More people visit Thailand than any other country in Southeast Asia, and it's not hard to see why. The country has excellent infrastructure, extraordinary food, a rich Buddhist culture, some of the best beaches in Asia, and a reputation for genuine hospitality. It ranges from the chaos and energy of Bangkok to mountain forests, ruined ancient capitals, and remote islands. You can spend a week or a year and feel like you've barely started.
Bangkok is the entry point for most visitors and a destination in its own right. The Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, and the temple of Wat Pho are the obvious starting points, but the city rewards wandering — through Chinatown, along the river canals, into the night markets. From Bangkok, day trips run to the ancient capital Ayutthaya and to Kanchanaburi, where the Death Railway and River Kwai bridge are a sobering reminder of the Second World War.
North of Bangkok, the road and rail lines lead to Sukhothai — another former capital, with atmospheric ruins — and eventually to Chiang Mai, the main city of the north. Chiang Mai is a civilised, walkable place with a beautiful old city, excellent markets, and easy access to trekking in the surrounding hills. Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son are quieter and wilder.
The south splits into two coastlines. The Andaman side — Phuket, Krabi, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi — has the more dramatic scenery, with limestone karst formations rising from the sea. The Gulf side — Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao — is slightly less spectacular but popular for good reason. Koh Tao is one of the cheapest places in the world to learn to dive.
The Northeast, known as Isaan, is the least visited part of the country and possibly the most authentically Thai. The food is excellent, the people are warm, and the pace is slower. The great national park at Khao Yai is here too.
Thailand handles enormous numbers of tourists without losing its essential character. The temples still function, the monks still walk the streets at dawn, the street food is still excellent, and the country still feels like itself even in its most visited corners.
