Thailand is the most popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia, and for a reason. You can find almost anything here: thick jungle as green as can be, crystal blue waters that feel more like a warm bath than a swim in the ocean and food that can curl your nose hairs while tap dancing across your taste buds. Exotic, yet safe; cheap, yet equipped with every modern amenity you need, there is something for every interest and every price bracket, from beach front backpacker bungalows to some of the best luxury hotels in the world. And despite the heavy flow of tourism, Thailand retains its quintessential Thai-ness, with a culture and history all its own and a carefree people famed for their smiles and their fun-seeking sanuk lifestyle. Many travelers come to Thailand and extend their stay well beyond their original plans and others never find a reason to leave. Whatever your cup of tea is, they know how to make it in Thailand.
This is not to say that Thailand doesn't have its downsides, including the considerable growing pains of an economy where an agricultural laborer is lucky to earn 100 baht per day while the nouveau riche cruise past in their BMWs, Bangkok, the capital, is notorious for its traffic jams and rampant development has wrecked much of once-beautiful Pattaya and Phuket. In heavily touristed areas, some lowlifes have made scamming tourists into an art form.
The combination of cultures and backgrounds makes Thailand an interesting and memorable country to visit. More people visit Thailand than any other country in Southeast Asia. This is no surprise as the Royal Kingdom of Thailand has much to offer for the visitor: historic culture, lively arts, beautiful beaches, great nightlife, friendly and hospitable people and some of the best food in the world. Travel in Thailand is easy due to a good network of trains, busses and airplanes. Most visitors enter the country via the Southeast Asian travel hub Bangkok. From there you can do great daytrips to cities like the former capital Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi, known for the River Kwai Bridge. From there most visitors head either north or south. In the north you can visit the interesting cities of Sukhothai,Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai or Mae Hong Son.
The north is known for its fantastic trekking possibilities and the interesting hill tribes. In the south the traveler can relax at some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, for example, Koh Tao, Krabi, Koh Samui or Phuket. Some areas are very touristy, but it is easy to find some quiet spots. A little closer to Bangkok there is the resort town of Hua Hin which is home to one of the most used Palaces. The Northeast is popular with independent travelers. Known by Thais as Isaan this area hosts some lovely forested mountains and national parks and very friendly people. The major highlight is probably the famous Khao yai national park, but other interesting places are easily found in this area including Nong khai and Surin.
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