One of my favorite vistas in Thailand is the featured Travel Photo of the Week. Located about 5,000 feet above sea level in Northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai province is Mae Fah Luang Arboretum.

Located in the center of the arboretum, there is a large grassy area surrounded by native trees with wonderful panoramic views of the mountains in nearby Myanmar. The views are absolutely unforgettable, and it is such a wonderful place to just relax, meditate and enjoy nature. Such a spiritual place.

The revered Princess Mother, an ardent conservationist, was responsible for the development of this beautiful arboretum/park. Her objective was to create a refuge for the indigenous trees and plants of the area and to curb the accelerating deforestation in Northern Thailand.

The late Princess Mother who died in 1995 is the mother of the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the “New 7 Wonders of the World”, an annual contest that is held to determine the most beautiful landscapes on this planet. To be honest with you, this poll is more or less a popularity contest as the more glamorous and better known “spots’ - i.e. Grand Canyon, Galapagos Islands, Amazon – dominate the selections.

Sadly, the New 7 Wonders of the World has never featured some of Thailand’s beauty spots. To compensate for this glaring omittance, the Paknam Website has come up with The Seven Wonders of Thailand for Thailand enthusiasts. The Poll is broken down into three categories - Natural, Man-made and Symbols of Thailand.

This new poll struck a resonant chord with me, as I am a veteran traveler of Thailand. I have explored many places off the beaten track in Thailand – where few travelers go - so I was able to place my vote(s) with confidence as a result of my vast travel knowledge

In the Natural Beauty Category, my vote is as follows:

1. Doi Chiang Dao - this rugged mountain rises dramatically above the landscape and the small town of Chiang Dao

2. Doi Tung Arboretum - the views from the grassy area onto the mountains of nearby Myanmar is unforgettable. Such a spiritual place!

3. Sunflower Fields of Mae Hong Son – during the months of November/December every year, the cheerful yellow blossoms of the Mexican sunflowers blanket the mountain slopes as far as the eye can see.

4. Phu Lang Ka – Located in Phayao Province in Northern Thailand, the vistas overlooking the mist covered valley of Phu Lang Ka - framed by a rugged mountain range near the Laos Border - is unforgettable.

Note: The Sunflower Fields, Doi Tung Arboretum and Phu Lang Ka are not choices in this poll.

Man made attractions – My selection here is Sukhothai Historical Park, a sprawling archeological site featuring the ornate architecture from Thailand’s classical period

Symbols of Thailand - Having experienced some of the authentic Floating Markets in Thailand, this would be my #1 choice in this category. Whenever I see images of floating market, I think of Thailand.

If you’ve been to Thailand, you’ll definitely want to go to the Seven Wonders of Thailand and cast your vote. The winners will be announced in November 2009.