This is our guide to the most popular culture destinations in Thailand, other than the capital Bangkok. The great thing about Thailand as far as the foreign traveler is concerned is a well-supported and modern transport network. That means accessibility is easy and simple to other major cities (other than Bangkok) of interest to you. Thailand has numerous international airports you should be aware of:
Convenience is what springs to mind. You can fly direct from London, Paris or New York to Krabi Island with one ticket. For example:
Exhausting, maybe but darned marvelous too because more of Thailand is open to you. Is it worth it? A resounding yes ― Thailand is an amazing experience.
Read on to discover our choice picks for what cities and their culture you can enjoy while on your holiday. Take note that not every city in this guide will have skyscrapers and glamorous shopping malls or high-end beauty spas.
There are 11 million people in the population of Bangkok, but an estimated 112,000 for Pattaya. Sukhothai has a population of less than 50,000. Of course, there are larger cities such as Udon Thani, Lampang and Phra Pradaeng. This guide delves into the smaller cities equally so because there are interesting attractions found all over Thailand, beyond the built-up areas.
Historically important, Chiang Mai City with routes back to the 13th century. A hugely popular destination for many tourists bound to Thailand but why? The significance of the city lies in its ancient temples and teeming night markets, and of course the beautifully flavored street food. There can be nothing better an experience than authentic Thai food: fresh and eaten whilst you stroll aimlessly, enjoying street life.
Chiang Mai is all about getting out of the city though to explore the surroundings. One attraction that gets you out of the city is the San Kamphaeng Hot Springs 30km east of Chiang Mai City. You can visit for the day or stay overnight if you wish but either way the springs and streams are amazing. San Kamphaeng Hot Springs are the most popular in Chiang Mai because of the attractive setting.
Landscaped gardens with paved walkways and scattered trees provide a peaceful area for rest and relaxation. Superb for families and lots of places for picnicking. The spring water is too hot for swimming or bathing but you can dip your feet safely. And there are other hot springs in the Chiang Mai area. Our picks are:
It is common to see vendors selling raw eggs in baskets. You place the baskets in the water to boil the eggs, providing a healthy snack for you. Do haggle over the price of a basket.
Out of the city you come across mountains and the national parks. It's a backpacker's haven and one more reason why people are magnetized by Chiang Mai and the charming hill tribes and their villages.
The Doi Inthanon National Park has the highest point in the whole of Thailand at over 2,500 meters above sea level. It's a land rich for those who love trekking, camping and wildlife. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, you'll find this national park utterly gorgeous. A few hours from the city, to the south, the looming 70km distance quickly passes. You can easily pick a tour package that promises the best experience of the park ― its nature and wildlife.
These are the most popular trails frequently because they can be completed in an hour or so and they are:
Any decent tour to the Doi Inthanon National Park will take you to the Royal Twin Pagodas, located a little short of the Doi Inthanon summit. The best time of course for being present is when you can greet the sunrise because that's when the valley below is shrouded in clouds. It's a view you never, ever tire of, no matter where in the world you experience it from. The twin stupas surrounded by lush tropical gardens were built to celebrate birthday anniversaries of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit.
Of all the trails laid out for tourists in Doi Inthanon National Park, Kew Mae Pan Trail is the best in our opinion. It can be completed in under 2 hours through incredibly beautiful rainforest jungle and grasslands. The panoramic views will never to be repeated again so ensure your smartphone is fully charged before setting off. The trail is managed and maintained by local Hmong tribes. And it'll be one of the villagers who'll guide you too, which is great because they'll share with you their full cultural knowledge.
If you care about capturing photo memories of the rice fields then opt for the Pha Dok Siew Nature Trail instead. The fields mature towards late summer turning to their golden color then.
Related Reading: Top 10: Jungle Trails for Backpacking in Thailand
If it wasn't for the famous 1957 war epic by the name "The Bridge over the River Kwai", far fewer would have learnt about the atrocities carried out by the Japanese during World War 2. The movie paints a blunt and direct picture of life under Japanese occupation.
Your holiday travels to Thailand may bring you to Kanchanaburi, for those of our readership with interests in modern history. The surrounding rainforest jungle is beautiful and vibrant. It also hides insufferable horror and pain, invisible to those who are none the wiser.
The Death Railway (as it became to be known by) runs for over 400km beginning at a steel bridge constructed over the Kwai River. You can journey on this railway as a way to reflect on the horror of war, as the train brings you to Hellfire Pass. Your thoughts of the beautiful landscapes will be clouded by the history of course.
The railway was unfinished, partly ending at Hellfire Pass. The name came about because of the number of people who perished attempting to finish the railway against a deadline. Horrific conditions the prisoners and civilians were forced to work under are unimaginable today. Stories recalled after the war of the men working throughout the night, pictured scenes which resembled hell:
The full and complete history is laid out in a visitor center and a museum 80km from Kanchanaburi. From the center there are trails you can walk, leading you to the pass.
Unheard of until the Thai Royalty built their palaces there in the early 20th century, to escape Bangkok. Visiting Hua Hin City, you still get the sense of regal. Towards the south of the country Hua Hin is a coastal resort with quality beaches ― Hat Hua Hin Beach being among them. Hugely popular with domestic visitors from Bangkok, the city is developing fast in terms of becoming a large metropolis.
Aside from the beachfront and its many water activities there are outward bound trails to the mountain on the outskirts of the city, excellent for cycling enthusiasts. Off from the cycling there are excellent trekking through the mountain forests. It's when you are enjoying your trekking you'll bump into Wat Khao Takiab Temple jutting out of the coastline. The temple has numerous shrines and the Guan Yin Shrine is where to be for the panoramic sea views over to the Gulf of Thailand.
The picturesque mountain is serene with an atmosphere of spirituality about it. It's a popular temple destination for domestic and foreign tourists, for to the north and south are idylic beaches and a pier. To reach the temple, hire a taxi from the city center to take you the 7km to Khao Takiab Village.
Famous throughout the 1980's for its beaches and nightlife and still relevant today. It's the nightlife that pulls in the crowds and in particular, the seedier side of it. What many tourists traveling to and through Pattaya seek though, are the temples. The city has three well known and widely popular Buddha temples which are:
Khao Chi Chan Temple was borne out of an old mountain that was heavily minded during the Vietnam War, for its limestone. It's no longer mined because a landmark was etched into the rockface on one side of the mountain. To commemorate the King's Golden Jubilee 50 years of rule he ordered an image of a sitting Buddha be etched into one side of the mountain.
The image was created using lasers and then gold leaf was crafted into the carved rock. The tall 18m golden Buddha at the Wat Phra Yai Temple rests at the top of a hill. It's far more than an attraction with actual monk's frequently praying at the temple. This means you must observe standard dress etiquette expected at temples, and cover up. You mustn't show your shoulders, arms, or knees.
Before climbing the many steps up to the Buddha, you can purchase souvenirs for family and friends back home and get something to eat. The golden buddha is surrounded by other, smaller buddha and at the top there are views down onto the ocean. It's our advice to hire a taxi to take you there and back again because it's a 4km round trip. If you do want to walk from downtown Pattaya to the temple then take plenty of water with you.
It's highly recommended you visit the village because it hosts one of the most beautiful tropical botanical gardens imaginable. It's on par with Kew Gardens in London, and it is an amazing experience for families, and couples. It's a key tourist attraction following a visit to the Buddha Mountain a few kilometers eastward, prior.
Thailand Travel: City Guide: Must See Attractions in Pattaya, Thailand
There couldn't be a Thai cultural guide without the inclusion of Sukhothai and its 700-year-old ruins. The UNESCO World Heritage site is smack bang between Bangkok and Chiang Mai there is no excuse for giving it a miss. Unfortunately, a high percentage of foreign tourists never make it to Sukhothai, preferring to visit Ayutthaya and its ruins instead.
And yet Sukhothai is far older and the Thai language originates from the Sukhothai Kingdom of the 13th century.
It's our suggestion you visit the Historical Park first thing in the morning. Before early afternoon you head indoors to the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum, avoiding the high temperatures. By the time the museum closes you've enough time to resume your sightseeing, knowing a little more about the site and its significance.
Like the Angkor Wat temples of Cambodia, the park is quite large and there is a certain amount of walking involved. The best option therefore is to rent a bicycle and cycle around the park. You can rent a bicycle from the park (at the entrance on the way in) or from one of the shops.
Rental costs are from a dollar a day. But if it's too hot for you to cycle then pay US$2 for the use of a tram and go with the guided tour. The more prominent and important temples of Sukhothai include (but not limited to):
For the best possible experience, get to each temple early to avoid the crowds. Each temple is unique and has its own features and interesting history. Wat Si Chum has the 15m tall Buddha status but Wat Chang Lom has over 30 elephants surrounding it. In Thailand, elephants are revered creatures ― which is why there are so many elephant sanctuaries.
A significant part of Thailand culture is the Singha Park International Balloon Festival. The annual festival event is held in Chiang Rai and is the perfect time to participate in professional ballooning. It's a fun four-day contest involving many countries and a spectacular experience for couples: being so high up with the wind in your face and sights below, it can be very romantic. It's common knowledge the February festival is ideal ― perfect ― for a Valentines Day date.
The mid-February festival also has many side attractions to keep families entertained. Each year over 30 giant balloons compete for a prize, early in the morning through into the night: the sights of the balloons glowing after dark are truly remarkable and not often seen.
A common question asked is which to visit. We suggest you visit both. Chiang Mai is much larger, popular and well known and heard about of course. Chiang Mai is more developed in terms of attractions and shopping whilst Chiang Rai is more undeveloped and rural ― you see and feel a greater deal of the countryside.
Chiang Rai is also much cheaper. Culturally, Chiang Mai has over 300 temples and is steeped in history and in particular the legacy of working elephants. Remarkably Chiang Rai is similar. There is the stunningly beautiful Wat Rong Khun for example, and the Golden Triangle of Chiang Rai joins together Thailand, Laos and Myanmar via the Mekong River.
Our thoughts are that both are equally valuable and worth your attention.
Undoubtedly though, many tourists coming to Thailand and in fact, to Bangkok will only venture to Chiang Mai neglecting its neighbor. In our experience of traveling that's the case and that's unfortunate. The ballooning festival in its own right is reason enough to visit Chiang Rai as part of visiting Chiang Mai. And it's not only Chiang Mai with a historic legacy either, as our guide shows.
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Hello, we are George and Elle Mae Melyre.
Over the years, amidst work and family life, we have traveled extensively throughout Asia. Any chance to briefly escape or properly holiday in our beloved Asian destinations is eagerly seized, motivated by the enduring dream of leaving behind the UK's dreary cold for tropical climes.