Thailand, Magic of the East

We booked through our agency (Longaus Viaggi, Campi Bisenzio, Florence), which has direct contacts with the local tour operator, Turismo Asia, and we were really pleased both with our guide, very well prepared, and with the hotels, of a rather high standard. The flight was with China Airlines (direct Rome-Bangkok), while for the internal flights we used Thai; the verdict on both airlines is more than positive. We spent a day in Bangkok and explored it freely, then we began the tour towards northern Thailand as far as the Golden Triangle on the border with Burma. This trip allowed us to come into contact with the local culture and to discover what the real Thailand is like. In the days when we were in the north the Thai New Year was being celebrated and in every temple some ceremony was taking place.

The most beautiful aspect of Thailand is certainly the warmth of the people, always ready to smile as soon as you look at them. Even the landscapes with the great rivers like the Mekong and the green forests will always stay in our hearts. The second week we spent in Phuket. We were in the Kata area, where the beach is more beautiful, but after dinner there's nothing to do except take a tuk tuk (a kind of Ape Piaggio with rear seats, 400 Baht) and go to Patong, which offers everything: restaurants, pubs and clubs. From Phuket we did many dives and I recommend the Sea Fun Divers to everyone (inside the Katathani Beach Resort): nice boats, friendly and well-prepared guides, good equipment for hire. The dives are fantastic: colourful corals, seahorses, nurse sharks, leopard sharks and manta rays.

Definitely worth seeing are the Similan Islands and the Phi Phi Islands (where the film The Beach was shot), the landscapes are an earthly paradise. Finally some practical tips: 1- If you use the tuk tuk to get around Bangkok, the driver will try to trick you by saying that the monument you want to visit is closed and diverting you towards other excursions (which certainly earn him money), making you waste time and money. Stand your ground and don't give in. 2- In the taxi always ask for the meter to avoid surprises 3- In the many markets, haggle: the price can drop by up to 70% 4- Bring an almost empty suitcase: you can buy everything there for a few euros Thailand, I will never forget you and I can't wait to come back!!!!