Thailand: The perfect place to trop out after Mardi Gras

THE Mardi Gras festival is an exhilarating time to be in Sydney, but let’s face it: a month of constant parties, shows and films can be exhausting.

Festival goers are now catching onto the trend of the post-Mardi Gras recovery holiday and are flocking to Thailand for some much needed rest and relaxation.

Thailand is a hot destination because of the variety it has to offer — vistors can indulge in fine dining and amazing shopping in Bangkok or unwind in a decadent paradise location like Koh Samui.

In the northern city of Chiang Mai — only an hour flight from Bangkok — visitors can step back in time in the historic city, or visit temples and lush tribal villages.

However, one of the hottest events for gay travellers is in Phuket at the TropOut festival, which takes place in early April.

The week-long festival is exclusive for gay travellers from all corners of the globe and some of the best resorts and beach clubs have been reserved for TropOut partygoers, including the new Cassia Phuket resort and the luxurious five star Angsana Laguna Phuket. Both resorts are within close distance and Phuket’s Bang Tao Beach.

By day, chill on a sun-lounger or you can explore the unique Thai culture but as the sun sets the TropOut parties kick into gear with the opening night headlined by chart-topping DJ Robin Schulz.

Many festival goers look forward to SplashOut, a stylish and crazy pool party that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

If a week-long party with hundreds of gay tourists is not to your taste, Phuket is a popular island with plenty of resorts to choose from while Thailand in general has hundreds of tourism destination options.

The lesser-known beachside town of Pattaya is the closest seaside destination to Bangkok and features the exclusive Dongtan Gay Beach.

Outside of the gay districts in Boyz Town and Sunee Plaza, other attractions include the Pattaya floating market and Nong Nooch Gardens.

Meanwhile, the limestone along the beach in Krabi have been hundreds of years in the making and ready to be snapped for your gorgeous holiday photo album.

Described as one of Thailand’s most idyllic beach destinations, Krabi has an array of crystal clear swimming spots and unlimited number of outdoor activities to try.

Snorkelling or diving are also a must when visiting Krabi, but tourists can also choose to kayak or hike and of course can choose to do nothing at all by the beach.

If you are more of a city slicker or would like to experience one of the most vibrant capitals in the world, then visiting Bangkok is an absolute must on your itinerary.

Also known as the City of Angels, Bangkok is a bustling, exciting city with a remarkably modern edge.

Cruise along the Chao Phraya River which flows through the city and buy food and flowers off the long wooden boats floating on the river.

Getting around the city is easy with the modern SkyTrain but it is a tradition to catch at least one TukTuk in your visit to Thailand.

Whether you’re after a metropolitan city experience or a relaxing holiday in paradise, Thailand is your best choice.

TropOut is on April 3-9. For further details, including package deals, visit www.tropout.com

For details on Thailand, visit www.thailand.net.au