When one mentions Thailand, most people think fake Louis Vuitton handbags, sun burnt Brits and Ladyboys. To be honest, this is quite a fair assertion. However, if you care to look past the ‘knock-off-Nigel’ market stalls and the stark lack of and health & safety regulations, you will se a very different side to this zany South-East Asian country.
When I made the decision to travel around Thailand for five weeks, I vowed to see past the cheap alcohol, cheap clothes, and well…cheap everything. That’s not to say I didn’t indulge in any of that, but I did make it my business to explore the beautiful culture that this magnificent country has to offer. Here is my pictorial guide to cultural Thailand, with a couple of handy tips thrown in…
Wat Pho – Temple of The Reclining Buddha, Bangkok (FYI, a ‘Wat’ is a temple)
This particular ‘Wat’ is located next to the GrandPalace, and is known as the birthplace of the traditional Thai massage. It is the largest temple in Bangkok and is famed for its 46 metre long ‘reclining Buddha’.
This Buddha is taking a load off!
Covered in gold leaf with its feet decorated with mother of pearl, this Buddha will literally blow your mind; not only by its majestic beauty but its tranquility. Costing around 50 Baht for entry (a meagre £1), it is certainly worth a visit.
TOP TIP: In the words of Aretha, have a little R.E.S.P.E.C.T – cover your legs and arms, its rude not too.
Grand Palace, Bangkok
Built in 1782, the GrandPalace features several beautiful, magnificent buildings including Wat Phra Kaeo, or the Temple of The Emerald Buddha. The ‘Emerald Buddha’ dates back to the 14th Century, and unfortunately it is forbidden to take pictures.
Be dazzled by the jewels, gold leaf and garish over clothes!
Whilst Thai Kings have not lived at the GrandPalace since the turn of the 20th Century, the complex still remains the hypothetical seat of power and the spiritual heart of the Thai kingdom.
The complex is, in a word, stunning. My pictures cannot do it justice. Its shine and glitz make it awe-inspiring. The architecture is so far removed from our own culture that you find yourself exploring every nook and cranny to ensure no stone has been led unturned. It truly does satisfy your appetite for the new and unexplored.
TOP TIP: Don’t get wasted the night before and throw up outside the Palace, you will only draw unwanted attention – trust me.
Big Bellied Buddha’s, Wat Plai Lean – Koh Samui
Now, when we were told by a local that there were some “big-bellied Buddha’s’ on Koh Samui, we thought we would find a couple of plus sized Buddha’s who may have overindulged in one too many Massaman curries. We zipped on our hired moped to Wat Plai Lean, and found two huge Buddha’s, easily taller than your average house.
Diet? Not here!
We spent an hour or so taking photographs and admiring the detail of the decorations adorning the adjoining temples. We watched some of the monks at prayer, and then paid 10 Baht to feed the hundred of greedy sturgeon in the surrounding lake.
What I loved most about this place was the beauty and serenity of the surroundings; a brutal contrast to the main Koh Samui resort of ChawengBeach, which is a) dirty, and b) the Thai equivalent of Blackpool.
TOP TIP: If you HAVE to go to Koh Samui on your travels, please save yourself by visiting Wat Plai Lean!
Wat Rong Khun – The White Temple
Having witnessed the absolute stunning sights of Koh Phi Phi (you know, that place where ‘The Beach’ was filmed), and playing with baby tiger’s at the famed Tiger Kingdom in Chiang Mai, I thought I had seen it all. Well, I was wrong. We decided to take a day trip to Chiang Rai and the surrounding areas, and after a two hour minibus ride (minus suspension) we arrived at the wondrous Wat Rong Khun. Almost completely white and inlaid with reflective pieces of mirror – imagine how the building dazzles in the sunlight!
It literally is a sight for sore eyes.
Walk over the bridge of limbo – be careful not to fall in!
A contemporary ‘Wat’, work began on the temple in 1997 and it is by no means finished yet. The surrounding monuments and statues represent the eternal battle of good and evil. There are trees decorated with sculptures of heads and a bridge of purgatory where you cross to enter a place of enlightenment; the main temple.
TOP TIP: Take your shades, you’ll be blinded!
The Golden Triangle
On the same day as our trip to Wat Rong Khun, we visited ‘The Golden Triangle’ – a place where the MekongRiver separates the kingdoms of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. Historically it is a well-known area of opium cultivation. Our guide told us that, as the river separates the three countries, and therefore not rigidly governed by one, opium was traded by means of the river.
The wonderful Buddha which sits on the edge of the water.
Of course, today, there are very strict laws against drug trade and use in Thailand (possession of drugs is deemed as a very serious offence); therefore this area now funds itself by ways of tourism. From the Golden Triangle’s location you can reach Mai Sai quite easily; the northern most point of Chiang Rai, and the official crossing point to Myanmar – modern day Burma.
So, would I go back?
Thailand does get a bad rap; the papers don’t do it any justice at all, and I do admit, there are one or two unsavoury stigmas attached to the country. However, I fell head over heels in love with the place. The people are wonderful and humbling, and the scenery is breathtaking. My worst experience there was of my own doing…I crashed my moped into a row of stationary mopeds. One word: dominos.
©2013