example of a "backpackers' ghetto", with relatively cheap accommodation compared to other areas of central Bangkok. The accommodation varies from 'mattress in a box' style hostels, to full Western-standard luxury.

Many tourists use Khaosan road as their base for exploring the rest of Thailand as there are many direct coaches from the street to virtually all major tourist destinations in Thailand, from Chiang Mai in the North to Ko Pha Ngan in the South. Many visitors will also take advantage of the abundance of relatively cheap travel agents to arrange visas and transport to surrounding countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia, though many (if not most) of these travel agents are scams of some sort[citation needed], and travelers would do themselves wise to use Thai public buses instead.

Crafts, paintings, clothes, pirate CDs, DVDs, fake educational diplomas, fake driver's licenses, food, second hand books as well as many items useful to backpackers are among the common goods traded along the road.
Khaosan road has in recent years also become popular among local people, especially artists and art students. The road hosts a number of pubs and bars, where people of many nationalities meet and discuss their travels. Khaosan and the streets nearby are also Bangkok's center of dancing, partying and splashing water during Thai New Year (Songkran festival) on April 13 to April 15.

It is one of Bangkok's most vibrant streets, host to people from around the world. One Thai writer described the road as "a short road that has the longest dream in the world." The street certainly attracts some bizarre characters. Any visit to Bangkok is incomplete without a people-watching beer on Th Khaosan, an experience that could only be compared to a visit to a zoo; some consider it has degenerated into a tourist ghetto.

MBK & Siam Squre Area

MBK Center, also known as Mahboonkrong or Mabunkrong , is an enormous marble shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. At eight stories high and 330 metres long, with 2,500 shops using a total selling area of 89,000 square metres, this shopping mall used to be one of the biggest malls in Asia when it was first founded in 1985. It is particularly well known for its many vendors of mobile phones and other electronics, as well as furniture, stores.

Located in Pathum Wan district, the mall is situated on one end of a shopping thoroughfare that eventually becomes Sukhumvit Road. Other shopping centers are nearby:
Siam Square can be accessed from the second floor by a covered, air-conditioned pedestrian bridge over Phaya Thai Road to Bonansa Mall.
Via Siam Discovery Center and Siam Center, Siam Paragon, can be accessed by a pedestrian overpass linked to the Bangkok Skytrain National Stadium station. Access to the walkway is through the Tokyu department store on the second floor or from the third floor of the shopping center.

Other Shopping Place this area

1. Siam Discovery Center

2. Siam Square

3. Siam Center Paragon

4. Siam Center

5. Central World

Jatujak Market

Chatuchak (or JJ Market) is weekend market in Bangkok is the largest market in Thailand, and largest of the world. Frequently called J.J., it covers over 35 acres (1.13 km²) and contains upwards of 15,000 stalls. It is estimated that the market receives between 200,000 and 300,000 visitors each day. Most stalls only open on Saturdays and Sundays.The market offers a wide variety of products including household items, clothing, Thai handicrafts, religious artifacts, collectibles, foods, and live animals.

Chatuchak Market owes its origin to Field Marshal Plaek Phibulsongkram, the late prime minister of Thailand (1938-1944, 1948-1957), who came up with the idea of setting up a flea market in every town. As a result, the first flea market in Bangkok was held at Sanam Luang and was called Sanam Luang flea Market. However, there was time when the place was needed for other special functions and the flea market was then relocated to Saranrom Palace and settled there for 8 years. After that, it was moved again to Sanam Chai. But because of the limited space, it had to be moved back to Sanam Luang. In the same year, the government issued a policy to turn Sanam Luang into a public park for citizens of Bangkok and to be the venue to celebrate 200-year-anniversary of Bangkok, which would be held in 1982. Thus, it was decided that the flea market would be held at the Phahonyothin area from then on and it is later called Chatuchak Market after the nearby park under the same name.

Chatuchak market is adjacent to the Kamphaengphet station (MRT) of the Bangkok Metro, or about a 5-minute walk from the Mo Chit Skytrain (BTS) station and Suan Chatuchak(Chatuchak Park) station(MRT).

Continue to Wat Pho

Wat Pho, also known as Wat Phra Chetuphon or The Temple of the Reclining Buddha, is a Buddhist temple in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, Thailand, located in the Rattanakosin district directly adjacent to the Grand Palace. Its official full name is Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn. The temple is also known as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage.

Wat Pho is the one of the largest and oldest wat in Bangkok (with an area of 50 rai, 80,000 square metres), and is home to more than one thousand Buddha images, as well as one of the largest single Buddha images: the Reclining Buddha (Phra Buddhasaiyas). Made as part of Rama III's restoration, the Reclining Buddha is forty-six metres long and fifteen metres high, decorated with gold plating on his body and mother of pearl on his eyes and the soles of his feet. The latter display 108 auspicious scenes in Chinese and Indian styles.
The Wat Pho complex consists of two walled compounds bisected by Soi Chetuphon running east-west. The northern walled compound is where the reclining Buddha and massage school are found. The southern walled compound, Tukgawee, is a working Buddhist monastery with monks in residence and a school.

Wat Pho is open daily between 8.00 a.m.-5.00 p.m. The admission fee is 50 baht.

Frist time in Grand Palace

The Grand Palace (Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang) is a complex of buildings in Bangkok, Thailand. It served as the official residence of the king of Thailand from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. After the death of King Ananda Mahidol in the Grand Palace, King Bhumibol moved the official royal residence to Chitralada Palace. Construction of the palace complex began in 1782, during the reign of Rama I.
The palace complex sits on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. The other approaches to the palace are protected by a defensive wall of 1,900 metres in length, which encloses an area of 218,400 square metres. Further out from the wall is a canal, which was also created for defensive purposes, making the area surrounding the palace an island, known as Rattanakosin

Wat Phakeaw

The Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha or full official name Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram) is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple (wat) in Thailand. It is located in the historic center of Bangkok (district Phra Nakhon), within the grounds of the Grand Palace.
The construction of the temple started when King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (Rama I) moved the capital from Thonburi to Bangkok in 1785. Unlike other temples it does not contain living quarters for monks; rather, it has only the highly decorated holy buildings, statues, and pagodas. The main building is the central ubosoth, which houses the Emerald Buddha.

The wall surrounding the temple area – from the outside only a plain white wall – is painted with scenes from the Thai version of the Ramayana mythology, the Ramakian. Several statues in the temple area resemble figures from this story, most notably the giants (yak), five-meter high statues. Also originating from the Ramayana are the monkey kings and giants which surround the golden chedis.
The Temple also contains a model of Angkor Wat, added by King Nangklao (Rama III), as the Khmer empire of Cambodia and the Thais share cultural and religious roots.
Despite the hot weather most of the year in Bangkok, long trousers are required to enter the wat. This rule is strictly enforced. The facility can offer the rental of proper trouser wear.