Find places in Thailand

Must-Haves

• The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Phra Nakhon)
  The former royal residence and the temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred site in Thailand.
• Wat Pho (Phra Nakhon)
  Home of the giant Reclining Buddha and a famous traditional massage school.
• Wat Arun (Bangkok Yai)
  A porcelain covered riverside spire that glows at sunset, a short ferry from Wat Pho.

Fun for Everyone

• Jim Thompson House (Pathum Wan)
  Traditional teak houses and a lovely garden collected by the American who revived Thai silk.

Off the Beaten Path

• Wat Saket (Golden Mount) (Pom Prap Sattru Phai)
  A spiral climb past bells to a golden chedi with views over the old city.

Must-Haves

• Chatuchak Weekend Market (Chatuchak)
  Thousands of stalls of clothes, plants, crafts and snacks across a huge weekend market.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Or Tor Kor Market (Chatuchak)
  The finest fresh fruit, curries and Thai produce in the city, under one roof.
• Pak Khlong Talat flower market (Phra Nakhon)
  Mountains of jasmine, marigolds and orchids traded around the clock.

Fun for Everyone

• ICONSIAM (Khlong San)
  A riverside mall with an indoor floating market of Thai regional food.

Must-Haves

• Jay Fai (Phra Nakhon)
  The famous goggles wearing street chef and her crab omelettes, worth the long queue.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Thip Samai (Phra Nakhon)
  A long-running pad thai institution near the Golden Mount.
• Yaowarat Road street food (Samphanthawong)
  Chinatown after dark: noodles, grilled seafood, buns and desserts along one glowing road.
• Victory Monument boat noodle alley (Ratchathewi)
  Tiny bowls of rich boat noodles stacked high by locals and visitors alike.

Great for Date Night

• Supanniga Eating Room (Sathorn)
  Family recipes from eastern Thailand served in a warm, stylish room.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ari neighbourhood cafés (Phaya Thai)
  A leafy district of independent cafés and small food stalls loved by young Bangkokians.

Fun for Everyone

• Lumphini Park (Pathum Wan)
  The city park for morning tai chi, rowing boats and wandering monitor lizards.

Great for Date Night

• Vertigo and Moon Bar at Banyan Tree (Sathorn)
  An open-air rooftop bar high above the city lights.
• Sky Bar at Lebua (Bang Rak)
  The famous rooftop bar with river views from the State Tower dome.

Fun for Everyone

• Saxophone Pub (Ratchathewi)
  A long-standing live jazz and blues bar near Victory Monument.

Must-Haves

• Chao Phraya Express Boat (Riverside)
  A cheap, scenic way to hop between temples, markets and hotels on the river.

Off the Beaten Path

• Thonburi canal long-tail boat ride (Thonburi)
  Wooden houses, temples and daily life along the old canals.
• Bang Krachao (Phra Pradaeng)
  The green lung of Bangkok, best explored by bicycle on raised paths.

Fun for Everyone

• Muay Thai at Rajadamnern Stadium (Pom Prap Sattru Phai)
  Thai boxing in the historic home of the national sport.

Must-Haves

• Songkran water festival (Silom and Khao San Road)
  The Thai New Year in April turns streets into joyful water fights.

Great for Date Night

• Loy Krathong on the Chao Phraya (Riverside)
  Candlelit floats drift down the river on the full moon of November.

Great for Date Night

• Mandarin Oriental Bangkok (Bang Rak)
  A legendary riverside hotel with a long literary history.

Off the Beaten Path

• Chakrabongse Villas (Phra Nakhon)
  A handful of rooms in a royal riverside garden facing Wat Arun.

Off the Beaten Path

• Benjakitti Forest Park (Khlong Toei)
  Raised walkways over wetlands in the middle of the city.

Must-Haves

• Wat Phra That Doi Suthep (Doi Suthep)
  A golden mountain temple above the city, reached by a naga staircase.
• Wat Phra Singh (Old City)
  The most revered temple in the old city, with a beautiful Lanna chapel.
• Wat Chedi Luang (Old City)
  A vast ruined chedi and monk chats where you can ask monks about their lives.

Off the Beaten Path

• Wat Umong (Suthep)
  A forest temple with old meditation tunnels and quiet trails.

Great for Date Night

• Wat Phan Tao (Old City)
  A dark teak temple lit by lanterns, lovely in the evening.

Must-Haves

• Sunday Walking Street (Old City)
  Ratchadamnoen Road fills with crafts, music and food every Sunday evening.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Warorot Market (Riverside)
  Where locals buy northern sausage, dried fruit, fabrics and snacks.

Fun for Everyone

• Chiang Mai Night Bazaar (Chang Klan)
  An evening market of souvenirs, clothes and food courts.

Off the Beaten Path

• Wualai Saturday Walking Street (Wualai)
  A smaller Saturday market famous for its silverwork.

Must-Haves

• Khao Soi Khun Yai (Old City)
  A simple lunchtime spot for the city signature curried noodle soup.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Khao Soi Mae Sai (Chang Phueak)
  A local favourite for rich, fragrant khao soi.
• Cowboy Hat Lady Khao Kha Moo (Chang Phueak Gate)
  Slow braised pork leg on rice from a famous night stall.

Great for Date Night

• Huen Phen (Old City)
  Northern Thai dishes in an old house filled with antiques.
• The Riverside Bar and Restaurant (Riverside)
  Dinner and live music on the Ping River.

Must-Haves

• Ristr8to (Nimmanhaemin)
  Serious coffee and latte art in the city cafe district.

Off the Beaten Path

• Akha Ama Coffee (Old City)
  Coffee grown by an Akha hill tribe community and roasted in town.

Fun for Everyone

• North Gate Jazz Co-op (Chang Phueak Gate)
  A tiny, packed bar with live jazz and open jam nights.

Great for Date Night

• Nimmanhaemin Road bars (Nimmanhaemin)
  Rooftops, craft beer and cocktail bars in the student quarter.

Must-Haves

• Thai Farm Cooking School (Mae Taeng)
  A farm cooking class with a market visit and herbs picked fresh.
• Elephant Nature Park (Mae Taeng)
  An observation-only sanctuary for rescued elephants.

Must-Haves

• Doi Inthanon National Park (Chom Thong)
  Thailand highest mountain, with cloud forest, waterfalls and twin pagodas.

Fun for Everyone

• Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall (Mae Taeng)
  Limestone cascades you can walk straight up without slipping.

Off the Beaten Path

• Monk Trail to Wat Pha Lat (Suthep)
  A forest path to a peaceful hidden temple beside a stream.

Must-Haves

• Yi Peng lantern festival (Old City)
  Lanterns fill the sky and candles line the streets around the November full moon.

Fun for Everyone

• Chiang Mai Flower Festival (Old City)
  Floral parades and displays on the first weekend of February.

Great for Date Night

• Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai (Mae Rim)
  Pavilions among rice terraces in the Mae Rim valley.
• 137 Pillars House (Wat Ket)
  A restored teak house and suites near the river.

Off the Beaten Path

• Tamarind Village (Old City)
  A calm boutique hotel around a tamarind tree in the old city.

Must-Haves

• Phuket Old Town (Phuket Town)
  Pastel Sino-Portuguese shophouses, shrines and cafés along Thalang Road.
• Big Buddha Phuket (Chalong)
  A white marble statue on the hills with views over the south of the island.

Fun for Everyone

• Wat Chalong (Chalong)
  The island most important temple, full of local worshippers.

Off the Beaten Path

• Soi Romanee (Phuket Town)
  The prettiest lane of the old town, lined with colourful houses.
• Thai Hua Museum (Phuket Town)
  A museum on the Chinese and Peranakan history of the island.

Must-Haves

• Promthep Cape (Rawai)
  The island classic sunset viewpoint over the Andaman Sea.

Fun for Everyone

• Kata Noi Beach (Karon)
  A small, pretty beach popular with families in the dry season.
• Sirinat National Park (Thalang)
  Protected northern beaches, mangrove boardwalks and turtles nesting in season.

Off the Beaten Path

• Nai Harn Beach (Rawai)
  A local favourite beach with a lake behind it.
• Mai Khao Beach (Thalang)
  A long quiet beach where planes pass low on their way to land.

Must-Haves

• Phang Nga Bay sea canoe trip (Phang Nga Bay)
  Paddle into hidden lagoons inside limestone islands.
• Phuket Elephant Sanctuary (Paklok)
  An observation-only sanctuary for elderly working elephants.

Fun for Everyone

• Similan Islands day trip (Khao Lak)
  Clear water, reefs and granite boulders, open roughly mid October to mid May.

Must-Haves

• Phuket Sunday Walking Street (Lard Yai) (Phuket Town)
  A Sunday evening market of food and crafts on Thalang Road.

Fun for Everyone

• Banzaan Fresh Market (Patong)
  Seafood upstairs, cooked for you, and a busy local market below.

Must-Haves

• Raya Restaurant (Phuket Town)
  Classic Phuket dishes such as moo hong and crab curry in an old mansion.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Mee Ton Poe (Phuket Town)
  A long-running shop for Phuket style hokkien noodles.
• One Chun (Phuket Town)
  Home style southern Thai and Peranakan food in a retro room.

Great for Date Night

• Kan Eang at Pier (Chalong)
  Seafood by the water at Chalong pier.

Fun for Everyone

• Bangla Road (Patong)
  The loud, neon nightlife street of Patong, best visited once.

Great for Date Night

• Catch Beach Club (Bang Tao)
  A stylish beach club for a sunset drink.

Great for Date Night

• Keemala (Kamala)
  Unusual tree and cocoon pool villas in the hills above Kamala.

Must-Haves

• Railay Beach and Phra Nang Cave Beach (Railay)
  Sheer cliffs, white sand and a cave shrine reached only by boat.
• Four Islands boat tour (Ao Nang)
  Island hopping to Ko Poda, Chicken Island, Tup Island and Phra Nang.

Fun for Everyone

• Hong Islands (Than Bok Khorani National Park)
  A hidden lagoon and calm water for kayaking and snorkelling.

Off the Beaten Path

• Emerald Pool and Hot Spring Waterfall (Khlong Thom)
  A clear jungle pool and warm spring cascades on one half-day trip.
• Khao Ngon Nak trail (Ao Nang)
  A tough jungle hike to a spectacular viewpoint over the coast.

Must-Haves

• Wat Tham Suea (Tiger Cave Temple) (Krabi Town)
  Over a thousand steps to a hilltop Buddha with huge views.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ko Lanta Old Town (Ko Lanta)
  Stilt houses, a Chinese shrine and sea gypsy culture on the east coast.

Must-Haves

• Railay rock climbing courses (Railay)
  Beginner climbing on world famous limestone cliffs.

Fun for Everyone

• Klong Root kayaking (Nuea Khlong)
  Paddle through a clear jungle river near Krabi.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Krabi Town Weekend Night Market (Krabi Town)
  A local market of food stalls and live music at weekends.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Krabi Town Chao Fah Pier food market (Krabi Town)
  Evening stalls for seafood, roti and noodles by the river.

Great for Date Night

• Rayavadee (Railay)
  A resort of pavilions between three beaches on the Railay peninsula.

Off the Beaten Path

• Pimalai Resort and Spa (Ko Lanta)
  A resort on a quiet beach at the southern end of Ko Lanta.

Must-Haves

• Wat Phra Yai (Big Buddha) (Bophut)
  A golden Buddha on a small island joined by a causeway.

Fun for Everyone

• Wat Plai Laem (Bophut)
  A many-armed Guanyin statue rising over a lake.

Off the Beaten Path

• Secret Buddha Garden (Na Muang hills)
  A quirky sculpture garden hidden high in the jungle hills.
• Hin Ta and Hin Yai rocks (Lamai)
  Famous rocks with a cheeky shape at the south end of Lamai.

Must-Haves

• Ang Thong National Marine Park (Ang Thong)
  Kayak and snorkel among forty islands and climb to an emerald lake viewpoint.
• Ko Tao snorkelling at Shark Bay (Ko Tao)
  Clear water, reefs and turtles off a small Gulf island.

Fun for Everyone

• Na Muang Waterfalls (Na Muang)
  Two jungle waterfalls with cool pools inland.
• Choeng Mon Beach (Choeng Mon)
  A calm, quiet bay good for families.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ko Nang Yuan (Ko Tao)
  Three islets joined by a white sandbar.

Must-Haves

• Fisherman's Village Walking Street (Bophut)
  A Friday night market on a street of old wooden shophouses.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Lamai Sunday Night Market (Lamai)
  A local market with plenty of street food.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Hua Thanon fishing village (Hua Thanon)
  A Muslim fishing village with simple seafood and colourful boats.

Great for Date Night

• The Jungle Club (Chaweng hills)
  Hilltop views and Thai and Western food above Chaweng.

Fun for Everyone

• Full Moon Party at Haad Rin (Ko Phangan)
  The famous monthly beach party, best enjoyed carefully.

Great for Date Night

• Coco Tam's (Bophut)
  Beanbags, fire shows and cocktails on the sand.

Great for Date Night

• Six Senses Samui (Choeng Mon)
  Hillside villas and sea views on a quiet headland.

Must-Haves

• Ayutthaya Historical Park (Ayutthaya)
  The ruins of the old royal capital, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Wat Mahathat Buddha head (Ayutthaya)
  The famous stone Buddha head wrapped in the roots of a tree.

Great for Date Night

• Wat Chaiwatthanaram (Ayutthaya)
  A riverside temple of Khmer style towers, beautiful at sunset.

Fun for Everyone

• Wat Phra Si Sanphet (Ayutthaya)
  Three restored chedis on the site of the old royal palace.

Off the Beaten Path

• Bang Pa-In Royal Palace (Bang Pa-In)
  A summer palace of lakes and pavilions in many styles.

Fun for Everyone

• Cycling the island (Ayutthaya)
  Rent a bicycle and ride between the ruins at your own pace.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Ayutthaya Night Market (Ayutthaya)
  Evening food stalls near the historical park.