With the Indian Rupee falling against global currencies, Europe is quickly losing her charm as the backpacking haven. With the number of young tourists growing at the rate of over 50 per cent per year, Thailand seems to have become the new backpacking destination for the youth. Besides the beautiful islands of Thailand, several towns close to Bangkok are worth a visit. Nakon Nayok is a beautiful province, situated 100 km east of Bangkok. The province sits on a plain at the foothills of Khao Yai National Park. Nakon Nayok is famous for its rivers and waterfalls and although many of the waterfalls die during the dry season, the recent construction of the huge Klong Tha Dan Dam means that river Nakon Nayok now has a constant flow of water throughout the year.
Nakon Nayok is the centre for adventure sports such as rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, ATV rides, and trekking. It’s also a good idea to stay in Nakon Nayok and visit the spectacular Khao Yai National Park. Driving through the town of Nakon Nayok, one will see roadside vendors selling an exotic range of local fruits or roasting whole chickens on open spits.
Nakon Nayok hosts one of the largest Ganesha statues in the world. The beautiful statue, about five storeys tall, dominates the temple premises around it and sends out a comfortable feeling of blessing all the devotees. From afar, one can see a line of people whispering wishes into the ears of the large stone mouse, who as the legend goes, will request Lord Ganesha to make these wishes come true.
Where to Stay?
The Royal Hills Golf Resort can be booked for as little as 2400 THB.
100/3 Moo2 Sarika-Nangrong Rd, T Sarika, A Mueng, Nakhon Nayok 26000, Thailand
The Muthi Maya Forest Pool Villa Resort is rated among the top 10 romantic resorts in the world by Reuters. Absolute heaven on earth, this stunning property is located around 2.5 kms away from Kiramaya Golf Resort and Spa. Visitors will find themselves indulging in the chic elegance of contemporary living blended seamlessly with natural beauty. The Muthi Maya harmonises with the forest and surrounding mountains, becoming a part of Khao Yai’s panorama. The Muthi Maya features forest pool villas that have been specially designed, built and furnished, keeping in mind the beauty of Khao Yai. To experience this piece of heaven, it would cost you around 21,000 THB per night. Located at the edge of the Khao Yai National Park, the Kirimaya Resort offers experiences which will help visitors discover nature’s gifts; rejuvenate at wellness spas; and try their hands at a game at the pristine championship golf course. Situated 1351m above sea level, the temperatures here are lower than Bangkok. It is really cool from November to February. Winter is the best time to spot wild elephants, and in February the birds come into full song with the onset of the mating season. A night at Kirimaya can be bought at as little as 4,500 THB. PB Valley, one of Thailand’s largest vineyards, is situated on the edge of the Khao Yai National Park. It is where the Khao Yai wine region was born. In 1989, Dr Piya Bhirombhakdi, a visionary, set up this vineyard spread over a total of 20 hectares and planted Shiraz (for red wine) and Chenin Blanc (for white wine), featuring French rootstock, and Tempranillo from Spain. With the harvest of 1998, PB Valley Khao Yai Winery celebrated its first milestone and the 1999 vintage proved that quality wine could be successfully produced in Thailand. The winery now sits amidst a lush 320-hectare plantation, of which 80 hectares is dedicated to growing grapes. Today, the PB Valley Khao Yai Winery is Thailand’s only fully-accredited winemaker. With its professional, large-scale wine operation, featuring state-of-the-art technology, it strives to produce worldclass wines for local as well as export consumption, and is the leading winery in Thailand and Southeast Asia. The capacity of the winery is around 10,00,000 bottles per year. Make sure to wear some warm clothing when visiting this winery as the temperatures are between 15-180C in the winter months.
Hotel InterContinental Bangkok – Style has a new expression
A renowned five-star property, the InterContinental Hotel is one of the most ideally located and beautiful hotels in Bangkok. InterContinental Bangkok is centrally located in Ratchaprasong district, perfect for both business and leisure travellers. Near the hotel are several international companies, numerous embassies, top-flight medical facilities including Bumrungrad Hospital and major shopping destinations such as Central World, Gaysorn and Paragon. InterContinental Bangkok puts you where you need to be – right in the centre of Bangkok’s top location for business and leisure. InterContinental Bangkok offers 381 luxury guest rooms along with more than 20 meeting and event venues. Club InterContinental located on the 37th floor affords panoramic views of the city. Moreover, Spa InterContinental on the 36th floor offers exclusive privileges within a luxury environment. The staff at the hotel is exceptionally friendly and caring. You can be sure that your needs will be taken care of even before they arise. The breakfast buffet is elaborate and offers several vegetarian options as well. A night at the Intercontinental Bangkok can be booked for just 5,500 THB.
Things to do at Kirimaya
• Night Safari at Khao Yai National Park
• Bird Watching
• Phimal Historical Park
• Phanom Rung Historical Park, Buriam
• Dan Kwian Pottery Village
• Elephant Trekking
• Pakchong Night Market
Volume 1 Issue 8
