Pattaya City is one of the most visited destinations in Thailand. It's close proximity to the capital city of Bangkok makes Pattaya the closest get away beach resort. But Pattaya is not most well known for its beaches. No, for beaches its better to take a tour outside of Pattaya for snorkeling and swimming. Pattaya is most well known for it raucous seedy nightlife that attracts men from all over the world like children to Disney Land.
Now if you are a first time visitor to Pattaya and would like to enjoy its nightlife offerings you should stay on or near Walking Street. Walking Street is jam packed with bars of every imaginable kind. You can find pool bars, go-go bars, hostess bars, beer gardens or large outdoor pubs. And in these establishment which oddly enough are owned by expats are filled with Thai women who keep company with customers. My personal advice is that you should go check out their coyote bar clubs.
Now I wouldn't recommend Pattaya for families, but I do see vacationing Western parents covering the eyes of their little ones every time they pass by a go-go bar. So for whatever reason, if you have a family and you want to take them to Pattaya, its better off that you stay away from Walking Street and Pattaya Beach during night time. As for accommodations it would be a good idea to stay in hotels near Jomtien Beach which is due south of Pattaya Beach. I actually prefer Jomtien Beach and if I had kids I'd prefer them to play there instead.
There is another beach area where you can still be close to the heart of the nightlife in Pattaya and its called Wong Amat Beach. The hotels in Wong Amat Beach are also suitable for children and the hotels and resorts there are among some of the best.
So those are the three main locations for hotels. Now as far as pricing goes Pattaya hotels base their rates on season and location. The high season is typically from October to April, the coolest months. During the low season you can find hotel room rates slashed by at least half. I hear a lot of other hotel reviews say that hotel rates are cheaper outside of Pattaya Beach. My opinion is that hotels near Pattaya beach are worth their price in value. Because its close to the nightlife action and very convenient. I know for a fact that hotels are better priced and you get more for your money when you are closer to the nightlife action of Pattaya. Why?
Well because the area of Pattaya Beach have the most concentrations of hotels who are fighting tooth and nail for your business. So they are competing against each other which is good news for you. Also you don't need to travel far to enjoy the nightlife. Choosing a hotel in Pattaya Thailand gives many advantages to travelers. With a low currency base and the wonderful services and accommodations, Thailand offers a vacation of a lifetime, without breaking the bank.
Edwin M. Clark is a business consultant who travels to South East Asia, specifically Thailand and has many experiences in all matters of traveling there. For more information on affordable Pattaya hotels and the best hotels to stay in check out Pattaya Thailand Hotel Guide
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edwin_M_Clark
Chiang Mai presents a wonderful contrast to Bangkok. It is Thailand's second largest city, though only one fourth the size of the capital and quite unlike it in most other respects. Of great antiquity and moulded by a distinct history, Chiang Mai is a most attractive destination with sights and charms peculiar to itself and the picturesque Northern region of which it is the centre. Located 700 kilometres north of Bangkok, Chiang Mai is less than an hour from the capital by plane and is served by several daily flights. It can also be reached conveniently by air-conditioned overnight train or coach. Although readily accessible, the city popularly known as the "Rose of the North" presents a superb contrast. Whereas Bangkok is a mere 200 years old, Chiang Mai was founded in the late 13th century and is one of the oldest continually inhabited settlements in Thailand. It was once the capital of Lanna, an independent Thai kingdom, and has preserved its unique cultural heritage to a marked degree. Accordingly it is a veritable treasure house of the arts and architecture unique to the region.
They originated from Tibet migrated through Burma and crossed over into Northern Thailand during World War II . Animalistic rather than Buddhist they make sacrifices of cockerels as part of their religious practise. 
Fortune telling is not done by reading palms or cards rather with the sacrifice of a cockerel, which is then cocked and eaten except for the legs. Wooden picks are put into the flesh of the legs as they pray to their god asking the questions for which they want answers. For example, if they want to know whether a couple should marry or not when the leg bones are brought together and they are parallel the sign is they will be together for a long time. However if they are pointing in opposite directions the indications are that they would soon part and should not marry. 
There is, of course, modern development and today Chiang Mai offers the visitor an excellent range of facilities. Hotels, from deluxe properties with standards comparable to those of Bangkok to inexpensive but comfortable guest houses, provide accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets. 
The best way to appreciate the natural charms of the North is by joining a jungle tour. The means of travel are extraordinarily varied--on foot, by jeep, by elephant back or by 
The temple of Doi Southep is one of Chiang Mai's most visited landmarks that were until a couple of years ago, when tragedy struck. The cable pulling the small funicular train up the hill from the road to the temple and controlled its descent snapped sending it crashing down the hill resulting in many injuries. 
A week's stay in Chiang Mai would not exhaust the area's scenic, cultural and shopping attractions. Just to cover the city and its immediate environs, it is best to allow three days--say, one day city sightseeing, one day exploring the surrounding countryside, half-day excursion to Doi Suthep and a half-day shopping. 
Travel by road either to or from Bangkok is perhaps the best way to include Sukhothai on a Northern itinerary. While it is possible to make the trip in one long day, an overnight stop at Sukhothai or Tak is recommended. 
The roads are well made and there are sufficient road signs in English. On the rare occasion that I was uncertain of what direction to take, locals offered friendly assistance with a warm smile using little more than sign language and the name of where I was going. Having a car was the key to the pleasure of travelling around in northern Thailand. 
After lunch, with Mae Sai as my target destination, I continued the climb passing through Yuannese Chinese villages and onto Mae Salong, the former HQ of opium warlord Khun Sa. Continuing on Route 1130 joining the Chiang Rai-Mae Sai highway north of Mae Chan. From there it was a clear run up to the Myanmar border at Takhilek. 
Not only is Pattaya cleaning its act up in terms of the physical environment it is now tackling the issues that had given it a bad reputation, sleaze and under-age sex. The message is now loud and clear that such behavior is no longer acceptable and anyone foolish enough to think come and get away with is mistaken. A person below the age of 18 years old is a minor and the engage in any sexual act is a crime for which the punishment is imprisonment. Pattaya is still a party city for people looking for legal fun. It is like an a la carte menu, each visitor can choose those items that suit their taste. And there is a lot to do in Pattaya both in the daytime and at night.
Home to 80 magnificent Bengal tigers of which 58 were born at the zoo. The Bengal tiger is an endangered species, in 1936 their world population was 60,000 by 1994 the number had plummeted to just 4,000. The Sri Racha Zoo is providing a safe home for the tigers protected from their human enemies with over 100 staff to care for them including a full time vet. The Bengal Tiger is pretty sensible and don't like hot weather. They love to lie in the shade, swim in the pool beside their pen or munch away of a delicious piece of fresh beef. 
When Pattaya Park first opened in 1985 it had just thirty bungalows and town houses scattered around the water park with whirlpools and slides. In 1987 some of the bungalows were demolished to make way for a 14-floor hotel with 240 guestrooms. At the same time some of the townhouses were converted into a shopping arcade. But this was not enough to satisfy the demand and in 1995 the 24-floor tower wing was added giving 460 additional guestrooms. In February 1996 the 240 metre high Pattaya Park Tower opened and was the highest seaside tower on the East Coast of Thailand. On the 53rd floor the revolving restaurant takes a full hour to complete one rotation. The observation deck on 54th & 55th floors gives a unique view of Pattaya City and the coastline of Jomtien Bay.
In 1995 Thailand had an elephant population of between 6-8,000 elephant of which some 2,000 were wild and scattered through the forests of Khao Yai, Buri Ram and Chanataburi provinces. Thailand's temporary suspension of its timber industry effectively made the elephant population redundant. Some found work in neighbouring Burma, Laos and Cambodia were the trade continues but there were not jobs for all. 20 elephant have found a home at the Elephant Village where the owners primary concern is for the elephant' welfare in a jungle-like environment. Elephant trekking is not only good exercise for them but also is the major income source for their feed. The majority of the money raised from the shows and trekking is directly spent on the elephants up keep.
Elephant Village
Northern Style Thai Food is prepared similar to traditional Thai food; it is the selection of Vegetables, Spices, and Fish, Poultry, and Other Meats that makes it distinctive from the other Thai Foods. In the north of Thailand, the area is vastly mountainous, and at times very cold. The vegetables used in Northern Thai food and Predominately here at Aungkam, are grown Organically, without the use of chemical fertilizers or insecticides. Northern People call them, Wild Vegetables.
Kanchanaburi Town is 128 kms west of Bangkok and can be easily reached either by train from Hualamphong Railway Station, by bus from the Southern Bus Terminal or driving on the new express way from Pinklao. Every Saturday and Sunday a special train leaves Bangkok at 6.30am. After a 40 minuate stop at Nakom Pathom it continues to the River Kwai Bridge where it stops for 10 minutes photo opportunity after which it passes the site of the former POW Camp before cautiously edging its way along the cliff-hugging track built by the allied troops. 
45km west of Kanchanaburi is Muang Singh , the most westernly Khmer Temple in Thailand. The name translates to "Sanctuary of the City of the Lion". 
Japanese War Memorial This occupies a small plot of riverside land just south of the bridge. 
Travel Within Kanchanaburi Transportation within the provincial capital is most enjoyable on tricycles. These can be hired at the rate of approximately 150 Baht for two to three hours, enabling visitors to see the Bridge over the River Kwai, the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, the waterfront Song Kwai Road area, and the JEATH War Museum in one circuit. 
Essentially, there are two major land routes for exploring main conveniently accessible tourism attractions in Kanchanaburi. The more western Route 323 largely parallels the Kwai Noi River to the Khao Laem Dam reservoir (153 kilometres from the provincial capital). Route 3199 follows the Kwai Yai River to Sri Nagarind Dam (69 kilometres away from the provincial capital). 
The Lawa Cave 75 kilometres from town, this largest cave in the area has stalactites and stalagmites in several chambers. Visitors may take boats from the Kwai Noi River Pak Saeng Pier, at Tambon Tha Sao (southwest of Nam Tok Railway Station and Sai Yok, Noi Waterfall) to explore this cave, and travel afterwards upstream to the riverine Sai Yok Yai Waterfall, 104 kilometres from town. 
Sai Yok Yai Waterfall This flows directly into the Kwai Noi River, and is the most popular attraction in the 300-square kilometre Sai Yok National Park. The park contains several interesting caves besides the Lawa. The Daowadung Cave, which also entails a river trip for visits, is the most popular. South of the Sai Yok Yai Waterfall, is another cascade flowing into the river, the Nam Jone Waterfall. Wildlife in Sai Yok's deciduous forests include small mammals such as bats, squirrels, and deer, and numerous bird species, including wreathed hornbills and blue-winged pittas. Human presence at Sai Yok is known to date back to the Stone Age, and the Sai Yok Yai Waterfall has been repeatedly celebrated in Thai poetry and song. Bungalow accommodation, river rafts and camping facilities are available. 
Three Pagodas Pass This even smaller settlement, 241 kilometres from Kanchanaburi, marks the rugged Thai-Myanmar border, and is the site of a small but thriving border market. Visitors are allowed to enter the neighboring Burmese settlement between 6.00 AM and 6.00 PM (when the border is closed). The three miniature pagodas are memorials to what was the traditional invasion route favoured by Burmese soldiers during the Ayutthaya period (1350-1767). 
Sri Nagarind National Park This park covers 1,532 square kilometres. Park headquarters are 105 kilometres from Kanchanaburi. Major park attractions include the lovely 7-tiered Huay Kamin Waterfall, boat trips on the scenic reservoir, and encroaching deciduous forest and bamboo groves where kingfishers, parrots, bee-eaters, hornbills, woodpeckers, thrushes, babblers and numerous other bird species are readily seen. Larger, more elusive mammals within the park's remoter areas include deer, elephants and tigers. Phra and Niramit Caves near the park headquarters comprise other attractions. 
Rafting Trips are available from the provincial capital and several holiday resorts. Raft trips leaving from the famous bridge, or the waterfront Song Kwai Road area, cost between 2,000 and 4,500 baht for 10-15 persons, depending on durations and destinations. Trips may entail 7-10 hour return journeys, or include an overnight stay on either the Kwai Yai or Kwai Noi rivers. Visitors are advised to contact TAT's Kanchanaburi office for current information and prices. 
Kanchanaburi
The Three Pagoda Pass 
For example, Thais revere their royal family. Even social malcontents, who ignore legal and community standards, refuse to tolerate a faintly implied slur on the monarchy. 
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