hotels and exotic tourist destinations. Geographically, Thailand is located in the middle of everything. One can easily get to a lot of places from Thailand. It is 3 hours to Hong Kong, 2 hours to Singapore and 4 hours to Bali by air. 

Day 1 : Visit to Hotel Ramada Menam and the Centara Grand Hotel

Located on the outskirts of the city, along the banks of the graceful Chao Phraya River (“The River of Kings”), Hotel Ramada Menam is situated in the laps of Nature. After some refreshing moments at the hotel, I reached Bangkok Convention Centre at the Centara Grand Hotel, where journalists and various travel agents from across the world were participating. The gathering witnessed some amazing Thai culture in the form of traditional dances. The welcome speech was addressed by Mr. Thawatchai Arunyik, the Governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand.

"in picture:‘Wat Pho’ or the Temple of Reclining Buddha. It measures 150 ft in length and is one of the oldest and largest statues in Thailand."

Later on we witnessed the mesmerizing Thai Street Festival. It was full of art and music. Different performances telling different tales while all portraying the beautiful Thai culture. One thing that really amazed me was how beautifully the whole thing had been organized and managed.

Though it did not involve any dynamic activity, say like the martial arts of Kerala, however, the entire scenery was beautiful, touching and appealing. The street festival is something which tells its foreign tourists about the Thai culture. But more importantly it gives a feeling to the visitors that they are wanted and welcomed in their country.

Speaking of street festival, don’t be afraid to try the street food there. It’s safe – even safer than a restaurant. But if one has a taste for non-chilly food, well one must order ‘Mai-Pet’, which literally translates to “one chilly” because by Thai standards that is same as non-spicy.

"Geographically, Thailand is located in the middle of everything. One can easily get to a lot of places from Thailand. It is 3 hours to Hong Kong, 2 hours to Singapore and 4 hours to Bali by air."

This was followed by a visit to the Sofitel Sukhumvit Bangkok for a hotel inspection. It is a high end hotel featuring 345 luxury rooms including 37 suites and 75 executive rooms in addition to an exotic spa treatment facility.

DAY 2 : Visit to Grand Palace and The Rembrandt Hotel

Grand Palace - a palace as the name suggests - is buzzing with tourists even on weekdays. It is Bangkok city’s most famous landmark. Built in 1782 and home to the Thai King, the royal court and the administrative seat of government for 150 years, the Grand Palace continues to awe its visitors with its beautiful architecture and intricate details that stand as a proud testimony to the creativity and craftsmanship of the Thai people. Within the palace complex are several impressive buildings including Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha). Thai Kings stopped living in the palace around the turn of the 20th century, but the palace complex is still used for all kinds of ceremonial and auspicious happenings.

The next stop was Rembrandt Hotel with a state-of-the-art architecture and lavish interiors. With its elaborate Indian menu, authentic Indian food and Indian music in the backdrop, this hotel was a home away from home.

DAY 3 :Visit to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and Amari Hua Hin Hotel.

Imagine an area covered with dirty water, a type of place which would be left unattended to in many countries, being used to boost the economy of the country. Small rowing boats carrying hundreds of purchasers and vendors can be seen floating on the sea to sell and buy goods. What they offer are fruits, vegetables and other food items that are generally brought from their own orchards. I was personally travelling in a long-tailed boat pushed by an engine, which is becoming more popular these days. We had around 10 minutes of boat ride. Then we stopped in the market area. Key to success in purchasing clothes, slippers, chains, ladies bags etc from such markets is your ability to bargain. All credit to the people of Thailand for putting it to such a beautiful use. It is providing huge employment to the locals.

The day ended with an inspection of the Amari Hua Hin hotel. Located within reach of the beach and the local market plaza, this hotel is very popular with the regular visitors. Its elegantly styled interiors and variety of service facilities makes for a comfortable stay.

DAY 4 :Visit to Tham Phraya Nakhon Cave and Evason Hotel

Located at Sam Roi Yot in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Tham Phraya Nakhon Cave is probably the most photographed cave in Thailand. Our team trekked on foot though most people prefer to use boats. It gave an adventurous twist to our trip. Rain further added spice to the whole climb which was characterized by steep rocky trails.

We then proceeded towards another five star hotel named Evason Hua Hin Luxury Resort. Special mention need to be made of this 20 acre premises hotel. Comprising of artistically decorated rooms, studio houses, villas with private pools, exotic spa resort and an elaborate dining experience, the Evason Hua Hin is true to its promise of providing a luxurious time. The Hua Hin Six Senses Spa is considered a must-do activity for Honeymooners. A person who loves and admires nature will surely enjoy the ambience of the hotel. We relished on some Chole Bature treat prepared by an Indian cook for us as we took in the beach view from the hotel premises.

Next on our list for inspection was the Yaiya Resort and Spa Hua Hin. The Thai food served was a little challenging for us Indian food lovers who found it to be fairly bland. But the lack of vegetarian options in the menu was more or less compensated for by the choice assortment of fruits on offer.

DAY 5:Visit to Hua Hin Railway Station, the Santorini Park and Venezia shopping village

A reminder of the cultural heritage of Thailand the Hua Hin Railway station is one of the most beautiful and oldest railway stations in Thailand. Built during the reign of King Rama VI, it still shares some associations with the Royal family. Then we visited the Santorini Park. It is famous for its haunted house, colourfully painted windows, stone-paved paths, array of cloth shops, restaurants and amusement parks. The grand architecture is a photographer’s delight providing for some picturesque views.

Our lunch was hosted by the Dusit Thani Hua Hin, another luxury beach hotel. After a filling meal, we took a stroll through the Venezia shopping village where the main attraction was the 3-d museum.

DAY 6:Visit to Pranakorn Kiri Palace

Pranakorn Kiri Palace is the palace of King Rama IV situated on a mountaintop that one can choose to walk to or take an electric shuttle bus. We took the latter as a walk would mean an encounter with lots of mischievous monkeys. The view of the Phetchaburi Province from the top of the mountain will take your breath away.

Indra Market at Bangkok

A market mainly comprising of Indian businessmen.

Lots of Indian restaurants available.

Cheap merchandise.

Bargain market like our local Tibetan Market only much bigger.

Some DON’Ts

The King and the Royal family both past and present are held in extremely high regard. Never speak ill about them.

One must not cross legs and point their shoe at someone’s face. It is considered highly disrespectful.

Don’t criticize a Thai, especially if someone else is listening.

Staring directly at someone is considered very rude.

Don’t cross your legs in the presence of a Monk.

Facts & Figures

1 Baht = 1.89 INR

Airport Exchange rate is 1 Baht = Rs. 2.10

All high end hotels cost from 5000 Baht to 30,000 Baht or even higher.

Availability of simple hotels where rooms are available for as low as $10 to $15 per night.

After a lunch at Diamond Hotel, we then departed for the Suvarnabhumi Airport carrying lots of shopping bags and loads of happy memories. Past the security checkpoint, we indulged in some innocent buys at the duty free shops including beautiful show rooms of Victoria’s secret, Gucci etc. Soon it was time for us to board and head back home.

A country famous for its massage style, the traditional Thai massage is a hard massage. For fist timers, it may be a little painful, but one should definitely try it. There are a lot of fun water activities offered at various resorts across Thailand. The buildings across the nation are all artistically designed and aesthetically ornamented.

The Thais are some of the nicest people I had the good fortune of meeting during my short stay. They are always jolly, extremely polite and ever helpful. Thais rarely steal or cause any problems. A striking feature is that although there is lots of traffic, but no one will press the horn. Noise pollution is strictly controlled. It speaks of the disciplinarian traits of the Thai people.

Thailand truly lives up to its promise of being ‘Amazing’. There is richness in culture and opulence in lifestyle. A week may not be enough to experience the magic of Thailand, nevertheless, it made for a memorable week of my life.

Hitesh Jhunjhunwala