The Travel & Leisure Magazine Thailand Feature

“There’s the big-headed ghost”said my guide,flashing the beamof her torch intothe upper reaches

of the cave. I could make out a stripedsnake-like creature with a bulge and an eyeat one end. I did what any tourist would do,I took a photo.

As I was wearing flip flops and my onlymeans of escape was a kayak it’s just as wellthis was no malevolent monster but a 2,000year-old cave painting, given its nicknameby Thai fishermen.

My brush with ancient spirits came on a

paddle tour of scenicmangroves at Thailand’ssoutherly resort ofKrabi. My smallkayaking party notonly took in the “big-headed ghost cave” butalso tunnels hung withstalactites and leafy corri-dors where brightly-colouredcrabs crawled up exposed treeroots.

Krabi could be considered a small-scaleshowcase of the tourist appeal of whole ofThailand. There’s adventure – with kayak-ing, jungle hikes to hot springs and even

rock climbing; there’s acultural side – if you jointhe monks (and themonkeys) at the nearbyTiger Cave Temple;and, of course, there’ssome of the world’s most

gorgeous beaches to lieyour towel upon.Low-key Krabi may not be

Thailand’s most popular resort (itlags in that respect behind Phuket and

Koh Samui) but if your mental image of thecountry is craggy limestone karst islands andlong-tail boats decorated with ribbons in aturquoise sea, this is where the photos you’re

6 The Travel & Leisure Magazine July/August 2009

From its gorgeous beaches and craggy karst islands to golden palaces,jungles and great shopping, it is hardly surprising Thailand is such apopular holiday spot. Debbie Ward is a Thai dyed-in-the-wool fan…

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THAILAND

recalling were mostly likely taken. The icon-ic karst islands were made famous when onewas used as a location for the villainScaramanga’s hideout in the 1974 Bond filmThe Man with the Golden Gun. Now popu-larly known as James Bond Island, Koh Tapu(translating as Nail island as it is virtuallyvertical) is in Phang Nga Bay and can bereached on a day trip from Krabi or Phuket.

Island hoppingKrabi’s main strip, Ao Nang, has somethingof a waterborne rush hour each morning aslong-tails start their noisy outboard motorsto whisk day-tripping tourists into karst-studded Phang Nga Bay. My partner and Ijoined one of the island-hopping excursionsfor a lazy day of sunbathing and snorkellingon and around five beaches of increasingloveliness. Some of the places we stoppedat were nothing more than sandbars butenterprising Thais had turned their long-tails into floating cafes serving milkshakes,sandwiches and fruit.

By night we enjoyed browsing the restau-rants at the quieter eastern end of Ao Nang,checking out the catch of the day displayedon iced trays before tucking our legs under abamboo table and tucking in to three or fourcolourful stir-fry or curry dishes for under£10. Afterwards we’d head for a cocktail at abar converted from an old VW campervan.

By day, when we weren’t on excursionswe made shorter hops, using the long-tailsas a ferry service to the attractive neighbour-ing beaches of Railay and, my personalfavourite Thai beach, Phra Nang. Here, atone end of the cliff-framed white sand strip,I found another surprise waiting in a cave –rows of brightly-painted wooden phalluses.

July/August 2009 The Travel & Leisure Magazine 7

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� Long-tail boats and karst island off Krabi


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While it may be a giggle for tourists, somelocals believe this cave contains the spirit ofa drowned princess – and I kept a respectfuldistance from the devotees offering prayersbefore the unusual shrine.

Friendly peopleThailand’s predominantly-Buddhist spiritu-ality is part of what makes it so famouslyfriendly. Thais consider it a loss of face toresort to argument and you’ll rarely hearraised voices. The short-lived violence at thegovernment protests of late last year was outof character in this usually-peaceful country.

Buddhism also gives Thailand some of itsmost colourful sights, such as gold bell-shapedtemple stupas and saffron-robed monks. Mybeach shrine was a far cry from the country’smore glitzy places of worship, the mostrevered of which lies within Bangkok’s keytourist attraction, the Grand Palace.

You haven’t seen bling until you’ve wan-dered this sprawling complex of gold leaf-covered, jewel-encrusted buildings setbeside the city’s Chao Phraya River. Despitethe crowds it’s a peaceful place to be, withThais making incense and lotus blossomofferings and kneeling before the preciousstatue that’s the focal point of the Temple ofthe Emerald Buddha. Next door to theGrand Palace, Wat Pho is home to a giant,reclining Buddha with feet inlaid with moth-er of pearl.

On my visit I had my own lie down for avery affordable kneading at the massageschool in Wat Pho’s grounds.

Bangkok’s other must-sees, the potterystudded temple of dawn – Wat Arun – andthe small Royal Barges Museum are closeby and reached on a river boat tour. Justbeware of locals telling you the attractionyou seek is closed for lunch, flooded or oth-erwise unavailable and helpfully suggestingalternative sights. They’re invariably drum-ming up business for a mate with a tuk-tuk!

Out of Bangkok but within day-trip dis-

tance are the Bridge over the River Kwai, theso-called Death Railway built byWWII pris-oners of war, and Ayutthaya, the site ofThailand’s former royal capital. At the sec-ond of these I was charmed to discover theodd crumbling stone Buddha statue respect-fully clothed with saffron robes or patchedwith gold leaf among the restored templesand atmospheric ruins. Most people arriveat Ayutthaya by road but it’s possible tomake a romantic two-night, three-day jour-ney aboard a converted rice barge(www.manohracruises.com).


Cultural tips� It is considered rude to point your feet at people in

Thailand and especially at images of Buddha.Take care totuck your feet behind you when sitting on the floor,particularly in temples.

� It’s also taboo to touch someone’s head, or to touchmonks.

� When visiting Bangkok’s Royal Palace wear enclosedshoes or sandals with straps around the heels to savequeuing to hire appropriate footwear.

� Be prepared to cover your shoulders and remove shoesinside temples.

� The Thai royal family is highly-revered, so derogatorycomments about them and disrespectful treatment ofBaht notes bearing the king’s image will not beappreciated.

� Relxation, Thai style

� The Royal Palace, Bangkok

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Cycling tourOn another visit to Bangkok, I made myescape from the city on one of the capital’snew cycling tours. Thankfully this didn’troute me through Bangkok’s traffic-chokedstreets; instead, our small group was led bythe guide along quiet paths through nearbyfarming areas, creating our own refreshingbreeze as we went. During an enlighteningday, we stopped to ask farmers the secrets ofthe famously-stinky durian fruit and calledin at a local infant school to watch anEnglish lesson in progress. Flinging ourmountain bikes into a boat for a short rideup river, we ended up at Koh Kret, an islandknown for its pottery making and where wewatched freshly-moulded incense burnersbeing loaded into kilns.

While the big sights of Bangkok are abouthistory, one of its other key attractions – itsnightlife – is bang up to date. Among themost famous venues is Bed Supper Club(www.bedsupperclub.com), where you candance, or recline to eat and sip cocktails

inside what looks like the belly of a brightwhite space ship. Glamorous skyscraper-topbars such as Sirocco Sky Bar(www.thedomebkk.com) at State Tower orVertigo Grill & Moon Bar(www.banyantree.com) atop the BanyanTree offer a different perspective with cityviews that stretch to the horizon.

Bangkok’s hotels also pack that wow fac-tor and nowadays size isn’t everything.

I’ve been lucky enough to stay in severalplush marble-lobbied giants on theriverfront over the years but, onmy last trip, I chose to down-size to Reflections Rooms(www.reflections-thai.com),a bizarre and very afford-able establishment where ahost of artists have beengiven free reign with thedecor. I found myselfcrunching my way across myroom on silver bubble wrapflooring, sitting on a sofa made

from recycled animal feed sacks and eatingdinner under a chandelier hung with Barbiedolls. While not everyone will love thequirkiness of this place there are severalboutique hotels in the capital where the styleis more traditional, meaning you no longerhave to go large for a bit of city chic.

Bargain shoppingI recommend hitting Bangkok last if you

can. Not only will you have shedyour jetlag in a more relaxed

environment but you’llhave got to grips withhaggling and theexchange ratebefore you hit thecapital’s shoppinghighlights.

Most touristsbeat a path to the

rather seedy streetsaround Patpong for

the ever-popular night


Thai massageThailand’s unique and effective form ofmassage combines stretches withreflexology-like stimulation of pressurepoints. Much attention is focused on thefeet but the masseur will also pull yourpyjama-clad limbs into slightly scary butultimately muscle-easing positions, which iswhy this technique is sometimes called“passive yoga”.If you’re nervous, start with a foot

massage or the more gentle Thai treatmentsinvolving warm herbal poultices.Whateveryou choose, your relaxation will be aided bythe low cost.While you’d commonly pay £1a minute for a massage at home, £4 an houris more typical in Thailand’s clean street orbeachside centres (look out for thereflexology charts outside) and as little as£30 in a plush hotel spa with a range ofinternational treatments.

� Shop forlocal crafts

� Traditional Thai massage. Belowleft: Thai massage ingredients

All photos:Tourism Authority of Thailand


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market. While I’ve had fun singing along toTom Jones impersonators at Radio City barand snapping up a few bargains here in mytime, for serious browsing I head toChatuchak. This colossal weekend market(also known as JJs), beside the northernSkyTrain stop of Mo Chit, boasts over15,000 stalls.You’ll find bargain silk scarves, hand-

made candles, wood carvings and ornatecutlery sets but half the fun is the spectacle.This is where Thais shop for anything fromfurniture to pets to plastic fruit. I once evenspotted a monk choosing a hamster!If you prefer the air-conditioned comfort

of a mall, you’re spoilt for choice with giantshopping centres catering for trendy teens tothe well-heeled clustered around SiamSquare and surrounding streets.The great thing about buying anything in

Thailand is that it’s very affordable. This isone of the few places in the world I can enjoymy favourite indulgences, cocktails and spatreatments, on a daily basis. While mosquito

bites put paid to the mas-sage marathon I hadplanned on my last visit, Istill got to make like a celebri-ty by having a Bangkok tai-lor (most are concentratedaround Sukhumvit Roadand top hotels) runme up silk skirtsand blouses to myown designs.The classic

Thailand holidaycombines Bangkokwith a beach andsometimes a third stopin the green and cul-tural North. Thecountry is alsooften linked withits neighbours ontours of South EastAsia.AThailand hol-iday with a side trip

to see Cambodia’s famous Angkor Wat tem-ples is another great combination.Here’s a regional round-up of Thailand’s

key resorts:

Andaman SeaKrabi and Phuket both front the spectacularisland-studded Phang Nga Bay, a scenicplayground of beautiful beaches, caves andcliffs for lazing, kayaking and snorkelling.Phuket, Thailand’s most popular resort, is

by far the liveliest of the two. This is theplace to come for big resort facilities, partyaction and international fast-food favourites.The large island, linked to the mainland

by road bridge, has also gained some peace-ful and stylish retreats in recent years, par-ticularly on it’s east and north-west coasts.For divers, Phuket is the gateway to

Thailand’s world-class sites of the SimilanIslands, Surin Islands and Burma Banks.Quieter Khao Lak, on the mainland justabove Phuket, is even closer.Classy resorts have sprung up on some of

the islands in Phang Nga Bay, including KohLanta, Koh Racha and day-trip favourite thePhi Phi islands – famous as the filming sitefor The Beach.

Gulf ofThailandWhile most of Thailand is best visited in thewinter months, sheltered Koh Samui to thesouth of the Gulf of Thailand has an oppositeseason. It’s a honeymoon favourite so there’splenty of romantic accommodation whilefamily attractions like a training centre forcoconut-picking monkeys are strung alongthe island’s loop road. Offshore, you cantour aroundAngthong National Marine Parkor linger on neighbouring islands Koh PhaNgan – famous for its full moon parties –and Koh Tao, a top spot for beginnerdivers.

Just around an hour’s drive fromBangkok, brash Pattaya is a partyresort with big-name facilities. Itsseedier side has been somewhatcleaned up in recent years and it’sa well-established favourite withfamilies who stay at quieterJontiem beach and enjoy nearbyattractions such as water parks,go-karting, an Elephant Villageand Sriracha Tiger Zoo.Golfers flock to Pattaya, too,as there are several qualitycourses nearby.Hua Hin and Cha Am,

also within driving distanceof Bangkok, are quiet neigh-bouring resorts favoured bythe Thai royal family, while


� Elephant riding in northern Thailand


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the large, up-and-coming island of KohChang offers a mountainous interior andday-trip possibilities around its 50-plusneighbouring islands.

Thailand’s NorthNot everything worth seeing in Thailandcomes with a sea view. The country’s lushand mountainous North is packed full ofadventure and culture.

Thailand’s second city, Chiang Mai, is thegateway to the North and is famed for its nightmarket, handicraft villages and sanctuaries forelephants that once worked in the loggingindustry. Farther north, Chiang Rai is a small-er hub and close to the GoldenTriangle whereThailand, Laos and Burma meet in scenicsplendour around the Mekong River.

You can trek to visit hill tribes in theNorth though the tourist path is pretty well-worn these days. Soft-adventure experienceslike mountain biking and white-water raft-ing are also centred in the region as are somegood golf courses. To head North in style,take the Eastern & Oriental Express(www.orient-express.com) from Bangkokto Chiang Mai, or, if you’d rather chill-outsomewhere up-and coming, consider the laidback retreat of Pai in Mae Hong Songprovince.


Thailand facts

A travel journalist for over a decade,DebbieWard writes for numerouspublications. She has a wardrobe full of Thaiclothing from her many Thailand visits.

TL

When to go:Koh Samui is best from June to September and the rest ofThailand November to March.

Visa:UK passport holders do not need a visa for stays up to 30 days.

Getting there:Thai Airways (www.thaiairways.co.uk), EVA Air (www.evaair.com),British Airways (www.ba.com) and Qantas (www.qantas.com) fly direct.You can also go direct to major resorts on charter flights.

Tour operators:UK operators featuring Thailand include: Kuoni (www.kuoni.co.uk),Travel2 (www.travel2.com), Funway Holidays (www.funwayholidays.co.uk),Jasmine Travel (www.jasmineholidays.co.uk), Premier Holidays,(www.premierholidays.co.uk) and Silverbird (www.silverbird.co.uk).

Getting around:Bangkok Airways (www.bangkokair.com) and Thai Airways(www.thaiairways.co.uk) have extensive domestic flight networks.Beat the gridlocked daytime traffic in Bangkok by taking the SkyTrain,underground, or river ferries. Iconic three-wheeled tuk-tuks are fun forshort trips (haggle the price beforehand) but metered taxis (check themeter is on) are safer and more affordable.Take the less-congested tollexpressways in Bangkok. Cycling tours are offered by Bike & Travel(www.cyclingthailand.com) and Spice Roads (www.spiceroads.com).Ferry services and cheap long-tail boat taxis operate to the islands.

Tourist information:Tourism Authority of Thailand: call 0870 900 2007 or visitwww.tourismthailand.co.uk

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Chic & boutiqueIn recent years,Thailand’s decorative culturaltraditions have been given a twist and thecountry has become something of a hotspotfor chic contemporary design – not least inits accommodation, with attractive newboutique hotels making a particular splash.Just some of the stylish offerings include:� The funky Dusit D2 brand hotels atChiang Mai, Pattaya and, soon, Koh Samui(www.dusit.com).

� Philippe Starck-designed TheYamu, openingon Phuket this year with a chocolate roomand a recording studio(www.theyamu.com).

� Back-to-nature and spa-focused SonevaKiri by Six Senses, on the island of KohKood in the gulf of Thailand(www.sixsenses.com).

� Minimalist The Racha on Koh Racha, offPhuket (www.theracha.com).

� And the cheery, oriental chintz-themedShanghai Mansion, in Bangkok’s Chinatown(www.shanghaimansion.com).

� The funky DusitD2 hotel at Pattaya

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