Тайланд – курорты, валюта, язык, религия

Thailand is the most popular holiday destination throughout Southeast Asia. Here you can find not only a variety of entertainment, but also your compatriots, because tourists from Russia are very fond of resorts in Thailand.

In the vastness of the kingdom you can find a quiet and comfortable place for family holidays, wild entertainment at night, a huge variety of sports activities, privacy on the islands away from everyone, and much more. The only thing that depends on you - it is to choose the right tour to Thailand, so it included all your wishes.

As for accommodation in Thailand, the choice of accommodation is also very surprising. The hotel base here is designed for different budgets, from luxury villas on individual islands, and to eco-bungalows, which decorate the entire coast.

It is important to keep in mind that the lion's share of the holiday will still pass outside the hotel or hotel, as excursions, beaches and various places of interest will occupy most of your attention. Special attention should be paid to wedding ceremonies, which are quite common in Thailand. Such events are often done in both European and Buddhist styles.

Such a wedding will be remembered for years to come, because the beautiful scenery of Thai nature and the most important people together - this is happiness. Ordering a classic tour to Thailand, you are likely to be able to enjoy the beauty of Bangkok - the capital of the kingdom, with its sights and temples, and immediately after the tourist enlightenment will go to rest at any of the resorts, namely:

Andaman Sea Resorts:

1. Phuket (one of the largest islands in the expanse of the whole of Thailand, which has an innumerable number of attractions and more than a dozen beaches, each of which is famous for its audience and specialty);
2. Khao Lak (characterized by pristine and unspoiled nature, perfectly clean beaches, relaxation and recreation centers, and a large number of schools for divers);
3. Krabi (resort, which is an entire province, on the territory of which there are huge and beautiful rocks, reminiscent of the famous science-fiction film "Avatar", as well as beaches, which on all sides are wrapped with green jungle. Despite this amount of green and wildlife infrastructure for tourists is fully prepared, so you do not have to get used to the wilderness);
4. Phi Phi (a resort that includes several small islands of extraordinary beauty that attract crowds of divers every year. In the evening there are parties and fire shows on the coast);
5. Ko Yao Noi (This resort is chosen by tourists who want to get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy plenty of beauty of the Thai sea and the beach).

Resorts in the Gulf of Thailand in the South China Sea:

1. Pattaya (It is this resort that should be thanked for the fact that Thailand opened up to the world as a tourist country. Pattaya has an incredible amount of entertainment, facilities and beaches for tourists, but the rest is designed mainly for adults);
2. Samui (is the third largest island in Thailand, famous for its incredibly long coastline and coconut palms, of which there are countless);
3. Ko Chang (resort, which will delight you with the natural beauty of Thailand, will give you the opportunity to relax, as well as good and interesting to spend time with the children, because almost 50 percent of its territory is set aside for national parks);
4. Ko Phangan (a place that is a landmark for tourists who are used to party during the holidays in the full program, as it is here are the famous beach parties "Full Moon Party");
5. Hua Hin or Cha Am (an elite type of resort in Thailand, where the entire royal family often comes. All hotels in the area have at least 4 stars and are built in the best traditions of English style).

What is the climate like in Thailand?

If you want to buy a tour to Thailand, then for the most comfortable and good rest is very important to know about the climate in the kingdom. Weather forecasters divide the weather conditions in Thailand into 3 most pronounced categories - dry weather, rainy and cool. The hottest time period includes the time from March to May, when the minimum rainfall, but the air temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius.

However, even with this warmth, moisture collects that the monsoons pour out in late May. It rains the most from May to November, but don't think of summer in Thailand as a daily rainstorm. Tropical downpours can be very heavy and abundant, but they never last more than a day. Thais have become accustomed to the fact that after a heavy downpour for 2-3 hours, you can go to the beach and sunbathe quietly, enjoying the sun.

October and November are not very suitable for holidays, as in these months the ground has already absorbed moisture, and because of the heavy rains there can be floods. But, with the onset of December, the rains are completely removed from the kingdom, giving way to a dry and moderately hot climate. The temperature in winter reaches +30 degrees Celsius, and tourists are in full swing to attack all resorts in Thailand. This implies that the vacation for the tourist in Thailand is year-round, as the monsoons only make the vacation more interesting and colorful.

What is the currency and time in Thailand?

There is a fairly acceptable difference of +4 hours between Moscow time and Thai time. Due to the small difference, acclimatization is quite easy and painless, even for small children. Thailand uses the baht, one unit of which equals 100 satangs. If you are already at the resort, then apart from the local currency they do not want to take anything from you, so you should immediately change it in the exchange office for the required banknotes.

You should not trust lone foreign currency dealers on duty at railway stations and airports, because the best rate will be in banks. It is preferable to take dollars with you, and the most favorable rate when exchanging dollars for baht in denominations of 100 and 50.

Do I need a visa for a tour to Thailand?

If you are going on vacation in Thailand, which will not exceed a 30-day string, then you do not need a visa. A stamp of border crossing is put in the passport at the airport of arrival. It is also important to know that you can visit Thailand without drawing up any visa documents several times a year.

The only condition is to spend time in the country, which does not exceed a total of 90 days in six months. Documents, namely a passport, must be valid for at least 30 days, including the first day of vacation. It is very important to add that some airlines do not accept on board tourists whose passport is valid for less than 6 months.

So in controversial situations your question will be resolved by the airline employees themselves. In order not to get any out-of-the-ordinary situations, it is better to clarify these details in advance. For tourists who have planned a vacation of more than 30 days, it is necessary to apply for a visa in advance. These procedures are carried out in all embassies and consulates of the country. To apply for a visa, you should have the following components:

1. 45 USD,
2. 4 working days to wait for the paperwork to be processed;
3. Passport, valid for at least 6 months.

At the border crossing with such a visa is stamped for a 2-month stay. The period of stay can be extended only once for an additional month at any Immigration Bureau office within the country by paying a certain visa fee, which usually does not exceed about 2,000 baht.

Geography of Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand is located in Southeast Asia, and the country itself on the map resembles the head of an elephant, where the eyes symbolize the glorious capital Bangkok, and the trunk - a long length of the south, which is completely full of a huge number of popular resorts. The eastern part of Thailand is washed by the Andaman Sea, which houses a large proportion of the famous resorts.

Thailand is washed by the Gulf of Siam in the east of the South China Sea, and the Andaman Sea in the west. It borders Cambodia and Laos to the east, Myanmar to the west, and Malaysia to the south. Importantly, Thailand's topography is highly varied, including both plains and hills as well as high cliffs. Due to this rich nature, the kingdom houses more than 70 different national parks and nature reserves, which are visited by tourists every year.

Also Thailand includes many small and large islands located in the coastal waters, the largest of which are the famous resorts of Phuket, Chang and Samui.

What is the predominant language and religion in Thailand?

A large number (a little over 90 percent) of Thais are Buddhists. This religion leaves quite a serious imprint on their lives, so it is in the territory of Thailand that you can notice a very careful attitude towards all living beings. Thais are very caring about animals, bring up children in peace and affection, but tourists are respected and shown the highest degree of respect.

The number of temples for pilgrimage in the kingdom is enormous, even on the smallest island there is always a building (if not a temple, then a small pagoda) for the religious people. The large cities of Thailand are developing a little faster, so that on their territory in addition to temples you can find entire centers for spiritual development. It is noteworthy that quite a few of them are happy to welcome foreigners.

The Thai language is very beautiful and easy to sing, because it is classified as a tonal language. So if you put the accent of the same word in different variations, you can get a completely different meaning.

Interesting is the fact that Thais do not have such a word as "hunger", but several words for "smile" at once. Do not worry about the language barrier, because most Thais know English, as the country is fully touristy for a long time. Also, some speak Russian.

Cuisine in Thailand

If you bought a last minute trip to Thailand, the first thing you need to try on arrival is Thai cuisine, because it deserves special attention. The main ingredients of cuisine in the kingdom of the sun and sand are considered the following:

1. Fig,
2. noodles,
3. seafood,
4. meat,
5. vegetables,
6. fruit.

It is important to note that the territory of Thailand is just a huge range of fruits, which is the most affordable for tourists in Southeast Asia. As for the dishes, their variations here are also innumerable.

Lovers of spicy soups, vegetarian cuisine followers and, especially, seekers of something unusual and exotic like egg noodles with green mango and grated nuts will find a delicacy here. Another plus is that you can buy incredibly tasty food in a high-end restaurant, as well as in the usual cafes by the road for the locals. Street food in Thailand is a whole culture that includes night markets, whole shops and tables with outlandish goods and delicacies.

Due to the huge abundance of fruit in the country, tourists enjoy fresh juices, which cost ridiculous money compared to our prices.

What are the holidays in Thailand?

Celebrations in Thailand are a whole separate world that includes pathos, pomp and an incredible number of people. Once you get to at least one big holiday, you will always leave in your memory a lot of unforgettable and bright moments. The following holidays are considered the most colorful and massive:

1. Flower Festival in Chiang Mai City, which is celebrated every year on the first Friday of February.
2. The Chinese New Year, which is considered the most important holiday and is widely celebrated throughout the country, falls in early February, but every year the date falls on different dates.
3. Songkran or Thai New Year falls in April, and on this day it is customary to throw water on each other and sprinkle talcum powder, so that an ordinary walk down the street can turn into a real carnival.
4. Loi Kratong is celebrated on the first full moon in November and is considered one of the most beautiful holidays, as there is a mass launching of paper lanterns and palm leaf boats.
5. The King's birthday is celebrated on February 5, and it is considered an official day off, with parades and carnival processions taking place in the streets of the cities.

Peculiarities of medicine in Thailand

Although Thailand is considered a tourist country, it has a fairly well-developed medicine with its own peculiarities within the country. The main peculiarity of Thai medicine is that it combines modern technology with oriental healing traditions. It is important to note that a large number of tourists come to the kingdom precisely in order to improve their health.

However, as good as medicine is in Thailand, it's expensive. So if an unpleasant situation happens to you, you will have to leave a decent amount in the hospital. To avoid such unpleasant situations, it is very important to take out health insurance in advance, which could cover all your expenses.

Helpful tips

Buying a tour to Thailand, as well as in any other new country for themselves, you should learn all the subtleties of the popular culture, their rules of conduct in society and the like. So that you do not feel uncomfortable and strange in Thailand, we offer you the following features of behavior in the country:

1. Smile (try to smile more often and be very friendly, as Thais are friendly people, but do not know how to take negativity in their address. Never mention monks, the King or his family in your discussions - such talk is considered offensive by Thais).
2. Drescod (when visiting temples and monasteries it is necessary to cover your feet and take off your shoes, because otherwise you will show your disrespect for their sanctity).
3. The pat on the shoulder (pat on the shoulder with the Thais is a bad gesture, but touching the head in general can cause a storm of negative emotions, because according to their beliefs there is the human spirit).
4. Exportation of souvenirs (it is strictly forbidden to export statuettes depicting Bodhisattvas and Buddhas greater than 13 centimeters in height, as well as monastic begging bowls. The only exception will be people who show a license from the Department of Fine Arts of Thailand).

Following all of the above rules, you can have a wonderful vacation by buying a tour to Thailand.