Any Tourist's Dream - Karon Resort in Phuket, Thailand!

Each day, millions of prospective tourists enter online in search of the perfect holiday destination. Many of them prefer places with luxuriant nature, a genuine relaxation oasis but also comfortable accommodations at affordable prices. The various beautiful resorts in Karon, located in Phuket, Thailand are one of the few places to meet all these criteria. The very best of Thailand can be found here, from beautiful sandy beaches to rich vegetation and great views. If you are looking for peace and relaxation while enjoying an amazing panorama, this is the place where you want to be.

In many ways, Karon beach can be considered as a private paradise. It offers the much-needed intimacy and short distance from shops and local restaurants. Compared to Patong beach, this is the preferred choice by honeymooners, couples and families.

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and idyllic scenery. If you decide to visit Karon beach, this is what you will see right in front of your eyes. You can always take a stroll down the beach, jet skiing, para-sailing and many other fun activities. Many tourists also prefer to visit Kata beach, which is the neighboring beach and they also take advantage of the complimentary schedule transport to Patong beach if you stay at a resort in Karon.

Set a short distance back from the beach, Horizon Karon Beach Resort & Spa is surrounded by lush vegetation, raised slightly on the hillside. Its elevated position ensures great views and its tranquil setting is peaceful and private. All rooms contain pool view and some are sea facing. This resort is about 45 minutes away from the airport and it takes about 25 minutes to Phuket Town. The hotel rooms are decorated in a modern style, each having individual balconies and the following facilities included: bathtub, color TV, cable, in-house movies and air conditioning. There is also the possibility to play some golf, at one of the many golf clubs around.

Tourists arriving to Horizon Karon Beach Resort & Spa are impressed with the hospitality of the resort and the comfort provided. Other resort facilities include cleaning service, laundry, hair dryer and international direct dialing. In the room, one can find a safe, mini bar and there is also top quality wifi connection. By checking into the resort, you can also benefit from access to a fitness room plus rejuvenate with the aid of spa treatments. There are also nearby restaurants and bars. Many of them provide Thai cuisine but also plenty of international dishes and seafood menus. You can always find a place to enjoy a good steak, a slice of pizza or Mexican spicy cuisine.

After a long day at the beach, many tourists prefer to go out for snacks and drinks at one of the local bars. They play pool, enjoy the big screen TV offered and relax while listening to good music. For Internet enthusiasts, there is constant access and plenty of games to be played as well. Reading area is also provided for avid book readers. There is also the pool bar where one can savor delicious and multi-colored tropical cocktails. As you can see, luxury can be found both outdoors and indoors.

If you decide to spend your vacation at a Karon resort, you can consider our website as a valuable resource. Finding a Karon hotel or resort can sometimes be difficult during the high season so make sure to book as early as possible.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Johan_Hedin

Muay Thai-thai Kickboxing

Muay Thai, or Thai Boxing has been described as the world's toughest ring sport and is one the most lethal forms of martial art. Also known as "The Science of Eight Limbs", it's a hard-style of martial art that also employs the use of the head, elbows, knees and shins as weapons. Although most of the world knows it to be exclusively from Thailand, it comes from the term Muay Boran and is also practiced in other countries in the region of South East Asia and has different names depending on the country. Malaysians call it Tomoi, Muay Lao in Laos, Lethwei to Burmese and Pradal Serey in Cambodia.


Muay Thai has its roots in the Siamese Army in ancient times and bouts during those times had no time limit and few rules. Only in the late part of the 20th century were gloves, ring times and a clear set of rules were adopted.


Target points for Muay Thai punches include the area above the ear, the jaw, the area covered by the upper lip (philtrum), the clavicle, floating ribs and the solar plexus. Punching techniques or Chok are similar to Western boxing: the straight punch (Mud Trong), Mud Wiang San or hook, the swing- Mud Wiang Yao, the uppercut Mud Seuy, Cobra Punch or Kra-dod Chok, and the undercut or Mud Hook. One Muay Thai punching technique absent in Western boxing is the spinning backfist or Mud Wiang Glub and can be a very effective surprise attack.


Teh, or kicking techniques are an essential part of Muay Thai combat. It consists of the straight kick Teh Trong, the roundhouse Teh Tud, diagonal kick Teh Chiang, the shin-knee kick Teh Krueng Kheng Krueng Kao, the down roundhouse kick Teh Kod, the axe heel kick Teh Kao, jump kick Gra-dodeh Teh, step-up kick Kha Yiep The, and the spectacular spinning heel kick Teh Glub Lang. The dangerous Neb or pecking kick is an often executed Muay Thai kick and is very similar to the straight kick. The tip of the foot or ball is used to dig into the target area which can include the outer part of the thigh, the shins and the knee. It's mostly used to stop and opponent's forward moves.


Clinching in Muay Thai involves putting one's hands behind the head of the opponent and pulling it downwards. It is during these clinches that Tee Kao or knee techniques are used to strike the torso or more devastatingly, the jaw. The different knee strikes are the Kao Trong or straight knee strike, the Kao Chiang or diagonal knee strike, Kao Kong curving knee strike, Kao Tud horizontal knee strike, Kao Tod knee slap, Kao Youwn knee bomb, Kao Yiep step-up knee strike and the Kao Loi or flying knee strike.


Traditional Muay Thai training methods were grueling and literally took blood,sweat and tears to endure. It involved extreme conditioning of the legs by with repeated kicks against a banana tree. This toughens the shin area making it invulnerable to abuse in the ring.

By: Allen Owen

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How To Live Longer And Stay Healthier Thanks To An Asian Spa

The word ‘spa’ comes from the name of a small town in Belgium, and the ‘spa’ industry has been a phenomenon that has grown at ever increasing speed over the last decade. Now every major hotel worth its salt has a spa and leisure complex in place and operating as part of the facilities on offer in order to tempt a discriminating guest to cross the threshold. Many of these spas are truly luxurious pampering palaces offering myriad means of massage, beauty treatments, steam rooms, luxurious baths and much more.

Asia has taken to the spa concept and plays host to some of the finest and most sumptuous in the world. These can be found in India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Thailand, the Philippines, China and Japan. The Banyan Tree in Phuket is listed by Britain’s Guardian Newspaper as being amongst the best fifty on the entire planet.

In Thailand the notion of spa is a blend of ancient tradition comprising massage and meditation and herbal baths and steam rooms. Before the arrival of allopathic medicine from the West the Temple was the centre of learning. The monks fulfilled the dual role of doctors and apothecaries. Wat Pho in Bangkok retains the distinction of being the leading centre for massage in the Thai Kingdom. The therapists trained by this temple are experts in their field and quite rightly enjoy the honorary title of doctor.

There is however, in Thailand a different type of spa that came into existence in the early 1990s. Destinations such as Koh Samui attracted a younger and more health conscious tourist. To cater for the backpackers a couple of spas have come into existence that have focussed on detoxification and fasting programmes. These are not luxurious resorts attached to branded hotel chains but offer comfortable beachside bungalow type accommodation and embrace a philosophy that advocates good health and longevity. Today people flock from all over the globe to stunning locations such as the Health Oasis Resort in Koh Samui in order to be part of this remarkable health conscious philosophy. What’s more the same visitors return year after year to clean up and recharge batteries in order to better face the stressful lifestyle imposed by work and career in the big cities of Europe, America, Australia and Asia.

What then is this secret that lures the visitor to stunning tropical location? It is a five point programme that embraces firstly cleansing. This means getting rid of all those toxins accumulated by a western lifestyle and is achieved by cleaning the colon by means of enemas or colonics. Secondly we cleanse the body by breathing properly. That means it is necessary to inhale deeply, hold the breath and then release it for a specific number of times during the day. Where better to do this than in the clean air of Koh Samui? Thirdly comes a diet formulated according to blood group. This concept is based on the findings of Dr. Peter D’Adamo who is the author of the book “ Eat Right for your Type”. Fourthly comes the importance of exercise. A gentle regime of walking or more strenuous yoga is a must on a daily basis and the fifth and final step in this journey is meditation. All spiritual disciplines advocate spending a certain amount of time in quiet contemplation.

Many of us know about these techniques but need a gentle shove in order to incorporate them into daily life. Thus a nine-day de-tox at a Spa like the Health Oasis Resort will teach you how to achieve healthy living and lifestyle; afterwards all you have to do is to take the new knowledge back home and incorporate it into your daily life.

Alister Bredee is a freelance author specializing in articles on health related topics. He is also a health care practitioner and trainer.

He currently lives in Thailand and can be contacted via his website: http://www.healthambit.com

He publishes a daily blog http://www.healthambit.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alister_Bredee

Bang Fai Phaya Nak (Naga Fireball)

Bang Fai Phaya Nak (Naga Fireball)

This extraordinary miracle always occurs at the beginning of the full moon night in the eleventh lunar month (End of Buddhist Lent). It can be seen along the Mekong River in the districts of Mueang, Phon Phisai, Pak Khat, Bung Kan, Tha Bo, Si Chiang Mai and Sangkhom. Bang Fai Phaya Nak is a term used for red and pinkish fire balls, which according to belief, belong to Phaya Nak or the great serpent of the underwater world. On the day marking the End of Buddhist Lent, a great number of people come to witness this phenomenon.


Naga Fireball Festival in Nong Khai

It remains a mystery that never ceases to puzzle both visitors and locals alike. Just what is the origin and nature of the fireballs that fly from the surface of the Mekong River high into the night sky for all to see? Locals swear there is absolutely no doubt at all about the origin of the fireballs. Naga, the serpent reportedly dwelling in the murky currents of this mighty river, propels fireballs skyward, probably to remind villagers to treat this life-giving river with respect. Of course, there are detractors, researchers who have spent years of study attempting to explain away the fireball phenomenon, all to no avail.

Some say it is an elaborate hoax, but the only way to find out is to travel to Nong Khai and check out river scene and the carnivals that villagers organise to celebrate the now famous legendary serpent. Festivities run from 10 to 16 October, along the Mekong River bank, in Phon Pisai district in Nong Khai province. There are also corresponding celebrations on the Lao side of the river and no shortage of theories on whether Thailand’s neighbours, on the opposite bank, may know more than they are admitting on what causes the spectacle.

But there is no denying the fact that there is something almost mystical that causes the fireballs to erupt from the surface of the river, and villagers are taking no chances, hence the religious activities at various temples in the district to appease the Naga.Visitors can participate in a traditional "Tak Bat Thevo" ceremony, or the early morning alms giving to monks. It involves offering sticky rice wrapped in coconut leaves, presented on the important final days of the three-month Buddhist Lent.
In the evenings, during the festival week, people gather at the river bank for the Naga procession and cultural performance that reflect the rural village traditions of the northeast region.

If all goes to plan the highlight of the trip will be the amazing sight of the Naga fireballs erupting into the sky, a phenomenon that is very likely to prompt some light hearted banter and arguments at riverside food stalls over glasses of ale or the local rice whisky on their origin.

The most convenient way to reach Nong Khai is to take one of the many daily flights offered from Bangkok to Udon Thani, either on the national airline Thai Airways International, or one of the low-cost airlines. The flight takes 50 minutes and from Udon Thani, mini buses offer a 40 minute transfer to Nong Khai. An alternative is to take the rail service that runs every evening from Bangkok to Nong Khai.

Contact :

TAT Udon Thani, Tel. : 66 (0) 4232 5406-7
Nong Khai Provincial Administration Office, Tel. : 66 (0) 4242 0323
Website : www.tourismthailand.org
E-mail : tatudon@tat.or.th

http://www.tourismthailand.org/festival-event/grand-content-5399.html

Scuba Dive The Similans, Andaman Sea, Thailand

The Similan Islands in Thailand are commonly rated as one of the top 10 dive destinations in the world. Comprising of nine granite islands covered in a tropical jungle, washed by a clear blue tropical ocean the Similan Islands (also referred to simply as the Similans) provide some of the most beautiful and diverse dive destinations in Thailand. The Similans lie in a 25 km long north-south chain of islands, 65 km offshore from Phang Nga Province in the Andaman Sea, about 100km from Thailand's main tourist city, Phuket.

The eastern fringes of the Similans feature pretty hard coral gardens in the shallows and sloping reef banks down to thirty metres. At some dive sites such as East of Eden, large bommies (coral heads) rise from the sea bed and are blanketed with soft corals, fan corals, and swarms of smaller tropical fish. East coast Similan Islands diving is relatively easy-going, allowing you plenty of time to explore the sites at your own leisurely pace.

The western side of the Similans along with the north and south points can offer more exciting diving as currents swirl around huge sunken granite boulders, which form a series of arches, tunnels and swim-throughs at sites such as Christmas Point and Elephant Head Rock. Growing on, and between, these enormous rocks you find a tapestry of colourful soft corals. In the channels between the boulders, sea fans can grow to some three metres across, and in such numbers that you cannot possibly swim through. The contrast between the east and west coasts and the variety of underwater topography is one of the reasons the Similan Islands are so popular - every dive offers you something different.

For underwater photographers and lovers of marine life, then diving in the Similan Islands is difficult to surpass for variety and abundance of tropical fish. Leopard sharks make appearances on a regular basis and you'll also see white-tip reef sharks. It's not a 'big fish' paradise, but it's consistently great for sheer diversity of marine life. You may find anything from tiny ghost pipefish to turtles and giant bumphead parrotfish.

Although the tsunami of 2004 did affect a few of the reefs here, most are in excellent condition and many divers in the last seasons have commented to us that they could not see any reef damage.

Liveaboards leaving from Phuket are typically 4 day tours, and visit both the Similans and Surin Islands including Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock. Some shorter tours (2 or 3 day) visit the Similan Islands only. Day trips for diving and snorkeling are now becoming more common from Phuket.

For more of the world's greatest diving destinations including The Great Barrier Reef, Grand Cayman, the Red Sea, Micronesia, Thailand etc visit Great Dive Destinations Of the World

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Colin_Lim

The Dusit Thani Hotel – the City in the Fourth Heaven

The Dusit Thani Hotel Bangkok, at the junction of Rama IV and Silom Roads, overlooks the busy Saladaeng junction and Lumphini Park beyond, its lighted obelisk at the pinnacle glowing like a magic wand in the night.

There's a celestial allure to the name Dusit Thani. In astrology, the Sun, Moon and the five planets visible to the naked eye, Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter and Saturn are referred to as heavenly bodies. "Dusit" in Thai is the fourth heaven and "thani" a city.

The concept of Dusit Thani, the city in the fourth heaven, was propounded by King Rama VI in 1918 as an ideal state of human well being, a model city of freedom and happiness.

The history of the hotel dates back to 1949 when Thanpuying Chainut Piyaoui started the first hotel in Charoen Krung Road called the Princess Hotel with a loan from her parents.

From this humble origin, she set her sights to develop the five-star Dusit Thani Hotel in Rama IV Road in the 1960s. Her vision was realized with the grand opening of the hotel in 1970. Back then, it was the only skyscraper in the neighborhood. This move was to lay the foundations for expansion of the list of Dusit hotels in the next four decades.

The Dusit Thani Hotel is located in an area that's rich in history and regal tradition that's also linked to King Rama VI. At the turn of the 20th century, the surrounding area was royal land called Saladaeng.

The land got its name from the red roofed pavilion (sala daeng) of the train station. The station was part of the Parknam Line, a Belgian-Danish joint venture, which operated Thailand's first railway from 1893 – 1959 linking Bangkok to the river mouth (park nam) where the ships were anchored.

When King Rama V died in 1910, his son King Rama VI set up Chulalongkorn University, the oldest and leading university in Thailand, in memory of his father. Part of Saladaeng was allocated for the campus.

In 1925, King Rama VI made a further donation of Saladaeng to be a public park. This park is the vast Lumphini Park, named after the birth place of Buddha, Lumbini in Nepal. The King Rama VI Monument stands at the gate to Lumphini Park just across the road from the Dusit Thani Hotel.

The land on which the Dusit Thani Hotel, Bangkok stands was once the site of a nobleman's mansion.

In 1987 the Dusit group expanded beyond Bangkok to other parts of Thailand by establishing Dusit hotels in Chiang Mai (1991) Chiang Rai (1991), Hua Hin (1989), Pattaya (1987) and Phuket (1987).

The group has also ventured into boutique hotels with the D2hotel in Chiang Mai.

In keeping with its origins, the Princess brand was revived in 1989 with the launching of the Royal Princess Hotels, five of which are in Bangkok:

Bel-Aire Princess Sukhumvit

Grand China Princess

Pathumwan Princess

Royal Princess Larn Luang

Royal Princess Srinakarin

The other Princess hotels in the list are in Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Korat, Ranong and Koh Chang (to be completed in 2007)

Frequent visitors familiar with Bangkok will remember the Pathumwan Princess in Mah Boon Krong Centre and the Grand China Princess in Chinatown.

By 1991, the Dusit group went beyond Thailand into the international hotel scene with Dusit hotels in Balikpapan Indonesia (1994), Dusit Mangga Dua Jakarta (1994), Dusit Hotel Nikko Manila (1995), Dusit Inya Lake Resort Yanggon and Dusit Dubai (2001).

For her contributions to tourism, Chainut Piyaoui was awarded the aristocratic title Thanpuying, the highest royal decoration awarded to women. Officially called Knight Grand Commander (Second class, higher grade) of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao, this title was bestowed upon her by His Majesty the King on the 53rd anniversary of Coronation Day on 5 May 2000.

Over five decades with Thanpuying Chainut Piyaoui as Chairperson and Managing Director, the Princess has grown into the flagship Dusit Thani Hotel Bangkok which in turned has sprouted 20 hotels in Thailand and the region - a feat in individual enterprise.

The Dusit Thani Hotel Bangkok turned 36 in 2006. Despite new skyscrapers around, the city in the fourth heaven remains the dominant landmark in the Saladaeng junction.

Down below the subway rumbles into the Silom station just by the side entrance to the hotel. High above Silom Road, the skytrain glides into the station aptly named Saladaeng. The legacy of the red roofed pavilion lives on.

The Dusit Thani Hotel heads the list of hotels in Silom an old district remembered for its canals, windmills and connections to nobility.

Tour Bangkok Legacies is a historical travel site on people, places and events that left their mark in the landscape of Bangkok.

The author, Eric Lim, is a free-lance writer who lives in Bangkok Thailand.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Lim

Fabulous Koh Samui Hotels

Travel to Thailand and include Koh Samui Island to your plan. The moment one arrives here, the place casts a spell on you, with its beautiful palm fringed beaches in the traditional villages and the relaxed atmosphere. Koh Samui is the third largest Thai Island, home to some of the well-known beaches like Chaweng, Lamai, Bophut, Big Buddha, Choeng Mon, Hua Thanon and Maenam. This island is famous for its natural beauty and charm, and importantly a place where one can enjoy their holiday their way, from a relaxed one, to a laid back or an active and fast paced.

This place is for the beach lovers with the beautiful white sand beaches, clean, clear water, thriving tropical gardens and gentle ocean breezes. Koi Samui Island today is a familiar name in Europe, Australia to the USA. The first tourist arrival started in 1971 and since then the place is charming its visitors, though the current pace of development has made it a more commercial but the sleepy magic still exits and it is certainly a paradise out here. Visitor's to Samui are rewarded with an ideal tropical retreat away from the traffic and hustle bustle of city life, alluring white-sand beaches, a sapphire-blue sea, with loads of tempting Thai cuisine. To add the people are unusually warm and friendly. The best and most developed beaches are at Chaweng and Lamai, which offer a wide range of Koh Samui hotels, restaurants and nightspots to suit every taste and budget.

Make the most of your holiday as Samui offers a number of places to see and things to do. Kick-start by visiting the island's natural attractions the coral beds at Laem Sed and Tong Takien, the Hin Lat and Na Muang waterfalls and the phallic rock formations at the southern end of Lamai bay, which are just a few to name. If one has time on hand, beyond the main island there are other places worth exploring. Koh Phangan is world famous for its monthly Full Moon Parties, then Koh Tao offers with one of the best diving locations in Thailand and the Ang Thong National Marine Park is worth visiting.

Of the many things, the accommodation facilities at the Island are tempting. Koh Samui has a wide range of hotels in Koh Samui. There are five-star resorts available to bungalows on the beach. Moreover, this place is just perfect, if one is looking for a place without really big hotels, resorts and discotheques, but great beaches, places to eat, bars and even a couple of fine nightclubs. For no reason who come here once, want to come back again.

Nancy Eben is an associate editor of http://www.stayresthailand.com/. The website offers exclusive information of thailand and hotels in Koh Samui. We also provide online hotel reservation of koh samui hotels. We appreciate your feedback and queries at info@stayresthailand.com

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