In this article you'll find a description of Ko Tarutao, one of Thailand's many hidden paradises, often overlooked by mainstream tourism.

Ko Tarutao, a lost paradise

In this article you will find good ideas for trekking in the mountains of northern Thailand.

The northern mountains, a paradise for trekkers

In this article you will find a description of Bangkok, the gigantic capital of the country and even of the continent.

Bangkok, the capital of a continent

The Khong Chiam region is still largely unaffected by tourism and, for those willing to explore it, offers spectacular scenery and the promise of peaceful days spent well away from the noise and chaos of the urban environment. With its waterfalls, cliffs and rock paintings, Pha Taem is the kind of place you simply never tire of exploring.

The magic of Pha Taem, north of Khong Chiam

Damnoen Saduak is a floating market that unfortunately has become too touristy and is no longer authentic.

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Are you ready for the trip of a lifetime? Travelling in an auto rickshaw will make you feel Bangkok, the hyperactive capital, buzz with life. Next step: the south of Thailand, which is even more charming… Bays, coves, bungalows on deserted beaches, clear water and colourful corals, underwater caves and rocks springing from the sea. Your journey to Thailand will allow you to experience the flavour of salty water, diving and blissful idleness.You will continue your journey north to Chiang Mai, where you will learn so much: there are so many cooking classes and massage courses to choose from. Later, you will take one of the most beautiful roads in the north, Chiang Maia Mae Hong Son, a journey brave travellers will take on two wheels. Between discovering misty, jungle-covered hillsides and villages nestled deep in splendid valleys: your stay in Thailand will be almost supernaturally beautiful.

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Damnoen Saduak

Kanchanaburi, in the west of the country, is a beautiful region visited mainly for the bridge on the River Kwai and for the national parks in the area.

Kanchanaburi

Situated to the east of Bangkok, Erawan is a national park that is best known for its turquoise blue waterfalls.

Erawan

Bang Pa In is a small village south of Ayutthaya Historical Park, mainly known and visited because of the royal summer palace located there.

Bang Pa In

Mae Salong, (also known as Santikhiri), is a small mountain village whose population is mostly of Chinese origin. 

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Mae Salong feels like it's in China, despite the fact that it's closer to Myanmar. Walking down main street, I passed locals selling tea outside their houses, and a teacher at work with his students with a blackboard at the back of the class that was covered in ideograms. And indeed, we are crossing into the area where you get tea plantations, and the Chinese ancestors of its inhabitants came here at the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. Mae Salong is a rather sleepy mountain resort, calm and cool - especially in winter - and, for someone like me who lives with Bangkok's clamminess all year, a bit of cool air is good. For those who like going off the beaten path, Mae Salong is a perfect base for exploring the surrounding mountains and ethnic tribes. I was a bit surprised to meet a Frenchman who had moved there and opened a little restaurant. Some of the buildings look like chalets and with the ever present Chinese culture, sometimes you forget that you are in Thailand. For a view over the town and the mountains, I went to the chedi of Phra Boromathat Chedi, which is the perfect finishing touch to a charming stay in the Land of Smiles.

After passing through Chiang Rai I finished my exploration of northern Thailand on a high note with a visit to the famous Golden Triangle. I decided to go on a day trip that would take me around the area. The day began with an exploration of Mae Salong, a charming village crowned with the beautiful temple Wat Santikhiri which has a superb view over the surroundings. On my way back down I stopped to have a look at the tea plantations in the surrounding hills. Several women were at work with large picking baskets, a grueling job.  Mae Salong, like all of the mountain villages, is a peaceful harbor in the heart of luxuriant vegetation, and its picturesque authenticity makes it a pleasure to explore. From there, on to Mae Saen, with its immense Buddha and the river which separates Myanmar, Laos from Thailand.

<a href="/thailand/">During a stay in north Thailand</a>, Mae Salong is the place to go for lovers of nature, calm, and tradition.

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