Travel Guide -Thailand.com

No journey to the Land of Smiles would be complete without visiting some of its globally lauded, tropical islands and oceanfront resorts. Dip into Hua Hin (the country’s oldest beach resort) for golf and horse-riding on the beach. Try Ko Chang for its abundance of eco tourism activities. Rock up to Pattaya for its raucous nightlife or savour all of these different delights on Ko Samui.

But there are many other natural treasures with some sandy fringe benefits where serenity reigns supreme. Ko Tao is popular with families and also certifies more rookie scuba-divers each year than any other destination in Southeast Asia. To really get away from it all, try Ko Mak in the Ko Chang National Marine Park. For a more Thai-style experience, close to Bangkok, head for Bang Saen, which boasts some of the cheapest and most succulent seafood in the country.

Call of the Wild :  Pai, The pastoral town in Mae Hong Son province nestled in the northern mountains of Thailand, has become a base camp for eco-explorers of all ages, with trekking and staying over at hill-tribe villages, whitewater rafting and mountain biking being some of the most attractive options.

Close to this town are waterfalls and rolling green hills. And the town itself offers a wealth of classes in everything from Reiki to traditional massage to various New Age disciplines. A favourite haunt for young travelers, Pai is slowly moving more up market thanks to its new airport.

But its increasing popularity has yet to sully the town’s tranquil charm, art galleries-cum-coffee shops in century-old wooden dwellings, and riverside bungalows in every price range.

When it comes to martial artistry, everyone knows that Muai Thai kick-boxers are the lords of the ring. Professional bouts provide plenty of punchy entertainment in Bangkok.

But more and more people are getting their kicks in Thailand by taking lessons at the many schools across the country, for fitness reasons, self-defense, or to become professional boxers. And there are gyms all over the country which welcome foreigners and give classes in English.

What’s even more thrilling are the Muai Thai resorts and training camps opening near beaches on Pattaya, Phuket and Ko Pha-ngan. There’s nothing more soothing for those aches and pains than some downtime on the beach or a swim in a tropical sea after a hard day’s workout, learning pugilistic moves like “breaking the elephant’s tusks.”

Sukhothai, which means “Dawn of Happiness,” also marked the dawning of the first Siamese Kingdom and the birth of the Thai language. Once an outpost of the Khmer empire, they were driven out by the Siamese who established their first Kingdom here in 1238. It was a golden age for classical art, architecture and Buddhism.To traverse these magnificent ruins in the Sukhothai Historical Park – Thailand’s equivalent of Angkor Wat – rent a mountain bike for a pittance.

You can also cycle leisurely past dozens of remnants from the next Siamese empire, Ayutthaya, in its “Ancient City,” or scattered around the town, and hugging the banks of the rivers, which form a natural moat around what was once considered the most glorious town and trading port in Asia. And well-appointed museums in the city give an overview of the Kingdom’s 400-year-plus reign.

There are not many towns in the world where you can drive by the ruins of a 15th century pagoda, just down the street from a modern convenience store, but that’s the magic of Ayutthaya for you.