Best Things to Do in Thailand + Itinerary

Anita — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 14:43:18 +0000

How do you see the whole country of Thailand in two short weeks?

You’ll be taking planes, trains, and buses, jetting from one city to the next!

With only two weeks and the desire to see as much as possible, I packed a lot in our Thailand trip. After experiencing (and sometimes enduring) it all, these are the top things that I recommend you see and do if you have a limited time in Thailand.

Beach – Jump off from Phuket

It’s likely you chose to come to Thailand because the beautiful beaches caught your eye. As you’re researching which beaches and islands you want to go to, note how touristy (read: busy and crowded) it is and the time it will take get there. Island-hopping will cut your time short quickly if you’re visiting multiple places in Thailand. Koh Phi Phi is the most popular island and I also hear amazing things about Krabi and Koh Sumai. For our trip we stayed on Phuket, and you can read all about those beaches here.

Patong Beach

Wat Rong Khun (White Temple) – Chiang Rai

This modern temple was incredible! It may seem a little controversial and strange, but the thoughts behind the temple’s creation are interesting. I booked a day trip to see the White Temple in Chiang Rai because we didn’t have enough time to stay overnight. It worked out well. I would recommend hiring a private car to take you there and back on your own time. Check out this post for all the details about visiting.

Temples – Chiang Mai and Bangkok

Wherever you go, you’ll likely run into a temple in town. Buddhism is the predominant religion in Thailand and beautiful, ornate temples are plentiful. You’ll find many in Chiang Mai and Bangkok. In Bangkok, the most popular temples are Wat Pho and Wat Arun.

Elephant Nature Park – Chiang Mai

It was a treat to get up close and personal with these magnificent creatures! Elephant Nature Park is an elephant sanctuary that takes care of elephants that have been abused. You’ll be able to walk with them, feed them, and learn all about elephant history and life in Thailand. No riding here! See the post and video about our experience at Elephant Nature Park here.

Scuba Dive – Similan Islands

The Similan Islands are a group of 11 islands in the Andaman Sea off of South Thailand. They’re known for scuba diving. Taking a liveaboard is a great way to dive multiple sites since you’ll be living on a boat and hopping from island to island. Check out our liveaboard experience here.

Yee Peng Lantern Festival – Chiang Mai

We timed our trip to see this cultural celebration! They have changed the official events because of its popularity, but there are unofficial spots where people gather to release lanterns for the holiday. It is a spiritual event, focusing on letting go of the bad. It was so cool to see and experience this event in person. It happens in November for a few days around the full moon. See the post and video about our experience here.

Food – Chiang Mai and everywhere

One of the best things about visiting Thailand is the abundance of incredible food! We got our fill of pad Thai, tom yum soup, curry soup, papaya salad, and more! In most of the big cities, you’ll be able to find food tours to experience the city’s best restaurants and cooking classes to learn how to cook the cuisine. Be sure to look at my travel guides for Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket to get a restaurant list! Check out my best things to eat and drink in Thailand post to see the different dishes you can enjoy.

Itinerary

Not sure how to split your time in Thailand? Here’s what we did for 12 nights in Thailand. It’s hard to squeeze every experience into a short time. If I could go back and change what we did, I would have scheduled time to visit beaches on islands but that would have required adding more days to the trip!

Day 1: Travel
Day 2: Arrive in Bangkok at 11 pm
Day 3: Chiang Mai
Day 4: Chiang Mai
Day 5: Chiang Rai (day trip)
Day 6: Chiang Mai
Day 7: Phuket
Day 8: Liveaboard
Day 9: Liveaboard
Day 10: Liveaboard
Day 11: Phuket
Day 12: Bangkok
Day 13: Bangkok
Day 14: Travel and arrive home

Have you been to Thailand? What activities do you think are must-dos?

P.S. The Thailand fun doesn’t stop here! Check out all my Thailand posts here.

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Wat Rong Khun / The White Temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand

Anita — Tue, 06 Dec 2016 11:01:35 +0000

One of the highlights of our Thailand trip was visiting the White Temple, also known as Wat Rong Khun, in Chiang Rai. This contemporary, Buddhist complex is an incredible sight to behold. The temple’s pristine white exterior glimmers as it represents the purity of Buddha.

Owned and designed by Chalermchai Kositpipat, this temple opened in 1997. Kositpipat funded the project with his own money because he didn’t want the government or big donors to have any influence on the project. He dedicates the work to Buddha, the Thai king, and the Thai people. It is an ongoing project, and it is projected to be finished in 2070. About eighty people help Kositpipat with construction and additions. The main building is the most completed in the complex and more buildings are being added.

The Exterior

At the front of the temple, you take a bridge over a sea of sculptures into the temple. This sea, representing hell, is filled with outstretched arms. If you look closely, you’ll spot one middle finger with red nail polish, representing a woman.

The Interior

Inside the main temple, you’ll see a drastic difference from the exterior. Pinkish murals with small images of Harry Potter, Jack Sparrow, Michael Jackson, Neo from The Matrix, and more cover the walls. These familiar “superheroes” represent idolatry and are a reminder that these idols won’t save you in the end. Strangely, the murals also feature nuclear weapons and terrorist attacks like the Twin Towers on fire. Photography is not allowed inside.

Around the Main Temple
More buildings and structures are continuously added, so you’ll see buildings with similar glimmer. Nearby you’ll see an awning with prayer ornaments that you can buy nearby. You’ll also see superhero heads hanging from trees.

The Golden Toilet

While the white temple represents the ideal, pure mind, the gold building represents the human desire for worldly possessions. It’s unexpected that this beautiful building is actually the bathroom complex.

Getting There

The White Temple is located in Chiang Rai, which is a city three hours away from Chiang Mai. To save time, we took a day trip from Chiang Mai. We joined a tour but I recommend hiring a private car to save time. You can also take a public bus from Chiang Mai and then take a taxi from the city to the temple. The temple is 13 km outside of the city of Chiang Rai.

Plan Your Visit

Open 6:30am to 6:00pm.
The temple started charging an admission fee of 50 Baht beginning September 2016.
Be sure to wear clothes that cover your legs and shoulders. You’ll be asked to take off your shoes before going into the temple.
We spent about an hour exploring the complex. I would expect you would spend no more than two hours there.
As with all temples, refrain from touching walls and sculptures.
While Wat Rong Khun is a tourist attraction, it is also a place of worship. Please be respectful.
Information on Thailand Tourism website

Kositpipat wanted to create an attraction comparable to the Taj Mahal, where people would come from all over the world to marvel at it. He certainly did this with Wat Rong Khun. It’s also a testament to his dedication to his faith, and it’s clear to see that through every detail of the complex. If you visit Thailand, don’t miss visiting the White Temple!

P.S. Check out all my Thailand posts here.

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