You might be thinking about going to Thailand, especially during the cold seasons. I must say you shouldn’t hesitate at all, Thailand is a great place to visit during winter time.
I am sure you’ve already seen many photos of the blue Thai sea and white sand beaches, and yes, all of these places look like a dream destination. Although, you should know that Thailand has much more to offer than just sun, sand and sea. Your trip could be adventurous, fun, education, relaxing, or even a family holiday.
After choosing Thailand as your next destination, the following question might arise: “wherein Thailand is suitable for me and my personal needs?”. There are a lot of amazing attractions and spectacular natural resorts to visit. I have been in Thailand twice and I am sure that when I will go back there again I will find even more new places to impress and surprise me. For this reason, I decided to come up with a guide to help you and give ideas about where you are most likely to enjoy the visit.
How to Get Around Thailand by Bus or Ferry
Bangkok
Bangkok is where you can easily start your trip. You can get to the Bangkok International Airport from almost anywhere in the world and you also can fly out to the other Thai destinations conveniently.
Bangkok has a population of more than 9 million people, and because of this, the Thai capital, like most other big cities, is very crowded and its air is quite polluted, too. If you are searching for a relaxing family trip, Bangkok might not be the right place for a long-stay, but you can consider it as a gateway and stay a couple of days in a great value hotel. We stayed at Golden Tulip Madison Suites with a swimming pool on the roof. Don’t get me wrong, Bangkok has a lot to offer. You can spend time with locals, go for shopping, explore Buddhist monuments, visit floating markets and enjoy eating in every corner of the city. If you like street food, Bangkok will feel like heaven to you.
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai, the largest city in the north of Thailand, is a heavenly destination for travellers, a delight for nature and culture lovers and a food paradise. The airport has been improved since 2014, which means more domestic and international flights are heading to the city. Walking around the city centre can be refreshing and enjoyable unlike Bangkok, where its pollution can make your walks less appealing. More than 100 temples downtown make the city very picturesque. At the temples, you can easily find and speak to monks and learn about their lives.
There are various types of accommodations in the city, surprisingly, the luxury ones are affordable and compared to the other parts of the world they are very reasonably priced. We stayed at Le Naview @Prasingh
Or you can stay at
A short bike or scooter ride can take you to its magnificent countryside and the rainforest. If you are not interested in riding a two-wheel-vehicle, you can book a day tour to a nearby national park interspersed with waterfalls, where you can hike, learn about tropical vegetations, insects and animals and take a lot of Instagram photos.
You might have spotted photos of a very characteristic white temple, almost magical, on travellers’ Instagram accounts. The temple is in Chiang Rai in the north of Thailand, it can be reached from Chiang Mai, but if you would rather not travel 3 hours each way it might be better to book a hotel in the Chiang Rai area instead.
Phuket
There is no doubt that Thailand is known for its beautiful islands and white beaches. If you are planning to travel to a tropical place and enjoy the sun, sand, and sea, Phuket is the right place for you.
Phuket, the largest of Thai islands, is amongst the most popular beach destinations in Southeast Asia. When you travel to Phuket you will have a rich variety of choices of activities and experiences such as snorkeling, scuba diving (we got our the PADI Open Water licenses there), windsurfing and sailing. In regards to its size, Phuket has a vast inland area as well and the city offers a lot more than just water activities. You can learn about the Thai culture, go for shopping, explore the nature and have a great food experience.
If you just search for a peaceful place to rest and a break from work, you can book a nice resort for yourself with the ocean view and have a relaxing holiday like where we stayed "Novotel Phuket Karon Beach Resort & Spa"
Above all, from Phuket, you can book a day tour to the other Thai islands such as Ko Phi Phi, Phang Nga Bay (known as James Bond Island), Surin Islands and Khao Lak.
Conclusions
These are the three main Thai destinations. I would love to go back there and explore more of the country. Please leave your own tips and suggestions in the comments.