Holiday & Travel Guide For Thailand

Thailand is an Asian country that used to be Siam, but is now an independent country that has borders with many other Asian countries, including Burma, Malaysia and Cambodia. The capital of the country is Bangkok, which is a great fusion of everything that you could look for when wanting to experience the country, as it is both traditional and modern and has Eastern and Western influences there, which blend harmoniously.

In the capital, you can visit the largest crocodile farm in the world and so get up close and personal with one of the major hunters of nature. You should without a doubt visit the famous floating market of Bangkok though if you take either a day trip there, or stay in the area. You have to do this by boat, and can pick up a large variety of items, before heading off down some of the branching off canals if you wish to. These 'klongs', as they are known in the area, have houses lined up along the sides of them, so you can see some typical Thai sites that relate to the residents of the country. Siam Ocean World, in Bangkok, is also a good site and allows you to swim with sharks and makes sure that you are safe doing so. This can be a real experience, so if you are a nature lover and like swimming, take on the challenge, it is also a nice break if you are there on a hot day. Finally, in the centre there is also another tourist attraction that you will love; Journey to the Enchanted Kingdom of Thailand will teach you all about the culture of the area and give you a real education, through some fantastic performances.

At night, experience some famous Bangkok nightlife, by paying a trip to the Calypso Cabaret, where Bangkok 'Lady Boys' will entertain you for hours. This is something that may not be to the taste of everyone, but it can be a real experience of one of the things Thailand is famous for now in the modern world. There are other places that will have similar entertainment of course, so have a look down the bustling streets at night times and you are sure to find something you fancy.

If you like nature, go to Kanchanaburi, where you can take rafts down the river and admire the wildlife. You will also see an amazing Thai site if you take this excursion, as the famous River Kwai Bridge, which has even had a film made about it, is situated there. Built in the second world war by prisoners, this is something that has a lot of human history to it, and should be respected with a visit if you are in Thailand.

If you remain around the Bangkok area you will not go far wrong or get bored. There are plenty of tourist attractions and aspects of nature to take in, and you can get a real sense of the country for what it is. Make sure you taste real Thai cuisine and take in the culture while you can.

Please note at the time of publishing this article (May 2010) Thailand was experiencing a number of problems. Before travelling or considering a holiday to Thailand please take professional advice.

Happy Holidays

Trevor Butler, co-founder and owner of holidayholiday.co.uk, specialists in cheap holidays and last minute holidays worldwide.

Thailand Holiday Packages

It used to be that Mauritius was the most popular tourist destination for South Africans, and Mauritius was far ahead of any competitor region. However that all seems to be changing. Over the past few years, more and more South Africans are choosing to travel to Thailand instead. But just what is the appeal of this small South East Asian country.

There are a few reasons why South African's consider going to Thailand. The flight time is a little longer than most would fly when flying to Mauritius and the flight is almost always more expensive. However once you are there, prices are substantially cheaper. This is due to two reasons. One, the country as a whole is still quite undeveloped and so prices are quite low in comparison to other more tourist-developed countries. Second, the prices are in Thai Baht (the local currency) which has a favourable exchange rate with the South African Rand. In Mauritius, most places will charge tourists in US Dollars, making it quite expensive once you are there. The cheapness of Thailand was one of the major first aspects of it that drew tourists there. Initially these were mainly backpackers and young people taking a gap year. However, things have changed and, although still popular with the backpacker-type, it is becoming a popular destination for young couples as well as families. Apart from the affordability of Thailand, another big drawing card is the raw beauty of the country. Yes there are quite developed areas like Bangkok, but the islands are still mostly undeveloped and have that natural beauty.

The typical trip to Thailand will include landing in Bangkok and spending a few days there. Then people usually go off to one of the islands like Phi Phi, Phuket, Lanta etc. People may even choose to hop from around a few islands. After that, they will head back to Bangkok, do some shopping, and then head home.

Marc writes about Thailand holiday packages on his site, as well as holiday packages to many other destinations around Africa and the world.

Holiday Rental in View Talay 3 - Jomtien Pattaya Thailand

View Talay 3 is located in Pratanack and sits on the beach front near Dongtan Jomtien. It is the only View Talay that can be called truly beach front location. From the condo you can stroll down to the beach front through gated entrance. The location of VT3 is quite and peaceful and is approximately 1 ½ Km from Thrappraya road which is the main road into Jomtien and Pattaya. The standard room size is 48sqm but some owners have joined two or more units together. All the apartments have large spacious balconies to sit out on and enjoy a drink with out feeling cramped.

Normally the choice would be to rent on the Pattaya side as it does not get to hot but the views are not so good so most people prefer the Jomtien side where you have good views of the beach and islands. The pool is located close to the beach which means you can have a swim and still hear the sound of the waves. The pool area also has a restaurant serving both Thai and western food. The restaurant is open plan and has breeze from the beach. Very relaxing.

Inside View Talay 3A is a mini mart with all the basic things you require for a holiday but if you require more then the food mart in Jomtien is not far away. As a beach side holiday rental View Talay 3 is perfect but a point worth considering is. If you want to go into town a lot then transportation is not as readily available here as say View Talay 1, 2, 5, 6 or 7 Unless you don't mind hopping on the back of a motor bike taxi.

The average cost of a 48sqm rental is between 19000 and 23000Baht and if your thinking about buying. Between 2.5 and 3.5 Million Baht. So View Talay 3 is a great beach side location but if you want easy access into Pattaya and Jomtien then please consider the transportation. This is a great location for the beach lover who doesn't want long walks or roads to cross to get to the beach.

The author of this article is James Lamborn from Thaiholidayhomes.com

This article has been written by James Lamborn who has lived over 7 years in Pattaya and has broad based knowledge of of the property rental market in Jomtien and Pattaya. He has found out, often the hard way where to rent and where to avoid. His articles are meant to give the depth knowledge he has gained over the years and help to the reader from making some of the same mistakes he and others have made. Visit his website to see the many rentals on offer. All the photos on the site have been taken by the author. The authors site address is: http://www.thaiholidayhomes.com Or e mail: james@thaiholidayhomes.com