Although it would misrepresent the facts to say that today’s Phuket – Thailand’s largest island and one of the world’s top tourist destinations – looks the same as it did before the 2004 tsunami that was the greatest natural disaster in Earth’s recorded history. But reliable anecdotal evidence does confirm that visitors to Phuket would have little reason to think that the island and its famous beaches were ever struck by the deadly wave.

Think what you will about ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, much of the credit for the remarkable recovery, arguably the most thorough of any of the places hit by the tsunami, belongs to him. In a move redolent of his effort to pay off Thailand’s debt to the IMF for its recovery from the 1997 financial crisis, Thaksin determined early on that Thailand would attend to its own recovery – and not wait for international relief funds to arrive.

Some of that recovery has been laced with controversy. Chief among them are the charges that many of the former prime minister’s friends became the recipients of the country’s largesse, extra-legally taking over rights to lands that belonged to longtime Phuket residents whose documents of ownership were destroyed along with so much else during the catastrophe.

Still, contrary to dire predictions by many about the long-term negative effects the disaster would have on Thailand’s important tourist industry, they have not come to pass. For the most part, tourists have returned to the beaches and resorts on the Patong Beach side of the island, on the Andaman Sea coast, and new or rebuild resorts are there to accommodate them – and to provide essential work opportunities for Thais in the tourist industry. No appreciable drop in tourist numbers has been reported in this critical region.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for all of the parts of Thailand’s Andaman coast struck by the tsunami. Reconstruction has been slower and more fraught with controversy in Khao Lak to the north, Phi Phi Island farther north, and coastal Krabi across from Phi Phi. Longtime visitors to many of those locations have, in various ways, tried to prevent the original owners of tourist properties there from losing their land and licenses. Not all of the efforts have been successful, and lawsuits regarding lands are choking Thailand’s cumbersome court system.

Even so, the dramatic recovery of Phuket has become a beacon of hope for similar places on both sides of the Andaman and Indian Oceans, for whom recovery has been slower and fraught with even greater troubles.

Poyel enjoys life as an Internet financed permanent traveler with Thailand as a base.

Thailand is great value; an outstandingly beautiful country; the people are warm and welcoming; it offers a multitude of outdoor activities; it’s home to wonderful ruins of ancient kingdoms as well as present day temples; the food is out of this world and Thailand has some of the finest beaches on the planet.

Chiang Mai and its surroundings is any adventure enthusiast’s playground with a huge array of activities on offer- from outstanding mountain biking and trekking to rafting and elephant riding. You can even cycle all the way to Bangkok!
If Chiang Mai and the north are associated with adventure and activity then the south is with beaches and sunshine. The islands are split on either side of Thailand’s peninsular, with, amongst others, Phuket, Koh Lanta off the Andaman coast to the west and Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan to the east in the Gulf of Thailand.

There is of course plenty in between as well, not least the ‘City of Angels’ – Bangkok, surely one of the most vibrant city’s on the planet! So many visitors pass straight through, convinced that it offers nothing but pollution and noise. Take our advice; give it a couple of days and you’ll fall in love with the place.

In the heartland of Thailand you’ll have the opportunity to trek, explore lost kingdoms, ride elephants, walk with tigers, raft and visit, and even stay with, hill tribe people!

Nick Pulley is CEO of Selective Asia, a UK based specialist tour operator running privately guided itineraries in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.

Visit selectiveasia.com/site-map.aspx” target=”_blank www.selectiveasia.com for further information

You’ve had a long day exploring and adventuring on your vacation and want to unwind in the hotel spa. Soaking your aches and pains away, you begin to relax. The power of the spa’s jets massage your arms, legs and back, cleansing and exfoliating while the warm water lets you enjoy an invigorating bubble massage.

Sound good? Ensure your hotel offers the convenience of a spa by following the steps to a well researched hotel reservation.

Researching your hotel reservation

The quickest and easiest way to find hotels at your destination is to go online and visit a hotel reservation website. Do a search for the city you are traveling to and you will be presented with a list of available hotels in that area.

Narrowing down by facility

You should then choose a hotel that appeals to you and click for more information. Amongst the detailed information on the hotel will be the hotel’s:

- address
- detailed description
- photos
- map and directions
- consumer reviews
- room facilities
- hotel facilities

Under the list of hotel facilities if a spa is available you should see “spa”, “spa bath”, “pool and spa” or something similar. If the hotel you have chosen does not have a spa then you should go back to the search results page and choose another hotel.

Compare hotels by facility

Another method to find hotels with a spa is to choose three of your favorite hotels from the search results and compare the three hotels side-by-side. You can do this by ‘ticking’ the box next to each hotel’s listing in the search results then clicking the “Compare” button at the bottom of the page. This will display a list of the most popular facilities with travelers.

If the facility is available at a hotel, a ‘tick’ will be displayed next to that facility. You can then compare whether each hotel has a ‘tick’ next to “spa” or not. The comparison tool is also handy for when all the hotels have a spa and you want to know which other facilities each hotel provides such as a swimming pool, gym or restaurant.

Confirm

After confirming the hotel reservation online you will receive the hotel’s phone number. Give the hotel a call to ensure the hotel spa is available for your use on the dates of your stay. You may even be able to request a room with a private spa bath for your personal use.

About the Author

Liam Austin writes for OzeWorld.com where he is the founding director.

OzeWorld.com is the leading destination to research, compare and make ozeworld.com/ hotel reservations online. Users can narrow down their search to specific facilities they desire in their room or hotel.

To ozeworld.com/compare/ compare hotels with a spa or for more information about OzeWorld.com, please visit ozeworld.com/ ozeworld.com

If you want to purchase a recreational vehicle, you must purchase a pop-up camper. It is one of the most affordable recreational vehicles available for the consumers on the market. These are light weight and can be easily towed by a full size car. These campers can also be towed by a small pick-up truck. A pop-up camper can be considered as the perfect recreational vehicle for those who have a limited budget. Pop-up campers can be purchased new for an amount between five to ten thousand dollars.

Pop-up campers are ideal for a family of four. The family can easily sleep comfortably in the trailer, especially if the kids are small enough to sleep in the same bed. The basic unit of a pop-up camper consists of two fold outs. These can be utilized for sleeping quarters. The main unit consists of a small dinette, a tiny refrigerator, a storage area and a cooking area. There is also an outdoor shower and a grilling area. Don’t expect a toilet in the low end pop-up trailers. Most people prefer using portable toilets for emergencies and utilize the campground facilities.

If you opt for a high priced pop-up camper, you can benefit from cassette toilets and a shower. It will also provide you better cooking facilities. Some of these pop-up trailers also have an option to slide out extra room to provide you extra living space. This extra living space can serve as a boon especially if you are stuck inside due to weather problems. It would be wise to pack some games and toys for the kids and a nice book for yourself to enjoy the travel.

The pop-up campers promise to provide the best of security with its elements such as heavy duty canvas and a metal rook.

Pop-up campers will prove to be a boon for you if you go out frequently for camping. It may create some problems with backing in to your campsites but overall it is a great deal. To overcome backing problem, you need to take it slow and have someone guide you to choose a pull through campsite.

You may have to bear the expense of the hitch. However, it is not a big deal because it is less than five hundred dollars.

If you want to avail exciting discounts on pop-up campers, you can make some most exciting deals online. Visit some of the reputed websites that provide you the best and affordable deals on pop-up campers.

Camping is a great way to enjoy the outdoors. You can enhance this fun by using a pop-up camper. It is any day much better than using tents. You can also rent pop-up campers for one-time trips. If you want to buy your own, it will be still inexpensive. Believe it, this will prove to be a great investment on your side. Check with local dealers online. However, it would not be wise to make a decision without doing comparison shopping. Doing comparison shopping will let you purchase a pop-up camper at a lower cost.

Visit at least five to six online local dealers that sell pop-up campers and you would be able to compare the prices and services they provide on pop-up campers. This will let you decide on the best and most affordable pop-up camper.

A pop-up camper will enhance your camping experience.

For more information on campers, try visiting typesofcampers.com/ typesofcampers.com/ – a website that specializes in providing camper related tips, advice and resources to include information on typesofcampers.com/popupcamper.html pop up campers.