With over six 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 fifty-three 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: ninety
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 in
bucketloads 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 popular 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
backpackers' 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 Laem Phra 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 not so
easy, but there are two crossings currently open, Poipet and
Trat.
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
October. The Gulf coast (Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao) gets
hardly any rain between June and September, but is hit by the
northeast monsoon, which brings rain between October and January.
This area also suffers less from the southwest monsoon, getting a
relatively small amount of rain.