Thailand Voted Asia"s Number One particular Travel Location

Chiang Mai, Thailand (PRWEB) Might 2, 2007

A survey performed by Visa International Asia Pacific in conjunction with Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) estimates that 52 percent of travelers were contemplating Asia as their subsequent travel destination. Thailand topped the list as the number one particular location of decision in Asia. Thailand’s regional culture was the main reason cited by much more than 50 percent of respondents.

Blessed with gorgeous beaches, magnificent mountains, and friendly folks, Thailand has been a common location for tourism in Asia for years. With a culture wealthy in classic arts and crafts, visitors there devote a lot of time shopping. It really is essential to know exactly where to discover genuine handicrafts and get the greatest bargains.

Bangkok and Chiang Mai are the centers from which most tourists knowledge the country. Bangkok boasts a massive selection of products from all over Thailand, easily accessible at a quantity of markets and street fairs. Chiang Mai is exactly where a lot of of the products discovered in Bangkok come from, such as a lot of silks, woodcarvings, gifts, home decor, and handmade paper products. Here are the areas to shop — the most well-known, AND the Very best Kept Secrets.

Bangkok

CHATUCHAK WEEKEND Marketplace

Chatuchak Weekend Industry is the undisputed center for getting Thai Handicrafts of all kinds. Now it really is effortlessly accessible by each subway and Sky Train — so when time is restricted, this is the location to go. Mixed in with knock-off jeans and low-cost sneakers are some outstanding Thai products. Ideal Kept Secret? Chatuchak is open on Fridays as “wholesale day”, but all are welcome. Keep away from the weekend crowds and get the greatest bargains.

NARAYANA PHAND THAI HANDICRAFT CENTER

Travelers with a really tight schedule go to the Narayana Phand Thai Handicraft Center located across the street from Central World Shopping Center in Pratunam. Beautifully presented Thai handicrafts from all over the country are sold at fixed prices. Numerous things from Royal Projects sold here support Hill Tribe, disabled and elderly artisans. Best Kept Secret? The basement shops are independent sellers, promoting numerous of the same products as in the major shop at drastically decreased rates.

SILOM ROAD/PATPONG

At night, the financial district of Bangkok becomes a industry packed with every variety of product, legal and illegal. Shoppers who brave the crowds and the touts can find out budding artisans staked out promoting distinctive designs – from delicately carved soap flowers (warning – these fade in the sun!) to hand-produced sandals. Best Kept Secret? Most “Thai Silk” sold on the street is genuinely polyester. Genuine silk catches on the fingers, and the ends of any fringe will have fibers of varying sizes, including quite fine ones.

SUAN LUM NIGHT BAZAAR

The days of the Suan Lum Night Bazaar are numbered. Soon to be replaced by a condominium complex, this treasured shopping expertise is property to all sorts of independent sellers — many of whom design and make their very own home decor designs. It’s just down the road from Lumpini Park, convenient for spending a entire evening dining, shopping and typically getting a pleasant time. Ideal Kept Secret? Next to the Bazaar at the Lumpini Boxing Stadium is a little shop promoting genuine Muay Thai (Thai boxing) paraphernalia — not tourist knock-offs. Do not miss the boxing glove key rings.

Chiang Mai

NIGHT BAZAAR

Like Silom road in Bangkok, the location of Chiang Mai subsequent to the river transforms itself nightly to a street market place providing all sorts of delightful handicrafts. This is the very first location to go in Chiang Mai, because artisans from all over Northern Thailand display their products here. For indoor shopping, there are two large handicraft malls on either side of the main street — Vieng Ping Night Bazaar and Kalare. Very best Kept Secret? Kalare has continuously running cultural shows — and they are totally free.

BAN TAWAI

About twenty minutes from Chiang Mai City by automobile, Ban Tawai is the center for handicraft decor and furniture products. Most of the “antiques” here are not considerably older than an Ikea sofa, but the designs are standard and the makers are professional at aging them. Ideal Kept Secret? Savvy shoppers go previous the principal location an additional half kilometer to see the articles being created, speak to the artists, and get the best rates.

BO SANG

Outdoors Chiang Mai on the SanKamPaeng road is an entire village whose inhabitants are committed to the creating and trading of Thai handicrafts. Walking the major street of Bo Sang gives a sense of the assortment offered, but bargain hunters duck to the back rooms to find the genuine treasures. Greatest Kept Secret? Factory direct prices for hand made mulberry paper are in a remote component of Bo Sang called Ton Bau. This is exactly where the makers are, and all have shops for browsing.

SUNDAY Industry

Every Sunday evening, the streets from Thai Pae Gate to Wat Pra Sihng are closed to visitors. Vendors from all more than Thailand lay out blankets and sell striking and original items at bargain-basement prices. Greatest Kept Secret? Many of the temples in the walking area also provide space for vendors. Shoppers uncover bargains although viewing temples at a time they would not normally be open to the public.

For aspiring travelers who will not get to Thailand this year, there is yet another alternative for satisfying that wish for genuine Thai handicrafts — get direct from Thailand on the Net. Thailand’s Net infrastructure has drastically enhanced, and with the advent of international payment systems like http://PayPal.com, the days of expensive wire transfers and letters of credit are gone. These days, shoppers go on-line and order Thai handicrafts direct from Thailand and have them delivered door-to-door with no knowledge of import-export. Ideal Kept Secret? The oldest and most skilled of these on-line vendors is http://ExporThai.com. ExporThai.com has been promoting Thai Handicrafts wholesale above the Internet considering that 1999, serving thousand of buyers all more than the world.

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Thailand Voted Asia"s Number One particular Travel Location