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The ruins of Ayutthaya, Thailand's capital from the 14th to 18th centuries, are now a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site. The gigantic monasteries and towers of Ayutthaya National Park show visitors a window into the city's past splendor when ...
Categories: Ayutthaya
Categories: Ban Jabo
Categories: Ban Mae Jok
Categories: Ban Mak Khaeng
Categories: Bang Saphan Noi
Bangkok is chief port capital of Thailand and one of the most important cities in Southeast Asia. It is the epitome of the country's kaleidoscopic blend of old and new. It is an expression of Thai respect for tradition coupled with their vibrant invo...
Categories: Bangkok
These islands are close to the Malaysian island of Langkawi and are characterized by towering rock formations and beautiful beaches. Crystal clear seas team with marine life, ideal for snorkeling and diving or simply enjoying a relaxing swim.
Categories: Batong Group
Categories: Chiang Khan
Chiang Khong is village by the river in the Chiang Rai Province of Northern Thailand. The village is a pit stop for travelers crossing the Mekong River to Laos. In AD 701, Chiang Khong was part of the small city-state founded by King Mahathai. Juon, ...
Categories: Chiang Khong
Chiang Mai is a city built on the roots of a traditional heritage that dig deep into the soil of time. It's a city with a beautiful cultural personality of its own. In addition, it's been blessed with much majestic beauty in nature. The people themse...
Categories: Chiang Mai
Located more than 400 miles northwest of Bangkok, Chiang Mai is known for its countryside, mountains and scenery. Often named the 'culture capital' of Thailand, it boasts over 300 temples, distinctive architecture and is known for tradition...
Categories: Asia Pacific > South East Asia > Thailand
Chiang Rai was founded in 1262 by King Meng Rai and was the first capital of Lanna Thai (Kingdom of a Million Ricefields). The province contains Thailand's northernmost point at Mae Sai, is well known for its crisp mountain scenery, and hill tribes,...
Categories: Chiang Rai
Categories: Golden Triangle
Hat Yai, Thailand, is a bustling commercial center and transportation hub 150 mi/240 km southeast of Phuket. The fourth largest city in Thailand, this southern gulf town has a slew of massage parlors, similar to those in Bangkok, that are popular wit...
Categories: Hat Yai
Hin Daeng is know as the best site for scuba diving in Thailand. Hin Daeng's red soft coral gardens are lush and tall, offering steep walls, and huge schools of jacks and trevally. sweep past the ridge, surrounding you with a shimmering wall of silve...
Categories: Hin Daeng
Categories: Hin Dat
Hua Hin is a famous beach resort town north of Bangkok, Thailand. The King of Thailand even has a summer palace in the area. The beaches here are dotted with palm trees and the water is clear enough for snorkeling. Outdoor activities to enjoy along t...
Categories: Hua Hin
Categories: Isan
The Kanchanaburi Region is home to the Bridge on the River Kwai and is a piece of World War II history. Visit the war museum and cemetery, Erawan National Park and the Kao Pun Temple Waterfalls.
Categories: Kanchanaburi Region
Categories: Khao Lak
Khao Yai National Park is Thailand's best-known and most important expanse of heavily forested wilderness. The park, which covers an area in excess of 772 sq mi/2,000 sq km about 120 mi/200 km northeast of Bangkok, is at the gateway to the country's ...
Categories: Khao Yai National Park
Kho Yao is a lovely island in Thailand that offers visitors a tranquil place to unwind and enjoy the tropical atmosphere. Visitors can explore the island on a motor bike, by hiring a tuk tuk driver, or by taking a bike tour. The beaches on the east s...
Categories: Kho Yao
Ko A Dang (Dang Island) is ideal for travelers who are searching for a less populated holiday spot but not willing to compromise the beautiful beaches. There are plenty of long hiking trails, deserted white sand beaches, and two shimme...
Categories: Ko Adang
Quiet beaches and clear waters. From the surface see splayed leaves of cabbage coral and yellow-striped tigerfish.
Categories: Ko Butan
The sheer-sided sea mountains that rise vertically out of Phang Nga Bay form some of Thailand's most spectacular scenery The islands in this region feature wonderful white sandy beaches and superb coral reefs. Ko Hong (hong meaning 'room'), part of t...
Categories: Ko Hong
Ko Khai Nok is one of three small island paradises in Phang Nga Bay, in Thailand. The island is surrounded by crystal clear waters and a rich variety of tropical sea life. Khai Islands trip are excellent for families w...
Categories: Ko Khai Nok
Categories: Ko Kham
Ko Kraden is a beautiful island hideaway for those wanting to get away from it all. The island is one of the most isolated in the region and offers a generous amount of white-sandy beaches, an adventurous jungle interior and quiet places to stay. Vis...
Categories: Ko Kraden
Ko Kut (Koh Kood) is the fourth largest island in Thailand and the closest to the Cambodian border. The island is covered by tropical rainforest (about 70%) with development mainly around the coastal areas. Most resorts generate their own electricity...
Categories: Ko Kut (Koh Kood)
There are three spectacular beaches on Koh Lipe: Pattaya Beach, Sunset Beach and Sunrise Beach. Pattaya beach is the most visited and has an excellent variety of places to stay, drink and dine. Sunrise Beach has a small villa...
Categories: Ko Lipe
Categories: Ko Mae Ko
Categories: Ko Mak
Ko Miang is the largest island among 9 islands in the region and is best known for its excellent diving opportunities. The island has beautiful limestone cliffs and sandy beaches, ideally suited to swimming and snorkeling. For divers, Bird Rock ...
Categories: Ko Miang
Categories: Ko Panyi
Categories: Ko Phra Tong
Categories: Ko Rok Noi
Categories: Ko Thalu
Categories: Ko Wua Ta Lap
Categories: Koh Haa
As a late arrival to the tourism market 55 mi/88 km south of Phuket, Koh Lanta is still relatively low-key, a refreshing change of pace for travelers hoping to escape the nonstop party of nearby Koh Phi Phi. It is also beautiful, with dramatic vistas...
Categories: Koh Lanta Yai
Categories: Koh Ngai
Categories: Koh Phai
Koh Pha-Ngan is an island just north of Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand (east of the peninsula) and is just as developed for tourism. It's something of a backpacker hangout, and the age of most visitors is under 30. Reef snorkeling is popular, and ...
Categories: Koh Pha-Ngan
Categories: Koh Raja Noi
Categories: Koh Rang Islands
The largest of a cluster of islands just 4 mi/6.5 km off the coast, Koh Samet is popular for its proximity to the capital (140 mi/225 km south of Bangkok), on the Gulf of Thailand. Despite its convenient location, this area has been spared some of th...
Categories: Koh Samet
Koh Samui is famous for its sandy beaches, swaying palms, crystal-clear waters, bars and restaurants. It is an island of natural beauty where tourists can find waterfalls, refreshing plunge pools and beautiful scenic walks. Once a month, travelers ca...
Categories: Asia Pacific > South East Asia > Thailand
This small, turtle shaped island about 28 mi/45 km and a couple of hours north of Koh Pha Ngan is arguably Thailand's top spot for learning to dive. Surrounded by reefs and pinnacles, it has a range of sites of varying difficulty, with schools of vib...
Categories: Koh Tao
Categories: Koh Yao
Categories: Koh Yao Noi
One of Thailand's most beautiful destinations, Krabi is a tropical paradise with miles of coastline, beautiful greenery and water sports. Still relatively untouched, it remains a haven for snorkelers, divers and climbers with its white beaches, ...
Categories: Asia Pacific > South East Asia > Thailand
Lampang is the third largest town in northern Thailand and is the capital of the Lampang Province. The most popular attractions of the town are the Wat Phra That Lampang Luang and the Thai Elephant Conservation Center.
Categories: Lampang
Inhabited since the sixth century, Lop Buri, Thailand, has an 11th-century Hindu temple and excellent 12th-century Khmer architecture. One of the oldest cities in Thailand, Lop Buri was once an important part of the Khmer empire before later becoming...
Categories: Lop Buri
Surrounded by mountain ranges and virtually covered with mist year round, Mae Hong Son is a “dream destination” for visitors attracted by cultural and natural wonders. Visit Namtok Pha Sua - a large waterfall. Gaze at Thai Yai Architecture in most t...
Categories: Mae Hong Son
Just 4.5 mi/7 km from the Thai-Burmese border, Mae Sot is one of the most culturally diverse cities in Thailand. Known as "Little Burma" for good reason, thousands of Burmese migrants cross the border each day to sell their textiles, food and teak in...
Categories: Mae Sot
The main attraction in Nakhon Pathom is the impressive Phra Prathom Chedi—the tallest and largest Buddhist monument in Thailand—which marks the spot where Buddhism was introduced to Thailand nearly 2,300 years ago. The temple's foundation was laid in...
Categories: Nakhon Pathom
Located on the eastern Malay Peninsula, the ancient town of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand (often simply called Nakon), dates from the seventh-century Srivijayan period. For centuries, Nakon served as an important trading link between Thailand and the...
Categories: Nakhon Si Thammarat
Nan is located in a remote region of Northern Thailand, bordering Laos, along the Nan River. This ancient city still has several wats and portions of the old city walls dating from the Lanna period.
Categories: Nan
Categories: Narathiwat
Just downriver from Vientiane, the capital of Laos, and 310 mi/500 km north of Bangkok, the Mekong River town of Nong Khai, Thailand, is a popular transit point for travelers. It has also emerged as an attractive option in its own right—there is a fa...
Categories: Nong Khai
The riverside town of Pai, about 50 mi/80 km north of Chiang Mai, was once a sleepy Shan village, but it has since been transformed into a backpacker's mecca of budget hotels, bars, travel agencies and, increasingly, luxury resorts. Still, the pristi...
Categories: Pai
Categories: Pak Chong
Categories: Pattani
Pattaya, known for its vast crescent-shaped beaches and lively atmosphere, has much to offer its visitors. Along the beach, many food and shopping opportunities await. From the hill of Khao Pattaya, catch sweeping views of the city and ocean below. H...
Categories: Pattaya
Categories: Pha Lho
Diversely populated by Thai-Chinese, Buddhist and Muslim communities, Phang Nga is a vibrant province brimming with outdoor activities for the eco-tourist and adventure traveler. Limestone cliffs jut dramatically from the sea, covered with lush veget...
Categories: Phang Nga
A southern fishing village of Thailand, this town borders the large shallow Songkhla Lake that sits at the foot of the Ok Thalu Mountain surrounded by stunning natural beauty. Between the 13th and 14th centuries, Phatthalung was influenced by Indian ...
Categories: Phatthalung
The neoclassical King Mongkut Palace is the main draw of Phetchaburi, Thailand, and now inhabited by gangs of well-fed monkeys. You can buy bananas to feed to them, but they'll help themselves to any food items on your person. Other times, monkeys fi...
Categories: Phetchaburi
Phi Phi Island (Koh Phi Phi) is a diver's paradise, with marvelous beaches, clear emerald seas and many underwater caves to explore. Don't miss Laem Tong, a sea gypsy village renowned for its underwater natural beauty.
Categories: Phi Phi Island
Phimai, Thailand (pronounced PEE-my), 195 mi/310 km northeast of Bangkok, is the location of a large and stunning 12th-century Khmer shrine complex. The shrine is an architectural cousin of Cambodia's Angkor Wat (in fact, a road once connected the tw...
Categories: Phimai
Phitsanulok is one of the oldest cities in Thailand and is located at the crossroad between the northern and central regions of the country. Visit the many historic temples and sculptures of Buddha in Phitsanulok, including the most famous Wat Phra S...
Categories: Phitsanulok
Thailand's largest and most popular island, Phuket is colorful, cosmopolitan and attracts millions of travelers every year. Visitors are lured to its beautiful shores by the promise of sun, sea and excitement. With incredible scuba diving, champ...
Categories: Asia Pacific > South East Asia > Thailand
Categories: Prachuap Khiri Khan
Categories: Prasat Sikhoraphum
Categories: Racha Yai Island (Ko Racha Yai)
Categories: Railay Beach
Categories: Ranong
Sattahip is located in the southern tip of the province of Chonburi, Thailand. This district is located only 120km away from Bangkok ...
Categories: Sattahip
Categories: Satun
Si Chiangmai, also known as Sri Chiang Mai, Thailand, lies directly across the Mekong River from Vientiane, Laos, in a region of interesting villages 320 mi/515 km north of Bangkok. Founded by the Laotian King Setthathirath, the grandson of a former ...
Categories: Si Chiangmai
Siam Seaport is located just south of Bangkok, Thailand. It is the largest multipurpose port featured in Thailand to this day. The first operations in Siam Seaport started in the year 1995 and have since grown tremendously, exporting and importing a ...
Categories: Siam Seaport
The Similan Islands are located within the Phang Nga Provice in the southern region of Thailand. This tropical destination consists of 9 individual islands that make up the archipelago. The Similan Islands has been featured in National Geographic as ...
Categories: Similan Islands
Songkhla is located on a peninsula between the Gulf of Thailand and the Thala Sap Songkhla – an inland sea. The town bustles with activity with fishing boats arriving or leaving throughout the day, and long tail boats ferrying passengers to nearby ...
Categories: Songkhla
Sukhothai, Thailand's first capital, has the most interesting and varied ruins in the country. The centerpiece of Sukhothai itself, 280 mi/450 km north of Bangkok, is a large monastery. Nearby is a colorful and fascinating market. Wat Mahathat has an...
Categories: Sukhothai
Categories: Surat Thani
The Surin Islands are composed of five breathtaking islands belonging to the Thailand archipelago, with the two main islands of Koh Surin Nua and Koh Surin Tai forming the largest land mass. The islands only sit 50km from the mainland and attract man...
Categories: Surin Islands
Although it is the largest island of Thailand’s Tarutao National Marine Park, Ko Tarutao, is considered one of the most primitive and untouched islands in the Andaman Sea. With its mountainous terrain and thick jungles, the population of monkeys and...
Categories: Tarutao Island (Ko Tarutao)
Thailand is one of the most diverse destinations in Asia and is famous for its pulsating cities, picturesque villages and spectacular tourist spots.
Categories: Asia Pacific > South East Asia
That Panom, Thailand, is a sleepy Mekong River town 375 mi/600 km northeast of Bangkok that is seldom visited by foreign tourists, but it's worth the effort it takes to get there. As the crow flies, it's not much farther from Bangkok than Udon Thani,...
Categories: That Panom
Categories: Trang
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Thailand offers something for everyone. The capital, Bangkok, is alive with commerce and street-bustle nearly every hour of the day and night. Whether in big cities, the country or on a pristine beach, Thailand offers business and leisure travelers a safe, friendly atmosphere full of possibilities. Indeed, one reason Thailand is among the most visited countries in Asia (more than 22 million visitors annually) is because of its accessibility and extensive tourism infrastructure.
Thailand has fabulous architecture, diverse hill-tribe villages, ancient ruins, beautiful islands, excellent shopping and all the amenities as well. The balance between comfort and excitement is up to you: Stay at a five-star hotel or trek through the jungles; eat at gourmet buffets or buy fruit from local vendors; shop in glitzy malls or wander through outdoor markets. Thailand offers a curious mix of the ultramodern and the simply delightful.
The tsunamis that struck Southeast Asia in December 2004 dealt a serious blow to Thailand's western coast. The hardest-hit regions were Phang-Nga, Phuket and Krabi provinces, including popular resort areas in Phuket and Phi Phi Island. The area has fully recovered, however, and is again attracting hordes of visitors.
Geography
The center of Thailand consists of flat plains no more than a few feet/meters above sea level, watered by the Chao Phraya River and a number of smaller rivers and canals. There are mountains in the north stretching southward along the border with Myanmar, high plains in the east, and mountains and jungle covering the peninsula Thailand shares with Malaysia. History
The first true Thai kingdom was established in AD 1238, though the region had been settled since 3600 BC. The ensuing two centuries are known as the Sukhothai period, a kind of Golden Age when Thais made great contributions to writing and Theravada Buddhism and generally expanded the empire.
Though it was occasionally dominated for periods by its Southeast Asian neighbors, Thailand (or Siam, as it was called then) was the only country in the region not colonized by Europeans. The ruins of Sukhothai and other ancient Thai kingdoms are well-preserved today. The remains of these great cities date from vastly different time periods, and each is unique. A visit to at least one is well worth it.
Modern Thai history begins with the revolution of 1932, which shifted power from the king to a coalition of military and elected officials. In 1939, the official name changed from Siam to Thailand, meaning "land of the free." Despite its loss of power, however, the monarchy continues to exert enormous influence on Thai people. King Rama IX was the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history and was beloved by nearly everyone. He died 13 October 2016 and was succeeded by his son, Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Royal birthdays are treated as national holidays, and pictures of the king (featured on nearly all Thai money) and queen can be found in most homes and on billboards around the country. The king's anthem plays before the start of every movie, and the audience respectfully stands.
Snapshot
Among the main attractions of Thailand are beaches, snorkeling, scuba diving, temples, ruins, hill-tribe culture, trekking, fine handicrafts, excellent food, nightlife and very friendly people.
The beaches and islands along the eastern coast were not affected by the tsunami and are major destinations, similar in many ways to Phuket (pronounced Pu-KET) and the islands off the western coast. Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in the north are the two top attractions in the hill country, offering everything from elephant treks to cooking classes.
Thailand will appeal to anyone who is interested in beach vacations, shopping, eating or archaeology, but especially to those who want to explore different cultures without sacrificing modern conveniences. Don't expect deluxe accommodations everywhere you stay, though, and be prepared for heat, humidity and dust during the dry season and lots of rain in the wet season.
Potpourri
The only Southeast Asian country never colonized by a European power, Thailand's name in the local language means Prathet Thai, or "Land of the Free." The country was formerly known as Siam.
Even though fewer youth abide by the custom today, young Thai men (even members of the royal family) serve as Buddhist monks for a short time before embarking on their careers.
In Thailand, each day of the week is associated with a color. Yellow symbolizes the monarchy because King Bhumibol was born on a Monday, which is represented with the color yellow. Queen Sirikit was born on a Friday, and thus represented by the color blue. But royal birthdays aren't the only hues inspiring local fashion. In 2007, King Bhumibol was photographed wearing pale pink after a long spell in the hospital. As such, his loyal subjects soon donned the pastel shade to wish him good health.
The Elephant Art School in Chon Buri hands over its brushes to elephants, whose paintings are sold for significant sums.
Thailand actually has two New Year celebrations: one on 1 January and another on the anniversary of Buddha's death in mid-April.
Anna and the King of Siam took place in Bangkok, but don't praise the book (or The King and I, the play and movie based on it) to Thais; they find it to be an offensive and condescending portrayal of one of their greatest kings.
Ban Chiang, in northeastern Thailand, is considered by many to be the most important prehistoric settlement ever discovered in Southeast Asia; it had bronze artifacts dating back to 2100 BC.
The world's smallest-sized mammal lives in Thailand. The bumblebee bat, also known as Kitti's hog-nosed bat, is an insect-eating mammal with a body length of just 1.1 in/2.9 cm; it weighs a mere 0.07 oz/2 g.
The Sofitel Centara Grand Resort & Villas Hua Hin stood in for Cambodia's Hotel Le Phnom in the film The Killing Fields.
Named Wichien-maat, or "moon diamond," in the local language, Siamese cats are native to Thailand and believed to be lucky. Gifting a certain breed (a Si Sawat Siamese) to a new bride is said to bless the marriage.
A century ago, more than 100,000 elephants lived in Thailand. Sadly, decades of poaching and overzealous logging have left a modern population of just 2,000-3,000.
In Thailand, leaving the house without underwear is illegal.