Thai This!

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Sunday, October 26, 2008, 10:13 | Lifestyle | 0 Comments |

Each year, thousands of people fly to Bangkok to visit the many tropical beaches and islands it has to offer. It has become a destination that is considered easily accessible, and as cheap as it is beautiful. There is no doubt that it is a fantastically welcoming, exciting, and diverse holiday destination. Thailand borders no less than four different countries, and is exposed to both the Andaman Sea on the west, and the gulf of Thailand to the east.

Travelling in Thailand is simply awesome. In the south, the white sand beaches, sensational diving, huge national parks, and of course hedonistic parties are some of the best in the world (trust us we have the scars!) What a lot of people miss out on though is what lies north of Bangkok. You can take a short bus or train ride up to visit a very different side to Thailand and Southeast Asia. As you head north, the roads are replaced by dirt tracks, high rise blocks are replaced by ancient monasteries and the pace of life slows dramatically. A completely different experience to the island tourist trail of the south is to be had.

Further north, over the Mekong River, you can enter the countries of Laos and Vietnam. To the east is Cambodia and in these areas the traffic drops and the landscape changes. There is a rolling expanse of paddy fields, mountains, lakes and caves. If you’re not satisfied with soaking in the ambience and culture of these fantastic areas, there is so much more to do! You can ride elephants through the jungle, climb aboard a raft and shoot down rapids, climb down into dark caves to find ancient Buddhist statues, or float on old car inner tubes, down vast rivers that cut their way through thick jungle. The fun and games are endless.

For the more chilled out of us, a leisurely bike ride is perhaps one of the most relaxing ways to experience the sleepy villages of the Mekong River. You can cycle along small tracks that lead through stunningly green paddy fields, to see oxen pulling carts. At every village you come to, children wave from their monastery grounds with their infectious smiles. Maybe you’ll spot a snake in a muddy opening, or some monkeys lounging in the trees. The pace of life slows to all but a satisfying halt and suddenly nothing much matters. Deadlines? Meetings? Not here…

‘Say bye to boring!’

This is our philosophy at STA Travel in Leicester, where we categorically don’t do boring! To us this sentiment sums up how the travel industry has evolved over the last twenty years. It emphasises how in today’s society anything is possible, and most importantly accessible to all. It really is time to say bye to boring, and it couldn’t be easier!

At STA Travel we organise, arrange, and manage extensive round the world trips for people nearly every single day. That’s not to mention the short breaks and holidays. For the last 25 years, STA Travel’s teams of experienced and enthusiastic travellers (staff!) have been encouraging people to take a risk, and to make their holidays count. So say bye to boring and take a chance, you never know, it might just change your life.

‘Say bye to stress!’
How many of us truly relax? Many people are quick to put obstacles between themselves and more exotic holidays. Cost, time, and of course effort are the three main hurdles that people present to us. At STA Travel, we pride ourselves on our ability to overcome these obstacles. It’s our job to remove these boundaries and make your holiday a stress free and exciting prospect. An island paradise awaits you and it is as straightforward as ever to reach.

The possibilities
We are just entering the perfect time to travel to the northern, more isolated areas of Southeast Asia. The rain drops off, but the heat remains strong but slightly more comfortable. A trip through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, can be an easy and exciting experience. Most importantly, it can be as cheap as you want to make it. There are risks involved in travelling these areas, but these days they are minimal and at STA Travel we will advise you as best we can. Southeast Asia is just an example of what we can help you to organise. Be it a week in Egypt, or a year long round the world trip, be it full moon parties, or surfing in Hawaii, we can put together your holiday of a lifetime!

So how easy can it be?
The example we gave involves a flight to Bangkok and then a trip up north with one of our many overland specialists. So what else? We can help you with your visas, insurance, and pretty much anything! We cater for independent travellers both young and old, for families, young couples and anyone who wants to stray from the beaten track, to find something that little bit special.

This is just an introduction in to what gets us going at STA Travel. It is only touching the surface of the endless possibilities in these diverse and exciting parts of the world.

So what are you waiting for? Get on down to Belvoir Street and chat with some of the staff, who like to talk and have all travelled extensively.

Not only that, but we’ve travelled alone, in couples, with friends and with young families. If you’ve only got a second, just grab some of our brochures and have a flick.

Get inspired and get going!