Hua Hin Perfect Place To Relax in Thailand

Do you like relaxing holidays, or maybe your like activities? As long as you like it sunny and warm, Hua Hin, Thailand is a great place to visit.

About 100 years ago Thai people started to visit Hua Hin for the purpose of holidays and recovery. The king of Thailand built himself a nice holiday home on a great beach front property there, and the place became well known to Thai people as a place for relaxation and holidays. Hua Hin is located less than 3 hours by car from Bangkok, so it is very easy to get there.

The small city has almost 10 kilometres of white sand beach with activities like horse riding and kiteboarding. Some people claim that it is one of the best places in the world for kiting.

Hua Hin is very quiet and peaceful, probably because o the king. His majesty has now moved to the city and stays there most of his time.

The nightlife is very restricted and it is not even close to places like Bangkok or Pattaya. The nightlife is mostly located in one small narrow street in the city, but the places is crowded with nice restaurants everywhere. Many of the restaurants offers great western food, but most of them serve thai food only. Everybody who visits Thailand should try out thai food, but a great advice would be to stay away from the most spicy dishes.

For the person who enjoys relaxing holidays at the beach, the place is perfect. The beaches are not too crowded with people and that makes it a great place to relax. For the ones who need a relaxing oil massage there are lots of possibilities at the beach, and in almost every street in the area.

Hua Hin also offers a lot of great adventures and things to see.

The train station in the city is a great view with it's traditional buildings. The king's property is also open for tourists and it's a must see for everyone visiting.

Elephant shows and riding in the jungle is something mostly every place in Thailand offers, and this place is no exception. At Kao Thakiap viewpoint you can view Hua Hin beach, the temple and also walk with all the wild monkeys that live there, just be aware that they steal whatever they can.

Hua Hin has like all other places in Thailand a lot of temples, but when you visit, remember to follow the guidelines to enter them.

For all the golf playing travelers the place is paradise. It is surrounded by lots great golf courses. Just search Hua Hin golf on the internet to check it out.

No matter what the purpose of your holiday is, as long as you like the sun and heat, Hua Hin got something for you.

Get the Best of Koh Samui

Koh Samui Thailand is gradually becoming the dream vacation spot for many tourists. In a short period, this paradise island has risen from obscurity to become one of the leading tourist destinations in the world.

Located 80 kilometers offshore from Surat Thani, this island is the third largest island in Thailand after Phuket and Koh Chang. It can be reached only by a ferry or by air. Taking a flight from Bangkok or Singapore you will be in the island in just under 10 minutes. If you love the waters more, then a ferry ride from Tha Thong will take you two hours before you reach the paradise island, where you will be welcomed by gently swaying palm trees.

Once on the 15 kilometer long island, you can choose form a wide array of hotels and resorts for your accommodation. You can choose to stay on resorts along the Bophut Beach, Chaweng Beach, Choeng Mon Beach, Lamai Beach, Lipa Noi, Maenam Beach or Big Buddha Beach. Villages along the Bophut beach have managed to preserve Samui's traditional aspects. The limited traffic along this beach gives a relaxed feeling. The shops along the beach offer a huge variety of romantic dining options. Chaweng beach on the other hand is the longest beach on Samui. You can easily find accommodation along this beach. It is well packed with hotels and resorts as well as some budget bungalows. It also has the highest concentration of shops and restaurants and is popular for its exciting nightlife.

If you are the kind that prefers some quiet and relaxing holiday, then Choeng Mon Beach is the place for you. The beach is peaceful and unspoiled featuring wide sandy beaches with ecstatic rock formations and an undeveloped island facing it. This beach is only 10 minutes drive to the excitement filled chaweng beach.

Wait till you get a view of the Lamai beach. It is the second largest and most beautiful beach on the island with excellent waters for swimming. Lamai beach also has some exciting nightlife. Most weddings on Koh Samui are held in Lipa Noi located on the west coast. It has shallow waters and gently sloping beach, which is good if you are on vacation with your kids. This beach used to have only one hotel but there are now several new ones to easily fit your budget. The numerous beaches on Koh Samui will definitely make your vacation worthwhile.

Trekking In Northern Thailand

Fitness Levels For Trekking In Thailand

For short hikes of one to two days in Thailand, a reasonable level of physical fitness is required. This means that they are suitable for almost anyone. For hikes longer than two days, an adventurous nature and good physical fitness is needed. During your Thailand trek, you'll be walking through the wilderness with a rucksack (meaning there will be lots of sweating and in the rainy season, or if you are unlucky enough to catch a cloudburst, getting wet). The sanitary facilities during this part of your Thailand trip will be primitive to say the least - on the hike, behind the 'bushes' or in this case bamboo trees - and the primitive overnight accommodation while visiting the mountain people (on a wooden floor with a sleeping mat) are not everyone's cup of tea! It may not be the most comfortable experience of your life, but it will definitely help to make your Thailand trip something to really remember.

Evenings In The Thai Mountain Villages

Apart from the daily physical demands of your activities, an essential part of trekking in Thailand is being a part of the village atmosphere in the morning and evening. In the evening, you can relax and take in village life from beside an open fire, a real highlight of any Thailand trip. Your guide will prepare your evening meal made from locally produced ingredients. You might even be able to have a chat with the locals using your guide as an interpreter. Your guide not only knows the region like the back of his hand, he also knows the local languages of the different mountain peoples and can tell you all about their culture.

While you're trekking in Northern Thailand, you'll sleep in a wooden hut on the outskirts of the village. There will be no electricity or running water, and your bed will be made up of a plastic mat on a bamboo floor raised off the ground by stilts. This is Thailand travel at its most basic and most brilliant.

What to take with you on your Thailand trek?

A few items are important to have with you (besides adventurer's blood) while you're travelling in Thailand;

• rucksack (day sack)

• cotton sleeping bag (blankets are available locally)

• sleeping mat, mosquito net, and sometimes a sleeping bag

• short- and long-sleeved shirts

• shorts an d long trousers

• poncho or waterproof jacket and trousers, backpack cover

• water bottle (can be borrowed on location)

• torch - whether you're travelling in Thailand or anywhere else, a torch is indispensable.

• insect repellent - essential throughout your Thailand trip

• hat or cap

• sun block cream

• enough camera film rolls or spare SD card

• if necessary travel sickness tablets for a somewhat rough ride in a pickup truck

• earplugs (think about the excited pigs when they get their food first thing in the morning, or your snoring travel companions)

• sandals/flip flops

• toilet paper

Remember that you whatever you take while you're travelling in Thailand, you're going to have to carry on your back. You can leave the bulk of your luggage in your hotel in Chiang Mai, and remember to lock your valuables away in the safe. Good quality, well broken-in shoes, with a good tread, are an absolute must during your Thailand trek. Toilet paper and other day-to-day essentials are not always available for purchase en route.

What not to take on your Thailand trekking trip

• expensive jewellery

• nice but vulnerable clothing (gets a bit dirty on top of an elephant)

For local people, every foreigner that they come across is rich. If you really want to give something to the local people, you're better off making a donation towards the village school. You can talk to your guide about arranging this during your Thailand trip.

The seasons

The best period to travel to northern Thailand is from November to February. The weather at this time is nice and relatively cool with little or no rain. The next best period for travelling in northern Thailand is June or July, the beginning of the rainy season, when the unpaved roads are not yet turned into a mud bath. The next best period is between March and May - no rain, dry and hot, because there's less foliage it's not so green. Whenever you choose to travel in Thailand, you're bound to have a great time.