Read Best Things to do in Thailand Tour: Parbhat Travels

by Rohi S. Travel

From the sweeping white sands of its southern beaches to the lushest of jungles in the north, Thailand is stunningly beautiful, totally exotic and completely accessible.

There are few better places to relax, especially if you have a Thai massage - a mixture of acupressure and yoga with the practitioner using their arms, legs and occasionally their whole body to leave you feeling extraordinarily refreshed and energised. They cost just a few thai baht and are worth every penny.

The resort of Phuket is the living embodiment of a holiday paradise - white beaches, dramatic rock formations, lush palm trees and brilliant turquoise water. It is the most famous and most .pular of all the islands on Thailand's south-west coast, especially after Roger Moore turned up to film The Man with the Golden Gun, partly on Phuket's Patong beach. Inland,

Phuket is rich and green with hills and terraces covered with pineapples, cashews and rice paddies and it has its own steamy rain forest - take a walk in the cool of the morning.

But mostly Phuket is about sand, sea and sun. You can snorkel, windsurf, waterski, even bungee jump. It also has good street markets where part of the fun is haggling over the price. But be warned though, if you make an offer that the trader accepts, you're obliged to buy, or risk causing serious offence.

Only an hour's flight from Phuket is the Thai capital Bangkok. It is everything people tell you it is - noisy, dusty, smelly, glorious, glamorous and, in some parts, sleazy. This great city has some of the most beautiful temples, some of the finest modern architecture and some of the most luxurious hotels in the world. And, yes, there are more heaving markets where you can buy anything from sexual favours to cheap designer copies.

It can be difficult to find your way around, but whenever you lose your bearings head for the river and that will help put you back on track.

The Chao Phraya (the river of kings) is a bustling major thoroughfare crammed with waterbuses and taxis, private launches, sightseeing vessels and hundreds of fast and elegant long-tail boats. Hire one of the latter for an afternoon's excursion through the klongs (the small canals which lead off the river) and see where and how the locals live, visit a floating market or sample a delicious bowl of soup which is cooked and served from a neighbouring boat. Like anywhere else, agree your price with the boatman before embarking.

The only other way to get around the city cheaply and swiftly is in a tuktuk, a cross between a lawnmower and a milk float that whizzes around the city weaving in and out of the horrendous traffic. Again, agree your price before setting off.

The must-sees are the Grand Palace within which you can find the Emerald Buddha in the chapel royal, the Wat Phra Kaeo, and the Reclining Buddha in Wat Po - this gold-plated icon is 46 metres long and 15 metres high. Then there is shopping. In Bangkok it's an art form. From sumptuous silks to the knick-knacks sold on stalls on every corner, through the exotic fruit and flowers at the early morning market and the frenzy of the notorious night market at Patpong, you could spend a lifetime, and a fortune, here and not get bored.

There is so much to see in Bangkok that one visit is never quite enough. It is best to start your Thai holiday in the capital then make a break for the beach to recover. Or head for the hills.

If you like mountains and jungle, head north to Chiang Mai. You can even combine an elephant trek through the jungle with bamboo rafting and a trek to the hill-tribe villages for an insight into the customs and culture of these people. You can go for a few hours, or a few days. It's not for the squeamish though - I've never seen so many insects per square inch than at one of the palm-roofed and walled houses we stayed in overnight.

But if you're not feeling quite so energetic, or adventurous, simply visit an elephant camp to watch these wonderful creatures at work and play. Other attractions include butterfly, snake and orchid farms - the latter of which are found everywhere in Thailand - and spectacular caves, waterfalls, national parks and the hot springs of San Kampaeng. Chiang Mai itself also has 300 temples and possibly the best night market on the planet. Go to Thailand once and you'll definitely want to go again.