THAILAND

Moving further north from Vietnam you will find a popular holiday destination known as Thailand. Thailand has been a popular meeting point for young and old travelers from all over the world because of its cheap living, many islands with crystal blue water and white sandy beaches.

Start your trip in the capital Bangkok where the atmosphere is totally different to the islands. While walking through the City, you see how most of the local population lives and how similar it is to the townships of South Africa. However, amongst all this poverty lives a thriving city, filled with smiling faces and honest people.

The temples that are on the river show you some of the most attractive architecture the world has to offer. Taking a boat trip around the rivers of Bangkok offers you a unique view of the city, visiting the floating market, seeing the monitor lizards swimming in the river thinking they are crocodiles and most of all just embracing the beauty that surrounds you.

When you visit Bangkok there are a few things that you have to experience yourself. Go to the main temple to see the Jade Buddha which is the largest solid piece of Jade stone known to man which has been carved into the shape the Buddha. I must recommend the tigers of the Buddhist Temple. The Buddhist monks live amongst the tigers as we do with our dogs and cats. It will change your entire view of these animals. The animals are very tame and there is a completely harmonious relationship between the monks and the big cats.   

Moving away from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok to the more tropical paradise setting is the best part of Thailand. Before visiting the smaller more intimate islands, make sure to stop at Phuket for a few nights. Phuket is a thriving town with one of the biggest party scenes in the whole of Thailand, with one entire street that makes Long Street in Cape Town seem like some small time alley way. The entire street is dedicated to the enjoyment of the foreigners. You can get lost there for hours on end. With every step there will be someone offering you either a suit, tattoo, cheap clothes, drinks specials or even the unwanted attention from some Lady Boys, depending on the time you are there.

While walking down the street make sure to know where your destination is otherwise, you may end up somewhere that is to disturbing for your eyes to handle. I am talking about lady boy alley, and if you are not concentrating it could be your worst nightmare. While in Phuket there will be something offered to you constantly called a “ping pong show”, if you have a strong stomach the maybe go for it but if not then make sure to never enter the room unless you want you mind to be scarred for life.  I will however leave the rest to your imagination but you have been warned! Once out of the highly populated area’s you will truly discover the beauty of Thailand.

From Chailong harbor in Phuket it is a 50 minute ferry trip to the beautiful and festive Island of Phi Phi. With the constant flow of tourists Phi Phi is a thriving islands with dive schools all over and hundreds of beach bars spread out over the beaches.

There are two separate beaches on Koh Phi Phi, there is Koh Phi Phi Don, which is a more built up area, and then there is Koh Phi Phi Leh where they filmed the movie “The Beach”. Maya Beach/Bay is a very popular tourist destination for tourists so they can go home and gloat about standing on the actual beach where the film took place. You can’t stay here for long but there is an option for a small amount of people to camp over for the night which will cost you about 2300 Baht.

However, if you are looking for something more than beautiful beaches then there are two specific Islands just for you.  Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. Koh Phangan is where the full moon and black moon parties are held every month. People from all over the world convene on a small island once or twice a month to enjoy one of the most surreal trance/beach parties the world has to offer.

Then there is Koh Tao with its two separate islands joined by a small walkway of sand that breaks the water’s surface, during low tide and that along with its beautiful beach bars and bungalows you may never want to leave. As the sun begins the set, the beach lights up with activity as tourists flood the beach bars and the locals provide the entertainment with their fire shows. Some of you may have seen Poi or fire dancing before but here in Thailand they show you how this unique tribal styled dance should be done.

Thailand is a very different country and a somewhere that you could never compare to any other country around the world. There are more and more people going there every year and I would recommend that you should become one of them before the country changes into something different.