How to travel around Thailand? Which Thai cities are worth visiting?
In the blink of an eye, it has been two years since Cecilia left Europe and the Middle East to work and live in Thailand.
From ignorance at the beginning to being nicknamed “half aboriginal” now, there are quite a lot of memories in the middle. Today I will share with you how to get around Thailand in the shortest possible time.
Let me tell you about the most popular destinations in Thailand. They are Bangkok, the capital of thailand, Phuket, the second largest city in Thailand, Chiang Mai, a mountain city that has become very popular in recent years, Pattaya, which is famous for its red light district, and Koh Samui, a world-renowned resort , Krabi and Hua Hin, emerging popular tourist destinations, and Khao Lak, a vacation paradise for Europeans and Americans.
Generally speaking, if your time is tight, it is recommended to choose only 2-3 of the first three places, which is representative enough. Let’s briefly talk about the characteristics and interesting things of these cities:
BANGKOK
As the capital of Thailand, Bangkok is the most modern place in Thailand. But to be honest, there is nothing to do. Basically, it is enough to visit the Grand Palace and the floating market for a day. But cecilia generally recommends that tourists stay for two days. that’s why? Because Bangkok is a very good shopping paradise, with a wide range of products and very reasonable prices (especially duty-free products). In addition, domestic direct flights to Bangkok are much cheaper than other cities, so it is very appropriate to put Bangkok as a transit city at the end of the entire itinerary.
PHUKET
Phuket is the most expensive place in Thailand. Only Koh Samui can compete with it, but it is still very cheap compared to domestic prices. Therefore, it has also become the wealthiest city in Thailand. Due to the 40-year development history of Phuket Island, good tourism infrastructure facilities, and the advantages of geographical location, the number of tourists who come to Phuket is increasing every year.
Phuket is a place suitable for vacation. If you know how to play, you can actually find a lot of scenic spots and food that are particularly cost-effective, not losing to Chiang Mai. Usually 3-5 days are suitable. If you are on vacation, it usually takes two weeks. There are many foreigners who have lived for several years and are reluctant to go home.
CHIANG MAI
Chiang Mai is located in northern Thailand, and prices are lower than other tourist cities. However, because it is located in a mountainous area and cannot see the sea, most of the main attractions are temples. In addition, there will still be a little bit of coolness in winter, so the popularity of tourism has always been lower than that of other tourist islands. However, as a relatively small and fresh city, it is still worth visiting, and 2-3 days are completely enough.
PATTAYA
I believe that Pattaya is the most criticized tourist city in Thailand, which is largely due to its very developed red light district. The price is medium, the location is in the Gulf of Thailand (it can be regarded as the inland sea), the sea view is relatively ordinary compared to the southern cities, and its most famous red light district gradually lags behind Bangkok and Phuket. Therefore, at present, most tourists will consider going to Phuket or Krabi instead of Pattaya.
KOH SAMUI
The sea view of Koh Samui is absolutely top-notch. Unfortunately, because Koh Samui is an isolated island, you can only get in and out of the island by plane or boat (although Phuket is also an island, it is connected to the mainland and can be reached directly by car), but Koh Samui The airport in Beijing is a private airport. Due to the high charges, the air ticket price remains high all year round. Therefore, the inter-city transportation is quite inconvenient, and it is suitable for all vacation tourists.
KRABI
Krabi is an emerging popular tourist destination in Thailand in recent years. The sea here is very clean and beautiful in peak season. Phuket’s most famous outer islands, the Big and Little Phi Phi Islands, are actually under the jurisdiction of Krabi Province. Because it is in its infancy, the price is a little lower than that of Phuket, but the urban infrastructure is quite imperfect, and the transportation, accommodation, and shopping are a little behind. It is suitable for travelers who often travel alone.
HUA HIN
Hua Hin, like Krabi, is in its infancy. It’s just that the geographical location is a little different. Hua Hin is close to Bangkok, and its sea is also the Gulf of Thailand like Pattaya, and the water quality is weaker than that in southern Thailand. Suitable for friends who travel in depth in Thailand.
KHAO LAK
Khao Lak is located in Phang Nga, not far from Phuket and Krabi, and the most famous scenic spot – the Similan Islands is located here. This city is relatively small, and the tourist facilities are not perfect (not even a decent large shopping mall, similar to BigC). At present, only Europeans and Americans go there, and there are very few Asian tourists. Recommended to friends who need an in-depth tour of Thailand.
Regarding the special travel preferences, where & what should I go?
1. Island-preferring tourists are suitable for Phuket and Koh Samui. If you have been to both, you may wish to consider Krabi and Khao Lak.
2. Shopping-preferred tourists must go to Bangkok, followed by Phuket Island is also a good choice.
3. For temple-preferred tourists, Chiang Mai will be your first choice.
4. For jungle-preferred tourists, go to Chiang Mai first, and then to Khao Lak (Phang Nga Province has forests older than the Amazon).
5. For tourists who prefer red light districts, Pattaya is good, but in fact, the red light districts in Phuket and Bangkok are even better!
What should I do if I just wanna take a quick look?
If you only have 5 days, we will suggest you choose “3 days in Phuket + 2 days in Bangkok” or “3 days in Chiang Mai + 2 days in Bangkok“.
If you have 7 days, then “3 days in Phuket + 2 days in Chiang Mai + 2 days in Bangkok” is the most suitable.
What if it takes longer? Come, come, talk to us！
