Siam Niramit, Thailand

If you want to see people fly, elephants on the stage, a flowing river simulated to perfection, be amongst the gods, see what heaven and hell are all about.… Get a glimpse of Thai culture, heritage and history all this in a THEATRE!!! Welcome to the Siam Niramit Show.... the much talked about show in Thailand. This is Theater at its best. This 80 minute show is sure to fascinate the audience as they make a memorable journey into the heart of Thai culture.

This show is managed by the Thailand Cultural Center in Bangkok and Phuket.

This stage show features live performances by over 100 artists which depicts the history, arts and culture of Thais in a magnificent way in a closed auditorium. The bright colors, mesmerizing sounds, breath taking performances by artists, the transitions in the show, special effects and the use of technology can only leave you speechless. This show has been listed in the Guinness book of world records for its gigantic stage setup and performance.

Siam Niramit is not only about the stage show. There is much more....You can feed the elephants and have a joy ride on them. There are other small shows performed by artists in open air, before the main show starts, just to keep the guests entertained and click pictures with the artists dressed in their stage characters (Thai mythological characters). You will also get to see a group of musicians performing with Thai traditional instruments. Outside the theater, there is a heritage village depicting life style of Thai people from 4 regions of Thailand. Here you can see the traditional way of pounding rice, weaving, Thai style sericulture (rearing of silk worms) and many more aspects. Siam Niramit also has traditional Thai massage parlour and souvenir shop.

The restaurant in Siam Niramit offers a wide spread buffet to all its audiences. The audiences have to buy tickets in advance to participate in the spread. The spread includes almost all cuisines from Indian and Thai to Western food. The restaurant is open from 5.30 p.m. until 7.45p.m.

Getting there:

There are 2 ways to get to Siam Niramit in Bangkok. One would be to hire a taxi and if you want to escape all the traffic, you could take MRT to Thailand Cultural Centre station. Siam Niramit provides shuttle bus service from this station from 6.00p.m.everyday.

Address:  Niramit Co. Ltd., 19, Tiamruammit Road, Bangkok 10320, THAILAND.

Ph no: +6626499222

In Phuket you could hire a taxi.

Address: Siam Niramit (Phuket), 55/81 Moo 5, Rassada, Muang, Phuket 83000, THAILAND.

Ph no: +6676335000

Timings:

The  duration of the show is 80 mins and starts at 8.00p.m. everyday. However, the gates open at 5.30 p.m.

Prices:

Golden seat and food: 2350THB per person.

(Golden seats are in the centre of the auditorium and provides better view)

Golden seat ( only show): 2000THB

Standard seat and food: 1850THB

Standard seat ( only show): 1500THB

It is better to book the tickets in advance esp. on weekends and public holidays.

There is no better way, than Siam niramit show, of knowing about the history and culture of Thailand. If you are returning from Thailand without watching this then you have surely missed something spectacular.

THERE ARE NO PICTURES OF THE SHOW AS PHOTOGRAPHY IS PROHIBITED INSIDE THE AUDITORIUM.

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Tiger Temple, Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Have you ever stood next to a tiger, walked with it or put him on your lap??? If the answer is no, here is a place in Thailand where you can do it all...

Tiger temple known as Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampango in Thai is in Kanchanaburi province in Thailand. It was started as a wild life conservation by the current head monk Abbot phra acharn phoosit(chan) kanthitharo in 1994 by the order of his teacher Luangta Bua Yannasampango. Tiger temple started with an injured fowl given to the monk by the villagers which was nursed by him. It was then followed by various other animals which included tiger cubs. Now this temple is a home for various animals, the main attraction being the big cats.

 

Getting there: To get to the tiger temple you can either hire a taxi from Bangkok or even take a bus from southern bus terminal in Bangkok. Tiger temple is located at about 250 Kms from Bangkok and it would take around 2 and a half to 3 hours to get there.

From Kanchanaburi you can take a bus from Saiyok and tell them to drop you on the main road near the tiger temple. However, it is about 1.5 kms from the main road to the temple and it could be a difficult to walk here because of the humid weather. Other way to get here is to take a motor bike taxi from Kanchanaburi till the temple. It takes 45 mins from Kanchanaburi to tiger temple.

Timings:

The tiger temple opens at 12 p.m everyday until 4.30 p.m. The ticket counter closes at 3.15 p.m. The ticket costs 600 THB per person.

Meeting the tigers:

The long wait of meeting the tigers, as we wait near the entrance, finally gets over at 12 p.m when the volunteers get the big cats for a walk. It is such a great sight to see the majestic walk of these animals. We are then allowed to walk to the tiger canyon where we are allowed to take snaps with the tigers. However, before the photo session starts there are a list of instructions given by the volunteers which are to be followed for our own safety.

After the photo session visitors are allowed to walk with the tiger and the photos are taken by the volunteers in our cameras. And once all the tigers are taken to the next place, we are again allowed to pictures with them. There are other programs here for which we can pay and participate. Taking a family picture with the oldest tiger costs 1000THB/ per family and one family member can take the tiger on the lap. Having the tiger on the lap is one of the best and most thrilling things I have experienced. It is truly worth the bucks.

Other programs include feeding the cub for 45 minutes and morning program where visitors can have a sneak peak into the everyday activities of these tigers and they also get to have breakfast with the monks. The morning program is from 7.30 a.m to 11 a.m.
For more information on this you can contact 034-531-557

Dress code:

Wearing any bright colors such as reds and pinks is not permitted as the animals here are not tamed and most of them are left free.

Any kind of flowing dresses such as skirts or scarves and fabrics which produce sound such as rain jackets are not permitted.

Strong smelling perfumes are not permitted.

Dress code for ladies:

As this is a Buddhist monastery, ladies are expected to dress appropriately. Ladies are required to have their shoulders and legs covered. Any kind of short and revealing dresses are not allowed in the temple.

Tiger temple from before has had visitors with mixed feelings. While some cherish the memories of this place, few others don't feel the same. There have also been rumors about these tigers being drugged. However, when we spoke to one of the volunteers here, we were quite convinced with the answers he gave as to why these tigers remained so calm even with so many people around.

I have visited tiger temple twice in one year and it has truly been one of the most memorable trips till date.

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Hua Hin, Thailand

Looking for a weekend getaway near Bangkok? If yes, then Hua Hin would be a great place to visit. The lovely beaches, white sand, some water sports and lots of shopping…what could be more relaxing and wonderful for a perfect weekend.

Hua Hin is located at about 200 Kms from Bangkok. We can get there by bus or train or can even drive from Bangkok which would take around 2 hours. Accommodation in Hua Hin varies from pocket friendly lodges to posh and expensive resorts and hotels. The resorts along the beach have beautiful sea view rooms, candle lit dinner by the beach side and beach bars.

Love shopping? Hua Hin is a perfect place for shopaholics like me. The night market opens at around 6 in the evening and goes on till midnight. Clothes, artificial jewelry, food, souvenirs and many more, you can find it all here.

Sea food lovers can have a feast at the night market in Hua Hin. If you dare to have some food at the street vendors you could be sure of trying some authentic Thai style sea food.

Hua Hin has couple of floating markets where people sell and buy things on boats. It is fun to shop on water and there are many such markets in Thailand.

Other places to visit near Hua Hin:  Vineyard which is about 35 kms from Hua Hin would be a great place to visit and try a glass of grape juice or wine. The palace and pa-la-u waterfalls would be the other places of tourist attraction.

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