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THAILAND
With over nine million foreigners flying into
the country each year, Thailand has become Asia's
primary holiday destination and is a useful and
popular first stop on any overland journey through
Southeast Asia. The influx of tourist cash has
played a significant part in the country's recent
development, yet Thailand's cultural integrity
remains largely undamaged. In this country of
sixty-two million people, over ninety percent
are practising Theravada Buddhists, and King Bhumibol
is a revered figure across his nation.
Tiered temple rooftops and saffron-robed monks
dominate every vista, and, though some cities
and beach resorts are characterized by high-rises
and neon lights, the typical Thai community is
the traditional farming village: over fifty percent
of Thais still earn their living from the land.
Most journeys start in Bangkok. Thailand's huge,
noisy, polluted capital can be an overwhelming
introduction to Southeast Asia, but there are
traveller-oriented guesthouses aplenty here, and
heaps of spectacular temples to visit. It's also
the best place for arranging onward travel and
visas for neighbouring countries. A popular side-trip
from the city takes in the raft houses of Kanchanaburi,
the infamous site of the Bridge over the River
Kwai. After Bangkok, most travellers head north,
sometimes via the ancient capitals of Ayutthaya
and Sukhothai, to the enjoyably laid-back city
of Chiang Mai, where they organize treks to nearby
hilltribe villages. There's tranquil countryside
by the bucketload up in the northern highlands
around Mae Hong Son and along the Mekong River
in Thailand's northeast (Isaan), where you can
stay in village guesthouses and hop across the
border into Laos.
The northeast is the least visited area of Thailand,
but holds two fine ancient Khmer ruins at Phimai
and Phanom Rung, and the country's most accessible
national park, Khao Yai. After trekking and rural
relaxation, most visitors want to head for the
beach – and Thailand's eastern and southern coasts
are lined with gorgeous white-sand shores, aquamarine
seas and kaleidoscopic reefs. The most popular
of these are the east-coast backpacker resorts
of Ko Samet and Ko Chang, the Gulf coast islands
of Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao, and the Andaman
coast idylls of Ao Nang, Ko Phi Phi, Ko Lanta
and Ko Tarutao.
The southern island of Phuket and the east-coast
resort of Pattaya are more expensive, package-tour-oriented
spots. In the deep south, Thailand merges almost
seamlessly with Malaysia, and there are plenty
of border crossing points here; the city of Hat
Yai in particular offers convenient long-distance
bus and rail links to many Malaysian towns. Getting
into Cambodia overland is more tortuous, but there
are two crossings currently open, at Aranyaprathet
and Ban Hat Lek. The climate of most of Thailand
is governed by three seasons: rainy (roughly June
to October), caused by the southwest monsoon;
cool (November to February); and hot (March to
May). The cool season is the pleasantest time
to visit and the most popular. Christmas is peak
season, when accommodation gets booked way ahead
and prices rise significantly. In the hot season,
temperatures can rise to 40°C. The rainy season
hits the Andaman coast (Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi)
harder than anywhere else in the country – heavy
rainfall usually starts in May and persists at
the same level until November. The Gulf coast
(Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao) gets much less
rain between June and September, but is also hit
by the northeast monsoon, which brings rain between
October and January.
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