Detail of a temple roof, Bangkok, Thailand

I probably have a dozen Thai visa stamps in my passport, having crisscrossed the ‘Land of Smiles’ on the way from one place to another during a recent trip through Asia.

Thailand’s great cultural and scenic diversity, coupled with reasonable travel time and excellent transportation, make it the perfect place to visit over and over and over again — for a little shopping in Bangkok, beach time on an island in the south, or a trip up north for elephant rides and hill tribe treks.

So I’ve gathered together some suggested itineraries and a few of my favorite places to visit, which serve as great bases for side trips when you find yourself looking to fill a few extra days in Thailand.

Northern Thailand

Chiang Mai
Set against a backdrop of mountains and surrounded by an ancient wall and moat, Chiang Mai is a favorite for its old-world charm – winding, maze-like streets, old teak buildings with carved ornamentation, shops that sell handicrafts and hand-woven silk. Add to this the gleaming gold of Chiang Mai’s many gilded temples, the constant flow of Buddhist monks on the streets, a lazy river, lively music scene, and the locals’ dedication to sànùk (the Thai people live by this concept, which means ‘fun’), Chiang Mai is my kind of place.

A monk in Chiang Mai

Thailand’s second largest city, some describe Chiang Mai as ‘sleepy’ while others find it ‘country’, which is why many people end up here for a week or more, to wind down or go trekking: 2-3 day treks take you through jungle, hill tribe villages, and usually include an elephant ride. Also on offer: Thai cooking classes, massage courses, and language lessons, and amazing shopping at the daily Night Bazaar and weekly Sunday Market. And of course, the temples: while there are over 300 in Chiang Mai, a trip to this city isn’t complete without a visit to Doi Suthep, the city’s most important temple with a history dating back to the 14th century.

Side Trip: Pai
From Chiang Mai, rent a car or motorbike (allow 4-5 hours driving time) or take the bus and travel into the forested mountains of northeastern Thailand. Spend anywhere from a few days to a week in Pai – but be warned, most people find it hard to leave. At first glance, Pai looks to be a hippy’s creation of heaven on earth. It’s nestled in the rolling hills of a valley, amidst forest, jungle, and flowered meadows. There are waterfalls and hot springs, temples and villages nearby, and a diverse collection of laid-back bungalows set on the banks of rivers or smack dab in the middle of rice paddy fields. Yoga, reflexology, and meditation flyers hang alongside elephant ride and trekking posters, and it’s possible to actually find a good cup of coffee (not easy in Thailand).

A ride around town on a motorbike is like driving through a garden, with flowering trees of yellow and hot pink, dusky cattails, and ornamented reeds. In the evening, noodle shops and hotpot restaurants overflow, hill tribe people sell handicrafts on the main road, and travelers relax on pillows at hipster bars with open-air fires set into the floor. Pai is one of those places that has atmosphere – in fact, some of the hippies say it’s one of those few, special places in the world that vibrates. I agree it is has a special vibe; sitting at a cafe one day with a good view of the road, everyone who passed by had a smile on their face.

Central Thailand

Bangkok
If Thailand is the hub of Asia, Bangkok is the axle on which it all spins. For this, unfortunately, Bangkok is usually only a couple of days on travelers’ itineraries as the transit city between destinations. But there is so much to do here, I would heartily recommend a week. Even though Bangkok is a modern city, and very Westernized, it’s also very Thai and urbanites and farmers alike can be found on the streets.

Travelers often stay in one of three neighborhoods: Koh San, Sukhumvit, and Silom, all of which have their own distinct character, street markets, girlie bars, street-food vendors, and hip restaurants – everything you need in one place. Although it’s easy to get stuck in one area because of this, getting out and about will offer you a different Bangkok with each excursion. Taxis are cheap (they’re a better deal than tuk tuks), the river taxi on the Chao Phraya is convenient and fun, and the Sky Train is highly efficient and cheap.

Sightseeing highlights include dozens of temples – Wat Pho is the most famous (and oldest) temple in Bangkok, the Grand Palace, the National Museum and National Gallery Museum, and Chinatown (among a dozen other things to see). A bit off the beaten path, I found the Forensics Museum (located in the morgue of a hospital) particularly interesting. Also, make sure to check out a few glitzy Thai malls – the Siam Paragon has car showrooms, an aquarium, and an amazing food court. But don’t shop at the mall – head for the Chatuchak Weekend Market, which covers more than 35 acres, with more than 15,000 shops.

Side Trip: Kanchanaburi

Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Only two hours from Bangkok by bus, Kanchanaburi is a world away from the hubbub and busyness of the big city. Some people make the trip as a day-long, organized tour, but for those with more time, a few days or a full week is easily spent without getting bored.

Kanchanaburi is slow and scenic: a countryside edged by lumpy mountains with valleys full of sugar cane, caves, jungle and waterfalls, and rivers full of reeds and flowering lily pads. Here, life revolves around the river: the peaceful twitter of birds is only disturbed by the occasional thumping bassline from the passage of a ‘floating disco’. My bungalow was actually on a floating raft, anchored to the shore, and bobbed along with the lily pads outside my door as boats traveled along the river.

Kanchanaburi is also popular with war buffs and feels like a time capsule from 1942, when the Japanese forced POWs to build the ‘Death Railway’ to aid movement and the passage of supplies through Burma. The film The Bridge Over the River Kwai relates the story of what happened here, and you can’t visit Kanchanaburi without walking over the infamous bridge, visiting one of the many war museums, or pondering the lives lost at the military cemetery.

Aside from its historical significance, outrageous beauty and mellow vibe, I like Kanchanaburi because it’s, well, different. Floating discos and bungalows on rafts are just the start. The town is famous for the nearby Tiger Temple, where tourists can get up close and personal with rescued tigers ‘trained’ by monks. There’s also a monkey training school, where pig tailed macaques ride tricycles and play basketball. At night, a mini lightshow reenactment shows how the allied troops blew up the bridge over the River Kwai during WWII and at a temple just out of town, a floating nun performs yoga positions while ‘hovering’ on the surface of the water.

Southern Thailand

Krabi
Krabi looks like something Dr Suess might have dreamt up – its unusual karst landscape has a surreal beauty unrivaled anywhere in Thailand. Krabi sits on the shore of the Andaman Sea, and almost everyone heading here will pass through Krabi Town, usually overlooked by travelers keen on getting to the beach. Krabi Town is the jump-off point for the beach town of Ao Nang, the climber’s paradise Railay Beach, and the islands of Koh Phi Phi, and Koh Lanta. If you do find yourself in Krabi Town for a day or two, check out Wat Tham Sua, also called the Tiger Temple, and be prepared to climb the 1,200-step staircase to the chedi on top of the mountain.

Krabi, Thailand

No matter where you end up in Krabi, there are some consistent elements to time spent here: At night, bonfires light the beach, fire dancers spin flaming batons and people lounge on bamboo mats laid out on the sand, a reggae beat here… dance music there… In the daylight hours, people are either on the rocks (it’s a serious destination for rock climbers) or under the sea (snorkeling and scuba diving), if not daydreaming while drinking Thai Whiskey on the beach.

Side Trip: Koh Lanta Yai
Koh Lanta Yai sees less tourists than other popular islands, so it’s a great place to go if you’re looking to escape the crowds. You can get to Lanta by ferry or bus from Krabi. Spend a few days or a week…

No trip to Thailand is complete without a little beach time. Southern Thailand is the vacation spot: sunbathing, swimming, buckets of coke and rum, fire dancers on the beach, all night full moon, half moon, and black moon parties… even ‘no moon’ parties (any excuse, right?). Southern Thailand is nothing if not a hedonist’s dream.

You can find this on any Thai island, but Koh Lanta sees fewer tourists than the popular Koh Phi Phi and Samui islands. On Lanta, the vibe is more relaxed. At the southern end of Koh Lanta, a protected marine park keeps overdevelopment at bay (a problem many Thai islands face) and includes several islands far off from the shore – I traveled to one of them, Koh Rok, and by speedboat, it took one hour on the open sea. There, I found amazing coral reefs with all sorts of colorful fish, giant clams, moray eels… snorkeling here is among the best I’ve ever experienced.

Most of southern Lanta is unspoiled - the paved road becomes dirt here and any place that still has a main road of dirt is a good place in my book. There is plenty of opportunity to ‘get lost’ in woodland and jungle and long stretches of isolated beach nestled in a beautiful bay.

-Cheryn Flanagan

Planning a trip? Browse all of Viator’s tours in Thailand and things to see and do in Bangkok. 

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007 at 12:16 pm and is filed under Asia, Destinations, Suggested Itineraries, Travel Inspiration, Travel Wishlists. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Get articles like this one delivered to your favorite RSS feed reader.
Subscribe to Viator Travel Blog now.