Everyday sunshine and fun in Thailand

If St Petersburg's ice is getting too much and you are planning a holiday in the sun, Thailand could be the place. LLOYD DONALDSON reports.

You can spend thousands of dollars or dozens, head for a deserted tropical beach, or mix it with the crowds in one of Asia's great metropolises.

Most European travelers fly into Bangkok, which is a cosmopolitan city teeming with six million people -- most of whom seem to sell cheap and wonderfully tasty food. The city is highly urbanized, with some of Asia's worst traffic problems (leave time to get to the airport for your flight home), but is unmistakeably Thai beneath its modern veneer.

Attractions include sumptuous temples, huge gold Buddhas, vibrant markets, a great Chinatown and more touristy venues such as snake and crocodile farms -- at the latter, Thai handlers impress crowds by putting their heads into the open mouths of the crocodiles.

But in Bangkok, any street can be an experience and walking the back blocks can be as rewarding as pounding the tourist beats.

Bangkok's bustling markets extend even to it's many rivers and canals.

A good way to spend an afternoon is to jump into one of the municipal long-boats that travel up and down the city's rivers and canals, which serve as roads in some parts of Bangkok, and look at the houses with their verandas opening straight out on the water. Locals cook and wash by the muddy water's edge.

Timing can be important when visiting Thailand. Pick your season. It is possible for parts of Bangkok to be thigh-deep in water at the wrong time of year (for instance, October). But December-March is Thailand's period of lowest rainfall and lowest humidity, with pleasant average daytime temperatures of 25-30 degrees Celsius (77-86 degrees Fahrenheit).

After Bangkok, Thailand's plethora of tourism options break into two main types. South to the beaches or north to the hill-tribes and trekking.

Move south and you are heading straight for some of the world's most lush tropical regions, dazzling palm-fringed beaches, coral reefs and picturesque fishing villages.

Trekking in Thailand's Chiang Mai region can involve almost any form of transport.

Unfortunately, the world has discovered that fact and many formerly pristine spots have been blighted by badly planned and over-zealous tourist development. Phuket Island, formerly famed for cheap secluded beauty, is getting positively built up -- it even has a Club Med resort.

Like everything else in Thailand the beach resorts come in all shapes and sizes. On offer are just about every water activity from parasailing over to diving under it -- or simply sitting on the sand watching it, while being massaged and fed.

Over on the eastern side of the peninsula is a cluster of three islands that positively glisten with good-time potential. Ko Samui, Thailand's third-largest island, long a legendary venue among Asian travellers, is now relatively developed and can offer the sort of comforts some tourists prefer, while to the far north of the group, still off the beaten track, Ko Tao offers the sort untarnished bliss that other travelers seek.

Ko Pha-Ngan Island, located halfway between both geographically and in terms of amenities, was the site of our week of bliss. Hat Rin beach on the far side of the island is pearl-white sand sandwiched between coconut trees and a warm, clean ocean that cleans the pores and the soul.

For travelers heading into Thailand's northern provinces, the city of Chiang Mai, an overnight bus trip from Bangkok, is likely to be their first stop. An attractive, manageable city of 150,000 people -- and 300 temples -- it has as its backdrop the 1,676 meter (5,580 feet) Doi Suthep mountain.

Chang Mai is commonly used by the more energetic tourists as a base for treks through the lush and mysterious surrounding hills. The town is full of tour operators offering trekking in the hill-lands for periods between a day and a week, travelling by just about any means you choose -- foot, bicycle, motor-bike, boat -- or even by elephant.

The region, like Thailand's north-eastern provinces, is also home to the country's colorful hill-tribes. Markets in Chiang Mai are full of their handicrafts, as well as Thai silk, clothes and silver jewelry.

Thailand is a very Asian destination, but with more conveniences than many nearby countries and few of the down-sides. Thai people are some of the most friendly in the region, and their country is the perfect destination for the first-time visitor to southeast Asia.