10 PLACES YOU MUST SEE IN THAILAND
Dramatic rock formations, turquoise water, beautiful beaches and incredible food, Thailand has it all. We’ve put together our favourite places from our time in Thailand.
CHIANG MAI
We love Chiang Mai, it was perfect for us to book a place for a week, catch up on work and explore a beautiful city. We stayed within the old city walls and were able to walk around many beautiful temples in the area. The market that takes over on sunday night is a must and has an incredible atmosphere about it. We also enjoyed the hikes in the local area, especially the Moks Trail. We followed the pieces of material tied to trees by the monks. The trail leads you all the way to Wat Pha Lat Temple. The hike was 3 and a half miles one way but with over 700 meters of climbing in the heat and through the jungle. We were a sweaty mess but the views from the temple were worth it.
We took the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai which for us is a great way to travel.
PHI PHI ISLANDS
What can we say about the Phi Phi Islands? Some of the best water we have ever swam in, the white sand and dramatic rock formations make this the tropical paradise you have dreamed of. Places this beautiful don’t stay hidden for long and since the filming of the movie Beach tourists have flocked here in their thousands. Maya bay has recently seen restrictions of the number of people allowed to visit the beach and even been closed at times. This is good as the environment could not cope with the almost 7 thousands visitors each day. Phi Phi Don is a mixture of backpackers and luxury holiday makers looking for paradise. The entire island was devastated in the 2004 tsunami and the town was hit from both sides.
We found that hiking 30 minutes away from the main town and beaches would lead us to incredible white sand beaches that were empty. It required a little more effort but not having to share a beach with hundreds of people made it totally worth it. We spent one evening at view point 2 on the map and watched an incredible sunset over the Island.. The Phi Phi Islands definitely have that magical feel about them.
BANGKOK
The capital of Thailand has so much to offer. There is a reason that it is the world’s most visited city, welcoming over 22 million visitors a year. I imagine most people will be arriving in Bangkok before moving on to other parts of the country or South East Asia. However, spending a few days in the city is a good idea. The incredible size and scale of the shopping centres, the Golden Reclining Budda, The Grand Palace and Wat Arun are just a few sights you should visit when in the city.
Khaosan Road is a backpackers paradise and once a year becomes the centre of a city wide water fight known as Songkran. Bangkok is a travel hub, the trains to the north and south of the country can all be taken from Bangkok. We suggest the overnight trains.
AO NANG
We arrived in Thailand by flying into Krabi and then heading straight for AO Nang. AO Nang is a thriving resort town in the South of Thailand. Perfectly located to access diving spots and other well known bays and islands. AO Nang has a large coastal beachfront with beautiful sandy beaches. There are plenty of longtail boats on the beaches to ferry travellers around to the many islands and beauty spots that are within easy reach of AO Nang. AO Nang is also a great place to stock up on essentials before travelling to the smaller islands that are less well equipped. We suggest making sure you have bug spray or cream from the stores in AO Nang before moving.
RAILAY BEACH
Dense thick forest and high limestone cliffs mean that you can only access Railay by boat. A popular location with both backpackers and luxury travellers. There is a surprising amount of luxury hotels packed into a small area. The beach itself does get busy with sunbathers and people arriving or departing the beach via boat. However, there is always space to spend the day and enjoy the shallow warm waters.
TONSAI BEACH
Located next to Railay Beach but cut off by a rocky cliff that splits the two beaches. Popular with rock climbers the beach is accessible by boat only. You can cross between Tonsai Beach and Railay beach when the tide is low by climbing over and through the rocky cliff section. You can also take the longer walk around and through the jungle. Tonsai is far less busy than Railay and offers cheaper accommodation located a short walk from the beach. An abandoned resort that only has the boundary walls built means that there are little to no hotels overlooking the beach itself.
PHRA NANG BEACH
Walkable from Railay Beach and in our opinion a great beach to spend the day at. Large rocky formations sit just out in the water and provide that postcard view. The beach is dominated by many caves and large limestone cliffs. At the one end of the beach there is also a cave dedicated to the penis. The cave is sacred and should be shown respect when visited, the cave is dedicated to fertility in the Hindu religion.
PRINCESS LAGOON
A difficult hike and we recommend wearing suitable footwear and you need to climb and scramble over rock. The rewards are worth it as you are welcomed by a beautiful large lagoon with blue water surrounded by towering cliffs.
KRABI
Krabi stands out as a region dominated by large limestone cliffs and incredible beaches and islands. A fantastic starting place to explore some of Thailand's best locations. We flew into Krabi and spent a lot of time exploring the area before heading to Bangkok and further north.
DRAGON CREST MOUNTAIN
An incredible hike located 25-30 minutes from AO Nang beach. We paid a local Tuk Tuk driver to take us before sunset and wait for us to return as the trail can be hard to find. It is a multi hire hike there and back and the views from the rocky summit are worth it. Bring plenty of water as it is a long hot walk in the evening. We made our way back down in the dark using torches as we had such an incredible sunset over the bay in the distance. Good footwear is recommended and a decent level of fitness.
