“So during your travels, have you made it to Asia?” – “What? You haven’t been to Asia on your round the world trip?!” – “You absolutely have to go to Asia! People are sooo friendly! And it’s cheap, too.”
Well, to be honest with you, I first had to turn 29 in order to eventually spend some time in this beautiful part of the world. Tell me: Have you ever been to Thailand? I thought it’s “wonder-full”!
Formal Opening Ceremony of the Creative Tourism Network Forum in Bangkok, Thailand
On 4 October 2012, the Organisation for Sustainable Tourism Development in Thailand (“DASTA”) together with many local actors from the creative & cultural tourism sector convened the First International Creative Tourism Forum in the city of Bangkok.
For this reason, my friend & colleague Caroline Couret of the International Creative Tourism Network & Barcelona Creative Tourism and I, representing Creative Tourism Austria travelled to Thailand for one week in order to be hosted as international keynote speakers and cultural travelers.
Can you be this lucky ?! On my birthday, I got to hold up an elephant’s ear, learned some Thai cooking & slept in a luxury bungalow of Sampran Riverside Resort – including fireworks, a visit to the local, organic farm, orchid flower workshops, bamboo dance & silk painting with the locals! In terms of experiencing creative tourism, that’s basically all I ever dreamed of in such an exciting cultural context as this 🙂
Elephants in their natural environment are truly special …
Meanwhile, the hospitality of the Thai people continued to throw us all the time. Having been “warned” many times over, I was nevertheless struck by just how well and how friendly we had been received during our stay, including many tours & treatments that were simply organised for us: Bangkok Food Tours (a culinary sightseeing tour in Bangkok worth checking out!), overnight stays in one of the best design hotels of Bangkok (Hotel Siam@Siam) and Lub’d, massage treatments at Oasis Spa Thailand, visits to the famous “Floating Markets” and many more.
There’s nothing I wouldn’t recommend or that I haven’t enjoyed. In my mind and in my heart, I know that I am going to return one day, least for the many cultural, creative & human impressions we were left with on this trip. Watch the following slide show for some more impressions of our trip: People, Culture, Traditions in Thailand.
2 comments
I am planning to visit Thailand next month, but have not much idea for the travel in Bangkok. That is really beautiful contry, especially, Thai foods are so delicious, thanks for your writing, I will try to book a tour with Bangkok Thai Foods
Dear Hanoitiny,
Yes, please do, I really enjoyed my food experience with them! If you ever want to visit more countries and cities for their food, I recommend you to head over to my travel category http://www.creativelena.com/en/tag/food-tours-worldwide/ !
Enjoy Thai foods & Thailand 🙂
Yours,
Elena