Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine November 2016 | Page 97

Travel | Bangkok
© Mark Eveleigh

Even today, Saen Saeb
remains the most
convenient route across
town during rush hour,
and the canal is used
by thousands of
commuters each day.

5 Senses – Sight
DAMNOEN SADUAK
Watch rural Thailand awakening
at Damnoen Saduak morning market.
Leave Bangkok at first light to be on
the waterways of Thailand’s most
famous floating market when it comes
dramatically alive with the tangled
logjam of canoes paddled expertly by
housewives and stallholders. Tours
can be arranged through most hotels,
and for a small local fee you can also
enjoy a half-hour paddle through
the congested waterways.
Saksikan geliat pedesaan Thailand
di pasar pagi Damnoen Saduak.
Tinggalkan Bangkok saat fajar tiba
untuk mengunjungi pasar terapung
paling terkenal di T hailand yang
dramatis dan dipenuhi kano yang
didayung dengan mahir oleh ibu-ibu
rumah tangga dan pedagang. Sebagian
besar hotel menyediakan tur ini dan
dengan biaya murah Anda juga bisa
mendayung perahu melewati jalur air
yang padat selama setengah jam.

was built almost 200 years ago as the best way
of moving troops and provisions towards the
defences during Thailand’s wars with Vietnam
and Cambodia. Even today, Saen Saeb remains
the most convenient route across town during
rush hour, and the canal is used by thousands
of commuters each day. Many of the bridges
here are so low that, during high water, the
ticket collectors wear crash-helmets and the
boats are equipped with a special lever so that
the skipper is able to collapse the roof. The
effect gives the appearance of some sort of James
Bond jet boat as the ferry races towards an
impossibly narrow gap and folds downwards
as it approaches the bridge.
There’s probably no other city in the world
where the dramas of daily life are played out so
fascinatingly on the rivers and canals. It is
impossible to really get under the skin of the
City of Angels until you have spent time cruising
the far-flung fringes of Bangkok’s water margins.
Chiang Mai
The ‘Rose of the North’, Chiang Mai provides a
striking contrast to the dynamic bustle offered by
Thailand’s southern cities: an idyllic escape
framed by lush rainforests, thundering waterfalls
and beautiful flowers. Expect to see Thailand in

95

its most natural state in Chiang Mai, where
visitors can take a leisurely journey into the forest
or get closer to nature by staying at one of the
adventure camps.
The largest city in northern Thailand was the
capital of the ancient kingdom of Lan Na, one of
the country’s early established states. This
historical wealth makes Chiang Mai one of the
most culturally significant cities in the country
today, with various beautiful temples and
festivals – including the famous traditional Thai
New Year festival, Songkran, held every year in
April. Chiang Mai is where visitors will be
greeted with an authentically Thai attitude and
lifestyle, with hundreds of ancient monasteries
towering in the backdrop.
Koh Samui
For a taste of true paradise, head south from
Bangkok to Koh Samui. The island may not be
one of the newly discovered tourism islands, but
that’s one of the best things about it. Its intimate
white-sand beaches are home to a host of some
of the most luxurious resorts in Asia, such as the
family-friendly beachfront Sheraton Samui and
the romantically secluded villas of Vana Belle,
complete with world-class restaurants serving
Thai and international cuisines, and
comprehensive spa facilities. The most popular
of the beaches is Chaweng, the longest, most
beautiful beach on the island.
Beyond the doors of the prestigious temporary
residences, Koh Samui offers clean walking and
market streets that come alive at night with
steaming food stalls, authentic family-run
seafood restaurants, and lively bars and pubs.
Still, a trip to Koh Samui would not be complete
without a visit to the islands’ most famous
landmark, the 12m-high Big Buddha shrine on
the island’s northern coast.
Travel Etiquette
In the wake of the passing of King Bhumibol
Adulyadej, Thailand is in a 30-day state of
mourning. While tourists are still visiting the
beaches and enjoying the nightlife, all
entertainment events for the month have been
either postponed or cancelled as a show of
respect. During this mourning period, the Thai
people will wear black, white or subdued colours,
while government employees and members of the
royal family will wear black for a full year. While
this dress code does not apply to travellers,
wearing darker colours and showing respect will
be appreciated by the Thai people. During this
time, you may notice many shaved heads, which is
a cultural sign of respect for the recently deceased.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej reigned for 70 years
from June 1946. Highly revered and much loved as
a unifying figure by the Thai people, he was the
world’s longest-reigning monarch.

Sheraton Samui Resort located on the quiet
sands of Chaweng Noi beach.