Explore the Mystic Beauty of Chiang Rai

Where would you want to go if you wanted to soak in the timeless and conventional beauty of Thailand? Chiang Rai is the answer. Evolving north east of Chiang Mai City, south west of Amphoe Chiang Saen on the Mae Khong and south of the Myanmar border and Amphoe Mae Sai, Chiang Rai city has the Mae Kok River flowing along its north side border.

Visitors can enjoy some of the most exciting festivals and events whilst enjoying a stay in this beautiful city of Thailand.The Wai Sa Phaya Mengrai or Phokhun Mengrai Maharat Festival showcases the Buang Suang worshipping ceremony. The Tribal Culture & Mexican Sunflower Blossom exhibits a splendid sight with the golden burst of Mexican Sunflower fields on the mountain. This festival holds unique entertainment with tribal food, tribal culture demonstrations, tea tasting, traditional Northern dinner and tribal sport competition.

The most popular festival of this city is the King Meng Rai Festival. This colorful festival is held from the January 26th of every year till the 1st week of February. This festival is marked with colorful and spectacular parades of all times, also accompanied by cultural performances and various other competitions. The main essence of the festival is to celebrate the establishment of the Lanna Kingdom of Chiang Rai. The King Mengrai Stupa and the King Meng Rai Great Memorial are two of the famous places frequented by people often during the festival as they are famous landmarks of historical importance. The city bustles with energy as the locals and the tourists throng the streets to view the vibrant parade. The streets are dotted with food stalls and other little shops selling souvenirs and other decorative household items.

Enjoy Fabulous, Flamboyant Festivals

The biggest and the most flamboyant festival of Thailand is the Songkran Festival which is celebrated with as much enthusiasm and joy in Chiang Rai as in all the other parts of the nation. Apart from the parades held in the city and the various beauty contests, there are also boat races held between Thailand, Laos, China and Myanmar on the Mekong River. With myriad activities, this day is truly marked with some extremely spectacular visions of the traditions and customs of this panoramic country. The Loi Krathong Festival is celebrated to worship and thank the Goddess of Water with the lighting of candles by floating them in vessels made of banana leaves.

Chiang Rai holds this festival pompously on a large scale and provides all kinds of entertainment like folk plays, food stalls and various stores selling local handicrafts. Chiang Rai is well known for its delicious lychees and holds the Lychee Festival where one can even splurge their money on these sinfully tasty little treats at reasonable prices. The Dok Siao Ban or Blooming Siao Flower Festival is held at at Phu Chi Fa along with tribal cultural performances and sports competitions. Visitors can travel on a aromatic path at the Chiang Rai Flower Festival that offers the Miss Thinn Thai Ngarm Contest, an agricultural fair, varieties of flowers, flower gardens and flower processions. Tourists can enjoy a stay filled with comfort and pleasure at hotels in Chiang Rai that celebrate the spirit of freedomand hold the aura of an unforgettable vacation surrounded withvibrant festivals.

Ubon Ratchathani - A Retirement Haven

When planning for your retirement you should consider the possibility of retiring to Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.

Why should Ubon Ratchathani be included on a list of places to enjoy your leisure days? It is a foreign country. The native language is Thai. It is far from your homeland.

Many people, when the are nearing the age of retirement face the realization that they must adjust their lifestyle. Retirement income is often much less than during their working life. Where do you make the cuts?

Ubon Ratchathani is the largest province in Thailand in terms of land mass. It is located in the northeastern region and is bordered by the Mekong River and Laos to the East and Cambodia to the south.

One of the main points for making a new home here is the cost of living. It is easy to maintain an excellent quality of life for a fraction of what it will cost in western countries in Europe, Scandinavia and North America. You can secure quality accommodations, including all utilities, for less than you have been paying the bank for your car payment. You can enjoy three meals a day of tasty Thai food for less than a single meal back home. Medical care is surprisingly affordable at one of the four major hospitals in Ubon.

You can easily travel to Ubon Ratchathani by plane, rail, bus or private auto. The city benefits from being serviced with multiple schedules daily with three major modes of transportation. The buses and trains originate and terminate between Bangkok and Ubon but there are ways to make connections for domestic travel. The buses can take you around Ubon as well as around Thailand.

There is a small but growing community of western expats who call Ubon home. You can meet others to socialize with. If you want to get a taste of your homeland there are stores and shops to acquire the ingredients your need.

If you enjoy traveling you will discover it is quite cheap and convenient to get around Thailand from Ubon. You can walk the beaches of Phuket or Samui Island for a fraction of what you would pay in Hawaii or Florida. Take a trip north to the Lanna culture and mountains of Chiang Mai.

From Ubon you can be in Laos enjoying a step back in time or head south to Cambodia and visit the awesome magnificence of Angkor Wat. The journey to these places is only a few short hours. If you are wanting to visit friends and family back home it is a one hour flight to Bangkok to make your connection.

Living in a foreign country has requirements that never come to mind when at home. The local immigration office is just a 45 minute drive from Ubon city. All the foreign embassies are a train, bus or plane ride to Bangkok away.

Retirement is a time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. You should seriously consider Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand as an option to maintain or even raise your quality of life.