Thailand, also called the Land of Smiles, is the most popular tourist destination in South-East Asia due to its wealth of natural beauty, culture and history, gorgeous islands and beaches and the mouth-watering food.
- In the North you will find breathtaking mountain ranges with waterfalls and fast flowing rivers for trekking and rafting, ethnic tribal groups with unique customs and clothing and people famous for their courtesy and hospitality.
- The North-East, or Isan, is one of the country’s most intriguing destination with many Stone Age and Bronze Age dwellings and artifacts, and several significant temples and national parks.
- The central plains and the east coast are dotted with national parks, seaside resorts and islands.
- The South is many beautiful beach.
Nonthaburi(นนทบุรี): is one of the central provinces of Thailand and is more or less considered a part of Greater Bangkok. It is the land of elegant palaces, magnificent royal gardens, Ko Kret’s famous pottery, notably old and beautiful temples, delicious durian and the gorgeous city hall.
The most interesting place to visit is Koh Kret, an island in the Chao Phraya River, which serves as a refuge to the Mon tribes who are famous for their pottery. Ko Kret is another world compared to Bangkok and much of it retains the air of a rustic village, with wooden shacks propped against palm trees and the occasional dilapidated temple slowly crumbling. Hence the main attraction is just walking around, browsing the merchandise in the many pottery shops. Because of the closeness to Bangkok there are only few accommodationoptions in Nonthaburi.
Samut Prakan(สมุทรปราการ):also sometimes called Pak Nam (ปากน้ำ), is located around the area where the Chao Phraya River flows into the Gulf of Thailand and is only 30km from Bangkok. Samut Prakan is home to countless historical and cultural sites and the new Bangkok International Airport –Suvarnabhumi Airport – is located here.
Some of the major attractions in the province include the worlds largest crocodile farm (with over 60,000 crocodiles including the largest crocodile held captive with a length of 6 meters), the newly constructed Erawan Museum and the ‘Ancient City’, Mueang Boran, where imitations of major tourist attractionsaround the country are situated.
Bangkok, also known as "Krungthep" (กรุงเทพ) meaning 'the City of Angels', is ranked as the best city in the world in 2008 by "Travel and Leisure Magazine". Bangkok is famous for itstemples, the Grand Palace as well as some of Asia's largest shopping centers and Asia's largest outdoor week-end market (Chatuchak).
All sites can comfortably be reached by Skytrain (BTS) orUnderground (MRT). Bangkok is highly appreciated for its wide choice of restaurants, from authentic street-side eateries to a number of fine dining establishments. In addition to probably the best nightlife in Asia. The wide choice of accommodation, from high end international hotels to guesthouses meets the demands of all travelers. In terms of relaxation – Bangkok has seen a huge development of Spas and wellness centers as well as medical facilities of Western standards.
Loei (เลย):
Loei is one of Thailand's most beautiful and unspoiled provinces. The land is mountainous and the temperature goes from one extreme to the other, the weather being hotter than elsewhere in Thailand during the hot season and colder during the winter season.
The culture is an unusual mix of northern and north-eastern influences which has produced more than one local dialect. The rural life of Loei outside the provincial capital has retained more of a traditional village flavor than many other places in Thailand.
Situated along the Phetchabun Mountain Range, Loei is a province that rises app. 400 meters above sea level and even wine is cultivated here. Loei Winery can be visited as one of the few ones in Thailand. Every year in May/June the illustrious Phi Ta Khon festivalis celebrated when young man dress as spirits during a parade.
Loei has some beautiful national parks, among is one of Thailand’s most famous ones, Phu Kradung, a bell shaped mountain (1325m) and Phu Rua with one of it’s cliffs jutting from the peak is shaped as the bow of a Chinese junk. Phu Luang is a Wildlife Sanctuary up to an altitude of 1550m.
Nong Bua Lamphu(หนองบัวลำภู):
Split off from Udon Thani in 1993, Nong Bua Lam Phu is a scenic province famous for its prehistoric sites. Fossilized shells about 140 million years old can be seen in the cliffs 10 kilometers outside the main town, archaeological sites at Kudkwangsoi villages are also attractions.
Wat Tham Klong Phen, a tranquil forest monastery outside of town, is revered as the home of the famous meditation monk. Luang Phu Khao Analayo. A museum in the compound is dedicated to the monk. A beautiful nature reserve is found at Phu Kao Phupan Kham National Park, covering 320 square kilometers, including a large lake formed by Ubon Ratana Dam, which is a popular fishing area.
Udon Thani(อุดรธานี): Udon Thani, is a prime business center of I-San. Located 564 kilometers fromBangkok, it’s main attraction is the World Heritage Site of Ban Chiang where the world's first Bronze Age civilization is believed to have flourished more than 5,000 years ago. It is a world renowned archaeological site but Ban Chiang itself is still a remote village with a relaxed countryside atmosphere.
Ban Chiang National Museum is the country’s first open air museum and the tombs and excavation are open to visitors. Inside the museum tools and utensilson showcases the ancient technology and most famous countrywide are the earthenware pots some 4,000 to 7,500 years old.
Bueng Kan (บึงกาฬ):
Bueng Kan, a new province was formed in August 2010, separating from Nong Khai province in the northeastern Thailand. The new province has population of around 400,000. It borders from the south clockwise Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Udon Thani, Nong Khai Province and lies opposite Bolikhamxai province of Lao People’s Democratic Republic across Mekong River.
Perfectly positioned in the valley of the Mekong River, it is abounded with natural attractions such as waterfalls, mountains, highlands, flat farmlands and inevitably missed, the Mekong River, which is the home to beautiful sandy beach on the river bank. The Friendship Bridge connecting to Vientiane is the closest border crossing which facilitates the commuting and travelling to and from the two countries. Not only the natural wonders, traditions and cultures of Isan people allure tourists to discover. There are accommodation for both city lovers and those who prefer unwinding with the backdrop of the river.
Nong Khai(หนองคาย):Nong Khai is a long narrow province running along the Mekong River, providing the main access to Laos. Originally people had to cross the Mekong by boat but the building of the Friendship Bridge has made Nong Khai a major centre for transport and trade with Laos. The provincial town is 615 km fromBangkok.
Attractions include Wat Pho Chai, renowned for its large seated Buddha believed to have been cast in Lan Xan, and Phra That Nong Khai, an old chedi that slipped into the river and can now only be seen completely in the dry season.
Sala Kaeo Ku is a bizarre sculpture garden packed with enormous statues of Shiva, Vishnu and Buddha as well as many other figures from Hindu and Thai culture. Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary near the Mekong River contains a number of beautiful waterfalls.
An annual highlight is the illuminated Boat Procession held in October or November at full moon. The boats are 6 -12 meter long rafts made of a banana trunk or bamboo and loaded with desserts, offerings, flowers, joss sticks, and with candles and lamps to illuminate it before being launched onto the river.
A phenomenon seen in the Mekong river every year at the end of the rainy season are the Naga Fireballs, shimmering fireballs of the size of a ping pong ball raising high up from the water before they disappear. Since a few years the Bang Fai Phraya Naga festival is held to watch the spectacle.
Sakon Nakhon(สกลนคร):
Sakon Nakhon is 647 km from Bangkok in the upper Northeast, located on the Phu Phan mountain range and has many forest temple retreats for meditation. These temples are home to famous monks well known in meditation circles. Phu Pha Yon (ภาพรอยสลักผาสามพันปีที่ภูผายล,) the mountain in the compound of a meditation centre houses 3000 year old cliff carvings featuring lifestyle of Thai people in the pre-historical period.
The Phu Thai tribe people living in this province sometimes still wear their ancient costumes on special occasion.
The famous "Wax Castle" festival is held in October. To celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent (Ok Phansa), mould beeswax into miniature Buddhist temples and shrines (wax castles) in order to gain merit, believed to determine their future rebirth. InBan Kud Na Kham is the centre is production of ceramics, wood carving and silk weaving.
Mukdahan(มุกดาหาร):Mukdahan is a peaceful province located on the bank of the Mekong River, opposite Sawannakhet in Laos.
The ancestors of the Mukdahan people migrated from Laos to establish the city in the late Ayutthaya period.
The province has always been an interesting mixture of cultures from various tribes since ancient times. Moreover, it is a land of fantastic natural rock parks and is a major gateway to tourism in Laos and Vietnam. The province is renowned for its sweet tamarind fruit and features many naturalattractions.
Mukdahan is known for this beautiful Mekong scenery and as a Thai-Lao trade centre. Among Thais it's most known for the Talat Indojin, or Indochina Market, a Thai-Lao-Vietnamese affair that gathers around Wat Si Mongkhon Tai near Tha Makdahan.
Kalasin (กาฬสินธุ์):Kalasin, the land of Pong Lang music, but called as well the "Queen of Silk" for its famous Phrae Wa hand-woven silk cloths and shawls. It is 519 km north-east of Bangkok and most of the province is covered by hilly landscape.
In the north is the Lam Pao dam built 1963-68, storing 1,430 million m³ of water for flood prevention and agriculture. Most parts of the province is fertile agricultural land, producing sticky rice and other cash crops such as manioc and sugar cane.
In recent years the province became most famous for the dinosaur fossils found at Phu Kum Khao, the largest dinosaur site in Thailand. Most of the fossils are from the giant Sauropods of 120 million years ago.
Phra Buddha Saiyat Phu Khao is a reclining Buddha Image carved on a stone cliff and differs from other reclining Buddha images as the figure reclines on the left-side instead of the normal right-side. Built around 1692, the image is highly venerated by local worshippers
