Bangkok (Capital of Thailand)

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is a fascinating city offering a lot of exciting and interesting things to see and do. It is a tourist paradise with great historic and cultural sights and fantastic architecture, art galleries and museums. The Grand Palace, the ornate royal palace complex in the city centre, is one of the most famous landmarks in town housing several magnificent buildings including Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of Emerald Buddha, which is recognised as the most sacred Buddhist temple in the country. To the south of the Grand Palace is Wat Pho or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha with its reclining Buddha statue, and on the opposite shore, Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn with its steep steps and spire in Khmer-style are also two of the well-known charms in Bangkok. The shopping scene in the city is really amazing. Its Chatuchak Weekend Market or the JJ Market is considered to be the largest market in Thailand with over 15,000 stalls. Nightlife in Bangkok is full of fun with so many nightclubs, bars, live music and stimulating shows on offer.

Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand)

Chiang Mai, the capital of Chiang Mai Province, is a large city in northern Thailand. Its spectacular mountainous landscape makes it one of the most beautiful cities of the country to tour. The city is home to hundreds of wonderful ancient Buddhist temples, including Wat Chedi Luang, the temple with a 15th-century ruined chedi and Wat Phra Singh or the Gold Temple with gold and copper Buddhas dating back to the 14th-century. Doi Inthanon, the highest peak in Thailand, provides opportunities to meet ethnic mountain tribes and see a number of stunning temples, gardens and waterfalls. Compared to Bangkok, the nightlife in Chiang Mai is a little less exciting. However, there are some bars around the city, where you can unwind yourself and there is the Chiang Mai Night Safari in the sub-district of Mae Hia, which you can visit to encounter numerous animal species and enjoy tram safari rides.

Phuket

Phuket, a glorious island in the Andaman Sea, is regarded as the largest island in Thailand covering an area of approximately 543 square kilometres. It is one of the top tourist destinations with some of the most attractive beaches in the country. Commonly, people at their first visit tend to head to Patong, the most famous beach resort town on the west coast of the island, for its nightlife scene which features numerous nightclubs, bars and more; and its beautiful sandy beach which is filled with bars, cafes and restaurants. With soft sand and clear blue waters, Freedom Beach and Karon Beach are probably the best beaches for travellers with families as they are peaceful and quieter than the other beaches on Phuket island. Phuket FantaSea provides the ultimate nighttime entertainment with a variety of cultural shows and activities. Wat Chalong and the Big Buddha are also among the most famous cultural sites of the island to check out.

Ayutthaya

Around 80 kilometres north of the capital, the ancient city of Ayutthaya in Thailand is a favourite destination for lovers of history. It is full of ancient ruins which are mostly from Siam’s golden age since it was the capital of the Kingdom of Siam. The Ayutthaya Historical Park is a well-recognised archaeological site in the city that holds historic palaces, temples, sculptures and monasteries. Among the city’s outstanding Buddhist temples, Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is perhaps the most famous with high stupas and a huge reclining statue of Buddha. Other impressive temples in Ayuthaya include Wat Mahathat with colourful shrines and the legendary Buddha head enclosed by tree roots and Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, which once was the most important and beautiful temple in the Ayutthaya Kingdom, now contains ruins and a few restored towers.

Krabi

Krabi is a scenic town in the province of the same name on the west coast of southern Thailand. It is one of Thailand’s most attractive areas featuring over a hundred stunning offshore islands, wonderful white-sand beaches, outstanding limestone cliffs and dense mangrove forests. Phi Phi Islands with white sandy beaches and turquoise waters are counted as some of the most fascinating islands of Thailand. The beauty of these islands caught the attention of the filmmakers and therefore, movies were made on these locations. For example, Maya Bay, which is one of its most gorgeous bays, is featured in the movie called “The Beach”. Ko Lanta, an island district in Krabi with pristine beaches, rainforests, mangroves and limestone outcrops, is an excellent place for scuba diving. Railay Beach, which is located between the city of Krabi and Ao Nang, is a very popular site for rock climbing and diving. To be noted, this large peninsula with high limestone cliffs can only be reached by boat, not by any other transports.

Mae Hong Son

Mae Hong Son, the capital of Mae Hong Son Province, is a peaceful town in northern Thailand, sharing a border with Myanmar. Tourists often come here for its natural beauty, adventures and serene environment. The city is ethnically diverse and has a number of hill tribe villages as attractions, where such hill tribes as the Shan and Hmong inhabit. It is also home to numerous caves, waterfalls and hot springs sources. Pai, which is situated approximately 111 kilometres from Mae Hong Son, is a very peaceful little town famed for its canyons, waterfalls like Mo Paeng Waterfall and hot springs such as the Tha Pai Hot Spring. Thung Dok Bua Tong in Amphoe Khun Yuam, nearly 80 kilometres away from Mae Hong Son, is an amazing site to visit during the month of November when the fields of wild sunflowers bloom and cover the hills.

Koh Pha-ngan

Koh Phangan is a spectacular island, full of natural beauty and entertainment, in the southeast of Thailand. It is known worldwide for its Full Moon Party and other celebrations. Every month on the full moon, tourists in big numbers gather at this island to attend the parties, most of which last the full night. Haad Rin is the place with the most crowd as this is where Full Moon Parties take place. If you are looking for a break from these parties, you can consider visiting Hat Khuat or Hat Thian which are comparatively more peaceful than other beaches in the area. Also, you can stop by Than Sadet National Park, the national park that is renowned for its sensational waterfall and tranquil beach. Ko Pha Ngan’s night market is a great station to have your tummy full with delicious local food if you are hungry. To be mentioned, there are several cooking institutes around the region that offer to master the art of cooking.

Kanchanaburi

Kanchanaburi is a perfect town in western Thailand for tourists of all kinds with its attractions ranging from historic to natural. The Death Railway, also known as the Burma Railway, is probably the most popular historic site which crosses over the River Khwae Yai via the Death Railway Bridge, a famed railroad bridge built by prisoners of war in WWII. Nearby, the JEATH War Museum, housing war items, was built in honour of the prisoners who perished constructing the bridge. There is another notable museum in a town called the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre, which as its name suggests, showcases the history of the Thailand-Burma Railway. Erawan National Park is a major natural highlight of the town with stunning waterfalls like Erawan Falls, which features 7 tiers, and a number of scenic caves including Phartat Cave, Ta Duang Cave, and Limestone Wang Bah Dan Cave. Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall is less known and therefore, not crowded by tourists, but is highly recommended to visit.

Sukhothai

The historic city of Sukhothai is located in the north of Thailand containing a huge number of ancient ruins of temples and monuments. The term ‘Sukhothai’ means ‘Dawn of Happiness’ and indeed, happiness, peace and prosperity prevailed in the city when it served as the capital of Siam, the former name of Thailand. It is considered to be the birthplace of Thai art, architecture, culture and language. Sukhothai, along with a few ancient towns such as Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet, is a designated World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Most of the significant classic ruins the city has can be found inside the famous Sukhothai Historical Park and the nearby Si Satchanalai Historical Park. Specifically, Sukhothai Historical Park houses the historical remains of antique royal palaces, temples and so on, dating from the 13th to the 14th-century.

Koh Samui

Ko Samui, the second-largest island in the Gulf of Thailand, is a favourite destination for travellers both with families and without. It is renowned for its lovely palm-fringed beaches such as Chaweng Beach, Lamai Beach, Maenam Beach and so on. Most of these beaches are very quiet and therefore, provide a peaceful environment to enjoy or appreciate the excellent natural scenes. Nearby these beaches, there are plenty of bars and restaurants where you can eat and drink or you can visit Fisherman’s Village Bophut, a historic shopping site and eating complex in Bophut, with trendy boutique stores to shop and popular restaurants to eat from. There you will also find and can, of course, try some tasty local street food. Other highlights of the island include Wat Plai Laem, a colourful temple complex with a lake and an iconic statue of the goddess Guanyin, and Wat Phra Yai or “Big Buddha Temple”, a large Buddhist temple with a giant 18-metre tall Buddha statue.

Nakhon Ratchasima

Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Khorat, is a large city in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. Due to its richness in culture and outstanding natural sights, it is one of the country’s most popular traveller destinations. An easy reach from the capital, it is the chief commercial and governmental hub of the Nakhon Ratchasima Province. If you ever choose this city to tour, instead of deciding to visit this city only, consider exploring the whole province that will be worth your experience. One of the topmost attractions of the province is Khao Yai National Park, a UNESCO-listed site with long hiking and biking trails, awesome wildlife views, and multiple spectacular waterfalls, including Haew Narok and Haew Suwat. In the southern part of the province, Wang Nam Khiao District is known for its breathtaking natural views, rolling mountains, lush gardens and great quality of air. Wat Ban Rai or ‘the Elephant Temple’ in Nakhon Ratchasima Province is regarded as one of Thailand’s most charming modern temples with fascinating artworks. Though it is a bit challenging to reach there, the journey is always worth it.

Pattaya City

Pattaya, a city on the eastern Gulf coast in Thailand, is infamous for its nightlife scenes. It is often called the ‘City of Sin’ because of its adult-orientated areas, especially, Walking Street, and loads of bars and clubs. However, there are plenty of other things to do and see in Pattaya, besides the nightlife. The city has many beaches including Pattaya Beach and Jomtien Beach which offer water sports, beachside hotels and restaurants. These beaches may not be as glamorous as the other beaches in Thailand, but they are fine enough to allure you to spend a few days there. The Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya is a unique all-wood structure, carved entirely from quality wood such as Mai Daeng and Teakwood. Mini Siam is another exceptional attraction in the city that features miniature replicas of famous Thai and international landmarks. Nature lovers can visit the vast Nong Nooch Tropical Garden with themed landscapes, while the fun lovers can hit Ramayana Water Park with high-speed water slides and wave pools, and Art in Paradise with interactive 3-D arts.