Works of Wonder Tour

Article by Footsteps Travel

About Foosteps Outdoor Adventure Travel

Footstep Travel is an experienced and professional tour operator in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Our wide range of services are inclusive of package tour reservation, daily tours booking, tour guide booking, car booking, flight reservation, train ticket booking, visa arrangements and more.

With our professional staffs, qualified tour guides and stable service partners, twenty-four hours a day, we are currently providing travel services to travelers from dozens of countries around the world. Now we are the trust local tour operator in Indochina countries with head office based in Hanoi (Vietnam) and branch/retail offices or coordinator in Hue, Nhatrang, Saigon (Vietnam), Vientiane (Laos), Phnompenh (Cambodia). Please contact us at:

FOOSTEP TRAVEL, head office

103 Hang Bac street, Hanoi, VietnamTel: 84-4-9260582 Fax: 84-4-9262646Email: info@easyvietnamtravel.com Website: http://www.easyvietnamtravel.com 7 reasons why thinking about us

1. Time saving Operating by the real people based locally, we have all the information on our finger tips and your inquiries / requests will be responded in one or two days.

2. Cost effective We haven’t ever been proud of being the cheapest offer in Vietnam, but we ensure the most effective rates to our clients. We inform you about news and updates, let you know about special promotions, advices on the quality of a particular product. Your payments are conducted by active local teams and we always try to get the best value for your travel dollars.

3. Flexibility We have wide ranges of travel products with joint tours, seat-in-coach, module tours, short vacations and others in satisfaction of groups varies from 20 people to 1-2 guests. Each individual guest or in the group would obtain our identical love and caring.

4. Negotiable We highly appreciate your negotiations. You are the best person who knows exactly the current situation and your ideas or your negotiations would help us to find the best solution. In addition, the more understanding and detailed in advance, the better.

5. Sustainable and responsible travel In Footsteps Travel, sustainable tourism and green travel are highly recommended. Smoking, deforestation, disruption of ordinary life in local communities and destruction of the environment are discouraged or even forbidden while we suggest our guests to meet and visit local peoples to experience their culture, history and daily activities.

6. Fresh attitude and regularly updated You are working with a professional young team of Footsteps Travel. Your each contact and request is considered as a challenge and all of us are eager to conquer Simply your best travel-mate in Indochina. Deal or not deal, we are always happy to provide you news, updated information about Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

Briefly, we are young enough to refresh frequently our business concept, systems and structures, but we are old enough to be your experienced partner.

7. Helpful Deal or not deal, we are always happy to provide you news, updated information about Vietnam. Your traveling to Vietnam is our honor and we as well as other Vietnamese, unconditionally would be glad to welcome you.

Source: http://www.easyvietnamtravel.comhttp://www.easyvietnamtravel.com/about_us.asphttp://www.easyvietnamtravel.com/Laos_tour_travel.asphttp://www.easyvietnamtravel.com/Cambodia_tour_travel.asp

Article by Direct Line Travel Insurance

There is so much to see and do in Glasgow; you are literally spoilt for choice. By day, you can soak up the Victorian architecture (Glasgow has the best-preserved Victorian city centre in the UK) and visit a number of impressive architectural wonders, museums, art galleries, theatres, parks and river walkways. Glasgow also has a reputation for the best shopping outside London. By night, you can eat, drink and enjoy a variety of live entertainment.

Glasgow’s treasures

Glasgow is a treasure trove of art and architecture. Home to contemporary artists like Jim Lambie and David Shrigley, Glasgow has made a name for itself in the international art world.

The Glasgow School of Art is famous for its prestigious alumni and its Charles Rennie Mackintosh architecture – a powerful influence for Art Nouveau and for the Modernist movement. If you are a fan of Mackintosh’s style, visit The Hill House, The Willow Tearooms, the House for an Art Lover and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum – this houses one of the greatest civic art collections in Europe, including works by Botticelli, Rembrandt and Dali and many Scottish artists.

Retail therapy

Glasgow is a shopper’s paradise. It is the second-largest shopping centre in the UK with arcades, open-air markets and shopping precincts. The main shopping area is in the heart of Glasgow and is for foot traffic only. Browse the shops at your own leisurely pace in Buchanan Street, Argyle Street and Sauchiehall Street. If you are looking for the perfect piece of jewellery to add the finishing touch to your outfit, head to the Argyll Arcade. It has over 30 jewellery stores and is one of Britain’s oldest covered arcades. If you prefer to do your shopping all under one roof, the Buchanan Galleries is your best option.

For the latest fashion trends visit Exchange Square, Ingram Street and Princes Square. If you are shopping for antiques, visit the Barras open-air street market in the East End and De Courcy’s Antique Craft Arcade in the West End.

Where to go for a good time

You will never be short of entertainment options in Glasgow. A number of musicians, bands, comedians and entertainers have graced the city’s nightspots including Primal Scream, Franz Ferdinand and Billy Connolly. If you fancy going to a gig or concert, the Barrowlands, Arches, Bartly and Glasgow Academy and any number of pubs and bars offer live entertainment. Festivals are also popular in Glasgow. You can visit the Glasgow Film Festival, Glasgow River Festival, West End Festival, Magners Glasgow International Comedy Festival or Aye Write Book Festival.

A weekend escape

If you only have a long weekend to discover Glasgow’s magic, here is an itinerary to make the most of your time.

Day 1If you go in mid-July head for the Glasgow River Festival. The festival celebrates the River Clyde and you can enjoy boat trips, dingy rides and tall ship displays. If your trip does not coincide with the festival you can explore the riverside history of Glasgow on foot or by bicycle. Just follow the Clyde from the centre of town to Glasgow Green, stop off for a look at the People’s Palace social history museum and finish the day off with a fish supper at Roganos – a renowned Art Deco restaurant.

Day 2Hit the shops on Saturday or Sunday with an early morning visit to Barras Market. It has been selling a variety of bric-a-brac since the turn of last century. Some of the market stalls are set up under the Barrowlands – a famous music venue. After your visit to the market head into the city centre to trendy Ingram Street in the Merchant City. Take time out for a cultural experience at the Gallery of Modern Art. Round off Day 2 with a trip to the Uisge Beatha (meaning ‘water of life’) whisky specialist.

Day 3Time to visit the park but not just any park, Kelvingrove. Designed by Sir Joseph Paxton, Kelvingrove consists of 34 manicured hectares of pristine Victorian gardens. You can also visit the recently refurbished Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. It houses a Rennie Mackintosh gallery, a collection of Egyptian treasures and over 8,000 works of art.

Getting there

Travelling by road

If you plan to drive, the road links to Scotland are first rate, traffic permitting of course. If you are driving from Edinburgh the trip should take about one hour, from Manchester – three hours 50 minutes and London – seven hours.

If you do not mind sitting for about 10 hours, you could travel by coach. It is probably the cheapest option although it does take the longest.

Travelling by train

If you have the time, take the scenic route to Glasgow by train. Glasgow’s two main train stations, Central and Queen Street, connect you with Strathclyde, Ayrshire and Lanarkshire regions with First ScotRail, and London and other major UK cities via west and east coast routes with National Express and Virgin.

Travelling by plane

You can catch a direct flight to Glasgow from London airports, provincial UK airports and Ireland. Glasgow International is 10 minutes away from the city and Prestwick is 30 minutes away. Prestwick also has its own dedicated train station.

You can fly with BA, easyJet, BMIbaby, FlyBe, Ryanair, Aer Lingus and Loganair. For more flight options, visit http://www.flightmapping.com/UK/Glasgow/.

Glasgow travel information For more information and holiday ideas visit http://www.visitscotland.com and http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/AboutGlasgow/Touristattractions/.

Guidebooks are another useful source for ideas, suggestions and travel tips. Try:

* The Glasgow Footprint Pocket Guide* The Rough Guide to Scotland* Scotland Lonely Planet Country Guide

Travel insuranceUnfortunately, Glasgow does have a reputation as a crime capital. However, the city is as safe as any other city in Western Europe so long as you are careful. Take care when visiting markets, tourist attractions and shopping precincts as pickpockets and thieves may be on the lookout for an easy target. Take extra care at night. For complete peace of mind, get travel insurance cover for all your valuables and personal possessions before you go. Whether you are planning a weekend break or a longer holiday, there are short and long-term travel insurance policies available to suit your needs. Most travel insurance companies offer quick and easy travel insurance quotes online. For a travel insurance quote and more information about the types of travel insurance available visit Direct Line Travel Insurance.

Article by click here to get best competitive travel rates for your trip to Egypt

Why Book with Professor Travel Egypt?http://www.professortravel-egypt.com/whybookwithus.htmlAfter working in travel industry many years; we are as destination experts and professional travel consultants. we will save your precious time, eliminate stress, provide excellent value for money

” Professor Travel Egypt Recommendations ” Apr 21, 2010, 2:35 PMWe, my husband and booked a tour program directly with Professor Travel Egypt. We did not know what to expect I was to be honest not sure we did the right thing. But it was. The agency Professor Travel really met all our expectations and more. Lovely service, professional guides, comfortable transfers and they took good care of us all the time. We were traveling for 25 days around Egypt and experienced a lot of this beautiful country and met wonderful people. I would really recommend this agency again.Sometimes you are treated as you behave! Thanks to all our guides and tour leaders in Cairo, Alexandria,Luxor, Aswan, Sharm El Sheik and more..http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294200-i9124-k3571966-Professor_Travel_Egypt_Recommendations-Egypt.htmlwww.professortravel-egypt.cominfo@professortravel-egypt.com 1- Private Guided Toursonce you have chosen any of Professor Travel Egypt distinguished programs. You fortunately have submitted yourself to an honest and faithful provider of tourist services as we do care very much for such private guided tours, it is one of the advantages which characterize Professor Travel Egypt activities based on the principle of “We believe in Responsible Travel and we are doing our best to achieve the best we can…”

2- Saving money & time When we consider time and money as important factors, we thought deeply of how to satisfy our guests needs who is certainly busy to make a compromise for this hard equation (save time and money) As experts we deal with such problem in a reasonable way, we designed our programs to be suitable for all trends of our guests who usually need to pass their vacations on a trip for short time on terms of cover as much visits as possible at most interesting tourist sites. We have tailored such programs in a very professional attitude as a response to the requirements of the financial factor which is controlled by (for how much and for how long) – or even on the following basic travel elements for any tourist: 1-The larger his travel budget 2-The further he can travel 3-The longer he can stay We did function our experience as a tour operator to obtain the most effective competitive prices in favor of our clients whom we do care very much for their limited budget. Therefore we try to minimize costs of services as well as getting the lowest profit margin.

Article by Direct Line Travel Insurance

Outdoor sportsIf you fancy an activity holiday or a destination that has outdoor sports on tap, the Costa de la Luz and Andalucia have something for everyone. Tarifa has a reputation for the best wind and kite surfing beaches including Playa Los Lances and Playa Valdevaqueros. It is no wonder it is often called the windsurfing capital of Europe. If you would rather catch the action under the waves, the Mediterranean stretch near Guadiaro is the place to go for snorkelling and diving.If you like your sport with a little less adrenalin, the National Parks in the Bay of C

Article by Direct Line Travel Insurance

If your idea of a great holiday is exploring the great outdoors, then Canada is the destination for you. There are lots of activities to experience and places to explore in Canada. From eagle spotting in British Columbia to snowboarding or climbing in the Rocky Mountains to a French experience in Quebec. Canada is the second largest country in the world but has a relatively small population so there are no crowd issues.

Outdoor sportsYou name an outdoor sport and chances are Canada offers it. From whitewater rafting to trekking through the tundra, skiing on snow-capped peaks to golfing in grasslands, and fishing on serene, inland lakes or lagoons.

After an adventurous day in the great Canadian outdoors, relax your muscles in a natural hot spring. Take your pick of hot springs in British Columbia, the Queen Charlotte Islands and Banff in Alberta.

Just remember, outdoor activities can affect your travel insurance. So before you go, make sure your travel insurance covers you for all the activities you plan to do on holiday.

Natural wondersWith 42 National Parks, Canada’s nature reserves cover an area roughly the size of New Zealand. There is plenty of fresh air, wildlife and natural wonders to discover including, the Rocky Mountains; Niagara Falls; the Great Lakes of Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario and Superior; the St Lawrence River; the Bay of Fundy; the Canadian Arctic and Quebec’s Perc

Article by Direct Line Travel Insurance

‘Incredible India’, the current slogan of the Indian tourist board, aptly describes the sensation that is India. It is a land for all seasons and all reasons. India is a land of extremes and most visitors have trouble deciding if they love it or hate it. Either way, India will inspire, excite, engage and leave its mark on you.

A sensory explosion

India is exciting, inspiring and heart wrenching. The stunning scenery will take your breath away while the contrast between rich and poor will make your heart bleed while India’s ancient history and beliefs seem to transcend time and exist in parallel with modern life. From brightly coloured saris on the sun-baked fields of Rajasthan to noisy cars avoiding sacred cows on ramshackle streets, India will enthrall you and challenge you at the same time.

Action and adventure

India has such a wide variety of natural wonders that you could visit year after year and still not see it all. There are massive mountains, tropical jungles, sparse deserts, sweeping coastlines, mystical rivers and secret backwaters to explore. To see as much as you can in the time you have, take a cross-country train trip. It is possibly the best way to see as much of India as possible and the train journey is an adventure in itself.

If you like a bit of action on your holiday, there are a number of activities available like trekking and kayaking. If you do plan to take part in outdoor activities, you need to make sure your travel insurance policy covers you.

Down time

India is a popular destination for the relaxation and revitalisation of body, mind and soul. You can relax on a tranquil beach in Kerala or Goa and partake in the ancient art of yoga, mediation and ayurveda. Depending on your budget, converted palaces and colonial buildings offer luxury accommodation at affordable prices.

A brief history of India

The founders of the Indus Valley Civilisation travelled across the Himalayas from Sumeria (now Iraq) to settle in a part of the northwestern Indian subcontinent about 5,000 years ago. The Indus Valley Civilisation developed many forms of ancient writing, religion and ayurveda.

India has seen many kingdoms and empires come and go since then. Most notably The Mahajanapadas kingdom and the Gupta Empire. This was a time that was known as ‘The Golden Age of India’ and when Hinduism and Buddhism spread across Southeast Asia. Islam arrived in the 8th Century.

In the 15th Century most of northern India was ruled by Delhi Sultanate followed by the Mughals. This was a time when art and architecture thrived in northern India. To the south and west, the Maratha Empire and Vijayanagara Empire had taken control.In the mid-18th Century and the 19th Century, the British East India Company gradually annexed India. After many years under British rule, India became independent again in 1947 after being partitioned from Pakistan. Bangladesh became independent in 1971.

From coast to coast and everything in between

India largely lies on a peninsula that juts into the Indian Ocean. It has a coastline of more than 7,000 kilometres stretching from the Arabian Sea in the west to the Bay of Bengal in the east.

India shares land borders with Pakistan, China, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh.The climate in India varies from equatorial in the far south to alpine in the upper reaches of the Himalayas.

The fertile Indo-Gangetic Plain covers most of northern, central and eastern India. The Deccan Plateau covers most of Southern Indian and the Tahr Desert stretches into part of western India. India’s major rivers are the Ganga (Ganges) and the Indus. The Lakshadweep Islands and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands also fall under Indian sovereignty.

When to visit

Weather wise, the best months to visit are from November to mid- March when the weather is cooler but the sun still shines. India is a tropical country with hot weather that varies in extremity from region to region. The hottest months of the year are from April to June.The wet season, when Monsoon rains produce wet and stormy weather on the coast is from mid-July to September.

For more information on area-specific weather conditions visit http://www.hcilondon.net/tourism-information/weather.html. Another informative website is http://www.fco.gov.uk – the Government’s travel advice guide to India.

Travelling by plane

There are quite a few cheap flights to India. You can fly direct to most major hubs including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata. There are also direct flights available to Goa from London and other UK destinations. For more information on direct flights and transfer points, visit http://www.flightmapping.com/Asia/India.

Paperwork

If you have a British passport, you will need a visa to travel to India. You can apply for a short-term visa at the High Commission of India, India House, Aldwych, London WC2B 4NA. It costs

Article by Luxury Travel Co, Ltd.

The Luxury Travel Company (www.luxurytravelvietnam.com ) is Vietnam’s first luxury tour company and full travel service agency. Luxury Travel is experienced in providing special services and unique tourism products to luxury global travelers.

Long Tan is a village in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, Vietnam, at latitude 10 Degree 31′ N, and longitude 107 Degree 16′ E. When it was part of South Vietnam it was in Phuoc Tuy province. It is renowned for its rubber plantations and hosts a very small population of roughly 1,200 people.

The Battle of Long Tan is arguably the most famous battle fought by the Australian Army during the Vietnam War. It was fought in a rubber plantation near the village of Long Tan, about four kilometres north east of Vung Tau, South Vietnam on August 18-19, 1966.

The action occurred when D Company of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), part of the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF), encountered the Viet Cong (VC) 275 Regiment and elements of the D445 Local Forces Battalion. D Company was supported by other Australian units, as well as New Zealand and United States personnel.

The battle is often used in Australian officer training as an example of the importance of combining and coordinating infantry, artillery, armour and military aviation.

This adventure days start with picking up at 07.30am from the main lobby of hotel in Saigon after breakfast and travelers drive to Tan Son Nhat Heliport to fly to Ba Ria – Vung Tau.

“A large antenna is still visible on ‘Radar Hill’. You will fly over the coastal city and have 15 minutes on the sky to see the panorama of the former Nui Dat Task Force base. Then, you will land at Vung Tau Airport. This bird view is great and emotional especially for veterans” said Thomas Chu, Senior Sales Executive of Luxury Travel Company.

Luxury Travel’s driver will wait for travelers there then transfer them to Long Tan – Nui Dat to see these little remains of the vast camp except the columns of the main gate by car. The former runway is now a wide street in the local village and what was the heli-pad is now a soccer field. A school established by Australian veterans is nearby. Later, drive past the location of the Horseshoe (access not permitted these days due to mining activity) to the Decourtney Rubber Plantation and pause to reflect at the Long Tan Cross before helicopter back to Ho Chi Minh City where travelers arrive at 5pm and return by car to hotel in Saigon.

“We believe that travel experiences are not “one size fits all,” but are instead very personal, with each aspect tailor made to specific tastes and preferences. We are constantly breaking new ground to develop innovative and interesting new tours. To whet your appetite and we hope that they suit those with special interests, we have come up with some ideas helicopter travel, private jet, archaeological travel, medical tourism, photography holidays, veteran tours, agriculture travel, pilgrimage tours, art tours for collectors, volunteerism/ philanthropy…Let us help to make your dream vacation a reality with a personally – tailored experience designed for your needs! Whatever vacation experience you desire, we will deliver it in style” said Pham Ha, Founder and CEO Of Luxury Travel Group Ltd.

For more information visit http://www.luxurytravelvietnam.co or email to bespoke@luxurytravelvietnam.com

Article by Travel Opportunities

Being part of a Travel Club can really be a sound financial investment as it can save a lot of money. With some Travel Club memberships you can save up to 70% off the normal retail price. This can include luxury Holidays, Cruises and Hotels but can also apply to many other travel related products. Discounts that can add up to a substantial saving provide the true value of a Travel Club membership.

Going on luxury vacations is one smart way to make use of your membership. Just by going on one vacation you could save more than the cost of the entire membership. This means that you can consider holidays that normally would be out of your reach financially. But be warned – this will make you want to Travel more! By joining a Travel Club you can experience fantastic times away and will want to travel more often, so you could end up spending more on holidays than you used to!

Alternatively it might just be that you don’t like to pay over the odds in high prices through traditional travel agencies. At least now with the internet there are many ways to check prices to make sure you are getting the best deals that are out there. What you might not have realized is that some Travel Clubs can get you wholesale prices, the same as if you were a travel agent!

So how does a Travel Club work? Well just like any major company they have the financial backing to buy in bulk but with the major difference that they exist solely to share out the savings to their members. So the more members they have the more each one can save on their travels. Many travel companies are now looking into this and it makes perfect sense. As long as memberships keep getting sold and maintained, their members will keep coming back for more holidays. For people looking to save in today’s economy having a membership like this will help people to travel at affordable prices to 4 and 5 star resorts and villas.

One of the best features about being part of a Travel Club is the concierge service. With this service most of the work of arranging a holiday is done for you. All trips are pre-booked so you don’t have to go searching through loads of websites to book a hotel, find a flight, arrange parking etc. All information is provided for you with full reports on hotel accommodation, what food and drink is included, resort facilities as well as how much you save on your booking if you had booked this as an individual holiday.

Not only can you book all inclusive holidays, cruises or short weekends away but also you can book your flights, hotel stop-overs, car hire and excursions. So by now you can see what the benefits are of being a member of a Travel Club. With the Travel Industry being so large there are bound to be more benefits to come, so being a member can only get better and better.

Article by Spencer Travel

If your company does a lot of business travel then it can be very beneficial to start using a specialist business travel agency. A leading corporate travel agency can save you a significant amount of time during business trips, can save you a great deal of money too, and can also help with the efficient running of your business for multiple stakeholders. These three things sound like a great deal and a significant promise that you could be forgiven for being skeptical about. Because of that, this article aims to show you explicitly how a specialist corporate travel agency can deliver on all three of these promises.

Who Might a Business Travel Agency Benefit?

1. Business Travellers themselves

Article by Direct Line Travel Insurance

With its beautiful beaches, tropical islands, ancient temples, and wild jungle, Thailand is one of the world’s most popular backpacking destinations. It is also close to other popular travel spots in South East Asia like Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. Recent development in Thailand means there are a number of new upmarket resorts and spas offering excellent food, luxury accommodation and relaxing spa treatments. With all this on offer, it’s no wonder some tourists stay much longer than they intended.

Beaches and IslandsAlex Garland’s film adaptation of his novel The Beach in 1996 helped put Thailand on the tourist map. Travellers and holidaymakers are attracted to the clear, sunny days, white sand beaches, cool turquoise waters, and palm trees lining the shoreline.

There are islands in abundance in Thailand, all just a boat trip away. The islands of Phuket, Phi Phi and Koh Hae (Coral Island) are situated in the Andaman Sea. Not far away is the coastal province of Krabi renown for its stunning coastline and limestone cliffs. Here you will find the relatively untouched islands of Khao Lak and Phang Nak.

Thailand is a diver’s dream. Head to the Similan Islands for some amazing coral and tropical fish. If you’re looking for more action on your travels head to the Gulf of Thailand. The islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui offer sun, spas and plenty of parties. The nearby island of Koh Tao is a fantastic spot to do some diving. Not to be outdone, the east coast of Thailand offers a number of popular spots for backpackers including Pattaya, Koh Samet and Koh Chang.

Temples and TrekkingThailand boasts over 31, 200 Buddhist temples (wats). Some are used for religious ceremonies and festivals and some are home to Buddhist monks. Not all temples are created equal in Thailand. The highest grade temples are called Royal Temples. There are 200 Royal Temples in Thailand including Wat Suthat and Wat Phra Chetuphon in Bangkok, Wat Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom Province, and in Sarburo Province, Wat Phra Buddhabat.

Some of the temples in Chiang Mai are over 700 years old. Wat Phrathat Dou Suthep sits high on a mountain with spectacular views overlooking the city. Other temples to visit are Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Chiang Man, the colourful Burmese-style Wat Saen Fang and the forests and labyrinth at Wat Umong. Chiang Mai is also a trekkers paradise with two massive national parks, elephant centres, ancient hill tribes and plenty of mountains, wildlife and natural wonders.

Rest and RejuvenationAfter you’ve trekked through the jungle, absorbed the magic of the temples, and tasted the nightlife Thai style, unwind with a spa treatment and massage. Thailand is famous for its spas and massages. If you’re travelling on a budget there are basic treatments or if you’re going for all out luxury, check out a luxurious spa resort. There are destination spas that are dedicated to spa treatments like Chiva-Som in Hua Hin. Spa programmes include relaxation, slimming, detox or focus on increasing energy levels. A number of hotels double as spa resorts. These include The Oriental in Bangkok, The Amanpuri Resort in Phuket, The Oasis Resort and Samui Dharma Healing Centre in Koh Samet, The Central Wong Amat Beach Resort in Pattaya, and The Regent Resort (Lanna Spa) in Chiang Mai.

If you’re looking for a health retreat that specialises in medical programmes, there are a number of day spas that offer beauty treatments and massage centres offering traditional Thai reflexology and Swedish-style massage. The Wat Pho temple in Bangkok, the main school for massage and traditional medicine in Thailand, is famous for its massage and medical treatments.

Favourite hauntsDiving heavenFor a magical view of Thailand’s underwater paradise, take a diving course at one of Thailand’s diving centres. You can learn to dive on Koh Tao, Phi Phi, Phuket or Koh Samui. If you’re rather take a dive cruise, head out to the nine granite Similan Islands in the Andaman Sea, 65km offshore from Phang Nga Province. These islands were declared a National Park in 1982. You will see beautiful coral gardens, sloping reef banks, massive boulders, vast numbers of tropical fish and even some of the more exotic sea creatures like turtles and leopard sharks.

If you’re planning to dive in Thailand, remember to let your travel insurance company know before you go.

Rural retreatHead inland and discover the beauty of Thailand’s jungles. Some of the best treks start in Chiang Mai and take you through lush jungle to visit indigenous hill tribes and wildlife sanctuaries.

Take a trip to the Doi Inthanon National Park and see the Vachiratarn Waterfalls, spend the night in an authentic Karen village (home to a Karen hill tribe), trek through the jungle on an elephant, and raft down a river on a bamboo raft. If you are planning to river raft while in Thailand, make sure you let your travel insurance company know before you go.

Use Chiang Mai as a base to explore the temples in the area and if you fancy becoming an expert in Thai massage, take a course at one of the local massage schools.

Hustle and bustleCity life in Thailand is colourful, noisy and busy. Bangkok is one of those cities you either love or hate. Pollution is a problem but if you can handle the smog, you’ll find a treasure trove of markets, temples, river tours, hotels, nightlife, restaurants, bars and street stalls offering mouthwatering Thai cuisine.

Shop by day at the Chatuchak Weekend Market or if you’re a night owl, shop at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar. The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is a major tourist attraction with lots of Thai bargains and stunning river views.

If you’re look for an adventure at night, try Sukhumvit, Khao San Road, Silom, Ratchadapisek, Siam and Chidlom, where there’s something for every taste and style.

Travelling by PlaneThe only direct flights from the UK to Thailand fly into Bangkok. Thai Airways, BA, Eva Airways and Qantas Airways offer direct flights from London Heathrow to Bangkok. Once you’ve landed in Bangkok, you can catch a connecting flight to Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Pattaya, Phi Phi or Phuket. If flying is not adventurous enough for you, you can choose to travel by train, boat or bus to a wide range of Thai destinations.

The new Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok may also see flights from other destinations in the UK in the future. For more information visit http://www.flightmapping.com/Asia/Thailand

Thailand travel informationFor more information and holiday ideas visit http://www.tourismthailand.org and http://www.tourismthailand.co.uk.

Guidebooks are a another useful source of ideas, suggestions and travel tips:• The Rough Guide to Thailand • Thailand’s Beaches and Islands• Lonely Planet’s Thailand and Thailand’s Islands and Beaches Country

Travel insurance for ThailandWatch out for pickpockets and bag snatchers in Thailand. Make sure you keep your money and valuables in a safe place at all times. Keep a close eye on your credit card as tourists can be targets for card fraud. Female travellers should take extra care, especially if they are travelling alone and under the influence of alcohol.

The possession, distribution and/or manufacture of drugs carry severe penalties including the death penalty in some cases so don’t risk it.

If you’re planning to partake in activities like diving, sailing or jungle trekking, make sure you have adequate travel insurance before you leave. It’s a good idea to ensure your travel insurance covers you for all the activities you are planning to do, theft, medical emergencies, cancellation and curtailment. Most travel insurance companies offer quick and easy travel insurance quotes online. For a travel insurance quote and more information about the types of travel insurance available from Direct Line, visit http://www.directline.com/travel/welcome.htm.