A Guide To Bangkok

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is located on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, near the Gulf of Thailand. The city houses more than 10 million people making it a highly traffic-congested city.

As one of the fastest-growing, most economically dynamic cities in South East Asia, Bangkok is emerging as a rival to Singapore and Hong Kong.

April and May are the hot months, while all other months are mild. Its rainy season from July to October rainy is normally very pleasant.

There is plenty of greenery in the city with several gardens and parks. There are many lakes with opportunities for enjoying paddle boat rides. Thai people are great outdoor people and the visitor can spend a lot of time watching them fly kites or do other outdoor activities.

The city has several places of interest, including Wat Arun, an ancient temple, Children's Discovery Museum, The Snake Farm, Dream World, Bangkok Doll Factory, and Ancient City. The Joe Louis Puppet Theater, named after its founder, is a delightful place to visit. Though its founder passed away, his legacy lives on; his family has preserved this wonderful art form. In this show, the colorfully decorated puppets act out culturally rich traditional stories, usually from the Ramayana, an epic text with origin in India. The puppet show gives a glimpse of the Hindu influence in the old Siam.

The city is full of shopping malls and flea markets of all types, especially in the Sukhumvit area. If a shopper can bargain, it's a shopper's paradise, as the prices are ludicrously cheap by Western standards. There are several mega stores in the city. Chatuchak Weekend Market, which is easily accessible by Skytrain and Metro, is one of the most popular weekend destinations. Suan Lum Night Bazaar is a shopping mall that is open all nights.

Though Bangkok's nightlife is notorious, as a result of community and government interventions, nearly all restaurants, bars and clubs are now forced to close before 1 AM. Rules and regulations are strict.

The best way to enjoy sightseeing in Bangkok is to take an organized sightseeing tour. The cost price includes transfers, food and entrance fees. Well educated English speaking local guides make the tour highly informative. The tour operators see that everything is hassle free and the visitor enjoys the sightseeing.

Bangkok [http://www.Bangkok-Web.com] provides detailed information on Bangkok Hotels, Bangkok, Bangkok Airfare, Bangkok Nightlife and more. Bangkok is affiliated with Bali Culture.

Bangkok's Best Airport Hotels

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is one of the most visited cities in the world. The city has a modern and westernized look. Malls and buildings are well-lighted and glittering. They have unique Thai cuisines you would truly love. Experience the traditional Thai massage during your stay. It is very rejuvenating.

Thailand has great attractions that you can visit. These include Grand Palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Siam square shopping, and weekend markets.

Bangkok has an international airport, the Suvarnabhumi Airport. Beside this are great hotels where you can stay during your visit. These hotels range from five- star hotels to affordable motels depending on your choice. Let us try to see what top airport hotels have to offer to tourists.

Radama D Ma Bangkok
This hotel offers its guests unique beauty with comfort. This is located close to the city's central business district. It is also near the shopping areas and places with famous city nightlife. You can see the expressway nearby. The hotel is accessible to the Skytrain and railway station.

The hotel features pool areas located at the eighth floor, overlooking the city. This pool has been landscaped beautifully. Beside the pool is a snack bar and fitness facility area.

Guestrooms are well-decorate. They have elegant and high-quality furnishings. These rooms are ideal for both business and leisure guests.

They have onsite restaurants with a lounge.

Swissótel Nai Lert Park Bangkok
This is located in the heart of Bangkok's Central Business and Diplomatic District. This is nestled amidst the International Airport. The hotel offers services using the Swissótel tradition, known to be warm, reliable and efficient. They are recognized as discerning world travelers.

The hotel also offers a luxurious kind of garden that gives a relaxing atmosphere. Visitors and guests can dine to restaurants that cater beautiful choices of best Japanese, continental and Cantonese cuisines. They have the exquisite types of restaurants. There are also onsite outlets for food and beverages. They have complete meals and snacks from pool side areas to formal dining of your choice.

Peninsula Banking
This is a hotel that operates a river pier and ferry shuttle. These are used to deliver guests to the city shopping center and skytrain station. This peninsula stands along Chao Phraya River.

This is one hotel that offers many options for diners. One restaurant overlooks the river. They offer authentic Thai cuisines. The business center is so flexible.

The building is shaped like the letter W. All rooms can enjoy the view of the river because of this configuration.

Peninsula Banking is 37-storeys high, offering complete amenities that will satisfy your needs.

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
This is one hotel that operates river tools daily. This is a 16-storey hotel with beautiful guestrooms and suites. They have different kinds of fabrics in each room. They also offer nine different kinds of cuisines. Their spa was voted as the Best Spa in the World, offering spa cuisine and coffee for you to enjoy your time while having a massage therapy and other treatments. They also have the author's lounge in their historic original wing.

For more information on Bangkok Airport Hotels Best [http://www.airporthotelsbest.com/bangkok.php] and Rome Airport Hotel [http://www.airporthotelsbest.com/rome.php] please visit our website.

The Importance of Exercising at Thirty Thousand Feet

The travel industry is a multi-billion dollar industry with a great many travellers taking non-stop flights. There are some flights termed as long haul service. The plane is in fact in the air for up to 18 hours. Travellers during such flights are vulnerable to developing deep vein thrombosis or DVT. This condition presents when a person sits for an inordinately long period of time. Whenever a person develops DVT, blood begins to coagulate or clot in a single particular area. This clot can travel internally to particular parts of the body for example the lungs. If this should take place the outcome may be fatal.

Certainly, airlines have acknowledged that DVT is a problem and a challenge linked to long international flights. They make reference to it throughout their flight magazines suggesting the passenger stretch out his or her legs or stand up and walk up and down the aisles every hour or so. An individual who is familiar with long flight journeys naturally is at the greatest risk of developing DVT.

So what can you do about it?
The problem is within the seating inside aircraft. The chairs are housed close to each other in order that the airlines can fill the plane up as much as is feasible. Consequently that you are squashed into a small space for long periods of time. It is not very likely that the flight companies are going to change the space. They create the tight seating arrangements in order to keep earnings high. For that reason, all you possibly can do is understand that DVT may become a problem if you don't take care to get up and stretch every hour on the hour.

Another recommendation, outside of walking up and down the aisles every hour, would be to attain a lot of exercise once you are on the ground. Have a quick walk at some point after your flight touches down. Find the exercise equipment in your hotel and exercise on the treadmill for about an hour. Or if you travel to a far-off location often, you may attain a local membership to a health facility or gym. Whatever your decision it's advisable you remain as mobile as is possible when you are on the ground and accompany that activity with walks up and down the aisle of the plane every hour.

Flights to Thailand are very long, so make sure to get plenty of exercise during those flights.

For more helpful information about travel to Thailand visit travel-siam.info

Anna Sandpakdee has made many trips overseas to visit family and loves to share her experiences.

What You Don't Know About Georgetown, Penang

History

Hello and 'lu ho boh'- that's 'how are you?' in Hokkien, the main Chinese dialect in Penang.

The historic city of George Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Before we begin, let me tell you a little about Penang, or sometimes known as the Pearl of the Orient.

Penang used to be part of Malay Sultanate of Kedah, across the sea in the mainland. But in 1786, Captain Francis Light managed to get Penang from the Sultan of Kedah for the British East India Company, together with Singapore and Malacca. He then built what is known today as George Town.

Penang gets its name from the Malay word Pinang which means 'betel nut', and Pulau Pinang literally means 'betel nut island'. It was later named Prince of Wales Island, commemorating King George IV. Georgetown was named after King George III. Today Penang is the third largest economy in the country, after Selangor and Johor.

In the World Heritage Committee Session in July 2008, Georgetown, along with Malacca were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Georgetown was voted twice as one of the best cities in Asia. It is also ranked as 10th among the top locations in Asia where Europeans prefer to work and live in, based on its weather, air quality, infrastructure, health services, housing, security and politics.

Sights

Georgetown has some of the best tourist places in Malaysia. Let's get to know a few of them.

Fort Cornwallis

On top of our itinerary is definitely Fort Cornwallis. The largest standing fort in Malaysia, Fort Cornwallis is a star-shaped fort named after the late 18th century Governor- General of Bengal in India, Charles Cornwallis. It was built by Sir Francis Light after it took possession of Penang from the Sultan of Kedah in 1786. The original fort was built with nibong, or palm trunk. A few years later, the new fort was rebuilt with manpower of Indian convicts, and finally completed in 1810.

The fort is intended to defend the island against the pirates and the French because of the Napoleonic Wars. There used to be a deep and wide moat surrounding the fort, but it is now filled due to a malaria outbreak.

Even though the fort was built for defence, it was used more for administrative purposes. In fact, the funny thing is that the fort has never engaged in any battle.

There you will see many old cannons. The largest one, called the Seri Rambai cannon, was a gift from the Dutch to the Sultan of Johor. Later, the Potuguese took possession of the cannon where it stayed in Java until it was seized by the British and placed here in Fort Cornwallis.

This fort was gazetted in 1977 as an Ancient Monument and Historic site and today is one of Penang's most famous tourist attractions.

Convent Light Steet

The next interesting attraction is the Convent Light Street, or Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus. It was founded back in 1852 by 3 French nuns who took over the previous government house to start their convent. It originally houses within its walls the Francis Light bungalow, which was build in 1790. It was eventually leased out to the East India Company as a government house, before finally settling as a learning institution.

The building was expanded, and eventually housed a chapel, cloisters for the Sisters, an orphanage, a boarding house for students and classrooms for the school. The Convent continues to serve as a school and has been painstakingly and constantly restored in recent years with funds raised from the public.

St. George's Church

Next is the St. George's Anglican Church along Farquhar Street. Founded by Reverend Robert Sparke Hutchings, it is the oldest Anglican Church in Southeast Asia, which goes back all the way to 1818. It is designed in the Georgian Palladian style, a combination of the Georgian style, which is attribute to King George I and King George IV, and the Palladian style, which is attributed to the Grecian architecture by a Roman called Palladius.

Look at the long Roman columns and pillars and the white washed walls. The original roof was flat, but there was a tiny problem. The weather, or more precisely, the tropical rains made it unsuitable to have a flat roof and it was later made into the present shape. Look out also for the tall steeple that forms the apex of the roof.

There is a pavilion that sits opposite the church that houses a memorial to Francis Light. There is an inscription that reads: "In Memory of Francis Light, Esquire, who first established this island as an English Settlement and was many years Governor. Born in the county of Suffolk in England and died October 21st 1794. In his capacity as governor, the settlers and natives were greatly attached to him, and by his death had to deplore the loss of one who watched over their interest and cares as a father."

The church is declared one of the 50 National Treasures of Malaysia.

The Cathedral of the Assumption

Next is The Cathedral of the Assumption on Faquhar Street. It got its name from the Feast of the Assumption, which happened to be the day when the first group of Catholics arrived in Penang in 1786. It was in 1955 that the church became a cathedral according to a decree by the Vatican.

This majestic greyish white coloured building with horizontal bands is an example of fine colonial architecture.

Eastern and Oriental Hotel

Next is the world renowned Eastern and Oriental Hotel. Once known as the "Premier Hotel East of Suez," it is commonly called the E&O Hotel or Eastern & Oriental Hotel.

The E & O Hotel was one of the few hotels in the region that was managed by the Sarkies Brothers. The Sarkies also operated the Raffles in Singapore, the Strand in Rangoon and the Crag Hotel on Penang Hill. In fact, they are still in existence today and are considered top-notch hotels, except for the one on Penang Hill, which is not functioning anymore.

In 1884, the E & O began its operations and by the Roaring 20s had gained much international recognition for being an opulent establishment through the generosity of Arshak Sarkies, the most flamboyant of the brothers. He would waive off friends' bills and allow some planters to stay for free, which led to people calling the E & O 'Eat and Owe'. Sarkies ran the hotel out of pleasure more than for profit and it eventually showed, when the hotel came close to bankruptcy. However, today the business has been revitalized and the E&O continues to retain its charm.

The E & O has had many famous patrons, and they include Sir Noel Coward, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham, Hermann Hesse, Sun Yat Sen and Charlie Chaplin. Despite having gone through periods of uncertainty and sometimes teetering on the brink of obscurity, the E & O still runs and functions as one of the best hotels in Penang. Weddings, dinners and special occasions are still celebrated here.

If you cannot afford to stay there, you can still go to the bar or restaurant and unwind like Charlie Chaplin and Rudyard Kipling did!

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

Next is the Cheong Fatt Tze mansion. Cheong Fatt Tze was a rag to riches story. Coming to Malaya in 1856 to work in the tin mines at 16, he worked his way and made a fortune trading tea, pepper, coffee and tobacco with the British Empire.

Cheong Fatt Tze had a reputation of a smart businessman and eventually became Consult General for China, and had the position of 'Mandarin of the Highest Order'. He also became the director of China's railway and first modern bank and was nicknamed the "Rockefeller of the East" by the New York Times, who also dubbed him as "China's last Mandarin and first capitalist."

Despite having houses all over Asia, and in particular Indonesia and China due to his business and personal interests, Cheong Fatt Tze still favoured this mansion in Penang the most, and consulted feng shui masters in building it. When Cheong Fatt Tze finally passed away in 1916, the Dutch and the British honoured this extraordinary man by flying flags at half-mast.

The mansion is open everyday from 11.00am and 3.00pm with tours conducted at these times. The tour is well worth your time and you can marvel at the art of feng shui that went into Cheong Fatt Tze's mansion. Besides the architecture, the mansion is also dedicated to the memory of the man himself.

Apart from the architecture, the Cheong Fatt Tze mansion also has many antiques and old photographs that will give you a glimpse of the lives of genteel Chinese businessmen then. An interesting fact is that Cheong Fatt Tze's seventh wife was awarded the privilege of living in the mansion with him. The mansion has also been used for filming as well, one of the more famous movies filmed here was 'Indochine' starring Catherine Deneuve.

The Cheong Fatt Tze mansion used to also consist of the row of terrace houses across the street, which you can see when you visit. This particular row was where the kitchen, storage rooms and servants' quarters used to live. Maids wearing their usual white shirts and black pants would hurriedly prepare food for their mistress and master.

Christian Cemetery

Next is the Protestant Cemetery. Though it may seem a bit sombre and morbid, walking through the old Protestant Cemetery is a great idea while you are in Georgetown. It provides you with a sense of the hardships that were faced by those who had chosen to make their home here. Some of the tombstones have been restored by the heritage trust, though many inscriptions can no longer be read. Reading the epitaphs on the stones brings a melancholic, romantic feel especially when reading about the lives of the early settlers. Many died from tropical ailments such as malaria and one stone even mentions that the deceased died from jungle fever.

Most of these people were laid to rest here because it was too far to take their bodies back, and doing that would take many weeks, further deteriorating the bodies. So the Christian Cemetery is the final resting place of many pioneers including Sir Francis Light, Sir Stamford Raffles' brother-in-law and a young officer named Thomas Leonowens. You might be familiar with the story of his wife, Anna Leonowens, who moved to Singapore after Thomas died of apoplexy. Here, she received an invitation to teach English to the children of the Siamese King. A romanticised account of her life in Siam inspired the film called 'Anna and the King' starring Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner, and the musical 'The King And I'. The remake of this film in 1999 starred Jodie Foster and Chow Yuen Fatt, and part of it was shot in right here in Georgetown.

Suffolk House

Next is the Suffolk House, or what was once Sir Francis Light's Residency. Francis Light built his home, where he landscaped and constructed the interior to resemble that of a country home of his birthplace of Suffolk, England.

He lived in Suffolk House as it was named, with his life long companion, Martina Rozells and his 5 children. The Suffolk House served as the governor's residency for the first 100 years and was later bought over by a planter, and the house and land became part of the Methodist Boys' School, last used as a canteen for the students.

The Suffolk House won the 2008 UNESCO Award of Distinction. It is one of the two cultural heritage conservation projects in Malaysia to win the UNESCO award in 2008 and this Award of Distinction is the second highest award given by UNESCO Asia Pacific for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

Kuan Yin Teng

Next is Kuan Yin Teng, one of the oldest Chinese temples in Malaysia. It was built in 1801 by early Chinese immigrants. The building is decorated with intricately crafted dragons and two stone lions guard the door. This temple is dedicated to Kuan Yin, the Chinese Goddess of Mercy. It is one of the most visited tourist sites in Penang.

The Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi

The Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi is a clan association, one of the many in Malaysia. Built in 1850 by the forefathers of the Khoo family who emigrated from South China, it functions as a clan-house for anyone who has the surname Khoo. A temple was built but a fire razed the entire wooden structure. The local Chinese believed that the gods had burned it down because the structure resembled the Heavenly Emperor's palace. The version you see today was completed in 1906. All around, you can see richly ornamented carvings of the roofs, walls and pillars that reflect the art and architecture of ancient China. At the end of the tour, expect to have a stiff neck.

Queen Victoria Clock Tower

Next is the Queen Victoria Clock Tower. This 60-foot-high clock tower was presented to Penang by local millionaire, Cheah Chen Eok, in 1897 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.

Wat Chaiyamangalaram

Next is the Wat Chaiyamangalaram temple, founded in 1845. This Thai Buddhist Temple is famous for its 33 meter long reclining Buddha, one of the world's longest. The temple was built on a piece of land given by Queen Victoria to four women trustees as a gesture of goodwill to boost trading relations with Thailand. Look out for the guardian dragons at the entrance.

Kapitan Keling Mosque

Next is the Kapitan Keling Mosque, was built in the early 19th century, by the Kapitan Keling Caudeer Mohudeen. It is the most prominent historic mosque in Penang and features a dome-shaped minaret reflecting Moorish Islamic influence. The Kapitan Keling Mosque is the place of worship of the Indian Muslim community who have lived and worked around the mosque for over two hundred years. Unlike modern mosques that are mainly frequented on Fridays, the Kapitan Keling Mosque is used by worshippers five times a day, seven days a week. If you'd like to visit, you have to be decently dressed and women would have to wear a robe that you can get from the mosque staff.

Food

Every Malaysian claims his or her hometown is the food capital of Malaysia. The people of Penang would claim Penang food is the best in Malaysia, and it is not easy to disagree.

Some of the must trys in Penang is the Penang Kuay Teow, or fried noodle dish with eggs, cockles and vegetables. Ask for it to be cooked less spicy if you cannot take spicy food.

Other Chinese dishes you must try are: beef noodle and 'chee cheong fun' or steamed flat noodle topped with shrimp and chilli sauce. You can also try the fried oyster, a popular seafood dish. 'Hokkien mee' is a noodle dish in spicy prawn based soup. You must also try Penang laksa, which is also a noodle dish but this time with fish based soup.

For something sweet, some highly recommended street food are the 'tau sah pneah' which is biscuit with green paste inside, 'muah chee' which are peanut coated glutinous rice balls; and 'bee koh moy' which is a black glutinous rice porridge usually taken as an afternoon dessert.

For Indian Muslim food, the Penang nasi kandar is very famous in Malaysia. It is a rice meal with many types of dishes made using many types of spices. Also, try the rojak pasembur which is a vegetable salad with sweet and spicy sauce.

Other unique delicacies include 'otak-otak' or steamed fish cake wrapped in banana leaves and 'Or Koay' or steamed yam cakes topped with dried shrimp, fried shallots, spring onion and sliced red chilli.

I hope I didn't make your stomach growl. Penang is really a food haven, and you must try at least a few local delicacies before leaving.

Transport

Getting around in Georgetown is easy. You can take the bus or taxi. One fascinating mode of transportation is the trishaw, a type of bicycle vehicle, but the trishaw is getting more and more rare. Trishaws were actual modes of transportation in the olden times but today- they cater to tourists and can go up to 30 Ringgit per hour.

Well, this is the end of the guide for Georgetown. I hope you will enjoy yourself visiting the oldest standing fort in Malaysia, marvelling at some 17th century churches, unwinding in a world famous hotel, touring some Muslim mosques, Buddhist temples, and old colonial buildings and not forgetting, savouring food in Malaysia's food capital.

Until the next time, Selamat Tinggal and goodbye!

For the best and only audio guides to Malaysia, visit Audio Guide Malaysia.

Teng Ky-Gan is the Founder of Audio Guide Malaysia. Visit Audio Guide Malaysia for the best and only audio guides to major places in Malaysia.

Why Buy Property in Tenerife?

About Tenerife

Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands evolved several million years ago as a volcanic land mass not far from the African Coast. It is the third largest volcanic land on the planet and it boasts the highest mountain in the Spanish domain.

The island, often referred to as the island of eternal spring is a tropical paradise with one of the best temperate climates in the world. It was actually NASA that confirmed this using space observation technique. Temperatures in the low twenties are the norm at that time and even during the summer months the temperatures rarely exceed the high twenties.The island has beautiful forests packed with exotic wildlife and unique plant life and the scenery is stunning.

There are giant cliffs, rugged gorges, and huge mountains including Mount Teide, (3718 metres) which towers high above the most amazing volcanic landscape. Mount Teide was justifiably declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO during 2007. Sadly many tourists miss out on seeing the most breathtaking scenery because they do not venture far from the coastal resorts.

Tenerife welcomes over five million tourists every year from all over the world, about a third of which come from the UK, the remainder mostly from other parts of northern Europe and Scandinavia. Not surprisingly it is also a very popular tourist destination for the Spanish. The most popular months for visitors are January to March when the weather on the Island is probably the best in the world.

For the many tourists the range of activities is extremely diverse and caters for all ages. There are a number of theme parks and no shortage of things to do, for example, golf, diving, fishing, sailing, submarine safaris, swimming or simply lazing on the wonderful beaches. The new exotic Siam Park will be opening shortly where visitors will be able to undertake a thrilling range of water based activities in an oriental setting.

Despite being around for millions of years Tenerife has only evolved as a tourist destination during the past 40 years. The older ones among you may remember when along with the Spanish Costas it was a major jet set destination. In those days the focus was on budget holidays, mass tourism and like many other holiday places, the image of Tenerife inevitably suffered from the consequences of rapid tourist growth.

Much has been written about Tenerife in the past and there is a wealth of content, although some of it may be a little dated.

Tenerife is changing

In recent years, the Canary Islands Government have concentrated on elevating the image of Tenerife as a tourist destination. Tourist building development has been restricted to new 5* hotels since 2001 and rural tourism has also been encouraged in recent years.

Apart from major infrastructure improvements, the island has been made over with luscious tropical planting in the main resorts, and many new 5 star resort hotels have sprung up focussing on attracting tourism from the higher spending sectors.

Las Americas is not all what it used to be, the plan to attract affluent tourists appears to have be successful with an upsurge of classy shopping complexes with a plethora of designer retail outlets and upmarket restaurants flourishing everywhere. The emphasis seems to have been on excluding the traditional cheap bars and restaurants, the new breed of tourists are after all more discerning.

The new exclusive 5* Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque Resort in Fanabe and the Deluxe 5* Abama Golf Resort, also near Adeje, are attracting well heeled tourists to Island who might otherwise have flown to other exotic destinations. These resorts are of the finest available anywhere in the world.

Tenerife may have managed to attract tourism from the elite spending sector but the clever part is, the enhanced image has increased tourism in all sectors. The new beach in Playa San Juan has just been completed and the older resorts like Los Cristianos have also been given a makeover, so that they are even more popular with the traditional beach holiday maker. The range of activity holidays available now is an added bonus the Island.

The number of low cost flights to the Island has increased dramatically and with just over 4 hours flying time from Northern Europe it has now become one of the most popular tourist destinations for Europeans and Scandinavians.

Tenerife has the advantage of being an all year round holiday island and it offers perhaps the shortest flight to any winter destination offering almost guaranteed sun.

Who invests in Tenerife Property Market?

Current reports suggest there are close on a million inhabitants on the Island and that this has risen dramatically by more than 17% during the past five years. Property ownership has always been popular with the many residents.

There as many as 20,000 UK residents and around 40,000 properties owned by Brits. These figures are not exact and the latter is a conservative estimate based on a number of varied sources. There are also many property owners from other countries such as Holland, Belgium Germany, Italy, Norway and now Russia.

Many people who own property on the Island visit frequently especially the retired who mostly come to Tenerife to escape harsh winters in northern Europe; they are locally referred to as the swallows.

There is a huge rental market in Tenerife, many property owners let out their properties to the tourist market when they are not using them and Tenerife has always been a popular choice for buy to let investors because of the holiday market. There is also a good opportunity for long term letting, perhaps with the advantage of sustaining a little less wear and tear on the property.

Why invest in the Tenerife Property Market now?

Tenerife has been successfully re-invented as an affluent tourist destination and inevitably this has lead to an upsurge of high quality developments being constructed, especially around the lush new golf courses.

There are many off plan developments in Tenerife both in and around the major resorts but now also in less urbanised areas. Many of the older style properties are being refurbished which is a natural progression because there is so much emphasis on quality in the property market.

The resident population is increasing and there is little doubt that Tenerife will become even more popular with retirees, not only from the UK, but also from so many other countries. The numbers of tourists visiting the Island is also set to increase so undoubtedly Tenerife is safe bet for property investors.

Property buyers in Tenerife are not always British or Spanish. The current market has buyers from Ireland, Scandinavia, Germany, Holland, Belgium and now Russia since there are now direct flights.

A recent well known house price index publisher is showing an average annual price increase of 3.2% for the whole of Tenerife. The figures for 2007 show that prices of one and two bed units have increased whereas the price of larger units has actually fallen during the past twelve months, which overall is the reason for low growth.

In southern resorts, notably Los Cristianos, the reality is that prices have fallen to suit the market conditions and anyone who is keen to sell will probably accept a low offer, which is a new trend. The reason why this is happening is because of the less favourable exchange rates for the British investors.

Another reason for the poor property market at the moment is the over-supply of property, particularly in the main resorts in the south, which is leading to falling prices, and this is more obvious at the lower end of the market.

It is fair to say to say that the property market is suffering in Tenerife at the moment, especially with the lack of buyers from the UK, mostly due to the strong Euro exchange rate against the pound. Exchange rates are definitely affecting the property market in Tenerife, especially in the South which is most popular with British buyers.

On the flip side though, most sellers are British anyway and when they convert their Euros back to Pounds they are getting about 17% more than they would have done six months ago anyway, so in real terms they can afford to accept a lower offer. Some sellers are even accepting payment in Sterling to avoid the exchange rate problem, this way most of your money does not have to leave the UK.

In conclusion of all of these factors, we would say that there has never been a better time to invest in a property in the South of Tenerife. There are many bargains around and the sellers if they are British will more often than not try and compensate prospective buyers to assist with the exchange rate problem.

If you need help with raising funds, a variety of options are available. Many people can raise funds against equity which may have accrued on their UK property but we can offer assistance with Spanish Mortgages from a variety of different sources including Abbey (Santander Group) and Halifax Hispania.

As you will see we are offering generous incentives to buyers and we genuinely promise we will help you to pay less. We will also help you with a generous after sales service because we recognise that clients need support with rentals, furnishings, remedial works etc.

We have a large range of properties available on our website and we can steer you in the right direction.

Why not visit our website and view some current Tenerife Property, or read more about Tenerife on our blog.

Best Boutique Hotels in Silom Bangkok Review

Bangkok's boutique hotels offers guests comfortable rooms and personal friendly service. Though these are traditionally smaller properties they offer budget savvy travelers affordable room rates in central Bangkok. And one of the best areas to find boutique hotels is in Bangkok's popular commercial business district called Silom.

Silom is located in central Bangkok so you will be near lots of businesses and hotels catering to tourists from all over the world. As an important part of the city there are 2 train systems in Silom. So you will be in easy reach to other commercial districts and points of interest in Bangkok.

Another reason why Silom is such a popular location is because of Patpong red light district. Not only are the go go bars there the major attraction but the lively and colorful night market as well.

Since Silom district is so commercialized and tourist friendly it's no surprise at all that it's considered a pricey neighborhood by Thai standards. As a result hotels in Silom do generally cost more, particularly during the high season.

One of the most popular boutique hotels in Silom is called Siam Heritage Boutique Suites. It's a very well maintained hotel property that has deep roots in Silom with an art gallery near the lobby. And even though it's just a few minutes away from Patpong's go go bars and night market the hotel still manages to offer a piece of an oasis in Silom.

Now if you want to stay a little bit further away from the sight of flashing neon lights then you might consider staying at Silom Serene Boutique Hotel. Located just 5 minutes walk to the doorsteps of Patpong red light district, Silom Serene is tucked away quietly between office buildings and local shops. Rooms here are quite big and have been renovated since it is an older hotel. There's a small swimming pool and I do mean small with only a few sun chairs to spare, yet it's still a nice respite from Bangkok's hot and hazy afternoons.

There are many more boutique hotels in the area and even though Silom is considered the pricey neighborhood especially for hotels you can still find decent room rates. To find discounted prices for any hotel in Silom think local. Find a hotel reservation agency based in Thailand with an office preferably in Bangkok. These agencies act as wholesalers and are able to pass on extra savings to you as well as locate special rates and deals for hotels that are not published widely.

Finally Bangkok's hotel rates flucuate by season with cheaper rates offered from late March to early October. Even though the weather during those months are hot and wet, Bangkok is a great city to explore all year round. And saving extra cash while staying at a comfortable boutique hotel in Silom is not a bad trade off at all.

For more hotel reviews visit Bangkok Boutique Hotels, where you can also find information on hotel reservation agencies offering discounted rates for hotels in Bangkok.

Edwin M. Clark is an independent travel consultant for mid to large travel corporations. Currently he resides in Bangkok, Thailand where he writes reviews and reports about traveling in his host country. He is also a writer and contributor to http://www.bangkokforvacation.com, a popular web guide about visiting the Big Mango.

Visiting Bangkok In 10 Easy Steps

One Night in Bangkok...as the famous song goes, but there's much more to this city, including fantastic culture, great value shopping, exciting entertainment and plenty of sights to point a camera at. With only a few days in the Thai capital, here are ten things you really must see or do.

Shopping

Whether you hot-foot it around Bangkok's latest glitzy addition to its long list of shopping malls - Siam Paragon, or you spend hours sifting through the bargains at Pratunam Market, shopaholics will not be disappointed with Bangkok's offerings. Ranking as one of Asia's top shopping hubs, it is no wonder that shopping is a favourite pastime of the Thais. With all of the main centres within walking distance of one another, you can start at Siam Discover Centre; pass through Siam Square on your way to MBK, then hit your final destination, the World Trade Centre. The biggest problem will not be finding what you want; it will be getting it back home.

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew

The royal residence known as the Grand Palace sits adjacent to Thailand's most famous temple complex, Wat Phra Kaew. Home of the Emerald Buddha statue, made of jade contrary to what the name suggests; this is one of the most revered religious sites in Thailand and the location of many prestigious ceremonies. Make sure you wear appropriate clothing if you want to visit these must-see landmarks.

Wat Arun

You can catch a glimpse of this important Buddhist temple on the back of a 10 baht coin if you want a taste of what to expect. Nestled between Chinese-style pavilions on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, the highlight of Wat Arun is its Khmer-style tower. At the base of the tower is a sculpture of the Hindu god Indra and depictions of Chinese soldiers and animals, while the tower itself is intricately decorated with seashells and small pieces of porcelain. Once the home of the Emerald Buddha during the time of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, this temple remains one of the most important religious sites in the country.

Lumpini Park

Sit back and relax in the shade of palm trees or rent a peddle boat and explore the lake and its canals, Lumpini Park is a haven of tranquility, ideal for those in need of a rest from the urban jungle. Interesting features include the Thai Lanna and Chinese pavilions, while there is also a pretty Chinese-style clock tower. In addition to some impressive sculptures, there is a children's play park and a new pavilion designed as a rest area. And if you miss the buzz of the city, the park is right in the heart.

Patpong

The go-go bars and wild nightlife often overshadows Patpong's other offerings, of which there are plenty of the tame variety. People-watch from one of the cafés, relax and listen to some live music, barter for some bargains at the night market or enjoy a tasty meal; however, if it is trouble that you are looking for, you won't need to walk farther than a couple of meters before being approached by a tout promising a menu of sexual delights. While this can be annoying, there is no denying that this is a novelty for many and the reasonable percentage of non-sleazy venues makes it a friendly, non-intimidating place to browse.

Chatuchak Market

If you want something specific but you're not sure where to find it, this is the place. Chatuchak weekend market has vendors selling literally everything, from books to kittens. Busy all year round, expect to be pushed, shoved and pulled at as you wind your way through the narrow alleys. But don't worry; there are plenty of places to stop for a rest and eat some delicious, inexpensive food. It's a good idea to decide on a landmark before you begin to explore as the size and crowds here make it easy to loose your hopping companions. A bargain lover's hunting ground; this is a shopping experience you will not want to miss.

Jim Thompson's House

Thompson was responsible for rebuilding the Thai silk industry, for which he gained recognition as making an outstanding contribution to Thailand. Before his mysterious disappearance in 1967 on a vacation to the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia, Thompson built this impressive Thai-style teak house, which became the talk of the town. Now a museum, visitors can explore the building and gain insight into this colourful characters life.

Dreamworld

Not all stomach-churning rides, this popular adventure theme park has dozens of attractions including gardens, miniature replicas of seven wonders of the world, live shows and performances, a cable car and even a snow field where you can sling snow balls at your friends. A lively alternative to Bangkok's traditional sightseeing attractions, the park is easily accessible by train, bus or car.

Khao San Road

If you don't fancy staying in among hundreds of backpackers, this travellers' mecca is still worth a look, if just for its cheap pirate CDs. Renowned as a party street, things are unusually quiet until street vendors set up shop in the afternoon. By nightfall, the street is unrecognisable as it fills with throngs of youngsters dining, drinking and watching football. A great place to meet people and make friends, this is also the spot to get cheap travel deals to onward destinations.

Muay Thai Boxing

Only football inspires as much passion as boxing in Thailand, with the latter being considerably more violent. Even if you are a bit reluctant to spend your money on watching men sling punches and lethal kicks, it is surprising how the electric crowd can soon have you up there cheering with the rest of them. Fights are held almost nightly at Lumphini and Ratchadamnoen stadiums, with tickets sol in three tiers, depending on how close you want to be to the action.

Often in Bangkok Sue Mumford is a travel writer who rates this city. She specialises in online media and finding good websites to help her travels, she recommends
Online Bangkok nightlife guide
Sightseeing Bangkok travel guide

The Snapshot of Bangkok City

Thailand may be recognized by Phuket's beautiful beaches, but a Bangkok tour will illustrate you a completely luxurious aspect of this country. Being the capital, Bangkok, is a bustling merge of ancient and new; merging traditional culture and religion with all the luxury amenities of a modern city; that is the most fascinated factor realized by millions of travelers and in that chase loads of bookings are made for the cheap flights to Bangkok from all over the world.

Bangkok included both Sukhothai and Ayutthaya for the country's capital in 1782. Its sovereigns were fretful to build upon the splendor of the past two capitals and created signposts that still form an essential fraction of Bangkok tourism.

Guided boat rides are such a fun and pleasurable way to enjoy your Bangkok vacation. The soothing tours give you a climax into the real lifestyle of Bangkok, Thailand. Sailing through the city's zigzag canals, the visitors are taken back into the past residential home. The most interesting thing that the visitors of the flights to Bangkok will observe the amazing floating markets that can be located on the canals presenting everything from fruits and vegetables to exotic flowers.

When you arrange your travel in flights to Bangkok and organize the Bangkok tour make sure to plan some time to visit some of its marvelous temples which include the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Keo) house a Buddha made of olive jade and the Marble Temple (Wat Benjamaopit), which is an imposing mix of Italian marble, Chinese terracotta surface and gold-lacquer.

Another essential constituent of Bangkok holidays is, of course, its bumper shopping. Two sites that are not to be missed during Bangkok vacations are the Chinatown and Siam Square. Dating back to the 18th century, Chinatown's web of small streets offers something for everyone including alluring restaurants as well as a variety of goods ranging from daily necessities to electronic toys and pottery. The tourists have traveled into flights to Bangkok on a budget will definitely have lots of shopping from the town. However, if you're in the feel for something slightly more chic and fashionable during your Bangkok vacation, step into the Skytrain and look into the hustle and bustle of the glittering and classy Siam Square. You'll enjoy a selection of high-end shopping malls including the Siam Discovery Center and the Siam Center even famous fashion and showbiz icon ride into the Bangkok flights to have a luxury and fashion shopping from the center.

Because of wealthy tourism in Bangkok lots of travel firms and tour operators are offering the cheap flights to Bangkok.

Eternal Beauty of Samui Explained

Samui (Koh Samui), is one of the most peaceful island spots in Thailand. It is situated in the Gulf of Thailand, around 700 kms to the south of Bangkok and 85 kms to the east of Surat Thani. It is the biggest island in Gulf of Siam's and the country's biggest island, after Phuket and Ko Chang.

Because of abundant coconut trees and reaping of over 2 million coconuts a month, Samui is also called as the Coconut Island. Due its stunning environment enriched with verdant green tropical regions, tall coconut trees, immaculate white sandy beaches, luminous blue waters, and stunning waterfalls and lovely ponds, Samui attracts people from throughout the world.

Hence, Samui offers excellent options to satisfy all kinds of visitors, whether on budget to well-off to those looking for privacy and luxury. Besides hotels and resorts, other types of accommodation like villas are also quite in demand among the tourists.

Koh Samui has numerous well-known companies that assist you in choosing villa rentals on the island. These companies provide all the necessary help to make your holiday experience memorable and trouble free by offering you various villa choices based on your needs and requirements, and a personal contact in villas which is normally absent in majority of the hotels and resorts.

Tourists choosing luxurious villas are normally quick and thin-skinned insisting on far better service and minute attention on each facet of the villas. Mainly, the villa service providers guarantee all discriminating tourists much more than their hopes, needs and requirements.

Most of the service providers include a team of experts who are available online 24 hours to fulfill your requirements to get the best possible villa rental in Samui very close to the preferred destination. Moreover, they provide 24 hours functioning online booking system, that lets you book or obtain needed information about the site.

These providers give you an answer with personal help to help you locate the favored villa at the place of yours. Some villa rental providers also offer the services of professional property managers to assist you with each facet of villa rentals in Koh Samui.

To a large extent tourists favor Samui as their holiday spot during February to June, the period when the climate is arid and hot, to experience the best of the travel season. From July, rainy season begins that lasts till October, but yet, there is plenty of daylight between the bout of rain.

Then from October to January there is snow followed by the heavy winds. So the period from February to June is the time when villas rental in Samui is in boom.

Despite quick speed of development pace, Samui has always managed to retain its charm and attraction as a tropical beach with white sands and coconut palms. It is quite famous for quality coconuts that grow abundantly throughout the island. Its magnificent beaches and calming bays, thrills each heart and soul providing a tranquil and silent atmosphere.

Samui has become the tourist paradise as it has a variety of scenery, vistas, flora and fauna, off beat trail places, beaches, waterfalls and hill top paths, but the area is tranquil and silent and suitable for those looking for peace.

So villa rentals here are very much in demand. You can opt for the services of villa rental providers in the region through the internet. You can use their online booking system and personal assistance to get the right villa without any trouble.

You are welcome to publish the article along with the hyperlinked URL: Samui Hotel.

Things to Do Near Bangkok Airport During Transit

If you are in transit at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport for more than 6 hours and don't fancy sitting around the airport all day, there are a number of attractions nearby that are a short taxi ride away and will definitely break up the boredom of your short stay. A very interesting and unique option near the airport is "Ancient Siam" (formerly known as Ancient City). Called Mueang Boran in Thai, it is a cultural park spread over 200 acres and is referred to as the world's largest outdoor museum.

The park is built in the shape of Thailand and houses 116 replicas, reconstructed monuments and architectural attractions. Each of the structures are placed in it's geographically correct position within the Thailand-shaped park. Some of the monuments are life-sized, while others are scaled down. Spending a day here will give you a great tour of the history of Thailand and you can even opt for a private guided tour in English, though of course at an extra cost (1500 Baht).

The architecture on display throughout the park is absolutely amazing, a lot of it quite difficult to find nowadays throughout Thailand. Apart from some major reproductions such as the floating market, the reclining Buddha, the Pavilion of the Enlightened and the Giant Swing and Brahmin Temple, you can also see and walk through realistic depictions of traditional Thai villages which are still in abundance today in rural Thailand, but unless you have Thai friends or relatives to take you, it would be difficult to see during your stay.

Ancient Siam really is very beautiful and it is so large that you can spend a peaceful day roaming or cycling and only run into someone every now and then. Bicycles, and even 2 and 3 seater bicycles, can be rented inside the park for 50 Baht each (100 and 150 Baht respectively for duo and triple bicycles).

The park is roughly 15 kilometers from the airport and is accessible in 40 minutes. Admission is 300 Baht for adults and 150 Baht for children. It is open form 8am to 5pm daily.

In the same area as the Ancient Siam park is the Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm and Zoo. Built in 1950, it was Thailand's first crocodile farm and now houses over 60,000 crocodiles, of both the saltwater and freshwater variety. You can see elephants, chimpanzees, and other animals such as gibbons, turtles, boa constrictors, pythons, birds, camels, hippopotamuses, and of various species of fishes. There is also a tiger chained up with which you can have your photo taken.

The park is open from 7am to 6pm and shows are performed every hour between 9am and 5pm, with handlers catching the crocodiles bare handed, wrestling with them and even placing their hands and heads inside the crocodiles' open jaws. There are also elephant shows with performances every hour between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm.

Be warned that this zoo has come under a lot of flack from some tourists for the way the animals are treated with small concrete enclosures with no secondary barriers. Advances in zoo designs have certainly not come to Thailand yet and if you are sensitive to such things you may want to skip this zoo.

In summary if you have between eight and twelve hours, the Ancient Siam park is an excellent choice to get outside, have a relaxing time and even learn something about Thailand. If you have a shorter amount of time and if you have the stomach for it, you may consider the Crocodile Farm and Zoo. Both of these attractions are close to each other and can be reached by taxi from the airport in a little over half an hour. Be sure to check at the new Tours for Transit Passengers desks in the transfer hall of the airport to see if these destinations are offered as a tour. If so you can avoid paying the 700 baht airport tax when you re-check-in to your onward flight by taking the tour.

Staying at one of the many hotels near Suvarnabhumi Airport will allow you to forget about traffic worries on the day of your flight, and also position you near the above mentioned attractions, which provides a great day out.

Visiting Bognor Regis

Bognor Regis is a small town located in West Sussex (South East England). The local station is well connected with many connections from London. The travelling time will be approximately 1 and a half hours. It also takes the same time when people travel to Bognor Regis by plane. Getting around Bognor Regis is very easy, and people can go to different places and tourist spots by foot. But even if the town is small and can be walked, it is sufficient with taxi cabs and buses for quicker and more convenient travel.

Some of the sights that people can enjoy in Bognor Regis are Butlin's Holiday Camps. These camps were opened in 1960 by Sir Billy Butlin. Subsequently, these camps are called Southcoast World (up to 1998), and at present, they are changed to Butlin's Bognor Resort. People can enjoy a range of hotels and accommodation. The Shoreline Hotel is one of the largest investments in a hotel made by the region. In 2008, there are additional hotels that are being put up in Bognor Regis to house more vacationers. In 2009, a modern styled hotel which has 200 room capacities called the Ocean Hotel was established. The hotel has five star amenities, including a spa facility.

Aside from sights and sounds, you can also do some activities. Some of the events that are held in the country are the Sands of Time Festival and Fun Fairs. Every year, as a form of entertainment for the whole family during summer time, Bognor Rox takes place. Bognor Prom is where the event is held and there are two stages set up for entertainers to perform for the people.

You can also do some shopping locally. They have a chain of stores and boutiques all over town. There is a particular shop in Bognor which stock supplies and Fairtrade gifts called the Waterloo Square. The Regis Center is Bognor Regis' main market place where you can buy almost everything you need in there.

When you are craving for delicious food, there are a lot of restaurants you can go to. Just nearby the Royal Hotel, there is a fine Thai restaurant called the Tuptim Siam by the seafront. There are also Chinese restaurants available in the region like the Jasmine House. If you are craving for Indian cuisine, there are two popular restaurants in the town called the Magna Tandoori and The Bombay Restaurant.

If you are looking to move to the area go to property bognor regis

Where to Stay in Bangkok

Each year many travelers from all over the world head to Bangkok for business and travel, especially in November through April which is the high season in Thailand. All hotels in bangkok tend to be fully booked during that period. For your convenience, you should plan ahead and make your hotel reservations at least a few months in advance.

There are many hotel options in Bangkok. If you are looking for a big, high quality and affordable hotel, you would do well to locate yourself in the business center, which offers great shopping and entertainment. The sky train provides rapid and easy transit. You will find many excellent downtown hotels in the area around Sukhumvit, Silom, and Siam Square.

For a more peaceful, less central situation, you can admire the beautiful scenery along both sides of Chaophraya River. You can travel easily by boat or by road, not far away from areas of historical interest. Those travelers desiring a more laid-back experience will appreciate many of the nice hotels in the Bangkok Riverside area.

Sukhumvit Road

Sukhumvit is always the number one choice in tourists' mind when they looking for hotels in Bangkok. Along this road you will find various lanes (or Soi) packed with shopping zones, delicious foods, and night entertainment. It is a heaven for tourists. From Nana (Sukhumvit soi 3-4) to Asoke (Sukhumvit soi 21), you will find many shops offering jewelry, leather, souvenirs, costumes, tailors, clothes, car rental, etc. but the most attractive for tourists is Nana Plaza (soi 4) and Soi Cowboy (between soi 21-23). Sukhumvit Road has many foreign residences and hotels for tourists. Hotels and serviced apartments line the road. Leading or economy 3-5 star hotels provide the best choice for tourists and businessmen who want to stay comfortably within easy walking distance of the sky train.

Siam Square

Called "Siam" for short, this downtown square is the hub for fashion, the world of shopping, trendy entertainment, and international food. No wonder this is the most popular shopping center in all of Thailand: it can respond to the shopper's need for any selection. If you are after original brand name products, you can go to Siam Center, Siam Discovery, or Siam Paragon. If you want a cheaper product, you can find it at MBK. But if you are looking for economy price products like in the Sunday Market, you'll do well in the retail shops in Siam Square. For entertainment, this location can offer you anything from modern cinema, bowling and karaoke, to a variety of restaurants with menus from all over the world. Hop easily from Siam Square to another shopping center (Central World Plaza, Gaysorn Plaza, The Emporium) or to the business center with rapid and convenient transportation by sky train.

Silom Road

Silom is one of the main business centers of Bangkok, named "Bangkok Wall Street." Silom has banks, hotels, offices and big department stores lined up along both sides of the road. You will find souvenirs and other goods for sale along the sidewalk at night or in Soi Lalaisap (Silom soi 5). And Silom also offers famous night entertainment that is very popular for all tourists like Silom soi 2, Patpong, and Soi Taniya. Though the traffic on Silom Road is heavy, you can travel by sky train and subway, economical and very convenient transportation connecting to other business and shopping centers like Sukhumvit, Siam Square, Jatujak Sunday Market, Sathorn, and Riverside.

Riverside

Another interesting area to find hotels in Bangkok. These days boat travel along Chaophraya River is very popular. Besides the beautiful scenery and traditional Thai life style along the river, you will journey through the history of the region. It is no surprise that many tour agencies always include boat travel in their program. Along with many restaurants, the banks of Chaophraya River boast luxury 5 star hotels such as The Oriental, The Peninsula, or Shangri-la, as well as 3 star hotels that can respond to the needs of tourists who prefer a peaceful location, far from the downtown bustle. The scenery along the river at night is so beautiful, not to say romantic. Sites such as Wat Phrakaew (The Temple of Emerald Buddha), Wat Po, Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) can be reached by ferry boat. And if you want to pop back into town for shopping or business at Silom or Siam, you can take the sky train at Taksin Station.

Ratchadapisek

Is the main road for entertainment and business. Especially entertainment at night: pubs, bars, cabarets, foot massage, and restaurants. This place is very popular among tourists, in particular Ratchada soi 4 with its many bars and pubs. Plus department stores and low price shopping centers that are very popular for shoppers. With convenient transportation by bus or subway, you can travel easily to other locations like Sukhumvit, Silom, Siam, and Jatujak Sunday Market in 15 minutes. Most of the hotels are located not far from the subway, making Ratchada well worth considering if you are looking for a base to stay.

If you found this article helpful you might like to visit http://www.modernthailand.com where you will find more hotel reviews and other useful articles.

What to Enjoy While on Bangkok Travel

Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, is a metropolitan city. It is one of the most thriving commercial centers. In the entire nation, Bangkok occupies the topmost position in its ability to blend the old with the new. It leads to sense of adventure while sightseeing, favored by good climate and nature, thus adding the element of surprise during Bangkok travel while exploring the most fabled city of Bangkok. This wonderful city embraces modern development and in return, presents an initial picture of towering shopping plazas, thrusting office towers, world class hotels serving clients with deluxe comforts, neon lit entertainment spots and restaurants serving Thailand's spicy specialties and national cuisines.

The mode of transportation in Bangkok is excellent. Its airports remain busy, both international and domestic terminals, thus catering to the transportation needs of the travelers on Bangkok tour and Bangkok hotels ranging from cozy suits to moderate and deluxe rooms, costing to few baths, the currency of Thailand. The important feature of these hotels is that their rooms can be booked in advance through online reservation sites to avoid any hassle for visitors. Bangkok is known for housing few best restaurants in the world. One can easily come across special cuisines in the restaurant throughout the city. Quality Thai food is easily available at all outlets, street front restaurants and markets.

Bangkok is a paradise for people who love shopping. Some of the main shopping hubs of the city are Gayson Plaza, Amulet market, Pak Khlong Market, Nandakwang, Mahboonkrong etc. Bangkok has been given the epithet of "the shopper's stop', as it is an excellent place to shop. The large number of shopping streets has added to its uniqueness. The wide range of products such as fabrics, clothes, electrical goods, monk supplies, fresh flowers and guns are all sold on this street. Ratanakosin Island is one of the Bangkok highest ratios of Parkland per capita, from historical public ground to Public Park.

There are many cultural attractions such as National museums, Siam society, Thai cultural centre and national library. Visual and musical entertainment can be best enjoyed in Cultural center. Not only does Bangkok offer so much to its visitors, but Bangkok hotels have good provision of accommodation comprising comfortable guestrooms along with comprehensive range of cuisines and business facilities. Even several types of health and recreational facilities are also provided to satisfy their visitors. Travel in Bangkok can be made more interesting by ferry and tuk-tuks services. Private vans and cars operate in the city all round the clock.

Nancy Eben is an associate editor of http://www.stayresthailand.com/.The website offers exclusive information of Thailand and Bangkok travel. We also provide online hotel reservation of cheap hotel Thailand. We appreciate your feedback and queries at megharyan@gmail.com

Hotels in Sathon - Bangkok Hotels in Embassy Row

Hotels in Sathon are Bangkok hotels in a location of prime residential and commercial properties consisting of 5 star hotels, serviced apartments, embassies, posh apartments, schools, churches and private hospitals. Of the few canals left in Bangkok, two of them are in Sathon, an area with a long and rich history.

A major road linking Thonburi on the west bank of the Chao Phraya to the city center, Sathon Road actually consists of two roads; North Sathon and South Sathon separated by a narrow canal that's hardly noticeable in the heavy traffic. Our story begins with this canal.

Back in 1892, 24 years into the reign of King Rama V, Chao Sua Yom a wealthy Chinese immigrant was commissioned to dig a canal linking the Chao Phraya River near Wat Yannawa to Hua Lam Pong canal. The earth from the excavation was used to build a road running along each bank of the new canal. Locals called this canal Chao Sua Yom Canal and the road Phor Yom Road.

For his enterprise, Chao Sua Yom was granted to the rights to the land north and south of the canal. In recognition of his services, Chao Sua Yom was awarded the royal title Luang Sathon Rachayuk and the names of the road and canal were subsequently changed to Sathon, in his honor.

The land in Sathon was parceled off into smaller lots and sold to rich merchants, both foreign and Thai, who built European styled mansions. Immigrants flocked to the less fashionable areas to cultivate orchards and plantations.

In the following century however, Sathon went through a complete transformation. The mushrooming of hotels, condominiums, serviced apartments, banks and offices turned Sathon into a prime district in Bangkok. The main Sathon Road hosts some of Bangkok's best; Banyan Tree, Metropolitan Hotel and Sukhothai Hotel, the pride of the hotels in Sathon.

The embassies caught the trend as well. Twenty countries have established their embassies in Sathon Road; Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovak, Taiwan, the Vatican and the United Arab Emirates.

Many of the sois off Sathon Road, where some of the hotels in Sathon are located, have their stories too.

Would guests at Somerset Park Suan Plu, a serviced apartment is in Soi Suan Plu, have imagined that the area used to be betel plantations and orchards cultivated by Chinese immigrants at the turn of the 20th century. Some of their descendants still live here in the shop houses that line the street. You can occasionally hear the strains of Teochew, a southern Chinese dialect, among the older residents.

Few visitors would have realized the significance of the road names; Soi Suan Plu (betel plantation) and the connecting Nang Linchi Road (Mrs Lychee).

In the seemingly endless sub-branching of sois, Soi Phra Pinit off Suan Plu is the site of M.R. Kukrit Pramoj's House, a set of traditional Thai houses. Designated a national heritage, the house was the former home of the 13th Prime Minister of Thailand in the mid 1970s. It's open to visitors on weekends and public holidays. The Yellow Ribbon Hills Executive Mansion, a comfortable hotel/apartment popular with the Japanese, is in this quiet residential lane.

Soi Saladaeng, off North Sathon Road, was part of a large tract of royal land that extended all the way to Lumphini Park and Siam Square. The area got its name from Sala Daeng, the red roofed railway station of the old Paknam line ran by a Danish company linking the city with the port at the mouth of the Chao Phraya.

Saladaeng, is now an up market area popular with cafes, restaurants, condominiums and serviced apartments. The Jim Thompson Saladaeng Café is here. So are three of the hotels in Sathon; Centre Point Saladaeng, Chin House Luxurious Residence and Siri Sathorn Hotel.

At the junction of Convent Road and North Sathon Road, there's an old Anglican church, Christ Church, built in 1906 by the English residents in Bangkok from a land grant by King Rama V. Unico Grande Sathorn Boutique Service Residence in Soi Pipat off Convent Road is not far away from the walled convent of the Carmelite order of nuns who gave Convent Road its name.

Every hotel tries to establish a distinct signature. In the case of the Evergreen Laurel Hotel, at the junction of North Sathon and Soi 6, its Chinese restaurant serves one of the best Hong Kong tim sum in Bangkok.

The other canal in the area is the Chong Nonsi which runs in a north south direction perpendicular to the Sathon canal. When a road was built along the Chong Nonsi, its name was commonplace, Liap Khlong Chong Nonsi, literally the road skirting the Chong Nonsi canal.

In 1996, the prestige of this road was enhanced when it was renamed Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Road, (na-ra-thi-wat ra-ja-na-ga-rin), after Kromma Luang Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra, the royal title of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, the elder sister of HM the King.

To help non-Thais avoid tripping over their tongues, the name of this road is sometimes spelt as Narathiwat Rajanakarin. Oakwood City Residence, a member of the international apartment chain, is located further down Naradhiwas Road.

Overhead, the skytrain from Silom Road turns into Naradhiwas, stops at the Chong Nonsi station before it turns right into Sathon Road, passing the Ascott Sathorn, another of the hotels in Sathon.

The St Louis Hospital nearby is a non-profit hospital named after King Louis IX of France, the only French king to achieve sainthood. When Bishop Louis Vey founded the hospital in 1898, he provided land for a church in future. His wish was fulfilled much later when the St Louis Church was built in 1957.

Coincidentally the priest responsible for the construction of the church was Bishop Louis Chorin. So it's no surprise that the soi nearby, though officially named Soi Sathon 13, is commonly known as Soi St Louis.

In 1982, the Taksin Bridge, named after King Taksin of Thonburi, spanning the Chao Phraya was completed, linking Sathon Road with Thonburi. Sathon Road was widened to take the extra traffic and Sathon canal reduced in width. Naradhiwas Road and the Chong Nonsi canal were similarly affected. Though considerably narrower, Sathon and Chong Nonsi are two of the remaining canals in Bangkok.

Few of the old mansions remain, their places taken by condominiums. The orchards and plantations are gone. The Hua Lam Pong canal was filled up to build Rama IV Road where Pinnacle Lumpinee Hotel, a budget hotel not far from the Lumphini subway station, keeps a respectful distance from her 5 star neighbors in the prime embassy row.

There's an old photo in the Bangrak Museum of what Sathon Road was like in the early 1900s. It's a scene of old Fords chugging down the road, boats being rowed in the canal and perhaps the occasional bullock cart.

Chao Sua Yom's decision to dig a canal south of Silom more than a century ago has paid off handsomely. He couldn't have foreseen then that the road he built would have some of the heaviest traffic in Bangkok a century later. Or that the area would be home to the hotels in Sathon, the crown jewels among Bangkok's premium hotels.

Hotels in Sathon is part of a series of articles on the historical significance of the locations of Bangkok Hotels. These articles can be found in Tour Bangkok Legacies a historical travel site on people, places and events that left their mark in the landscape of Bangkok.

The author Eric Lim, a free-lance writer, lives in Bangkok Thailand and writes for this do-it-yourself historical travel guide for independent travelers.

Popular Holiday Islands in Thailand

Thailand is one of the leading travel destinations in the world and is home to many beautiful tropical islands. Some of these isles you might have heard of and some you will most likely never have heard of. This Thailand related travel article will list and review some of the most beautiful holiday islands in Siam.

Phuket

Phuket is the most popular island and is along with Pattaya and Bangkok the most popular tourist destinations of the country. There are many beautiful beaches on this isle which include Patong, Karon, Kata, Kamala, Surin and Nai Harn. If you enjoy the nightlife then perhaps either Phuket or Samui should be your choice for your next vacation.

Koh Samui

Samui is ranked among the top 5 vacation destinations in the country and has been known for a very long time as a backpacker heaven. Samui has however been under development a great deal during the last decade and visitors can now choose from a wide range of luxurious hotels and resorts. The beaches on this island rank among the finest of Thailand. Chaweng beach is the most popular beach resort area of Samui.

Koh Chang

Koh Chang is still relatively unknown to the general public however it is one of the fastest growing travel destinations of Siam. If you would like to visit Koh Chang then you should take the ferry boat from Rayong as there is no airport on this Thai isle

Koh Samet

Although Samet is not a very large island, it is one of the most romantic of all the Thai islands. Many travelers are like to visit Samet as it is located not too far from Pattaya. A lot of day trips are also organized to this wonderful isle.

James is a travel consultant living on Phuket and is working on a number of projects. If you are looking for information about Phuket then be sure to visit his Phuket guide and for information about Samui please visit his Samui Guide.

Top 3 Island Honeymoon Destinations

Spending your honeymoon on a luxury island holiday is the epitome of romantic. What could be better for your honeymoon than imagining yourself completely alone with your new husband or wife on a deserted island? Because islands are such popular destinations, you'll find everything you could ever want for a luxury honeymoon at your fingertips. Here are my top three choices for the perfect island honeymoon destination.

1. Fiji

Just thinking about Fiji brings to mind the image of clear, refreshing waterfalls hidden in the forest and soft sandy beaches, ideal for lounging about and indulging in total relaxation. It's truly a magical group of islands which will lend a romantic feel to your honeymoon without any effort on your part. The laid back culture of the Fijian people as well as their friendly welcome will make you feel completely at home, even if you choose to visit a few of the different islands (there are 330 in total) over the course of your honeymoon.

Fiji is virtually made for swimming and diving; the turquoise waters are warm and the floor of the ocean is covered in miles of stunning coral reefs with a huge variety of tropical fish to swim with. It's the perfect spot for adventurers, with many of the islands covered in lush rainforest and edged by rugged, sandy beaches. You can either relax in luxury or pretend you're shipwrecked and the only two people left in the world - whichever scenario you choose, Fiji is surely an island paradise.

2. Mauritius

Mauritius is a gorgeous island full of all the luxurious destinations you've been dreaming about since you said "yes". There's a reason that celebrities and politicians often spend their holidays staying in the island's most luxurious hotels, and it's because they truly offer some of the best accommodation in the world in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable. If you'd really like to live it up, you might choose to stay at the Le Telfair Golf and Spa Restaurant, which has its own tropical gardens, lagoon, and pristine beach.

Since Mauritius is such a popular honeymoon destination, it also has all of the fantastic tourism infrastructure which will ensure you get the most out of your holiday. There are championship golf courses, world class spas, and Michelin starred chefs and restaurants to provide the best of the best no matter what you're doing. And, of course, the island itself is stunning, with not only gorgeous beaches and clear water but a year-round sub-tropical climate, ensuring that the island will be beautiful no matter when you choose to go.

3. The Maldives

The Maldives are true paradise, a beautiful chain of islands which could almost have been purpose built for your luxury honeymoon. Most resorts are designed for you to take full advantage of your beautiful island location, with suites perched on stilts and overwater bungalows scattered across the tiny atolls. There is even an "all water" villa resort, Soneva Gili, which has luxury villas spread across the lagoon. The Crusoe Residences are so private that they're only accessible by speedboat, ensuring that you'll never be interrupted on your honeymoon, but all residences are overwater, bringing the luxury of island life to you.

If you're looking for the perfect romantic getaway, the Maldives are perfect for you, with the large variety of remote retreats. You'll emerge from your holiday relaxed and refreshed with a bevy of pictures designed to bring back those memories and make all of your friends jealous.

For the perfect luxury honeymoon, choose one of these three island retreats. You'll remember it for a lifetime.

Meghan Burton is a professional copywriter. She recommends The Turquoise Holiday Company for luxury honeymoons and holidays.

Best Nightlife Areas to Stay in Bangkok

Bangkok is a burgeoning cosmopolitan city with lots to do for all ages. But one of the most popular past times (for adults) in Bangkok is visiting the hot nightlife districts located in several parts of this exotic city. Bangkok's nightlife is not just go go bars and naughty massage parlors, it is a city where you can find some of the best clubs, beer gardens and some of the world's most excellent roof top bars to watch the sun go down with your favorite drink in hand.

For starters head out to Sukhumvit Road Soi 11. Sukhumvit is a popular stretch of road right in central Bangkok. A Soi is basically a lane and in this case Soi 11 is full of bars and clubs that are frequented mostly by foreigners and local middle classed Thais. Some of the most popularly established clubs here are Q Bar and Bed Supper Club. Both clubs are top notch and stepping into either one will give you the feeling like you have been transported to some of the best clubs in New York City.

Another great option is to head for the commercial business district of Silom. By day its an unassuming neighborhood filled with salary men and women rushing to their desks. By night Silom is lit up by the bright lights of Patpong Red Light District. Amongst the seedy go go bars are some of the best live music venues as well as a cluster of excellent Irish beer bars serving familiar European grub food.

Some of Bangkok's most excellent bars and clubs are even located within the hotels. Ambassador Hotel for instance houses the Climax Club right in the basement. Live music and dancers are always a hit with the locals and tourists alike. And the Novotel Hotel in Siam Square is where you will find CM2 Club, also in the basement of the hotel has one huge dance floor that is always popular with local Thais.

For a real treat visit the Lebua State Tower Hotel located near the river. Head all the way to the top and you'll find Sky Bar and there you will find a breath taking view of Bangkok while smooth beats drift through the air.

Most of Bangkok's hottest nightlife establishments are located right in the heart of the city and very easy to reach and certainly well worth the visit whenever you are in the Land of Smiles.

For further information visit Top 10 Bangkok Nightlife Hotels to find a list of popular hotels close to Bangkok's best nightlife districts.

Edwin M. Clark is a business consultant who works and travels to Southeast Asia for over 9 years. His experience and knowledge in the region has provided valuable information and resources for business ventures and mid range to major corporations in the travel industry. He is also a writer and contributor to http://www.bangkokforvacation.com

Know About Brest

Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in north-western France. It is located in the sheltered portion that is not very far from Breton Peninsula. This city is an important seaport and naval base. Brest is the largest city in Finistère, the capital of the department which is the much smaller commune of Quimper.

Brest is known for its Pont de Recouvrance which is a massive drawbridge. The military arsenals and the rue de Siam are also well known. The Castle and the Tour Tanguy are the oldest monuments of Brest. The most of the historical architecture of the city of Brest is destroyed due to bombings by Allies during World War II. A few selected monuments like the Castle and the Tour Tanguy remains today. After World War, the whole town was rebuilt hastily using large amount of concrete. Brest was an important warship-producing port during the Napoleonic wars. The naval port, which is in great part excavated in the rock, extends along both banks of the Penfeld.

Economy:

Brest is regarded as the first French port that was accessed from the Americas. Shipping is the main business of this region. The protected location of the Brest means that its harbor can accommodate ships of any sizes ranging from the smallest dinghy to a large aircraft carrier. In fact, USS Nimitz has visited this harbor many times.

Transport:

Brest is served by an international airport called Brest Bretagne Airport. This airport was formally known as Brest Guipavas Airport. It is located in the commune of Guipavas and 10.2km (6.4 miles) northeast of Brest, in the department of Finistère.

Gare de Brest is the main railway station of Brest. This station witnessed the arrival of TGV Atlantique in the year 1990.The city of Brest is linked to Rennes and Paris as well as regional (TER) services to Brittany including Quimper, Landerneau, Lannion and Morlaix.

Visit my site and know about Chunnel train and Chunnel prices from London to Paris.

10 Reasons To Visit Koh Samui

Your destination for water sports, adventure activities, shopping and fine foods - Koh Samui or Samui is one of the top travel destinations of Thailand. It's an island in the Gulf of Thailand, about 80km from the eastern coastline of southern Thailand.

The Thailand's second largest island has numerous lures, such as thick green forests, incredible coconut fringed white sand beaches, coral reefs, temples, gardens fantastic waterfalls, and remarkable rock formations, but the top 10 reasons to visit koh Samui are as follows:

The Big Buddha Beach is one of the major attractions of the Koh Samui. Sited 15 minutes from Chaweng, the stunning beach is the place full of entertainment and pleasure. The exotic beach offers perfect setting for partying long during nights and relaxing during the day times.

Wat Phra Yai temple attracts you with its sheer size and beauty. The temple is a great marvel famous for its 12 meter tall Buddha sculpture. It is Samui's major tourist attraction, which is on Route 4171 near the airport.

The Ancient House is an amazing and the oldest house at Ban Thale on the island. The house built around 150 years ago, has all the parts fitted together without any nail. It is made of teak planks and shows off several beauteous woodcarvings.

The Hin Lat Waterfalls are probably one of the finest expressions of the scenic beauty. Located 2 kms south of Na Thon, these waterfalls are astounding to observe and you can even take a dip in a big rock pond made at the underside of the falls. The Hin Lad cloister is also close at hand that is worth visiting too.

Undoubtedly, Snake Farm is one of the top lures on the island. It is sited in the region of 'Taling Ngam' in the south of the island and of Nathon. There are 2 daily shows at 11 am and 2 pm showing snakes living on Samui, and some of Asia's most vicious species plus centipedes and scorpions.

Aquarium & Tiger Zoo attracts you to watch its lot of fish and coral species, among others sharks, catfishes, turtles and various others that lived in the local underwater ocean deeps. It also offers you opportunity to see tigers in their cages, and watch birds, such as parrots, falcons, sea eagles and others.

Situated at the south of the beach of Lamai, Hin-Ta and Hin-Yai is surely one of the most desired tourist attractions as they bear close resemblance to the male and female genital organs. These two rock formations are also called Grandmother and Grandfather Rocks.

Two Crocodile Farms on the Koh Samui Island are also great tourist traps. Located behind the airport and on a 7000 square meters area, one of the farms has over 100 animal species including Siam and sea water crocodiles, caymans, snakes, lizards, apes and many more. The other one is in the south of the island, at Namuang Waterfall II.

You can really have some nice time at Tamarind Spa, which offers excellent massages in a calm and green setting. The prices here are affordable and well worth it. You can also have all type of massage therapies, and other natural treatments at the best possible prices.

Accessed via a 30-minute boat ride from Ban Thong Krut, the Naga Pearl Farm is also a great tourist attraction. Here you are shown how pearls are cultivated. There is also a big shop on the premises where different kinds of pearls and pearl products are sold that include pearl shells and unique handicrafts.

Author writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing listings for Koh Samui villa rentals, Koh Samui hotels, bed and breakfasts, and Koh Samui vacation.

Where to Find Cheap Hotels in Thailand

Thailand is the cultural, political and social center in Southeast Asia for more than 200 years. Currently, Thailand is a tourist haven, and it is so due to so many reasons. It is culturally rich, with many beautiful Buddhist temples, a bustling metropolitan city, and at the same time, it's extremely affordable. You get the best of both worlds when travelling to Thailand.

Since Thailand is a popular tourist destination, it has plenty of cheap and affordable hotels that will fit accordingly to your budget. Furthermore, many of the cheap hotels in Thailand are located strategically near shopping areas, major transportation centers, and tourist sites. Thus, these cheap hotels offer you great convenience and great value for your money.

When it comes to choosing a cheap and affordable hotel, location is always key. A great place to stay is Siam Square, the shopping haven of Thailand. Siam Square has literally hundreds of small shops littered at the Siam Center. There are also many luxury shops and labels, for the upscale and elite shoppers. However, if you love the nightlife, other perfect locations include PatPong Road or Silom Road. When choosing your Thailand lodgings, choose a hoel near the subway for your convenience. The subway will get you to most places, so getting to any place will be easy. Also, keep in mind that most cheap hotels in Thailand usually do not have English speaking staff. Thus, misunderstandings and inconveniences may occur, so be prepared.

If you and your family are planning for a trip to Thailand soon, here are cheap hotels in Thailand you may want to consider:

1. Hotel De Moc - The Hotel De Moc is located right at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand, right where all the action is happening. This is a perfect hotel to travellers who love sightseeing, for it is near popular sightseeing sites such as the Rattanakosin Island, Golden Mount and the Grand Palace.

2. Viengtai Hotel - The Viengtai Hotel is especially located near many important historical places. This hotel is just one block away from the Khaosan Road, Bangkok. This hotel is quite near to major historical sites such as the Golden Mountain, the Royal Grand Palace, the Emerald Buddha Temple, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha and The National Museum.

3. The Majestic Suites - This hotel really knows what hospitality is all about. The Majestic Suites, in a nutshell, is warm, elegant and luxurious, but in a subtle way. This hotel is all about providing all their guests their every need. They have all the amenities to provide their guests their most comfortable and memorable stay. Plus, they have a business center that will attend your business and professional needs.

4. Royal Asia Lodge Hotel - This is said to offer the best value of your money among all the cheap hotels in Thailand, for it offers a place for entertainment, relaxation and sightseeing. It is located strategically at the middle of the city, where everything is just a stone's throw away.

The article written by Zarqoo Zaimoo. Please visit Cheap Hotels in Thailand for more information. http://www.eHotelsHub.com

Bangkok Vacation Hot Spots

BANKOK - SOME FACTS

If you visit any destination in South East Asia, it may be imperative that you pass through Bangkok. Bangkok has a strange nature of evoking extreme sense of likes and dislikes amongst visitors. A few seem to loathe it while many others swear that it is the most wonderful, fascinating and exciting places on earth. Actually, Bangkok tends to be what a particular visitor wants it to be. Bangkok is a picture post-card haven with beautiful pagodas, pagodas and some of the world's finest hotels. Bangkok's renowned for it's nightlife in the Orient with an opportunity to savor some of world's most unique cuisines. Bangkok is a favorite and best shopping destination in South East Asia.

Bangkok inhabitants are known as Thais and their friendly ways would flatter the snootiest traveler. Bangkok is all in all, a load of fun and games and a great way to enjoy a civilized vacation. Thailand's history emerges from the Bronze Age, whereas Bangkok, the capital is a young city founded in 1782. With a population of around 6 million, 50% of them are under 30. Bangkok lies on the banks of the river "Chao Phraya", a wonderful working waterway full of sampans, wide variety of boats and rice barges.

Bangkok is a beautiful mix of the old and the new, the modern and the ancient evident from its skyline that comprises of Buddhist temples (wats), luxury hotels, high-rise office buildings and shopping malls making it a kaleidoscope. Under the thin veneer of new found Western influence you will find that the Thais are not devoid of traditional values. The sights of ubiquitous street food sellers, monks on morning begging rounds and women stringing jasmine blossoms on thread near wats will display the cultural heritage of Thailand that is not lost in the arc lights of modernity.

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS IN BANKOK

Bangkok is packed with more attractions per square mile than any other city in the world. Despite the crowds, the architecture and the attractions are worth the effort to travel and see. On the top of the list would be Wat Phra Khao and the Grand Palace for sightseeing for half a day. This can include the National Museum and the Wat Pho. Chinatown, Bangkok's major attractions has a unique traditional life untouched by modern civilization and could be fascinating. Historical sites like Rattanakosin Island (central point when Bangkok was founded) are also worth visiting. The main symbolic places of Bangkok are Wat Arun on the Chao Phraya River.

Cross the Chao Phraya to reach Thonburi and you can tour the klongs to appreciate the heritage and culture of the country of Thailand. The Vimanmek Palace, restored by Queen Sirikit, made of golden teak emphasizes the exquisite taste and oriental splendor of ancient Thai royal life.

TOURING AROUND BANKOK

The easier way to explore the country would be put up base in Bangkok and explore the region by using the interesting and unusual daytrips.

Ayutthaya & Bang Pa-In: This probably is the most popular day trip from Bangkok and takes you to visit the Ayutthaya (A-you-ta-ya), the previous and old capital of Thailand, about 50 miles north of Bangkok, the current capital. Ayutthaya has served as the second capital of the Kingdom of Siam for over 400 years. Travellers in the past have described the glittering palaces, temples and Buddhist images depicting it as one of the most beautiful cities on the planet. In an unfortunate event the Burmese burned the glories of this city in 1767. In Ayutthaya, you could hire a tuk tuk along with an English-speaking guide to take you around the celebrated temples (cost could be in the range of 250 bahts). You can also hire a long-tail boat for cruising the 12-mile Chao Phraya River trip that ends at the king's summer palace at Bang Pa-In (300 bahts).

Many such trips are available to be taken. Bangkok never ceases to amaze and so giving an approximate time frame of the trip becomes difficult. You could get there, relax, and see for yourself what Bangkok has to offer. May be you could go back when you have more time, or to see the rest of it. The magnetism of Bangkok is such that despite having been there many a time, travelers tend to come back.

To ensure your vacation recipe is complete, add in that special sprinkle of a Thailand vacation rental. Book Thailand Vacation Rentals matching your criteria. These vacation rentals are presented by their owners or managers.

Find vacation rentals in Thailand with http://www.thailand-vacationrentals.com - comprehensive directory of independently owned vacation rental properties. Every Thailand vacation home for rent features direct contact for the property owner/agent along with photos, property amenities and services, rates and much more.