The modern-day kingdom of Thailand is a fascinating place to explore.

The scrumptious food, so good it has become an international phenomenon and has led to the availability of lemon grass and coconut milk worldwide. The diverse wildlife, including elephants, tigers, leopards, black bears, and over 850 species of birds. The ornate temples, with gilded exteriors and halls filled with gold and marble Buddhas. The extravagant heat, broken by cool breezes and monsoon downpours.

The wonderful adventure and cultural experiences of the North, with its wonderful shopping, the world's finest silks, masterfully carved sculptures, and charming jewelry; the beauty of Phuket, Koh Samui and Krabi. There is something new to experience everywhere you turn, and to visitors from the West, Thailand is truly an exotic wonderland. Though its fabled name is no longer in place, the spirit of Siam lives on.

Bangkok, the capital, is a sprawling, frenetic Asian metropolis set along the banks of the Chao Praya River, where the orange robes of Buddhist monks are mixed with the modern suits of business men, and travelers have some of Asia’s best hotels and restaurants to enjoy.

Reclining Buddha, Bangkok, Thailand

Visit the most sacred of all Thai monuments, the Grand Palace, and see the Emerald Buddha, a masterpiece carved from a single piece of translucent jade, the Reclining Buddha and the Golden Buddha. You may also choose to visit the beautiful former home of silk magnate Jim Thompson, where you can learn more about and purchase exquisite silks.

In the South are teeming reefs, clean white crescents of sand, and small offshore islands. Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui are famous for offering some of the best beaches in the world and spectacular resorts.

In the North, called “the flower of the North”, offers lush forests and rice fields.  Chiang Mai is a traveler's Mecca famed for its beauty and charm. It literally means “new city” but it is not. It was founded by King Meng Rai more than 700 years ago and it became the center of Buddhism in North Thailand. Chiang Mai is famous for its chedis and temples, its access to hill tribe villages nearby and its fabulous art crafts and markets, but it also features great boutique hotels, cooking schools and breathtaking scenery. Among the many things to do there are elephant and tiger camps to visit, river rafting, hill-tribe trekking and of course spa indulging.

Enchantments abound in Thailand: The gracious people are known for their friendliness and smiles.