Thailand is at the heart of South East Asia.
Thailand is a Southeast Asian, predominantly Buddhist kingdom almost equidistant between India and China. For centuries known by outsiders as Siam, Thailand has been something of a Southeast Asian migratory, cultural and religious crossroads.
With an area of some 510,000 square kilometres and a population of some 60 million, Thailand is approximately the same size as France. Thailand shares borders with Myanmar to the west and north, Laos to the northeast, Cambodia to the east, and Malaysia to the south.

Another good reason to choose Thailand is that it enjoys a unique blend of tropical and sub-tropical climates and has a stunning geographic diversity ranging from 2,600 kilometres of beaches to teak forested mountain peaks soaring over 2,000 metres above valleys and plains.
The natural beauty of the country is breath-taking with exotic trees, plants and flowers growing in profusion
With three world heritage sites, more than 100 outstanding wildlife sanctuaries, national and marine parks and fascinating archaeological sites, Thailand offers unrivalled choices for a breathtaking holiday

Generally, the best time to visit Thailand is between November to February which is the cool season. However, because of the diversity in landscape, tradition and culture, Thailand can be visited at all time of the year if you know where to go and when is the right time for that.

Seasons
When traveling to each part of Thailand, you should also consider the season and the weather at a particular time of the year for a perfectly enjoyable trip.

The Central and the East
Summer begins in about March or April, during which the weather is quite hot.
From the end of May to October is rainy season. November to February is wintertime.
Actually the weather is cold only for a few days and it may even be hot for the rest of the time.

The North and the Northeast
There are 3 seasons at the same period of time as in the Central.
However, winter in these 2 regions is colder than in other parts of the country. On top of the mountains, particularly, may get as cold as 10C.
Winter (November - January) is the best time to visit the North and the Northeast because it is the blooming season and the weather is most beautiful.

The South
Unlike other regions, there are only 2 seasons in the South, summer and rainy season. There is more rain here during rainy season than in anywhere else in the country.
In the south, the peninsula lays southwards separating the Thai Gulf in the east from the Andaman Sea in the west.
The best time for the West Side (Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi) is during November to April.
Apart from that is the time of monsoon season which makes it difficult and dangerous to take a boat to visit the islands.
The good time for the East Side of the coast (Koh Samui, Hat Yai), on the contrary, is during May to October.
If you want to visit both sides of the coast, the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, we recommend making the trip during March to April.

Dress Bring as little as possible - one medium-sized shoulder bag, duffel bag or backpack should do.
Pack lightweight clothes, unless you're going to be in the North in the cool season, in which case you should have a pullover.
When dealing with government officials or going to town on business it is appropriate to wear more formal clothes
For men the most appropriate clothes are shirts or collared T-shirts, long pants, or longer dress shorts with belt, shoes or good sandals.
For women it is best to keep shoulders and thighs covered, so a shirt or top with sleeves, longer shirt or pants/jeans are ideal, with shoes.
Thais are modest people in public and dress code is important in public places, especially in temples and offices. Look around at the local people and see how well they dress and follow their example.

Diving and snorkelling are particularly popular around Phuket, Pattaya, and the Similan and Surin islands.
The islands of Chumphon Province, just north of Surat Thani, are less developed and the reefs here are practically undisturbed.
Touring the islands and coastal limestone formations around Phuket and Ao Phang-Nga by inflatable canoe has become an increasingly popular activity.
The typical sea-canoe tour seeks out half-submerged caves, timing excursions so that they can paddle into the caverns at low tide.
Inland raft trips are available down the Mae Klong River in central Thailand in Kanchanaburi Province and on the Pai River in Mae Hong Son Province.

Golf Thailand is a golfer's Nirvana
With more than 130 courses in Thailand, Many of which have been designed by such celebrities as Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, Greg Norman and Robert Trent-Jones, Thailand is the host to many world-class tournaments
Teeing off in Thailand is really something special as most clubs boast the amenities of a 5-star hotel.
A round of golf in Thailand is like entry to an exclusive country club with out the waiting list. Even the most exclusive clubs can be especially opened just for you.

"FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD"
Would be an appropriate song for the gourmet traveller to sing when visiting Thailand, for Thai cuisine is surely one of mankind's most delicious and exciting culinary art forms.
Once almost unknown outside Thailand, the delights of Thai cuisine are now to be found in countless restaurants around the world, but they are best enjoyed, of course, in their country of origin.
Although it draws heavily on several of the great Asian culinary traditions, particularly Indian and Chinese, Thai food is unique, for its subtle combination of myriad ingredients, spices, herbs and sauces.
The tastes of Thailand range from hot curries to mildly aromatic desserts and can sometimes surprise the visitor, for instance in the combination of both sweet and salty elements in the same dish.
The huge variety of natural ingredients used, and the complexity of recipes will certainly be one of the greatest treats in store for lovers of fine food when visiting Thailand.
One popular misconception about Thai cuisine is that it is invariably hot -'chilli hot', that is. In fact, many dishes are no hotter or spicier than any other Asian style. Chilli is often an optional ingredient which diners add to their taste.
What makes Thai food so appealing and different is the inclusion of all kinds of exotic and aromatic herbs as well as (not necessarily hot) spices.
Of these, garlic-Thai garlic is slightly less pungent than its European counterpart - pepper, coriander and liberal doses of nam pla, a fermented fish sauce, are the most commonly used.

Like other Asian nations, Thailand has rice as its staple. The long grain variety is the most popular and is usually cooked by steaming, without the use of additives, The result is that it is light and fluffy and so fragrant that it can be eaten by itself. Another variety of Thai rice is more glutinous, a sticky texture that is especially popular in the North

Life's a beach!
With over 2,600 kilometers of spectacular coastline it's easy to see why Thailand scores over its regional neighbours.
There are plenty of remote island getaways, too, dotted around the kingdom coastline. There are so many beautiful beaches, bays and coves that it would probably take a lifetime to visit them all.
From the pristine, unspoilt white sand of the south to Pattaya's developed beachfront resort city, the choice is yours.
In between there is a whole range of options : the islands of Koh Samui, Krabi and Phuket and the gentle charm of Cha-am and Hua-Hin, the King of Thailand's favourite retreat.
Lively or quiet, developed or unsophisticated, they all share one thing in common the warm and friendly Thai people who will make any event memorable

Phuket: is 480 miles (800 km) south of Bangkok & 600 miles (960 km) north of Singapore. Both cities are connected to Phuket Airport by 20 direct daily flights of only 1 hours.

Langkawi is situated in the north west of Malaysia and right on the border of Thailand.
This beautiful island is easily accessed by daily direct flights from Kuala Lumur, Singapore, or Penang. Daily flights are also available from Bangkok via Kuala Lumpur or Penang Phuket to Langkawi.
There are 100's of islands, bays/lagoons with crystal clear water, full of tropical fish and beautiful coral, plus many deserted beaches with clean white sand.

The cruising area of 12,000 square miles has many secluded anchorages to choose from.

Phang-Nga is famous for its amazing islands soaring straight out of the water.
Particularly James Bond Isle. which was the location for the filming of a Bond movie,"Man with a Golden Gun"
Also the caves & hongs inside the islands, make this a magical place.

The Krabi area , including Ao Nang, Phra Nang and Railay Beach, is absolutely stunning and beautiful, with lush green jungle sweeping down to dazzling white beaches and incredible karst limestone cliffs, with many caves to explore very easily and safely.

Koh Phi Phi is truly an amazing island, with dramatic cliffs that tower above the bay and provide a spectacular setting for the interesting local shops, restaurants/bars.
Entertainment and dancing are also available for a great fun night on shore for all ages
Secluded anchorages on Phi Phi are all around the island, for a quiet spot to stay overnight, or for a few hours to enjoy sparkling clear waters for a swim or snorkel and sunbathe on white sandy beaches before sailing off to the next perfect destination

Racha Islands Just a few miles to the south of Phuket, lie the two Racha Islands Racha Yai & Racha Noi. Both of these islands are well worth a visit.
Racha Yai is the more developed of the two with two bays on the north East Coast offering protected anchorage's and a couple of seafood restaurants if you fancy a meal ashore.
A full day can be spent exploring these lovely islands.
The water is crystal clear; the snorkeling and diving are very good.

Koh Teratou & The Butang Islands Koh Teratou is a cluster of Islands, which form the southern most of Thailand's marine National parks.
The islands are infamous as an old pirate lair during the eighteenth century.
They are situated only a few miles north of the Malaysian border.
Whilst cruising the Southern most islands in the Teratou group, the Malaysian holiday island of Langkawi is clearly visible.
To reach the Teratou Islands is an overnight passage, from Phuket Island.

Just a Few miles west of the Koh Teratou, lies the Butang or Adang Islands.
These are not a national park but are well worth a visit, as they are very pretty, with a few white sandy beaches affording some time ashore to stretch your legs.
There is also a small sea gypsy settlement on the islands that can be visited. The islands are undeveloped and extremely quite. A full day's exploration would be recommended

Phuket Island Although Phuket is well charted, with many of its secluded bays having hotel developments on them, they still offer some great places to stop and anchor.
For those who don't wish to travel too far from civilization, Patong, Kata and Karon Bays all offer safe anchorage's and good night life.
For those wishing to be a little more discreet in their anchoring options, Ni Harn, Surin & Bang Tau are a little more relaxed and informal.
Between one to five days would be recommended when sailing and exploring Phuket Island.
It should be noted that the west coast of Phuket really does offer some good sailing conditions, the off shore winds can be very reasonable, giving great sailing weather in calm protected waters.

Similan Islands A cluster of nine tropical islands, fifty five nautical miles north west of Phuket is Thailand's premier dive sites destination.
The Similan islands offer a great diversity of marine life and under-sea terrain. This marine national park is considered to have the most colourful reef environment and best all-round conditions of all dive sites in Thailand.
The islands themselves have some of the most stunning above-water scenery in Southeast Asia, with dazzling turquoise water, white sand beaches and secluded bays framed by rocky headlands.
There are dozens of dive sites to choose from one of the most appealing aspects of diving here is the tremendous variety of underwater experiences they offer. Most striking is the contrast in under-water topography between the east and west sides of the islands.
Dive sites on the east - which face towards the mainland and are generally more sheltered - characteristically have shallow hard coral reefs, which give home to a profusion of brightly coloured reef fish of all varieties.
On the west of the Similan islands, the under-water terrain is markedly more rugged with huge underwater boulders - stacked together to form networks of underwater caves, tunnels, archways and swim-thoughs'.
These boulders are often thickly encrusted with giant gorgonian sea fans, soft corals and sponges. Because these dive sites face into deep, open sea, divers have excellent chances to encounter a variety of pelagic and other large fish that include tuna, jacks, mackerel, large schools of surgeon fish, eagle and manta rays and several species of shark.

Surin Islands Sailing fifty nautical miles further north brings us to the Surin Islands.
This whole area offers good diving, with the local characteristics being quite different to the Similans. Surin is home to the 'Chow Nam', a tribe of nomadic sea gypsies, during the cruise you will be give the opportunity to see these shy and reclusive people.

Richelieu Rock One of the highlights of the trip is Richelieu Rock, rising forty meters from the sea bed, covered with a profusion of purple and pink gorgonians.
It offers a rare opportunity to dive with the magnificent whale-shark. Richelieu is one of the few dive sites in the world where these creatures are seen, although their numbers have dwindled during the past few years

Mergui ArchipelagoThe Mergui archipelago, Burma (Myanmar), has over eight hundred tropical islands covering an area of over ten thousand square miles.
It had been closed off to the outside world for over fifty years, until late 1996
It is impossible to put into words the stunning beauty of Burma's Mergui Archipelago. Suffice to say that the whole area is totally pristine and virtually uninhabited - and one of Mother Nature's great works of art - guaranteed to seduce all those who visit!

Set your own itinerary! With such beautiful cruising grounds, all within just a stone's throw of one another. The options really are limitless as to the itinerary you may wish to choose.