Thailand Travel: Visit Chiang Mai

You’ll find Thailand has much to offer NZ travellers from historic culture, exotic beaches, lively arts, modern nightlife, and delicious cuisine to the tradition of friendliness and hospitality to visitors. Bordering Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, Thailand has managed to maintain its cultural identity and can boast being the only country in South East Asia that has never been colonised.

A Thailand travel highlight would definitely be Chiang Mai, the capital of the north, regarded as the cultural heart of Thailand. Once a quaint, moated and walled city, Chiang Mai has become a modern cosmopolitan hub exhibiting many of the hallmarks of the contemporary world.

The city boasts more than 300 temples – almost as many as Bangkok – a fact which makes it particularly striking. Climb the summit of Doi Suthep, with its glittering gold temple Wat Phra Thai Doi Suthep, which offers sweeping views over the city and plains below. Explore the temples and markets before heading into the mountains to trek to hilltribe villages, ride elephants through the jungle, and float down river on bamboo rafts.

Chiang Mai is the gateway to Chiang Rai, located in Thailand’s most northerly province. Chiang Rai makes a convenient base for exploring further into the ‘Golden Triangle’, an area that has for years produced almost half of the world’s opium supply, located near the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar (Burma). Sukhothai and Ayuthaya are also worth a visit; both are former capitals of the Kingdom and home to Buddhist monuments older than Angkor.

Thailand Travel: The River Kwai

The River Kwai region is another fascinating place to for NZ travellers to explore – visit the Bridge over the River Kwai and the JEATH (Japan, England, Australia, Thailand and Holland) War Memorials from the days of Japanese occupation during World War II.

Relax in Kanchanaburi, one of the country’s more temperate areas, resplendent with natural beauty. And one can’t forget the beaches and national parks for which the country is famous – kayaking in Khao Yai or sunbathing on Koh Samui offer amazing respites, as does Krabi, home to stunning limestone mountains jutting out of an azure sea, or Phuket’s beaches, restaurants and nightlife…and there are still so many more destinations to appeal to the interests of any NZ traveller!

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Thailand Travel: A Diversity Of Experiences
Thailand Travel