Discover
Thailand
The land of smiles offering golden temples, pristine beaches, and unforgettable cuisine.
Top Destinations
Explore our curated selection of landmarks and cities you must visit.
Grand Palace
The official residence of the Kings of Thailand since 1782, a dazzling complex of halls, pavilions, and temples covering 218,000 square metres in the heart of Bangkok. The complex includes Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), home to the most revered Buddhist image in Thailand.
Best Time
November to February. Bangkok's cool season offers temperatures below 30°C. The palace is extremely crowded on weekends.
Insider Tip
Arrive at the gate when...
Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha)
The oldest and largest Buddhist temple complex in Bangkok, established in the 16th century and expanded by King Rama I in 1788. Famous worldwide for its colossal Reclining Buddha: a gilded statue 46 metres long and 15 metres high, with feet inlaid with 108 mother-of-pearl panels depicting auspicious lakshanas.
Best Time
November to February. The temple grounds have shaded walkways, making it more pleasant than open-air sites in the summer heat.
Insider Tip
Book a 30-minute traditional Thai...
Phi Phi Islands
An archipelago of six islands in the Andaman Sea between Phuket and Krabi, famous for their dramatic limestone karst scenery, emerald-green lagoons, and white-sand beaches. Ko Phi Phi Leh, the uninhabited island, was the filming location for 'The Beach' (2000) starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Best Time
November to April (Andaman Sea dry season). Maya Bay is seasonally closed from June to September to allow reef regeneration.
Insider Tip
Take an early-morning snorkelling tour...
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
A sacred Buddhist temple perched at 1,073 metres on Doi Suthep mountain overlooking Chiang Mai, accessible via a dramatic 306-step Naga staircase flanked by colourful serpent balustrades. Founded in 1383, the temple enshrines a relic of the Lord Buddha in its golden chedi (stupa).
Best Time
November to February. Chiang Mai is 300 metres above sea level and noticeably cooler than Bangkok. The mountain road is shrouded in mist in early mornings.
Insider Tip
Rent a red songthaew (shared...
Ayutthaya Historical Park
The ruins of the former capital of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya (1350–1767), once one of the largest cities in the world with a population of one million. The UNESCO World Heritage Site contains the ruins of spectacular temples, palaces, and statues spread across a 289-hectare island surrounded by three rivers.
Best Time
November to February. October floods can inundate parts of the island; the dry season is essential for comfortable exploration by bicycle.
Insider Tip
Rent a bicycle (50–100 THB/day)...
Railay Beach
A stunning peninsula on the Krabi coast accessible only by longtail boat due to sheer 100–200 metre limestone karst cliffs cutting it off from the mainland. The peninsula contains four distinct beaches: Railay West (the main sunset beach), Railay East (mangroves), Phra Nang Cave Beach (the most beautiful), and Ton Sai (rock climbers' paradise).
Best Time
November to April (Andaman dry season). During monsoon season (May–October), the longtail boat trips can be rough.
Insider Tip
Hike the steep jungle trail...
Khao Sok National Park
One of the oldest rainforests in the world at 160 million years old — older than the Amazon — covering 739 square kilometres of lush jungle, dramatic limestone karsts, and the 165-square-kilometre Cheow Lan Lake, a reservoir studded with towering forested islands.
Best Time
December to April (dry season). The lake is accessible year-round, but the jungle trail hiking is best in the dry months.
Insider Tip
Book a two-night stay in...
Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)
An 18th-century Ayutthaya-style Buddhist temple on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, famous for its 82-metre central Khmer-style prang (tower) covered in millions of fragments of Chinese porcelain and coloured glass — the result of donations of broken crockery by Bangkok residents.
Best Time
November to February. The temple faces east, making it most dramatically lit at sunrise (hence 'Temple of Dawn').
Insider Tip
Visit at sunset from the...
James Bond Island
Khao Phing Kan and the accompanying limestone stack Ko Tapu (nicknamed 'James Bond Island' after the 1974 film 'The Man with the Golden Gun'), situated within the Ao Phang Nga National Park. The bay contains 42 islands with over 100 vertical limestone stacks rising from the sea.
Best Time
November to April. The bay is sheltered from both monsoons and is relatively calm year-round.
Insider Tip
Avoid the crowded speedboat tours...
Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)
A privately owned and unconventional Buddhist temple designed by Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, begun in 1997 and still under construction. The entire structure is dazzlingly white with embedded mirror mosaic, intended to represent the purity of the Buddha.
Best Time
November to February. Chiang Rai is at higher elevation and noticeably cooler than Bangkok.
Insider Tip
Visit the Blue Temple (Wat...
Erawan National Park
A 550-square-kilometre national park in the Tenasserim Hills bordering Myanmar, famous for the spectacular Erawan Waterfall — a seven-tiered cascade of turquoise pools surrounded by lush tropical forest, named after the three-headed elephant of Hindu mythology.
Best Time
November to May. The water is clearest in the dry season. During the rainy season (July–September), the falls are powerful but the water becomes murky.
Insider Tip
Tier 7 (the top) is...
Koh Samui Beaches
Thailand's third-largest island in the Gulf of Thailand, featuring 50 kilometres of white-sand beaches, palm-fringed coconut groves, and a mountainous jungle interior. Chaweng, Lamai, and Bophut are the three main beach areas, each with a distinct character.
Best Time
December to August. Koh Samui is sheltered from the main southwest monsoon. The island's peak dry season is February to April.
Insider Tip
Rent a scooter and drive...
Pai Valley
A small bohemian mountain town 762 metres above sea level in a lush valley surrounded by mist-covered mountains near the Myanmar border. The valley is dotted with hot springs, waterfalls, bamboo bridges, and paddy fields, with a vibrant backpacker scene centred on the walking street.
Best Time
November to February. Pai is at elevation and genuinely cool (10-15°C at night) in winter. The rice paddies are lush green from August to October.
Insider Tip
Watch the sunrise from Yun...
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
The most famous of Thailand's traditional floating markets, operating since the 1860s along a network of narrow canals (khlongs) 100 km southwest of Bangkok. Vendors in traditional Thai dress and conical hats sell fresh tropical fruits, vegetables, and cooked food directly from their wooden boats.
Best Time
Arrive at 7:00 AM sharp. The market is busiest and most authentic in the early morning; by 10:00 AM it becomes overcrowded with tourist boats.
Insider Tip
Skip the overpriced 'tourist boat'...
Bridge on the River Kwai
The steel span bridge over the Mae Klong River (romanticised as 'River Kwai') built in 1943 by Allied prisoners of war under Japanese occupation as part of the Death Railway connecting Bangkok to Rangoon. Over 100,000 POWs and Asian labourers died during its construction.
Best Time
November to February (cool and dry season). The River Kwai Bridge Festival is held annually in late November–early December with a spectacular sound-and-light show.
Insider Tip
Take the Death Railway train...
Chatuchak Weekend Market
The largest weekend market in the world, covering 35 acres with over 8,000 stalls selling every imaginable product — vintage clothing, handmade ceramics, local plants, street food, live animals, antiques, and hand-crafted furniture — attracting over 200,000 visitors every weekend.
Best Time
Saturday or Sunday, 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Arrive before 9:00 AM to beat the worst crowds and heat. The market is closed on weekdays.
Insider Tip
Download the Chatuchak market map...
Koh Lanta
A laid-back island in the Andaman Sea south of Krabi, known for its long, palm-fringed beaches, shallow warm water, and relaxed atmosphere. The island's southern end is protected by Mu Ko Lanta National Park, home to mangroves, coral reefs, and nesting sea turtles.
Best Time
November to April. The island closes almost entirely during the monsoon season (May–October) as most businesses shut and the sea becomes too rough for swimming.
Insider Tip
Rent a motorbike and drive...
Doi Inthanon National Park
Home to Thailand's highest peak, Doi Inthanon (2,565 metres), draped in cloud forest and surrounded by spectacular waterfalls. The summit plateau contains twin Royal Chedis (stupas) built to honour the King and Queen, with sweeping views above the clouds on clear days.
Best Time
November to February. The summit can drop below 5°C in winter — genuinely cold by Thai standards. Frost is occasionally reported at the peak.
Insider Tip
Book a dawn birding tour...
Sukhothai Historical Park
The ruins of the first capital of the Thai Kingdom of Sukhothai (1238–1438 AD), a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering 70 square kilometres. The central zone alone contains 21 historical sites including Wat Mahathat — a monumental temple complex with 200 chedis, four large Buddha images, and a 30-metre tower.
Best Time
November to February. The park hosts a spectacular Loy Krathong festival in November when thousands of paper lanterns are released over the historical ponds.
Insider Tip
Rent a bicycle (30 THB/day)...
Tiger Cave Temple
Wat Tham Suea, a revered forest monastery built around a system of limestone caves and jungle platforms, famous for the 1,237-step staircase ascending a 600-metre-high karst monolith to a gilded Buddha image at the summit. The caves at the base contain meditation cells and a large reclining Buddha.
Best Time
November to April and early mornings. Climb before 9:00 AM to avoid the heat, and arrive at sunset for the most dramatic light over the karst landscape.
Insider Tip
Beware the resident macaque monkeys...
Travel Tips for Thailand
- 1.
Respect the monarchy and temples
- 2.
Negotiate before getting in a Tuk Tuk
- 3.
Street food is highly recommended