Mainly flat and fertile due to the the large Chao Phraya River. This is the main rice-growing area of Thailand. Geographically, the Central Region extends from rugged western mountains bordering Myanmar (Burma) to the northeast plateau to the east; northwards to Nakhon Sawan where the Ping, Wang, Nan and Yom rivers unite to form the Chao Phraya River (River of Kings) which flows southwards to Bangkok before entering the Gulf of Thailand and southwards to Prachuap Khiri khan where Thailand is compressed to its narrowest point, some 60 kilometres wide between western mountains and the Thai Gulf.
The Chao Phraya River largely irrigates the Central Plain, one of the world's major rice and fruit-growing areas and sustains an intricate network of canals that irrigate bountiful orchards and market gardens, host vibrant floating markets. The Central Region is extremely rich in historical sites. These include Nakhon Pathom, Kanchanaburi, Bang Pa-In, Ayuthaya, Saraburi, Lopburi and Bangkok.
Ayuthaya
Located approximately 85 km north of Bangkok, the city was the Thai capital from 1350 to 1767.
During this period Thai culture flourished, and Ayuthaya became a centre for international commerce.
The present day city is located at the confluence of the Chao Phaya, Pa Sak and Lopburi rivers. A canal joins them and encircles the town. Ayuthaya has many historic ruins, two museums and is a fascinating place to visit.
Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi is 130km west of Bangkok in the valley of the Mae Klong river. During the Japanese occupation of WW II allied soldiers were used to build the infamous Death Railway along the Khwae Noi river.
A story popularised by the movie The Bridge Over the River Kwai.
It is estimated that 16,000 prisoners of war and over 50,000
impressed labourers died during the building of the railroad.
Kanchanaburi is a charming town surrounded by picturesque
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Pattaya
Located 140km south-east of Bangkok, on the Eastern Seaboard of the Gulf of Thailand, Pattaya is popular with both residents of Bangkok and international tourists. Over one million people visit this beach resort every year to sample the sun, sand, sports facilities and many fine attractions. After dark Pattaya really comes alive and the city takes on a party atmosphere which lasts until the early hours.
Bangkok
The official Thai name of Bangkok is in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest place name in the world Krungthep Mahanakorn Boworn Rattanakosin Mahintharayuttha Mahadilokpop Noparatratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniveymahasathan Amornpiman Avatransathit Sakkathattiay Avisnukarmprasit.
It means Great city of angels; the repository of divine gems; the great land unconquerable; the grand and prominent realm; the royal and delightful capital full of nine noble gems; the highest royal dwelling and grand palace; the divine shelter and living place of reincarnated spirits.
Bangkok was a small trading post at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River during the Ayuthaya Kingdom and came to the forefront of Thailand when it was given the status as the capital city in 1768 after the burning of Ayuthaya.
There is a wealth of things to do and see in the City if you can tolerate the traffic congestion, which can become grid locked during rush hour.
The city is very urbanised, but still manages to retain its oriental flavour.
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MBK Centre also known as Mahboonkrong, an enormous 8-storey marble mall opened in 1985, is one of the biggest shopping malls in Asia .The centre provides over 2,000 stores and services, over 150 eating establishments and a large cinema city. You will find clothes, cosmetics, leather items, jewellery, electronics, information technology products, furniture, restaurants, supermarket, theatres, karaoke and
4-storey department store (Tokyu).
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The city is divided into two parts by the Chao Phya river, with Bangkok proper on the east side and Thonburi on the west, between the river
and Hua Lampong Railway Station is old Bangkok and the Chinatown district. To the west of Hua Lampong are the tourist, business, and
residential areas.
Bangkok lies about two meters above sea level, which causes problems for the protection of the city against floods during the monsoon season. Often after a downpour, water in canals and the river overflows the banks, resulting in massive floods.
Bangkok was once called the Venice of the East.
For just about 150 years, The Grand Palace was not only the home of the King and his court, but also the entire administrative seat of government. Within the crenellated walls were the country's war ministry, state departments, and even the mint. Thai Kings stopped living in the palace full time around the turn of the twentieth century
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Wat Po (Wat Phra Chetuphon) houses the very impressive gigantic gold plated reclining Buddha which is some 46 metres long and 15 metres high. Its soles are inlaid with mother of pearl to display the 108 auspicious signs which distinguish a true Buddha.
The temple is actually much older than the city of Bangkok itself. It was founded in the 17th century, making it the oldest temple in Bangkok. The name Wat Po comes from its original name of Wat Potaram. King Rama I, the founder of Bangkok, enlarged the temple, installed many statues and other artefacts recovered from Ayuthaya and renamed the temple Wat Phra Chetuphon in 1801. |
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Vimanmek Mansion
Billed as the world's largest teakwood building, Vimanmek Mansion was built as a royal residence in the first few years of the 20th century. It was only used for a few years before it fell into disuse and was practically forgotten until the early eighties. It was rediscovered by Her Majesty the Queen and turned into a museum reflecting the Thai heritage from the dramatic reign of King Rama V.
From a single restored building in the 1980s, the Vimanmek Mansion Museum has grown to include more than 20 restored structures of the old Dusit Palace displaying everything from ancient artefacts of Thailand's pre-history to contemporary photographs donated by His Majesty the King. It’s now become a large complex of museums where the buildings themselves form part of the collection on display. |
Ampawa
Ampawa is an afternoon floating market village located in Samut Songkhram near Wat Amphawan Chetiyaram province about an hour drive from Bangkok. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday 12.00 p.m. – 8.00 p.m., the Amphawa Canal is used by vendors who pack their boats with food and drinks, such as seafoods, noodles, coffee, fruits, sweets, etc.
Visitors can enjoy a cosy atmosphere and music broadcast by the community members, explore the array of shops and stalls, eat from the boats or the many restaurants lining the canal and hire a boat to see spectacular fireflies at night.
Hua Hin
I live in Hua Hin which is about 230 kilometres south of Bangkok. It is the oldest beach resort of the country with clean white sand, clear
water and a tranquil atmosphere that continues to attract both Thai and foreign tourists in search of peaceful and relaxing holidays.
Besides sun-filled days on the beach there are leisure activities for the whole family from water sports to golf and beautiful curving bays
amongst steep mountain outcrops with caves and waterfalls.
Hua Hin Beach stretches from a rocky headland to Khao Takiap
hill in the southern end where a Buddhist temple clings to the
cliffs. About 5km long, the beach is full of large smooth stones
at its ends and as a result it was named Hua Hin meaning the
stone head.
Hua Hin also boasts the oldest and still actively used provincial residence of Their Majesties the King and Queen.
Hua Hin has all the ingredients for a very special holiday
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Railway Station
Hua Hin has one of the oldest railway stations in Thailand. Its unique feature, the red and white pavilion formerly served as the Royal Waiting Room, was built in classical Thai-style by command of King Rama VI (1910-1925) for use in the Sanamchan Palace in Nakhon Pathom province.
In 1968, the pavilion was renovated and moved to Hua Hin Railway Station.
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Takiap Hill
Jutting out to sea Takiap hill (chopstick hill), lying at the
southern end of the beach, about 5 km from town.
It has a temple and a huge standing Buddha image on the
hilltop with an excellent vantage point.
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Formerly, visitors had to climb series of steps to the top of
Takiap Hill to enjoy the panoramic views of the bay and
Hua Hin town, but now the hill is accessible by road.
There is a selection of seafood restaurants around Takiap
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Hua Hin Market Village
A huge complex that hosts a Tesco Lotus Superstore, Homepro, Cineplex and a bowling centre.
It is situated on Petchkasem road approximately 2km south of Hua Hin town centre.
The shopping complex has plenty of parking though busy at weekends.
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Market Village has a wide array of quality fashion outlets including many international brand names. Additionally there are a number of smaller local clothing and jewellery shops, mobile phone, computer shops and camera retailers. International cosmetics branches such as Boots are also present at the Market Village.
A food court and some of the big names in refreshments and cuisine can be found, these include Fuji, MK, Sizzlers, Pizza Company, KFC, Swensens, Haagen Dazs and Starbucks with many more smaller local eateries.
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Most Thais are Buddhists, but they like to put a good show on over Christmas and New Year for the tourists and with around 10% of the population being Chinese they celebrate the Chinese New Year in style with processions of dragon dancers and sounds of firecrackers exploding all over the place.
2009 is the year of the Ox. |
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Plearnwan is designed to resemble Eco vintage village from the past.
Plearnwan has Restaurant, Coffee shop, Clothes shop, Candy shop and liquor shop souvenir.
Weekends have an open air cinema |
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Wat Khao Sanam Chai
South from Hua Hin is a Chedi Phra Boromathat and Ubosot
high up on the hills overlooking the main temple of Khao
Sanam Chai.
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From here you have a great view of southern Hua Hin and down to Sam Roi National Park. |
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Wat Khao Krailat
Just over 4km south of Hua Hin town this old temple stands on
top of mountain of Khao Krailat next to a large white
Buddha
statue.
With excellent views over Khao Takiap.
To the left is the entrance steps and below is the main Temple with
some of the many Buddha statues around the Temple grounds.
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Wat Khao Lan Thom
This new looking Temple is at the foot of Khao
Krailat mountain in Khao Takiap.
Visible in the background is Wat Khao Krailat.
Buy Temple photos Here
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Photo on the left shows the murals inside the Ubosot.
Below are two of the many Buddha statues around the Temple grounds. |
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Wat Huay Mong Khon
The Worlds largest monk statue located west of Hua Hin about 16km.
The 9.9-metre-wide and 11.5-metre-high sculpture of Somdet Luang Poh Tuad Yieb Nam Thale Jued at Wat Huay Mongkhon depicts the revered Buddhist monk seated in the ‘lotus’ pose.
His Reverend Luang Poh Tuad is one of Thailands famous and highly revered Buddhist monks. Many people remember Luang Poh Tuad for the miraculous act of having turned seawater into fresh water in one incident and believed that he had supernatural powers
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Those who have faith in Luang Poh Tuad firmly believe that his sacredness provides protection against accidents, fire and various types of disasters. |
Those who have faith also try and throw money into the mouth of the Elephant with 3 trunks, if the money stays inside this will bring you good luck.
Also on the grounds of the Temple are fields full of Sunflowers next to the lake and Huts where they keep Elephants.
The Elephants will perform tricks for a few bananas and you can also take an Elephant trek.
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Kings Cup Elephant Polo
Played at Som Dej Phra Suriyothai military grounds of the 16th Infantry Division in Hua Hin Thailand.
The tournament is played with two teams of three Elephants with
two chukkas of 10 minutes playing time each. The players will use specially made elongated polo sticks using regular polo balls.
Each Elephant carries a Polo Player and a Mahout. The Mahout
directs the Elephant. The umpire of the game oversees the play
from a wooden howdah on the back of the largest elephant.
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The height of the elephants range from 2 to 2.5 meters, and they weigh between 2 to 2.8 ton each. They usually eat over 200 kilograms of food a day. The largest elephants are used in defence while the smaller ones with greater speed are used in attack.
It wasn't compulsory to drink Chang (Thai word for Elephant) Beer, but we found it very refreshing!!
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Suan Son Pradiphat Beach
This beautiful stretch of beach is 8km south of Hua Hin. It derives its name from the casuarina pine trees, or son in Thai, which line the beach.
It is a scenic place for rest and recuperation with accommodations run by the Army Welfare Office.
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Pa La-U Waterfall
This waterfall is about 60km west of Hua Hin, towards the mountain ridge that forms a natural border with Burma. The 11 tier waterfall is spectacular, especially in the rainy season. Set in unspoilt rainforest an ideal place for those interested in ecology and wildlife, teeming with birds, butterflies and all kinds of other wildlife. The third level offers a refreshing swimming hole after the short jungle trek.
National Parks
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On 28th June 1996, Khao Sam Roi Yot was established as the first coastal National Park in Thailand. Literally meaning the mountain with 300 peaks, it is only a 45 minute drive south of Hua Hin between Pranburi and Kuiburi, the park preserves some of the country's finest shoreline habitat, including sprawling marshes filled with water fowl. More than 200 bird species have been sighted in the nearly 100-square-kilometer park, along with monitor lizards, mongooses, deer and goat-antelope. There is also chance to spot a horne. A wonderful and not too difficult place to explore.
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Kaeng Krachan National Park was established in 1981, the 28th National Park in Thailand. It is the largest national park in Thailand, with 2,915 square kilometers of forest in the watersheds of the Phetchaburi and Pranburi rivers. The Kaeng Krachan area includes a reservoir lake, beautiful scenery, waterfalls, caves, mountains. It is almost entirely covered with evergreen forest, which supports ecologically, economically and scientifically valuable plants and animals, including many wild elephants. The park is an excellent place for recreation and education, and it is carefully protected.
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Koh Chang National Park
Located about 240km south of Pattaya, Koh Chang is Thailand's second largest island. It has dense tropical forests, white sandy beaches and spectacular waterfalls. If you want unspoilt natural beauty this is a good place to stay, but don't expect to find disco's and fast food.
Koh Samet National Park
Day trips to this group of islands can be booked from Pattaya or Rayong. There are many places to stay on the main island of Samet which is a little more developed than Koh Chang. |
