lonely planet’s new series: discover - raincoast books · lonely planet’s discover series...

A guidebook for every type of trip And every type of traveler.

diSCoVer feATureS CounTrY guide feATureSSize 8 x 5” 8 x 5”

PAge CounT 400 pages 800-1000 pages

Color full color b/W with some color sections

TYPe of TrAVel •Moreplanned,structuredagenda •Moreopen,lessstructuredagenda •Shortertrips(<2weeks)oronetriponly •Longertripsandrepeatedvisits (“tripoflifetime”)

SerieS foCuS •Highlights-based,withaccessibleoff- •Greatervolumeofcontentwithin- the-beatentrackexperiences depthplanninginformation •Fullcolormapswithstunningphotos •Morelistingoptions,fortravelerswho throughout preferlotsofchoices •Easy-to-navigatestructureallowsfor •Allowsforspontaneoustravelby easytripplanning providingwiderrangeofin-region •Leadsthetravelerthroughrecommend- content ations,itineraries,and‘bestof’lists

PriCe Country $22.99-24.99 Country $22.99-31.99 Europe $27.99 EuropeonaShoestring $27.99

in fullcolor

lonely Planet’s new series:

Discover

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Full color throughout Fullofcolorimagesandmaps-makesplanning

asinspiringasthejourneyitself

Easy-to-read,color-codednavigation

Easy-To-Use Structure Easy-to-usetoolsmakeplanningatripsimpler

thanever–includingcolor-codedchapters,thumbtabs,dynamiccolorspreadsonmajorhighlights,andcross-referencingthroughout

Easy-to-readplanningsectionsthroughout

The new Discover series: Experience the best of the country.Lonely Planet’s Discover series highlights the best a country has to offer while still providing the authentic and memorable experience travelers expect from Lonely Planet.

Easy-to-usenavigation

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NORTHERN THAILAND

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NORTHEASTERN THAILAND

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BANGKOK

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SOUTHEASTERN THAILAND

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SOUTHERN GULF& ANDAMAN

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DISCOVER THAILAND

Bangkok (p000) Steamy city that never sleeps – great shopping, nightlife and bril-liant food

Chiang Mai (p000) A bit of text to let you know what makes this city tick. This is what it’s like

Chiang Mai Province (p000) This is what Chiang Mai Province is all about; this is what it’s all about

Northern Thailand (p000) This is what Northern Thailand is all about; this is what it;s like

Northeastern Thailand (p000) This is what Northeastern Thailand is all about; this is what you’ll see

Central Thailand (p000) At the high-est level this is what Central Thaialdn is like. You’ll like it.

Southeastern Thailand (p000) South-eastern Thailand summed up in a few words

Andaman (p000) Here’s what this re-gion is all about so you can see if you’re interested

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Lonely Planet’s Discover series highlights the best a country has to offer while still providing the Lonely Planet’s Discover series highlights the best a country has to offer while still providing the authentic and memorable experience travelers expect from Lonely Planet. authentic and memorable experience travelers expect from Lonely Planet.

full color throughout,includingmaps

highlights focused:revealsthemust-seeattractionsandunbeatableexperiences

lots of itineraries: organizedbyregion,themeandlengthoftrip

‘Best of’ lists: countryspecific,regionspecificandthemespecific

caters to all budgets: fromluxurytovalue

easy-to-use structure: intuitivedesignmakesfindinginformationeasierthanever

insider secrets: localexpertsprovideinsighton major attractions

experiences: notonlywheretogobutwhattodoandwhen

400 pages: idealforone-totwo-weektrips

competitively priced: countryguidesrangefrom$22.99to$24.99**DiSCovErEuropE:$27.99

DISCOVER THAILAND

Steamy city that never sleeps – great shopping, nightlife and bril-

Chiang Mai (p000) A bit of text to let you know what makes this city tick. This is what it’s like

Chiang Mai Province (p000) This is what Chiang Mai Province is all about; this is

Northern Thailand (p000) This is what Northern Thailand is all about; this is what it;s like

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Multiwatt mega-city with chaotictraffic, nightlife and shopping

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Former opium den now boastslazy river trips, remote hill

tribes and legends of outlaws

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Charming riverside town forgazing at Laos and exploring

a surreal modern-art park

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Thailand's golden kingdom andrequisite stop on the cultural

trail for history and architecture

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Lively mountain city filled withancient temples, modern chic

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Highlights Specialfront-of-bookchapteronthetop25can’t-

miss experiences

Keyattractionshighlightedinfeaturespreads

Accessible,off-the-beaten-trackhighlights–‘ifYouLiketheEiffelTowerThenTryThis…’

Focusonkeycitiesandregionsforeachcountry–thesixtoeightmosttraveled

THAILAND’S TOP 25 EXPERIENCES

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There’s no better way to get to the heart of a place than eat your way towards it. Take it to the next level and take a Thai cookery class while you’re here – and take home a new skill. I’ve been cooking ever since I was a small girl, and I’m the director of Bangkok’s oldest cooking school. Teaching travellers is a way of sharing my culture.

THAI COOKING CLASSESBY SOMPHON NABIAN, PAD THAI COOK

BANGKOK HIGHLIGHTS

MAKING IT FROM SCRATCHDid you know that Thai cooks make curry paste from scratch every time? Learn how to subtly vary the flavours, and taste the difference. Many methods of preparing Thai food are like medita-tion, and can even be relaxing when you get the hang of them. You’ll never want to buy curry paste in a jar again.

CONNECTING WITH CULTUREOur food is all about places and peo-ple, and how they come together. Each family and each region has its own reci-pes – some spicy, some sweet, some delicate, some fierce. You’ll find out about special foods for different occa-sions and maybe even hear a few family stories and the odd family recipe.

TAKING IT HOME!This is a lasting, living souvenir of your trip to Thailand. You’ll have new skills and will be given a recipe booklet to take home so you can cook for your friends – guaranteed to garner a better response than showing off the vacation photo album!

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOWRecommended courses See p000 for a full list Cost B990 to B4600, depend-ing on the length Top survival tip Watch your instructor closely to see how they avoid chili burns Best photo op Holding a fish at Market X (p000)

Clockwise from top left: Ed Te Do Digna Feu Facilissed Tet Wiscilis Do, Con Vullan Henis Acin Venim, Ed Te Do Digna Feu Facilissed Tet Wiscilis, Do Con Vullan Henis Acin Venim

SOMPHON NABNIAN’S DON’T MISS LIST MARKET EXPEDITIONSBangkok’s food markets are the first stop for most classes. The instructor will guide you through the market, explain the ingredients and show you how to select the best produce, like how to pick the tenderest lemongrass. I usually go to Market X (p000) for the freshest fish, but every cook has their favourite. And there’s usually a bit of a language lesson thrown in for good measure.

REAL KITCHENSYou can learn so much about a cuisine culture by looking at the utensils – how people connect with the food they prepare, the energy they put into it. We like to talk you through the equipment you’ll need to create Thai dishes and you can even buy some of it here to send back home. Why does every Thai kitchen have two mortars and pestles? You’ll find out!

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ceremony, the king (or in recent years, the crown prince) changes the garments at the beginning of each season. For more details about this sacred statue, see the boxed text on p000. Recently restored Buddhist mu-rals line the interior walls of the bòht, and the murals of the Ramakian (the Thai ver-sion of the Indian epic the Ramayana) line the inside walls of the temple compound.

Originally painted during the reign of Rama I (1782–1809) and also recently restored, the murals illustrate the epic in its entirety, beginning at the north gate and moving clockwise around the compound.

Except for an anteroom here and there, the buildings of the Grand Palace (Phra Borom Maharatchawong) are now put to use by the king only for certain ceremo-nial occasions, such as Coronation Day (the king mostly resides in Hua Hin).

Borombhiman Hall (eastern end), a French-inspired structure that served as a residence for Rama VI, is occasionally used to house visiting foreign dignitaries. In April 1981 General San Chitpatima used it as headquarters for an attempted coup. The building to the west is Amarindra Hall, originally a hall of justice but used today for coronation ceremonies.

The largest of the palace buildings is the Chakri Mahaprasat, the Grand Palace Hall. Built in 1882 by British architects using Thai labour, the exterior shows a peculiar blend of Italian Renaissance and traditional Thai architecture. This is a style often referred to as fà·ràng sài chá·dah (Westerner in a Thai crown) because each wing is topped by a mon·dòp – a heavily ornamented spire representing a Thai adaptation of the Hindu mandapa (shrine). The tallest of the mon·dòp, in the centre, contains the ashes of Chakri kings; the flanking mon·dòp en-shrine the ashes of Chakri princes. Thai kings traditionally housed their huge harems in the inner palace area, which was guarded by combat-trained female sentries.

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You’ll find significantly fewer tourists here than at Wat Phra Kaew, but Wat Pho (Wat Phra Chetuphon; Map pp000-00; %0 2221 9911; Th Sanamchai; admission 50B; h8am-5pm; bus 508, 512, river ferry Tha Tien) is our personal

fave among Bangkok’s biggest temples. In fact, the compound incorporates a host of superlatives: the largest reclining Buddha, the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand and the country’s earliest centre for public education.

Almost too big for its shelter, the genu-inely impressive Reclining Buddha, 46m long and 15m high, illustrates the passing of the Buddha into nirvana (ie the Buddha’s death). The figure is modelled out of plas-ter around a brick core and finished in gold leaf. Mother-of-pearl inlay ornaments the feet, displaying 108 different auspicious lák·sà·nà (characteristics of a Buddha).

The Buddha images on display in the other four wí·hăhn (sanctuaries) are worth a nod. Particularly beautiful are the Phra Chinnarat and Phra Chinnachai Buddhas, both from Sukhothai, in the west and south chapels. The galleries extending between the four chapels feature no less than 394 gilded Buddha images, many of which dis-play Ayuthaya or Sukhothai features. The remains of Rama I are interred in the base of the presiding Buddha image in the bòht.

Wat Pho is also the national headquar-ters for the teaching and preservation of traditional Thai medicine, including Thai massage, a mandate legislated by Rama III when the tradition was in danger of extinc-tion. The famous massage school has two massage pavilions without air-con located within the temple area and air-con rooms within the training facility outside the temple (p000). Nearby stone inscriptions showing yoga and massage techniques still remain in the temple grounds, serving their original purpose as visual aids.

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Often touted as Southeast Asia’s biggest museum, the National Museum (Map pp000-00; %0 2224 1333; 4 Th Na Phra That; admis-

sion 200B; h9am-3.30pm Wed-Sun; bus 503, 506, 507, 53, river ferry Tha Chang) is home to an im-pressive collection of religious sculpture, best appreciated on one the museum’s twice weekly guided tours (h9.30am Wed & Thu, in English, German, Japanese & French also available).

Most of the museum’s structures were built in 1782 as the palace of Rama I’s vice-roy, Prince Wang Na. Rama V turned it into a museum in 1874, and the current mu-seum consists of three permanent exhibi-tions spread out over several buildings.

The history wing has made impressive bounds towards mainstream curatorial aesthetics with a succinct chronology of prehistoric, Sukhothai-, Ayuthaya- and Bangkok-era events and figures. Gems include King Ramakamhaeng’s inscribed

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Meditation time at Wat Bowonniwet

IF YOU LIKE…If you like Wat Pho (p000) we think you’ll like these other lesser-visited (but no less astonishing) temples:

Wat Arun (Map pp000-00; %0 2891 1149; Th Arun Amarin; admission 20B; h9am-5pm; river ferry Tha Thai Wang) The main Buddha image is said to have been designed by Rama II; has incredible sunset views.Wat Bowonniwet (Map pp000-00; cnr Th Phra Sumen & Th Tanao; h8am-5.30pm; bus 15, 53, river ferry Tha Phra Athit) The national headquarters for the Thammayut monastic sect, has an amazing range of Buddha statues.Wat Ratchanatdaram (Map pp000-00%0 2224 8807; cnr Th Ratchadamnoen Klang & Th Mahachai; h9am-5pm) Home to a well-known market selling Buddhist prá pim (magi-cal charm amulets) in all sizes, shapes and styles.

Meditation time at Wat Bowonniwet

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Itineraries Country-wideitinerariestaketravelersstepby

stepthroughthecountry–brokenoutbyinterest,themeandtriplength

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JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS FIVE DAYS BANGKOK TO BANGKOKIf you’ve got yourself seven days for your Thailand vacation, you can still pack in a full itinerary thanks to the frequency and affordability of domestic transport. Spend three days in Bang-kok and make a quick stop at Ayuthaya, then head north.

BANGKOKSpend day one getting yourself acquainted with the Thai capital. The ideal way to do this aboard the Chao Phraya Express (p000), where you’ll wind your watery way past many of the major sights before alighting at the Grand Palace (p000). Spend the afternoon at this must-see palace, which is also home to the glittering Emerald Buddha (p000). On day two, explore the streets of old Bangkok, including Ko Ratanakosin (p000), on foot. Eat yourself into a stupor on the streets of Chinatown (p000), then get blissfully pounded into submission at one of the city’s terrific-value massage parlours (p000).

AYUTHAYATake a boat ride north from Bangkok to the former Siam royal capital of Ayuthaya (p000) on day four, home to fabled palace and temple ruins. Only a few of the 400 temples built in Ayuthaya now remain, but the headless Buddha images and slumping stone stairways make an ideal place to conjure up images of a once mighty city. Hire a bike to spend a few hours exploring the Unesco-listed site before the sun sets.

CHIANG MAI Take the overnight train northern to the laidback cultural capital of Chiang Mai (p000). Spend a day learning to cook authentic Thai food at a cooking class (p000). On your next full day, hike up to the top of Doi Suthep (p000). Or if you’re not feeling so energetic, book in for a massage (p000) or do a spot of market shopping (p000). On your third day, rent a car or motorcycle to explore the nearby mountains and villages, including Chiang Dao (p000) and Doi Ang Khang (p000), before taking an evening flight back to Bangkok.

KO SAMUI If you’re hankering for a beach break, consider swapping Chiang Mai for a few days of beachside bliss in Ko Samui (p000). Hit the water for some unforgettable diving (p000) or just laze the day away snoozing on a stretch of sand. You’ll also have time to pamper yourself with a five-star massage (p000). Your only worry will be you’re so relaxed you miss your flight back to Bangkok.

Left: Alisim nim dionsed dolorperatu; Right: Alisim nim dionsed dolorperatu.LEFT: CREDIT; RIGHT: CREDIT

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(p000) or just laze the day away snoozing (p000) or just laze the day away snoozing on a stretch of sand. You’ll also have time to pamper yourself with a

(p000). Your only worry will be you’re so relaxed you miss your flight back to Bangkok.

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CHIANG MAI PROVINCE ITINERARIESISLANDS & BEACHES Three DaysKo Phi Phi and Phuket, justifiably two of Thailand’s most famous islands, dazzle travellers with long, voluptuous beaches. Though their amenities have been developed for package tourists, they also feature quiet corners for down-to-earth relaxing.

To make the most of your few days on the islands, fly direct to (1) Ko Phi Phi Don (p000). Skip the rowdier beaches for the less beautiful but more peaceful (2) Hat Laem Thong (p000). Drop into a spa resort (p000) for a well-earned chance to be rubbed and revitalised while just laying back and thinking of...anything at all really. Suitably de-stressed, join a tour to the wilderness of nearby (3) Ko Phi-Phi Marine National Park (p000).

When it’s time to move on, fly to (4) Phuket (p000), Thailand’s most famous island with more to it than just gaudy resorts. Set yourself up on a romantic, out-of-the-way beach, such as (5) Hat Mai Khao (p000). Once settled, soak up some culture in historic (6) Phuket Town (p000), a spice trade–era port with mixed Chinese, Indian and Portuguese influences – and some fine restaurants. For a little more action plunge into the unrivalled Andaman Sea diving or snorkelling (p000) or explore the beaches of (7) Sirinat National Park (p000).

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Five DaysExplore the Chiang Mai Province’s national parks for a real back-to-nature holiday. With limestone cliffs jutting out of the aqua-marine water, knotted roots of mangroves clinging to thick mud flats, and some of the world’s best diving, there’s something here for everyone.

Begin your explorations with a night in the luxurious Fancy Forest Ecolodge (p000) in mountainous (1) Khao Phanom Bencha National Park (p000), near Krabi town (p000). The surrounding jungles are full of exotic animals and rare birds, delighting twitters from around the world. From Karbi, make your way by train, then boat, to the most popular national park along the southern Chiang Mai Province, (2) Ko Phi-Phi Marine National Park (p000), with its spectacular lagoons, beaches, impenetrable sea cliffs and rock climbing. This park is best explored below sea level, so book into a two-day diving discovery tour (p000) to ensure you experience the very best these waters have to offer. Continue the maritime theme by catching a boat to the increasingly popular island of Ko Lanta, home of the (3)

Mu Ko Lanta Marine National Park (p000) featuring pristine islands, fine coral reefs and long sandy beaches.

Charter a boat to take you south, where you’ll find Satun Province’s (4) Mu Ko Phetra Marine National Park (p000) featuring islands and mangrove wildlife including dugongs and rare birds; and the momentarily tranquil (but becoming more popular) (5) Ko Tarutao Marine National Park (p000), which preserves a group of jungle-covered islands, coral reefs and immaculate tropical beaches.

THE ANTI-HAMMOCK One WeeksIf you prefer climbing limestone rock faces than climbing out of your hammock, diving into the unknown realm than diving into the infin-ity pool, then you’ve come to the right part of the world.

Fly into Trang (p000) and kick on to the lesser-known but stunning beaches and islands of (1) Ko Ngai (p000). This area is a favourite hangout for endangered dugongs among many others. Take a boat up to (2) Ko Phi-Phi (p000) for a change of scene, both above and below the surface.

Islands & Beaches

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The Great Outdoors

The Anti-Hammock

BANGKOK

M Y A N M A R(B U R M A)

Lopburi Ayuthaya

Sukhothai

Chiang Mai

Amphawa

Doi InthanonNational Park

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Khao PhanomBencha NP

Krabi

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region-specificitineraries

Step-by-step country-wideitineraries


Local Experts Majorattractionsincludeinsightsfromlocal

experts on what not to miss

insiderrecommendationsprovidetravelerswitharicher experience

Experiences Notjustalistingofplacesbutafocusonwhat

todoateachlistingandhowtohaveadeeper,comfortableandrewardingexperience


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There’s no better way to get to the heart of a place than eat your way towards it. Take it to the next level and take a Thai cookery class while you’re here – and take home a new skill. I’ve been cooking ever since I was a small girl, and I’m the director of Bangkok’s oldest cooking school. Teaching travellers is a way of sharing my culture.

THAI COOKING CLASSESBY SOMPHON NABIAN, PAD THAI COOK

BANGKOK HIGHLIGHTS

MAKING IT FROM SCRATCHDid you know that Thai cooks make curry paste from scratch every time? Learn how to subtly vary the flavours, and taste the difference. Many methods of preparing Thai food are like medita-tion, and can even be relaxing when you get the hang of them. You’ll never want to buy curry paste in a jar again.

CONNECTING WITH CULTUREOur food is all about places and peo-ple, and how they come together. Each family and each region has its own reci-pes – some spicy, some sweet, some delicate, some fierce. You’ll find out about special foods for different occa-sions and maybe even hear a few family stories and the odd family recipe.


THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOWRecommended courses See p000 for a full list Cost B990 to B4600, depend-ing on the length Top survival tip Watch your instructor closely to see how they avoid chili burns Best photo op Holding a fish at Market X (p000)

Clockwise from top left: Ed Te Do Digna Feu Facilissed Tet Wiscilis Do, Con Vullan Henis Acin Venim, Ed Te Do Digna Feu Facilissed Tet Wiscilis, Do Con Vullan Henis Acin Venim

SOMPHON NABNIAN’S DON’T MISS LIST MARKET EXPEDITIONSBangkok’s food markets are the first stop for most classes. The instructor will guide you through the market, explain the ingredients and show you how to select the best produce, like how to pick the tenderest lemongrass. I usually go to Market X (p000) for the freshest fish, but every cook has their favourite. And there’s usually a bit of a language lesson thrown in for good measure.

REAL KITCHENSYou can learn so much about a cuisine culture by looking at the utensils – how people connect with the food they prepare, the energy they put into it. We like to talk you through the equipment you’ll need to create Thai dishes and you can even buy some of it here to send back home. Why does every Thai kitchen have two mortars and pestles? You’ll find out!

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sions and maybe even hear a few family stories and the odd family recipe.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW See p000 for a full list Cost B990 to B4600, depend-

Top survival tip Watch your instructor closely to see how Best photo op Holding a fish at Market X (p000)


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JANUARY–FEBRUARY

CHINESE NEW YEAR Called đrùt jeen, Thais with Chinese ancestry celebrate their ancestral lunar new year with a week of house-cleaning and fireworks. Phuket (p000) and Bangkok (p000) host citywide festivities, but in general this is a fam-ily-focussed event. Dates for new year change each year; see www.chinesenewyear.com.

MAKHA BUCHA FEB-MAROne of three holy days marking im-portant moments of Buddha’s life, Makha Bucha (Mah•ká Boo•chah) is a public holiday held on the full moon of the third lunar month to commemorate Buddha preaching to 1250 enlightened monks. The celebration in Chiang Mai (p000) is particularly impressive. See www.makhabucha.com for dates.

MARCH

PHRA NAKHON KHIRI DIAMOND FESTIVALThis is a week-long celebration of Phetchaburi’s history and architecture fo-cused on Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park (also known as Khao Wang; p000), a hill topped by a former royal palace over-looking the city. It features a sound-and-light show on Khao Wang; the temples are festooned with lights and presenta-tions of Thai classical dance-drama.

APRIL

SONGKRAN 12-14 APRThailand’s famous water fight marks the Thai New Year (dates vary). The tradi-tional religious activities are held in the morning; afterwards Thais in Chiang Mai (p000) and Bangkok (p000) load up their water guns.

Alisim nim dionsed dolorptratu

PRASAT HIN KHAO PHANOM RUNG FESTIVALA festival to commemorate Prasat Hin Khao Phanom Rung Historical Park (p000), an impressive Angkor-style temple complex in Buriram Province. It involves a daytime procession up Phanom Rung and spectacular sound-and-light shows at night. The actual date depends on the lunar cycles – be prepared for very hot weather.

MAY–JUNE

VISAKHA BUCHA The holy day of Visakha Bucha (Wí•săh•kà Boo•chah) falls on the 15th day of the waxing moon in the sixth lunar month and commemorates the date of the Buddha’s birth, enlighten-ment and parinibbana (passing away).

BUN PHRA WET 2 MAYThis Buddhist holy day is given a Carnival makeover at Dan Sai village’s Phi Ta Khon Festival (p000). Revellers disguise themselves in garish ‘spirit’ costumes and parade through the streets wielding wooden phalluses and downing rice whisky.

ROCKET FESTIVAL 10 JUNIn the northeast, where rain can be scarce, villagers craft bamboo rockets (bâng fai) that are fired into the sky to encourage rains for the upcoming rice-planting season.

ROYAL PLOUGHING CEREMONYThis royal ceremony employs astrology and ancient Brahman rituals to kick-off the rice-planting season. Sacred oxen are hitched to a wooden plough and part the ground of Sanam Luang (p000) in Bangkok. Alisim nim dionsed dolorptratu

Alisim nim dionsed dolorptratu

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Calendar

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