Thailand - Travelogue

The Kingdom of Thailand draws more visitors than any other country in southeast Asia with its irresistible combination of breathtaking natural beauty, inspiring temples, renowned hospitality, robust cuisine and ruins of fabulous ancient kingdoms.From the sun Soaked Beaches & pristine islands and clear waters in Phuket to magnificent Wats(Temples) in Bangkok and the flashy nightlife , the diversity of Thailand is amazing.

VISA DETAILS : Indian Tourists traveling for less than 14 days can obtain an on-arrival Visa for 1000 Thai Bahts.However if one intends to stay for a longer time the visa needs to be obtained from the Country of residence.

WHEN TO GO ? By far the best time to visit is from February to March when the weather is kind and the beaches are at their finest.The peak seasons are August, November, December, February and March, with secondary peak months in January and July.

CURRENCY : The Currency of Thailand is Thai Baht.One Thai Baht is approximately equivalent to One Rupee. So its easier for Indians to measure the value of goods !

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS : Bangkok,Phuket,Pattaya,Ayudhya.

CULTURE : Religion and monarchy are the cornerstones of Thai culture.The Monarchy is reveredin Thailand.95% of Thailand is Buddhist (Theravada).

FOOD : Thai cuisine is pungent and spicy, seasoned with heaps of garlic and chillies and a characteristic mix of lime juice, lemon grass and fresh coriander. Galanga root, basil, ground peanuts, tamarind juice, ginger and coconut milk are other common additions.However thanks to westernaization American food joints like Mcdonalds,KFC,Subway are common everywhere.
" The Pizza Company" is a widely found franchisee and offers Vegetarian & Double cheese Pizza for veggie foodlovers. The Salom road area in Bangkok has a variety of Indian restaurants including Woodlands,India Hut and there is also a Komala Vilas in Bangkok. The Patong Beach in Phuket too has many Indian restaurants just opposite to the beach.

CLIMATE : Thailand's climate is ruled by monsoons that produce three seaons in northern, northeastern and central Thailand and two in southern Thailand. Generally the 'dry and wet monsoon climate' arrives sometime between May and July and lasts into November. It is followed by a dry season from November to May in which temperatures are relatively lower until February and then begin to soar from March to May.The October weather was Madras/Mumbai like ,with temperatures hovering around 35c with high humidity.

GETTING AROUND :
Long Distance : The Trains are comfortable but very slow and infrequent.The Buses are excellent (most of them are Mercedes Buses) with reclining seats & AC for long distance travel.

Inside City : Plenty of taxis are available.But insist on Meter since every taxi driver is out to fleece you.Tuk-tuks are like the Autos found in India and are a bit cheaper. The Traffic is crazy on the roads.Bangkok is famous for its traffic jams and a distance of 20 kmscan take 2 hours at peak hours.

PLACES TO SEE :
BANGKOK : Its a city of contrasts.The roads are dominated by flyovers that make you feel as if the entire city is built of flyovers.The Wats are Magnificent and breath-taking, the night life raunchier and active and the old city crumbling and deserted.The important places to see in Bangkok are :

Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew : A stupendous architechtural achievement .The wat structures are colorful with gleaming stupas & rich marble pediments.Extensive murals depicting scenes from Ramakian (The Thai version of the Indian epic Ramayana) line the inside walls of the compound.The beautiful emerald buddha is also located inside the Palace.The palace is a photographers delight.Its open from 830 to 1130 and from 1300 to 1530hrs.Shorts,slippers are not allowed.
Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha) : No Superlatives can do justice to this temple.The oldest & largest wat in bangkok, it features the largest reclining buddha (46m long and 15m high).The giant reclining buddha is molded of plaster around a brick core and finished in gold leaf.Its open from 8am to 5pm.
Wat Traimit ( Golden Buddha) : It houses the impressive three metre tall , 5.5 tonne solid gold buddha image which gleams like no other gold artefact I've ever seen.This temple is open from 8am to 5pm.
Wat Arun (The temple of Dawn) : Named after the hindu god of Dawn ( Aruna),it is more impressive to look at from the River.It has a giant 82m prang (tower).
Wat Benchamabophit ( Marble Temple) : Serene & beautiful.A great place for meditation and the gardens add to the charm of the place.
River & Canal Trips : There is a wide gamut of trips on the Chao Phraya river.The shorttrips last for 2 hours and take you to mini floating markets,Snake & crocodile farms,Wat Arun view.There are also the hyped sunset,Dinner cruises and the longer WatSai & Damneon saduak Floating market cruises.Damneon lies 104 kms from Bangkok and is a better floating market than wat sai.
Nightlife : Bangkok is also very famous for its raunchier much hyped nightlife consisting of bars,coffeehouses,nightclubs and massage parlours.

AYUDHYA : Ayudhya lies 86 kms to the north of Bangkok and was a former capital city of Thailand.The city was named after the City of Ayodhya ( The capital of Lord Rama in the Hindu epic Ramayana).It is famous for its World heritage ruins of Ayodhya,historical study centre and floating markets.

PHUKET : They Call it the " Pearl of South". Its a must see place for any tourist to Thailand.It is famous for its Sandy beaches,limestone cliffs,forrested hills and crystal clear waters.Its a paradise for swimmers,snorkellers,parasailers & scuba divers.It is a 12 Hour bus journey from Bangkok to Phuket.There are also local flights like Phuket Air,Thai Airasia operating between Bangkok & Phuket.Phuket has three main beaches viz Patong,Karon,Kata.Patong is the largest of the three and is quite commercial too and has an active nightlife and wonderful marine actvities like Snorkelling,scuba diving.Kata & Karon are much quieter beaches with silver sands and beautiful coastlines.

ISLANDS : The must see islands around Phuket include Phi-Phi islands,Maya Beach (Where the movie Beach *ing Leonardo Decaprio was Shot),Khai Island.The above places are a one day tour from Phuket in a speed boat with oppourtunities to Snorkell,Canoe and swim.The islands are breath-takng with wonderful views and the Greenest/bluest waters one would have ever seen.There is also a half day trip to James Bond island where the bond movie " The man with the golden gun" was shot.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES : Bangkok is an amazing city.The Wats are spectacular and I was amazed after seeing the reclining and golden buddhas.Its a photographer's delight.The palace is grand and visit it early in the morning to get some good photos.Phuket was fantastic.Haven't seen clearer waters than this ever in my life and the parasailing was an unforgettable experience (they dropped me in the middle of the Ocean in a parachute !).The islands are awesome with picture postcard views and the speed boat drive is a memorable one that I would cherish for a long time.Imagine travelling at 100 km/hr in the mid ocean with clear blue waters all around you.

The Indian influence in Thailand is stunning.The Ramayana is a celebrated epic there.Indian food,music & movies have a big footprint too .Was also Surprised to meet so many Tamils in Bangkok.

TRAVEL TIPS : English is not widely spoken in Thailand and hence language could be a major problem during the trip.Carry a lot of Sunblock lotion.Plan your trip very carefully and do not miss Bangkok,Phuket,Ayudhya.Bargain everywhere because the locals can fleece you otherwise.Vegetarians have little choice in food but the good news is that there is some veggie dish everywhere.Carry a Map wherever you go and check the timings for Wats.Dress properly when visiting temples.Practise your swimming skills before going to Phuket.Its truly " Amazing Thailand" !