Beautiful Thailand

By Farah Amin

In Bangkok, immerse yourself in the beauty of the Buddhist temples, or wats, where most communities have at least one. Thailand’s largest Buddha sits in the Wat Kalayanmit, where it reaches up to 15 meters and has the highest roof finial–known as chofa–as well as the biggest bell.

Despite the fact that Bangkok has lost most of it canals due to road building, it was once labeled ‘Venice of the East’ ; it still has some waterways that visitors find quite rewarding. The main canal, Thonburi, branches into plantations stretching throughout Thailand’s Central Plains connecting rivers, rice farms, towns, temples, and floating markets. Exploring the waterways will take you on a journey through urban canals of Thonburi and upriver into a rustic canalscape.

When in Thailand, eat local. The Thai cuisine draws from neighboring countries such as India and china and uses fresh local herbs, seafood, meats, spicy salads, and soups. At places like Isaan Rot Det you’ll find regional menus with items like grilled meats and sticky rice. At Ruen Mallika it’s all about the Southern Thai dishes with their pungent spiciness, and Lanna offers northern food influenced by Burma and Yunnan. It is suggested that Bangkok’s culinary scene be explored by context from street food to fine dining. For the party hoppers there are the local clubs with high tables, where you will definitely enjoy snacking drinking, while the DJs spin away. Club Culture and Narcissus have theme nights and annual dance parties as well as annual dance parties where imported DJs like Tiesto and Oakenfold come to play and boost Bangkok’s credibility as a party hub.

For the ultimate escape and R&R, the beaches of Thailand are not to be missed, especially since they’re known to be one of the most visited places on Earth. On the Eastern seaboard there’s the island of Phuket, mostly popular for its beach area of Patong, Kata and Karon. Despite the beauty surrounding Patong, it has become a conglomerate of chain hotels and cheap digs that you want to avoid especially if the family is in town. Nevertheless, the reason why people opt for Phuket is that it has some of the world’s finest hotels and is a great starting point to explore surrounding islands and their beaches, as well as its own beach that sits at the southern tip at Rawai where you can grab a longtail and head to the nearest islands. Stay at the Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa, Rawai a Hilly Hotel, which has a rustic chic feel and supreme comfort where you can lounge beside one of their three pools. It also offers access to the private island of Koh Bon. Another immaculate stay is the Vijitt Resort, Rawai, an African-style resort with a 40-meter infinity pool that overlooks the Chalong Bay.
Phuket is just one of 39 main islands and a hundred smaller ones, so make sure to explore your horizons fully and unveil the jaw-dropping untouched beauty everyone has been raving about.