The vivid summer colors of Thailand

Perhaps, you have been too familiar with Thailand, where you can take a tuk tuk ride, have a taste of the papaya salad Som tum, enjoy the spicy and sour Thai hot pot, immerse yourself in the waters of Coral Island and shop till you drop in the capital city of Bangkok. Now, you have more colorful choices for summer, with the greenery of Phuket or Khao Yai, the legendary Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai, and the peaceful experience in Kanchanaburi along the River Kwai Bridge, where many historical events have been recorded.

Green island Phuket

Ảnh: TAT

Traveling to Phuket is a combination of three experiences: swimming, sightseeing and enjoying fresh seafood. This is an ideal retreat for those who want to escape the bustle and hustle. Summer is also the most ideal time with fair weather, when the sky and the sea join together as one. Just over 30 kilometers from the airport, Phuket still retains part of its appearance as a town born in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. There is the Phuket Walking Street on Thalang Road and a night market for you to explore. The best time to experience Phuket is in the early morning or late afternoon at restaurants, cafes and bars. If you want to have a taste of Thai dishes, Lardyai Phuket is the place to go. There are many local style dishes to enjoy.

Phuket has many beautiful beaches, including the one on Khai Island, consisting of three small islands of Khai Nok, Khai Nai and Khai Nai. This place is famous for its turquoise waters, white sand and many species of colorful fish. You may also visit Ao Maya Island, the setting for the movie “The Beach” in 1999. The Phi Phi Islands are an indispensable destination on the itinerary, including Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Lei, where you can explore the place known as the world’s cleanest beach with many magnificent bays and coral reefs... It is extremely interesting when you enjoy a seafood BBQ and explore Phuket at night with colorful streets. If you are a sea lover, be sure to not miss the purple sunset at Cape Leampromthep, one of the 10 most beautiful and ideal views in Phuket.

Phuket has a “specialty” called Phuket Fantasea. It is a special show of the island, with a capacity of about 4,000 spectators. The show is extremely impressive with the style of “Eastern Las Vegas”. Phuket Fantasea is a combination of light effects, mysterious historical backgrounds, plus a variety of performances by a crew of about 400 artists, more than 40 elephants, three tigers, 40 goats, 40 chickens and 400 pigeons that make up the grandiosity of the show. You will stay in a 4-star standard hotel during the journey to explore Phuket. What could be more attractive?

Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai historical itinerary

Chiang Mai is the northern part of Thailand. known as the capital of the Lanna Kingdom in the 13th century, Chiang Mai had reached its peak development before it was weakened by the neighboring states, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Burma (Myanmar), after seven centuries of existence. Remains that still exist today such as the temple Phrathat Doi Suthep are a precious treasure that you will witness when visiting Chiang Mai, dubbed the Northern Rose.

Phrathat Doi Suthep was built in the 14th century (around 1383), under the reign of King Nu Naone of the Lanna Kingdom. The temple is famous for its divinity as a place to preserve the shoulder fragments of the Buddha, one of the sacred treasures of Lanna. Therefore, the temple is built at the highest point of the mountain Doi Suthep, at an altitude of about 1,676 meters above sea level. To get here, one must climb 309 stone steps. The central tower is covered with gold, which houses the treasure of the temple. This is a holy pilgrimage point of Thai people when they arrive in Chiang Mai. Visitors come to Phrathat Doi Suthep to pay their respect, holding a white lotus in their hands to offer to the Buddha with a pure soul.

For a panoramic view of the “rose”, go to Chiang Mai View Point, which has the broadest view of the charming city of Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai also has many attractive destinations such as the H’mong village of Doi Pui in the Pui National Park. Here you will explore the life and culture of the H’Mong ethnic group in Thailand with impressive handicraft products.

Chiang Mai is also home to Mae Taen Elephant Park, a very well-known place for elephant training, where you may experience elephant riding and spectacular elephant circus performances. If you want to buy handicraft products and learn about Thai weaving in Chiang Mai, go to the traditional village of Sankampeng. A lot of beautiful and handy items are on sale here, such as lovely umbrellas and jade enamel ware..

While Chiang Mai is a historical and spiritual city, Chiang Rai is a place for you to explore nature with very special destinations. There is the hot spring Sankhampang, the white temple Rong Khun as a combination of glass and plaster, which represents the purity of the Buddha. And there are more, such as the Golden Triangle, the natural border of the three countries Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. Today, this place has become one of the attractions of Chiang Rai with the opportunity for tourists to sail along the Mekong River, visit the border market for shopping and explore the life of the local people. Among them, the village of Karen is a very interesting place where you will encounter women, including girls, with copper bracelets around their neck and limbs.

Khao Yai and a countryside picture

Meaning “big mountain”, Khao Yai is a place where the atmosphere is very fresh, with gentle and simple-minded people and many interesting attractions. They include PB Valley, where grape is grown and grape wine is supplied to Thailand and other countries in the region. If you fancy romance, there is Primo Piazza for you. Dubbed the “miniature Italy”, this place is designed in classic style with golden brown as the main color, where there is an extremely romantic outdoor cafe. You will have the chance to explore the mushroom farm Panorama Mushroom, with a variety of mushrooms, from straw mushroom to jelly ear.

There is also Dasada Flowers Garden located in the luxury resort Dasada. This is a beautiful garden with many species of flowers, combined with the hills and the vast lake, creating a stunning and lively landscape. Khao Yai National Park is one of your stops on the Chiang Rai expedition to learn about the life of many wildlife and flora.

Kanchanaburi and the River Kwai Bridge

Kanchannaburi is about 130 kilometers west of Bangkok, where you will return to a peaceful space, with hot spring, bamboo river rafts and elephant rides. And there is definitely a place you have to go, the legendary River Kwai Bridge.

This bridge is the inspiration for David Lean to direct the movie “The Bridge on the River Kwai”, which re-enacted the cruelty of war, the lives of prisoners during World War II in this place considered as hell. The River Kwai Bridge was linked to the Japanese plan to attack India. And the 415-kilometer long railway was ordered for construction within an unthinkable time - a mere 12 months. However, it took 16 months to complete, from 16 September 1942 to 25 December 1943, mobilizing about 61,000 prisoners of war and some 200,000 workers from other countries. Of these, approximately 16,000 prisoners and 100,000 workers breathed their last here.

The River Kwai Bridge is a 300 meter long wooden bridge with 11 spans across the Mae Klong River, painted in black and white, between Myanmar and Thailand. The river was later renamed the Kwai Yai River. The bridge got off the ground in October 1942 and completed in February 1943. This is a special historical vestige of World War II. Here, you will meet visitors from all over the world, feel the tranquility of the land that once was hell, to more treasure peace and the precious moments of going back in time.

Tran Trung in remarks of his first trip to Kanchanaburi in the summer of 2016 said: “In my journeys to explore a new land, TST tourist has always been the companion over the past years. In the last days of May, during the transition to June, when the rain fell heavily, I was driven by destiny to accompany your company in the trip to find novelty, experience a variety of emotions through the new journey to the Kingdom of Thailand for six days and five nights. It was a bit “reckless” of me to choose a whole new route Bangkok - Pattaya - Kanchanaburi... I had been wondering and in the past few days I was satisfied. The highlight of this tour is that we experienced the moments of living in harmony with nature in Kanchanaburi. In the morning you will be woken up by the waves pounding at the door of your room, or the bright rays of sunshine getting into the room signaling a new day has come. Here, I felt like coming back to the mountains of nature, living amid the thousands of grass and flowers in harmony with birds and gentle wind, white clouds and alluvial flows enriching the soil. A new journey, a new route is a perfect combination of classy and splendid Bangkok, and lively Pattaya which is full of charms as the nigh falls. And Kanchanaburi is like a beautiful mountain maiden, who are shy and docile, yet always knows how to win the heart of visitors by what Mother Nature bestow upon her. One trip with three destinations, nothing is more interesting than that.”

Linh Đan