Sunday, May 4, 2008

Chiang Mai Thailand

Chiang Mai , also sometimes written as "Chiengmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand, and is the capital of Chiang Mai Province. It is located at [show location on an interactive map] 18°47′20″N, 98°59′00″ECoordinates: [show location on an interactive map] 18°47′20″N, 98°59′00″E, some 700 km (435 mi) north of Bangkok, among some of the highest mountains in the country. The city stands on the Ping river, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya river.
In recent years, Chiang Mai has become an increasingly modern city, although it lacks the cosmopolitan nature of Bangkok. It has many attractions for the thousands of foreign visitors who come each year. Chiang Mai's historic importance is derived from its important strategic location on an ancient trade route. Long before the modern influx of foreign visitors, the city served as an important centre for handcrafted goods, umbrellas, jewelry (particularly silver) and woodcarving.

While officially the city (thesaban nakhon) of Chiang Mai only covers most parts of the Mueang Chiang Mai district with a population of 150,000, the urban sprawl of the city now extends into several neighboring districts. This Chiang Mai Metropolitan Area has a population of almost 700,000 people, nearly half the total of Chiang Mai Province.

The city itself is subdivided into 4 wards: Nakhon Ping, Srivijaya, Mengrai, and Kavila. The first three wards are on the west bank, while Kavila is located on the east back of Ping River. Nakhon Ping ward covers the north side of the city. Srivijaya, Mengrai, and Kavila cover the west, south, and east side respectively. The central part(old town) is covered mostly by Srivijaya ward and partly by Nakhon Ping and Mengrai wards.

Allamanda Laguna Phuket

The lagoon that leads up to the Laguna Phuket resort wedding chapel. One of the benefits of this beautiful Phuket lagoon is the bride and groom can ride in and out to the wedding chapel.

Khao Lak beach

Khao Lak (Thai: เขาหลัก) is a resort beach in Thailand, located 80 km north of Phuket International Airport in Takua Pa district, Phang Nga province and popular as a departure point for liveaboard scuba diving trips to the Similan Islands.
The pristine coastline is synonymous with beauty. Nearby rubber and palm plantations dot the coastal region and most nearby inland areas. The major national Highway 4 runs north and south and mostly parallel to the coastline. Khao Lak is a thriving tourist destination for backpackers, up-scale tourists, adventure tourists and seasoned scuba enthusiasts. Local peoples are mostly Thai often with some Chinese ancestry. The diversity of ethnic groups and cultural influences within and surrounding Khao Lak makes this region rich in agricultural, fishing and dry good products. Tourism is Khao Lak's revenue generating entity, becoming Thailand's most popular jumping-off point for the world renowned Similan Islands.


This is actual Bang Sak beach just a bit north of Khao Lak Thailand.