Thailand (officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam ) is a country in Southeast Asia on the Indochinese Peninsula.
Thailand boasts numerous tourist attractions such as lush forests, serene blue waters, sacred Buddhist sites, vibrant markets, and pristine white beaches.
Its majestic pagodas and scented temples are like gems for tourism.
However, nothing can beat the abundance of islands and floating markets that exude allure and adventure.
And that’s just the beginning! There is a plethora of places yet to be discovered from the vast array of tourist destinations in Thailand, some teeming with popularity while others await the wanderlust travelers.
- Visit the Karens at the Long Neck Villages of Thailand
- Experience the Thai-Burma Railway
- Rock Climb at Railay
- Shake Your Booty in the Full Moon Party at Haad Rin
- Shop at the Chatuchak Weekend Market
- Take a stroll in Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
- Volunteer in the Elephant Nature Park
- Have a Thai Massage in Bangkok
- Experience Khon Performance
Visit the Karens at the Long Neck Villages of Thailand
Thailand is home to various tribes and one such tribe who dwells on the borders of Myanmar, Kayah State, southern Shan State, Ayeyarwady Region, Tanintharyi Region, Bago Division and in western Thailand, is worth a visit.
Karen is a tribal group best recognized for their elongated necks and a visit to one such long neck villages will offer quite a unique experience to every traveller.
They wear traditional brass rings around their necks and due to the heavy metal their shoulders are caged down making their neck appear long.
This is practiced by the ladies of the tribe and has been carried out from generations.
The tribals believe that the brass ringscan protect the ladies wearing the neck piece if a tiger attacks.
If you happen to be in Chiang Mai, pay a visit to the Baan Tong Luang Village, here, you can find five tribes exhibiting villages.
You can buy handmade souvenirs, take multiple pictures with the tribal people and also interact with them.
Experience the Thai-Burma Railway
The infamous death railway despite having a series of unfortunate events during World War II, it holds a solitary yet alluring ambience.
The Thai-Burma Railway, if we roll back to its history, it was built to link Thailand to Myanmar for easy access to transport weapons, soldiers and equipments.
Today however, this tracks has become a tourist attraction, and it whistles from Nong Pladuk railway station about 50 km from Bangkok to Nam Tok railway station.
The rail moves towards northwest to Kanchanaburi where you will cross another infamous wooden bridge over the River Kwai.
The ride is not the end of the tour, on reaching Nam Tok, you can visit the Hellfire Pass, it is here many of the prisoners and Asian workers lost their lives.
Rock Climb at Railay
One of the most picturesque areas in the country, Railay is located in the Krabi Province.
This place is everything to a thrill seeker, it has a collection of beautiful sea stacks, which are perfect for rock climbing.
It has a number of rock climbing routes that you can venture, the feeling it offers is overwhelming, and thus, it calls all adventure thirsty travellers.
Railay also boasts several other water activitiessuch as snorkeling and diving.
One can also go for exploring a series of caves located around the island.
Shake Your Booty in the Full Moon Party at Haad Rin
Gather your friends for a night to remember at Haad Rin’s infamous full moon party.
The party takes place on the beach in Koh Phangan Island on every full moon night and it constantly vibrates with a mix of travellers from all over the world.
One can definitely have the best time or moment of their life with a wide spectrum of music ranging from reggae to trance and drum to bass.
A little bird told me, no glass items are used since most of the party goers prefer to dance bare but a flip flop or sneakers if worn might be of great service to your feet.
The closest islands to Koh Phangan are Koh Samui and Koh Tao thus, the ferry rides remain cheaper and convenient.
Shop at the Chatuchak Weekend Market
The largest of its kind, Chatuchak Weekend Market also known as JJ Market houses varieties of stalls selling ‘all that you can get’ items.
In fact, some even say, it is the largest market in the world.
Chatuchak Weekend Market has more than 8,000 stalls that display items for sale ranging from clothes to antiques to furnitures.
No wonder, it attracts a lot of visitors on daily basis, more than 200,000 people to be precise, but it’s not just shopping it is known for, Chatuchak Weekend Market also has a wide array of restaurants serving delicious and rare Thai dishes.
Take a stroll in Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
Perhaps a perfect place to hangout with a bunch of friends, Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is a shoppers’ paradise.
The market has an alley of various stalls equipped with many imported products, handicrafts, clothing and arts.
A collection of brand name and designer goods are sold, be it original or fake but the real deal is the super cheap price.
Inside the complex, you will also find shopping arcades and other restaurants and cafes such as Starbucks, McDonalds and Burger King as well as street vendors selling local Thai food.
you have ever visited Delhi’s famous Sarojini Market, the feel and thrill Chiang Mai’s Night Bazaar offer is quite similar.
Volunteer in the Elephant Nature Park
Try something different this holiday by volunteering at the Elephant Nature Park.
This natural habitat is set in Chiang Mai province about 60km from the city, and the rehabilitation center for elephants will definitely lift your spirit high.
You can visit here to help and volunteer healing, bathing and feeding the giants of animal kingdom.
Have a Thai Massage in Bangkok
In Thailand, a massage is a necessity, it acts like a therapy to relax your muscles.
It not only helps you loosen up but also helps hydrate your body and stress out your worries even if it is for a moment.
Thai massage is all about that, and while in the capital, Bangkok, you have to visit some of the below mentions to get some real Thai treatment.
Asia Herb Association gives you a rejuvenating treatment; Wat Pho Traditional Thai Massage offers a traditional massage; Health Land is more or less like a small hospital to cure joints and give massage treatments.
And of course, if you want to enjoy massage for a cause, you can always hop for a Massage by the Blind.
It is said that blind masseurs are more in tune and connected with your body and they give fine relaxing experience, in order to help the blind find employment, a visit here is a must.
Experience Khon Performance
Relive the past through Khon which is a genre of dance drama of Thailand, here, you can witness the dances based on the Ramayana.
It is unlike any other typical drama you see, this theatre performance is filled with vibrancy, colour, masked dances that are choreographed to perfection.
It would be a dream come true to spend a balmy vacation in the land where the sun touches the surface of the ocean and you surely can make it happen if only you snap out of your dream and start planning.
We at Ancient Orient Journeys can also help your dream come true by offering you the best travel packages.