If you are going to visit Thailand, the land of smiles, you should know some things that you definitely don’t want to miss during your visit in this exotic country.
1. Bangkok is one of the world’s most visited cities. If you are not familiarized with the Asian culture, this spectacular city will charm you with his various tourist attractions. The capital of Thailand has a lot of beautiful things to show.
If you don’t have enough time to spend here, I advise you not to miss some very important and beautiful places: the floating market, the highest Buddhist temple in the world Phra Pathom Chedi, the Rose Garden, the Grand Palace, the Temple of Lounged Buddha, the Temple of Emerald Buddha and the Temple of Buddha Meditating.
The Chao Phraya River is another attraction in Bangkok. A cruise on the River of Kings will perfectly complete the fascinating atmosphere that this city creates. Go on this cruise at night for an authentic show, because the blend of lights is great. Choose one of the tall hotels in Bangkok if you are looking for special accommodation conditions, because most of them have pools on the upper floors and this will give you a special view over the city, especially during the night.
It is a great feeling to see all those lights while you are swimming in a pool surrounded by skyscrapers. Don’t miss the opportunity to go shopping in Bangkok, because there are a lot of markets and malls where you can find a lot of interesting things at good prices if you know how to bargain.
2. Ayutthaya, the city of Gorgeousness, is one of Thailand’s major tourist attractions. This ancient city hides magnificent ruins which give you an idea about the splendor of its past. There is an impressive complex of old temples and monasteries.
You should spend there at least two or three days in order to have time to visit all those beautiful constructions, but if you don’t have enough time, there are some places that you should not miss: the Royal Summer Palace Bang Pa Inn, the temple Wat Maha That, the temple Wat Yai Chaimongkhon and the temple Wat Phanan Choeng.
It is important to respect their culture and their temples and to be appropriately dressed in order to avoid unpleasant situations. After you had seen the ruins you should spend some time in Ayutthaya Elephant Village, because it will be an amazing experience. They respect the elephant very much because it represents a symbol in their culture and they organize a lot of entertaining shows and lovely elephant rides.
You will be delighted by the presence of these lovely animals, because they are happy and funny and you will spend unforgettable moments with them. You can see the elephants playing football, bowling, basketball, dancing, sitting on chairs, painting, riding bikes or doing a lot of other interesting activities. You can also take funny pictures with them.
3. Koh Samet is a part of Rayong Province and it is heaven on earth. This special island hides breathtaking views .On this island you will feel like in a story, a beautiful story told in a lovely scenery where the jungle and the see are so close to each other. Koh Samet is a friendly island with a lot of wild landscapes that will delight you with its 15 white sandy beaches and with its exotic coral and crystal clear waters.
This is definitely a place you should not miss especially that it is very easy to get here from Bangkok or Pattaya. You can travel by car and then by ferry from the harbor. You should also take a ride with the off-road car in case you want to get from the harbor to the beach through the jungle. This will be a very special experience. Very close to the beach you will discover a complex of bungalows, where you can spend the night.
What can be more amazing than to wake up in the morning in a bungalow on the beach with the sun caressing your face? As I have already told you, everything seems to be cut from a story and in fact it is believed that once the island was the pirates’ home and for this reason there might be a lot of treasures hidden on the island. If you intend to visit Thailand, choose to spend at least a few days on this beautiful island which will offer you quite a few leisure activities on the beach: scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming.
4. The largest crocodile farm in the world, Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo, is an interesting place that you should not miss. It is easy to get there because the place is close to Bangkok. On this farm you can see a variety of animals such as: crocodiles, monkeys, elephants, lions, tigers, horses, hippos and a variety of birds too, the parrots being the funniest.
Crocodiles are the most important animals here and you will have the chance to see a lot of pools filled with crocodiles of all sizes. Other interesting things you can see on this farm are the crocodile and elephant shows. The performers are very well-prepared and most of the times they do dangerous tricks such as putting their head and arms in the crocodiles’ mouth or lying down while the elephants walk over them. The shows are very well organized and you will live funny moments during them. You can also take pictures with the elephants and the crocodiles. An unusual thing is that you can taste crocodile soup or other crocodile meat dishes.
5. Nong Nooch Village is a lovely botanical garden which hides amazing landscapes, a variety of tropical flowers and plants and exotic animals. It is very easy to get to this place from Pattaya. Everything is well preserved here and there are a lot of elements belonging to Thai culture.
You should spend at least one day in this garden because it is a place where you can see and do many interesting things. Among the things that you can do here are: Thai cultural shows, elephant shows, elephant riding, boating, bike rides or simply admire the colorful landscapes.
6. Koh Larn Coral Island is a beautiful island very close to Pattaya, where you can spend unforgettable moments. There you can choose from some activities such as: diving, snorkeling, glass-bottom boat tour, sea-kayaking, banana boat, parasailing, windsurfing and water skiing.You can also relax on one of the sandy beaches with clear waters.
As the name suggests, there are breathtaking coral reefs and for this reason big boats are not allowed to anchor near the beach. You will certainly live a very relaxing experience on this little island, away from the fuss of the city.
7. Thai traditional food is definitely a thing you should try, because it is delicious and also a very important part of their culture. It is said that in Thailand, in fact in all Asian countries, life expectancy is very high because of their healthy lifestyle. Their cuisine is based on vegetables, fruit, cereals, fish, seafood and chicken. The special flavor of the food is given by Thai sauces, herbs and spices. Thai people love the combination between spicy and sweet.
Rice is the most important dish in Thailand and there is “no meal without rice” as they say. A funny thing is that you can find rice even in McDonald’s. You can taste a lot of dishes there, but you should definitely try Massaman Curry and Tom Yum Kung. Massaman Curry is the king of curries, a combination between spicy and coconutty, both sweet and savory. Tom Yum Kung is a spicy clear soup with prawns made from a combination of special herbs and ingredients such as: chili peppers, lime juice, lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime.
8. Thai shows are essential for understanding and feeling Thai culture. These shows are a combination of historical sketches, traditional dances, animal performances and sketches about their habits. The setting is very beautiful and flaming with important traceries from Thai culture. It is an amazing experience and if you have the chance, you should go several times to such performances because, although the idea is the same, every show is unique. I suggest that you should see a show like this in a restaurant, too. They accustom to organize different shows in restaurants, especially for tourists.
9. Thai massage is a type of massage, developed in Thailand, which combines both the physical and the energetic aspect. This art is considered to be the stimulation of the five layers of the body: skin, tissue, veins, organs and bones. It has its roots in traditional medicine systems and it is focused on the energy lines of the body, in order to stimulate the blood flow throughout the body. You should not miss this experience because it is a source of energy and relaxation for both your body and mind.
10. Erotic shows or ping pong shows are a taboo subject, but it is said that you will not have a complete experience in Thailand, if you don’t watch such a show. Although it is officially prohibited under the Thai law, there is a high demand for these shows. If you want to see this type of show you should carefully choose the strip club you go to. It is important that it should be located in a good area, even if it might be more expensive.
All things considered, Thailand is really amazing and I am sure you will think the same after your own experience there.
