From serenity to utter chaos, Bangkok can soothe or ruffle your nerves, and it often does both. While watching the sunrise at a temple or monks collecting alms, you'll marvel at what peace can be found in the midst of such chaos. Visit one of Thailand's most revered temples, Wat Pra Kaeo located within the grounds of the Grand Palace. This royal temple contains an exquisite Emerald Buddha, which you may only view from a distance since no one but the king is allowed near the statue.
One of Bangkok's most popular temples, Wat Arun has an imposing spire over 70 meters high, and beautifully decorated with tiny pieces of coloured glass and Chinese porcelain fitted in exquisite looking patterns. Although known as the Temple of Dawn, it is particularly lovely at sunset and appears even more marvelous when lit up at night.
Wat Po is Bangkok's largest temple, known for its huge and beautiful reclining Buddha, 46 meters long and covered in gold leaf. Wat Po is also acknowledged as Thailand's first university and the place to experience traditional Thai massage. If you've never had this invigorating experience, this is the place to try it out.
The Rose of the North, Chiang Mai is the nation's second-largest city, increasingly making a name for itself in the arts, especially accessories of modern design. There are several old and interesting wats (temples) to look out for, among them Wat Suan Dawk (with an adjoining handicraft shop), Wat Chiang Man and Wat Phra Singh . The National Museum and the Tribal Research Center at Chiang Mai University also merit a visit.
If you aren't taking a trek, visit the night market to watch the local hill-tribe members buying and selling. If you're looking for a day trip, you must see the elephants being trained at the Elephant Conservation Center near Lampang , 100 km to the southeast. This village also has interesting blue and white pottery and an old fortress temple, Wat Lampang Luang.
Thailand 's largest island, Phuket is the jewel of the Andaman Sea and is well known as the site of Patong Beach, a popular tropical beach resort. For those traveling to Phuket for the first time, it offers plenty of beaches for snorkeling and other watersports. But there are several non-beach activities to be enjoyed here too, including tours of coconut and rubber plantations, Buddhist temples, batik factories, a cultured-pearl farm, a crocodile farm and the Marine Biological Research Center. If you're visiting in November-February, you can watch giant sea turtles going ashore the Mai Khao Beach to lay eggs.
As a late arrival on the tourism sector, Ko Lanta is still relatively low-key. It is also beautiful, with cliffs and pristine beaches, and offers good diving and snorkeling, and in the center of the island, there are spooky caves, with stalactites and rock formations, and where many bats have built their home.
Visitors flying in for a week of sun and sea have largely invaded one of Thailand 's early tourist developments, Koh Samui. Though, thronged with tourists, Samui still has lovely clean beaches, water that's a magical blue-green color and an idyllic atmosphere.
Known for its "Graveyard of Shells" (fossil beds near the sea), Krabi also has nice beaches and an interesting botanical garden. The beaches in Krabi are crowded in winter, as are the beautiful nearby Phi Phi Islands (Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh). The Phi Phis are being developed for tourism but for the moment, are quite serene, with white sand covering the beaches and green cliffs rising from the clear green water. Phi Phi Don is a popular hangout for the yachting crowd, but it's still a pleasant place to be because of the good food and cheap bungalows. Have a water-buffalo steak and dive the reefs - although some have been destroyed, some unspoiled areas remain to be explored.
Nakhon Pathom's main attraction is the impressive Phra Prathom Chedi - the tallest and largest Buddhist monument in Thailand , marking the spot where Buddhism was introduced to Thailand nearly 2,300 years ago. The temple's foundation was laid in AD 500, and though the present structure is much more recent, it retains a charming ancient atmosphere - the roof is a gold-colored spiral reminiscent of a handbell. Inside you will see an interesting collection of ancient Thai art. If you are traveling from Bangkok , stop by the Buddha Monthon - it's one of the loveliest outdoor Buddha statues in Thailand .
On the Gulf of Thailand , the beach area of Pattaya was developed in 1968 and has evolved into a major tourist destination. If you go there, take the glass-bottomed boat to see the coral off the nearby island of Ko Laan . Ko Lin and Ko Pai (both islands are about an hour's boat ride away) also offer good diving. Mini Siam , located on Pattaya's outskirts, has more than 100 miniatures of Thailand 's major sights, and a nice excursion can be made to the Nong Nooch Orchid Wonderland , a private garden full of beautiful orchids and rare palm trees.
Thailand 's third-largest city, Songkhla lies near Songkhla Lake and a bird sanctuary worth a half-day trip by boat or canoe. There are also a number of interesting villages in the region.
The sleepy town of That Panom is seldom visited by tourists, but is definitely worth the effort. It is a must-visit for Thai pilgrims because the 1000 year-old chedi (monument) at the temple contains a fragment of Buddha's breastbone. The beautiful grounds of the temple, its statues, carvings and the impressive Khmer-style white-and-gold chedi itself are just part of the reward. Those who get there will see one of the few corners of Thailand that is (as yet) unspoiled by tourism.
