Best things to do in Thailand: the essential experiences

Bangkok's big three sit close together along the Chao Phraya. Go at opening time to beat the heat and tour groups, and cross to Wat Arun by the small river ferry.

The former royal capital, a UNESCO site of brick prangs and Buddha heads, is an easy day trip from Bangkok by train. Rent a bicycle to move between the ruins.

Older and calmer than Ayutthaya, with lotus ponds and seated Buddhas in a large historical park best explored by bike, ideally at sunrise.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep above the city, and Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh inside the old walls. Some temples offer monk chats where you can ask questions about Buddhism.

The White Temple is a contemporary work by artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, striking and unconventional. Combine it with the Blue Temple and the Baan Dam museum.

Spectacular but busy. Maya Bay reopened with strict rules: boats land at the back of the island, visitors walk to a viewing area, swimming is not allowed, and the bay closes every year for a period during the rainy season.

Reachable only by boat from Ao Nang, with limestone cliffs, rock climbing for all levels and a short, steep viewpoint trail.

A small island in the far south with clear water and reefs close to shore. Mostly visited from about November to May, when boats run regularly.

The island of dive schools, with bays good for snorkelling straight from the beach and a relaxed pace outside the main village.

Samui has the widest range of hotels and a real airport; Phangan is known for the Full Moon Party but has quiet beaches in the north.

Old rainforest and a reservoir framed by limestone karsts. A night in a floating raft house is the highlight.

Thailand's first national park, about three hours from Bangkok, with waterfalls, hornbills and a real chance to see wild elephants from the road.

Seven tiers of turquoise pools in a forest trail. Combine with the Death Railway and the River Kwai bridge.

Thailand's highest mountain, with cloud forest, waterfalls and cool mornings, an easy day from Chiang Mai.

An archipelago of limestone islands off Koh Samui, visited by day trip with kayaking and a steep viewpoint climb.

Granite boulders and some of the country's best reefs. The park is open only part of the year, from 15 October to 15 May, with daily visitor limits.

Every city has one. Chiang Mai's Sunday Walking Street and the markets of Bangkok are good places to graze through dishes for a few hundred baht.

Most classes start with a market visit and are held on small farms outside the city. You cook several dishes and eat them.

Bangkok's Chinatown comes alive after dark with seafood, noodles and desserts along the main road and its side alleys.

Rajadamnern and Lumpinee stadiums in Bangkok host regular fights; local stadiums in Chiang Mai or on the islands are cheaper but more tourist-oriented.

Songkran (mid-April) is the Thai New Year and a nationwide water fight. Loy Krathong, usually in November, sees candles floated on rivers; in Chiang Mai it coincides with Yi Peng and its sky lanterns.

Damnoen Saduak is the famous one but is now largely a tourist show. Amphawa, open mainly on weekend evenings, feels more authentic. Seven markets, four of them weekend-only: days, hours and boat prices in our floating market guide for Bangkok.

A quiet northern province with remarkable temple murals at Wat Phumin and green valleys for scenic drives.

A mountain road circuit from Chiang Mai through Pai and Mae Hong Son, best for confident riders or by car.

A green, low-rise island near the Cambodian border with rivers, waterfalls and calm beaches.

Koh Ngai, Koh Mook and Koh Kradan offer Andaman scenery with far fewer visitors than Phi Phi, and the Emerald Cave on Koh Mook.