In Thailand, all roads lead to Bangkok. Known in Thai as Krung Thep - City of the Angels - Bangkok is a stupendous city, the political, economic, cultural and spiritual capital of Thailand which, in turn, is the size of France and home to 62 million. From its origins in 1782 when King Rama I moved his palace from the east to the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok has spread omnivorously over the great flood plain.
In the last decade it has also grown vertically, with phalanxes of skyscrapers rearing into the heavens. Officially, the city has a population of six million, though it is probably more like eight - equal to New York. If Bangkok is the heart of Thailand, the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew are the heart of Bangkok.
The Grand Palace, built in 1882, is a imposing blend of Italian Renaissance and traditional Thai architecture. Wat Phra Kaew, adorned its 200-year old murals of the Ramakien (the Thai version of the Ramayana), is the repository of the nationally revered Emerald Buddha. Royal and religious functions come together in this complex of 100 buildings which present a stunning skyline of golden stupas, soaring spires, green and orange tiles, glittering mosaics.
Banglampoo, the oldest neighborhood in Bangkok, is home to dozens of historical temples and, ironically, Khao San Road, the backpacker haven featured in the film The Beach. From Banglampoo we can travel by express boat north to the provincial capital of Nonthaburi and south to Silom Road, the commercial hub of Bangkok. On this section of the river, a row of magnificent five-star hotels loom over the Chao Phraya. During national holidays, they serve as the venue for extravagant fireworks displays.
Known as "The Venice of the East", Bangkok is best toured by water: long-tailed boats that zip up picaresque canals by day and sumptuous riverboats that cruise the Chao Phraya by night, replete with restaurants and dance bands.Overnight trips can be arranged on luxury rice barges upriver to the ruins of the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, sacked by the Burmese in 1767.
Modern Bangkok is famed for its nightlife, of course, but less known is its eminence as a shopping Mecca. Shopping for silks, antiques, artwork, gems, jewelry ranges from such luxury venues as the River City complex on the Chao Phraya to the earthy open-air Chatuchak Market, packed to the gills on weekends and selling everything under the sun. Finally, Bangkok is a world-class city for cuisine. Scores of nationalities run their own restaurants while, as the world has learned, Thai food is incomparable, served in palatial mansions and sidewalk stalls and sprawling riverside emporiums.
Though a bustling modern metropolis, Bangkok does have its secluded areas of bucolic charm. Once infamous for its traffic jams, Bangkok has also made great strides in recent years with new expressways and the supremely efficient Skytrain which whisks visitors through the major areas of the metropolis. Bangkok is also the nation's transportation hub -road, rail and air- and a gateway for the entire Southeast Asian region. Within easy reach, for example are such Unesco- listed World Heritage sites as Thailand's first capital of Sukhothai, Luang Prabang in Laos, Hue in Vietnam, and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
Moving out from Bangkok to the four points of the compass, we can explore the vast diversity of Thailand. Chiang Mai, in the cool highlands 700 km northwest of Bangkok, is the cultural capital of North Thailand, its original city walls dating from 1296. It is also the capital of the Thai handicrafts industry. Chiang Mai's many days markets and famous Night Bazaar are crammed with antiques, Celedon ceramics, hand-crafted pottery, lacquerware, basketry, cotton and silk textiles, silverwork and wood carvings.
Chiang Mai is also home to 300 temples, many buildings of historical interest, a well-appointed museum and zoo. The mountain peak of Doi Suthep, rising 1700 meters above the city, is crowned by the spectacular Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, established in 1383. This affords a spectacular view of the city and countryside below.
For accommodations there are hideaways built in traditional style, both in the city centre and the rolling countryside beyond. From Chiang Mai and other northern cities - Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Nan - we can arrange treks to isolated hill tribe villages - Akha, Lahu, Lisu, Mien, Karen - and rafting trips down the many scenic rivers of the region. Other off-the-beaten track attractions are the many hill tribe projects sponsored by Thailand's Royal Family.
Just west of Chiang Mai is the Doi Inthanon National Park, named for Thailand's highest mountain (2,600 meters). Three waterfalls cascade down its slopes, home to the Hmong and Karen tribes. The park is the habitat of the largest concentration of birds in Thailand, some 400 species in all, along with 75 mammalian species: Asiatic black bear, monkeys, gibbons, barking deer and giant flying squirrel.
Southeast of Chiang Mai, in the province of Phitsanulok, the Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park has an interesting history. It's rugged mountains and jungle formed the hideout of the Communist Party of Thailand (CPT) from 1967 until the insurgency's demise in 1982. The ruined headquarters complex now houses a museum of CPT artifacts. With the collapse of the CPT, the this area of pristine forest became a popular national park with many hiking trails and waterfalls.
Thailand's Wild West is just a short road or rail trip from Bangkok: the virgin forests of Kanchanaburi sprawling along the Burmese border. This was the site of the infamous Death Railway of World War II. A museum is dedicated to the thousands of Allied war prisoners who died here, while a sound and light show is performed over the Bridge of the River Kwai each evening.
East of Bangkok is Thailand's oldest National Park, Khao Yai (Big Mountain). On the northern side of Khao Yai stretches the Korat Plateau, the heart of the Essarn or Northeast region of Thailand. Essarn people speak a distinct dialect closely related to Lao and have a rich tradition of music, dance and folklore. Long ignored by the tourist industry, Essarn is the site of the greatest folk festivals in Thailand: the Elephant Roundup in Surin and Yasothon Rocket Festival.
Moving toward the Cambodian border, we can explore the Khmer sanctuaries of Phimai, Phanom Rung and Preah Vihear, while dropping in on villages that specialize in the production of mudmee silk, ceramics and silverwork. The border crossing at Chong Mek is also an ideal jumping off point for an exploration of southern Laos.
And finally we head south from Bangkok to Thailand's exquisite white-sand beaches. The country's long narrow southern peninsula is bounded on the east by the Gulf of Thailand, on the west by the Andaman Sea.
Four hours south of Bangkok is Thailand's oldest seaside resort, Hua Hin, which was transformed from a fishing village to a summer home for aristocrats when King Rama VII settled in his seafront palace of Klai Kangwon in 1928. Over the past decade, high-rise five-star hotels have reared up along the shore but the architectural jewel of Hua Hin remains the Railway Hotel. Built in 1922, the hotel is a wooden marvel of high-ceilinged chambers, spacious balconies, gingerbread trim, surrounded by acres of tropical gardens and topiary hedges. It was used as the Hotel Le Phnom in the filming of The Killing Fields.
Nearby the casuarina-shaded beach of Cha-am is famed as a weekend getaway for Thai students. Both Cha-am and Hua Hin serve as restful retreats for Thai families from Bangkok. Two hundred miles further south in Surat Thani province, the large island of Koh Samui has for three decades been the Mecca for globe-trotting backpackers. There are direct flight from Bangkok while other travelers prefer the more leisurely sleeper train and ferry route.
The soaring popularity of Koh Samui's two main beaches, Chawaeng and Lamai, has transformed the island's economy from coconuts to tourism while the original A-frame bungalows of coconut wood have long been supplanted by middle-class and luxury resorts. The demographics have changed too as the original backpacker clientele return each year with their growing families.
Koh Pha-ngan, to the north, still caters to the young backpacker set and is the scene each month for a bacchanalian "Full Moon Party" of loud music and dancing on the beach. Further north is Koh Tao which has been extensively developed for scuba diving and snorkeling expeditions to a host of coral islands.
From Koh Samui, tour boats also leave for day-long excursions to the 40 small islands of Ang Thong National Park, a wonder of limestone cliffs, turquoise lagoons and alabaster beaches. Two hundred kilometers further down the coast of South Thailand, off the beaten tourist track, is the picturesque fishing town of Songkhla, an amalgam of Mediterranean pastel villas and traditional Sino-Thai architecture. The casuarina-shaded Samila beach is of favorite for Thai and Malaysian tourists alike.
Moving west across the peninsula, we come to the Pearl of the Andaman: the island of Phuket. Five million visitors a year, many flying directly from Europe, attest to the popularity of Phuket. There is a beach for every taste. Patong, the largest, is famed for its nightlife, while Kata and Karon cater for family groups and laid-back Club Med types. Ultra-luxury resorts on isolated beaches cater to rock stars and royalty.
Every conceivable activity is available on Phuket, from jet-skiing and para-sailing to horse and elephant riding. It is Thailand's capital for yachting, diving and golf. A boat trip away are the startling island group of Koh Phi Phi and the kharst outcroppings of Krabi. Especially popular are kayak tours of the hidden lagoons and limestone grottos of Phang-nga Bay.
Much less developed are the islands off the provincial capital of Trang. For those not requiring resort luxury or taken aback by a boat journey rather than instant access by plane, the isolated islands of Koh Kradan, Koh Ngai, Koh Sukorn and Koh Tarutao offer world class beaches, turquoise seas and great snorkeling.
Though less known than its beaches, South Thailand's magnificent National Parks will delight nature enthusiasts. Bird watchers should not miss Songkhla's Thale Noi Lake, the largest waterfowl reserve in Thailand, a haven for more than 187 species of migratory and indigenous birds.
For serious hikers, a three day trek up to the top of Khao Luang will allow them to camp out in one of Asia's oldest eco-systems. Possibly the most visited national park in the South is Khao Sok. Its karst outcroppings can best be seen while on a boat trip on the Raja Praba Lake, while comfortable jungle lodges on the edge of the park offer good accomodations.
From Phuket International Airport there are connections to nearly everywhere in the world. Hat Yai, in the middle of the peninsula, is the transportation hub of South Thailand. From here rail and road connections lead south to Malaysia and Singapore and north back up to Bangkok.
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