Thailand, blessed with a climate that is neither too hot nor too dry, is one of the few countries in the world where a tourist or a traveler wants to spend his/her vacation. The Kingdom of Thailand offers fascinating destinations where tourists from Saudi Arabia or a Gulf country can spend their holidays. They can either relax on the pristine sandy beaches in the south, visit the northern mountains or the capital city of Bangkok, which is unique for its food, architecture, customs and hospitality.
“This is the reason why a growing number of Saudi and Gulf tourists are choosing Thailand as their holiday destination,” said Suvat Chirapant, charge d’ affaires at the Thai Embassy here. In fact, Thailand comprises 402,000 sq. km of marine environment and includes over 500 islands in the Indo-Pacific region, the union between the Pacific Ocean — the largest Ocean in the world, and the Indian Ocean — the smallest and mysterious one.
The faunas of both oceans meet in the region and nutrient — rich food particles from some of the world’s major rivers flow from the richest tropical rain forests of Asia. These factors contribute to giving the Indo-Pacific region the greatest diversity of marine life in the world. And at the heart of the Indo-Pacific is Thai-le-Thai. Now, we would like to take you deep into the underwater world — the world of coral reefs, the oldest and most diverse ecosystem ever discovered on this planet.
One of the major attractions is the Gulf of Thailand in the East. Diving in this area is convenient, since it saves travel time and money. Important dive sites are located in Pattaya and Muko Chang also. Pattaya has been a world-famous seaside resort for more than 40 years, and has a well developed tourism industry. So visitors can choose from food and accommodation in a wide range of styles and prices to suit every budget. It is said that diving in Pattaya is the most inexpensive in Thailand or even the world.
Dive sites in Pattaya fall into one of three groups. Near-shore islands such as Ko Lan and Ko Sak. Visibility is not that good but the sites are accessible within 20-40 min., and at low cost. The coral reefs are also not that diverse but by following the sandy floor you may encounter strange animals such as the sea horse, sea moth, Indian walkman and crocodile fish.
Offshore islands such as Ko Rin. Although costing more in terms of time and money, this site has the best visibility in the area. This area has three shipwrecks. The most famous is the Hardeep, a ship bombed during World War II. Another is the H.M.S. Kram, a Royal Thai Navy warship.
Another favorite spot is Ko Chang, which is accessible by road and car ferry, being just five hours from Bangkok. Alternatively you can fly to Trat, which reduces travel time by more than half. Ko Chang is a relatively new tourist destination, and on this second largest island of Thailand, an abundance of forests can be found in the National park areas. Resorts and restaurants are located in tourist areas such as Sai Khao Beach, as well as at other sites on the other 52 islands and islets of the archipelago.
Diving in Ko Chang is possible on the shallow coral reefs, but the visibility is quite poor. The diversity of fauna is avarege. If you would like to enjoy a more beautiful underwater environment, you should dive at the rocks located to the south of Ko Chang, such as Hin Sam Sao and Hin Look Bath. This area is open sea, and the visibility is better than in any other part of the east.
For aquatic scenery, there are hard corals, sea whips, and a few species of soft corals. A greater diversity of fish can be found here, especially reef fishes such as damselfish and angelfish, as well as larger pelagic fish such as barracuda, trevally, or even shark. There can be very few divers who have never heard of Richelieu, a world-famous site for seeing the world’s biggest fish: the Whale Shark. These pinnacles, which cover and area of less than 1 square kilometer can be reached on a day trip.
The Whale Shark is most often found nearby. Amazing spectales are always possibility here. Richelelieu also has the most abundant soft corals of any site in Thailand. Giant cuttlefish and groupers are always your underwater companions here. Fourteen kilometers to the west are the Surin Islands, with the largest and most developed coral reefs in the Andaman Sea.
The shallow-water coral reefs of the Surin Islands are beautiful and very diverse, and also suitable for snorkellers. The deep-water areas of the reef slopes are the habitat for several rare creatures, such as Ribbon Eels, Crocodile Fish, Leaf Fish and so on. To the west of the islands is Decom Rocks, a new dive site in Thai-le-Thai.
Rerring to the beauty of Phuket, a famours traveler said that it is the pearl of the Andaman, an island where travelers the world over wish to visit at least once. Phuket has everything, and its dive sites can be reached so easily, quickly and conveniently that more than 300,000 divers come to Phuket every year. Diving can be combined with other activities very easily.
The Racha islands and the underwater rocks around Phuket are full of soft corals and sea fans. Sometimes more than ten Leopard Sharks can be encountered in a single dive. The dive operators on Phuket provide high standards, and the creation of a diving association has helped promote environmentally friendly activities.
Besides its rich natural beauty, Thailand is also the shoppers’ paradise. Few countries have such a fantastic array of both traditional and modern goods on offer, running the gamut from exquisitely crafted handicrafts to elegant designer fashions, from superb antiques to the latest electronic gadgets, from everyday clothing to gorgeous artworks — and all at seemingly miraculous prices for the quality offered.
The locations for buying show an equal diversity. From upscale boutique malls to bustling street markets, from workaday artisans’ workshops to glittering jewelry showrooms, from multi-level department stores to local handicraft centers, from north to south, east to west, Thailand has it all. There’s really nothing like it.