Thailand

Thailand http://www.flyingmonk.com/thailand.html When you leave Chiang Mai, the first capital of Siam, a metropolis in a time when the present European capitals were mere villages. Ayuthaia is a fantastic collection of Buddhist temples, of the Theravada branch, most of them in ruins after the city was sacked by Burmese troops hundreds of years ago. North to Ayuthaia is Sukhotai, the next capital of the kingdom, a charming and romantic place of ruined temples, with tranquil lakes covered with lilies, and magnificent Buddhas. Further up is the city of Chiang Mai, the capital of the kingdom of La Na, a charming place of hill tribes, of arts and crafts and of a dynamic and beautiful night market, housing one of the most beautiful temple in Thailand, Wat Doi Sutep. From there our travel video brings you deep in The Golden Triangle, in the northern part of the country, where the three countries Laos, Myanmar and Thailand meet, in a place were was never found gold, but the poppy cultivated here for long time made a lot of people rich. Here you can ride a boat of Mekong and you can visit local Akka and Yao tribes that are more accessible, being able to cross to Burma at Thatchlik. Coming back south you cross by the interesting temple of Lampang, going all the way east to the Khmer part of the country close to the Cambodian border where you can visit the beautiful Khmer temples of Kao Phanom Rung and Phimai. Latter you go for some relaxing days in one of the islands, so famous in Thailand, Koh Samet, before you hit the road again, to the western province of Rathchaburi, hosting one of the most interesting floating markets, a tradition and a symbol for the country.