Thailand - Bangkok, Chiang Mai & Khao Lak

About the destination: Bangkok, one of Asia’s most cosmopolitan cities, is the capital of Thailand. Bangkok is hot and crowded, but it's fairly clean and offers lots of fun things to do. Bangkok has great shopping, plenty of culture, amazing temples, delicious food and a decent art scene. Most of Bangkok's sights are concentrated on the island of Rattanakosin, often referred to as the Old City. The Grand Palace is the absolute must see site. The Grand Palace complex also houses the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Keow, the most sacred Buddhist temple. Other famous temples in Bangkok are the Wat Pho and Wat Arun temples. Bangkok is a great place for shopping. There are many shops, shopping centers and markets to satisfy every wish. The nightlife scene in Bangkok is as varied as the city itself, from beer bars to exclusive clubs, night shopping markets, discos to hippie parties. Bangkok is a large sprawling metropolis, noisy and crowded yet peaceful and delicate. It is one of the world’s top destinations that one has to visit at least once in life.

About the destination: Chiang Mai is the hub of Northern Thailand and the Capital City of the Province of this name. With a population of over 170,000 in the city proper, it is Thailand's fifth-largest city. Located on a plain at an elevation of 316 m, surrounded by mountains and lush countryside, it is much greener and quieter than the capital, and has a cosmopolitan air and a significant expat population, factors which have led many from Bangkok to settle permanently in this "Rose of the North". Chiang Mai's historical center is the walled city. Sections of the wall remain at the gates and corners, but of the rest only the moat remains. Inside Chiang Mai's remaining city walls are more than 30 temples dating back to the founding of the principality, in a combination of Burmese, Sri Lankan and Lanna Thai styles, decorated with beautiful wood carvings, Naga staircases, leonine and angelic guardians, gilded umbrellas and pagodas laced with gold filigree. The most famous is Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, which overlooks the city from a mountainside 13 km away. Modern-day Chiang Mai has expanded in all directions, but particularly to the east towards the Ping River, Mae Nam Ping, where Chang Klan Rd, the famous Night Bazaar and the bulk of Chiang Mai's hotels and guest houses are located. Loi Kroh Rd is the center of the city's night life.

About the destination: Khao Lak is a series of villages, now tourist-oriented, mainly in the Takua Pa District and partly in the Thai Mueang District of Phang Nga Province, Thailand. The name "Khao Lak" literally means "Lak mountain". Lak mountain is one of the main peaks in the hilly small mountainous region within Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park. It is popular for its serene ambiance and as a departure point for liveaboard scuba diving trips to the Similan Islands. Khao Lak is north of the island of Phuket along Phetkasem Road, one of four major highways in Thailand. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS - Lampi Waterfall. A very nice waterfall. - Khao Lak Lam Ru National Park. - Chong Fah Waterfall. - Cheow Lan Lake and Rachaphrapha Dam. Superb views over the lake to the limestone ridges. - Khao Sok National Park. Nature activities including jungle trekking on foot or elephant, visiting waterfalls & river rafting/canoeing.