Thinking about heading to Thailand? Below is a quick and dirty list of my top five places to visit when heading to the land of red curry, temples and rooftops.
- Bangkok – Easiest to fly in and out of, and flights to other cities from here are pretty cheap. Bangkok is the thriving metropolis of Thailand. Head here for amazing skyline views of the city, delicious cuisine, shopping and historic sites.
- Chiang Mai – Amazing history, religion and culture will greet you in Chiang Mai. If you can, make it here for either Songkron (Thai/Buddhist new year) or Loi Krathong (floating lights celebration). You can also make a day trip from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle (the place where Burma, Thailand and Laos meet).
- Krabi or Phuket – Both are pretty gorgeous beach areas of Thailand, and both can be used as ports to visit the Phi Phi islands and Maya Bay in particular (vigorously touted as the most beautiful beach in Thailand, and the location where the movie The Beach was filmed).
- Ko Samui – A less popular beach area but slowly getting populated with resorts and tourists as well. Very easy to navigate the island by bike or car and the beaches truly are beautiful. This is my personal favorite beach/island in Thailand.
Hope you enjoy your travels to Thailand!