Thailand: Top Picks
Looking forward to a little summer sun after months of lockdown? With Covid-19 restrictions finally being lifted and flights returning to Thailand, now is the time to start planning ahead for that long-awaited and much-anticipated getaway. If you’re wondering where to begin, Panorama Destination has the answer; a mix of tourism classics and little hidden gems off the beaten track, check out our selection of top picks from the Land of Smiles:
1. Ride a tuk-tuk through Bangkok’s busy streets
The streets of Thailand’s modern capital city are a labyrinth of lanes, each one a rabbit hole just asking to be explored. Surely the best way to navigate this maze is by tuk-tuk; the city’s very own homespun form of local transport. Try whizzing from A to B in one of these hotrod motorized rickshaws and you’ll find the journey is just as rewarding as the destination.
1. Ride a tuk-tuk through Bangkok’s busy streets
The streets of Thailand’s modern capital city are a labyrinth of lanes, each one a rabbit hole just asking to be explored. Surely the best way to navigate this maze is by tuk-tuk; the city’s very own homespun form of local transport. Try whizzing from A to B in one of these hotrod motorized rickshaws and you’ll find the journey is just as rewarding as the destination.
2. Explore the ancient city of Sukhothai
Sukhothai was the capital of the first Kingdom of Siam in the 13th and 14th centuries - an era viewed by many as the golden age of Thai civilisation - and it’s here where you can see some excellent examples of early Thai architecture. The old Kingdom, known as meuang gòw (old city), feature around 45km2 of partially rebuilt ruins, including many stupas and impressive Buddha statues. Try cycling around the park so you can stop at leisure and investigate each of the crumbling enclaves, or marvel at the ornate artwork of temple shrines.
2. Explore the ancient city of Sukhothai
Sukhothai was the capital of the first Kingdom of Siam in the 13th and 14th centuries - an era viewed by many as the golden age of Thai civilisation - and it’s here where you can see some excellent examples of early Thai architecture. The old Kingdom, known as meuang gòw (old city), feature around 45km2 of partially rebuilt ruins, including many stupas and impressive Buddha statues. Try cycling around the park so you can stop at leisure and investigate each of the crumbling enclaves, or marvel at the ornate artwork of temple shrines.
3. Bathe with elephants in Lampang
No trip to Thailand would be complete without a close encounter alongside the country’s iconic national animal. Founded in 1993 under Royal Patronage, the Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC) is home to more than 50 Asian elephants, roaming around a lake in a forest clearing near the famous city of Chiang Mai. Visitors can get up close and personal with the elephants during walks, educations shows and bathing sessions, or can opt to stay overnight and join the centre’s immersive Mahout apprenticeship programme.
3. Bathe with elephants in Lampang
No trip to Thailand would be complete without a close encounter alongside the country’s iconic national animal. Founded in 1993 under Royal Patronage, the Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC) is home to more than 50 Asian elephants, roaming around a lake in a forest clearing near the famous city of Chiang Mai. Visitors can get up close and personal with the elephants during walks, educations shows and bathing sessions, or can opt to stay overnight and join the centre’s immersive Mahout apprenticeship programme.
4. Cross the bridge over the River Kwai
Surrounded by jungle, rivers and rice fields just beyond Bangkok, idyllic Kanchanaburi province is an incongruous setting for a wartime story of enslavement, hardship and sacrifice. It was here that allied prisoners of war built the infamous ‘Death Railway’ connecting Thailand to Burma. Today, their torturous labour at the hands of Japanese captors is memorialised in the bridges, cemeteries and hill passes that cost so many young lives. The centre has just recently reopened to visitors following a long shutdown due to Covid-19.
4. Cross the bridge over the River Kwai
Surrounded by jungle, rivers and rice fields just beyond Bangkok, idyllic Kanchanaburi province is an incongruous setting for a wartime story of enslavement, hardship and sacrifice. It was here that allied prisoners of war built the infamous ‘Death Railway’ connecting Thailand to Burma. Today, their torturous labour at the hands of Japanese captors is memorialised in the bridges, cemeteries and hill passes that cost so many young lives. The centre has just recently reopened to visitors following a long shutdown due to Covid-19.
5. Meet the monks of Doi Suthep mountain
On the outskirts of Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep casts a shadow over the valley, where the legend of the mountain, its resident monks and a fabled white elephant stretch just as far. Climb the 306 steps of the monastery, flanked by dragon statues and groves of breadfruit trees sheltering Buddhist shrines. A crowning five-tiered golden parasol is the centrepiece of the hilltop temple, marking the city’s independence from Burma and its union with Thailand.
5. Meet the monks of Doi Suthep mountain
On the outskirts of Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep casts a shadow over the valley, where the legend of the mountain, its resident monks and a fabled white elephant stretch just as far. Climb the 306 steps of the monastery, flanked by dragon statues and groves of breadfruit trees sheltering Buddhist shrines. A crowning five-tiered golden parasol is the centrepiece of the hilltop temple, marking the city’s independence from Burma and its union with Thailand.
6. Do some shopping off the rails!
Located in Samut Songkhram Province, Mae Klong Railway Market is a location that’s about as close to the beaten track as you’re ever likely to get, yet offers an experience unlike any other. Here, a local market has sprung up alongside a 100-metre stretch of train line, where you will see the market stalls folded up at a moment’s notice to let the train through, then immediately open for business again as if it never happened! Top tip: hang around until after the crowds have followed the train out of the market, then enjoy the stalls at a pace that’s less than locomotive.
6. Do some shopping off the rails!
Located in Samut Songkhram Province, Mae Klong Railway Market is a location that’s about as close to the beaten track as you’re ever likely to get, yet offers an experience unlike any other. Here, a local market has sprung up alongside a 100-metre stretch of train line, where you will see the market stalls folded up at a moment’s notice to let the train through, then immediately open for business again as if it never happened! Top tip: hang around until after the crowds have followed the train out of the market, then enjoy the stalls at a pace that’s less than locomotive.
7. Discover Thailand’s flying fast food
In Phitsanulok Province, on the road north towards Lampang and Chiang Mai, the street venders have found a new meaning for the term ‘fast food.’ Break your journey with an overnight stay in this lesser-known region of Thailand, home to a temple ruled by monkeys, a riverside night market and the famous flying morning glory. This delicious dish reaches your plate via a quick dip in a flaming wok, followed by a trip through the night sky to a quick-handed catcher that’s waiting on a scaffold.
7. Discover Thailand’s flying fast food
In Phitsanulok Province, on the road north towards Lampang and Chiang Mai, the street venders have found a new meaning for the term ‘fast food.’ Break your journey with an overnight stay in this lesser-known region of Thailand, home to a temple ruled by monkeys, a riverside night market and the famous flying morning glory. This delicious dish reaches your plate via a quick dip in a flaming wok, followed by a trip through the night sky to a quick-handed catcher that’s waiting on a scaffold.
8. Soak up the sun in Phuket
Finish up your trip with some well-earned seaside relaxation and indulgence; pretty much every direction in Phuket will lead you to white sands, lazy tropical sun and the warm water of the Andaman Sea. Take some time to scale the hill at Laem Phromthep Viewpoint, venture into the quaintly colourful streets and markets of the island’s old town, or simply park yourself beneath a parasol on the beach and let the hours slip away in sun-kissed bliss.
8. Soak up the sun in Phuket
Finish up your trip with some well-earned seaside relaxation and indulgence; pretty much every direction in Phuket will lead you to white sands, lazy tropical sun and the warm water of the Andaman Sea. Take some time to scale the hill at Laem Phromthep Viewpoint, venture into the quaintly colourful streets and markets of the island’s old town, or simply park yourself beneath a parasol on the beach and let the hours slip away in sun-kissed bliss.
If you want to combine all the above – and more – into one complete package that combines all the very best Thailand has to offer, check out Panorama Destination’s Grand Thailand Tour.
If you want to combine all the above – and more – into one complete package that combines all the very best Thailand has to offer, check out Panorama Destination’s Grand Thailand Tour.
