Thailand, with its clear blue seas, white, sandy beaches and abundant, exotic marine life is by far one of my top destinations to visit. When I first decided to travel to the Land of Smiles.
Songkran
Try to visit Thailand during Songkran, the Thai New Year! It’s absolutely insane and so much fun! From Thai locals to tourists, everyone goes out onto the streets to soak each other with water guns and buckets, only really stopping for a swig of refreshing Chang. This is bound to be any tourist’s highlight on a Thailand stop. Tip: you have to consider hotel booking now because it gets pretty crowded and most hotels, if not all, are fully booked during the festivities.
The Nightlife
Thailand is notorious for the array of mind-boggling night time activities. From the well-known Full Moon Parties to the questionable streets of Pattaya and Phuket, Thailand is truly the eastern version of Ibiza. Many a time, my traveling group and I have been invited to stay long after the bars have closed for a drink with the owners, and the locals and left as the sun is rising.
ATV Off-roading
Phuket offers one of the best ATV trails I’ve ever been on. There are a bunch of companies offering different tour packages and the tours differ in length and additional activities. The minimum tour lasts around half an hour but even the locals will suggest the three-hour tours which mean more adventure and more delicious Thai food! Most of the longer tours will include a white water rafting adventure or trip to a local village. The most exciting tour I went on involved navigating our way up and down hilly trails.
Elephant Trekking
The elephants are one of the best things about Thailand. Most of the tourist and resort destinations have something to do with these creatures on offer and the locals believe that an elephant is a symbol of luck. So one of the best things you can do in Phuket is to go on an elephant ride tour. There is always a trained tour guide on hand to help you and many of the tours will allow you to learn about rubber trees, rice farming and coconut picking. You may even get to ride on an ox and cart too. One of the best things about these tours is the opportunity to feed the elephants after the ride and have your photo taken with them.
Hiking and Trekking
Hiking the hills of Phuket is a must for adventure seekers. It’s a great way to meet locals and learn more about their culture.
Catch a Thai Boxing Match
Muay Thai is the national sport in Thailand. Lumpini Stadium is the most well-known venue for the sport in Bangkok and matches are held on Tuesday and Friday evenings and twice on Saturdays.
Dive in the Similan Islands
The waters surrounding the Similan Islands are known as one of the top ten diving sites in the world. Most visitors choose to explore the area of the Mu Koh Similan National Park as part of a lie-board drive trip which will also take you to the largest island, Koh Similan that boasts of clear waters, impressive underwater rocks and vibrant coral formations.
Rock Climbing in Krabi
Krabi offers incredible natural beauty which is mostly protected by national parks. It’s known as Asia’s centre for rock climbing owing to the hundreds of limestone outcrops and there are climbs for all levels of climbers. There are several companies that offer climbing courses and about 600 routes to choose from. Some of the more popular locations include Ton Sai Beach and Railay.
Visit A Floating Market
This is something you simply have to have on your Thai to-do list. Bangkok used to be known as the Venice of the East owing to the multitude of canals that make up a network of waterways, weaving their way through town. Here, the floating markets with their busy vendors sell things straight of their boats on the side of the canal. The markets make for a fun day of bartering and sampling delicious fares. My favourite is Khlong Lat Mayom floating market.
There really is so much to do in Thailand, from north to south. You can visit travel sites for more ideas for your next trip to the Land of Smiles.