Posted on: May 30th in Asia, Destinations, Our Trips, Travel, Travel Top 10s by Becky Padmore.
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One of Asia’s most popular tourist destinations, Thailand’s reputation for hedonism attracts thousands of backpackers and its natural beauty also attracts an increasing amount of holiday-makers. Thailand is a mystical country which leaves a life long impression on anyone who visits. It offers a rich history, smiling locals, some interesting quirks and of course an unforgettable experience. To help you see the best of the country, here is our list of top ten places to visit in Thailand:
1. Bangkok
Bangkok is a restless and chaotic metropolis and an essential part of a trip to Thailand. Although not everyone’s cup of tea, the culture-shock inducing capital has some incredible places of interest that you would be foolish to miss. The impossibly bejewelled Grand Palace should really be visited and if you have time, take a trip to Wat Arun (one of the oldest and best known landmarks in Bangkok) and Wat Po which is home to a huge reclining Buddha. The more adventurous head for the notorious backpacker’s road Khao San, the bazaars and alleyways of Chinatown and the infamous Patpong Night Market, located in the city’s red light district.
2. The Floating Market
The Floating Market- made famous by the James Bond classic “The Man with the Golden Gun” – can be found on the Damneon Saduak Canal. Although now a major tourist attraction, the market is highly photogenic and visitors can get an idea of what trading was like in Thailand before the modernisation of the city. It’s also tonnes of fun. If you want to buy something here you will have to hail down a narrow long boat piled high with produce (which is quite an experience in itself). The region also has plenty of vineyards, orchards and thriving local businesses which are great to view by canal boat on route to the market.
3. Chiang Mai
The spiritual city of Chiang Mai is a much calmer city than Bangkok but still an essential visit on the travellers trail if you want to see the best of Thailand. Dotted with temples, craft shops, great restaurants and plenty of Thai massage and cooking schools, the city has a somehow relaxed and comparatively tranquil atmosphere. Many travellers often mention Chiang Mai as their favourite Thai city and once visited it’s easy to see why the city is so popular. It’s location high in the north mountainous region of Thailand also makes it a perfect base for the popular mountain treks. Organised treks can be arranged very easily here with almost every other shop offering them. The trails from Chiang Mai are although interesting are often a well-worn path and many backpackers now head for the nearby small town Pai. Pai is a gorgeously located traveller’s mecca popular with artists and musicians. It also offers less touristy and more ‘rustic’ treks and visits to hill-tribes.
4. San Kamphaeng Hot Springs
San Kamphaeng is a district located 36km from the northern city Chiang Mai. The area is home to the popular hot springs which are set in a 40 acre beautifully landscaped parkland. They are well known for their restorative properties and people come from miles to visit. The springs come from a deep source, are over 100 degrees centigrade and high in sulfur. Here you can camp, dine, bath in the mineral rich waters or if you fancy – boil some eggs.
5. The East Coast Islands
Koh Samui and Koh Phangan are islands on the east side of Thailand popular with both vacationers and backpackers. The islands are known for their palm tree lined white sandy beaches, clear turquoise waters and laid back attitudes. On Koh Phangan you’ll find plenty of bohemian style bars and cafes and of course the world-famous full moon parties. Nearby, the islands of Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan (pictured above) are much less touristy due to their more isolated locations and are perfect for those looking for peace. These islands also offer world-class snorkelling and diving.
6. Mae Hong Son
Mae Hong Son is the capital of Thailand’s northwestern-most province. Its close proximity to the Burmese boarder gives the city a very different feel to the rest of Thailand. Very quiet and isolated this mountainous city is often shrouded in an atmospheric mist. Visitors come here for the unusual and beautiful natural scenery, the mountain trekking and to see the local hill tribe communities – one of which is the famous Karen long neck tribe. The Thanon Thongchai range between Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand is popular for trekking and here you can also see the Pha Sua waterfall. Handicrafts and artwork from the hill-tribe people can be purchased at the local night market-great for unique souvenirs.
7. Ayutthaya
Only an hours journey from Bangkok, Ayutthaya was an important Siamese kingdom existing from 1351 to 1767. The ancient city is now ruined but the remains of the extraordinary and once towering temples are classed as an UNESCO world heritage site and should not be missed. To make the most of this site, allow a full day and of course don’t forget to pack your camera.
8. Railay
Railay and the surrounding coast of the Krabi province (located in the South of Thailand) is a tropical paradise characterised by towering rugged limestone cliffs, turquoise water and powder white sand. From this area it’s also easy to take a trip to nearby Phang Nga to see the iconic ‘James Bond Rock’. Railay is a beautiful secluded beach – accessible only by boat – which attracts a mixture of in-the-know backpackers, well-heeled tourists and enthusiastic rock climbers. Surrounded by dense vegetation and mountains, the area is also good for trekking. The beach is unique because it’s completely cut off from the daily grind and visitors kick back and often stay a lot longer than originally planned.
9. Koh Phi Phi
The tiny but idyllic west coast island of Koh Phi Phi is seen by many as the ultimate island paradise. Even though it has now fully recovered from the devastating 2009 tsunami, the island has suffered from rapid tourist growth especially since the release of the “The Beach” (starring Leo Dicaprio). Having said that it still manages to retain a relaxed vibe which seems to keep both the backpackers and the vacationers happy. Island highlights include climbing a steep viewpoint to watch the sunset and hiring a long tail boat to snorkel the beautiful surrounding waters.
10. Hin Daeng
Divers should head for Hin Daeng located in the Andaman Sea. Literally meaning the Red Rock, this area is often said to be one of the top diving spots in Thailand – if not the world. Swim among underwater pinnacles, swaying carpets of anemone and colourful coral. It’s also teeming with wildlife including large shoals of fish, round batfish, manta ray, barracuda and the odd whale shark or two.
Animal lovers should include a visit to the gorgeous Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary located in North Thailand. Started by a UK traveller they provide sanctuary to rescued elephants and welcome both guests and volunteers. Here you’ll get a chance to see some of the happiest elephants in Thailand.
Where to stay – popular, unique and reasonably priced hotels in Thailand
- Seven Hotel, Bangkok – Cool and quirky. A perfect antidote to Bangkok’s high rise hotels from $55pn
- Shanghai Mansion Hotel, Bangkok – Gorgeous boutique hotel with Asian interiors from $35pn
- Butterfly Resort, Chiang Mai – Beautiful unique resort in relaxing location from $55pn
- Chayayon Boutique Lodge, Chiang Mai – Budget boutique hotel in North Thai design from $12pn
- Buddy Oriental Hotel, Koh Samui - Elegant, old school colonial luxury from $30 per night.
- Milky Bay Resort, Koh Phangan – Great value beachfront resort with funky villas from $19pn
- B52 Beach Resort, Koh Phangan – Popular beach bungalows in centre of party scene from $23pn
- Railay Viewpoint Resort, Krabi - A budget colonial style resort with garden bungalows from $20pn
- Sunrise Tropical Resort, Krabi - Thai style villas only short walk to Railay Beach from $35pn
- Phi Phi Natural Resort – A lower priced rustic beach bungalow resort on the Koh Phi Phi from $30pn
- Phi Phi Villa Resort – Mid-priced beach side villas with private beach on Koh Phi Phi from $45pn
- Manathai Resort, Phuket – An eclectic modern boutique hotel located on Surin beach from $40pn
- The Boomerang Village Cottages, Phuket – Very popular villas with high standards from $45pn
Useful Travel Resources
- Affordable Thailand Travel Packages - Affordable Asia offer great value holidays, vacation packages, and custom tours to Thailand. More information on Affordable Asia – Best Quality Vacations
- Tailored Thailand Tours – Exotissimo are the longest established inbound tour agents in Asia. They offer individually tailored Thailand Tours to suit your requirements. More information on Tailored Thailand Tours by Exotissimo Travel – In Asia since 1993.
- Flights - Skyscanner is an invaluable tool for the independent traveller. It searches over 600 airlines and 670000 routes to find the cheapest deals on flights and then you can book direct with no fees added. Compare all cheap flights with Skyscanner
- Apartment rentals – Renting apartments can save up to 40% on a trip compared to staying in a hotel. HomeAway.com has one of the largest collection of short term rentals properties all over the world. Find Worldwide Rental Properties
- Tours and Activities - Isango! is the leading provider of sightseeing trips, wine tours, destination experiences, historic tours, romantic activities, theme park visits, cooking classes, bike tours, diving expeditions, hop-on -and-off bus tours, off-the-beaten-track trips and guided historical attractions. More information on Isango
- House Swapping – An increasingly popular form of budget travelling is house swapping. Home Exchange has over 42,000 properties (in 147 countries) on their books and membership allows unlimited exchanges, with no additional per-exchange charges. Check 40,000+ Worldwide Listings. Local-weekend-international swaps
- Adventure Vacations - G Adventures is the largest small group adventure travel company in the world and offer adventurous trips to many countries including Thailand. More information on G Adventures
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- Deals on Travel Packages – LivingSocial is a daily deal website which offers a variety of savings on travel, to save 50-70% off with LivingSocial’s Daily Deals!
- Car Rental – Budget rent a car offers good value car hire in over 3,400 locations in over 128 countries including Thailand. More information on Budget Rent-a-Car
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Can’t get enough of Thailand? We also have Where to Stay in Bangkok - 15 hotels in the best locations and 15 of the most beautiful islands in Thailand.
Top Ten Places to visit in Thailand was co-written by Kelly Nolan and Becky Padmore.
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We are Becky and Gray the UK-based husband and wife team behind GlobalGrasshopper - a global magazine and resource for independent travellers. We aim to inspire others to travel with photography, offbeat guides, articles on undiscovered destinations and where to find the world's beautiful places. Why not subscribe to our news feed and join us on our journey? 
15 May, 2013
A great read! You’ve really inspired me to visit!
15 May, 2013
Nice Article. Last month i was in Bangkok with my family. Bangkok is really very nice city to visit. I saw there Temple of the Golden Buddha (Wat Traimit), Chao Phraya River, The Golden Mount (Wat Saket), Wat Ratchanatdaram Woravihara (Loha Prasat), Lumpini Park and almost all places of this city. I will go there again this year. It was my best enjoyable and memorable trip.
5 June, 2013
Hi. We are planning a trip to Cambodia and Thailand. We have 3 weeks. Any advice on how to divide up the trip? We fly in and out of Bangkok. Thanks.
5 June, 2013
Hi Yvette, we will email you with some ideas!
9 May, 2013
sad to say I’ve only been to about half of these. so far
Justin @ True Nomads recently posted..100 Places to See Before You Die
18 April, 2013
Nice list! I am planning a trip to Thailand and needed some info like this!
1 January, 2013
Really awesome places,i like koh phi phi but phuket also!
19 December, 2012
Thanks & Nice Places
5 December, 2012
Great post. I really enjoyed it.
http://mastitravels.com/
21 September, 2012
I am visiting thailand in Feb 2013. It would be a Honeymoon travel and we will be staying for 5-6 days. Can someone suggest me which places I should visit. I would prefer some calm and beautiful beaches(like pic 5) rather than city life.
21 September, 2012
Hi Indra,
Thanks for your comment, we have another article on our favorite Thai islands: http://www.globalgrasshopper.com/travel/15-beautiful-islands-thailand/
If you’re looking for somewhere calm then the islands are your best best but Krabi and Railay beach are also incredible places to visit.
12 July, 2012
Im going to bangkok and am definitely interested in all listed.but time is of the essence,which are the closet areas to the capital which owners most impressive
12 July, 2012
Hi Bangkok is one of our favourite cities if you wondering where to stay here is a list of our favourite Bangkok hotels in the capital: http://www.globalgrasshopper.com/travel/where-to-stay-in-bangkok/
25 June, 2012
pattaya also a good place to visit from notorious night entertainment to beautiful garden by day time..koh samui island beach koh hong and phi phi island is one of the best recommended to visit diving and snorkeling are once in a life time experience….
18 June, 2012
need more info on fun places
26 May, 2012
Great list! Chiang Mai sounds like one of the perfect places to go since it’s a calm place and there is a lot for visitors to see. I will definitely consider these places when planning a trip to Thailand.
Josh @ Green Global Travel recently posted..THE PERUVIAN AMAZON- Day 6 Photo Gallery
9 April, 2012
Very useful information. Thank you.
22 March, 2012
thanks for the selected places to visit in Thailand, i am currently in the process of collecting information for my upcoming trip to Thailand. The article helped me to sellect the some places of interest in Thailand for my trip. Cheers.
22 March, 2012
Great Thailand information! Cheers!
kaiyum recently posted..Tarim Petroleum Hotel
9 March, 2012
Thanks for the article. Where to Travel? Here you can find some good recommendations about one of the world’s best places to visit by National Geographic Mag. Top Ten Places To Travel
7 February, 2012
Try Kanchanaburi as an alternative, you could spend between 2 – 3 days there. See the Death Railway, bridge over the river kwai, war museum and the war cemetery, it’s a very touching place. The war cemetery is kept in absolutely immaculate condition, it really does bring a tear to your eyes.
Bodlagz recently posted..Been in Thailand too Long Timeline
22 January, 2012
Where was the Number 5 photo taken????
22 January, 2012
Hi Tiffany, it’s Koh Nang Yuan which is a very small East Coast island 15 minutes from Koh Tao. To get there you can hire a long boat taxi from Koh Tao which will cost around 100 baht one way.
22 January, 2012
Thanks Graham! Is there a certain hotel you have to stay at to go there?
Is this still here in 2012?
Heading there for my honeymoon in 4 weeks and still planning on where to go.
22 January, 2012
Hey congratulations! Try the Nang Yuan Diving Resort for accommodation on the island.
8 June, 2012
bro,
can u advise me places in thailand to hang out….i m 30 years old guy and going there alone…i m fond of night life, beaches, shopping etc……
mimranskt@gmail.com
21 January, 2012
I’m planning to go to Thailand with my Family on a holiday. Your article really helps a lot. The Kids are so excited. Thank You.
28 January, 2012
Hope you will be very happy in Thailand, it’s a beautiful place!
27 November, 2011
I’ve visited Bangkok last September and really I didn’t enjoy it ‘coz I never see the places I love to see esp. the floating market. I hope next month I can visit the top spots there. Now, I need to make a list for our trip..
11 November, 2011
Thanks for the article. Where to Travel? Here you can find some good recommendations about the world’s best places to visit. Our list includes the most popular places in the world. Whatever your tastes, the world is filled with unmissable things to see and do. Find a place to visit, and take off on your next adventure! Let’s see where you would travel. Best Places To Visit In The World Best Places to Travel in Australia
David recently posted..Best Cities to Visit in Europe
3 November, 2011
Do you have top 10 tourist attraction in northern of Thailand?
4 November, 2011
Hi Kewell we don’t have a specific northern Thailand list i’m afraid. Although if you are visiting the North then of course visit Chiang Mai and also add in Pai, the Hot Springs, Mae Hong Son and Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries. Trekking is very popular in the North too and this can be arranged easily from the main cities and towns.
25 October, 2011
Wait, Phuket isn’t on the list?
14 September, 2011
everybody should visit Kashmir in India at least once in a lifetime such a lovely place….
28 September, 2012
could you maybe post some pics in a comment so i can see what you mean by “such a lovely place….”?
29 August, 2011
Me and my friend would like to visit Thailand soon…. planning a kind of reunion in Thailand!!!! we are thinking of availing yatra.com packages as my experience with yatra.com has always been great.
29 March, 2012
it is better to go without packeage.always good to search places.u can stay thr in village.thailand is so much cheap u hv to serach,so it is more nice places thr other tahn pattaya or phuket
19 August, 2011
Really enjoyed reading this article, and the images are great. Also helpful for the suggestions of places to visit; I think I’m going to need to extend my trip!
18 August, 2011
This is one of the most beautiful place. You should definitely see…..Great site…… thanks for sharing…..
29 July, 2011
Excellent information about places to visit. Really good information for any traveler.
18 July, 2011
Well…i quite liked this article. First of all this is a very beautiful place to see, i can definitely say you would enjoy to the fullest. Well,It requires a lot of planning to keep your tour memorable. In addition to this hotel bookings, sight seeings, other related factors also need importance. for this matter you need to contact a reliable travel portal. Here, the best option for you is to consult some travel agents or you can log on to sites like Yatra.com, they will provide you with all the details regarding the flight timings, fares and schedule. I found that now a days they are providing heavy discount and other exciting offers on international tickets.
25 January, 2012
There’s a lot of beautiful places in Thailand, wow!
14 July, 2011
such a lovely view of places in thailand….i would like to visit all those places in my life time..
20 June, 2011
great list Thailand is really awesome.
15 May, 2011
Thanks for the blog.
since i was planning my first visit to BKK. so i wasnt really sure where all to visit. and since its will be a short trip, this really halped me to finalize on the places i can visit. Thanks for sharing once again.
15 April, 2011
Me and my friend would like to visit Thailand soon…. we use to work in England together, and we are thinking of doing some kind of an one year reunion in Thailand!!!!
16 December, 2010
Thanks for sharing this blog.
This is really a nice one containing good amount of information.
Thanks again.
28 March, 2011
Hey thanks for all your comments!
20 October, 2010
Hi
Nice Pictures Collection. Thanks for sharing this nice information. Thailand is a cool place in every season. The island has pleasantly natural beauty and ideal climate. I like this place and definitely we will be visit there again soon.
Thanks
13 October, 2010
Hiya,
Going to Thailand with my sister in September, and i was just wondering do you have to have a qualification to do the kayaking?
thanks!
26 July, 2010
Enjoyed reading your list, i’d definitely recommend Ko Maak or Ko Kood as Islands to visit that are yet to be engulfed by tourism.
4 July, 2010
Thanks for this list. I’m hoping to make it to Thailand soon after I leave New Zealand – will be filing this one away for later.
5 July, 2010
Hey thanks Matt glad to be of use! Enjoy your trip
11 June, 2010
Thailand has huge variety picturesque sites. Ko Samui is one of my favorite places in Thailand. It is a cool place in every season. The island has pleasantly natural beauty and ideal climate. We really love this place and definitely we will be visit there again soon.
Best Regards,
30 May, 2010
Beautiful list and pictures!
As for #6, YES – do go to Mae Hong Son, its a great place, but visiting the Karen Longneck Tribe was one of the biggest ripoffs I have found in Thailand. You pay a large entrance fee to basically walk through their village which is one big market full of hassle. The tribe doesn’t even get the entrance fee, they are being exploited.
31 May, 2010
Hey Greg thanks for the comment. I felt exactly the same when I went there ten years ago, I thought it had the feel of a human zoo and I was embarrassed to be there. I did love Mae Hong Son though I thought it was a really interesting place.
29 June, 2010
I felt the same way when I went to Koh Phi Phi. So many tourists, all bundled up and shipped over there for an hour to look around and take pictures, buy lots of touristy crap, then be shipped back to the larger islands.
I can see why so many people choose the road less travelled.