Ubon Ratchathani Thailand

October 25, 2011 By

If you are on vacation in Thailand and got tired of the beaches and the sales people – constantly addressing you – Ubon Ratchathani is an unstressed and warm experience, and the city has many new and exciting things to give you. Ubon Ratchathani is filled with tourist places. Here you will find parks, waterfalls, monuments, temples, museums and many more.

Ubon has a magnificent culture heritage, and keeps it. Festivals are held year after year and the residents of Ubon Ratchathani put their heart and soul into it. Every year the Ubon candle festival takes place in the city, and everywhere you see the local people work on candle sculptures and preparing for the big parade. Also the Songkran water festival in april is celebrated here. Ubon Ratchathani is one big water park for 3 days when everybody meet downtown the big water fight. A very refreshing experience the hot period where the temperature can go as high as 45 degrees Celsius.

Even though Ubon Ratchathani has preserved its old Thai culture it still is a very modern city. The transport infrastructure is convenient and fast, with both tricycle, tuk tuk, bus and taxi to get you around the city. Ubon is also well connected with every major city in Thailand, using VIP busses, trains and flights. You will find shopping centers, cinema complexes, bowling centers, and many other things that will support a modern lifestyle. Actually the biggest Toyota car dealer in Thailand is placed in Ubon Ratchathani. Well worth a visit too.

Even though the city of Ubon Ratchathani has plenty of historic sites to fill your day, the vicinity of the city also has a lot to offer. Several national parks are only an hour away, offering both beauty and history. The Pha Taem national park alone covers an area of 340 square kilometers. The park history dates back several million years, seen in its rock formations and rock pillars, and it gives a stunning view over the Mekong river.

Next time you want to experience something new and exciting in Thailand, try Ubon Ratchathani.

Filed Under: Asia Tagged With: ,

Holiday in Haad Rin

October 8, 2011 By

I live in Japan and one of the most commonly heard stated benefits of living in Japan for an ex-pat is the fact that you can take your holidays in Thailand. My wife and I have been doing just that for over 10 years. Each trip to Thailand we try and check out a new beach. This year we decided to give Haad Rin in Koh Phangan a go.

The choice of Haad Rin came about because a friend of ours was going to be in Thailand at the same time and he was keen to go to the Full Moon Party.

After an overnight bus journey from Bangkok followed by 2 hours on a ferry we got to Thongsala in Koh Phangan. Most of the taxis were going to Haad Rin. I had read that it was the most popular tourist place on the island and this was quickly confirmed when we arrived in Haad Rin. The small town was bustling with people. The streets were lined with bars, restaurants and shops. There is a strong commercial feel to Haad Rin compared to the other beaches we’ve visited in Koh Phangan which tend to be just a small collection of bungalow resorts and a couple of shops.

Because it was nearing the full moon we had problems finding a place to stay. Everywhere on Haad Rin Nok beach was full. Eventually, we found a hotel near the quieter Haad Rin Nai beach called Phanganburi Resort and Spa. We got the cheapest bungalow but were still shocked that it cost $125 a night. We were used to paying no more than $30 for bungalows in Koh Phangan.

The main beach at Haad Rin was good. It had soft sand and the swimming was good. The beach tended to get busy in the afternoon. By early evening one of the bars would fire up their sound system to draw the full moon crowds.

The same was the case in the town. There were lots of places offering DJ music, pizzas and happy hours to get the punters in. Despite the wide selection of restaurants in Haad Rin we didn’t find a place that was particularly memorable.

On the night of the party our friend arrived. He couldn’t get a place to stay for love nor money. In the end he just left his stuff in our bungalow and the 3 of us went to the party.

I thought I would hate the Full Moon Party but I ended up quite enjoying it. We found a place playing drum and bass and we stayed there most of the night. It was amusing watching the never ending parade of fluorescent painted bodies dancing, drinking and passing put on the sand. It was hedonistic to say the least.

The next day we checked out and had an argument about ‘minimum stay requirement’. In the end we bargained them down to half the price. The 3 of us took a boat up to Than Sadet and spent a blissful week on a virtually deserted beach. The bungalow was $30 a night.

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Attractions in Phuket, Thailand

June 29, 2011 By

Phuket, the largest island in Thailand, is situated in the southern region of the country. It enjoys a rich and diverse culture and is connected to Thailand by two bridges. There are many important monuments and places of interest on the island. Listed here are some of the most popular beaches, places and monuments in Phuket.

Beaches

Hat Patong or the Patong beach is one of the most developed and modern beaches on the island. Spread over three kilometres, the beach is close to many hotels, clubs, and restaurants, and is the centre for many water related sports. The locality near Patong is bustling with activities not just at daytime but also at night. The nightlife is more active around the Soi Bangla.

Patong is also a popular shopping destination where you can get accessories, clothing and other items for a cheap price. Kalim, the northern end of the Patong beach, is popular among tourists, mainly from the month of April to September. People visit Kalim during this period to see the sunset, which is one of the most attractive and beautiful sights.

Popular Historic Places and Monuments

If you are in Thailand, you must visit the Two Heroines Monument, Thalang National Museum and Wat Chalong, where the statue of Luang Phor Cham is situated. This leader helped the people in Phuket win the Chinese Coolie Rebellion in 1876.

Transportation

Phuket can be reached by air – easily accessible from Asia, Australia, North America and Europe. The main and the cheapest way of travelling inside the island is songthaews, a type of passenger vehicle. Though tuk-tuks are the traditional mode of transportation, they have almost been replaced by small vans. Buses and taxis are available too.

If you would like to know more about Phuket or just some more general informaton about Bangkok or Thailand, please visit : Thailand rejser

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What to consider when getting a calling card

January 4, 2011 By

Alexander Graham Bell Invented the telephone in 1876 and since then technology has improved such that you can now make free international calls. There are no extra or hidden charges when calling Thailand from the UK. By using your computer along with your internet broadband connection you can now even do video calls.

In the past many people have used international calling cards to save money on the international calls. However there are many extra charges associated with them. These are some of the charges that many phone card companies operates. Calling cards are a very easy way to make cheap calls to Thailand. All you need to do is to purchase a card from any retail outlet and then dial the toll free or local area number

1 Connection Fee – Each time an international phone call is initiated a charge is levied on the your credit. These may range for 1 pence to 10 pence per call. This will depend on what country you are calling.

2 Daily Surcharges – In order to encourage you to use the phone card quickly, calling card companies have a daily fee that is deducted from your credit.

3 Rounding up – Most companies round up to the nearest 2 minutes. So if you just wanted to call Thailand and think you will have only used 10 seconds, think again. You will in fact have used up 2 minutes of credit for that 10 second call.

4 Public Phone Charges – When calling from a pay phone you will incur a charge.

5 Toll Free Number – When using the toll free number you will in all cases get charged more than if you dialled a local call number.

In summary calling cards a great way for people to make cheap international calls. They are an easy and convenient way for people to stay in contact with family in Thailand.

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