Thailand is one of the friendliest and visitor friendly places you will find in the region. History and authentic culture abound in this central city of Thailand. Nights are cool so that the visitor will enjoy the utmost in comfort and the food, goods and accommodations are such that they will fit even the stringiest budget.

If rock climbing is your passion, check out Crazy Horse Buttress, located behind Tham Meuang. You will be afforded the convenience of two expert guides along with drinking water, food and all the equipment you need to make a successful climb. Also included is a T-shirt to commerate your visit and insurance in case something untoward should happen.

Massages are available all around the city. The city of Chiang Mai is known for her relaxing massages and can guarantee you the perfect pampering solution to your troubles and cares. Visit one of the massage schools to get a first rate massage when you are in Chiang Mai.

Boxing is another entertainment opportunity for those that love a match between pugilists. You can find several venues that are happy to teach the tourist as well as the native the finer points of the sport. Chiang Mai is famous for her transvestite boxer named Parinya Kiatbusaba. Foreign competitors are much sought after and if you feel you can get into the ring with one of their champs, then that is exactly what you should do.

Chiang Mai is a landlocked area and can get extremely warm in the summer months. Fortunately there are many  swimming holes that natives and visitors alike can take advantage. There are more than a few pools open to the public and  you can enjoy a refreshing dip in any one of them.

Not only is Chiang Mai chock full of sites and sounds that are uniquely Thai, there are activities for which you can participate that will have you feeling as if you are a true native of this fascinating, multi-faceted land.

Those that dare can take a night walk through one of the oldest rain forests in the world. It can be found in Malaysia and the natives call it the “Green Heart.” From every direction you will hear an overwhelming cacaphony of insects as well as a million other tiny sounds that make up its wondrous whole.

This is what you can expect when you visit Malaysia’s oldest national park. It is an experience that won’t soon be forgotten if ever. It is a place filled with the sound of the night and the creatures that inhabit a darker world than our own. Here you can see more than 350 different bird species along with 10,000 types of plants as well as a host of other creatures.

Be prepared for an experience that can only be likened to scuba diving in the dark waters of the evening. You cannot see the sky and you can only see as far as your flashlight will brighten. Though you will be surrounded by umpteen different kinds of sounds, finding what makes those sounds will not be easy.

The rain forest is said to be nearly 130 million years old and its denizens have had that long to learn to adapt for their survival. Many are masters of camouflage and it is especially true of the stick and leaf insects.

There are three hides that are situated near the headquarters of the park and your tour would not be complete if you didn’t visit one of them. They are elevated and the are the ideal place for which to view the creatures as they prowl about and utilize salt licks.

No visitor to Taman Negara goes away without be awed and inspired. When you become one with the thick atmosphere that pervades the nighttime jungle you will appreciate not only the beauty, but the necessity of their continued existence as well.