Thailand

Officially Kingdom of Thailand being its capital and most populous city Bangkok , center of its political, commercial, and industrial activity.

It is located east of the subregion the Southeast Asia , bordering on the east with Laos (much of this border is formed by the Mekong River ), to the southeast with Cambodia and the Gulf of Thailand , to the south with Malaysia and west with andaman sea and Burma .

It has an extension of 513,120 km² and about 65,500,000 inhabitants in 2011 (country number 20 most populous in the world ), which represents a population density of about 128 inhabitants/km².

The country was known as Siam and after some changes to “Thailand” in Spanish .

About 75% of the ethnic population is Thai , 14% is of Thai origin Chinese , and 3% is of Chinese origin malay ; the rest belong to minority groups including the Mons , Khmer and various hill tribes .

The official language of the country is Thai and the main religion is Buddhism , practiced by 95% of its population.

How to get to Thailand

Plane: the city of arrival is Bangkok with its Airports on Suvarnabhumi International Airport the main one that receives the majority of international and domestic flights and that is located 30km east of the city and the Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) which It is the old international airport. It is located 25km north of the city and where some international and local flights arrive.From Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok you can go by Train: the Airport Rail Link is the fastest and cheapest way, it takes about 25 minutes. By bus: the Airport Bus S1, which leaves every half hour, makes the transfer directly in just over an hour or in official taxis.

Bus: From neighboring countries: departing from Malaysia, arriving at the provinces of Songkhla, Narathiwat and Yala; from Laos, the Mekong River is crossed to the city of Nong Khai and then the trip continues to Udon Tnani; from Cambodia border towns are Aranyaprathet and Poipet but Myanmar is not recommended. because the immigration process is usually impractical.

Train: from Malaysia the border crossing is the town of Butterworth. From Kuala Lumpur or Singapore the journey is about 48 hours with transfers and stops. A more luxurious and expensive option is the Eastern & Oriental Express train. From Laos there is a 3.5 km long service that crosses the so-called "Friendship Bridge" with Thailand.

How to get around Thailand

Plane: in Thailand there are many airports so you can move around almost the entire country by plane.

Train: the trains are old fashioned and slow but comfortable and safe, so they can be interesting for covering long distances at night, thus saving time and money.

Buses: they are public and very cheap, but quite uncomfortable and make many stops. There are many private bus companies that make the most common routes for tourists, directly, in comfortable coaches and at good prices.

skytrain: It is an elevated train called BTS used in Bangkok. It has two lines and it is a very good option to avoid traffic jams in the city.

Subway: in Bangkok it was opened in 2004 in Bangkok and has only one line.

Tuk-tuk: They are motorcycles with a "rear" that constitute an alternative to taxis.

What to see in Thailand

bangkok

It is the perfect place to have that first contact with Southeast Asia, as it has more Western infrastructures than its neighboring countries and preserves a large part of its Eastern traditions. Thus, on the one hand, you will find a city full of contrasts with skyscrapers and modern shopping malls while on the other hand you will find ancient temples, amazing palaces full of history like its great Royal Palace (Grand Palace) and its magnificent Buddhist temples such as Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha). You can also visit the Chatuchak Market, travel by boat along its river and its canals (klongs) for which it is known as the Venice of the East and enjoy the views of the city from some of its viewpoints such as the Bayoke Tower or Sirocco

Chatuchak Market

Its large size and number of stalls more than 15,000 stores in 27 areas and countless products that you can find make it the ideal place to visit to buy all kinds of things (clothes, decoration, fakes, food, animals, handicrafts, etc.), one of the most famous markets in all of Asia. All the products you find in this market have a local price, not a tourist price; In Thailand it is customary to charge tourists a little more but in the Chatuchak market it is not usual. An important fact is that it is only open on weekends.

grand royal palace

It is one of the tourist jewels of the city, it is a complex of buildings in the heart of Bangkok and probably the most visited place in Thailand. The palace was the official residence of the king of the ancient kingdom of Siam since May 1782 when it was created by King Rama I who moved the capital of the ancient kingdom of Siam from Thonburi to Bangkok. The current king resides in the Chitralada Palace but the Royal Palace is the place where official events are held and is open to the public.

The Ruins of Ayuttaya

It is a complex of temples and stupas declared a World Heritage Site. located about 80 kilometers from Bangkok, in the valley of the Chao Phraya River, where you can see the remains of several temples that were built during the 12th and 13th centuries, when Ayutthaya was the second capital of the Kingdom of Siam after Sukhothai. It has several essential temples such as the Wat Phra Si Sanphet: the largest and best preserved in the complex; Wat Mahathat a famous Buddha figure entwined in the branches of a tree; Wat Chaiwatthanaram: furthest from the historic center of the Park formed by five main pagodas, four small ones and a tower and Wat Lokayasutharam with a reclining Buddha 37 meters long and 8 meters high; the largest in Ayutthaya

sukhothai

Located between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, you will find the ruins of Sukhothai. At a range of 12 kilometers from Sukhothai city what during the 13th and 14th centuries it was the capital of the kingdom of present-day Thailand. The main temples and places you can see in Sukhothai , they are the Wat Mahathat, the Wat Trapang Thong, the Wat Si Siwai, the Wat Si Hong, the Wat Si Sai and the Wat Shapan Hin that are distributed within a walled enclosure of 3 square kilometers.

chiang mai

Is the capital of the north, known as the "Rose of the North", where you will see incredible Buddhist temples and palaces, you will trek through mountains, rivers and jungle, as well as buy local handicrafts in markets, some of them at night, while enjoying the gastronomy in premises designed in the latest fashion. The main temples and places you can see They are the Golden Temple of Doi Suthep: place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from where you can see beautiful views of the city of Chiang Mai; the What Phra Singh Temple: which houses the Phra Singh Buddha, an important statue of Buddha and the Wat Chedi Luang Temple: located in the city center with his reclining golden Buddha.

chiang rai

Is the largest of the cities northern Thailand, not as touristy as Chiang Mai but has one of the most famous temples in the country which is the White Temple, Wat Rong Khun, with a different aesthetic from the traditional Thai temples that began to be built in 1997. Other interesting temples are the Museo Negro Temple, which stands out for its more than 40 black buildings; the Wat Phra Kaew Temple one of the oldest in the city made entirely of wood and the Wat Phra Singh Temple where there is a replica of a Buddha statue, the Phra Buddha Sihing. In the heart of the city of Chiang Rai you can enjoy Clock Tower beautiful at night due to the effect of its lights.

pai

It is a small hippie town of two streets located in the hills of northern Thailand, less known than Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, however with their own personality and with a lot of nature. Located three hours from Chiang Mai, it stands out for its local painting and craft stalls, wooden stalls serving vegetarian food, cafes, massage parlors and a night market. In the outskirts you can enjoy the waterfalls of Pam Bok Waterfall and Mor Paeng Waterfall, the Buddhist temple of Chedi Phra That Mae Yen with its Great White Buddha and the Chinese town of Santichon Village.

Khao Sok National Park

Located in Surat Thani province located in the south of Thailand, is an incredible and extensive nature reserve where you can walk through the jungle, enjoying a great diversity of flora and fauna, enter caves in limestone mountains such as Waranam Cave, go down rivers kayak or bamboo rafts and take a boat ride on the impressive Cheow Lan Lake. you can even spend the night in the floating cabins that surround the landscape.

Koh Tao Island

Located on the east coast and the cradle of diving, it is another of the most beautiful places to see in Thailand where Tourists have their first diving experience on this island, thanks to the visibility of its waters and the numerous diving schools that exist. Also you can enjoy of the island's beaches, such as Sairee, one of the liveliest, or the quiet Freedom Beach, Thian Og Bay, Tanote Bay, Thian Og Bay or Ao Leuk, as well as others that are only You can walk to Banana Rock, Mao Bay and Mango Bay.

Phi Phi Islands

It is about four islands Koh Phi Phi Don, Koh Phi Phi Leh, Koh Pai and Koh Yung or Mosquito Island located in an archipelago in the Andaman Sea that stand out for their paradisiacal beaches and transparent turquoise waters. They became famous when the film Leonardo Di Caprio's Beach at Maya Bay was filmed on the island of Koh Phi Phi Leh, Las dos with quieter beaches are Koh Pai and Koh Yung, while the largest island, Koh Phi Phi Don, is where the hotel infrastructure and restaurants are located and where you can enjoy a lively nightlife, especially in the Tonsai Beach area .

Phuket Island
It is the largest island in Thailand and is one of the most popular destinations among travelers who want to spend a few days on the Thai beaches. It has a good amount of resorts with spectacular beaches and exclusive beaches with the possibility of practicing water sports. The most prominent are: Patong Beach with a lot of nightlife; Karon Beach quieter than Patong but with many leisure options; Kata Beach ideal if you like surfing and Panwa Beach one of the most exclusive and quiet in Phuket

Krabi

It is a province in southern Thailand that offers beaches with calm waters and environment very nice with lush forests and spectacular limestone cliffs. You will find the quietest beaches in the Bay of Railay, to enjoy of the rocky and wild environment of Krabi province and his beautiful beaches like Tham Phra Nang which is one of the jewels of Railay or others like Ao Nang: a long beach with many entertainment options; Tubkaek: where luxury and exclusivity rule and Klong Muang: a beach with very few people.

Koh LiPe Island

It is a small island located in the southern Andaman Sea, known as the Thai Maldives, where you can find tranquility on its white sand beaches and its transparent turquoise waters. In addition to relaxing on its beaches, you can snorkel, kayak or scuba dive, take a boat trip to its neighboring islands or enjoy Thai food based on fish and seafood. Being a small island, you can get there on foot to lovely beaches like Sunrise, Pattaya and Sunset.

Click here for accommodation

Click here to purchase

Thai cuisine

The incredible diversity of Thai cuisine makes Thailand one of the most exciting countries in the world to visit. Thai cuisine encompasses dishes from four distinct regions: the Central Plains, the North, the Northeast, and the South. The unifying factor is the way each uses spicy, bitter, sweet and salty flavors to create vibrant and balanced flavors.

Pad Thai: Stir-fried rice noodles with chicken, shrimp or tofu and seasoned with fish sauce, soy sauce, egg, lime, chili and sugar. They are usually served with chopped peanuts on top.

Kuay Teow Lui Suan: rolls made with rice paper and stuffed with bean sprouts, lettuce and other vegetables.

Tom Yum Goong: Spicy soup served with shrimp, chilli, tomato, lime and mushrooms. It is eaten hot and its flavor is quite intense.

Tom Kha Kai: chicken (Kai), coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, coriander, mushrooms, fish sauce and lime juice. Fried chili peppers are also often added on top.

Kai Med Ma Muang: Stir-fried chicken with fried cashew nuts, along with other vegetables. It is fried in the wok and dressed with a delicious sauce based on soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. The sauce coats and caramelizes the chicken with the cashews.

Som Tum: green papaya, various fruits, vegetables with lime and chili, allows to get a rich contrast between acid and spicy; salted egg or small crab are often included as ingredients.

Khao niao Mamuang: sticky rice and coconut milk and served with mango. Dessert is common in summer since it is eaten cold and at this time is when the mango is at its best.

Durian ice cream: It is a typical fruit of Southeast Asia and, although its smell is not entirely pleasant, its flavor is very rich. Ice creams are made with this fruit mixed with coconut milk.

Nam Maphrao: name given to the coconut juice served inside the coconut itself. It is a very popular drink in Thailand; very cheap and easy to find on the beaches and practically anywhere.

Cha Yen: Thai tea served cold, poured over crushed ice. The tea is mixed with milk, either coconut milk or cow's milk and sweetened with sugar or other sweeteners.

Click here for restaurants

Reservá los mejores Paseos y Tours por Tailandia