Thailand – 3 More Great Places to Visit

Thailand is a fantastic place to visit, for new and veteran travellers alike. We already took a look at 4 of the best places Thailand has to offer, so here are a few more.

Ayutthaya

The ruins of this ancient kingdom, once the capital of Thailand, can now be seen while walking through the Ayutthaya Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park, which is surrounded by three rivers and deep moats, covering an area of 289 hectares, is home to many prang, wat, and stucco statues.

Wat Phra Mahathat is arguably the most famous temple here, mainly due to a statue of a Buddha’s head entangled in tree roots. Wat Phra Si Sanphet is the largest of the park’s temples, with three large silver-looking Chedis, while Wat Yai Chai Mongkol is best known for its enormous reclining Buddha and many sitting Buddha statues draped in golden cloth.

Phuket

Phuket, located off Thailand’s west coast in the Andaman Sea, is home to some of the country’s most popular beaches and, thus, is a popular beach vacation destination. Travellers can visit Kata Noi Beach for peaceful scenery, Nai Harn Beach for glistening waters under the shade of palm trees, and Surin Beach for luxury resorts and high-end cuisine with gorgeous sea views. Wat Chalong is Phuket’s largest temple, and it houses a stupa that is said to contain a Buddha bone fragment.

The Sino-Portuguese buildings that line Thaland Road, as well as the old shophouses, converted into thriving businesses and markets and are worth exploring on foot in Phuket Town.

Kao Sam Roi Yot National Park

The national park of Khao Sam Roi Yot contains Thailand’s largest freshwater marsh, as well as mangrove swamps, limestone caves,  scenic beaches and numerous tropical jungle trails.

There’s too much to check out here for a single day trip, so try to stay for at least a weekend if you want to see everything. Thung Sam Roi Yot Freshwater Marsh is located in the northwest corner of the park. You’ll see a variety of waterbird species as well as a stunning backdrop of blueish mountains. If you need a place to stay the night, there is a small campground and some bungalows nearby.

Pine-lined Sam Phraya Beach also has a restaurant and a campground, whereas Laem Sala Beach is best known for being the entrance to Phraya Nakhon, a massive cave with a royal pavilion built inside. The only way to get to Phraya Nakhon is to walk uphill for 30 minutes, but you will find the reward well worth the effort. Sai Cave, which is also a difficult climb, provides a nice view and a cool respite from the heat in the cavern.

Another great way to explore the mangrove forests and get a closer look at the animals that live there is to visit the Khao Daeng Canal. You can hire a boat in Khao Daeng village or inquire about finding a ride near the park.