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Holidays - Thailand, an Introduction
 With its breathtaking natural beauty, exotic temples, unparalleled hospitality and cuisine it’s no surprise that Thailand draws in more tourists that any other Southeast Asian country.

Thailand’s popularity owes a lot to its geographic size and the sheer breadth of opportunity’s that this can offer.

The northern region of the country is very mountainous, ripe with thick forests. It is here that nomadic hill-tribe communities coexist with main stream society and travellers.

Thailand’s second largest city, Chiang Mai is an excellent starting point for exploring the north, with elephant treks proving particularly popular. The city itself was built in 1296 and is dotted with beautiful ancient temples that are still in use today.

The South, known as the Kra Peninsula consists of hilly rainforests outlined by 1,500 miles of exotic white beaches. It is here that you will find some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, lapped by warm, turquoise waters; Thailand’s costal resorts are the ultimate in tropical paradise.

In between these two regions lie the fertile, rice growing, central plains. The main attraction here is the country’s ever expanding capital - Bangkok.

In short, Bangkok is a chaotic, almost carnal city, in which it is impossible to get bored. Even though the city does suffer from considerable pollution and over crowding and has become considerably westernised, it has still managed to retain its true Asian flavour whilst easily being one of Asia’s most exciting cities.

There are all manner of activities going on throughout the city, 24 hours a day, with Khao San road proving considerably popular over recent years.

The vibrant road has been described as “a short road that has the longest dream in the world.” With its cheap accommodation, lively bars, large variety of cuisine, market stalls offering a wide spectrum of goods - it’s a road that, like the rest of Bangkok and Thailand easily lives up to its reputation.

Bangkok is also an excellent part of Thailand in which to arrange holidays to other parts of Asia, with many agents offering cheap holidays to many popular destinations. To ensure you’re getting the best deal then looking for holidays online is an excellent option.

Volunteer on a Gap Year in Thailand
         The top gap year destination in Asia is definitely Thailand. Thailand has so much to offer to the traveller and in particular to the gay year traveller. Taking a Gap Year in Thailand is amazing! There is no other word that would better define the experience of Thailand.

Many travellers will be doing volunteer work in Thailand during their gap year. There are lots and lots of volunteer opportunities in Thailand. Lets take a closer look.

The Kingdom of Thailand lies in Southeast Asia. To its east lies Laos and Cambodia; to its south, the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia; and to its west Myanmar. For well seasoned travellers Thailand would for sure be in the top three travel destinations in the world. Thailand is the world's 49th-largest country. It is comparable in size to France, and somewhat larger than the US state of California.

Most of the Thai people are Buddhists of the Theravada tradition. Muslims are the second largest religious group in Thailand at 4.6%. Buddhism is central to modern Thai identity and belief. In practice, Thai Buddhism has evolved over time to include many regional beliefs originating from animism as well as ancestor worship.

In areas in the southernmost parts of Thailand, Islam is prevalent. Several different ethnic groups, many of which are marginalized, populate Thailand. Some of these groups overlap into Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia and have maintained a distinctly traditional way-of-life despite strong Thai cultural influence. Overseas Chinese also form a significant part of Thai society, particularly in and around Bangkok.

The best way to have a meaningful holiday in Thailand is to join a volunteering program. To volunteer in Thailand not only give you great volunteering experiences but it also give you the unique opportunity to get to know the real Thailand and its people.

Doing volunteer work in Thailand can be done on a gap year abroad, a career break or on a short term volunteer vacation. Thailand is a very easy country to travel so even a one week trip can be very rewarding. Many people love the country so much that they stay for much longer then they anticipates.

Thailand can be divided in three parts : the south, central and the north. The south of Thailand consist of holiday spots such as Samui, Phuket and Krabi. The centre is mainly Bangkok and the surrounding areas and the north has great cities such as Chiangmai and Chiangrai. The south is very relaxed and very much tourism oriented. Bangkok is a real hustle and bustle. And the north is the mountainous area with great cultural sights.

Volunteering can be done all over Thailand. The two main volunteer activities are teaching English and conservation.

Conservation work is mostly with animals such as volunteering with turtles and endangered animals. Teaching is done in schools and orphanages.

Taking a volunteering trip in Thailand will offer you the unique opportunity to understand this wonderful country in a very meaningful way. Also it will give you the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the unfortunate ones.

Thailand has a lot to offer for a volunteer and gap year travellers, called The Land of Smiles, Thailand really lives up to its reputation and more!

Travelling Thailand: 5 Top Destinations

 With several sights to see and surprises to offer, Thailand could be one of the best locations you should not miss to visit. Culture, beaches, people, and heritage sites are some of the things you can expect when you travel to Thailand.

Bangkok - Traveling Thailand wound not be complete without visiting Bangkok. As the nation's capital with an estimated population of over 10 million (including the neighboring provinces), this city is by far the largest in the country. The city is divided into 50 districts or khet but for tourists and those who are new in the place, 6 divisions would be more useful. These are Ratchadaphisek in the northeast section of the city, Sukhamvit in the southeast, Silom in the south, Thonburi in the west, Rattanakosin in the central north, and Phahanyothin in the north. The whole Bangkok district would give you a diverse taste of culture, history, religion, modernity, and fast-phase life. You can actually witness how all these blend together to comprise the whole Bangkok package. Buddhist temples, historical museums, towering buildings, contemporary restaurants and hotels, shopping centers, canals and rivers, and food make Bangkok a one of a kind city in Southeast Asia.

Phuket - Down south, Phuket features magnificent beaches, tropical sunsets, white sands, blue seas, and breathtaking sceneries. No wonder it is the most popular vacation destination in Asia beating every beaches of the neighboring countries. It has several beaches like Kata Beach, Karon Beach, Patong Beach, Kamala Beach, and Surin Beach. The island showcases several water sports and activities including parasailing, jet-skiing, and scuba diving. By day, Phuket is alive with beachgoers and shoppers and by night, lights, sounds, and party people dominate the whole island.

Chiang Mai - The second largest city in Thailand with an estimated population of more than 200,000. This city located in the northern part of the country offers greener and quieter city. Chiang Mai's tourism is becoming more and more popular and permanently settling at this city is very common. When you travel Thailand and visit Chiang Mai, you surely would want to see museums such as Hilltribe Research Institute Museum and the Chiang Mai City Arts

Travel to Thailand
Most visitors arrive through Bangkok's Don Muang International Airport which is connected by daily flights to Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Flights, from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Hong Kong, land on a regular basis at Chiangmai, Koh Samui, Phuket and Hat Yai. Charter flights sometimes land in Bangkok, Phuket, and at U-Taphao for Pattaya.

Regular rail services link Singapore and Bangkok intermediary stops include Kuala Lumpur, Butterworth, Penang and major southern Thai towns.

Overland entry to Thailand is restricted to three road crossings on the Thai- Malaysian border, and the bridge spanning the Mekong River between Laos and Thailand at Nong Kai.

Travel within Thailand
Thai Airways International (THAI) operates a wide domestic network with daily flights linking virtually all major towns with Bangkok. Ground transportation is extremely comprehensive and quite cheap. There are convenient rail connections with the North, Northeast and South, while air conditioned coach and government bus services are operated from Bangkok to all town throughout the country. Rental cars are also readily available.

Recreation
Golf, tennis, ice skating, and bowling are the main recreations of the people of Thailand. At the same time, boxing and kite fighting are the most popular local sports in Thailand.

Thai Boxing is not only the most exciting spectator sport in Thailand but also a means of self-defense for the Thai people. It also the honor of being the largest spectator "ring sport" in the world. Unlike the Western-style of boxing, Thai Boxers are allowed to use their feet, elbows, legs and shoulders. The Ratchadamnoen Stadium and Lumpini Stadium are the main venues of the bouts.

Kite fighting is an ancient local sport in Thailand. It has been played and patronized by the Kings of Thailand for centuries. Kite fighting contest is held from March to April at the Sanam Luang in Bangkok. Hundreds of Kites of different forms and colors are made by the Thais. Each kite is huge in size and requires a number of people to fly it. Kites are classified as "chulas" (male) or "pukpaos" (female). The object of the contest is to force the opposition's kite to land in your half of the field while thousands of people cheer. This makes the competion very interesting and excited.

Another traditional Thai game is Takraw . It involves the use of a takraw ball, made of rattan. The ball is five to six inches in diameter. The players hit the ball over a net to another team by using their head, feet, knees or elbows.

For more information about thailand travel visit: http://thailand.ixs.net/travel/travel-thailand/index.aspx

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