‘An
ancient land of grace and harmony'
Where else but here can you cruise on a converted rice barge, visit
upriver in a long-tail boat and take a white-knuckle ride on a bamboo
raft, then stay in jungle tree homes, as guests of hilltribe villagers,
or on raft houses floating on a river? Also worth trying are the trails
that lead deep into the jungle past peaceful waterfalls, and the
simple beauty of the sea lapping onto endless soft white sand.
Travellers will enjoy the beauty of the Golden
Triangle's temples and remote hill tribes in the north of Chiang
Mai, the beaches of Pattaya and more
spotless Krabi and Phuket, and the lively Bangkok
with its modern high-rise buildings juxtaposed against the
exclusive beauty of the beaming Grand Palace. In every town,
village and city, visitors will easily find the street markets crammed
with all kinds of goods, where good-natured bartering is the norm.
Early morning Thai people offer arms to the saffron-robed monks who leave the sanctuary of their
temples (wats), be it in a dusty
village or on crowded city streets. Buddhism is a way of
life and with the respect the people have for the monarchy,
a dynasty that has maintained the independence of the country for
centuries, the result for Thai people is a blend of tradition with contemporary
living. |
