The south of Thailand stretches over 1,000km from Bangkok down to the border with Malaysia. It offers some of the most spectacular scenery in the country - plus beautiful beaches and good snorkelling. Both the geography and the people of the south are very different from the rest of the country. The rice paddies of central Thailand give way to palm oil and rubber plantations. Many of the people are related to the Malays in both culture and religion.

While being in the South, we did more or less nothing - that means relaxing on the beach and diving :-)

Read the respective Online Diary entry to learn more about our stay in Southern Thailand.

This section on Northern Thailand actually comprises the Central Plains (Sukhothai and Mae Sot) and Northern Thailand (Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, the Golden Triangle and Chiang Mai) but to simplify the whole thing I summarized it under "Northern Thailand".

Northern Thailand is the place to go for trekking, visiting hill tribes, soaking in culture (numerous temples and ruins), catching a glimpse into Myanmar and Laos (at the infamous Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet and from where much of the world's opium originates), white water rafting and so on - the possibilities of activities are numerous and offer something for everybody. Moreover, the climate is more bearable than down in Bangkok.

We started from Bangkok by bus to Sukhothai to take in some historic temples, later we headed south-west to the border town Mae Sot, amid a zone of Karen and Burmese influence. From there we travelled up-north along the Thai-Burmese border via Mae Sariang to Mae Hong Son, probably one of the most picturesque towns in Thailand. The next bus trip led us through the misty mountains via Pai to Chiang Rai, the "little sister" of Chiang Mai. There we spent some great days and did a day trip to the northern tip of Thailand and the Golden Triangle. Before we headed back to Bangkok, we stopped in Chiang Mai with its 300 (!) temples. Our tour through the fascinating north was over... and here are my pictures :-) Hope you like them!

Don't forget to read the respective Online Diary entry!

A sprawling city, pivot of the Kingdom. Visiting this city means putting up with noise, pollution and a bad traffic situation; add annual floods and sticky weather, and it's hardly surprising that many people develop an instant dislike for the place. However, beneath the surface Bangkok has plenty to offer: excellent food, cheap accommodation, loads of sights, bustling markets, etc. Enjoy the city for what it is, not for what it isn't. It's not peaceful. It's not sedate. It's not refined. It's not elegant. It's an energetic accumulation of life where over 10 million people live and love...

Some of my personal Bangkok-highlights are: Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of The Emerald Buddha), Chatuchak Weekend Market, Golden Mount and Wat Saket ... and the cheap and yummy food stalls... and not to forget the street vendors selling delicious pineapples for 10 Baht per half pineapple :-)

By the way, did you know that the city's official name holds the Guinness record for having the longest place-name consisting of 152 letters?

Krungthepmahanakhonamornratanakosinmahintarayutthaya-
mahadilokpopnoparatanarajthaniburiromudomrajniwesmaha-
satarnamornpimarnavatarsatitsakattiyavisanukamprasi

Translation: "City of Angels, great city of immortals, magnificent jeweled city of the god Indra, seat of the King of Ayutthaya, city of gleaming temples, city of the King's most excellent Palace and Dominions, home of Vishnu and all the gods"

We also did two day trips to escape Bangkok for a while: the first one led us to the Floating Market at Damnoen Saduak, to Kanchanaburi and the Bridge over the River Kwai and to Nakhon Pathom (day trip 1), whereas the second one brought us to Ayutthaya, Thailand's ancient capital (day trip 2).

More info on those day trips as well as on Bangkok - read my Online Diary entry!