This country has already received the name officially fixed – the Land of Smiles. And the matter is not at all in a cordial attitude of Thais to visitors. A smile for the inhabitants of this country is a look at the world and state of mind. In the Thai dialect there is even a definition of such a “smiling” attitude towards life, when you get pleasure from everything that you do. In local language it sounds like “sanuk”.
A acquaintance with a smiling Thailand visiting Europeans should begin, of course, from the capital of this amazing country – Bangkok.
For tourists in Bangkok provides a rich program. In the morning you can see the sights. The first is to explore the temple Phra Kaew and the Royal Residence. In the temple stands the main shrine of the country of smiles – the Emerald Buddha. Despite the beautiful poetic name, this statue is actually made of jade. Entrance to the temple costs about $ 21. With this ticket, you can visit Wimanmek Palace and Dusit Palace for seven days.
Be sure to visit the Queen Sirikit Textile Museum, where you can see a collection of traditional costumes. The number of such costumes includes the outfits of the queen herself. For lovers of the exotic, the palace of Paruskavan, where the Police Museum is located, is suitable for inspection. It was in this palace at the beginning of the 20th century that the prince of the then Siam Chakrabon lived with his wife Ekaterina Desnitsyna, a Russian by birth, who was the daughter of a simple state councilor.
Afternoon in the capital should be spent on shopping. It is Bangkok that gives shopping fans plenty of opportunities. From megamolls, such as Asiatique the Riverfront, a completely new center, to authentic markets. In the first you can buy products from international famous brands, and in the second you can buy souvenirs that you will not be ashamed to bring home for relatives. These are traditional products made from coconut palms and famous Thai silk. In addition, as a gift, you can choose aromatic massage oils, miraculous tiger balm, relieves pain in the muscles and back.
Evening time should be devoted to other leisure options that are more tempting to one another: this is a trip along the river canals on long-tailed boats, a visit to the colorful show Calypso or the huge impressive aquarium Siam Ocean World.
For beach lovers it will be interesting to discover a popular Thai resort called Pattaya. It is located two hours from the capital. Here you can spend your holidays without limiting yourself just lying on the beach and swimming in the sea. In local hotels you can pamper your body with famous Thai massage in the most luxurious SPA salons, delight your eyes with opening views of the landscaped pools, and then satisfy and surprise your taste buds in the most famous Thai restaurants, for example, in the Mantra restaurant. All the gastronomic facilities are stylish and offer delicious dishes from seven cuisines of the world: from Thai to Mediterranean.
Yes, dessert can be pampered by boat trip on the neighboring islands. For example, explore the picturesque archipelago Koh Pai. You can visit the Tiger Zoo, the entrance to which costs about $ 10, or take a tour to the amazing wooden temple called “The Sanctuary of Truth”. At the service of those who make mandatory purchases during excursions, there are many floating markets where you can buy everything from souvenirs to vegetables, fruits, fragrant spices. In such markets, you can try the local Thai cuisine.
