Saturday 18 August 2007

Thailand: Bangkok (Temple of Dawn)

Temple of Dawn of Wat Arun is situated in Bangkok, Thailand. This Buddhist temple has an influence from the Hindu god Aruna. This temple has existed since the 17th century and has unique spires built during the King Rama II. This temple is one of the most beautiful Buddhist temples in Bangkok.

To get there, there are many ways to get to this temple, but many tourists prefer going there by boat. That means they will take either a tailed boat or regular boat. If you want to sightseeing along Chao Praya River, this may be a good option.

There is the admission fee for foreigners and it is open from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm daily. Please make sure you wear long pants and tops with short sleeves. This is the way to respect the place and  the locals will treat you with respect.

If you are in Bangkok, you should not miss this temple. Also, the two big giants are the highlight of this temple. Do not miss this as well!






Friday 10 August 2007

Thailand: Phang Nga

Phang Nga is in the South of Thailand and is on the Andaman Sea. If you are in Phuket, you could buy a day tour to Phang Nga easily. I paid 1600 baht for this day trip in  2007, so I assume the price may be higher now! Anyway, if you go with the tour, you could visit many places in one day and it is worth your money.

In Phang Nga, tourists can take a longtail boat in order to see different caves, especially James Bond Island (or called Koh Tapoo). I do not have to go in details about James Bond movie because they filmed in this location before! This place  has the cave on the beach as well, if you are interested in seeing limestone cave. You should not miss!

Some travel agencies may have a day tour for kayaking to caves. You could have a day tour or half day tour if you wish. I did the kayaking a couple of times. There was one cave but I could not recall the name, it was really beautiful and is wide open and encompassed with this cave. It was really great experience!

The last trip of this day tour is to go see the villagers, they live along the sea and people are so friendly! Try seafood if possible, that place is awesome!






Thailand: Phuket (PP Island, Similan Island & Chalong Temple)

I think most people know Phuket. Phuket is popular for beautiful beaches and Phuket is ranked for the best world beach in the world for many years. The best season to go to Phuket is summer (Feb-Apr) if you want to see nice crystal clear beach and water. One of the best islands that I love is Similan Island but I will talk about both Similan Island and PP Island.

The most beautiful and famous temple in Phuket is Chalong Temple or Wat Chalong.  This is the temple of Phuket people who come to pay homage. This temple is really beautiful both interior and exterior. You should not miss this temple if you are in Phuket.

Another place that you should not miss before you want to head to the island, you should go to Laem Promthep. It is huge beautiful big panorama view of Phuket. The sunset view is awesome in this place. Again, if you want to explore Phuket around before heading to the island, you should rent a car or buy a cheap package or a day tour. It will be more places where I am talking here such as market tours or any other places for shopping. If you want to be in the mainland, you could rent a car or take a bus to Patong beach. This takes about 30 minutes from the airport. There are many beaches here too, but I found PP island and Similan island are the best beautiful islands in Phuket. You should arrange your day tour or 3 days 2 nights with the travel agency and they will tell you what is included in the package. You should book it before you arrive in Phuket. If you buy the package up front or at the hotel, it may double in price. The better you are well-prepared, the cheaper you will get!

There are some tourists who want to camp in Similan Island. This is part of National Park as well, you have to make sure that the admission fee is part of your package or you may have to pay the fee separately. Some travel agencies may tell you but some may not. If you love scuba diving, this is the place for you! You will not be disappointed with nice and beautiful coral reefs. As I have mentioned earlier, to get nice and clear beautiful pictures of the under ocean, I would suggest you come in March or April. It is a high season, so the price is high and the hotels or even camping may be booked up quickly!

Just a note, Phuket in an international airport as well as Bangkok airport. If you had traveled in Bangkok before you head to the south of Thailand, you could book your cheap flights with Air Asia or Nok Air. Those are low-cost airlines unless you want to have Thai Airways!

Similan Island taken in late March, 2007


Similan Island taken in late March, 2007





Laem Promthep in August 2007


PP Island taken in August, 2007


PP Island taken in August, 2007