Where to go in Thailand?

Where to go in Thailand for your travel style

The table gives the answer in one line; the sections below go through each style and link to every destination guide.

First trip to Thailand: where should you start?

The classic route is classic for a reason: it works, transport is easy and you see three sides of the country.

Start in Bangkok: three days is enough for the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, the Thonburi canals and the street food. Add a day in Ayutthaya, the old capital, 1.5 hours away by train or minivan, whose brick ruins are best explored by bike.

Then head north to Chiang Mai, a 70-minute flight or one night on the train: a walled old town, more than 300 temples, cooking classes, night markets and ethical elephant sanctuaries. End by the sea at Krabi and Railay, where limestone cliffs drop straight into the water, or on a Gulf island if you travel in summer.

Where to go in Thailand with kids?

With children, the first thing to check is not how pretty the beach is but how long the journey takes and how gentle the sea is.

The best family bases share three things: an airport or station less than two hours away, a gently sloping beach and hotels with pools. Skip islands with no pier, where you wade ashore from a longtail boat, and any stop that needs two ferries.

Where to go in Thailand for beaches and islands?

Two seas, two seasons: the Andaman Sea in the west shines from November to April, while the Gulf in the east stays dry longer into summer.

On the Andaman side, Phuket is the gateway: convenient and well connected, but built up. From Phuket or Krabi, Koh Phi Phi has the most dramatic scenery in the country, at the cost of crowds. Further south, Koh Lipe has the clearest water, and the Trang islands (Koh Mook, Koh Kradan, Koh Libong) remain surprisingly wild.

In the east, near Cambodia, Koh Chang mixes jungle and long beaches, while Koh Kood and Koh Mak are the most peaceful islands in Thailand. For unspoilt nature twenty minutes from Phuket, Koh Yao Noi has rice fields, bikes and views of the karsts of Phang Nga Bay.

Our guide to the Thailand islands and our ranking of the best beaches help you choose. See also the Andaman Sea and east coast regions, and our car-free islands.

Where to see Thailand's temples and history?

Thai history reads from south to north: Ayutthaya, then Sukhothai, then the Lanna kingdoms.

Sukhothai, the first capital of the kingdom in the 13th century, is the most beautiful and the calmest site: seated Buddhas among lotus ponds, best seen by bike at sunrise. It fits neatly between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

In the north, Chiang Rai brings together the White Temple, the Blue Temple and the Golden Triangle, as a day trip or a two-night stop. West of Bangkok, Kanchanaburi tells the story of the Second World War through the Bridge on the River Kwai and the Death Railway. For a Thailand untouched by tour buses, Nan keeps the murals of Wat Phumin far from the usual circuit.

• Cover shoulders and knees in every temple
• Go early: soft light and bearable heat before 10 am
• Take your shoes off before entering prayer halls

The north and central region pages list other sites to combine.

Where to party in Thailand?

From smart rooftops to beach parties, every kind of night out has its place.

Bangkok is still the best city for a night out: rooftop bars, Thonglor clubs and night markets. For a backpacking trip, our backpacking page gathers the most sociable stops.

Where to go in Thailand for nature and jungle?

Old-growth forest, mountains and national parks: the Thailand that travellers in a hurry never see.

Khao Sok is the finest jungle in the country: a rainforest older than the Amazon and Cheow Lan Lake, where you sleep in floating bungalows. It pairs well with Khao Lak or Krabi. North-east of Bangkok, Khao Yai, Thailand's first national park, has waterfalls, hornbills and wild elephants three hours by road.

In the northern mountains, Pai draws travellers with its canyon, hot springs and bohemian feel, three hours of winding road from Chiang Mai. Further on, Mae Hong Son closes the loop of 1,864 bends, with hill villages and morning mist.

Our wellness and nature selection adds yoga retreats and lesser-known parks.

On a budget or on honeymoon: where to go?

The same country can cost four times as much depending on where you stay.

The north and Isan are the cheapest regions: decent rooms from 500 THB, meals around 60 THB. Islands cost more, especially Phi Phi and Samui, where accommodation doubles. On a tight budget, choose Koh Lanta, Koh Tao or the Trang islands over the headline islands, and travel by train or bus rather than plane.

For a honeymoon, Koh Samui is the Gulf's safe bet: pool villas, spas, its own airport and a dry season in midsummer. On the Andaman side, Railay and Koh Yao Noi offer sunsets over the karsts from November to April.

Where to go in Thailand by month?

Thailand doesn't have one rainy season but three, shifted by coast: that's the real key to choosing.

Remember one rule: the Andaman Sea in winter, the Gulf in summer, the north from November to February. For month-by-month detail, see our guide on when to go to Thailand.

With only a week, stick to one coast: our 7-day itinerary combines Bangkok with a single island. With three weeks, the 3-week itinerary adds the far north and a second sea.