Where to go in Thailand

Thailand’s bouncing capital is one of the world’s great cities. Sitting at the mouth of a tropical river delta, facing the Gulf of Thailand, the ‘Venice of the East’ is bisected by the languorous Chaophraya river and riddled with natural and manmade canals. You’ll find the city caught between the past and present with modern shopping malls, galleries and spas, sitting alongside atmospheric temples, glittering palaces, and ancient canal-side neighbourhoods. Bangkok is a cacophony of sights and sounds, and the fun here is just diving into the nonstop action, while sampling some of the world’s best cheap eats along the way.

Kanchanaburi is a smallish city of around 25,000 situated 2.5 hours west of Bangkok. The city is famed for its WWII sites, all of which have a fairly grisly history: the Death Railway, Hellfire Pass, the Allied War Cemetery, and of course the infamous Bridge over the River Kwai. It’s not all sombre though: the city is a gateway to the impressive waterfalls and hiking trails of Sai Yok and Erawan National Park. These alluring natural escapes are situated up to an hour up the river Kwai from Kanchanaburi town, with the best accommodation found in jungle lodges and floating resorts along the river.

Around three hours’ further north from Chiang Mai is the smaller but equally enticing city of Chiang Rai. Thailand’s northernmost city is a real hidden gem, tucked among lush hills and boasting its own distinct cuisine, culture, and architecture. The city’s key site is the glittering Wat Rong Khun, the ‘White Temple’, constructed with pristine white stone and thousands of tiny fragments of mirrored glass. Chiang Rai is just a few miles south of the ‘Golden Triangle’ where the borders of Burma, Laos and Thailand all meet, and houses several luxurious rural retreats.

Describing a stretch of approximately 50km of western gulf coastline, Hua Hin and Cha Am are mainland Thailand’s most refined resorts. Around 4 hours’ drive south of Bangkok – and requiring no flights or boat transfers – this stretch of coast is easily accessible and contains wide and mostly pristine beaches, bustling resort towns, and numerous excellent resorts. Hua Hin town contains all the usual shopping and entertainment amenities of an established resort, and with Kui Buri and Sam Roi Yot national parks nearby there are opportunities for outdoor adventure.

On the opposite side of Phang Nga bay Krabi offers extraordinary natural beauty with unspoiled white sand beaches edged by crystal-clear azure waters, all towered over by staggering limestone karst scenery. The district is also known for its dense mangrove forests and more than 100 offshore islands. Island hopping is popular here: the Phi Phi islands shot to international fame in ‘The Beach’, while popular Koh Poda can be reached by a longtail boat. Koh Lanta, Koh Yao Noi and Yai, and Koh Libong are all largely laidback and unspoiled islands featuring just a handful of upmarket resorts.

The islands on the eastern side of the Gulf – Koh Chang, Koh Mak, Koh Kut, and further north Koh Samet – may not see the same publicity as Phuket, Samui, Krabi, et al…but this is all part of the charm! These overlooked islands see significantly fewer visitors and as such are often a fresher and more authentic experience. Those seeking a peaceful retreat will particularly enjoy Koh Kut and the quieter beaches of Koh Samet: you’ll struggle to find anything open after 9pm here. While Samet is a reasonable 4-5 hour overland transfer from Bangkok, Koh Chang, Mak, and Kut usually require a flight down to Trat province, or – intriguingly – can be accessed overland if coming in from the wilder southern regions of Cambodia.