<![CDATA[
<body>
<h1>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="81" align="right">
<tr>
<td style="margin-left: 20; padding-left: 10; padding-bottom: 10;><img height=" 115" width="200" src="graphics/vanuatu_map.jpg">
<center>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="150" bgcolor="#add8e6">
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="center"><a href="*" csclick="BC5E4D6A4" onclick="CSAction(new Array(/*CMP*/'BC5E4D6A4'));return CSClickReturn();"><img height="86" width="150" src="graphics/worldmap_thailand.jpg" border="0"></a>
<p><a href="#LIVEABOARDS" title="Thailand Live-aboards"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" color="#191970" size="2"><b>Thailand Live-Aboards</b></font></a></p>
<p><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" color="black"><i>South Pacific Island Travel can arrange tours through live-aboard boat packages or help you get to these Thai cities to easily find local tours on you own. By request, we may even be able to put together a led tour/diving package for groups from the US.</i></font></p>
<p><a href="thailand_divesites.html" target="_top" title="Thailand Dive Sites"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><b>Thailand Dive Sites<br>
<br>
</b></font></a></td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<a href="thailand_diving.shtml"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" color="#4169e1"><i>Thailand – Land of Smiles, Oceans of Wonder</i></font></a></h1>
<h3><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" color="#191970"><b><img height="150" width="120" src="photos/thailand_castle.jpg" border="1" hspace="5" vspace="3" align="left">An adventure awaits you!</b></font></h3>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2">Probably no other destination offers the diversity of tourism activities, exotic locales, all hosted by such a warm and friendly people as the Kingdom of Thailand. From the touring the fantastic Grand Palace and shopping in the floating markets of hustle-bustle Bangkok, to riding elephants, bamboo river rafting and trekking to the hill-tribe villages in the north, to amazing diving and lazing on remote tropical islands in the south; Thailand has it all.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><b>Bangkok</b> — Most Thai adventures start in this city. Tours include visiting the salt drying flats, the unique floating markets by long-tail boat, seeing Thai craftsman building and inlaying teak carvings and furniture. Historical highlights include a visit to the governmental buildings including the Grand Palace, where the precious "Emerald Buddha" (actually jade) resides amongst a collection of historical antiques, art and religious artifacts. Visit the huge Sitting, Standing and Reclining Buddhas around the area. Take day trips to see sites such as the infamous "Bridge over the River Kwai". Want to buy custom-tailored clothes, gems or jewelry at a bargain? Bangkok is the place.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><b><img height="150" width="100" src="photos/thailand_flowers.jpg" border="1" hspace="5" vspace="3" align="left" alt="Thailand">The North: Chiang Mai / Chiang Rai</b> — The Golden Triangle. A short plane ride north is the centrally located city of Chiang Mai. It the second largest city in Thailand, but is more like a small town in size and atmosphere next to Bangkok. Many wonderful "Wats" - Buddhist temples, can be found in just a short walk or tour around town. Or take a ride in a "songtang" pickup (literally meaning two benches) up into the mountains to see Wat Doisutuep, a golden temple high on an imposing hilltop, built in the 14th century by the King after a white elephant found the site which had been depicted in a dream.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><img height="120" width="150" src="photos/thailand_umbrella.jpg" border="1" hspace="5" vspace="3" align="right" alt="Thailand">From Chiang Mai it is easy to take day trips to many different areas depending on your interests. Visit the various indigenous hilltribe villages, take treks on elephants, go bamboo raft riding or swim in a cool river under a waterfall. Chiang Mai is also the center of craftsman factories where you can find celadon ceramics, painted umbrellas and fans, inlaid carved furniture, jewelry and more, all custom-made. The night bazaar in downtown is not to be missed by shoppers looking for handmade baskets, beautiful embroidery, metal work and more; much of it made by the hilltribe people or local artisans.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><img height="155" width="105" src="photos/thailand_orchids.jpg" border="1" hspace="5" vspace="3" align="left" alt="Thailand">Chiang Rai, another smaller town further to the north, can be reached by a short plane ride, a long car ride, or, if you're feeling adventurous, by riding in the "mail boat" - an afternoon long boat ride from the town of Tieton through teak forests and past native hilltribe farms and villages - right to the door of your 4 star hotel! Chiang Rai is the center of the infamous "Golden Triangle", where Thailand, Myanmar (Burma) and Laos meet. Once the center of the Opium trade, now another center for native hilltribes to sell their intricate wares to tourists at the night bazaar. Visit the oldest Wats in Thailand, dating back to 800 AD. Go for a long-tail boat ride in the Mekong River, or cross over to Myanmar to do some bargaining for rubies and other gems (buyer beware!).</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2">South Pacific Island Travel can arrange tours through liveaboard boat packages or help you get to these Thai cities to easily find local tours on you own. By request, we may even be able to put together a led tour/diving package for groups from the US.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2">But you came for the diving didn't you? Thailand has some of the best diving in the world with a huge array of exotic sites. There's a vast coastline to the south - full of fabulous tropical locales and islands. Puket is the location of the international airport and port for most of the better dive boats visiting the two main areas for diving: The Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2">South Pacific Island Travel recommends a liveaboard boat charter to the Andaman Sea to visit the more remote areas, not traveled by cattle-car dayboats like the Gulf of Thailand can be. The main areas that these boats service are the Red and Purple Rocks of Phuket, Mu Ko Similan, Ko Surin, world-class Richeleu Rock and the Burma Banks (actually in Myanmar waters). Amongst the many sites in these areas you will find deep walls and canyons covered with soft coral and populated by resident barracuda, tevally, reef, leopard and silver tip sharks, wierd blue-ribbon eels, seahorse and frogfish. These waters are also the place to find migrating large pelagics including huge, friendly whale-sharks and mantas.</font></p>
<h3><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" color="#191970"><b><a name="LIVEABOARDS"></a></b>Thailand Liveaboards</font></h3>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><b><img height="66" width="150" src="photos/thailand_genesis.jpg" border="1" hspace="5" vspace="3" align="right" alt="Thailand live-aboard Genesis 1">M/Y Genesis 1</b> — An 83 foot steel yacht that accommodates 12 guests in comfortable single and double a/c cabins with two shared baths. There's a large party and sundeck, entertainment center, music and movie library, as well as a E6 Photo processing available. To maintain the highest levels of service on your expedition, Genesis 1 provides unlimited diving, dinghy pick-up, Thai and western cuisine serviced by a crew of 8. Your days are spent diving, dozing and dining!</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><b><img height="82" width="150" src="photos/thailand_anggun.jpg" border="1" hspace="5" vspace="3" align="right" alt="Thailand live-aboard Anggun">M/Y Anggun</b> — This 100’ vessel cruises the best dive spots in Thailand and Indonesia. From stunning underwater caves and caverns to steep walls and beautiful reefs full of life and color. There are 7 luxurious ensuite cabins with a/c, nitrox and more. Packages combining a liveaboard cruise and stays at Kungungan Bay resort in Northern Sulawesi are available.<br clear="all">
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><b><img height="92" width="150" src="photos/thailand_aquaone.jpg" border="1" hspace="5" vspace="3" align="right" alt="Thailand live-aboard Aqua One">M/Y AquaOne</b> — 115-foot long and loaded with all the amenities to make your trip enjoyable. Holds 16 divers in 8 a/c staterooms - all with ensuite facilities and plenty of storage space. There's a spacious dive deck with an easy entry and exit. Nitrox is available. There's also a dedicated photo lounge, E-6 processing, computer video editing and more.<br clear="all">
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><b><img height="81" width="150" src="photos/thailand_oceanrover.jpg" border="1" hspace="5" vspace="3" align="right" alt="Thailand live-aboard Ocean Rover">M/Y Ocean Rover</b> — 100’ and newly built in 2000, she is beamy and spacious, setting a high standard for live-aboard comfort. Takes 16 passengers in 8 ensuite cabins. Features a wide open “whale-deck” for ease of diving operations conducted from tenders.<br clear="all">
</font></p>
<center>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" color="#4169e1"><i><b>Let South Pacific Island Travel book your fantastic journey to adventure to the Kingdom of Thailand!</b></i></font></p>
<p>
<hr noshade size="1" color="#191970">
<br>
<font color="#0099cc" size="4" face="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>South Pacific Island Travel</strong></font><br>
<font color="black" size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">537 North 137th Street, Seattle, WA 98133<br>
Toll Free: <strong>1-877-773-4846</strong> / WA: 206-367-0956 / Fax: 206-306-9288</font><br>
<br>
<a href="index.html" target="_top" title="travel to the south pacific"><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Home</font></a><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> / <a href="aboutus.shtml" target="_top" title="dive travel to Fiji, Palau, Tahiti, Indonesia, south pacific">About Us</a> / <a href="destinations.shtml" target="_top" title="dive travel to Fiji, Palau, Tahiti, Indonesia, south pacific">Destinations</a> / <a href="liveaboards.shtml" target="_top" title="liveaboards in the south pacific palau fiji thailand">Liveaboards</a> / <a href="whats_new.shtml" target="_top" title="travel to the south pacific">What's New</a> / <a href="specials.shtml" target="_top" title="south pacific island travel">Specials</a> / <a href="contactus.html" target="_top" title="south pacific island travel">Contact Us</a><br>
<a href="australia.html" target="_top" title="dive travel to australia - liveaboards in australia">Australia</a> / <a href="costa_rica.html" target="_top" title="costa rica dive travel cocos live aboards">Costa Rica</a> / <a href="fiji.html" target="_top" title="fiji resorts and live aboards fiji dive travel">Fiji</a> / <a href="vanuatu.html" target="_top" title="honeymoon in vanuatu">Vanuatu</a> / <a href="galapagos.html" target="_top" title="galapagos dive travel and liveaboards">Galapagos</a> / <a href="hawaii.html" target="_top" title="vacation travel to hawaii">Hawaii</a> / <a href="maldives.html" target="_top" title="maldives dive travel">Maldives</a> / <a href="micronesia.html" target="_top" title="dive travel to micronesia">Micronesia</a> / <a href="palau.html" target="_top" title="palau dive travel micronesia palau liveaboards">Palau</a> / <a href="yap.html" target="_top" title="yap diving with mantas">Yap</a> / <a href="truk.html" target="_top" title="truk lagoon chuuk liveaboard diving">Truk Lagoon</a> / <a href="kosrae.html" target="_top" title="dive travel to kosrae">Kosrae</a> / <a href="PNG.html" target="_top" title="dive travel to papua new guinea PNG liveaboards">Papua New Guinea</a> / <a href="red_sea.html" target="_top" title="liveaboards in the red sea">Red Sea</a> / <a href="solomon_islands.html" target="_top" title="solomon islands diving liveaboards">Solomon Islands</a> / <a href="indonesia.html" target="_top" title="indonesia diving travel and liveaboards">Indonesia</a> / <a href="tahiti.html" target="_top" title="south pacific travel to tahiti, bora bora, moorea">Tahiti</a> / <a href="thailand.html" target="_top" title="dive travel to thailand">Thailand</a> / <a href="caribbean.html" target="_top" title="caribbean diving">Caribbean</a> </font><br>
<br>
<a href="*"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman,Georgia,Times">©2004 South Pacific Island Travel & Under Watercolours</font></a><font size="1" face="Times New Roman,Georgia,Times">. Website design by <a href="http://www.underwatercolours.com" target="_blank" title="website design and underwater photography">Under Watercolours</a>.</font></center>
</body>
]]>