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I just got back from my first trip to ThailandтАФand, the truth is, thereтАЩs so much to love about the so-called тАЬLand of Smiles.тАЭ Though I could go on for days, IтАЩve narrowed this list down to my top seven favorite things about the country:
1. Gay friendly. Because Thailand is so steeped in tradition and old-world culture, I was surprised to learn that the Thai peopleтАФby and largeтАФare extremely gay-friendly. Most Thai people are Buddhists and Buddha didnтАЩt have much to say about homosexuality. Buddhism is about the pursuit of truthтАФand so being gay is really irrelevant to the religion. Moreover, the virtue of non-judgment is highly regarded. All in all, it makes for a very gay-friendly environment.
2. Delicious food. No surprise here, but Thai food is delicious. The food is also unprocessed, whole and extremely spicy. One waiter explained to me that when Westerners ask for spicy food, itтАЩs the Thai equivalent of mild. In other words, the dishes are prepared differently if a Westerner is ordering it. The flavors are truly extraordinary and, in and of itself, worth the long flight.
3. Friendly people. They donтАЩt call Thailand the Land of Smiles for nothing. Thai people are beautifully friendlyтАФand they donтАЩt seem to hold grudges against Westerners. Moreover, hospitality in Thailand is in a league of its own. Upon arriving to most hotels, youтАЩll find staff eager to wash your hands and give you a cold beverage.
4. Elephants. Where else in the world can you ride elephants? During our stay at The Four Seasons Tented Camp, we embarked on an elephant excursion through the jungleтАФand rode the elephants without so much as a saddle. We even got to help bath the elephants in a nearby river. Being up close and personal which such huge (and yet gentle) creatures was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
5. Affordable. If you have Champagne taste but a beer budget, then Thailand is the destination for you. Many of the classy hotels in downtown Bangkok are less than $200 a night. Meals are a fraction of the price theyтАЩd cost in the Western world and transportation is a steal. Even touristy markets and gift boutiques are well pricedтАФbut you have to barter with the merchants. Though it was priced at 3,000 baht (or about $100), I was able to purchase a bronze bowl for a sixth of the price.
6. English. For better or worse, many Thai peopleтАФespecially those in the shops, restaurants and hotelsтАФspeak English. Though I anticipated a language barrier, the truth is that it was incredibly easy to communicate with almost everyone. It wasnтАЩt scary in the least bit and even the signage is translated to English.
7. Lady boys. In Thailand, transvestites are affectionately referred to as lady boysтАФand I canтАЩt make a list of Thailand favorites without including them. Unlike drag queens, lady boys generally have had some surgeryтАФand itтАЩs almost impossible to distinguish a lady boy from a biological woman. Thailand has a number of famous lady boy performers and a great selection of shows in which these lady boys are featured.
Thailand is an incredible place to visitтАФand this list doesnтАЩt even begin to scratch the surface of what Thailand has to offer. If youтАЩve been to Thailand, share some of your favorites in the comments below!
Davey
Read more about my trip in the Davey Wavey Travel Blog
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Originally Posted by lonelywombat
