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đšđThings to Do in Thailand
From Bangkok's Grand Palace to the limestone cliffs of Railay Beach - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Thailand's usual shape is Bangkok bookending a trip, with a choice in between: the beaches and islands of the south, or the mountains and temples of the north around Chiang Mai. Domestic flights are cheap enough that combining both in one trip is common rather than ambitious. Here are 10 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok
The former royal residence and Thailand's most sacred temple, home to the Emerald Buddha. Dress code is strictly enforced - covered shoulders and knees, no exceptions, with rental clothing available at the gate if needed.
đ Bangkok
đ Nearest station: Sanam Chai on the MRT Blue Line, a 10-minute walk to the palace gate; the Chao Phraya express boat to Tha Chang pier is the more scenic approach.
Phi Phi Islands
Limestone islands off Phuket and Krabi, including Maya Bay - the beach from The Beach - which now caps daily visitor numbers and closes several hours a day to let the reef recover.
đ Krabi & Phuket
đ The islands have no roads or rail: ferries run from Krabi's Klong Jilad pier and Phuket's Rassada pier, taking about 90 minutes to Tonsai Bay.
Chiang Mai
Northern Thailand's cultural hub, with a walled old city full of temples and ethical elephant sanctuaries nearby (look for ones that don't offer riding - it's harmful to the animals and increasingly discouraged).
đ Chiang Mai
đ Nearest station: Chiang Mai railway station, the end of the overnight sleeper from Bangkok, about 3km east of the old city - songthaew red trucks and Grab cover the last stretch.
Railay Beach, Krabi
A peninsula reachable only by boat, ringed by limestone cliffs that make it one of the world's best-known rock climbing spots even for total beginners taking a half-day course.
đ Krabi
đ Railay is cut off by cliffs and reachable only by longtail boat, 15 minutes from Ao Nang beach or 45 minutes from Krabi Town's Khong Kha pier.
Ayutthaya
Thailand's former capital, now a UNESCO-listed field of temple ruins, including the famous Buddha head embedded in tree roots at Wat Mahathat. An easy day trip from Bangkok by train.
đ Ayutthaya
đ Nearest station: Ayutthaya, 80 minutes north of Bangkok on the northern line for a few dollars - the ruins are spread out, so hire a bicycle or a tuk-tuk by the hour at the station.
Koh Phangan Full Moon Party
A beach party held monthly on the night of the full moon, drawing thousands to Haad Rin beach. Book accommodation well ahead - prices spike and rooms fill up fast around the date.
đ Koh Phangan
đ Take the train or a flight to Surat Thani, then a Lomprayah or Raja ferry to Thong Sala pier; songthaews shuttle across the island to Haad Rin for the party.
Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok
One of the world's largest markets, with over 8,000 stalls across clothing, art, food and antiques. It only runs Saturdays and Sundays - plan around that if it's on your list.
đ Bangkok
đ Nearest station: Mo Chit on the BTS Skytrain or Chatuchak Park on the MRT - both open onto the market's edge, and Kamphaeng Phet on the MRT lands you in the middle of it.
Koh Samui
A more developed, resort-heavy island in the Gulf of Thailand, with an easier pace than Phuket and direct flights from Bangkok rather than needing a ferry connection.
đ Koh Samui
đ No railway on the island: fly into Samui airport, or take the train to Surat Thani and the Seatran or Raja ferry to Nathon pier, then a songthaew round the ring road.
Khao Sok National Park
Ancient rainforest older than the Amazon, with limestone karsts rising out of Cheow Lan Lake - floating bungalow stays on the lake are the area's signature overnight option.
đ Surat Thani
đ Surat Thani is the nearest railway station, about two hours away by minivan to Khao Sok village, from where longtail boats cross Cheow Lan Lake to the floating bungalows.
White Temple, Chiang Rai
An unconventional, all-white contemporary Buddhist temple still under construction, roughly three hours from Chiang Mai and usually paired with the nearby Blue Temple on a day trip.
đ Chiang Rai
đ There is no railway to Chiang Rai: buses run from Chiang Mai in about three hours, and local blue songthaews from Chiang Rai's bus terminal 1 reach Wat Rong Khun in 20 minutes.
Mark Thailand, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Thailand?
10 days covers Bangkok plus one region - the islands or the north. Two weeks lets you combine Bangkok, Chiang Mai and a few island days using a cheap domestic flight between them.
What's the best time to visit Thailand?
November-February is the cool, dry season and the most popular time to visit. March-May is hot and humid; the rainy season (June-October) brings short, heavy afternoon downpours rather than all-day rain.
Is Thailand good for a first-time visit?
Yes - it's one of Southeast Asia's easiest countries to travel independently in, with a well-developed tourist infrastructure, cheap domestic flights, and English widely spoken in tourist areas.
Do I need a visa to visit Thailand?
Thailand allows visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry for many nationalities for short tourist stays, though the exact allowed duration varies by passport; longer stays typically need a visa arranged in advance. Check the official visa information for your nationality: thaievisa.go.th.
What are some things to do in Thailand on a tight budget?
Street food is inexpensive and excellent almost everywhere, many temples charge only a small entry fee or none at all, and local songthaews and public buses cost a fraction of private taxis.
Can I rent a car in Thailand, and what licence do I need?
Yes, though Bangkok's traffic makes a car a poor idea in the city itself; it earns its place in the north and around Krabi. Thai law requires an International Driving Permit alongside your home licence - your own licence on its own is not valid here, and police checkpoints on the islands do ask for it. Insurance is also void without one, which matters more than the fine. Minimum rental age is generally 21, sometimes 23, with a credit card for the deposit, and traffic drives on the left. The Ministry of Transport publishes the rules at mot.go.th, with the government portal at thailand.go.th; cars come from Hertz, Avis and Budget Thailand.