The Kingdom of Thailand

much more than just Bangkok and temples

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Thailand has a total area of 513,115km2 and is divided into 6 regions with 76 provinces. The country borders Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia. Thailand has beautiful beaches in the Gulf of Thailand as well as in the Andaman Sea.

Thailand's main source of income is tourism and in 2018 Bangkok was the most visited city in the world.

The largest rivers in Thailand are the Chao Phraya and the Mekong, which also forms the border with Laos.

The forest cover in Thailand is about 55-60% for reforestation even with drones. Because Thailand still has a lot of large animal species in its biodiversity. There are said to be wild elephants, leopards, yaks, water buffalo and even a few tigers here. Thanks to the 10,000 species of beetles there is also a wide variety of birds, the hornbill in particular is simply amazing.

That's why it's nice to see how the number of national parks is growing from year to year, according to my information there are already 133. More info on some, soon here.

Religion and belief

Approximately 95% of Thais profess Theravada Buddhism. Thailand's constitution stipulates that the country's king must always be a Buddhist, but it is not enshrined as the state religion.

However, Thais have also taken on many influences from other beliefs in their everyday lives, and gods and spirits that predate Buddhism are worshiped with rituals. You will find small spirit houses on street corners, in front of or in department stores or markets, similar to those in India, China or Bali. Also amulets, what every Thai wears for protection.

Where should I go on vacation?

Well that depends, of course, on what you are looking for and also what time of year you want to go on holiday. But I just want to list the favorites here independently and later write reports on the individual ones.

- Bangkok

- Ayutthaya

- Ching Mai - Chiang Rai - Pai and the Golden Triangle

- Sukhothai

- Coastal towns on the Gulf of Thailand Hua Hin – Cha-am – Pattaya

- Islands in the Gulf of Thailand Koh Samui - Koh Tao - Koh Phangan - Koh Chang - Koh Wai

- Islands in the northern Andaman Sea Koh Phayam – Similan

- Seaside resorts of Khao Lak

- Krabi

- Phuket

- Islands in the southern Andaman Sea Koh Phi Phi - Koh Lanta - Koh Mook - Koh Lipe - Koh Hai and so many more

- Khao Sok National Park

What can I expect on my holiday in Thailand?

History, delicious food, friendly people, national parks, underwater world, islands, dream beaches and much more

Where to sleep?

From good hostels to luxury hotels, you can find them here on   Booking.com.

What and where to eat in Thailand?

I love trying street food, but my green curry is vegetarian – watch out, it’s spicy.

I also think food stalls are just awesome, Thais love to eat. The food is always fresh. In a simple food stall you can simply try things out cheaply. Please don't forget to try dishes with lemongrass, just heavenly delicious!

Also typically Thai

- Som Tam – papaya salad

- Gaeng – Thai curries

- Tom Yam – Thai soups

- Pad Thai – rice noodles (they taste nowhere as good as here)

Even though I'm German, I'm not a beer drinker at all hahaha. But I also like a cool Singha beer.

What is the best way to get to Thailand?

By plane to Bangkok or Phuket depending on which region you want to go to.

Here is a list of the airports and their respective IATA code that makes it easy if you are looking for your flight via Kayak or Expedia.

- Bangkok Suvarnabhumi – BKK but also Don Mueang DMK the first is more for international scheduled flights and the second for charter flights if you want to fly from Bangkok to other parts of the country or Asia for example.

- Phuket - HKT

- Chiang Mai - CNX

- Koh Samui Island – USM

- Krabi-KBV

- Udon Thani - UTH

- Hat Yai - HDY

I hope the information has helped you a little and made you curious about Thailand.

I look forward to reporting on the other pages and blog posts about Thailand.

Group trips for women are planned for 2023 and 2024. If you are interested, please feel free to contact me without obligation. I will then register you in my newsletter.

Love from

Katrin

Destinations already described in the country:

• Bangkok – City Bike Tour
• Chiang Mai – I could spend weeks here. The city has so many temples and there is always a small corner that invites you to dream, meditate or just relax.
• Wat Arun - the temple of Wat Arun, also known as the Temple of Dawn, is located directly on the western bank of the Rio Chao Phraya, diagonally across from Wat Pho and the palace.
• Royal Palace and Wat Phra Kaew - visiting the palace grounds and its royal temple, Wat Phra Kaew, is a MUST for any Bangkok visitor.
• Good to know-Temple visits - Rules of conduct that you should adhere to when visiting a temple