Top 10 Things to do in Thailand

Thailand is a wonderful country. With its fabulous food, interesting culture, friendly people, amazing islands and stunning beaches, it should be near the top of the list for anyone travelling to Asia. After spending the last few months in Thailand, exploring the country from top to bottom, Jon and Jenny Stark have devised their top 10 things you should do if you are travelling to Thailand. These are the things that made the list:

  1. Trekking in the Thai Jungle and staying with the hill tribes. All of the northern towns have this featured among their tour brochures at the travel desks. It is quite tough, but great value and very rewarding. It also includes an elephant trek and white-water rafting.
  2. An elephant ride. No trip to Thailand would be complete without one. The farther you are from suburbia, the better. If you are even more adventurous, spend a day or more training to be a mahout and you will really get to know these majestic animals.
  3. Up close and personal with tigers. This is a great experience. We tried the Tiger Temple, three hours out of Bangkok and Tiger Kingdom, an hour out of Chiang Mai. You can cuddle up with the mighty cats. Both venues were sensational.
  4. An overnight sleeper train. We highly recommend ambling through Thailand on a sleeper train. We tried Bangkok to Chiang Mai, both ways, and Surat Thani to Bangkok. All three were enjoyable journeys. You see a lot during daylight hours and are very well fed on the trains.
  5. The islands and beaches. You are spoilt for choices here but wherever you go you should not be disappointed. Take a boat trip or two, relax on a li-lo and enjoy the stunning blue waters. The beaches of Phuket are very popular and all quite different in character.
  6. The Karen Longnecks. If you get a chance, visit the Karen Longneck tribe and be taken back in time to a beauty ritual that is still maintained to this day. Trips can be arranged from the northern towns.
  7. The Bridge on the River Kwai. Featured in a famous movie, this bridge and the associated museum are worth a look. Five floors of memorabilia give you a glimpse of how many people suffered and died building the bridge, as part of the infamous Burma Railway for the Japanese in World War II.
  8. Khao San Road area, Bangkok. This is one of the great backpacker areas of the world. Everything a backpacker needs is on your doorstep including souvenirs, travel agencies, transport, massages, accommodation and so on. It has a great atmosphere with bars, bands and plenty of cheap food and drink.
  9. The River Ferries, Bangkok. If you want to explore Bangkok, this has to be the best way to do it. With fares at a paltry 15 baht (about 50 cents) you can travel up and down the river to your heart’s content. You can disembark at any of the stops along the river for further exploration.
  10. Floating Markets. Two hours south of Bangkok are the floating markets. Boarding a long-tail boat or smaller row-boat, you can meander along the canals and soak up the sights, sounds and smells of the market. A little touristy these days but you still get a good feel and good photos.

Jon and Jenny Stark are currently travelling the world ‘forever.’ You can follow their adventuresand read their travel tips at