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.