Bangkok and the North of Thailand

In Bangkok and the North, the cool season sets in around November and last up till February. During these months it’s mostly dry with temperatures ranging between 18 º C to 32 º C, with the Northern areas usually being a little cooler than Bangkok. For many visitors, mid-afternoon in the cool season can still feel swelteringly hot; however in the morning and at nighttime, temperatures can drop to as low as 8 º C – 12 º C and even lower in the north.

Be prepared for both hot and cold temperatures, light clothing in the heat of the day and long sleeves during the evening should keep you feeling comfortable. There may be the very odd occasional downpour so and umbrella or light water resistant jacket may be useful. Don’t forget that the tropical sun can be harsh, even during the cool season hats and sun block is also advised.

The hot season begins after the northeastern monsoon winds stop providing cool air for Bangkok and the North of Thailand. From March till May the temperatures increase, and as the lush vegetation is sucked of all it nutrients, it becomes humid and towards the end of the hot season, very dry. Temperatures can reach up to 40 º C with humidity levels of 75%, the North being slightly hotter than Bangkok

If you are concerned about heat, try to avoid April and May, these months can be extremely hot and humid and considerably uncomfortable even for the locals. If you do happen to be here during April, the Thai’s celebrate their New Year and coming of the rainy season in a nation wide celebration that lasts from April 12th to the 15th. This spectacular festival is literally a nationwide water fight which can be an extremely fun break from the dry and arid heat in the hottest month of the year.

The monsoons start to pour in June and finish around October. July and August are generally the heaviest months, temperatures average approx 29 º C but humidity levels rise to 90%. Downpours may temporarily flood areas of Bangkok and the North; however rain pours rarely last longer than an hour or two.

The Southeast and Southwest

The southern peninsular region of Thailand sees two seasons, the hot and the wet; however they do not occur at the same time on the eastern and the western sides.

The Western Peninsular

On the western side of the peninsular Thailand’s shores stretch along the warm waters of the Andaman Ocean. Many tourist travel here every year to visit such destinations as Krabi, Phuket and Koh Lanta to experience Thailand’s tropical paradise.

Heavy storms begin in the west in April and last until October. Many resorts shut down for this low season and the tourist population decreases. The weather can be unpredictable at best and those caught out on some islands like Koh Phi-Ph (where the famous film “The Beach” was filmed) may get stuck due to rough seas.

As November comes around the holiday makers return and seasons starts again. Although the seasons are split into two, it does get slightly hotter towards the end of the hot season in the south.

Eastern Peninsular

This is the Southern part of the Gulf of Thailand; popular destinations include a set of three beautiful islands (Koh) off the cost of Surrathani and Chumporn, Koh Samui, Koh Pha-Ngan and Koh Tao.

On this side, the monsoon rains begin later in year around September and last until December. Much like the rain in the Bangkok and the North, down pours usually last an hour or two but can occasionally last up 4-5 hours. And like the Southwest, it starts of cool after the rain finishes and gets hotter and the season progresses.

Wheather sightseeing or killing time in Bangkok, taking a cruise along the legendry Chao Phraya River is a perfect way to spend a day or evening. The Chao Phraya River or “The River of King” has been the lifeblood of Thailand. When the capital of Thailand was moved to Bangkok in 1782 (the beginning of the Rattanakosin period), canals where so abundant in Bangkok that it was labeled “Venice of the East” by European travelers. Since then, many of the canal ways have been filled in or are no longer in use, however life around the Chao Phraya still holds the nostalgia of days long passed.

There are few different types of cruise available, cruises held in the day time tend to be geared towards sightseeing and may provide food, whilst cruises during the evening tend to be luxury dinning and entertainment oriented.

Day Trip and Short Cruise

On both sides of the Chao Phraya River, a tourist can see many magnificent temples and architectural buildings including the Grand Palace, Wat Arun(Temple of dawn), Wat Prayunwong, Wat Rakhang Kositaram, the Rama 8 Bridge, the First Presbyterian Church, the Royal Thai Navy Dockyard, the Thai Maritime Navigation Company, the Old Customs and the Royal Boat House.

Other sights you might wish to see if you don’t wish to travel too far, include the Floating Market at Wat Sai along the Klong(canal) Dao Khanong, 35 mins from Wat Sai is the Snake Farm and then also in the same area is Wat Pak Nam which is famous for amulets and is also a popular place to pay respects to Buddha at the weekend.

Dinner Cruise

Perhaps the most popular cruise to take is a luxury dinner cruise. Held in the evening amidst the cool breeze of the evening, there are a host of different cruises to cater you’re needs. Cruise’s range from traditional Thai cuisine to International buffets, sometime with live music or traditional Thai entertainment. You can expect first class service, 5 star foods and a delightful evening on one of many Bangkok River Cruises.

There are many luxury cruises when it comes to dinning, Hotels like JW Marriot and the Oriental offer International Buffets at a very reasonable price, other cruises like the Loy Nava Cruise and Manorah Cruise offer Traditional Thai Cuisine at around the same price. Cruises take place on wide variety of different boats, some are modern cruise boats with air conditioning and indoor or open air dinning, others may be traditional rice barges and may also have indoor or open air dinning areas. One drink is usually included with the price so be prepared to spend a little more for drinks.

Overnight or 2-4 Day Cruise

If you travel further north you can reach the famous ancient Siamese capital city of Ayutthaya. A river cruise to Ayutthaya can be done in one day; there are options to shorten the cruise by traveling one way on the bus, and cruising back to Bangkok. One or two night cruises offer cabins on board with all amenities.

You can even take 3-4 day river cruise across to Kanchanaburi and visit the Death Railway and the “Bridge over the River Kwai”. During this 3-4 day cruise you will be taken to many untouched places in Thailand such as Khao Noi Cave Temple, Somdet Phra Sri Nakharin Park also known as “Stone Garden”, Krasae Cave, Kaeng Lava Cave. You will also get the opportunity to visit other parts of the Death railway like Hell Fire Pass and the Thailand-Burma Railway Center Museum.

Booking A River Cruise

River Cruises are available from many hotels and tourist information centers. Short day trips can be organized at different piers along the river however you may have to haggle to get a fair price, so it’s good to have an idea of how much your chosen tour should cost.

Dinner Cruises are often one standard price; they can be organized by your hotel or travel rep. The choice of food and your boat preference should be the deciding factors for the best experience.

If you wish to take a longer cruise, prices vary according to accommodations and quality of service. It is best to organize these trips through a reputable provider for the best value for money.

This tradition was brought to Thailand by the Chinese in the 19th century, and the festival is supposed to celebrate the community’s belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. During the 9 days, participants must adhere to 9 rules.

9 Days – 9 Rules List

• Wear white during the festival
• Behave physically and mentally
• Avoid eating meat
• Avoid sex
• Avoid alcohol
• Pay attention to cleanliness of the body during the festival
• Clean kitchen utensils not to be used by others who do not participate in the festival
• Pregnant women and menstruating women should not attend ceremonies
• People in mourning should not participate

The festival takes a bazaar turn in series of events that take place during the 9 days. Ceremonies are held to invoke the gods that will protect them from harm and bless them with good health and these ceremonies can get extremely gruesome. In a series of processions and displays, the participants show how they are possessed by the gods who have come to protect them.

These ceremonies include a large procession in which participants walk in a trance stopping at stalls and temples to pay respects. In a separate procession, the participants will use an array of household items to skewer and pierce themselves marching from temple to temple displaying their weird and wonderful acts of self mutilation. Other events which are held inside the temples include running across a hot bed of coals or climbing an 8 meter high ladder of sharp blades whilst in trance.

Whilst this may seem irrelevant to being a vegetarian, it is all part of the colorful 9 day celebrations. Only a small percent of the community take part in the gruesome series events but the strict ‘no meat’ rule is usually adhered to by all. The festival takes place in the southern region of Thailand and this year will run from the 11th of October till the 19th.

Benefits Of Being A Vegetarian

Studies have shown that vegetarians live, on average about 7 years longer, and vegans about 15 years longer than meat eaters. The largest study on diet and health, the Chinese Health Project found that those who eat the least amount of fat and animal products have the lowest risks of heart disease and cancer. A British study that tracked over 10,000 participants found that vegetarians were 40 percent less likely to die from cancer and 20 percent less likely to die from other diseases.

A vegetarian diet tends to be lower in fat, and vegetarians tend to eat proportionally more polyunsaturated fat to saturated fat compared with non-vegetarians. Sticking to well-balanced low-fat high-fiber diet can help us keep off those extra pounds and stay slimmer for longer.

A vegetarian diet also help your bones last longer, the average bone loss for a vegetarian woman at age 65 is 18 percent; for non-vegetarian women, it’s nearly double that. Research in the U.S. has shown that men eat an average of 175% over the recommended daily allowance of protein whilst women eat approx 144 % over. This excess protein interferes with the absorption and retention of calcium and actually prompts the body to excrete calcium.

A low cholesterol diet can also help with back pains. Neil Barnard, M.D., president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and author of Foods That Fight Pain (Harmony Books, 1998) wrote, “Back pain appears to begin, not in the back, but in the arteries. The degeneration of disks, for instance, which leads to nerves being pinched, starts with the arteries leading to the back.” Eating a vegetarian diet keeps these arteries clear of cholesterol-causing blockages to help maintain a healthy back.

Eating a lot of vegetables ordinarily means consuming fiber; this helps push waste out of our bodies. Meat contains no fiber and those who eat low fiber diets may be more prone to digestion problems. Studies have shown that a high fiber diet can reduce the risk of diverticulitis by 42% and those who eat lower on the food chain also tend to have fewer incidences of constipation, hemorrhoids and spastic colon.

Plants, grains and legumes — especially soy — contain phytoestrogens that are believed to balance fluctuating hormones. Vegetarian women tend to go through menopause with fewer complaints of sleep problems, hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, weight gain, depression and a diminished sex drive.

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