Travel News

“Amazing Thailand” may sound like just another tourism shtick but once there, it wouldn’t take long for one to be convinced that whoever coined the phrase is not kidding. Seeing how well the propaganda is sustained and the clockwork coordination between tourism-related agencies, one need not wonder why foreigners chose to visit Thailand when they could have dropped by and be part of the Philippine centennial celebrations – with or without the Philippine Airlines strike. Indeed, this little neighbor of ours is a sight to behold, that is, if you know the right places to visit.

For first-time visitors, two common notions are easily wiped out even on the first day of the trip. First, that traffic is just a minor problem in Bangkok as skyways have been built in major city routes. Second, that there is more to Thailand than those infamous sleazy places where performers test the limits of the more sensitive parts of the human anatomy.

But one thing is soon confirmed: the place is a shopper’s paradise.

In line with the Tourism Authority’s Amazing Thailand promo, travel agencies have set up a number of packages for different groups visiting Thailand. There are various fun packages for the family, promos for the adventurous types and golf packages for enthusiasts. Discounted group tours are offered until the festival’s duration.

Packages normally last five days and four nights, enough to experience the sights and sounds of Thailand.

KBS, a Thai travel agency, specifically caters to Filipino tourists bound for Thailand. Business has been brisk for KBS and its Manila partner, Morning Star. Together, they have been weekly hosting a batch of Pinoy visitors who want to be part of the Thai tourism extravaganza.

Bangkok is a lot like Manila, except that its cultural and artistic treasures have been well-preserved. There are places to visit and appreciate even at the center of the bustling city, unlike in Manila where the walled city of Intramuros is the only touristic place one can go.

To be able to get accommodation at Phuket, Thailand’s answer to the Philippines’ Boracay, one will have to book reservations at least six months in advance. If you are not the type who can wait that long to get a vacation, there are other alternatives including a trip to Bangkok and Pattaya.

Bangkok

Moving around Bangkok is not a hassle as there are plenty of taxis. If you want to be safe, take the conventional type. But if you’re looking for adventure, try to tuk-tuk, a bigger version of our local tricycles. As the Thais often warn, these vehicles are very fast. These can easily turn left, turn right and turn over.

In Bangkok, a tour of some of Thailand’s grandest Buddhist temples is a must.

The 218-square kilometer Grand Palace, which is right at the heart of Bangkok, houses two of the most famous Buddha images in the world. The Wat Po temple, one of Bangkok’s oldest, has the 46-meter long and 15-meter high Reclining Buddha. The gigantic gold-plated image has mother-of-pearl soles and was built some 200 years ago.

Another unique image is the Emerald Buddha, which has its own chapel within the Palace grounds. The exquisite image, sculpted from a block of jade, sits high up on a gold altar and is object of national veneration.

Aside from Buddha’s image, another important icon for the Buddhists is the four-faced god. Believed to be a source of good luck, it is not uncommon to see tourists wait for their turns to take pictures with the god’s statue.

The pagodas and the temples, in their various styles and adornment, are a sight to behold. It took 27 years to complete the intricately hand-crafted designs.

Unfortunately, the main palace itself, where Thailand’s royal family used to live, is closed to the public. It is only opened during specials occasions, such as when foreign dignitaries come for officials visits.

Some temples are also deliberately kept close as they contain the sacred writings of Buddha and life-size images of all the past kings of Thailand.

It usually takes some three hours to go around the temple and palace grounds. With a good guide, even the significance of each executed detail will be explained, making visitors better appreciate the tour.

Also in Bangkok is the Safari World, a well-maintained 200-acre zoo with various rare and ordinary animal species. Found in suburban Minburi district, the nature park is a sanctuary for a wide array of wild animals – from the gnu to the endangered rhinoceros. The zoo’s vast expanse gives each animal group its own territory. The huge space allows the animals freedom of movement without encroaching on the each other’s turf.

Some of the sidelights in the Safari World tour are the sea lion show and the hilarious orangutan boxing match. Understanding the punch lines is difficult (the announcers speak Thai) but the animals’ antics are enough to make you fall off your seat.

Pattaya

To get a different taste of Bangkok, tourists can embark on a three-hour trip to Pattaya, popularly known as the sex, sun, sea and shopping capital of Thailand.

A visit to Pattaya is not complete without watching the delightful and stunning Alcaraz show.

Some of the most beautiful Thai transvestites put on a vodaville- type extravaganza nightly to the delight of foreign and local tourists alike.

Alcaraz is famous all over Asia. Tourists flock to watch the show, much like they troop to Broadway in New York to catch the latest musical. Although hourly shows are held on weekends, the 1,000-seater theater is filled hour after hour.

The production is a hodgepodge of cultural dances, fairy tale renditions and cabaret presentation. The outlandish costumes, the kaleidoscopic lights and the hour-long figuring out of how the performers painstakingly worked to look like real beauty queens make up for an entertaining evening.

Members of the audience may pose with the performers after the show. The “ladies” charge 30 baht per head.

For nature lovers, a brief visit to the Nong Nooch Village will prove worthwhile.

The village has a picturesque lake and waterfall as well as beautifully sculptured plants that will put even Edward Scissor hands to shame. But the gardens are not the village’s main attraction, its elephants are.

Well-trained elephants perform various fancy tricks and acrobatic in a field similar to where rodeos are usually held. The interactive show gives the audience the chance to play tug-o-war with an elephant or the brave ones may volunteer to let the dumbo jumbo sit on them for a few seconds. And for 30 baht, the elephant will playfully wrap its trunk – dirt, smell and all – on you for a snapshot.

The death-defying stunts, however, can be witnessed at the Pattaya Crocodile Farm which is about 15 minutes from central Pattaya. The farm has a stunt man who actually puts his head in a crocodile’s mouth but not before angering the reptile by clipping its tail. More unbelievable is seeing how man and animal can still manage to kiss after a hard-fought “battle.”

In the farm, visitors may also venture into posing with real lions, bears and tigers. Why go for stuffed toys when in Thailand, you can be with the real thing?

In the same compound as the crocodile farm is the Million Years Stone Park. It has on display some of the oldest stones on earth. Some huge rocks were said to be tree trunks transformed by nature over the years. The park also boasts some of the world’s prizewinning bonsais.

Golf tours

Undoubtedly, golf has become more popular in Thailand since Tiger Woods was recognized as one of the world’s best golfers. KBS and Morning Star also offer golf packages for businessmen.

First-class packages include a round or two of golf in at least four Bangkok and Pattaya courses including the Natural Park golf course, said to be the favorite of Filipinos.

Thailand golf packages were initially offered to tourists two years ago. Business is starting to pick up as more Pinoy golfers are going abroad in search of more challenging courses.

For tourists who have more time to explore Thailand, there are optional tours available including museum, ancient city and canal tours. River cruises to the former capital, Ayutthaya, are also offered. For the children, the Dream World Tour – which will bring them to at least four fully loaded theme parks – is said to be as good as being in Disneyland.

There’s a lot of exploring that can be had in Thailand. There are ancient cities to discover, including Chiang Mai which hosted one of the more recent Asian Games.

No wonder most people go back again and again. That traditional clasping of hands and uttering of “Sawasdee!” must have turned into a hard habit to break.