15 amazingly beautiful places in Thailand that everyone should see
Travels / / December 30, 2020
1. Pyk Tian Beach
Quiet and calm beach located in the Phetburi province. Many tourists ignore Pyk Tian, but in vain! The sea here is warm and gentle, and the sand is completely white. And in this place you can see unusual statues. In the middle of the water on the beach is a huge black sea witch, and not far from her - a mermaid and a prince playing the flute. All these are characters from the poem by the Thai poet Sunton Pu "Phra Aphai Mani". By the way, the work is included in the golden fund of world literature. It is believed that it was on this beach that Sunton Poo found inspiration for the poem.
2. Elephant nature park
An elephant park was opened near Chiang Mai in 1990. Animals are brought here, written off from accounts due to age and tortured by cruel trainers.
If you have dreamed of seeing elephants for a long time, but are totally against zoos and circuses, this reserve is the perfect place. Here you will not be offered to ride a horse or buy a picture drawn by a trunk. But you can feed the elephants, help them swim and just watch these huge animals in their natural habitat. And along the way, enjoy the stunning scenery of Thailand: the park is surrounded by amazingly beautiful green hills.
3. Khao Ping Kan Island
The island will be especially appreciated by Bond fans. In 1974, "The Man with the Golden Gun" was filmed here: this corner of Thailand played the role of the lair of the main villain of the film - the assassin Francisco Scaramanga. After the premiere of Khao Ping Kan, they even began to unofficially call the island of James Bond.
You need to visit it even if the 007 agent is not at all interesting to you. At least to swim along the mangrove forests, look into the caves and see the main attraction of the island - The twenty-meter needle-shaped rock Tapu, which sticks out of the purest turquoise water, like some kind of extraterrestrial object.
4. Maya Bay, Phi Phi Le Island
Clear turquoise water, sheer high cliffs and a sandy shore - this is the landscape everyone saw in the film "The Beach" with Leonardo DiCaprio.
Right now, Maya is closed to the public in order to restore the island's ecosystem: to restore the coast to its natural shape and plant corals. But after that the bay will become even more beautiful - a reason to plan a trip to Thailand in a few years.
5. Lanta
An ideal destination for those traveling to Thailand for a relaxing holiday. This large island has several beautiful and uncrowded beaches. The most popular of them is the sandy and calm Klong Dao, which is suitable for families. Klong Hin will be appreciated by those who dream of solitude, while lovers of water sports are better off heading to the four-kilometer Long Beach. It doesn't matter which of the beaches you choose, because on any coast of Lanta you will find white sand, clear blue water and a view of the sea stretching beyond the horizon into infinity.
6. Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
If during your trip you decide to look into the capital of Thailand Bangkok, do not miss the chance to ride long-tail boat along the Chao Phraya canal and buy exotic fruits, spices and souvenirs from the local sellers. They launch their boat-benches every morning.
Damnoen Saduak is not the only floating market in Thailand. This trade format is a traditional phenomenon for Southeast Asia. Damnoen Saduak is notable for the fact that this is another location in which "The Man with the Golden Gun" was filmed. There you can also see how coconut sugar is prepared.
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7. Keng Krachan National Park
Toucans, tapirs, barking deer muntjacs and many other exotic animals and birds live in this national park. Keng Krachan covers an area of almost 3,000 square kilometers. And the nature there is striking in its beauty. You can endlessly walk admiring the jungle and waterfalls, so it is better to go to this amazing place with a tent, then you can stay in one of the campsites and spend several days in the park.
8. River Kwai (Khwai)
This place is also probably familiar to moviegoers. In 1957, the film "The Bridge on the River Kwai" was shot about him, and a year later he received seven "Oscars", including the best film.
The same bridge is an important historical site! This is a section of the Thai-Burma Railway, which was built by Japanese prisoners of war in the forties. But most of the tourists do not go to the river for his sake, but to make a raft or boat rafting and enjoy breathtaking views: tree tops tilted to the water, amazing waterfalls, coastal houses with access to river. By the way, you can stay in one of these: there are many hotels in this place.
9. Wat Prahat Doi Suthep
The Golden Temple on Mount Doi Suthep is considered the most revered in Northern Thailand. According to legend, there is a Buddha bone, which was owned by the ruler of the Lann kingdom. When he received it, the bone split in two: the first part was placed in the temple of Wat Suan Dok, and the second was put in a box and hoisted on the back of a white elephant. The animal wandered through the jungle until it climbed the mountain. There the giant sounded three times and lay down. At this place, Wat Prahat Doi Suthep was built, and a monument to this white elephant was erected next to the temple.
It is better to go up to the temple in the morning, then you can see with your own eyes how the sun is gradually illuminating the golden dome, making it brighter and brighter. By the way, due to the fact that Wat Prahat Doi Suthep is located on the mountain, it is also a wonderful observation deck overlooking the city of Chiang Mai, which is surrounded by green forests.
10. Temple Wat Rong Khun
Another temple of Northern Thailand, which, although not as revered by the locals as Wat Prahat, is definitely worth your attention. Wat Rong Khun was built in Chiang Rai province quite recently, in 1997, by the artist and architect Chalemchay Kositpipat. The boiling-white walls of the temple look amazingly beautiful against the background of a clear blue sky. If this view doesn't impress you, which we highly doubt, take a look down: Wat Rong Khun's carved façade is reflected in the pond, creating another stunning landscape.
Outside, the temple is decorated with statues of animals and characters from Buddhist mythology, and inside - murals inspired by plots from Star Wars and The Matrix. Also on the walls of Wat Rong Khun, you can find references to events from real life, such as the burning twin towers.
11. Bo Sang
The village of craftsmen who make the best Asian umbrellas in Thailand. According to legend, about 200 years ago, a monk lived in Bo Sang, who mastered this art to perfection. He taught all the villagers to transform bamboo, silk and paper "sa" into beautiful umbrellas, and now they pass this knowledge from generation to generation.
The best time to visit Bo Sang is January, this is when the umbrella festival takes place there: the whole village is decorated with these bright colorful accessories, it looks like a rainbow or a butterfly. But at other times of the year it is worth coming here to see how the umbrellas are painted, or to order a special one with a personal design.
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12. Sukhothai
Sukhothai is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is believed that this is where Thai culture originated: architecture, art, writing and the alphabet.
In the XIII century, Sukhothai was the capital of the state, and now it is a modern city and a historical park with 200 objects. It will take several days to get around all the sights. The main things to see in the park are Wat Mahatat, built in the shape of a lotus, the Khmer temple of Wat Si Sawai, and the temple of Wat Si Chum, which houses a statue of Buddha with a long palm. There is also a beautiful pond in Sukhothai where lotuses grow.
13. Ayuthaya
An ancient city near Bangkok. In 1767, Ayutayu, which at that time was the capital, was defeated by the troops of Burma (Myanmar). Since then, it has not been possible to return the life of the city to its usual course, so it was turned into a large historical park. It is now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ayuthaya has two types of temples: large flat-topped towers (prangas) and stupas - traditional cone-shaped buildings in Thailand. Among the ruins are several statues of Buddha, the head of one of them sticking out from the roots of trees. This is an amazing picture that you will not see anywhere else.
14. Chiang Saen
Another ancient city with ruins and old temples, one of them (Wat Pa Sak) was built in the XIII-XIV centuries.
It is worth visiting Chiang Saen to meet the morning on the embankment of the Mekong River and watch the sun gradually rise over the horizon and illuminate the city. And then take a boat and swim to the Golden Triangle - the borders of three states: Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.
15. Mae Hong Son
This province in the mountains of Northern Thailand is not easy to get to, but must be done if you want to see with your own eyes the real calm and measured life of Thais far from the capital and tourist places. Small houses, a clean lake with a Buddhist temple reflected in it, a rice field across which a bamboo bridge is thrown, are ideal conditions for those who are looking for peace and tranquility.
In this place there are three villages of the Kayan (Padaung) tribe (their women wear metal rings around their necks). And on the border with Myanmar in Mae Hong Son, there is the picturesque Chinese village of Ban Rak Tai, where you can visit a tea plantation and buy delicious oolong tea.