Thailand is unique. It is the ultimate destination for backpackers and a place that many people visit several times in their life. There must be something special with this country, a reason why everybody loves it.
Thailand combines almost unlimited places to see, cheap prices, great beaches, awesome food, nightlife, amazing temples... and we could just continue.
This country has many faces. It can be the first place young backpackers visit in their gap year. Super cheap, easy to travel, fun and full of crazy parties. On the other hand it can offer a peaceful luxury holiday settings for couples and families coming every single year. If you wish you can also find a peace and places without tourists. Thailand is a must in Southeast Asia.
Do you want to know the prices in Thailand? Check out our Thailand budget guide.
Places from the photo journey on the map
The Grand Palace is the royal residence and the most popular tourist attraction in Bangkok. You can find here the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand - the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
It is an amazing complex of buildings. Tips: Be there before the opening time to avoid the crowds and the heat. Otherwise it is not worth the visit. Wear long shirts and pants.
Next to the Grand Palace you can visit Wat Pho - the Temple of Reclining Buddha with a 46 m long statue of Buddha in the lying position. It is probably the oldest temple in Bangkok.
Many people choose to visit one of the floating markets in Bangkok. The most famous market is called Damnoen Saduak, but it is also very touristy. If you wish to enjoy the real local atmosphere, head to Khlong Lat Mayon floating market.
This floating market is maybe smaller, but more authentic. It is located on the outskirts of Bangkok. To get there take a BTS train to Bang Wa station and then a taxi.
The location is quite nice and you can take a boat ride to see the surrounding nature.
If you want to eat well and enjoy another type of busy craziness than Khao San Road, go to Chinatown full of tiny street stalls, restaurants and shops.
Chiang Mai is Thailand's northern capital and a mekka for tourists. It is a place where you can stay for weeks and you won't get bored. This temple is one of the most attractive in the city.
Wat Phra Singh is also a monastery, a home for around 700 monks.
There are so many interesting temples in Chiang Mai. Many of them are quite touristy. That is why we prefered to visit a hidden temple called Wat Pha Lat instead of the famous Doi Suthep located nearby.
The place is really amazing. To get there - pass the Chiang Mai Zoo at the end of Suthep Road, find a small trail in the forest and follow the trees wrapped in the pieces of orange cloth that monks wear. It should take up to an hour if you don't get lost like we did. It is not easy to find it, but really worth it.
There are no tourists around, no shops only monks doing their daily tasks like for example bathing a little puppy. This is our best memory from Chiang Mai!
Chiang Mai is a mekka of cooking classes! Some of them start at a local market where you will learn and shop the ingrediences you need.
Cooking class is a great day of learning new recipes, eating good food and having fun. Definitely one of the best cooking classes in Southeast Asia.
You will learn how to cook green or red curry, spring rolls, sweet&sour and other meals you will choose.
Wat Rong Khun or The White Temple was designed by thai visual artist Chalermchai Kositpipat in 1997.
It is more a piece of contemporary art than a temple, but it is inspired by Buddhism. The white color symbolizes the purity of the Buddha.
Have you ever been in a 3D museum? If the answer is no, do it in Phuket town.
The employees of the museum are there for you to assist you with pictures and having fun with you.
The best advice we can give you is to rent a motorbike and explore Phuket on your own. Stop at Wat Chalong temple. Nice and calm place to take a break.
One of our favourite beaches. It is quite small, clean and not that crazy as for example Patong beach.
If you are the person that can't spend the holiday only on the beach, make a hike to Big Buddha statue visible from many places across Phuket.
Many people just take a tuk tuk or a motorbike up there, but we walked there through nice nature, meeting elephants and enjoy the small trek. Just start early to avoid the heat. The views are great.
When you are in Phuket, you should definitely see the most beautiful bay in Thailand in Ao Phang Nga National Park. There are hundreds of limestone cliffs and collapsed cave systems that can be explored.
The most famous place that every tour visit is the James Bond Island called after the shooting of the Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun.
There are several tour and boat operators you can choose from. Most of them offers kayakking in the hidden lagoons in some of the islands. It is a fun experience, but you got usually around half an hour to explore with other people from the boat. If you like more adventure, book your own trip to see the place untouched by most of the tourists.
This is the typical picture from Maya Bay. No photoshop needed. BUT: You must buy a trip to see this beauty on Ko Phi Phi Ley. If you are not on a luxury holiday, you will probably stay on Ko Phi Phi Don. The main Ton Sai village is far from beautiful as it is quite dirty, full of people, bars and hotels.
This is the real water colour around Ko Phi Phi Ley.
Ko Lanta is one of the islands near Krabi. It is a great choice if you are looking for a holiday away from parties. It is a calm place with empty white sanded beaches.
We rented a motorbike and explored the island a bit. We found this mangrove forest with a fish farm where you can rent a kayak.
There are many animals you can spot in a mangrove forests, most of the time you will see the mangrove crabs with different colours.
If you are looking for an empty beach with clean water, don't go to Ao Nang. This beach has a nice nature settings, but the water is not that clear as in Phuket or Ko Lanta. The indian restaurants near the beach served also one of the worst indian food we have ever tasted.
If you buy a trip to Emerald Pool, Blue Lagoon and Hot Springs, you will be probably dissapointed. Emerald Pool must be beautiful if you can swim there alone in the morning, but not that much with hundreds of other people.
Blue Lagoon is beautiful, but go there on your own. The organized touristy trips are definitely not worth it.
If you dare in the heat, climb over 1200 steps to the top of the mountain. It is really worth it!
The views are really breathtaking. Tips: Wear long shirt and pants or take a sarong.
Places from the photo journey on the map
Read more
