Thailand Travel Guide - Sightseeing in Thailand

Temples or Wat

There are thousands of temples, or wat, in Thailand. Some of these vary in style and size but according to the principles of Buddhist architecture, the structures within a temple should include a bot, or ubosot, for religious ceremonies such as ordinations, a wihan to house various Buddha images and for laypersons to take part in religious services, a Sala kanparien which is a large meeting hall which is not only used for religious services but also sometimes as a social or civic center, a mondop for storing the Buddhist scriptures, chedi for housing sacred relics or images, a ho rakang, or belfry, to sound the time for ceremonies, prayers, etc. and kuti where the monks live. Some may also have a library, a crematorium and a school.

Bangkok Hotels and Accommodation
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Chiang Mai Hotels and Resorts
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Islands & Beaches

Thailand is surrounded by water with the South China and Andaman Seas lapping its coastlines and the Mekong and Salaween Rivers forming boundaries. For marine activities there are yachting, sports fishing and scuba diving at many locations. The major resort areas in Phuket, Samui Island and Pattaya have many "dive shops" that can organize diving tours as well as certified PADI and NAUI courses for beginners.

There are two dive seasons, namely October to April in the Andaman Sea and May to September in the Gulf of Thailand, making Thailand an all year dive location. The Andaman Sea locations are Lanta, Similan, Racha, Phi Phi, Lanta, Tarutao Islands as well as Phuket. In the Gulf of Thailand, the most popular dive spots are the coast of Chumpon province such as Tao and Nangyuan Islands, Samui and Phangan Islands and in the eastern region, Pattaya and the islands of Larn, Samed and Chang. Moving inland you can try your hand at fishing, white water rafting, floating downstream on a raft hotel or taking a cruise on the Mekong River and visiting Thailand and Laos.

Krabi Hotels and Resorts
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Natural & Parks

Watch the sun rise above the mist-filled valley or camp by the salt lick to observe natural animal behavior. Or paddle a small canoe through the wetlands to photograph migrating birds. Happiness comes naturally in the diverse national parks of Thailand. National Parks, in the sense of protected areas, play significant roles in maintaining ecological stability and preserving biological diversity. These protected areas also are excellent places for recreation and education. Up to now, the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department has established 122 national parks and 26 marine national parks. The national parks in Thailand cover a variety of environments. These include marine, island, coastal wetlands, inland wetlands, tropical rain forests and deciduous mountain forests.

Depending on the environment of each park, the range of activities that will bring you happiness include bird and butterfly watching, observing the unique flowers, trekking, diving, cave touring, rock climbing, rafting, photography, animal watching and star gazing on clear nightss.

Rayong Hotels and Resorts
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Shopping & Bargains

Shopping! Shopping! Shopping! To some it never ends. Particularly in Thailand. There are so many bargains to be found, not only at the traditional handicraft markets but also in the modern shopping complexes purveying international fashion. Thai silk has to be on the top of everyone's shopping list while other "must buy" items include jewelry, silverware, bronzeware and ceramics.

In the wake of unprecedented economic growth, Thailand has become one of Southeast Asia's most popular shopping paradise. With commodities as well as markets becoming more sophisticated, the serious shopper can expect to find not only Thailand's well-known host of unique handicrafts, but also a superb choice of luxury buys. All items are distinguished by fine Thai workmanship, the result of both time-honored crafts and of modern technological skills.