Don’t Miss These 11 Top Rated Places to Visit in Thailand

Start your adventure here and fly into Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX).  This city has so much to offer and is a lot less shocking than Bangkok.  It is a nice place to ease into your new surroundings.

When looking at a map of the city, you will see that it is clearly defined by ancient city walls.  The main entrance into Chiang Mai’s old walled city is the Tha Phae Gate.  On Sunday nights, there is a Sunday Night Market (Walking Street) that starts at this entrance and extends through the walled city.  Go with an empty stomach because you will want to try all of the delicious street food. Inside of the city walls, you will run into countless Internet cafes, boutiques, Thai massage spas, and temples.  Take a day to walk or tuk-tuk around.  Also, you MUST go see Wat Phra That at the top of Doi Suithep Mountain.  The Thai people say that you cannot claim you’ve been to Chiang Mai unless you go see this temple.  It is breathtaking as you are surrounded by the lush green mountains, overlooking the whole city.

Take a minibus from Chiang Mai up into the winding mountains to get to Pai.  It is unreal.  Between the super friendly locals, delicious food, fun nightlife, abundant waterfalls, and landscape to explore, I promise this is a place you will fall in love with.  Rent a motorbike and go see Pai Canyon.  Come into town for some awesome food and relaxation, then ride up the mountain to the White Buddha for sunset, and finish off the night at the night market and fun bars!

Chiang Rai is about 3 hours north of Chiang Mai-a very easy bus ride.  When in Chiang Rai make sure to see Wat Rong Khun, known to foreigners as the White Temple. It is a privately owned art exhibit in the style of a Buddhist temple.  Some other must-sees are the Blue Temple, Singha Park, Mae Fah Luang Garden, and the Baandam Museum (Black House).  You can see all of these attractions in a matter of a couple days.

Lampang is the place to go to visit the elephants.  There are several elephant sanctuaries there, so you have your pick.  At most of the sanctuaries you can feed and bathe the elephants.  The trainers are so friendly and help you have an amazing experience.

There is honestly no place like Bangkok.  I think you either hate it or you love it.  Of course you have to see Khao San Road and the Grand Palace, but an underrated and up-in-coming area is Sukhumvit.  There are cool breweries and places to eat there.

If you are in Bangkok for a Saturday or Sunday, go to the Chatuchak Market near Mochit bus station.  It is one of the world’s largest weekend markets where you can seriously find ANYTHING. Bangkok is a great place to take day trips from too.  You can take a day trip outside of the city to the floating markets, Pattaya, Ayutthaya, and several other places.

Hua Hin is a beautiful beach resort not too far south of Bangkok and a lot nicer than Pattaya.

Karon and Patong beaches are the most popular, however, there are SO many beautiful beaches in Phuket.  I’d suggest renting a motorbike so you can check out all the different beaches it has to offer. It is one of the most popular places to visit in Thailand. You must not miss Phuket’s night life at Bangla Road in Patong Beach.

Krabi town itself is okay.  It didn’t seem like much was happening there, but from there you can then take a long boat to Railay Beach, which is AMAZING!  The water is as blue as you see in the pictures.  Check out Tonsai Beach too, which is less crowded than Railay Beach and just as beautiful.

This island is known as the “Party Island.”  It makes you feel like you are at a college frat party when you’re there.  During the day, you can rest on the beach, recovering from the night before, and then do it all over again. There is live music, fire dancers, Muay Thai fighting, and pool parties!

Koh Lanta is quiet and less touristy than a lot of the other islands.  There is hardly anyone on the beaches so it feels like you’ve got your own private island!  All of the locals are very nice and welcoming.  You can get massages on the beach, as well as enjoy a delicious meal with your toes in the sand.

Do some island hopping!  You can fly to Koh Samui and then take a ferry to hop to the other islands.  You could spend a day or so on each.  The waters are so beautifully blue by these islands.  It is truly breathtaking.  Koh Phangan is where the infamous Full Moon Party is.  Tens of thousands of people gather on the beach for a grand old time.  It can get pretty crazy but it is definitely something to experience.  These islands offer endless adventures such as snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, hiking, partying, and so many others.  All three are worth seeing.