Rentals in other areas of South East Asia

Thailand lies in central south east Asia, bordered by Burma to the north and west, Laos to the east and Cambodia and the Gulf of Thailand to the south. Projecting south along its western side is a long narrow piece of land separating the Andaman sea and the Gulf of Thailand. This connects Thailand to Malaysia.

The country is divided into 5 regions.

The Northern region is mountainous with beautiful scenery, waterfalls, ancient temples, caves and rivers suitable for white water rafting. It is also a good region to get a taste of traditional Thai culture.

The Northwest is mainly a plateau bordered to the east by the upper reaches of the Mekong river. Here you will find ancient monuments and archeological sites from various civilisations, and the ruins of the Khmer empire.

The Central region, which houses the country's capital Bangkok, is centred around a flat plain which forms the valley of the Chao Phraya river. In Bangkok you will find grand archictecture and Budhist temples including the Grand Palace, home to the kings of Thailand from the 18th century onwards. Southwest from Bankok you will find the famous colourful Damnoen Saduak floating market depicted on many brochures of Thailand and where vendors sell local produce from small boats on the canal, which is also used to irragated the surrounding fertile land.

The Eastern region starting just east of Bankok, is best known for its beach resorts in particular Pattaya with its sandy beaches, clear calm waters and abundance of attractions including cabarets, elephant shows, water parks and zoos. Samet island, just 7 km off the coast and 200km from Bankok is another popular tourist destination for its white sand beaches and coral. Inland and further east you will find the southern extent of the Khao Yai National Park where you can see elephants, tigers and the Asiatic black bear or, in the rainy season, experience the thrills of white water rafting down the Kaeng Hin Phoeng river at Prachin Buri.

The Southern region which consists of the peninsula connecting the rest of Thailand with Malaysia, is best known for its offshore islands. Phuket, the largest island of the west coast in the Andaman sea, is a very popular beach holiday destination, but can get crowded at the height of the season, especially around Patong where alot of the the shopping and nightlife is centred. If you prefer a slightly quieter destination, the beautiful island of Samui on the east coast in the Gulf of Thailand is a good alternative.

Eating out in Thailand is relatively inexpensive and available everywhere from posh hotels to street vendors. The cuisine is well known and generally consists of a bowl of rice accompanied by several spicy dishes of almost any meat, fish or vegetable combination. Many local fresh spices and herbs go into Thai cooking including kaffir leaves, Thai basil, lemon grass and galangal. While Thailand shares a basic cuisine there are some regional differences. Cocunut milk tends to be used in curries of the south while lime juice is more common in the northeast. In the northern region sticky rice is favoured over the indigenous aromatic jasmine rice.

Thailand offers a full range of accommodation including 5 star resorts and hotels, guest houses and a full range of self catering properties from luxury rental villas with cooks, staff and pools to smaller townhouses and apartments. Locally run guesthouses are particularly popular in the Chiang Mai region of the north.