Description: This magnificent new natural history study explores the ever-changing aspects of Thailand's wilderness areas and many lovely national parks. Over 400 superb full-color photographs illustrate both the big vistas and the small vignettes, and there are always surprises. The picturesque jumble of mountains and valleys in the north is very different from the flat-topped mountains of the northeast, where visitors are rewarded with wonderful views across rhododendron shrublands. Those who penetrate the forests of the south and west will hear, but may not see, gibbons duetting from the treetops at dawn. Others may eschew the land to explore the multicolored treasures beneath the sea. Such immensely varied habitats harbor a remarkably diverse flora and fauna, even by Asian standards. There are thousands of flowering plants, many of them orchids; mammals come in all sizes, from the elephant to a bat scarcely larger than a bumblebee; there are also over 900 species of birds and a teeming multitude of colorful insects. Today, this magical country is no longer an exotic backwater for intrepid trekkers, but a mainstream international tourist destination. This change in status, together with the major industrial and commercial developments that have made Thailand one of the most progressive countries in Asia, has had a profound impact on both the environment and a traditional way of life.

Please Wait