You can't miss the bus!
Shrines are on every block and around every corner!
Travel along the Chao Praya makes your trip leisurely by bypassing a frenetic City.
Reclining Buddha
thailand
° Ayutthaya ° Bangkok ° Koh Phi Phi ° Phuket
° UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Bangkok is included in Southeast Asia Cruises, and because such a cruise is now on our list of things to do we're updating our site. Bangkok is amazing, but we recommend only a day or two and stay near the river; so cruise ships are perfect for this region. We don't consider Bangkok a "family town," so, again, a stopover via ship is perfect. Into port, see the highlights, and then sail away.
Thai culture and tradition have survived intact throughout the decades. The fast-paced nightlife is, well, just that. It's fast. We ran into a Detroit policeman that we nick-named "Joe the Corrupter." He was there for the ladies of the night, although he did take time during the day to visit Thailand's exquisite outlying regions and artifacts (which is how we met him). In the past few years, transportation and amenities in Bangkok have been upgraded, and the city has a safer and more comfortable feel that it did not have 5-10 years ago. The atmosphere is exciting and modern, and the shopping facilities are tremendous. The bazaars are as interesting as they are bizarre, and the shows and clubs are bizarre but excellent. You still have to exercise a certain degree of caution, which is why, again, we are opting for a Southeast Asia Cruise for our next visit.
Because we prefer lodging near water, we booked rooms at the Hotel Menam which is built along the banks of the Chao Phraya River. 
Within 24 hours, we were positive we'd made the correct choice. While that hotel doesn't take online bookings, the exquisite Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok does. The Shangri La hotel has two towers on the banks of the Chao Phraya river and is close to both Bangkok's skytrain and the river transport boats.
After riding through Bangkok in taxis on Tuk Tuks (open motorized vehicles), I was choking on fumes. The next morning, we noticed dozens of different types of boats ferrying back and forth across the Chao Phraya carrying hundreds of passengers on their way to work.
Most hotels up and down the Chao Phraya have their own boat docks. Many of the smaller boats are for hire by the hour or day, which makes for easy inexpensive transportation during outings to city highlights, prime shopping areas and nightlife.
Hotels provide guests with free shuttle boat services connecting to Skytrain stations, which is one of the most efficient transport methods in Bangkok. The skytrain provides access to Bangkok's famous shopping and entertainment areas including Silom Street and Siam Square which is a quick and easy journey from the hotel.
Within easy access by river transportation from the hotel pier is the Grand Palace, Wat Arun Temple of Dawn and the Snake Farm and Bangkok's International airport is only 40 minutes away via the new expressway.
Take time to tour Bangkok's Temples and the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho. Thailand is predominantly a Buddhist country with around 95% of Thai's practicing Theravada Buddhism. It is not unusual to see monks adorned in their maroon and yellow colors walking along the road and it should come as no surprise as Thailand has over 26,000 Wat's (the local name for temple). Thailand is one of the few countries in the world that has never had war on its own soil, with the exception of skirmishes near its northern borders. Undoubtedly the Buddhist philosophy has influenced their peaceful state.
Cruise Along the Chao Praya
A cruise along the legendary Chao Phraya River and some canals on the Thon Buri side is the most pleasant way to explore the city. It is an excellent way to view temples alongside family homes -- some of which seem to be falling into the river.
It's easy to ferry back and forth between the River City Shopping Complex where tailors made jackets, pants and dresses made at extremely low cost in less than 24 hours, and to lunch and dinner in excellent restaurants along the water. (Years later, as this is updated, I still have three Thai silk jackets made for me in a shop near the river . . . they are excellent quality and are still worn frequently.)
Rivers and canals referred have always been vital forms of transportation in Thailand; when the capital of Thailand was moved to Bangkok in 1782 (the beginning of the Rattanakosin period), the capital was laced with canals which brought passengers, goods, food and other items to trade along the small towns and temples lining the river.
Initially, residents of Bangkok generally settled by the Chao Phraya River and gradually spread into the core of the country. The Chao Phraya is still a lifeline for travellers through the heart of Thailand.
Ayutthaya
was the ancient capital of the southern Kingdom of Siam from 1350 until 1767. Founded by King Rama Tibodi I Ayutthaya absorbed Sukhothai, the older Thai kingdom, and destroyed much of the Cambodian Khmer kingdom. The Ayutthayans also tried to control the northern kingdom at Chiang Mai but were unsuccessful. The Ayutthayan kings adopted Cambodian customs and their laws were based on the Hindu religion.
Travel 70 or 80 miles upstream by bus and riverboat during a guided tour, which included a visit to Ayutthaya, a highlight of our trip, not far from Bangkok, and which features a reclining Buddha and a relic of an ancient Buddha almost completely covered with the roots of a tree (right).
Traces of the earlier periods have been left alongside the river more than in the inland areas. Ayutthaya is fertile and known for its rice production. The city once had 1,700 temples and over 4,000 golden images of Buddha. In 1767 the Burmese virtually destroyed the city in a series of battles. Today the area is mostly ruins with few remaining intact structures. On the grounds are countless, probably hundreds, statues of Buddha all with their heads missing, having been cut off by the invading Burmese. Only a few remain intact.
The reclining Buddha (above left) was a highlight of the trip; one of my first jobs was as an assistant to the tour director of American Orient Travel Company in San Francisco. Her tours included this particular reclining Buddha; I didn't know this was part of the tour: the impressive image of this ancient art is deeply moving. This reclining Buddha represents Buddha after his death.
Koh Phi Phi
Can't say we loved the speedboat ride to ride to Phi Phi, a beautiful island in the Andaman Sea, but because Maya Bay was the location of "The Beach," with Leonardo DiCaprio we went. It's a very high-speed boat, thus the choppy ride. On the way back, the boat stops at a secluded beach for swimming, snorkeling and just lazing around. Another tour out of Phuket is a Speedboat tour to Krabi, with its beautiful coves, caves and beaches. This latter ride takes you to the white sandy beaches and coves of Krabi National Park for swimming and snorkeling on Dham Kwan Island and a delicious traditional Thai lunch. There's time to explore the dramatic limestone formations at Pra Nang Caves and visit Bho-Da Island with it's fine white sandy beach.
Phuket
A fellow traveller in Bangkok said "go see Phuket," so we did. It's beautiful. We initially booked a house as part of a timeshare trade we had, but it was inland and dreadful. 
It was a nice-enough resort, but it was new, still under construction and too far from anything. Everything was closed up by 9 p.m. So we moved to the Holiday Inn across from Patong Beach. It was inexpensive, surprisingly beautiful and convenient (fine pools, the mandatory floating bar, etc.). The area is surrounded by sandy beaches and clear waters as Phuket. The winding coastal roads along the west coast of this 540-square-km island offer stunning views and easy access to some of the world's finest beaches. Whether one wants to sample the frenetic pace of Patong or find solitude on a remote stretch of sand in the north, Phuket's beaches have it all for the sun seeker.
Buddhist Scriptures
Buddhist Scriptures.
Donald S. Lopez, Jr.
Penguin Books
While Buddhism has no central text comparable to the Bible or Koran, there is a powerful body of scripture from across Asia that encompasses the "dharma," or the teachings of the Buddha. In this anthology, eminent scholar Donald S. Lopez, Jr., brings together works from a broad historical and geographical range, and from such languages as Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese. There are tales of the Buddha's past lives, a discussion of qualities and qualifications for a monk, and an exploration of the many meanings of enlightenment. Together they provide a vivid picture of the Buddha and of the vast and profound nature of the Buddhist tradition.
Retire in Thailand
Millions of Americans are leaving the U.S. seeking less-expensive ways to retire, Thailand tops the list for thousands for many reasons, not the least of which it is a country of peace. Thailand has never know a World War nor has it known war on its own soil. There are few countries left that can make that claim. It's Buddhist nature renders it peaceful.UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Thailand
- Historic City of Ayutthaya (1991)
- Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns (1991)
- Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries (1991)
- Ban Chiang Archaeological Site (1992)
- Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex (2005)
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Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude