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Tourism

tourismThailand has a long history of hospitality. As the only Southeast Asian country to avoid colonization, Thailand has a fairly peaceful past, truncated in the past seven decades by civil unrest and fairly consistent political instability. These have served to affect tourism Thailand with protests shutting down Bangkok’s airports in 2006 and 2009. Despite these recent upsets, most travelers will never be directly exposed to any instability.

The country is large, offering a long list of activities for the traveler: from beautiful beaches to impressive temples, from incredible street food to delish luxury dishes, from Thai massage to other pleasures, there’s a little something for every kind of traveler. Snorkeling, diving, and other water sports are available along the country’s famous islands and beaches, while trekking and river rafting are on offer throughout Thailand’s mountains.

When to visit

When it comes to the weather, Thailand doesn’t have too many extremes. If you can avoid the rainy season – generally April to October – that’s great but if you can’t don’t worry too much. The rain comes in short burst and doesn’t last for too long.

Generally, Thailand has three seasons: summer, rainy and winter. The southern part, however, doesn’t experience winter.

In central Thailand and eastern provinces, the hot weather starts in March and lasts until the end of June. Winter lasts from November until February,and is the best and favored time to visit. The rainy season starts in May and ends in October, and can be extremely hot and muggy.

In Northern and Northeast Thailand the seasons are similar to those in the central Thailand.

Southern Thailand has one less season. The beaches in the western areas (such as on Phuket) are at their best between November and April. The eastern areas are at their best between November and May.

More information on Thailand in April, May, June, August, September, and Summer.

What to do

The majority of tourists flock to Thailand to spend some time on the beach or visit the numerous temples. However, those aren’t the only things to do in the country. Explore the cities, enjoy a Thai massage, take a stroll in the Patpong area.

For those wanting to soak in the sun, there are plenty of beaches in Thailand: from the crowded and popular beaches in Phuket to the secluded beaches on small islands. Lots of activities are possible, catering for any type of tourist.

>>more information on Beaches in Thailand

There are over 30,000 temples scattered in the entire country. The most popular ones can be found in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Make sure not to miss visiting Wat Pho in Bangkok, one of the six Royal temples in the country.

>>more information on Temples in Thailand

Feeling like you want to be pampered? Thai massage is an ancient form of massage which involves stretching and deep massage. Born in Wat Pho temple in Bangkok , this type of massage is popular all over the world. But if you want to experience the real thing, make an appointment in Thailand. Prices vary according to the locations.

A bit naughty tonight? Then head to Patpong. Internationally known as the “red light district of Bangkok”, Patpong is the capital’s entertainment district. While in the past it was only about prostitution, the street market which was opened several years ago draws several other kinds of tourists as well. However, the sex-related industry is still going strong. The go-go bars feature women dancing on a stage. The sexual favors should be negotiated separately though. Several bars still feature sex shows.

>>more information on Patpong