Old Siam Plaza

Thailand

　　Sugar junkies, be sure to include this stop on your Bangkok eating itinerary. The ground floor of this shopping centre is a candyland of traditional Thai sweets and snacks, most made right before your eyes. ...

Nam Tok Soi Sawan

Thailand

　　Nam Tok Soi Sawan is a 25m-tall waterfall flowing from June to December. It's a 19km drive from the visitors centre and then a 500m walk, or you can hike with a ranger (this must be arranged in advance) for about 15 largely shadeless kilometres along the top of the...

Erawan National Park

Thailand

　　Splashing in emerald-green pools under Erawan Falls is the highlight of this very popular 550-sq-km park. Seven tiers of waterfall tumble through the forest, and bathing beneath these crystalline cascades is equally popular with locals and visitors. Reaching the first three tiers is easy; beyond here, walking shoes and some...

Wat Phu Thok

Thailand

　　With its network of rickety staircases and walkways built in, on and around a giant sandstone outcrop, Wat Phu Thok is one of the region’s wonders. The precarious paths lead past shrines and gù·đì (monk's huts) that are scattered around the mountain on cliffs and in caves and provide fabulous...

Victory Monument

Thailand

　　This obelisk was built by the then military government in 1941 to commemorate a 1940 campaign against the French in Laos. Today the monument is primarily a landmark for observing the social universe of local university students and countless commuters. It’s worth exploring the neighbourhood around Victory Monument, which is...

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Thailand

　　This 100-year-old floating market – once one of Thailand's prestige tourist attractions – is now essentially a floating souvenir stand filled with hordes of package tourists. It's an unapologetically commercial affair: a tour of the market requires you to hire a boat (per person/boat 800/3000B) that takes you through a...

Ancient City

Thailand

　　Don’t have the time to see Thailand’s most famous historic monuments? Then consider visiting scaled-down versions of them in what claims to be the largest open-air museum in the world. It’s an excellent place to explore by bicycle (included in entry fee) as it's usually quiet and rarely crowded. Ancient...

Or Tor Kor Market

Thailand

　　Or Tor Kor is Bangkok’s highest-quality fruit and agricultural market, and taking in the toddler-sized mangoes and dozens of pots full of curries amounts to culinary trainspotting. The vast majority of vendors’ goods are takeaway only, but a small food court and a few informal restaurants can also be found....

Wat Rong Khun

Thailand

　　Wat Rong Khun’s construction began in 1997 by noted Thai painter turned architect Chalermchai Kositpipat. It's a striking structure that, from a distance, seems to be made of glittering porcelain. A closer look reveals the appearance is due to a combination of whitewash and clear-mirrored chips. 　　It's located about 13km...

Pranburi Forest Park

Thailand

　　Just north of the Pranburi River is an extensive natural mangrove forest. A 1km-long boardwalk with interpretive signs, some in English, lets you explore it from the perspective of a mud-dweller, while an observation tower gives you a bird's-eye view. At high tide fisherfolk will take visitors on 40-minute boat...

Ramkhamhaeng National Museum

Thailand

　　Near the entrance to the central zone, this museum is a decent starting point for exploring the historical-park ruins. A replica of the famous Ramkhamhaeng inscription, said to be the earliest example of Thai writing, is kept here among an impressive collection of Sukhothai artefacts. Admission to the museum is...

Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre

Thailand

　　The infamous cutting known as Hellfire Pass was the largest along the length of the Thailand–Burma Railway, and the most deadly for the people forced to construct it; and this memorial, upgraded in 2018, is a poignant tribute. A small gallery lays out the history of the site and memorialises...

Sukhothai Historical Park

Thailand

　　The Sukhothai Historical Park ruins are one of Thailand’s most impressive World Heritage sites. The park includes the remains of 21 historical sites and four large ponds within the old walls, with an additional 70 sites within a 5km radius. The ruins are divided into five zones; the central, northern...

Khao Ta Mong Lai Forest Park

Hua Hin & the Upper Gulf

　　This seldom-visited park is at the northern end of Ao Prachuap Bay. Exploration is limited to the 300m nature trail with a viewpoint of the city at the end, and the shell-covered, rocky beach. All climbing is prohibited. Dusky langur come down from the hills in the late afternoon and...

Ao Manao

Hua Hin & the Upper Gulf

　　On weekends, locals head to Ao Manao, an island-dotted bay ringed by a curving beach within Wing 5 Thai Air Force base – the only beach where locals go swimming as both the water and sand are clean. There are the usual seaside amenities: restaurants, beach chairs, umbrellas and inner...

Wat Ao Noi

Hua Hin & the Upper Gulf

　　Leaving Ao Prachuap behind, turn north for 2.5km, passing the fishing village of Ban Ao Noi, where some of the larger boats dock and unload, to this large temple linking two bays: Ao Noi and Ao Khan Kradai. It features a lovely bòht constructed entirely of teak without nails, and...

Khao Lammuak

Hua Hin & the Upper Gulf

　　Marking the southern end of Ao Prachuap Bay, this soaring limestone mountain features prominently in photos of the city. At its rocky summit are a Buddha footprint and fantastic views. However, because of many accidents, the climb, requiring pulling yourself up with ropes at some points, is now only allowed...

Khao Chong Krajok

Hua Hin & the Upper Gulf

　　At the northern end of town, Khao Chong Krajok (Mirror Gap Hill, so named for the natural hole that seemingly reflects the sky) provides a cascading view of the coastline and mountains on the Myanmar border about 15km away. You'll need to dodge some fearless monkeys as you climb the...

Ao Prachuap

Hua Hin & the Upper Gulf

　　The town’s crowning feature is Ao Prachuap (Prachuap Bay), a gracefully curving bay outlined by an oceanfront promenade and punctuated by dramatic headlands at both ends. The sunrise is superb and an evening stroll along the promenade and pier is a peaceful delight. 　　North of Khao Chong Krajok, over the...

Nurulislam Mosque

Tak Province

　　Mae Sot's principal mosque. ...

Wat Chumphon Khiri

Tak Province

　　A Buddhist temple in Mae Sot. ...

Wat Aranyakhet

Tak Province

　　A Buddhist temple in Mae Sot. ...

Border Market

Tak Province

　　Alongside Mae Nam Moei on the Thai side of the border is an expansive market that sells a mixture of workaday goods from Myanmar, black-market clothes, cheap Chinese electronics and food, among other things. It’s located 5km west of Mae Sot; catch one of the sŏrng·tăa·ou (20B, frequent from 6am...

Pakistan Mosque

Phitsanulok

　　A mosque in Phitsanulok. ...

Wat Nang Phaya

Phitsanulok

　　A Buddhist temple in Phitsanulok. ...

Clock Tower

Phitsanulok

　　A clock tower in central Phitsanulok. ...

Buranathai Buddha Image Foundry

Phitsanulok

　　Almost across the street from Sergeant Major Thawee Folk Museum, and also belonging to Sergeant Major Thawee, is the Buranathai Buddha Image Foundry, where bronze Buddha images of all sizes are cast. Visitors are welcome to watch the process, and there are photo exhibits demonstrating the lost-wax method of metal...

Wat Ratburana

Phitsanulok

　　Across the street from Wat Phra Si Ratana Mahathat, Wat Ratburana draws fewer visitors but in some ways is more interesting than its famous neighbour. In addition to a wí·hăhn with a 700-year-old gold Buddha, there’s a bòht (chapel), with beautiful murals thought to date back to the mid-19th century,...

Wat Phra Si Ratana Mahathat

Phitsanulok

　　The main wí·hăhn (sanctuary) at this temple, known by locals as Wat Yai, appears small from the outside, but houses the Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, one of Thailand’s most revered and copied Buddha images. This famous statue is probably second in importance only to the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok’s Wat Phra...

Sergeant Major Thawee Folk Museum

Phitsanulok

　　This fascinating museum displays a remarkable collection of tools, textiles and photographs from Phitsanulok Province, as well as many knick-knacks from previous decades, all accumulated by the eponymous Sergeant Major Thawee. It’s spread throughout five traditional-style Thai buildings and the displays are accompanied by informative English descriptions. Those interested in...

Wat Phra Non

Mae Hong Son

　　Wat Phra Non is home to the largest reclining Buddha in town. ...

Wat Kam Kor

Mae Hong Son

　　This Burmese-style temple is known for its unique covered walkway. ...

Wat Jong Kham

Mae Hong Son

　　Next door to Wat Jong Klang, this temple was built nearly 200 years ago by Thai Yai (Shan) people, who make up about half of the population of Mae Hong Son Province. ...

Wat Jong Klang Museum

Mae Hong Son

　　This museum in Wat Jong Klang houses 150-year-old wooden dolls from Mandalay, some of which depict the more gruesome aspects of the wheel of life. ...

Tham Pla National Park

Mae Hong Son

　　The most touted attraction of this national park is Tham Pla (Fish Cave), a water-filled cavern where hundreds of soro brook carp thrive. A 450m path leads from the park entrance to a suspension bridge that crosses a stream and continues to the cave. The park is 16km north of...

Wat Hua Wiang

Mae Hong Son

　　This wát, just west of Mae Hong Son’s morning market, is recognised for its bòht (chapel), boasting an elaborate tiered wooden roof and a revered bronze Buddha statue from Mandalay (Myanmar). ...

Wat Jong Klang

Mae Hong Son

　　Wat Jong Klang houses century-old glass Jataka paintings and a museum with 150-year-old wooden dolls from Myanmar that depict some of the agonies of the wheel of life. The temple is lit at night and is reflected in Nong Jong Kham – a popular photo op for visitors. Wat Jong...

Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu

Mae Hong Son

　　Climb the hill west of town, Doi Kong Mu (1500m), to visit this temple compound, also known as Wat Plai Doi. Two Shan chedi, erected in 1860 and 1874, enshrine the ashes of monks from Myanmar’s Shan State. Around the back of the wát you can see a tall, slender,...

Wat Nam Hoo

Pai

　　Wat Nam Hoo is about 2km west of Pai and houses a sacred Buddha image said to have once emitted holy water from its head. The place is popular with visiting Thais and there’s a small market on the grounds. ...

Memorial Bridge

Pai

　　To some it may be an antiquated bridge, but to the thousands of Thais who stop here it’s one of several crucial photo ops along the ‘762 curves’ from Chiang Mai to Pai. Located 9km south of Pai, the bridge was originally built by Japanese soldiers during WWII. Now it...

Ban Santichon

Pai

　　The cheesy photo ops in traditional Chinese clothing, piped-in music, tea tastings, pony rides, tacky recreation of the Great Wall of China and mountaintop viewpoint can make Ban Santichon seem like a Chinese-themed Disneyland. And the number of Chinese visitors often outnumbers the 1000 or so descendants of migrants from...

Ban Santichon Viewpoint

Pai

　　A viewpoint at the Chinese village of Ban Santichon that offers decent views over the surrounding area. ...

Tha Pai Hot Springs

Pai

　　Across Mae Nam Pai and 7km southeast of town via a paved road is this well-kept local park. Through it flows a scenic stream, which mixes with the hot springs in places to make pleasant bathing areas. The water is also diverted to a couple of nearby spas. ...

Wat Phra That Mae Yen

Pai

　　This temple sits atop a hill and has terrific views overlooking the valley. To get here, walk 1km east from the main intersection in town to get to the stairs that lead to the top (there are 353 steps). Or, if you’ve got your own wheels, take the 400m sealed...

Nam Tok Mo Paeng

Pai

　　The most popular waterfall in the vicinity of Pai, Nam Tok Mo Paeng has a couple of pools that are suitable for swimming. The waterfall is about 8km from Pai along the road that also leads to Wat Nam Hoo – it's a long walk, but it's an OK bike...