India, Nov. 4 -- For Indian travellers, including myself, Thailand isn't just a short flight away; it's that sweet spot between chaos and calm, colour and comfort. The kind of place where your body unwinds before your luggage even arrives on the belt. Within hours, I'm floating over mirror-clear springs, wandering through vineyards and temples, and watching city nights shimmer brighter than Diwali lights.

By late afternoon, one must head to Khao Yai and witness hills blushing under the sinking sun, the kind of pink-gold light that makes everyone a photographer. From the Flamingo Viewpoint, you can see miles of forest melt into shadow. But it's after dark that the real adventure begins. On a guided night safari, the headlights slice throu...