Thailand travel guide

The little sister to Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan has a name of its own as a world-class diving destination. Wannabe divers flock to Ko Tao to get their PADI open-water certification making Ko Tao one of the most popular and cheapest places to do it in the world. But besides the bubble blowers, tiny Ko Tao also attracts travellers who want to escape the commercialised Samui and party-crazy Ko Pha Ngan. Though Ko Tao has several beaches, most people stay at lovely and long Sairee Beach. A low key mix of bungalows, seaside restaurants, inland town (if you can call a couple of streets a town) and funky bars makes it a fun place to be, diving or not. But as with any other islands in Thailand, you can choose other bays if you are into more secluded beaches and resorts.

Ko Yao Noi is ideally located between Krabi and Phuket but remains a destination that few travel to. Its location offers uninterrupted views of the majestic limestone cliffs of Phang Nga Bay while also being an excellent base to explore nearby islands by kayak or boat without crowds. Life here has remained largely untouched by tourism and people still leave their keys in the ignition without a passing thought. Slow paced and friendly, Ko Yao is also home to an unspoilt coastline of pristine beaches, striking lagoons and scenic rice paddie fields. The island may be small, but it is diverse enough to offer an off the beaten track adventure or secluded beach retreat, all while enjoying the surreal beauty of the bay. A couple of yoga and meditation centres have also cropped up if inner discovery in a tropical setting is what you're after.

Far from the busy northern hub of Chiang Mai, at the end of a rather uncomfortable (but spectacular) bus journey, Mae Hong Son is a smallish town in the far west of Thailand. Although the centre itself is nice enough – it has a cute market and some nice temples, particularly when seen at night from across the small lake – most people come here to see the surrounding area, not the town itself. Joining a boat trip into Tham Lod cave is probably the most popular attraction in the area, and it’s worth doing. There’s also some nice hikes in the nearby mountains, but the tracks aren’t usually clear, so use a guide. You won’t see much in the way of large wildlife though: poaching is unfortunately very common here. The various hill tribe villages are popular trekking destinations, but there are several Karen “long-neck” villages nearby that are easily reached by motorbike – decide for yourself whether you’re comfortable visiting one of these, as they are generally seen to be a bit controversial. Further into the mountains, the picturesque Chinese village of Rak Thai near the border to Myanmar is colourful and lively, although there isn’t much to do here. On your way back you can also visit the mud spa at Phu Kion, which local Thais seem to love – and okay, it was pretty fun!

The largest island in Thailand is Phuket. It is so big that it does not feel like one, which is kind of good for the place is welcoming several million tourists every year. Most people only make it to the main strips of sand at Patong, Karon and Kata, leaving a fair bit of beaches and green countryside to travellers seeking more than Starbucks, jetskis and expat bars. Phuket admirably manages to offer something for everyone. Even the Old Town of Phuket city is inviting and is a great base for the penny-pinchers who are more interested in exploring the island than spending money on prime beach location.

For an idea of the different beaches on Phuket, check out the photo gallery.

Railay is a beautiful peninsula fenced off by steep limestone cliffs and turquoise sea. The steep cliff walls is a climber's mecca and attracts world-class climbers along with a mellow crowd in the wake. Expect a lot of Bob Marley, John Johnson and fire dancing in the evening. Railay beach is actually four beaches: Tongsai where the hardcore climbers hang out, East Railay which is more mangrove than beach, the broad West Railay which is the main stretch of sand for backpackers and flashpackers, and the gorgeous Phra Nang Beach which is famous for its overhanging cliff formations right on the beach. Railay is only reachable by boat which creates a happy island vibe.

If you like flowers, specifically sunflowers, make a trip to Lopburi or Saraburi Province. The Sunflower Festival goes on between November and February of every year. Only 150 km from Bangkok, the vast fields of sunflowers are a beautiful sight when in bloom. A nice way to spend a day if you are in Bangkok and want to get out of the mayhem and big crowds for the day. Warning: the area gets very crowded on weekends with local tourists.

Surin is mostly famous for the annual Surin Elephant Round-up held in November, but you are likely to see some of the stars any time of the year – and we don't just mean the countless elephant statues scattered around town. It's not unusual to see an elephant parked between the cars waiting for passers-by to buy some fruit for them from the mahout. Besides the elephants, the town doesn't offer much in terms of unusual sights, but since it is well connected by both buses and train, it is a great base to explore the countryside. You can find some of the best Angkor temples in Thailand close-by: Khao Phra Wihan/Preah Vihear (150 km to the east), Prasat Meuang Tam and Phanom Rung historial park (both 100 km to the west).

Even if you are templed-out, this wat is still fun to visit. The abbot had this insane idea to cover the pagoda with empty bottles in a statement of half save-the-planet-by-recycling and half religious thoughts about glass symbolizing the search for clarity in one's mind. The official name of the wat is Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaeo , but most locals simply know it by the name Wat Lan Khuat, Million Bottle Temple. Some travel guides misleadingly state that the temple is built out of beer bottles (Heineken and Chang) but it is "only" the surface that is covered with bottles (concrete is certainly also used) and most of the bottles seem to be energy-drink bottles (from M-150, Red Bull, etc) which doesn't make it any less wicked. Everything is covered with bottles: the monk's huts, the toilets, the water tower, even the crematorium is covered with glass bottles...