“Sa-wat-dee” (Thai for Hello). There were so many wonderful experiences during our trip to Thailand. I would like to share with you my top five.

1. Canal Tours of Bangkok. What a great way to see Bangkok. Take a longtail boat tour along the canals and see the old Thai way of life. If you want to avoid the crowds but still want to experience the history and culture of Bangkok during the day, this is the way to do it. We ended our trip near the Grand Palace and hired a Tuk Tuk to take us back to our hotel.

2. Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT).
What incredible work these people are doing. This is a wild animal refuge that rescues wildlife from abuse, as well as the exotic pet and tourism industries. Their goal is to rehabilitate them, if possible, and return them to their natural habitat. This is not
always possible; for most of them, their spirits have been broken and they don’t know how to be wild. A big feature of this facility is the Elephant Refuge. The tour is designed to allow visitors a chance to learn about the rescued wildlife living at the facility. We met some elephants and learned about their individual stories. We took an elephant for a walk and helped to feed and bathe her. We were also able to tour the facility and hear about the other animals including gibbons, Asian black bears, otters, turtles, crocodile and deer. This was definitely a highlight of the trip - a must see.(www.wfft.org )

3. River Kwai Jungle Rafts. We travelled by bus to Kanchanaburi, and visited the famous Bridge over the River Kwai (www.bridgeriverkwai.com ).We then boarded a longtail boat for a leisurely ride up the river to the Jungle Rafts www.riverkwaijunglerafts.com ). What a beautiful, tranquil location in the jungle. We checked in for the night and were served an amazing lunch. After lunch we had the afternoon to ourselves to relax or take a swim in the river. Later in the afternoon we took a tour of the local Mon tribal village to experience their culture. That evening we were served a traditional Thai dinner. The following day, we viewed the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum that is dedicated to Allied prisoners of war and Asian laborers that suffered here during World War 2.

4. Monkey Hill. North of Phuket Town, there is a recreation area called Khao To Sae, but is also known as Monkey Hill. There are several troupes of pig-tailed macaques that call it home. They are accustomed to people as tourists visit daily and bring food. My favorite time occurs when the other tourists have departed, and the macaques are calm. They are very curious, and will approach you. This was so much better than seeing animals in a zoo or any sort of captivity. They are free to come and go as they please. We were in their habitat and were happy they allowed us to observe them.

5. Food. What can I say about the food? So good, and so reasonable. If you like flavor, this is the place for you. You can determine the “heat” when ordering a dish. Even the mild food has so much flavor. Curry, seafood, ginger, and garlic are all very common ingredients in Thailand.

Thinking about Thailand as a travel destination? I would love to recount my many experiences, and help you make Thailand you next getaway. Call me anytime at 780-349-3155 x 101, or email me at heather@escapejourneys.ca . “Khob khun krab” (Thai for
Thank You)