North from Chiang Mai along Rte 107, the city of Fang was originally founded by Phaya Mengrai in the 13th century, although as a human settlement and trading centre for jiin haw caravans, the locale dates back at least 1000 years. More recently the surrounding district has become a conduit for yaa bâa manufactured by the Wa in Myanmar.
Chumphon features on many travellers’ itinerary as they flit in and out of the busy transport hub en route to Ko Tao, or head west for Ranong and Phuket. Around 500km south of Bangkok, Chumphon is where Southern Thailand begins and you’ll begin to see mosques and start to hear different dialects.
While there’s not a lot in town to keep you amused, the surrounding beaches are good places to step off the treadmill of travel for a few days. Hat Tha Wua Laen (12km north of town) is renowned for windsurfing and kiteboarding, and has a developing travellers’ scene with some good bungalows and beachside bars. Pretty Hat Sairi (22km east of town) is a more traditional Thai beach resort, and the best spot to arrange day trips to offshore islands.
If you’ve come to Thailand to experience modern Thai culture then look no further. At weekends and on public holidays, Cha-am is a getaway spot for provincial families and Bangkok students. Buses deliver holidaymakers firmly in party mode, fuelled by cheesy pop music and ready to kick back for a couple of days. Mix in beach parties under shady casuarina trees, fresh seafood and cold beers delivered to your deck chair, and rip-snorting banana boats up and down the beach and you begin to see the attraction. Subtle it’s not, but hey, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of raucous Thai fun.
If you’re looking for something quieter, then come during the week when Cha-am returns to being a relaxed resort town and you’ll get an even better deal at the good-value guesthouses and midrange hotels. Chances are it will be just you and the ladies selling deep fried shrimps and grilled squid. Bliss…
Buffering Bangkok from the sea and the hinterlands, this fertile river plain is Thailand’s cultural heartland. It has birthed rice crops without coaxing, and cultivated a distinct Thai culture centred around the seasonal patterns of the region’s ‘mother waters’. The rivers brought rich mineral deposits from the northern mountains and sea traders from the oceans. Many of the ancient Southeast Asian kingdoms, like the Dvaravati and the Khmers, reached across the once undivided continent into modern-day central Thailand to plant their own cultural traditions in this earthly womb.
Due north of Bangkok is Ayuthaya, the former Thai capital. Touring the ruined temples on bicycle and learning the names of the illustrious kings will put you close to the Thai psyche. Further north is the little town of Lopburi, a pit-stop for journeys to Chiang Mai. The downtown nurses many crumbling ruins and a resident tribe of monkeys.
Best known for its cave complex, Chiang Dao is also a good base to explore the trekking and bird-watching opportunities of Doi Chiang Dao. The area surrounding Chiang Dao town is scenic and largely unspoiled. From the summit of Doi Chiang Dao (also called Doi Luang; 2195m), allegedly Thailand’s highest limestone mountain, there are spectacular views.
There is a market every day at the northern end on the main street through Chiang Dao. It is worth coming into town to see the colourful Tuesday morning market (7am-12am), when hill tribes come to sell their wares. Most accommodation is in the vicinity of Tham Chiang Dao, 5km west of town. There is an ATM machine at the 7-Eleven near the bus stop for Fang.
Easily the most popular activity in Samui is a boat trip around this picture-perfect archipelago made up of around 40 small islands. Sheer limestone cliffs, white-sand beaches, hidden lagoons and dense vegetation all add to the cosmetic beauty. The park lies 31km northwest of Ko Samui and encompasses 18 sq km of islands, plus 84 sq km of marine environments.
Any travel agency can book a day trip to Ang Thong, and tours usually include pick-up from your hotel. Travel agencies simply act as booking agents for the tour companies, which all offer nearly identical trips in terms of quality and itineraries. Lunch and snorkelling are included, along with a climb to the top of a 240m hill to view the whole island group; some tours visit Tham Bua Bok, a cavern containing lotus-shaped cave formations, and other tours offer sea kayaking. There’s officially a 200B admission fee for foreigners, though it should be included in your tour. Bring shoes with good traction, a hat, plenty of sunscreen and drinking water. Tours cost about 1700B. Overnight tours are also available. At the park headquarters (0 7728 6025), on Ko Wat Ta Lap, there are bungalows, but you may not be able to reserve them unless you go with a tour.
About 3000 years ago, a primitive agricultural/ceramic culture put down roots at Bat Prasat, near the banks of Mae Nam Than Prasat. It survived for nearly 500 years, planting rice, domesticating animals, fashioning coloured pottery, weaving cloth and, in later years, forging tools out of bronze. The secrets of this early civilisation were finally revealed during extensive archaeological digs, finally completed in 1991. Three of the excavation pits (donations appreciated; 24hr), with skeletons and pottery left in situ, are on display throughout the village. A small museum (donations appreciated; 8am-4.30pm) houses some of the better discoveries and explains what life was like in those days.
Many of the houses are part of an award-winning homestay programme (per person incl 2 meals 400B), where villagers put up visitors in their homes and show them daily activities, like basketry and farming. Reservations should be made a day or two in advance through Khorat’s TAT office (0 4421 3666; www.tourismthailand.org; 2102-2104 Th Mittaphap, Khorat; 8.30am-4.30pm), or the village headman here, Khun Thiam (0 4436 7075).
