Thailand Holidays & Tours, We know Thailand, our staff travel throughout Thailand many times each year, offering some of the best advice available and pride ourselves on giving excellent service levels that continue throughout your booking.

 2 New Packages for 2010! 16 nights package & 13 night Budget package: details! 

  Packages & Tours   

Do it yourself packages:                                                                          Includes: Day Tours / Domestic flights / Accommodation / Breakfasts                         DIY packages are ideal for those not requiring an escorted tour and include hotels, daily breakfast, domestic flights. All transfers for day tours are included, Itinerary can be changed to suit your needs.  Bangkok/Tiger Temple/Phuket  8 days/7 nights    Details!                        Cultural Chiangmai  5 days/4 nights  Details!                                     Bangkok/River Kwai/Chiang Mai  9 days/8 nights Details!

Thailand holiday package departing:                                     Brisbane / Sydney / Melbourne / Gold Coast / Adelaide / United States / UK Package includes: International flights / Domestic flights - Bangkok / ChiangMai / Phuket / Bangkok. Joined day tours, return hotel transfers with a local english speaking guide for day tours. 11 nights accommodation, 3 star hotels, daily breakfasts. All taxes included. Details!   *Includes International flights*

Popular day Tours

Thailand escorted Tours for families, groups, couples and singles                 Our escorted tours represent great value for those wanting an escorted tour. Escorted tours include domestic flights, Hotels, daily breakfasts, some lunches/dinners. Daily tours, transfers by a local english speaking guide. Thailand Highlights: 9 days/8 nights    View Tour Details!                                Thailand Explorer: 13 days/12 nights   View Tour Details!

Tiger Temple / River Kwai / Hellfire Pass / Jeath Railway  Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua, The Theravada Buddhist temple is located in the Saiyok district of Thailand's Kanchanaburi province, not far from the border with Myanmar, some 38 km north-west of Kanchanaburi. Just a couple of hours' drive outside Bangkok in the Kanchanaburi province, not far from the world famous Bridge Over The River Kwai, lies Tiger Temple Thailand.  Tour Details!

Ayutthaya, Thailands former Capital and Ancient ruins The ancient city of Ayutthaya, or Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya was the Thai capital for 417 years, situated 76 kilometers from Bangkok, is one of Thailand's major tourist attractions. Many ancient ruins and art works can be seen in a city that was founded in 1350 by King U-Thong when the Thais were forced southwards by northern neighbours. During the period of Ayutthaya being the Thai capital, 33 Kings of different dynasties ruled the kingdom until it was sacked by the Burmese in 1767. Tour Details!

Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha half day tour              Ask anyone who has been to Bangkok what their 'must see' list of the city entails, and without fail they'll include The Grand Palace. This half-day sightseeing tour in Bangkok can be taken in the morning or afternoon and will allow you the opportunity to explore the complex, accompanied by a local guide. The Grand Palace Complex is home to a number of attractions including Wat Phra Keow (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) Tour Details!

Bangkok 3 tours in 1 day:                                                                                                                          Damnoen Saduak floating markets / Crocodile farm / Cultural show.  Visit Damnoen Saduak Floating Markets including an opportunity to experience the Thais rural life countryside charm. Then, proceed to the Sampran Crocodile Farm to see the Crocodile Wrestling and Greatest Elephant Show, last stop to enjoy the Thai Village Cultural Show at Rose Garden including buffet lunch. Tour Details!

Chao Pharaya  River cruise &  buffet dinner Threat yourself to a night out aboard one of Bangkok’s dinner cruises. Relax in comfort and experience the warmth of Thai hospitality. Dine on a variety of authentic Thai food or Sea food Cruising along the Chao Phaya River. You can take in the scenic sights and river life by night. A truly exotic experience and unforgettable. Select modern or authentic Thai boats. Details!

   
 Muay Thai at Bangkoks best Boxing Stadium (Lumpinee)             Thai Art of Fighting, succeeded for many centuries is Muay Thai. Fighters use parts of the body to defend such as hands, feet, knees elbows and head, which is known as ’Nawa Awut’ (Nine weapons) Includes: Ringside seating / transfer from hotel to boxing stadium and return. Special photo with a boxer for a memorable event.           $97:00 AU/$90.00 US / £56.00 (Mon / Fri / Sat only)                      Please include tour code with your enquiry: BKKBOX  Enquire Now!   

   
 Thai Ayutthaya Restaurant (Brisbane)                                                                                                   Welcome to Thai Ayuthaya Restaurant, we know that good food starts from fresh ingredients. That's why we only use the freshest ingredients and carefully prepared to ensure all of our dishes are served at their best. We have also created a relaxing and friendly atmosphere in our restaurant, because we know you've been working very hard and all you need is somewhere that you can always sit down and enjoy your evening. More details!

Chinese New Year in Thailand

The Chinese community that resides in Thailand exerts a very strong influence on the overall cultural heritage of the country. The celebration of Chinese New Year, especially in the capital city of Bangkok, pronounces the fact. Not only Chinese, but even ethnic Thais participate in the thunderous merriment of the festival that normally falls in February every year. It mainly sees celebration in the so-called Yaowaraj area of Bangkok, which is Bangkok's Chinatown. The two-day carnival draws huge amounts of tourism revenue, as many Chinese visits Thailand to witness their traditional New Year revelries in the country.

The arrangements for the event begin days before, starting with the ritualistic sweeping of the grounds, which is believed to lure good luck and prosperity and ward off everything that is negative. According to legends, the demonic beast 'Nian', who feasted on humans during the eve of Chinese New Year, was afraid of only three things - red color, fire and loud noises. This explains the accompaniment of the New Year merriment with crackers and copious use of the red color. It is a ritualistic way of fending off bad luck and evil spirits. Besides, it also espouses the importance of communal harmony and conviviality.

During the event, people deck themselves in red outfits. They inscribe auspicious wishes on red paper scrolls and dangle them in the doorways, as a means of luring luck, prosperity, and inviting good family relations. They also exchange red envelopes containing money and good wishes, in order to celebrate the spirit of profusion. Family members also exchange bagfuls of mandarin oranges that are emblematic of gold and believed to herald good luck and fortune. Deafening firecrackers shriek the entire night announcing victory over darkness and unholy spirits.

Celebration of Chinese New Year also brings to light the exoticism and effervescent aspects associated with the traditional Chinese culture. 'The Procession of the Golden Dragon' and 'The Lion Dance' adds on to the vibrancy of the event. The flamboyant apparition of the Dragon King, who comes to bless the people, and the acrobatic skills displayed in the Lion Dance, between the Lion and the Fan Bearer (God of Smiles), attracts people in large numbers. People come here to witness the traditional culture conquering great heights with feisty ritual demonstrations.

Another integral element of Chinese New Year is the significance of family values and unions. Reunion dinners on New Year's Eve are common. People visit religious places and pay homage to departed ancestors, seeking blessings for domestic happiness and good health. In addition to that, people also put much emphasis on eating. Generally, people believe in eating a variety of dishes, including whole foods like chicken and fish. Every household cooks a storm, and even offers food to deceased ancestors. Thus, with so much in store, Chinese New Year offers the best time to visit Bangkok and partake in the exotic culture, tradition, celebration, and cuisine of the pulsating area of Chinatown.

Songkran festival Thailand (April, 2010)

Being the traditional Thai New Year, Songkran Festival is celebrated not in only Bangkok, but enjoys high-spirited celebration all over Thailand. The festival ingrained in the Thai culture holds much propitiousness in the lives of the Thais. Every year, it starts on April 13 and lasts for three days, until April 15. The festival begins with Maha Songkran Day on April 13, which marks culmination of the previous year. The following day, April 1, is Wan Nao, and April 15 is Wan Thaloeng Sok, which actually marks the beginning of the New Year. In Thai, Songkran means 'to move' or 'to change place', denoting the change in the position of the sun in the zodiac.

Originally, the date of Songkran was calculated on the basis of astrological observations, but now it remains fixed and falls on the same date every year, thereby coinciding with traditional New Year celebrations of many countries of South and Southeast Asia. Across Thailand, Songkran is regarded as a time to honor tradition, community and family. Therefore, people uphold family values by washing hands of elders, with scented water. Children smear perfumed water on to the hands of parents and grandparents and bestow them with gifts in order to show their respect. Elders of the household also shower youngsters with good luck and generous blessings.

Rural folks who work in cities make a visit to their homes to spend time with their families. Many people also call on neighbors and friends and enjoy various proceedings of carousing. Apart from reveling with friends and family, another notable feature of Songkran is the act of throwing water. People douse each other with water infused with fragrant herbs, as water is considered to cleanse bad deeds or 'Karma'. Streets remain filled with rovers, armed with water containers and water guns, waiting to flood every passerby. Moreover, the Buddha image 'Buddhasihing' housed in the National Museum is brought out. People toss water at the holy image and seek Buddha's blessings.

During the celebration, many people also make it a point to visit a Wat (Buddhist monastery) in order to pray and give alms to monks. Moreover, in order to attain good luck and prosperity, people bathe the Buddha images in these monasteries, with sanctified water soused with fragrant herbs. In addition, people also ritually bathe household Buddha images. Thai people go on a painstaking housecleaning spree and discard all the old and useless domestic items, which they believe invite bad luck. Thus, Songkran, with its religious importance, domestic significance and drenching water battles, remains one of the most popular festivals of Bangkok.

Floating Markets in Bangkok

Imagine boats, piled with fresh tropical fruits, gliding on the water! As you savor the sight, the piquant aromas of cooked food drifts from the floating kitchens attached to these boats and instantly arouse your appetite. This is the scene awaiting you, once you witness the floating markets (Talaat Naam) located near Bangkok. Unlike normal stores, the sellers here sell their wares on small boats and vie with each other for capturing the attention of consumers. You can see strings of such colorful floating boats alongside the numerous canals and waterways, while you travel to Bangkok, the most striking city in Thailand.

Due to their quaint setting, amidst tropical surroundings, these floating markets heighten the Oriental beauty of the place and attract many tourists visiting the city. The boats are stacked with tropical fruits, tangy coconut juice, curios, knick-knacks and a wide variety of local foods, especially a host of Thai and Chinese delicacies. Besides, these floating markets also provide rich glimpses into the lives of the local people, who have been residing in the many floating villages in and around Bangkok, for ages. Given below are the names of the four main floating markets located near Bangkok.

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market: Ratchaburi Province; Daily: 6 am -11 am

Bang Khu Wiang Floating Market: Nonthaburi Province; Daily: 4 am -7 am

Tha Kha Floating Market: Samut Songkhram Province; Weekends: 6 am -12 pm

Taling Chan Floating Market: Taling Chan Khet; Weekends: 8:30 am - 4 pm

 

Ayutthaya Travel

Ayutthaya was the Thai capital for 417 years, before being replaced by Bangkok. Thanks to its tenure as Thai capital, Ayutthaya hosts many magnificent ruins and artworks. Ayutthaya was ruled by kings of several dynasties, bringing in so many architectural styles for Ayutthaya. Enjoy all this while on travel tour of Ayutthaya.

Historic Places
Significant historic places in Ayutthaya are Old Palace, Chantarakasem Palace, Bang Pa-in Summer Palace, Phom Phet and St Joseph's Church. Old Palace was built by King U-Thong in 1350. Later rulers built several palaces there. Chantarakasem Palace was used by King Rama IV of Bangkok as a summer retreat. Bang Pa-in Summer Palace, a palace built as summer retreat, was restored by King Rama IV. St Joseph's Church is the where Catholic Christians worshipped continuously over 300 years in Thailand.

Temples
Ayutthaya is also known for its temples. Some more famous temples you can visit on your travel tour are Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Phra Ram, Wat Phanan Choeng, Wat Phu Khao Thong, Wat Chai Wattanaram, Viharn Phra Mongkol Bopit and Wat Phra Mahathat. Wat Phra Si Sanphet has been made famous by its three bell-shaped chedis, which have become a symbol of Ayutthaya. Wat Phra Ram known for its chedis and the towering prang. Wat Phanan Choeng is one of the most lively temples in Ayuthhaya. Wat Phu Khao Thong, having stark white chedi, is located amidst sweeping rice fields. Wat Chai Wattanaram is a monument of Old Ayutthaya. Viharn Phra Mongkol Bopit has a large Buddha idol, dating from the 15th century. Wat Phra Mahathat was built by King Boromaraja in the 14th century.

Museum and Crafts Centre
Bang Sai Royal Arts & Crafts Centre in Ayutthaya has been set up for promoting the traditional crafts. Established with the encouragement of Thai Queen, the foremost attraction in the crafts centre is the museum shop, built in Thai style pavilion. There is an aquarium and two aviaries too. Chao Sam Phraya Museum exhibits Ayutthayan Buddhist art as well as the famed gold objects found in Wat Raja Burana.

Festivals
Two festivals are particularly associated with Ayutthaya. These are Bang Sai Arts & Crafts Fair, celebrated in January, and Ayutthaya World Heritage Site Celebrations in December.

 

Tiger Temple, 130 klms from Bangkok

There are few places in the world where you can touch a fully-grown tiger and one of the most popular of them is Tiger Temple Thailand.

Tiger Temple, formally known as Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua, is a Buddhist temple located in Kanchanaburi province, in Western Thailand. The temple is 2 1/2 hours drive from Bangkok along highway 323.

Tiger temple was founded in 1994 as a sanctuary for wild animals. In 1999 the temple received the first tiger cub which has been found by villagers and was on the verge of dieing. Later several other cubs were given to the temple and all were orphans. According to the Thai government the story is a bit different as they believe people gave the tiger cubs to the temple in order to get rid of the “pets” under the pressure of laws.

As of 2007, over 21 tiger cubs have been born in the temple. There were 12 adult tigers and 4 tiger cubs at that time in the temple. Most of them are Indochinese Tigers and one is a Bengal Tiger. It’s also believed that there are newly discovered Malayan Tigers but most likely these are cross breeds.  

The temple practices a different conservation philosophy than in the west. While in the west the emphasis is on providing the animals a natural environment, at the Tiger Temple –at least until the sanctuary is finished – they treat the tigers as family members. Without any breeding program in place, 10 cubs  cubs have been born at the temple. Tiger Temple tour bookings 

The Real River Kwai Bridge

Forget Alec Guinness and the movie "The Bridge on the River Kwai", the movie was garbage, says Australian Lieutenant Colonel Terry Beaton, manager of the Anzac Hellfire Pass Memorial in Thailand. The movie is a fairy tale and has nothing to do with the reality, that for every 8km of railroad, 1000 to 2000 workers died in the jungle.

The "Hellfire Pass Museum", operated by the Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs, commemorates the 92,000 civilians and prisoners of war, including a number of New Zealanders and nearly 3000 Australians, who died at the hands of the Japanese military, a sign at the entrance of the museum states: "A life for every sleeper".

At "Hellfire Pass", the prisoners of war worked 18-hour shifts to blast a passage through the mountains, Terry Beaton tells us. From the top of the mountain ridge, the flickering torches looked like the fires of hell.

Overlooking the river Kwai, Terry says: "The men had to carry 110-pound (49kg) bags of rice on their backs for 2.5 miles (4km) from the River Kwai to the work camp.". Pointing to a large bucket on display in the museum, he added: "It took 4 men to carry the 600-pound (272kg) buckets of concrete, without any way to escape into the surrounding jungle."

Every year on Anzac Day, the museum in Thailand holds a memorial ceremony to commemorate all who died working on the Death Railroad on the river Kwai.

As the war in the Pacific intensified, the Japanese desperately needed a supply route from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean. The Allies controlled the sea around the Malaysian Peninsula, making an overland railway vital for the Japanese military to supply their troops in Burma.

The British had surveyed a rail route across the mountains separating Thailand and Burma but deemed it impossible to build.

The Japanese evaluated the project with a standard that didn't consider the cost of human lives. They conscripted 250,000 Malays, Chinese, Tamils, and Burmese and 60,000 Allied prisoners of war to work 12- to 18-hour shifts.

Within 16 months, 80,000 civilians and 12,000 POWs died of disease, starvation, and brutality, it is impossible to conceive the suffering the River Kwai has witnessed.

Nearby the "Hellfire Pass Museum" is the "Jeath War Museum", operated by a Buddhist temple from the town of Kanchanaburi. The name, stands for countries involved in the atrocity: Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland. New Zealand POWs were also involved in the building of the railway.

Two Allied cemeteries in Kanchanaburi, Thailand hold the remains of 7000 victims, only a small proportion of the bodies buried in mass graves that stretch along the 402km length of the Death Railroad.

"It's amazing how much Hollywood can twist history", says Terry. "The bridge over the River Kwai was not build with wood, but steel. A smaller wooden bridge was a temporary bridge built downstream for trucks to carry materials to build the "Bridge Over The River Kwai" as we see today, spanning the Kwai Yai River, upstream from the confluence with the Kwai Noi River, which the railroad follows into Burma.

A 75km section of the Death Railroad still operates today. We buy a ticket at Nam Tok for the 45-minute ride to Tha Kilen. Thai Buddhist monks in their saffron robes, villagers going to and coming from the market, and school children crowd into the cars.

The train chugs slowly along, stopping at every small Thai village, passing through fields of bananas, sugarcane, and tapioca. The railroad follows the winding of the river Kwai, crossing steep mountain cliffside trestles built at a staggering cost of human lives.

The prisoners of war and civilian workers sacrificed their lives, but left a legacy for generations to come.

 Contact us for Bridge over River Kwai and Hellfire Pass Tours held on April, 25 yearly

Kanchanaburi Travel

Kanchanaburi, a choice of backpackers, is at two to three hours journey from Bangkok. Tourist attractions in Kanchanabari are Death Railway, Bridge of River Kwai, the museums, Erawan National Park, Sai Yok National Park, Prasat Muang Sing Historical Park and Caves. Tour travel to Kanchanburi gets you across all these attractions.

Death Railway
The Japanese Army, which annexed Thailand during the Second World War, compelled thousands of Thais to build the railway line from Thailand to Burma for moving their soldiers and material. Hundreds of Thais died during the construction, giving the railway line its fearful name. Sections of this route are still in use.

Bridge over River Kwai
Japanese Army had forced the war prisoners to assemble the bridge of River Kwi. It suffered bombing several times and was rebuilt after war.

The Museums
War Museum, located near the River Kwai Bridge, showcases the collection of weapons, tools and utensils used by the Allied POWs and the Japanese during Second World War. The JEATH War Museum resembles an Allied POW camp. The thatched huts contain bamboo bunks and war memorabilia.

Erawan National Park
The park is visitable for its falls, cavers and flora. The 7-tiered Erawan Waterfall is one of Thailand's most impressive falls. A pleasant 2-km hiking trail ascending beside the falls is a challenging activity. Tham Wang Badan, a large limestone cavern, is on the west side of the park. The caver has several colorful stalactites and stalagmites.

Sai Yok National Park
Sai Yok National Park is known for its pleasant river scenery and lovely falls. The most visited attraction is Sai Yok Yai Waterfall where the water falls directly into the Kwai Noi River. The Sai Yok Noi Waterfall is closer and easily reachable.