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THAILAND

CHINA WILLIAMS MARK BEALES, TIM BEWER, CATHERINE BODRY,

AUSTIN BUSH, BRANDON PRESSER

00a-prelims-dc-tha1.indd 1 20/11/2009 4:15:29 PM

p279COAST

ANDAMAN

p239GULF COAST

p217THAILAND

SOUTHEASTERNp51

BANGKOK

p123THAILANDCENTRAL

p191THAILAND

NORTHEASTERN

p97CHIANG MAI

p143THAILANDNORTHERN

2


DISCOVER THAILAND

Andaman Coast (p279) Dramatically punc-tuated with limestone mountains and cliffs, and home to top-tier beach resorts.

Gulf Coast (p239) Beaches of all shapes and sizes await, from matronly Hua Hin to youthful Ko Tao.

Southeastern Thailand (p217) Fishing towns and jungle islands provide week-end getaways from Bangkok.

Northeastern Thailand (p191) Peppered with Khmer ruins, old-folk ways and sleepy Mekong towns.

Northern Thailand (p143) Historic cities, isolated mountain towns, hill-tribe villages and partying Pai.

Central Thailand (p123) With ancient ruins, WWII sites and the rugged western frontier.

Bangkok (p51) Thailand’s hip and hap-pening city has it all: temples, super-sized shopping and 24/7 entertainment.

Chiang Mai (p97) Provides cultural pursuits, mountain escapes and historic temples.

3


CONTENTS

4


THIS IS THAILAND 10

THAILAND’S TOP 25 EXPERIENCES 13

THAILAND’S TOP ITINERARIES 31

PLANNING YOUR TRIP 39

BANGKOK 51BANGKOK HIGHLIGHTS 54BANGKOK’S BEST… 60THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 61DISCOVER BANGKOK 62Sights 63Activities 70Walking Tour 71Courses 72Bangkok for Children 72Tours 73Sleeping 73Eating 82Drinking 86Entertainment 87Shopping 90Getting There & Away 92Getting Around 94

CHIANG MAI 97CHIANG MAI HIGHLIGHTS 100CHIANG MAI’S BEST… 104THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 105DISCOVER CHIANG MAI 106Sights 106Walking Tour 112Activities 112Courses 113Sleeping 114Eating 116Drinking 118Entertainment 119Shopping 119

Getting There & Away 120Getting Around 122

CENTRAL THAILAND 123CENTRAL THAILAND HIGHLIGHTS 126CENTRAL THAILAND’S BEST… 130THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 131CENTRAL THAILAND ITINERARIES 132DISCOVER CENTRAL THAILAND 134AYUTHAYA PROVINCE 134Ayuthaya 134LOPBURI PROVINCE 137Lopburi 137KANCHANABURI PROVINCE 138Kanchanaburi 138Around Kanchanaburi 139Thong Pha Phum 141Sangkhlaburi 141Around Sangkhlaburi 142

NORTHERN THAILAND 143NORTHERN THAILAND HIGHLIGHTS 146NORTHERN THAILAND’S BEST… 150THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 151NORTHERN THAILAND ITINERARIES 152DISCOVER NORTHERN THAILAND 154LAMPHUN PROVINCE 154Lamphun 154LAMPANG PROVINCE 154Lampang 154CHIANG RAI PROVINCE 157Chiang Rai 157Around Chiang Rai 162Mae Salong (Santikhiri) 162Mae Sai 164Around Mae Sai 165Chiang Saen 165PHITSANULOK PROVINCE 167Phitsanulok 167SUKHOTHAI PROVINCE 171Sukhothai 171Around Sukhothai 177

5


KAMPHAENG PHET PROVINCE 178Kamphaeng Phet 178MAE HONG SON PROVINCE 180Mae Hong Son 180Pai 184Soppong & Around 188Mae Sariang 188

NORTHEASTERN THAILAND 191NORTHEASTERN THAILAND HIGHLIGHTS 194NORTHEASTERN THAILAND’S BEST… 198THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 199NORTHEASTERN THAILAND ITINERARIES 200DISCOVER NORTHEASTERN THAILAND 202NAKHON RATCHASIMA PROVINCE 202Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) 202Around Nakhon Ratchasima 203Khao Yai National Park 205BURIRAM PROVINCE 207Nang Rong 207SURIN & SI SAKET PROVINCES 208Surin 208Around Surin 211UBON RATCHATHANI PROVINCE 211Ubon Ratchathani 211NONG KHAI PROVINCE 214Nong Khai 214

SOUTHEASTERN THAILAND 217SOUTHEASTERN THAILAND HIGHLIGHTS 220SOUTHEASTERN THAILAND’S BEST… 224THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 225SOUTHEASTERN THAILAND ITINERARIES 226DISCOVER SOUTHEASTERN THAILAND 228CHONBURI PROVINCE 228Si Racha 228Ko Si Chang 228Ban Phe 229RAYONG PROVINCE 229

Ko Samet 229CHANTHABURI PROVINCE 232Chanthaburi 232TRAT PROVINCE 233Trat 233Ko Chang 233Around Ko Chang 237

GULF COAST 239GULF COAST HIGHLIGHTS 242GULF COAST’S BEST… 246THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 247GULF COAST ITINERARIES 248DISCOVER THE GULF COAST 250PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN PROVINCE 250Hua Hin 250Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park 252Prachuap Khiri Khan 252CHUMPHON PROVINCE 253Chumphon 253SURAT THANI PROVINCE 254Ko Samui 254Ko Pha-Ngan 264Ko Tao 272Surat Thani 276

ANDAMAN COAST 279ANDAMAN COAST HIGHLIGHTS 282ANDAMAN COAST’S BEST… 288THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 289ANDAMAN COAST ITINERARIES 290DISCOVER THE ANDAMAN COAST 292PHANG-NGA PROVINCE 292Khao Sok National Park 292Khao Lak & Around 292Surin Islands Marine National Park 294Similan Islands Marine National Park 295PHUKET PROVINCE 295Phuket 295KRABI PROVINCE 309Krabi Town 309Ao Nang 310

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Railay 311Ko Phi-Phi Don 313Ko Phi-Phi Leh 316Ko Lanta 316

THAILAND IN FOCUS 321ARCHITECTURE 322ARTS 326CULTURE & CUSTOMS 334ENVIRONMENT 339FAMILY TRAVEL 343FOOD & DRINK 345HISTORY 350RELIGION 361

DIRECTORY & TRANSPORT 367

GLOSSARY 392

BEHIND THE SCENES 394

INDEX 400

MAP LEGEND 408

p279COAST

ANDAMAN

p239GULF COAST

p217THAILAND

SOUTHEASTERNp51BANGKOK

p123THAILANDCENTRAL

p191THAILAND

NORTHEASTERN

p97CHIANG MAI

p143THAILANDNORTHERN

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Thailand is lucky. It has the looks, the temperament and the attractions to capture the world’s imagination for an exotic escape. It is mysterious and confounding but approachable and inviting. Hospitality is a genuine art, crafted by a culture that takes pride in putting people at ease.

The tranquil southern coastlines, with their picturesque interplay of sand and sea, mas-sage away modern worries like only tropical isles can. And the culture that has been napping under these coconut trees for generations has a knack for fun.

The charismatic culture pulls visitors away from the islands and the exciting city of Bangkok to ancient kingdoms where surviving Buddha figures meditate serenely amongst the wreckage of war and gravity. The trail leads to Chiang Mai, a historic city at the threshold of the northern mountains that fuses Thailand to its ancestral roots in southern China. The tropics become tempered among the mountains where cool-weather flowers flourish and where nationless minority hill tribes eke out a subsistence existence. The interplay of border cultures, the quiet misty mornings and the daily

THIS IS THAILAND

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00b-this-is-dc-tha1.indd 10 19/11/2009 1:33:27 PM

routines compel visitors to trundle through Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son Provinces absorbing the landscape through a bus window.

In the northeastern corner of the country, the landscape extends to the horizon in a checkerboard of rice fields. This is Thailand’s most traditional region, best viewed dur-ing a local festival when the folk beliefs are on full display. The Khmer empire built an ancient high-way of remarkable monuments through this rural region, leaving the local people to credit some sort of supernatural force. The Mekong River carves out another thoroughfare that is dotted by riverside towns mimicking its languid character.

In every corner of the kingdom, Thais concoct a flavourful feast from simple ingredients and demonstrate daily examples of how to be at peace with the world around them. Those who come only for themselves leave with memories of gratitude and generosity imparted by their hosts.

‘The southern coastlines massage away modern worries like only tropical isles can’

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00b-this-is-dc-tha1.indd 11 19/11/2009 1:33:30 PM

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