Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udom Ratchaniwet Maha Sathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathatthiya Witsanukam Prasit.

Bangkok Geography:
Located in the center of the country, quite close to the Gulf of Thailand, the greater Bangkok Metropolis (including the former capital of Thonburi on the other side of the Chao Phraya River) covers an area of 1600 km2.

The city is situated right in the middle of the rice bowl of Asia, also known as Chao Phraya River Delta.




Bangkok Weather:
If you like the hot weather, Bangkok is the place for you. Average temp. rarely dip below 25 degree Celsius during the city’s 3 seasons. Between Nov. and Feb. the weather is warm and dry with temp. from 19 – 33 degree Celsius.; Mar – May is hot with temp rising to as high as 42 degrees, and from Jun – Oct (rainy season) it is warm and sometimes wet, but never cold. Even the rain is warm.

The tourist in Thailand can probably trip a carillion of famous Thai cities off their tongues although their claims to fame may well be more notorious than famous and remembered for reasons that may well be better forgotten. Clearly Bangkok, being the capital city, holds its own claim to fame. Chang Mai, being the ancient Siam capital, also holds a claim to fame. Thailand's peninsula offers names to travellers to Thailand that many know by heart, whether they have visited Thailand or not: Phuket, Pattaya, and Koh Samui.



Udon Thani, to the north-east of Thailand, amidst the Isaan countryside, is really only a town but it has a couple of claims that ought to bring it to the attention of the traveller to Thailand. Hua Hin, Krabi, Khon Khan and Surat Thani are all cities in Thailand and known to a greater or lesser extent. Other famous cities in Thailand include Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Ratchasima although these are lesser known to the international world outside of Thailand.



City of Angels and Rose of the North
The city of Bangkok, is the capital city of modern Thailand, colloquially known as the City of Angels. Meanwhile, Ayutthaya and Chang Mai each share historical claims to being capital cities from ancient Siam. Rose of the North is the title given to the ancient city of Chiang Mai. As with any capital city Bangkok reveals a cosmopolitan diversity, five star hotels rubbing shoulders with dilapidated roadside food-stalls.
This diversity is further exhibited in Bangkok's wide range of excellent hotels and restaurants offering a truly international range of cuisine. Shopping offers the tourist a truly absorbing pastime, especially as Bangkok lays claim to some of the biggest shopping malls in Asia. If shopping malls seem rather tame, you can always visit Chatuchak, a particularly large outdoor market held at weekends, or other outdoor markets with similar characteristics.



The famous Thai city of Chiang Mai lies along the Ping River. It has long spread its suburbs out from around its original 700 year old limits. Apart from being the old capital city of Thailand, Chiang Mai is particularly noted for its innumerable Buddhist temples, each one surpassing the previous one in exquisite decor. The oldest of Thailand's temples, Wat Chiang Man, is located here. Another 'must-see' for any visitor to Chiang Mai is the lake, Huay Tung Tao, nestling amongst a mountain-bound terrain. There is also a zoo which cares for the welfare of more than 7,000 animals.



Pearl of the Andaman Sea and other Coastal Cities
Phuket has the honour to be known as the Pearl of the Andaman Sea. Other coastal cities include Hua Hin, Krabi, Pattaya Beach, Patong Beach, Rayong, Chumphon: in fact, with Thailand having 3,219km of coastline there are far more cities than could possibly be included here. Much of Thailand's coastline could be designated as areas of outstanding beauty, especially Hua Hin and Krabi. Many beaches cater for the family; there are some areas where young people party all night and sleep all day, however.


Different Cities Reflect Diversity of Provinces
Thailand has many different provinces, each one different from the next. Some of this difference can be due to a range in temperatures, some due to specific handicrafts being traditional to that village or province: there are silk villages where silk material is produced and woven and other villages where this silk is tailored into beautiful garments. The temperature in Chiang Mai is vastly different to the temperatures experienced in the beach resorts to the south of Thailand so naturally this would be reflected in how different the cities in the north are to those in the south.


Nevertheless, regardless where tourists to Thailand go, they cannot fail to be moved by the beauty and history each of Thailand's famous cities evokes. Busy these cities might be, but the evocative aura experienced as travellers visit each city is something that will always remain in their memories: these cities will provide the traveller to Thailand with a lifetime of never-to-be-forgotten reminiscences to savour in the future.

 by Soophott Lert

A South Africa safari is the ideal wildlife trip to go on because the infrastructure and accommodation is superb in all the wildlife parks there and it is still highly affordable in comparison to other African countries.
But given a choice some of the national parks and game reserves are better than others.
Here is a top five list ranking them according to travel reports received at the African Safari Journals website, my safari experience of twenty plus years, industry forums, magazines and the general consensus of the experts.



1. Kruger NP
The Kruger National Park has to rank as one of the best South Africa safari destinations, only slightly behind the Masai Mara and Serengeti when it comes to wildlife viewing because the vegetation in Kruger can be dense and sometimes mars the ability to see longer distances.
But the variety of animals, birds and ecosystems that you can experience here are unparalleled anywhere else in Africa and the accommodation, roads and facilities are top notch and all at a very affordable price.
It's not unusual to see lion, leopard, cheetah, a pack of wild dog, rhino, elephant, buffalo and a whole host of antelope, crocodile and hippo in the course of a single trip including a variety of insects and reptiles.
On the bird front you will be spoiled with a seemingly never-ending supply of eagles, hawks, water birds and a host of migratory and indigenous species to the tune of about 510 different varieties.
You can easily do a self drive safari here and still see a decent amount of wildlife especially if you stick to the central and southern portions of this massive park (larger than Ireland). The north has fewer animals due to dryer conditions but also less tourists which makes for a more isolated and intimate wildlife experience.
If variety is the spice of life then a South Africa safari in the Kruger National Park is a rich dish indeed.



2. Sabi Sands GR
Sharing a fenceless border on the western side of the Kruger National Park is the Sabi Sands game reserve which has a number of world famous private concessions like Mala Mala, Sabi Sabi and Londelozi.
The removal of the fence between the two parks allows the animals to move around freely and the game viewing experience is just as in the Kruger National with one important difference. Because this reserve is privately held, off road game tracking is allowed which improves your chances of finding the elusive big cats, elephant, rhino, buffalo and wild dog to a large degree. They also make use of two way radios in each safari vehicle so that if one finds something noteworthy the others can be alerted.
The sand and sabi rivers which bisect the reserve provide the focal point which attracts the wildlife to the area especially in the dry season.
So viewing the big cats on a South Africa safari here is virtually guaranteed and the accommodation is some of the best in the world as illustrated by the Singita lodge which was the first and only accommodation in the history of the Conde Nast Gold List Reader Poll to get a perfect 100 score, an honour it has held for three years. There are about thirty different top class lodges situated in the reserve.
But this all comes at a price and unless you have reasonably deep pockets this fantastic reserve will be out of reach which is why it doesn't get the Nr one ranking for South Africa safari national parks and reserves.



3. Hluhluwe Umfolozi NP
If you want to see the endangered black and white rhinos in the wild then this is the park to head for because this is where the inexorable tide to extinction for the white rhino in Southern Africa was stemmed.
It now boasts the largest population of white rhino in the world numbering over 1600 and also a slowly increasing population of black rhino at just over 400.
on a South Africa safari here you will also be able to see lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and cheetah in this park and more than 400 bird species have been recorded. Due to the large number of resident elephants you might have some close encounters with them on the roads as they cross in front of you.
You can go for a daily walk in the park in the company of an armed ranger or you can do a several day extended hike in the southern umfolozi portion.


4. Madikwe GR
This is a latter day Noah's ark story because most of the wildlife contained in this park was relocated here from other areas in 1991.
Twenty seven different species amounting to over 10 000 head of game were re-introduced into this area where they once thrived but had disappeared because of hunting and habitat destruction.
A huge advantage of taking a South Africa safari in this park is that it is not situated in a malaria area so you don't have to bother about taking malaria tablets as you do in most other reserves.
All of the big five are on view here as well as cheetah and the rare wild dog packs which are the stars of the show here being regularly sighted patrolling their huge territories. Your chances of seeing them seem to be better here than most other parks.
Rare antelope like the eland, gemsbok and sable put in an appearance here too and you will be able to enjoy your wildlife viewing in relative peace and isolation because not many tourists know about this excellent game reserve.



5. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
The locals know that this is an excellent game park and it falls into that "best kept secret" category that each country seems to have where for some unknown reason a reserve doesn't get the notice from tourists and safari companies that it deserves.
Maybe it's because this reserve is set in the Kalahari desert and people don't normally associate deserts with lots of wildlife but there are always exceptions to the rule and this South Africa safari park qualifies.
You can see some pretty specialised and very interesting game here such as the gemsbok antelope which can go for months without water, springbok, blue wildebeest, eland and red hartebeest.
And wherever there is a good supply of antelope, the predators are never far away such as the black maned lions which this area has a disproportionate supply off, leopard and cheetah which can make full use of the wide open spaces to chase their prey at top speed.
The meerkat (suricate) is also regularly seen here and bat eared foxes contribute to the scavenging duties.
This South Africa park is famous for birds of prey such as the pygmy falcon and the sociable weaver which builds nests which are the bird equivalent of apartment blocks that are sometimes so big they break the branches they rest on.

There are hundreds of companies offering safari trips to South Africa. This Top Three safari in South Africa operators list helps you choose effectively between them.
South Africa safari trip reports give you a great idea of what to expect from a trip like this by learning from other peoples travel experiences.

The Middle East has become one of the most exciting tropical holiday destinations during the recent decades. Holidays to the Middle East are exciting because the geographical area called the Middle East combines the age-old civilization with the most modern of cities. It boasts some of the greatest modern structures like the Burj al Arab. This part of the earth has a rich historical as well as mythological background. This article aims to review the major holiday destinations in the Middle East.

Major Middle East Holiday Destinations

The major Middle East holiday destinations include Oman, Qatar, Dubai, Abu Dhabi etc. All of these places have excellent infrastructure for visitors to make the most of their holidays there. If you are planning a holiday to the Middle East, you can go through the following review to learn what each of these astonishing places offers.The major Middle East holiday destinations include Oman, Qatar, Dubai, Abu Dhabi etc. All of these places have excellent infrastructure for visitors to make the most of their holidays there. If you are planning a holiday to the Middle East, you can go through the following review to learn what each of these astonishing places offers.


Oman

Oman, the most traditional country of the United Arab Emirates, offers everything from rugged coasts, to the peak of Jebel Akhdar at 2980m, to the salt flats and deserts. If you go to Oman, the beautiful and varied terrain of the country will amaze you. Here you will meet an Orient that has a vibrant fusion of cultures taken from India, Africa and the ancient Orient. If you are in Oman, do not miss a tour to the capital Muscat, which is rich in gold and silverware, Bedouin rugs and antiques.

If you want water fun, you can have it in the north of the country where lies the dazzling beaches of the Batinah coast.Oman, the most traditional country of the United Arab Emirates, offers everything from rugged coasts, to the peak of Jebel Akhdar at 2980m, to the salt flats and deserts. If you go to Oman, the beautiful and varied terrain of the country will amaze you. Here you will meet an Orient that has a vibrant fusion of cultures taken from India, Africa and the ancient Orient. If you are in Oman, do not miss a tour to the capital Muscat, which is rich in gold and silverware, Bedouin rugs and antiques. If you want water fun, you can have it in the north of the country where lies the dazzling beaches of the Batinah coast.


Qatar

Qatar is another destination for a typical Arabian holiday. The country combines the charms of old Arabia with exciting modernity. If you visit the country, you will get a fantastic travel experience. Here you will be able to visit the historic forts, expansive desert landscapes, and beach resorts. In Qatar you will also meet a rich, cultural heritage. There are some finest hotels and the world-class shopping centers for the visitors.

Photo by Shenghung Lin


The capital of Qatar is Doha, which has some interesting places like the city museums
and the Doha Fort.Qatar is another destination for a typical Arabian holiday. The country combines the charms of old Arabia with exciting modernity. If you visit the country, you will get a fantastic travel experience. Here you will be able to visit the historic forts, expansive desert landscapes, and beach resorts. In Qatar you will also meet a rich, cultural heritage. There are some finest hotels and the world-class shopping centers for the visitors. The capital of Qatar is Doha, which has some interesting places like the city museums and the Doha Fort.


Dubai

During the recent years Dubai has become the most popular holiday destination in the Middle East. Almost everybody knows about the country’s finest hotels. Apart from this there are also amazing shopping opportunities in Dubai. There are plenty of water funs in Dubai. So, experience Dubai with its beautiful beaches, friendly people and markets. During the recent years Dubai has become the most popular holiday destination in the Middle East.


Photo by Wintersun24/7

Almost everybody knows about the country’s finest hotels. Apart from this there are also amazing shopping opportunities in Dubai. There are plenty of water funs in Dubai. So, experience Dubai with its beautiful beaches, friendly people and markets.



Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is another wonderful place for your holidays and vacations in the Middle East. Abu Dhabi is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Middle East. Thousands of visitors flock Abu Dhabi each year round from all parts of globe. Abu Dhabi offers large gardens and parks, green boulevards lining all the streets and roads, and sophisticated high-rise buildings.



Photo by: Jon Rawlinson


You can also enjoy tranquil beaches, oasis, and sunny weather in Abu Dhabi. So, come to Abu Dhabi anytime of the year and experience the charm of this magical city. Thus, plan your holidays to the Middle East anytime of the year and experience the magical charm of this part of the world. The holiday packages to the Middle East are available throughout the year. There are many travel agencies who organize the holiday packages. You can select your own Middle East holiday packages according to your time and budget.

I'm sure that after looking at those magnificent pictures, you will aggree with me when I say that this stone forest (called locally "Lena's Stone Forest") is one of the most amazing places on our planet.

These magnificent natural stome formations are placed near a city of Yakutsk, located in the Asiatic part of Russia. It's a breathtaking experience to see them with our own eyes, so the place is very popular among scientists (geologists, paleontologists) and tourists alike. One "tiny" problem with this place is its location. It takes about four days to get there from Moscow: a very long flight and then a three-day-long boat ride, which costs "only" $500 if you're lucky. But once you get there - it's certainly worth seeing.





You can check the location of the Stone Tree Forest on Google Maps - here.

Source:  English Russia
Photo Credits: A.Butorin, V.Grigoriev

Sousse is the third largest city in Tunisia and it is one of the better places to visit in Africa as well as in Tunisia. Getting around the city should not be difficult and it is an ideal city for the independent minded tourist who wants to both experience a wonderful holiday and also take in many pleasing sights to see. You will like the working port in the center of the city as also the Medina that is rich in history and which has some very nice fortifications surrounding it. There is also an exciting beach where tourists and the locals mingle together and if you want to see the rest of Tunisia, you will easily get rail connections to the north and also the south.



Sousse is also the capital of Sahel with olive groves that take up more than two hundred and fifty thousand hectares of land and which is a treasure which contributes immensely to the economy of Sousse itself as well as to the rest of the country. A visit to the Sunday market will afford you opportunity to buy everything from a mule to a motorcycle and if you are feeling hungry, head down to Route de la Corniche where you will find amazing places to eat.



Sousse is a city that has many things of interest which is why tourists flock here from all around the world though main attractions are centered on the Medina that is famous for its ancient ramparts. Within is the Khalel Al Fata Tower that is a lighthouse dating back to 859 AD, and you will also get to see the eight century fortress named Ribat that was used to defend the country against foreign enemies. You will also be impressed by the Great Mosque that has many arches shaped in the form of horseshoes which surround a regal courtyard built in 850 AD by the Afhlabid Emir Abou El Abbes Mohammed.


Another interesting place to visit in Sousse is the Sousse Museum that contains a very attractive garden along with many Roman mosaic collections that are as good as any you will find anywhere, especially such as those found in Bardo.
If you are not averse to visiting nearby places of interest you could head down to Port El Kantaoui that is just fifteen minutes away by taxi or Noddy train. There is also the birthplace of former leader President Bourguiba that is located in Monastir that you may want to visit as well.


In any case, once you are in Sousse you will find many resorts as well as beaches and also many orchards and olive groves. You will especially like the Mediterranean climate and in spite of the fact that Sousse is closely associated with olive oils, tourism is a major activity here and there are more than one million visitors coming here each year just to relax in the many fine hotels and savor the cuisine in comfortable restaurants as well as enjoy the nightlife and gamble at the casinos.



Source: www.sunny-holiday.pl
Pictures: http://www.yahodeville.com

Tunisia is a very popular tourist destination, even though it's one of the smallest countries in North Africa. This country offers many attractive sights to see including those of historical and cultural importance that are more than a match for anything that can be found in any other North African country. One of the factors that contribute to its historical and cultural charm is the fact that it has been occupied by many great Mediterranean Empires at different times, so those turbulent events are embodied in its history and have given this country a unique as well as interesting way of living that is quite unique in it and not at all like that of its neighboring countries.




Tunisia may be small in size but it has a lion sized number of important places to visit and many interesting activities to do which is why many Europeans flock here to sample the outstanding Islamic architecture and also to take in the sights of ancient Roman as also Carthaginian ruins. Given the friendly nature of its peoples, Tunisia is deservedly a hotspot as far as tourism goes and along with lovely sandy coastlines and the extraordinary deserts, you can be assured of an outstanding holiday and an enervating visit to this Islamic country.


If you want to get the most from your visit to Tunisia, then plan your holidays to fall within the months of March and May which is when the temperature is ideally cool and suitable for sightseeing trips and excursions. You can also keep September and October in mind, the latter being a bit mor windy in some parts of the contry. The warm summers attract most Europeans, so, in the summer months (June - August), be prepared to pay premium money for decent accommodation.


Even though Tunisia is a country of modest size, you will find many interesting places to see, not far away from wach other. A visit to Tunis - the capital city - will provide you with relaxation and then you can venture not far from here to visit the ruins in ancient Carthage as also Utica.

You may consider a visit to a small, yet thriving village of Sidi Bou Said, called "a pearl of Tunisian seaside" because of its spectacular blue-and-white architecture and almost magical atmosphere. You would also appreciate the oasis town of Tozeur that has breathtaking scenery as well as an outstandingly thriving market and the best way to enjoy the scenery would be atop a camel where you should try the camel safaris, which is a wonderful and amazing experience in itself.

You will be simply spellbound with your first glimpse of Tunisia with its golden beaches and wonderfully blue waters. A coastline of more than twelve hundred kilometers provides you with ample opportunity to take in the paradise-like attractions of this Mediterranean land. So, take in some of these places of interest such as Sousse, Monastir, Hammamet as well as Nabeul, Djerba as also Tabarka where there are many waterfront hotels for you to relax in and also enjoy sea sports as well as windsurfing and sailing.

There is also another equally enchanting side to Tunisia where you can view the ancient Roman, Arab as also Berber or Phoenician sites and here you can get a good reminder of the multifaceted historical past of this wonderful country.

Source: www.sunny-holiday.pl , www.tunisiaonlinenews.com/