Travel Destinations: Thailand and Songkran

Thailand is known as a tropical destination for some and a site seeing destination for others. One of the most unique times to visit Thailand is during the festival known as Songkran. This New Year’s celebration usually takes place in the middle of April and lasts for three to ten days.

Songkran: New Year’s Celebration
Because this is the New Year’s celebration as the sun moves into Aries, the Thai people take the opportunity to clean their homes, their Buddha statues, and their streets. This festival celebrates the coming spring and it is also a time when farmers have been relieved of hard work and they have time to offer respect to the elders and ancestors.

Water Fight Takes Center Stage
Songkran has gone through many different shifts over the centuries and the festival has now become a world-wide sensation. People from all over the globe travel to Thailand to participate in the cleansing of the streets, the people, and anything else that can get wet. Songkran has truly turned into the world’s largest water fight.

Biggest Events in Chiang Mai
In Chiang Mai (the northern capitol), the celebration is like no other. The locals are commonly found throwing buckets of water at on-coming traffic, spraying pedestrians with their water hoses, and dowsing pedestrians from moving cars. Young children will use water guns to spray anyone who comes near. Travelers are often amazed at the buckets and buckets of water that are thrown from everywhere at everyone.

Most people who Chiang Mai during Songkran are not disappointed in the celebration. The temperature in this part of Thailand is incredibly hot, so the splashes of water offer relief from the excessive heat.

Symbolism of Throwing and Sprinkling Water
Visitors should remember that the water throwing is truly symbolic as the people of Thailand symbolically clean dirt and grime from the old year and make way for the New Year. Even though Thailand officially celebrates the New Year on January 1 like the Western World, they still use the astronomically based Songkran as a way to cleansing and reflecting on the previous years and welcome in the new.

Other Traditions of Songkran
In Chiang Mai and other parts of Thailand, there will not just be people throwing water and having fun, but it is very common to see locals sprinkling flower-scented water on their Buddha statues. Families who are cleansing the Buddha will do so while wearing traditional Thai costumes and wearing leis made of Jasmine.

Young people will gently sprinkle water on their elders as a sign of respect. This tradition is different from the water-throwing show that happens during the celebration in Chiang Mai. These young people will also say prayers and good wishes to their elders.

Some people will also use a chalky white paste to ward off evil spirits. They will wear the paste on their faces or neck and then place some on people they encounter. The paste will not stain clothing and it is proper to accept this from a local Thai elder.

Feasts are also very common during Songkran and many people will even place delicious looking food at temples. The food should not be taken from the temples, but left for the monks.

Five Amazing Overseas Destinations for Honeymooners

For most newly married couples, the perfect honeymoon would consist of a tropical island, white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, warm breezes, and accommodations that provide a luxurious and romantic experience. However, the perfect honeymoon for some couples is something completely different, perhaps an adventure trip such as an African safari or Swiss Alps ski trip. With thousands upon thousands of overseas destinations to choose from, a couple has the opportunity to create whatever type of memory wanted.

Greece

Greece is a magnificent place to honeymoon. Contrary to what most people believe, there are several cities in Greece that are very affordable. One of the main attractions to Greece is diversity, which makes it possible to enjoy a variety of experiences. For instance, Athens is a bustling island with plenty of things to do and see while Santorini is a relaxing city that boasts some of the world’s most pristine beaches, breathtaking sunsets, and tranquility of the Aegean Sea.

South Africa

This is another wonderful international destination for newlyweds offering diversity. While there are actually several great places a couple could consider, we provided information specific to two.

o    Mozambique – The azure waters are simply stunning and unlike beaches in larger and busy regions of the country, most of the beaches around Mozambique are deserted. As a result, honeymooners have the chance to enjoy real romance. However, Mozambique is also a great place for water sports to include scuba diving, snorkeling, and windsurfing.

o    Botswana – Staying in a rustic camp on the Okavango Delta would offer a honeymooning couple the ultimate outdoor experience. A stay in Botswana would entail vibrantly colored sunsets, leisurely canoe rides down calm waterways, and up-close views of wildlife such as black rhinos, elephants, zebra, leopards, buffaloes, and even lions roaming the isolated and unspoiled land.


Italy

Of all international destinations for couples on a honeymoon, Italy is one of the most romantic. Of course, the best place to visit is Rome, an Italian city that offers a unique combination of ancient history and modern day pride.  During the day there are incredible tourist attractions such as the Sistine Chapel, Ancient Rome Coliseum, and the Vatican, among others but at night, fine dining, nightlife, or romantic walks on the beach.

For something extra special, a couple could sneak away to the beautiful city of Tuscany and take in the view of Montalcino vineyards, visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pienza, or walk through the medieval town of Montepulciano. Of course if wanted, a couple could simply retreat to the sanctity of a five-star resort to enjoy unrivaled amenities.

Thailand

There are actually a number of destinations in Thailand that would be ideal for a honeymoon. The “City of Angels”, more commonly known as Bangkok, is a large and exotic city where local people are warm and hospitable. Nighttime activities consist of dancing in some of the city’s most exciting nightclubs, dine on authentic Thai food, or visit night markets such as the Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Major Ratchayothin Night Market, and Patpong Night Market.

Of course, Thailand is just as spectacular during the day as it is night. In addition to a wide range of things to do on the beach or in the water, honeymooners could take a trip to various ancient temples and museums or simply relax around the resort’s pool while enjoying a couple’s massage.

Switzerland

For an entirely different honeymoon experience, Switzerland would be an excellent choice of a foreign country to visit. Zurich and Lucerne are great cities but Geneva has something very special for couples looking for romance. As one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, Geneva proudly boasts numerous four and five-star resorts with the snow-capped Swiss Alps as the backdrop.

This city also has more than 40 museums, parks filled with beautifully colored flora and fauna lining the banks of gorgeous Lake Geneva, and Rousseau Island in the city center complete with a wonderful restaurant and bird sanctuary. In addition to restaurants that serve local cuisine and exotic wine, as well as quant shops that sell items made by Swiss artisans, a honeymooning couple that loves the outdoors could participate in kayaking, skiing, swimming, horseback riding, bike riding, and hiking but as a finale, enjoy mesmerizing views of Geneva on a romantic hot air balloon ride.