Thailand is a fantastic destination, and if you only go to the beaches and islands, you’re missing out. After months (maybe years) of travelling around Thailand, here are our top 10 best places to visit in Thailand.
Top 10 Places in Thailand
These places are in order, our favourites come first. Be sure to visit some of these very best places, cities, or attractions, and build your itinerary around these. We hope you’ll be as interested in what’s not on our list, as what is, we’ll explain more at the end of the post.
Thailand is very easy to travel around, with a great train system, luxury buses, internal flights that are super cheap, plus ferries to the islands. Locally, you can use tuk-tuks, taxis and Grab cars. We already wrote a post on travelling around Thailand plus one on planning a trip to Thailand. We also have an itinerary for you, for 2 or 3 weeks in Thailand.
For family travellers, maybe nervous about taking children to Asia for the first time, see our guide to Thailand with kids. Don’t worry, it’s easy!
Now let’s get into those 10 best places to go, with lovely photos, and the best things to do in those places.
Bangkok
Bangkok is one of my favourite cities in the world. There are just so many beautiful places to see, it’s packed with them. It’s bustling, busy, there’s loads of amazing street food (plus some terrible street food if you eat like a tourist, our Thai food guide is here.)
In Bangkok, stay somewhere near Khao San Rd. A few streets away, not on it. In this area you’ll be able to walk to a lot of places of interest and use the river taxis to get about. Be sure to take a long-tail boat cruise to see the quieter waterways, still mostly residential, of The Venice of The East.
You’ll be able to walk to The Grand Palace, Giant Swing, Golden Mount, and Wat Pho. Cross the river by boat to Wat Arun. You’re close enough to Jay Fai’s famous Michelin Star street food joint, if your budget allows.
Chinatown is a good walk away, we’ve walked it, or you could take a taxi. The biggest gold Buddha in Thailand is here.
Be sure to take a street food tour. We recently took one in Chinatown to discover Chinese-style Thai food, it’s very different. It was this one.
What if you only have a day or two to see the best of Bangkok? Easy, book a tour with guide, it will save you a lot of time. Try this 1 day tour of Bangkok’s top highlights. But we think you should allow at least 3 or 4 days in Bangkok and a week wouldn’t be too long.
You should visit a floating market from Bangkok, our pick would be this one, but most people go to this one. It’s not as good.
Where to stay in Bangkok? Click through on any of our links for more information. We give you links to Booking.com and to Agoda. Agoda are Asia specialists and we often use them in Thailand, they sometimes have better deals. You can compare prices using our links.
- The Chatrium Hotel Riverside As the name suggests, this hotel has river views, and it’s a river worth looking at! It’s a 5 star but very moderately priced. Family suites are available. Take a look here on Agoda, or find it on Booking.com
- The ARUN Riverside Bangkok This hotel have even better views, the river, and magnificent Wat Arun, the Temple of The Dawn. It’s beutiful in dawn light or lit up at night. The location is good, roughly half way between Khao San area and Chinatown, with easy access to river taxis. It’s very affordable. Go here to learn more.
- Rambuttri Village Plaza This is a solid budget choice. Rambuttri Rd is the next street over from Khaosan and you’ll be in the thick of the action, markets and street food on your doorstep. It’s also close to the river. They now have a new annexe and restaurant. Find out more on Booking.com, or on Agoda
Chiang Mai
I published a post about the best places to see in Chiang Mai just a few days ago. For a full guide go there. Chiang Mai is an ancient walled city in the north of Thailand. It’s famous for breathtaking temples, many of them are free to visit.
Outside Chiang Mai there are more temples, waterfalls, trekking opportunities, national parks, and elephant attractions. Chiang Mai is also famous for food markets, night markets, the night bazaar and shopping. It’s a great city. Stay in the Old Town, inside the walls, for the best experience.
Combine Doi Inthanon National Park, elephants, and trekking in this one day catch-all experience.
The “lantern festival” is held in autumn in Chiang Mai, it’s very busy and CM will be more expensive. There are some very pretty sights, but the crowds were pretty crazy. Don’t visit CM in burning season, the air pollution is notorious. Full details are in that Chiang Mai post.
Chiang Mai is a popular base for digital nomads, worldschoolers and all long-term travellers. We’ve stayed there for up to 6 weeks in the past, but a flying visit, as we did in 2025, is still nice.
Where to stay in Chiang Mai? The following hotels are in our recommended location.
- Pudsadee Hotel, budget accommodation with multiple room types. This pocket-friendly lodging is also on Agoda.
- Mid-range hotel with family rooms for up to 3 kids, & pool – The Twenty Lodge
- Luxury resort with pool and family rooms & suites – Phra Singh Village. Phra Singh Village can also be booked through Agoda.
Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya is one of Thailand’s ancient capitals. It’s easy to get to, not far from Bangkok, and you can easily visit as a day trip. If you have time, stay a night or two, the riverside location is lovely and there’s plenty to see and do.
Book a day trip to Ayutthaya from Bangkok here.
Where to stay in Ayutthaya?
- Sala Ayutthaya is beautiful. It’s on the river with temple views. This 5 star is very affordable! View this property on Agoda or on Booking.com
- Baan Luang Harn is our budget option. A cute place with a low price. It’s very close to Ayutthaya’s temples. See it on Agoda here and on Booking here.
Sukhothai
Sukhothai is quite difficult to get to. You need to commit, and stay a few nights, this is too far from Bangkok and Chiang Mai to really see in a day trip.
It’s another of Thailand’s ancient capitals and it’s my favourite. We wrote a full post on Sukhothai and what to do there, plus how to get there.
Where to stay in Sukhothai
- Thai Thai Sukhothai Resort is one of our favourite mid-price/budget hotels in Thailand. It’s on Booking.com, and on Agoda.
- Sriwilai Sukhothai, not a 5 star, there are none that I can find in Sukhothai, but a beautiful hotel with great reviews. It’s on Booking.com and Agoda.
Mai Hong Son City
Mae Hong Son City is in Mae Hong Son Province, in the north of Thailand on the Burmese border. There are a lot of hill tribes in this area and much of it is unspoilt.
Wat Chong Klang and What Chong Kham (Royal Monastery), on the lakeside (Nong Chong Kham Reservoir) in the heart of the city, make up one of the most beautiful views in the whole of Thailand, I think.
The architectuure in this part of Thailand is distinctyly Burmese, and very beautiful.
There are more Wats to see in and near Mae Hong Son City, waterfalls, walks and the Chinese Village. We particularly enjoy Mae Hong Son in the early evening, when the lakeside becomes a walking street with market stalls, hill tribe traders, and great food.
Mae Hong Son is on the famous Mae Hong Son Loop, a beautiful drive through the hill country, popular for motorbike tours, or you can take a hire car. We’ve visited this area in a rental car picked up in Chiang Mai, it’s a great option.
Where to stay in Mae Hong Son? You can stay near the heart of town and the reservoir, or out in the countryside of the province. Prices are very low in this part of Thailand.
- Sarm Mork Guest House is very close to the monastery on the lake and it’s super cheap. Don’t expect luxury extras, just the basics, and a great location. See it on Booking, or on Agoda.
- Jeerang Countryside Resort is a little further away and a little more expensive. It has great reviews and has comfortable family rooms. It’s on Booking and Agoda.
There is a very comprehensive guide to Mae Hong Son here, I’m yet to write my own despite visiting more than once. Maybe we’ll go back soon.
Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi is another lovely destination that you can see in a day trip from Bangkok, but we’d encourage you to spend a few days here. Enjoy the peace of the River Kwai, see the famous WW2 bridge or maybe visit a national park, elephant sanctuary or waterfalls.
There is plenty to see and do in Kanchanaburi, our guide is here. We also wrote a full guide to where to stay, here, the many floating raft hotels are a good choice. We have spent a lot of time in Kanchanaburi, on multiple visits, we enjoy the vibe here.
Pai
I wouldn’t say Pai is an essential place to go. There’s not a huge amount to see there, but it’s a good place to hang out for a few days.
Koh Samet (& Other Beach Options)
Is Koh Samet the best or most beautiful island in Thailand. Probably not. So why is the little island of Koh Samet in our Top 10 list?
I thought I should add 1 beach place for those who enjoy them. Koh Samet is convenient. You can get there by car and a short boat ride from Bangkok.
I’ve been to a lot of beaches and Islands in Thailand and none of them particularly say “Thailand” to me. A beach is a beach, the world over. But if you fancy a beach break after weeks exploring Thailand, head to Koh Samet.
If beaches are more important to you, go island hopping, search out the unspoiled places, but I’m not prepared to take long bus or train rides, or a flight, to go to the beach. I live on a beach and never go!
Both Krabi (Au Nang) and Phuket give you the chance to see those famous islands, Phi Phi (The Beach) being one. Ko Phangan is nice and home to full moon parties, reach it via Koh Samui. I can’t mention them all!
Berate me in the comments.
Here are some of the top beach hotels in Thailand. Don’t be affraid to book your own hotel and flights. You do not need a travel agent in 2025. We haven’t used one since 2001, save yourself some money!
- Bandara Pool Villas Phuket on Booking, or Agoda
- Varana Krabi Hotel on Booking, or Agoda
- Melati Beach Resort & Spa, Choeng Mong Beach, Koh Samui, see it on Booking or Agoda.
- Graceland Khaolak Beachfront Resort, Khaolak is on the mainland, very popular with independent travellers. On Booking, or Agoda.
Chaing Rai
You can visit the key sights of Chiang Rai on this one day trip from Chiang Mai, but we’d encourage you to spend at least one night in Chiang Rai if you can. The night markets and street food scene is good in Chiang Rai.
Chiang Rai is primarily famous for some spectacular temples, the two most well known are probably the Blue Temple and the surreal White Temple (in the photo above), but there is much more to see!
Places That Do Not Make Our Top 10 Places in Thailand List
Holiday hotspots like Phuket, Krabi, and Koh Samui are very noticably not on our list. The reason these places are popular with package tourists is simple, they have their own airports.
These holiday beaches and islands are extremely developed, busy, expensive, and we think Thailand just has so much more to offer than holiday resorts and beaches.
There are other beaches of course, Thailand has plenty, but I’m yet to find a beach area that I like more than exploring the places mentioned in our top 10 list.
What do you think? Tell me in the comments.
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