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RETIREMENT & LIFESTYLE PLANNING | |
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| ISSUE - 19 - WINTER 2004 | |
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Thailand - taking a longer look
KAYE FALLICK
You've done the Asian stopover, the villa in Tuscany, the walking tour in the south of France. You now have time for a longer break, but want to explore something more meaningful and spend time in a culture that sings to your soul and enhances your sense of wellbeing. You're not alone.
Many seasoned travellers are eschewing the more predictable "shop, dine, swim" Asian stopover for adventures that offer a less expensive, but more rewarding immersion in another culture.
For those with the time, energy, and desire, Thailand offers a range of activities and experiences that will enable visitors to connect in a more meaningful way with its communities and culture. A nation of 60 million people, Thailand covers half a million square kilometres and even a six month stay couldn't do justice to the array of adventures available.
But the following suggested three-week itinerary covers a lot of ground. Starting with a week based in Bangkok, exploring markets and canals, then venturing out for history and heritage, it moves to Chiang Mai for cooking classes, trekking and elephant rides, with the final week enhancing your wellbeing with massages, spas and more on the glorious island of Koh Samui.
STARTING OUT - CENTRAL THAILAND
Fly into Bangkok and allow yourself a day or two to acclimatise by wandering around the markets, or enjoying a Klong ride.
To market, to market
What a rich choice of market places greets the Bangkok visitor. The most helpful resource is Nancy Chandler's Market Map and Much More. Start with the Pak Khlong Market on Maharaj Road. Open 24 hours, this market is the main supplier of fresh vegetables and flowers to businesses and households. Visit in the early hours of the morning to see exotic blooms at their best.
Nearby Nakorn Kasem in Charoen Krung Road in Chinatown is a rich depository of pots, pans, and antiques. Once known as the Thieves' Market for its stolen goods, the deception today is more likely to be claims made about the antique wares.
And Bangkok even boasts its own Little India. For an instant immersion in the sights and sounds of the sub continent, don't miss Phahurat market on Phahurat Road.
Floating by ...
Bangkok was once called the Venice of the East for its elaborate canal network; journeys on the rivers and klongs (canals) provide a wonderful vantage point for observing the daily rituals of life in the Thai capital. The map, Bangkok and Beyond: Rivers and Klongs lays out the wide range of water journeys in central Bangkok. Hire a long-tail boat for a couple of hours and glide through the klongs to see the traditional houses built on stilts over the Chao Phraya River, as well as a myriad of wats or temples.
Re-energised, it's time to decide whether your visit to central Thailand will concentrate on recent history, world heritage sites or more spiritual pursuits.
Death Railway and Hellfire Pass
For the historically inclined, catch a train west from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi and visit the Death Railway, Hellfire Pass and over the Bridge on the River Kwai. Pay your respects to the World War II veterans laid to rest in the Australian War Cemetery and then visit one or both of the two Australian Government-sponsored war museums.
Many tour companies offer one-day excursions to the bridge, but try to allow for a three or four-day stay. Most Australians will wish to visit the camps and building sites where the World War II Allied prisoners spent 16 months building the death railway. Nearly 1600 POWs perished during its construction. Their efforts are commemorated in the museum and cemetery at Kanchanaburi and at Hellfire Pass.
Consider staying on Jungle Rafts (floating bamboo huts) on the River Kwai. Located in the heart of the jungle, these rafts offer tranquillity and simplicity after the remembered horrors of Hell Fire Pass.
A 40-minute boat trip to the Rafts from Pakseng reveals magic scenery - gorges, beaches and wildlife. A choice of Thai or Western cuisine is served on restaurant rafts, while theatrette rafts provide stages for Mon folk dancing.
Other activities include swimming, trekking, rafting or visits to caves and waterfalls. But sometimes the best choice of all is to just sit on your veranda watching the sun set and the hurricane lamps flicker to life as birds sing and jungle foliage rustles in the evening breeze.
On the heritage trail
From Bangkok, catch a bus 76 kilometres north to Ayutthaya and wander the ruins of one of the ancient capitals of Thailand. Now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ancient city of Ayutthaya was the centre of power for 417 years, until destroyed by Burmese invaders in 1767. A treasure trove of temples and Buddhist images greet the visitor. Take a day or two to wander the streets of the former capital and visit the museum and Ayutthaya Historical Study Centre.
Desperately seeking stillness
For those wishing to escape the burdens of their busy lives, a meditation retreat in Thailand offers the opportunity to find stillness, or perhaps an even deeper spiritual experience. The two main forms of meditation taught in Thailand are Samatha (calmness and concentration) and Vipassana (insight and mindfulness).
A short, first experience can be found in the daily classes at a teaching monastery, or a longer immersion can be experienced on a retreat; from just two days or up to four weeks. When choosing a retreat it is important to understand that Vipassana retreats will expect guests to follow the five Buddhist precepts: do not harm a living being, do not take what is not given, refrain from improper sexual behaviour, do not lie or take alcohol or drugs. Start with the classes at the World Fellowship of Buddhists on Sikhumvit Road in Bangkok, or ask for an Experience Buddhist Meditation pamphlet from the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
HEADING NORTH - CHIANG MAI
Located in the far north-west, Chiang Mai is an ideal location from which to enjoy Thailand's natural beauty. But first take a day or two to explore the many wats (or temples) from the city's golden era (13th to 16th centuries). The former capital of the Lanna Kingdom, the city's architecture features Lanna style gold leaf, bronze and elaborate wood carvings.
Trekking out
Get out of doors and into the natural environment by trekking in northern Thailand - by elephant, bicycle or on foot. Chiang Mai is ideally placed for three day treks to Chiang Dao and the Mae Taeng Valley, combining elephant rides, river rafting and visits to hill tribes through national parks and forests, over mountains and past waterfalls. Choose a reputable tour company or hire the services of a bilingual guide if travelling through the jungle or visiting hill tribe villages.
Less adventurous?
Embrace, instead, the opportunity to learn the intricacies of Thai cuisine, more an art form than a culinary pursuit. Try La Grande Lanna in Chiang Mai to learn how to select market produce and prepare and serve northern Thai cuisine. A half-day class or a full week course are also available.
HEADING SOUTH - KO SAMUI
For a final week centred on improving your wellbeing, fly into Ko Samui, the third largest island in Thailand. With Thailand's tradition of natural healing, massage and herbal remedies, the stunning beach resorts offer the health conscious traveller a range of revitalising treatments including spas, massage, aromatherapy and body wraps. Detoxification programs, yoga, tai chi and meditation are also offered at various hotels for those looking for a range of health-related activities. Travellers wishing to learn the secrets of traditional Thai massage can enrol in a two-week course at the Wat Pho in Bangkok. Or build on your skills by exploring the secrets of herbal medicines and remedies.
Below the surface
Swim, snorkel and scuba dive in the Angthong (Golden Basin) Islands' National Marine Park, a short ferry ride from Ko Samui. This stunning marine environment remained protected for many years, being a former base of the Royal Thai Navy. Visitors today can explore the many land trails or limestone caves, or take to the water to enjoy colourful coral and see the many exotic forms of marine life. A slightly longer ferry ride from Ko Samui is to the island of Ko Tao, which locals claim offers the best diving visibility and safest shallow waters for first timers.
MORE
For the best guide book going, grab the DK Eyewitness Travel Guide to Thailand, a visual feast of the wonders of the former kingdom of Siam, Dorling Kindersley, 2001, RRP $38.00.
Contact Tourism Authority of Thailand for maps and brochures.
Ph (02) 9247 7549
Web www.thailand.net.au
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Copyright Retirement Publishing Pty Ltd 2001 -- ISSN 1031-6620 ACN 088 049 218
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