Thailand amazes once more

MANILA, Philippines - On a recent trip to Thailand, the country’s popular tourism tagline “Amazing Thailand” proved truer than ever. No, it wasn’t because of the world-famous Thai hospitality that soothes and welcomes tourists, as if they have arrived in a place that looks excitingly novel yet feels comfortingly familiar. Nor was it due to the seamless marriage of sleek modernity and old-world charm that transports visitors to contrasting experiences in almost a blink of an eye.

It was because Thailand has managed to maintain its smooth-as-silk composure, in the face of recent, well-publicized yet isolated public disturbances that would have been enough to topple any other country’s tourism strategies. But not Thailand.

Truly amazing.

In fact, it was business as usual when I arrived in Bangkok one balmy afternoon as part of the group that was invited to the launch of this year’s “72 Hours Amazing Khao Yai and Beyond” and “Bangkok Welcomes You” tourism programs. Organized by MasterCard (Thailand) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the trip presented guests with a special opportunity to enjoy the rural charm of the Khao Yai area and the vibrancy of Bangkok in three days.   

Ongoing until Nov. 30, “Bangkok Welcomes You” presents up to 100,000 packages to travelers, with MasterCard cardholders eligible for various hotel and merchant privileges. Simply log on to www.bangkokwelcomeyou.com and choose from six hotel pricing tiers starting at 999 baht. Travelers then receive the Bangkok Welcomes You privilege card and special vouchers upon checking in at their chosen hotel. Simply present the privilege card when you pay using your MasterCard to be eligible for dining, spa and beauty and accommodation privileges. The card can also be used in popular Thai destinations in upcountry resorts like Sukhothai Pattaya and Prachuap Khiri Khan and also offers entertainment, transportation and shopping benefits.

The Muthi Maya Forest Pool Villa Resort is nestled within a rainforest in Khao Yai. Khao Yai is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The “72 Hours Amazing Khao Yai & Beyond” program, on the other hand, is thelatest installment in the highly successful “72 Hours Amazing Thailand” promotion organized by TAT and MasterCard to promote short-term travel in Thailand among citizens of neighboring countries with limited holiday time, providing helpful itineraries and detailed descriptions of attractions, activities, hotels and restaurants in each specific area. Starting with Bangkok, this series has already covered Chiang Mai, Pattay, Hua Hin, Phuket and Samui.

Welcoming us warmly to Bangkok were Sansern Ngaorungsi, deputy governor for international marketing (Asia and South Pacific), Tourism of Thailand and Eileen Wee, vice president and country manager, Thailand, MasterCard Worldwide.

Since we were scheduled to depart for Khao Yai the following morning, we checked in for one night at the Plaza Athenee Hotel, a Royal Meridien Hotel, located along Wireless Road.

The next day, after breakfast, we were ready to depart for Khao Yai, which is regarded as Thailand’s oldest and most pristine national park offering travelers both a quiet retreat and an exciting adventure. Our first stop was at the PB Valley Khao Yai Winery, touted as the greatest winery resort in the province covering 400 hectares and an impressive indoor operational area of 3,000 square meters capable of producing 600,000 bottles of wine per year.

The winery has an ideal macroclimate which, combined with the expertise in tropical grape growing, has opened up new frontiers in viticulture resulting in what is called “New Latitude Wine” — wines made from grapes grown in the exotic tropical latitude of 14.3 degrees north.

Lunch was served at the winery’s The Great Hornbill Grill, a 200-seater country home style fine dining restaurant offering international cuisines, gourmet pizzas and homemade ice cream, which you enjoy amidst panoramic view of the vineyard surrounded by mountain ranges. After lunch, we went on a vineyard and winery tour where we learned the 18-year history of the place, and sampled some of the wines.

Feeling satiated and weary from all that eating, drinking and walking, we headed to the Muthi Maya where we were to spend the night. The only private forest pool villa in Khao Yai nestled within a rainforest, Muthi Maya offers guests a breathtaking setting, with its oriental-style, open architecture concept that gives a totally relaxing, mesmerizing experience. Perched atop a hill surrounded by mountains and forests, each villa boasts of a private outdoor swimming pool with wooden deck and poolside daybed with a view.

Waking up the following day at Muthi Maya, amidst the breathtaking panorama of Khao Yai’s natural beauty is truly an inspiring experience that makes one want to explore more of Nature. And so explore we did, as we proceeded to the Khao Yai National Park 

A UNESCO World Heritage Site and ASEAN National Heritage Park, Khao Yai is the second largest park in Thailand, consisting of a 2,168-square kilometer spread of lush, evergreen forest, grasslands and over 3,000 species of plants, exotic birds and rare wildlife. Here, if one is lucky, one can experience first-person encounter with Asiatic black bears, elephants, tigers, gibbons, wild pigs and many more. It is also home to breathtaking waterfalls, including the memorable Heo Suwat that provided the awesome backdrop for the Leonardo DiCaprio hit movie, The Beach.  

But it’s only at Khao Yai where unusual images await visitors — at break of dawn, one can have unforgettable encounters with fascinating birds and mammals and, come dusk, one can witness thousands of wrinkled lipped bats as they emerge from a cave for their nighttime feeding. And if you’re a fan of the Jurassic age, you can go on a four-day trek to actually see the footprint of a dinosaur! But for lack of time, we could not stay to witness all these and had to settle for an equally exciting, less exhausting experience — riding on the back of a real elephant! 

We would have wanted to stay and explore the park some more, but to Bangkok we must return. Leaving the hotel at a little past 10 a.m., we dropped by the Granmonte Estate, a sprawling domain that lies in the Asoke Valley where the beautiful and serene atmosphere provides the perfect settling for the Grandmonte vineyard and the VinCotto Restaurant where our group had a leisurely lunch.

After checking in at the Plaza Althenee Hotel in Bangkok, our group proceeded to have dinner at the Le Vue, the breathtaking rooftop restaurant at Siam@Siam Design Hotel & Spa, one of the new boutique hotels in Bangkok whose artistic, modern Thai inspired design has been earning raves from tourists. The 50-seater restaurant offers a unique dining experience, letting diners enjoy a 360-degree view of the Ratanakosin Island and the ever-changing skyline of Bangkok while savoring exquisite Mediterranean cuisine. We also dropped in for cocktails at one of the newest “in” places in Bangkok — the Hyde and Seek Gastro Bar, a trendy venue that is an offshoot of an events-cum-catering business that has become famous for its cocktails. Apparently, the sought-after group behind the business decided to open the bar (which also has a fine dining restaurant) to offer their signature drinks to a wider audience.

Of course, the perfect activity to cap that busy trip to Thailand was — you guessed it — a pampering and totally rejuvenating visit to the prestigious RarinJinda Wellness Spa. Combining traditional and contemporary spa theories, RarinJinda offered a truly a unique spa experience that can blissfully relax and calm your senses.

Expectedly, there are many new establishments in Bangkok that will add a novel touch to and old-timer’s itinerary. But then, aside from the new, we one of the most compelling reasons we keep coming back to Bangkok is, of course, to get a dose of good old, retail therapy. 

And even in this respect, the city offers both modern and old-school approaches. The Chatuchak Weekend market, touted as the largest outdoor bazaar in Asia, is obviously for those who prefer the colorful cacophony of street shopping, where everything — and we mean everything — can be bought in one massive, sprawling shopping district. But if a classier ambiance is more to your liking, there’s the Siam Paragon (also called Pride of Bangkok) where every conceivable luxury and fashion labels can be found.

 But wherever your fancy, your Bangkok experience can be a priceless experience when you use your MasterCard. From now until December 2011, MasterCard cardholders enjoy special shopping, dining, wellness, hotel and entertainment discounts and perks at numerous merchant outlets under the 72 Hours Amazing Khao Yai program.

In fact, the thoughtful ways in which MasterCard and the TAT has put together and implemented both the 72 Hours Amazing Khao Yai and Bangkok Welcomes You tourism programs present an excellent example our local tourism office would do well to emulate. It’s like every establishment and every personnel tasked to interface with tourists — from shopkeepers and ticket sellers, to waiters and attendants — are working in sync to make every tourist’s visit to Thailand a memorable, pleasant and exciting experience, every step of the way.

After consistently witnessing hundreds of tourists flock to Thailand, not just during this trip but on many previous trips to this country, one can’t help but compare it to our local tourism situation. While we certainly do not lag behind in terms of tourism attractions and destinations, we can only hope future tourism programs are implemented with equal thoughtfulness and meticulous planning so that visitors to our country feel welcome, safe and eager to come back for more.