Best for travel in Thailand

by Best For Travels posted on

September 15, 2020

1746

A major tourist destination, bordered by Myanmar to the west, Malaysia to the south, Cambodia to the southeast and Laos to the northwest, Thailand is a jewel of Southeast Asia. With a population and a surface area comparable to metropolitan France (68.3 million inhabitants over 514,000 km²), Thailand stretches from the Malay Peninsula to the massifs along the Burmese border to the north. As one of the newly industrialized countries and one of the "Asian Tigers", Thailand's economy is essentially based on mass tourism and the export of manufactured goods. One can only be charmed by coming to visit this country.

Defining one's itinerary can be complex depending on the dates of one's stay because there are a lot of unavoidable things to do and to see: Bangkok and its temples, its bars and restaurants, its historical monuments, the region of Chiang Mai, Ayutthaya Park, the seaside resort of Pattaya, Phuket, the islands of the Gulf of Thailand (Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, Koh Tao), the Andaman Sea (Koh Phi Phi), etc… At the same time a giant open-air amusement park, which some people consider a disgrace and a dream destination for others for nature between countryside, mountains and dream beaches, Thailand - at the same time decried for being a hotbed of prostitution - attracts all kinds of people. Here is precisely our selection of the most beautiful sites to see when visiting Thailand.

THE TOP 10 CITIES YOU HAVE TO DISCOVER

BANGKOK

Sprawling, ancestral, modern, fascinating… words are not lacking to describe the Thai capital. With its 14 million inhabitants, Bangkok, a city of contrasts, is a must for any trip to Thailand. We start by walking through the historic districts of Rattanakosin and Banglamphu, bordered by the Chao Phraya River, to discover some of the richest temples and museums in the country.

Then, one loses oneself with delight in the abundant Chinese district, before rubbing shoulders with the very modern Silom, Siam and Sukhumvit, in the east. A unique experience.

HUA HIN

200 km SW of the capital, Hua Hin is one of the favorite getaways of Bangkokers. If its beautiful sandy beach invites for swimming and water sports, it is not the only interest of the city. One also goes there to visit its pretty train station with its royal waiting room, to shop at the Chatchai market, to admire the palace of Klaï Kangwon and its gardens or to enjoy a beautiful view of the bay from the top of the Takiab hill.

In the surroundings, the palace of Maruekatayawan (15 km N from Hua Hin), the vineyard of Hua Hin Hills (35 km W from Hua Hin) and the small fishing port of Prachuac Kirikhan (89 km S from Hua Hin) are to be seen.

AYUTTHAYA

Founded in 1350 by King U-Thong, Ayutthaya (86 km N from Bangkok) was the second capital of the Kingdom of Siam before being razed to the ground by the Burmese in 1767. Restored with care, it is today a major archaeological site of Thailand, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. On the central artificial island, located at the confluence of three rivers, the ancient city displays with panache an impressive quantity of ruins of temples and palaces, mostly dating from the fifteenth and sixteenth century. One will stop more particularly at the Viharn Phra Mongkol Bopitr sanctuary, which shelters the largest Buddha of Thailand and the Ayutthaya Historical Study Center, which traces the history of the city thanks to many reconstitutions. The modern city also has treasures, including the imposing Wat Chai Watthanaram.

CHIANG MAI

Capital of Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai (700 km N from Bangkok) is a very well-preserved city on a human scale, which will delight travelers in search of authenticity. Within the ramparts of the old city, time seems to have stopped: teak houses stand side by side with ancient temples, including the beautiful Wat Phra Singh, in a green setting. It is also known to be the capital of handicrafts, and one can find decorative objects (including silverware and lacquerware) and jewelry in its markets and workshops. From Chiang Mai, you can also go to meet elephants in one of the centers for the protection and conservation of pachyderms in the region.

PAÏ

Newly Thai (it was attached to Thailand only in 1911), the small town of Paï is a charming stopover in the north of the country, 135 km NW of Chiang Mai. In a green setting of rice fields, you will meet its Muslim population of Chinese origin in its guesthouses and small cafes. Very open to ecotourism, you will be able to practice many sports activities in the middle of nature (rafting, mountain biking, trekking on foot) and to go on excursions to discover the region and the surrounding beauties (especially the Ma Peng waterfalls and the hot springs of Tha Paï, less than 10 km away).

CHIANG MAI

MAE HONG SON

On the border with Burma, 230 km NW of Chiang Mai, stands Mae Hong Son, a city between two worlds where the Thais are now a minority against the Burmese Shans. You will be able to visit beautiful temples, including the Doï Kong Mou temple, built on a hill overlooking the city, and the Wat Chong Klang temple, built on the edge of the lake. It is the ideal starting point for treks and excursions in padaung villages, where “giraffe women” live.

NONG KHAI

Linked to Laos by the Friendship Bridge and very close to Vientiane, the capital of Laos, Nong Khaï is located 650 km NW of Bangkok. It is a city in full development, which however retains a provincial charm. Stretching along the Mekong River, Meechai Rd, its main artery, aligns store houses and merchant residences with Chinese and French influences. In addition to its few temples sheltering famous gongs and Buddhas, one goes there to discover its impressive park of sculptures, the Sala Kaeo Ku (3 km E of Nong Khai). Created in the 1970s, it is a vast garden populated with concrete statues inspired by Buddhism and Hinduism to say the least … amazing. Unclassifiable, in short!

NAKHON PHANOM

Located on the Mekong river, on the borders of the I-San, the small town of Nakhon Phanom (730 km NE of Bangkok) has like airs of end of the world. Nicknamed “city of the mountains”, one discovers there beautiful old temples while enjoying breathtaking views of the river and the surrounding landscapes. The influence of neighboring Laos is particularly felt here, and one can even cross the Mekong River to get to Thakhek, the Laotian city facing it. Once a year, at the end of Buddhist Lent (around October-November), Nakhon Phanong comes to life during the festival of the Illuminated Boats. In its surroundings rises one of the most venerated temples of Thailand, the Wat Phra That Phanom (50 km S of Nakhon Phanom): old of 1 500 years, it would shelter a relic of Buddha since IXe s.

PHUKET TOWN

Contrary to what one might think, we don’t go to Phuket only for its fine sand! The capital of the island (840 km SW of Bangkok) is a pretty and very lively city, which carries the traces of a fascinating history. By visiting its city center along its shophouses, narrow houses with stores on the first floor, we leave on the tracks of the Chinese immigrants Hokkien. Galleries and arty cafes have been set up there, for trendy visits and breaks. Another must: its gigantic Night market with colorful stalls, where you can find street food to be damned as well as trinkets at lower cost. But the beaches are never far away, and you’re bound to find a spot to your liking. The most beautiful? Naï Yang (34 km NW of Phuket Town), in the heart of a natural wooded park, and Naithon (33 km NW of Phuket Town), for diving and snorkeling lovers.

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