Bangkok – the colourful and bustling Asian metropolis
So you’ve been in Bangkok before and you assume you’ve seen the city’s best sights, tried every spicy dish and enthusiastically shopped. But have you also joined the pre-dawn aerobic lessons at Lumpini Park, played an energy-consuming game of takraw with the locals, had fun on a holiday which you even never heard of, absorbed pieces of contemporary art, got totally lost at the lively JJ market, made offerings at a Buddhist temple, tried to locate the best som tam stall, smiled at people you never seen before, got mesmerised by observing the magnificent sunset over the well-known Temple of Dawn? If your answer is no, it might be a good idea to visit Bangkok once more.
You think the heat is unbearable –never mind
What heat is bearable what isn’t depends on how you cope with Bangkok’s’ weather conditions. The Thai capital was dubbed by the World Meteorological Organisation as the hottest significant city on the globe. The thermometer’s height is a popular conversation subject among the locals. Thais always like to say that there are only three seasons in Thailand: the hot, hotter and hottest season. It is definitely true that the city’s inhabitants complain when the high temperature becomes very hard to endure but at the same time they still order the spiciest meals during their breaks or come together for playing a football game at 3pm, while many Thais nonchalantly amble around at one of the extremely popular outdoor markets.
The Thais love their public holidays
Probably every Thai soul embraces the country’s national holidays. What other country mentions new year three times on the calendar within a short period of four months? – In Bangkok you can join Western, Chinese and Thai new year festivities! Each Buddhist holiday is highlighted on the calendar and each bank holiday as well, ethnic vacations, traditional vacations including Christmas and if you met some party-loving Thai friends, they might even turn your birthday into a great celebration. Complete info on Bangkok’s festivals
Where commerce and ambition mix with spirituality
Many people see it as a paradox, a rare juxtaposition of the holy and the profane. It only is reality in a huge city like Bangkok. However, you may spot an ultra-modern department store adjacent to a centuries old Buddhist temple. This does not have to be a mistake by the zoning experts, but is more the city’s natural character whose growth is epitomised by spiritual matters and modern ambition. The Thais escape from congestion and heat in one of the many shopping malls. They truly feel good spending a few hours while window shopping, not necessarily purchasing items but always keeping updated with all things new. At their ancient temples, they enjoy the calmness of the splendid gardens and serene pavilions. They are masters about spending an amount of time looking inward during their meditations, totally distanced from the material world. These entirely different states of being are indispensable to the image and essence of contemporary Bangkok.
An empty mind’s freedom, you can experience it too!
A unique way bringing home a very special Bangkok souvenir is by learning how to meditate at one of the many offered courses. It will do you good as well. Throughout the Buddhist temples in Bangkok you can locate a number of meditation centres. The meditation is intrinsically linked with the Buddhist religion but that certainly doesn’t mean you have to be religious to join one of the courses. As a method for achieving daily relaxation, anybody can learn how to basically meditate as it is easy. Sufficient courses in Bangkok are available in English. Ask the International Buddhist Meditation Centre how you can contact the city’s best meditation teachers. Full guide to meditation in Thailand
Absorb the ambience of Bangkok’s most visited mega market
The Chatuchak Weekend Market is also known as ‘JJ Market’. This vast market place will keep you entertained for hours. This colourful market contains around 9,000 stalls and even the people from Bangkok sometimes get lost in the extensive maze of labyrinthine alleyways. It is advisable to just follow your instincts and maintain adventurous. Go see section 24 if a wide selection of cheaply priced clothes is what you’re after. Want to by a doggie, cute kitty or even a snake or turtle? You most likely find the most desirable pet at section 13 while section 19 is crammed with ceramics. Stroll along section 2 to 26 for a huge collection of antique Thai furniture and fine home interiors. Also attracting the shoppers attention are gemstones, sacred amulets, beautiful orchids, glassware, books and ethnic handcrafts from Burma, Laos, China and Cambodia. If bargaining for all these goodies develops an appetite, you can find numerous food stalls in the Chatuchak Plaza section.

Thailand's people are largely Thais, although there are significant minorities of Chinese and assimilated Thai-Chinese throughout the country, Muslims in the south near the Malaysian border and hill tribes such as the Karen and the Hmong in the north of the country. The overwhelmingly dominant religion (95%) is Theraveda Buddhism, although Confucianism, Islam, Christianity and animist faiths also jostle for position.
Climate
Thailand is largely tropical, so it's hot and humid all year around with temperatures in the 28-35°C range (82-95°F), a degree of relief provided only in the mountains in the far north of Thailand. The careful observer will, however, note three seasons:
Cool: From November to the end of February, it doesn't rain much and temperatures are at their lowest, although you will barely notice the difference in the south and will only need to pack a sweater if hiking in the northern mountains, where temperatures can fall as low as 5°C. This is the most popular time to visit and, especially around Christmas and New Year's, finding flights and accommodation can be expensive and difficult.
Thailand is divided into 76 provinces (Thai: จังหวัด, changwat, singular and plural), which are geographically grouped into 6 regions. The capital Bangkok is not a province but a special administrative area and is included as the 76th province since it is administered at the same level as the other 75 provinces. The name of the provinces are the same as that of their respective capital cities. Songkhla, Chon Buri Province and Prachuap Khiri Khan Province are the only 3 provinces whose capitals aren't the biggest cities in their provinces.
Bangkok is both the province with the highest population and the highest population density. The biggest province by area is Nakhon Ratchasima, the smallest Samut Songkhram. Ranong has the lowest population number, while Mae Hong Son has the lowest population density (facts according to the year 2000 census).
Each province is administered by a governor, who is appointed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The only exception is Bangkok, whose governor is elected by its population.

Cheap Flights - Top 10 Tips To Save Money On Airfares
By: Shivaun Raff
There is nothing worse than discovering that the chap next to you on the beach got here for a fraction of the ticket price that you paid. Here are the 10 top ways to ensure you get the best airfare deal out there, without spending days haggling with travel agents:

1. Book Early.

It is a myth that the cheapest airfares are available to those who book last minute. Rather, the best deals are usually available about 6 months before departure, when the seats are first released for purchase, and these disappear as availability gets more scarce. So if you're thinking of going away at Christmas - book your flights now! (NB hotel rooms are still most likely to have their best deals at the last minute).

2. Be Open-Minded about Airports.

Budget airlines often fly to a minor airport that is farther away from the city center than the main airport - this saves them airport fees, which they can pass on in price savings, and you get to see unusual and exotic regional airports!

3. Be Flexible with Dates.

Depending on the destination, it is often cheaper to travel on a Sunday or mid-week, or if you stay over the weekend. Checking prices for dates a few days before or after you originally wanted to fly can often have a big impact on fares. And if you really want to be away for Christmas or a particular bank holiday weekend, then extending your stay for a few days either before or after the popular dates can save you a lot of money.

4. Once you've been Flexible, be Consistent.

Low cost flights normally come with stringent Ts & Cs, which often include exorbitant cancellation or change fees. Changing your mind once you've booked can be very expensive!

5. Use a Flight Search Engine.

Flight search engines will save you lots of time and money by shopping around for you - you enter your flight details once, and they zip off and search dozens of online travel agents and airlines simultaneously to find you the best deal. Examples of Flight Search Engines include Kayak and SideStep in the US and Foundem in the UK. Sites such as Expedia and Travelocity, are often mistaken for flight search engines, but they are actually online travel agents.

Flight Search Engines make money from referral fees - this means that when you click through to buy your bargain flight, they get a small fee for having pointed you there. Because the budget airlines tend not to pay referral fees, most Flight Search Engines don't include the Budget Airlines such as EasyJet, RyanAir and AerLingus in their search results. Foundem.com is the only Flight Search Engine to include all of these budget airlines and more.

6. Use Hubs

If you're going somewhere a little bit obscure, it is often cheapest to use these tips to find a great deal to the nearest major hub city (such as London or Dallas) and then pick up a hop to your final destination from a low cost airline or commuter service. Make sure you leave plenty of time for the transfer, though, as the hop airline won't be responsible if you miss your connection!

7. Avoid School Holidays

All travel gets more expensive during school holidays, including flights. If you don't have children, this one's a no-brainer. And if you do have children, have you considered leaving them behind?

8. Don't Forget Package Holidays

While its almost always cheapest to de-couple flights and hotels for city breaks and long haul, if you're looking for a week on a beach or on the piste, package holidays can still sometimes be the cheapest option. Package holidays become even more likely to be the best deal if you've ignored tip number 1 and are booking last minute.

9. Look on Wednesday and Saturday Mornings.

The cheapest flights tend to sell out within hours of being released. Airlines play with their fares at any time, but the biggest waves of fresh fare releases tend to be on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10. Always check the Round Trip Price, even if you're Flying One-Way

Bizarrely, one-way tickets often cost more than the return equivalent. So if you're either flying one-way, or open-jaw (i.e. flying to one destination, then taking a train or camel and returning home from somewhere else), always check the round trip equivalents for these fares. Make sure that the flights you're planning to use are always the outbound ones, though, because airlines often won't let you board for the return leg of a round-trip if you haven't actually flown the outbound leg.
Article Source: http://www.travelarticlelibrary.com

A Family Vacation Getaway In One Of The Best Luxury Hotels In Krabi Thailand
by: Peter R Stewart
So far as luxury hotels go anywhere in the Far East, the Rayavadee in Krabi Thailand is as good if not better than most other luxury hotels.

It is a great beach vacation hotel, with 77 rooms, perfect for a family vacation getaway, and equally fantastic for a honeymoon vacation special deal.

The Rayavadee has to be seen to be believed and everything from the staff to the accommodation, to the grounds, the beaches, and the food are close to being perfect. Krabi is possibly one of the most beautiful places on earth so it is just the perfect position for the Rayavadee.

You have to get to Rayavadee by boat, and the first thing that will strike you is the boat. White leather upholstery and the crew all in matching sailors uniforms. Initial impressions are lasting ones, and this certainly makes you feel you are going to a luxury resort. Moving from the speedboat to reception, the impression continues with details all being taken whilst sitting down with hot towels and drinks, which beats standing around a crowded reception area any time.

The accommodation is top class, and if you are on a family vacation getaway there is the family villa with two bedrooms, one on the ground floor, the extra bedroom being the only difference from the De Luxe Pavilion

A two storey villa, and it is so well equipped with all mod cons. It is the small touches like the bathroom own brand products, the bottles of water everywhere, tea, coffee, and biscuits replaced every day. More food and drinks in a huge sideboard, and chocolates left every night by the bed.

A huge bath which holds two, is a feature of the bathroom, and a huge bed are all part of the ambiance.

A great luxury resort has great food, and on a family vacation getaway with hungry kids to feed, this is a very important consideration. If the reader is considering the Rayavadee for a Beach honeymoon vacation special then food is probably high on your agenda.

You will find the restaurants at the Rayavadee are all of the very best, with impeccable service in each of the four different restaurants. It is fair to say that food is not cheap but the views are just out of this world, and you may find it sensible to go down the beach and eat instead, where you will pay perhaps $15 instead of $100, and get genuine Thai food. It’s perfectly safe and worth the effort.

If you want to be active, then there is lots to do from kayaking through the sea caves hiking, swimming, snorkelling, tennis.

The service from the staff could not be more helpful, you will be treated like royalty.in every way. The only downside is the service by the pool which seems to be on the slow side of slow, but always extremely polite.

They are exceptional apart from that small point in every way, and are a big part of the success of the Rayavedee.

Words cannot do justice to the incredibly beautiful beaches, especially the Phranang and Railey beaches which have powder white sand and views of islands in the distance with little caves to explore. Beware however of the monkeys, who although friendly are everywhere!!

All in all there is no doubt that the Rayavadee in Krabi is one of the best luxury hotels in the Far East. It is an ideal spot place for a family vacation getaway on some of the best beaches anywhere. It would also be a good choice for a honeymoon vacation special, so look out for some great honeymoon vacation deals.

Southern Thailand is home to some of the world’s finest cuisines, evidenced by the huge number of Thai restaurants which have appeared throughout the world in recent decades.
Koh Samui is no different; the people here are highly imaginative when it comes to selection and presentation of food. Whether it is a local street vendor or a top-end restaurant cooking it, you can be sure it will be delicious, with something to suit any palate and budget. Restaurants in Samui
To continually improve the quality and standard of food and service on the island, the Samui Culinary Circle (SCC) was set up, thus ensuring Samui has become renowned for its culinary excellence over the last couple of years, in addition to already being well-known for its picturesque beaches and friendly people.
There are three main areas on Samui for restaurants and bars, and a further four more secluded areas to explore. The first and most popular area is Chaweng Beach. Here you can find a huge range of restaurants to choose from, including French, Japanese, Italian and Thai, just to name a few. All of these cuisines can be enjoyed on the beach under the stars, beneath a thatched roof or in cool air-conditioned comfort.
On the northern part of Chaweng Beach road, you will find one of the island’s finest Italian restaurants, Prego. Situated opposite the Amari Palm Reef Resort, this establishment is really easy to find and very reasonably priced. Prego boasts an impressive authentic menu, including fantastic pizzas from a wood fired oven, delicious salads, risottos and various forms of pasta cooked with anything from lobster to mushrooms.
The menu does justice to the fresh, locally caught fish and blended with imported Italian herbs, takes you to gastronomic heaven! All meals can be enjoyed in an al fresco atmosphere and as you would expect, the restaurant has an exceptional Italian wine list.
If it is southern Thai food at its best you are after then look no farther than Eat Sense. Situated in the middle of Chaweng Beach, Eat Sense has a 40-metre long beach frontage with a romantic candlelit setting. The menu has an extensive range of Thai cuisine including all the usual favourites alongside signature dishes such as kang pet phed yang, roasted duck in red curry stuffed with rambutans, which is not to be missed.
In the south on the island, you’ll find Samui’s second largest beach – Lamai Beach. In general, dining here is cheaper than at Chaweng Beach. You will find a plethora of small, family-run Thai eateries, although there is still an eclectic mix of restaurants ensuring all tastes are catered for, from European to Japanese.
At the top end of Lamai dining, there is the Tawann restaurant, situated on route 4169 at the Renaissance Koh Samui Rosort and Spa. Here you can enjoy an uninterrupted view of the sunset from the wonderfully located terrace while sipping on pre-dinner drinks.
The location and the drinks menu alone are reason enough to come here, but the vast menu, which includes Thai, French, Italian and Spanish classics, will lure you even quicker. Dishes such as vichyssoise soup, tortilla Espanola, croque madame and asparagus and Parma ham salad are house favourites and there’s also an impressive array seafood and meat, with treats such as roasted fillet of red snapper and baby fennel and Provencal beef tenderloin.
As far as family-run restaurants go, Sri Nuan is the place to try Thai food at ridiculously low prices. The restaurant can be found on the main road at the Lamai food centre and was the first of three locations that the family own.
The menu is simply massive and seems to have every Thai dish under the sun along with a small selection of European food. Sri Nuan has a great range of fish dishes and their spicy tom yum soup and Massaman curry is locally famous. The setting and décor are typically Thai and simple (plastic tables and chairs), with the focus here being on the food.
Situated near the famous Big Budda in the north of the island is Bophut Beach. This once predominately fishing area has given way to a range of restaurants and is now the culinary heart of Koh Samui. The quiet and picturesque setting makes it an ideal place for a romantic night out.
The fisherman’s village, which is considered by most to be one of the oldest areas on the island, is littered with wooden houses reminiscent of a by gone era which have been lovingly restored and now serve as shops and restaurants. Here you’ll find French, Indian, Thai, Italian and seafood restaurants, all of which are a stone’s throw from the waterfront.
At the quiet northern end of the village, lies one of the newest restaurants to join the Bophut culinary scene – Shades. This small beachside eatery offers diners a relaxed atmosphere with a scattering of candles, chilled out music and private areas for couples to enjoy a romantic supper. All the Thai favourites can be found on the menu, but the restaurant prides itself on seafood.
House specialties include char-broiled tiger prawns served with a lightly creamed seafood sauce and stove grilled peppered tuna steak with sautéed leek and fried butter rice, a personal favourite of mine. If you are in the area, a visit to Shades is a must and if you’re not, you won’t be disappointed if you go to some effort to come here.
L’Orienteek in the centre of the fisherman’s village is a great place to unwind after a hard day’s sightseeing and can be found in one of the old teak houses on the main strip. The décor is distinctively oriental and the atmosphere relaxed. With an impressive drinks menu, L’Orienteek is sure to quench any thirst. As far as food goes, they serve light meals and on Wednesdays they offer a free buffet to patrons between 20:00 and 22:00. Drinks happy hour is daily from 17:00 to 19:00.
One of Samui’s quietest and most picturesque beaches is Maenam. The restaurants here cater to every budget and offer food from around the world. The area is packed with street stalls where you can purchase a portion of pad thai and eat it on the beach for an inexpensive but memorable dining experience.
Big Buddha Beach has plenty of excellent Thai restaurants to choose from alongside international cuisine. Exceptional and inventive pub grub is available from funky cafés which are scattered throughout the area.
If you are adventurous and enjoy heading off the well trodden tourist trail then make for the southeast and west coasts. These areas are a seafood lover’s paradise as most of the island’s fresh fish is caught just off these coastlines. Some of the restaurants here are so small they don’t even have names, but you are nearly always guaranteed a delicious meal and a warm Thai welcome. However, it’s not only the welcome that is warm; some dishes are spicy enough to blow your socks off!
Whatever your culinary taste, you are sure to find it on Koh Samui and not only will you leave feeling satisfied and relaxed, you may also be a few pounds heavier!

Combine Travelling And Ecotourism: It Helps
By: Johnathan Bakers..
At the heart of any discussion about the environment and the preservation of natural resources, one must now ask why ecotourism is important. There may be several parts to the answer, not the least of which is that the combination of travelling and environmental issues creates awareness of some critical issues before us in the 21st century.
Opinions vary, but awareness may be the missing piece in a puzzle that bothers us and intrigues at the same time. Take for example, the formerly beautiful Delaware River. Over the course of decades, the damage to this stream became nearly irreversible. Some pointed to public apathy, while others stated that most people were simply not aware there was a problem.
Eventually the sad and dangerous condition of the river caused a great public outcry. At first, there was nothing to be done but prevent further pollution, because the damage had been done, so to speak. It became clear that the general public had not been aware of the severity of damage. No government or private agency had taken the lead in educating the populace.
At one time, the Delaware River was a clear, navigable stream filled with diverse aquatic life. Travelers made the banks of this river a holiday destination, where they could sit in the sun, try their hand at fishing or even swim in the clear waters. Boating was a common activity on the Delaware River, in the early years.
But, as the saying goes, that was yesterday, and yesterday is gone. Fifty years ago, hundreds looked to the Delaware River for a brief respite from everyday life. Sadly, this is no longer the case. Pollution in incredible amounts has killed the animal life, destroyed vegetation and eliminated the once-thriving tourism activity surrounding the stream. In turn, the local economy suffered as well.
Unfortunately, the damage didn't stop at the Delaware River's banks. Pollutants from the larger stream travelled to small tributaries, destroying much of the plant and animal life there as well. While this is just one example of the negative effects of pollution, it is a great example of how lack of awareness leads to irreversible situations.With this in mind, we must ask why ecotourism is important. The simple answer is that this new way of looking at travel and tourism can be the vehicle for public awareness. Those who experience some of the most beautiful places in the world, places that have unmatched natural resources and cultures, can pass the word along about preserving these treasures. I would suggest visiting benidorm as the weather and scenery is beautiful. Ecotourism is much more than a trend within the tourism industry. It is also a key to maintaining our planet as a place to live and enjoy.
From this basis, the larger population can be informed about the importance of conservation efforts. Without this awareness it will be difficult, if not impossible, to put together an effective movement to preserve and protect our natural resources. In just a few short years, the ecotourism movement has already been key in keeping the environmental momentum alive and well. For many, taking part in this new field of ecotourism is not a matter of leisure and enjoyment alone. It is also a commitment to the global society and to the natural world.
At the heart of any discussion about the environment and the preservation of natural resources, one must now ask why ecotourism is important. There may be several parts to the answer, not the least of which is that the combination of travelling and environmental issues creates awareness of some critical issues before us in the 21st century.
Opinions vary, but awareness may be the missing piece in a puzzle that bothers us and intrigues at the same time. Take for example, the formerly beautiful Delaware River. Over the course of decades, the damage to this stream became nearly irreversible. Some pointed to public apathy, while others stated that most people were simply not aware there was a problem.
Eventually the sad and dangerous condition of the river caused a great public outcry. At first, there was nothing to be done but prevent further pollution, because the damage had been done, so to speak. It became clear that the general public had not been aware of the severity of damage. No government or private agency had taken the lead in educating the populace.
At one time, the Delaware River was a clear, navigable stream filled with diverse aquatic life. Travelers made the banks of this river a holiday destination, where they could sit in the sun, try their hand at fishing or even swim in the clear waters. Boating was a common activity on the Delaware River, in the early years.
But, as the saying goes, that was yesterday, and yesterday is gone. Fifty years ago, hundreds looked to the Delaware River for a brief respite from everyday life. Sadly, this is no longer the case. Pollution in incredible amounts has killed the animal life, destroyed vegetation and eliminated the once-thriving tourism activity surrounding the stream. In turn, the local economy suffered as well.
Unfortunately, the damage didn't stop at the Delaware River's banks. Pollutants from the larger stream travelled to small tributaries, destroying much of the plant and animal life there as well. While this is just one example of the negative effects of pollution, it is a great example of how lack of awareness leads to irreversible situations.With this in mind, we must ask why ecotourism is important. The simple answer is that this new way of looking at travel and tourism can be the vehicle for public awareness. Those who experience some of the most beautiful places in the world, places that have unmatched natural resources and cultures, can pass the word along about preserving these treasures. I would suggest visiting benidorm as the weather and scenery is beautiful. Ecotourism is much more than a trend within the tourism industry. It is also a key to maintaining our planet as a place to live and enjoy.
From this basis, the larger population can be informed about the importance of conservation efforts. Without this awareness it will be difficult, if not impossible, to put together an effective movement to preserve and protect our natural resources. In just a few short years, the ecotourism movement has already been key in keeping the environmental momentum alive and well. For many, taking part in this new field of ecotourism is not a matter of leisure and enjoyment alone. It is also a commitment to the global society and to the natural world.
Article Source: http://www.travelarticlesexpress.com

Thailand is possibly the most-visited country in south-east Asia. The irresistible combination of fine beaches, ancient monuments and civilisations and renowned cuisine makes a holiday here an absolute must.
Where is it?
Thailand is in south-east Asia, bordering Malaysia to the south, Myanmar (Burma) to the north, and Cambodia and Laos to the east. It benefits from coastal stretches both in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Thailand.
Where can I stay?
Thailand is a popular country to visit – Bangkok is a 24-hour city with hotels to match whilst smaller cities and coastal resorts have also made the most of the constant tourist trade. Travellers are becoming more sophisticated, however, which has resulted in a number of boutique hotels opening to cater for the discerning guest. For those who love the beach, try the luxury of Aleenta; a small, private beach hotel which houses just 17 suites and 2 private villas. With unspoilt beach on your doorstep, an infinity pool and romantic breakfast and dinner settings, beach-life rarely gets better. Alternatively, go for the lights and sounds of Bangkok, where you could stay at the Ibrik City; a very chic hotel right in the middle of the business district and next to the famous “Blue Elephant” cooking school. With just three rooms, this is a modern yet homely hotel and great transport connections mean that this boutique hotel is the ideal base for days and nights in Bangkok.
What can I see?
Thailand is renowned for its ancient monuments, stupas and temples. From the sheer architectural delight of the Phimai Temple, a Hindu/Buddhist temple, to the ancient stupas in the Sukothai Historical Park, there’s much to learn about civilisations hundreds and thousands of years old and the way they affect the people of Thailand today. Don’t miss the busy and colourful markets either, and make sure that you spend time sampling the fabulous food for which Thailand is so well known. Venture away from the beaches to the rivers and mountains of Thailand’s interior to sample a simpler way of life, or take in the energy of Bangkok with a city visit.
How do I get around?
You can hire a car to get around Thailand, but it may be easier to take the train. Bangkok city is serviced by a Sky train and boat service, so there’s no need for any other transport to get you around. Outside Bangkok and closer to the coast, use the buses and trains to get about. The trains may be slower than you’re used to, but they’re comfortable. On the other hand, the buses are fast and furious, but they are cheap and air-conditioned.
Article Source: http://www.travelarticlelibrary.com