Maps & Info - Thailand

A distant culture with a rich varied heritage, natural landscape that ranges from exotic beaches to forested hills Thailand is a kaleidoscope of sights and scenes. Celebrating more than 700 years of independance the people in Thailand are Buddhist's and have a great love for their royal family. Any land which manages to maintain such belief's and traditions and host nearly 6million visitors a year surely has some magic left to offer.

The Thai people are renowned for their friendliness and hospitality to strangers and I found them very calm happy lovely people on the whole.

Sea Dragon Dive Centre. Khao Lak. This is where I will be from Nov 2003 onwards. If you fancy doing some diving then come me and the gang. I already have some friends coming out for Xmas so more the merrier but book early! Sea Dragon was the first Dive Center in Khao Lak. Originally started small, with just 5 sets of equipment, ten tanks and three staff, but have expanded at an amazing rate, year after year, thanks to the recommendations and frequent return of past customers They are obviously doing something right. http://www.seadragondivecenter.com/index.htm

Phuket style website has some great maps & photos of the similan islands here http://www.pktcoms.com/similan-surin.htm

Bangkok Bangkok is pretty amazing. We stayed in the baiyoke suite hotel which is an enormous tower block near the world trade center. Well known for its street markets, bazaar and local vendors. Bargain prices for T shirts, jeans, shoes, calculators, watches, jewellry and souvenirs. The World Trade centre has cinemas and an ice skating rink, and Chinatown so we were not short of things to do. We also did the quick tour of the city's temples. My favourite was Wat Phra Chetuphon, which is more commonly known by its old name of Wat Po. Most western tourists don't get past the temple's huge reclining Buddha, but there is actually much more to see than the one colossal statue.The temple is actually much older than the city of Bangkok itself. It was founded in the 17th century, making it the oldest temple in Bangkok.

My experience in Thailand (Tonya)

I had am amazing time in Thailand. I found the people to be very friendly and calm. I can without doubt say that this is a place where I found my smile, where I found some peace and I long to go back. I will go back too !! The beaches were amazing of course but more than that the wonder at being in a place where crime was not rife amongst the peoples of the country. Where family mattered. Where friends and community means something as does trust and friendship. A simpler life not surrounded by materialism. I guess essentially Buddha was a hippy maybe that helps. For me and I think for a lot of the people I met travelling this was a place to slow life down and be at peace. With yoursefl without the profile and trappings and concerns of your life in the so called civilised world !