Thailand: 10 Best Things to Do & Places to Visit on Your First Trip

Thailand is a vibrant paradise packed with stunning beaches, ancient temples, bustling markets, and world-class nightlife. Whether you’re craving adventure, cultural experiences, or just a tropical escape, this country delivers it all.

As someone who has explored its hidden gems and iconic landmarks, I’m here to guide you through the best things to do in Thailand—from the bustling streets of Bangkok to the tranquil islands of the Andaman Sea.

Start your journey in Bangkok, where the Grand Palace and Wat Arun showcase the country's rich history. Dive into street food markets at Yaowarat (Chinatown) or shop at the famous Chatuchak Weekend Market. If you love nature, head north to Chiang Mai, where you can visit ethical elephant sanctuaries, explore Doi Inthanon National Park, or immerse yourself in Yi Peng Lantern Festival.

For beach lovers, Phuket, Krabi, and Koh Samui offer crystal-clear waters, limestone cliffs, and vibrant nightlife. Adventure seekers can go scuba diving in the Similan Islands, rock climbing in Railay Beach, or trekking in Pai. And if you’re looking for a unique cultural experience, don't miss Loy Krathong Festival, Thai cooking classes, or the floating markets.

With so many incredible attractions, Thailand is a dream destination for every traveler. Let’s dive into the absolute must-visit places and unforgettable experiences this amazing country has to offer.

10 must-see places in Thailand

If you are lost, want to see everything and don't know where to start, today we are going to tell you which are the best 10 things to see and do in Thailand. We will start our trip in one of the craziest and most impressive capitals of Southeast Asia , Bangkok, and we will travel around the country stepping on beaches, national parks, ancient capitals and corners that, we are sure, will transform you into a Thailand lover 🙂

As we know that this is something that worries you , we can already tell you that the best time to visit Thailand is between November and March , the dry season, when temperatures are lower and rain is almost non-existent. Although if you can travel in another season, it's not a problem either, we can tell you this from experience. You may get a few rainy days but they are not usually constant rains.

1. Bangkok, the incredible capital of Thailand

Bangkok is one of our favourite cities, it's a fucking mess but that's exactly what makes it so amazing. Humid and sticky, colourful and noisy. And the smells... Pollution mixed with frangipani. You don't know exactly why you love it, but there it is. Once again. In the city of angels, but of those rebel angels that fall from the sky.

We don't really know why, but at first glance it can be a bit off-putting: it's too hot, with too much traffic, too many people... it's just too much! But there's something about it that draws us in and makes us come back again and again.

It may be its street stalls, its temples like Wat Pho or Wat Arun , its Royal Palace , its skyscrapers where you can have a cocktail on high, its exoticism... We have visited Bangkok at least 7 times and we can't wait to go back!

2. Chiang Rai

Just to see the “ Wat Rong Khun ” (known as the White Temple) is worth the trip to the city of Chiang Rai , one of the most curious places you can visit in Thailand. It is the most amazing and extravagant temple we have ever seen: if from the outside, with its immaculate white color, it seems incredibly delicate and sublimely beautiful, inside it will leave you amazed. Why? Because it is full of drawings of characters from movies and cartoons such as Dragon Ball, Superman, Doraimon, etc…

By the way, did you know that you can also see a blue temple in Chiang Rai? Don't miss it.

3. Chiang Mai, our Asian home

Another of the most essential places to visit in Thailand is Chiang Mai : cooler and more manageable than the chaotic capital, in this ancient city you can lose yourself among temples, excursions to Doi Suthep, swimming in pools, craft markets, hipster cafes and beach bars full of tasty specialties.

Come on, coming here is on the top of things to do in Thailand. We have no doubt about it 😉 Plan to spend at least 3 days in Chiang Mai : there are plenty of things to do but the best thing to do is to take a leisurely stroll around the city (and if you can go on the weekend, even better, since that's when you can attend the 2 most famous markets: the Saturday and Sunday night Market ).

Something we really like is that it has university neighborhoods, also ideal for digital nomads, it is full of modern cafes and there we find a place where we feel at home when we travel through Southeast Asia.

We have spent several months here and still we never tire of coming back again and again.

4. Visit a real elephant recovery center

If you want to go and see the elephants in a rehabilitation centre, be careful! Unfortunately, many of these 'centres' are real prisons where elephants are mistreated and used to surprise tourists and enrich the pockets of the business owners.

A good way to know if a centre cares for its elephants is if they promote elephant rides : as paradoxical as it may seem (given the size of these animals), elephants cannot carry weight on their backs, as their spine is very delicate. If the centre offers elephant rides… then they are not doing any work to safeguard the pachyderms! (Not to mention those who promise drawing sessions and elephant football matches!).

But things don't end here: differentiating a good centre from a bad one is much more complicated... In recent years, many of these "sanctuaries" have adapted their programmes to the new sensibilities of tourists and have replaced walks on them with baths and other activities in constant contact with people, which modifies their routines and exposes them to stress.

• There are centres such as Elephant's World ( Kanchanaburi ) or Elephant Nature Park (Chiang Mai) which, although they do not promote elephant rides, do keep them under constant stress as they are in constant contact with tourists, washing them, feeding them, etc.
• One center that we did NOT see in person but that we heard very good things about was Chang Chill in Chiang Mai.

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It is best to inform yourself well about the experiences of other travelers and on specialized websites such as Faada.  Here  we leave you a list of animal recovery centers in Thailand, where things are done right.

5. Take a cooking class and eat, a great plan to do in Thailand

Thailand is known for its delicious cuisine, which is a mix of spicy, sweet and sour flavours. Pad Thai is the national dish, but there are many other delicious dishes to try, such as tom yum goong (sour shrimp soup), khao soi (curry noodles) or mango sticky rice.

Thai cuisine is one of the most delicious in the world and if you are passionate about cooking… why not take home a souvenir of learning how to cook Thai food? Thai cooking classes are very common and cheap (around 20-25€). For us, the best place to learn how to cook dishes like pad thai, green curry and mango sticky rice is Chiang Mai, but wherever you go you are sure to find options.

6. Ayutthaya and/or Sukhothai, two historical gems to see in Thailand

There are several archaeological parks in Thailand with ruins of ancient temples and cities. The best known are those in Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, which we personally think are some of the best places to visit in Thailand.

Ayutthaya is more convenient because it can be seen on a day trip from Bangkok , while Sukhothai requires more planning because it is larger and located halfway between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. However, if you want to go to a non-touristy area of ​​Thailand like Buriram , you will be amazed by two of the best ruins in the country:  Phanom Rung and  Prasat Muang Tam.

Whichever one you choose, you will love it: ruins from a time gone by when Thailand (or the Kingdom of Siam) was very, very, very powerful, with remains of truly sublime architecture. In short, another of the things to see in Thailand, without a doubt.

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7. Khao Sok National Park

Khao Sok National Park is an ideal destination for nature and adventure lovers. Located in southern Thailand, this 739-square-kilometer park offers a wide variety of activities, from hiking to canoeing and accommodation in floating cabins.

The virgin rainforest of Khao Sok is home to a wide variety of plants and animals, including elephants, gibbons, tocos and tigers. So, if you love nature, you have to make a note of this place and visit it during your trip to Thailand and feel like a Frank of the Jungle in the jungle.

• Here are a few tips for visiting Khao Sok National Park

8. Island route: one of the best things to do in Thailand

Thailand's islands are one of the great reasons to hop on a plane and spend a few hours in the clouds! Island hopping is a great plan you can't miss (don't forget sunscreen and snorkeling goggles).

These are some of the best islands in Thailand:

› Islands of the Andaman Sea

• Koh Phi Phi and its famous excursion to Maya Bay beach (the same one that appears in the film The Beach with Leonardo di Caprio).
• the Krabi peninsula with the incredible Railay cliffs, a paradise for every climber.
• Koh Lipe , with crystal-clear turquoise waters that will invite you to leave everything behind and move there forever.
• Phuket , more mainstream but with charming corners.
• Koh Mook , where life goes by slowly.
• Koh Lanta , ideal for those seeking peace and tranquility.

› Islands of the Gulf of Thailand

• Koh Samui is a huge island with lots of possibilities but we were not particularly enthusiastic about it.
• Koh Phangan where you can celebrate the full moon party or find peace on the northern beaches.
• Koh Tao  is a paradise for divers or those who want to become one!
• Koh Kood , which has become our favorite island in Thailand.
• Koh Chiang , full of things to do and close to Bangkok.

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9. Pai, the most rural Thailand

It is the hippie town of Thailand , located north of Chiang Mai and to get there you have to go through a few curves... But it is worth it 😉 You will be surrounded by nature, you will experience the most rural Thailand and if you rent a moped you will be able to completely disconnect and become friends with the mountains in the area. And if you have more time, take a look at our 7-day road trip through northern Thailand , we assure you that you will be surprised!

• Here we tell you what to see and do in Pai

10. More things to do in Thailand

Obviously there are still a few things to see in the land of smiles and a few others that you should do… below we are going to give you more ideas:

• Thailand is known for being the land of smiles… but be careful: behind all those teeth there are sometimes scams :-p The most common ones are the Buddha's birthday scam and the ping pong show scam, although there are a few more. Keep your eyes open but don't obsess, as we always say the world is full of good people and from experience we tell you that 99% of Thai people are pure love 🙂 More information about the most typical scams in Asia
• Now it may seem silly to you… but one of the things we miss most about Thailand are its extraordinary fruit shakes: especially the mango shake and the passion fruit shake, mmm so delicious! Make the most of it once you are there to drink a lot, as if there were no tomorrow *word from addicts who would pay anything to have a fresh mango shake right now*
• For a first trip to Thailand, we believe that the things to see and do in Thailand that we have recommended are quite appropriate. However, Thailand is a very large country and full of attractions to discover. Other interesting ideas could be: taking a trip to Kanchanaburi with its bridge over the River Kwai or visiting the Erawan waterfalls . And if you get tired of the land of smiles (really??) you have all of Southeast Asia to explore 🙂

As we said: you will end up coming back and if you don't believe us, just give it some time, we know from experience: Thailand is addictive... or at least it was quite addictive to us XD We hope that you liked these 10 things to see and do in Thailand on your first trip and that you are already looking forward to visiting this wonderful country.

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