Thailand Tourism

With over six million foreigners flying into the country each year, Thailand has become Asia’s primary holiday destination and is a useful and popular first stop on any overland journey through Southeast Asia. The influx of tourist cash has played a significant part in the country’s recent development, yet Thailand’s cultural integrity remains largely undamaged.

In this country of 53 million people, over 90 percent are practising Theravada Buddhists, and King Bhumibol is a revered figure across his nation. Tiered temple rooftops and saffron-robed monks dominate every vista, and, though some cities and beach resorts are characterized by high-rises and neon lights, the typical Thai community is the traditional farming village: 90 percent of Thais still earn their living from the land.

Most journeys start in Bangkok. Thailand’s huge, noisy, polluted capital can be an overwhelming introduction to Southeast Asia, but there are traveller-oriented guesthouses aplenty here, and plenty of spectacular temples to visit. It’s also the best place for arranging onward travel and visas for neighbouring countries.

A popular side-trip from the capital takes in the raft houses of Kanchanaburi and the infamous site of the Bridge over the River Kwai. After Bangkok, most travellers head north, sometimes via the ancient capitals of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai. In the laid-back city of Chiang Mai, treks to nearby hill tribe villages are a highlight.

There’s tranquil countryside in the northern highlands around Mae Hong Son and along the Mekong River in Thailand’s northeast (Isaan), where you can stay in village guesthouses and cross the border into Laos. The northeast is the least visited area of Thailand, but holds two fine ancient Khmer ruins at Phimai and Phanom Rung, and the country’s most popular national park, Khao Yai.

Thailand’s eastern and southern coasts are lined with gorgeous white-sand shores, aquamarine seas and kaleidoscopic reefs. The most popular of these are the east coast backpackers’ resorts of Koh Samet and Koh Chang, the Gulf Coast islands of Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao, and the Andaman coast idylls of Laem Phra Nang, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and Koh Tarutao.

The southern island of Phuket and the east coast resort of Pattaya are more expensive, package-tour oriented spots. In the deep south, Thailand merges almost seamlessly with Malaysia, and there are plenty of border crossing points here; the city of Hat Yai offers convenient long-distance bus and rail links to many Malaysian towns. Getting into Cambodia overland is not as easy, but there are two crossings, Poipet and Trat.

The climate of most of Thailand is governed by three seasons: rainy (June to October); cool (November to February); and hot (March to May). The cool season is the most pleasant and most popular time to visit. In the hot season, temperatures can rise to 40°C. The rainy season hits the Andaman coast (Phuket, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi) harder than anywhere else in the country, with heavy rainfall starting in May and persisting until October. The Gulf coast (Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao) gets hardly any rain between June and September, but is hit by the northeast monsoon, which brings rain between October and January.