Attraction
Phuket Big Buddha
A 45-metre marble-clad Buddha on Nakkerd Hill above Chalong, with free entry and wide views over Kata, Chalong Bay and the south of the island.
Thailand combines busy cities, historic temples, mountains and tropical islands, and it is one of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia. Most international visitors arrive in Bangkok, the capital, known for its temples, markets and street food. From there, many travel north to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai for old temples, night markets and hill country, or to the former capitals of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai. In the south, Phuket, Krabi and the islands of Ko Samui, Ko Phangan and Ko Phi Phi are known for their beaches and diving. Thai food, from regional curries to noodle soups and grilled dishes, is a strong reason to visit in its own right.
Attraction
A 45-metre marble-clad Buddha on Nakkerd Hill above Chalong, with free entry and wide views over Kata, Chalong Bay and the south of the island.
Attraction
Bangkok's former royal residence, a walled complex of throne halls, courtyards and the revered Temple of the Emerald Buddha beside the Chao Phraya River.
Attraction
Hilltop Lanna temple about 15 km from the city, with a gilded 24-metre chedi, a long naga staircase and wide views over Chiang Mai.
Attraction
Phuket's best-known temple complex in Chalong, with a 60-metre chedi holding a Buddha relic and a hall honouring the revered monk Luang Pho Chaem.
Attraction
Old City temple built around a vast 15th-century brick chedi that once held the Emerald Buddha and still shelters Chiang Mai's city pillar.
Attraction
One of Bangkok's oldest and largest temples, famous for its 46-metre gilded Reclining Buddha and as the historic home of Thai traditional massage.
Café
A specialty coffee bar on Soi Romanee that roasts Thai arabica on site, is known for nitro cold brew and makes bean-to-bar chocolate from Thai cacao.
Café
Dark, compact Nimmanhaemin coffee bar opened in 2011 by Arnon Thitiprasert, the 2017 World Latte Art Champion, known for milk drinks and signature creations.
Café
A white-wicker tea lounge in the original wing of the Mandarin Oriental, serving traditional afternoon tea beneath portraits of the writers who stayed there.
Café
Coffee company founded in 2010 by Lee Ayu Chuepa from an Akha village, buying beans directly from indigenous growers; its Old City branch is on Ratchadamnoen…
Café
A small specialty coffee bar on the ground floor of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, focused on hand drip and cold brew using Thai beans.
Café
A Thalang Road coffee shop styled like an old Chinese kopitiam, serving Phuket-style Hokkien noodles, pad thai and drinks at modest prices.
Hotel
All-suite heritage hotel in Wat Ket built around an 1889 teak house that was once part of the East Borneo Company's headquarters, with 30 suites and…
Hotel
Bangkok's grand old riverside hotel, first opened in the 1870s, with a historic Authors' Wing, acclaimed restaurants, a renowned spa and the Bamboo Bar.
Hotel
A secluded luxury resort of private pool villas, suites and residences on Phuket's north-west coast, home to the Michelin-starred PRU and awarded Two MICHELIN Keys.
Hotel
Aman's resort on a peninsula above Pansea Beach in north-west Phuket, with pavilions and villas, several restaurants and a holistic wellness centre.
Hotel
Riverside resort on Charoen Prathet Road with a former British consulate, the 1921 House, at its centre, plus a spa, private pier and riverside dining.
Hotel
A 37-storey luxury hotel on the Thonburi bank of the Chao Phraya, where every room has river views and a private boat shuttles guests across.
Bar
Patong's main nightlife street, closed to traffic each evening and lined with bars, clubs and neon signs from the beach road inland.
Bar
Small, informal live music bar by Chang Phueak Gate that has hosted local and visiting musicians since 2008, with free entry and regular jam nights.
Bar
An open-air bar on the 64th floor of State Tower, famed for its glowing circular bar and sweeping views over the Chao Phraya and the city…
Bar
The biggest club on Patong's Bangla Road, a superclub with three rooms for EDM, hip-hop and techno and a line-up of international DJs.
Bar
Bangkok's first jazz venue, opened in 1947 inside the Mandarin Oriental, with nightly live bands and inventive cocktails in a 1950s setting.
Bar
Riverside bar and restaurant on the Ping River since 1984, with live bands nightly from 20:00, Thai and Western food and a 90-minute dinner cruise.
Restaurant
Chef Gaggan Anand's theatrical tasting-menu restaurant, serving progressive Indian cuisine with an emoji menu, ranked third on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2026.
Restaurant
Bib Gourmand noodle shop in Chang Phueak serving Chiang Mai's signature khao soi, a rich, gently spicy curry noodle soup, from morning to mid-afternoon.
Restaurant
A one-MICHELIN-Star restaurant at Trisara in Choeng Thale, serving a seasonal tasting menu built on produce from its own farm and Thai suppliers.
Restaurant
Thai and Phuket Peranakan dishes served in the restored Phra Pitak Chinpracha mansion on Krabi Road, with a cocktail bar and its own cooking school.
Restaurant
Long-running Old City restaurant on Ratchamankha Road serving northern Thai home cooking such as khao soi, gaeng hang lay and khanom jeen nam ngiao.
Restaurant
A fine-dining restaurant in a converted house off Sukhumvit 26, devoted to Southern Thai recipes, regional ingredients and traditional cooking methods.
Thing to do
One of the world's largest weekend markets, with more than 15,000 stalls across 27 sections selling clothes, crafts, plants, antiques and street food.
Thing to do
A self-guided stroll through Phuket Town's Sino-Portuguese streets, taking in Thalang Road, Soi Romanee, old shrines, museums and Baba-style cafés.
Thing to do
Weekly evening market that closes Ratchadamnoen Road from Tha Phae Gate to Wat Phra Singh, with crafts, street food and temple-courtyard food courts.
Thing to do
Phuket Town's Sunday evening market, known locally as Lard Yai, filling Thalang Road with street food, crafts and performers from late afternoon.
Thing to do
Saturday evening market on Wualai Road, starting at Chiang Mai Gate, in the city's traditional silversmith quarter beside the Silver Temple.
Thing to do
Bangkok's Chinatown, a 1.5-kilometre stretch of gold shops, neon signs and evening street food stalls along Yaowarat Road.
Tour operator
A Bangkok tour company based at River City by the Chao Phraya, running guided bicycle, longtail boat, walking and tuk-tuk tours through the city's backstreets.
Tour operator
The pioneer of sea-cave canoeing in Phang Nga Bay since 1983, best known for its Hong by Starlight tour with guided paddling into hidden lagoons.
Tour operator
Family-run cooking school operating since 2001, with half-day and full-day classes on an organic farm about 17 km from Chiang Mai, including a market visit.
Tour operator
Family-hosted cooking school since 2007 with morning and evening classes in an Old City garden near Tha Phae Gate and morning classes on an organic farm.
Tour operator
A Bangkok food tour company running guided tasting walks and tuk-tuk trips through Bang Rak, Yaowarat, Thonburi and other neighbourhoods.
Tour operator
A Phuket boat-tour company founded in 2005, running small-group speedboat trips to Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay from Boat Lagoon, plus private charters.
Domestic flights are the quickest way to cover long distances, while trains and long-distance buses are cheaper. Ferries and speedboats connect the islands.
November to February is generally the driest and coolest period for most of the country. The Gulf of Thailand islands, such as Ko Samui, have a different rainy season from the Andaman coast.
Popular choices include Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Ayutthaya, Phuket, Krabi, Ko Samui and Ko Lanta.