Page 151 - Asian Paradises 2019-20

— Thailand —— Thailand —

CENTRAL THAILAND, BANGKOK & HUA HIN

From bustling cities, serene hotel via the convenient new expressway. gold, four-metre high, 13th century
temples and beautiful relaxing Bangkok proper seethes on the east side of Sukothai Buddha.
beaches, Central Thailand has the Chao Phraya River and can be divided Other sights include the Wat Sai floating
something for every traveller. in two by the main north-south train market in Thonburi, a boat trip through
line. Old Bangkok glitters in the portion the city’s extensive network of canals,
On the fertile plains stretching north between the river and the railway and it and the renowned Oriental Hotel. For
from Bangkok are 21 provinces, is here that most of the older temples and a shopping indulgence, head to central
sometimes called ‘the rice bowl of Asia’, the original palace are located while new Bangkok’s Siam Square. This bustling
that are responsible for producing much Bangkok is east of the railway. shopping mecca is littered with alleyways
of the country’s rice. jam packed with cheap, independent
For a bustling city, Bangkok surprisingly
Ayutthaya was one of the greatest offers quiet escapes. Step out of the street designer boutiques as well as numerous
mercantile centres in Asia and its noise and into the calm of one of the city’s major shopping malls.
incredible temples and palaces are built 400 temples and monasteries. The Grand Hua Hin
around the confluence of the Chao Praya, Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo complex is Hua Hin is a favourite coastal
Lopburi and Pasak rivers. Hundreds of the city’s premier tourist attraction and destination for Thais who flock there to
visitors on day trips from Bangkok are home to Phra Kaeo, the small, sacred and enjoy its beaches, multicultural buzz and
drawn to the remains of monuments that renowned emerald Buddha, the most numerous cafés and bistros that offer a
stand among more modern buildings.
revered image of Buddha in Thailand. wide range of cuisine. It is situated in the
At Kanchanaburi is the infamous River southwest of Bangkok and is recognised
Kwai bridge and ‘Death Railway’, The Grand Palace is a must-see for as Thailand’s first beach resort and
the Japan-Burma railway built by the visitors, with temples and pavilions extends some kilometres to a headland
Japanese during World War II, when shimmering in gold leaf, porcelain and where Buddhist temples cling to the
thousands of Asian labourers and glass while not far away is the Marble cliffs. Powdery white sand, resort hotels
Allied POWs died. Nearby are two Temple, considered one of the country’s lining the coastline and visitors enjoying
war cemeteries, Kanchanaburi War most beautiful buildings. numerous watersports give the beach
Cemetery and Chong Kai Cemetery and The Dusit Zoo is near the Royal Plaza, town its distinctive ambience.
the JEATH (Japan, England, Australia, where the Thai royal family live in
Thailand and Holland) War Museum the Chitralada Palace. Wat Arun, Stunning Khao Sam Roi Yod National
is housed in a reconstructed POW or the Temple of Dawn is one of the Park, 45 kilometres south of Hua Hin
detention hut. city’s major landmarks with its central is one of the best-managed protected
areas in the country. Kaeng Krachan
Bangkok monument symbolising Hindi-Buddhist National Park, northwest of Hua Hin,
Bangkok is a thriving, bustling capital cosmology. is Thailand’s largest protected area and
city catering to all kinds of tourists. Taxis The Temple of the Golden Buddha is home to elephants, tigers, leopards,
or minibuses take visitors directly to their houses a unique, gleaming, 18-carat gibbon and many species of birds.

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