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Top Sights in Thailand

Looking to spend some time in the land of a thousand smiles? Look no further than this itinerary which takes you through the entire country, from the mountains and temples of the north to the gorgeous beaches of the south!

Chiang Mai

Golden stupa with a tall spire against a clear blue sky, viewed from a low angle.
Wat Phra Singh in Chiang Mai.

Why go?

Visiting Chiang Mai gives you a peak into life in Northern Thailand. With cooler temperatures and a more mountaneous landscape that then south, it’s a beautiful and historic city worth a few days.

Where to stay

When staying in Chiang Mai, I recommend the Mawaninarakorn Hotel, which has a fabulous pool and comfortable rooms in a great location near the heart of the city.

Mawaninarakorn Hotel

Some of the highlights of visiting Chiang Mai:

  • Visit the gorgeous buddhist temples of gold trimmed Wat Chedi Luang, enormous gold spires of Wat Phra Singh, peaceful Wat chiang man, and Watsrisuphan
  • Wander around the trendy Nimmanhaemin neighborhood
  • Have some of the best mango sticky rice of your life at Coconut Shell Thai Food, Chiang Mai famous Khao Soi soup at Khao Soi Khun Yai. If you have dietary needs like me, then Anchan Vegetarian is another fantastic food option in the city.
  • Explore the extensive Chiang Mai gate night market, with scoropions on sticks, color noodle dishes and lots of trinkets to buy.
Coconut Shell Thai Food Mango Sticky Rice
A stupa wrapped in colorful fabric stands in front of an ornate white and gold temple structure with floral marigold offerings.
A large golden Buddha statue stands between two smaller statues in an ornate temple with decorative columns and a chandelier overhead.
Two golden Buddhist stupas with ornate details rise against a clear blue sky, surrounded by a white and orange railing.
Two hands holding spiral-cut pineapples on sticks, with a street and parked cars in the background.
A plate of stir-fried vegetables and meat topped with fried shallots, with a salad in the background on a wooden table.
A tuk-tuk taxi drives on a sunny street, surrounded by cars and trees, with a passenger sitting in the back.
A wooden bowl lined with banana leaves holds colorful bundles of thin noodles in white, green, blue, and pink.
Several skewered scorpions are displayed for sale on a banana leaf with a sign indicating a price of 100 Thai Baht.

Going from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai

We decided to rent a car in order to get between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. So logistics-wise, we flew into Chiang Mai, spent a few days, rented a car and drove to Chiang Rai, then returned in that car back to Chiang Mai before flying on to Bangkok.

Part of the reason we did this was because it was important to me to visit the sky pagods of Lamnpang. I’ve written previous on how to visit the sky pagodas and what you can expect there. Renting a car in Thailand definitely added a bit of adventure to the journey. This is definitely a spot more off the beaten path in Northern Thailand and I highly recommend it. Check out Rentalcars.com if you are looking into renting while abroad!

White stupas and a colorful pagoda sit atop rocky hills surrounded by sparse vegetation under a clear blue sky.
Sky Pagodas on the way from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai.

Chiang Rai

The image shows the ornate White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) in Chiang Rai, Thailand, with a sunset sky in the background.
The White Temple at sunset.

Why go?

If you are going to Chiang Mai (arguably the more popular tourist destination), you might as well make it up to Chiang Rai as well, because of some of the most beautiful temples and the mountaneous landscape. While we visited in a car, you can also take buses between the two cities with ease.

Where to stay:

In Chiang Rai, we stayed at the Nak Nakara Hotel which similarly to in Chiang Mai, had a lovely pool and was walking distance to everything we needed to visit!

A clear blue tiled swimming pool with a stone wall featuring a decorative serpent sculpture in the background.
The pool at the Nak Nakara Hotel.

Some of the highlights of Chiang Rai:

  • The white temple – at both dusk and during the day
  • The blue temple
  • Kad Luange Chiang Rai market, eating delicious Thai treats like bualoy and hot pot.
  • The clock tower
A white ornate temple with intricate carvings and sculptures, set against a clear blue sky with a pond in the foreground.
A large white Buddha statue sits in a richly decorated blue temple with intricate mural designs and two smaller statues on each side.
Golden temple with ornate spires and domes, reflected in a pond under a clear blue sky.
Thai Hot Pot

Bangkok

A row of golden Garuda statues decorates the ornate exterior wall of a Thai temple, reflecting intricate craftsmanship.

Why go?

Bangkok is the capital of Thailand the beating heart of it’s city life. It’s a beautiful city, filled with highrises along the river and has some of the more beautiful and interest temples and palaces you’ll find anywhere in the world.

Where to stay

In Bangkok, we splurged and stayed at the Millennium Hilton, which boasted an incredible pool with views over the city, and some great restaurants.

Rooftop pool with a lounge chair overlooking a city skyline and river with tall buildings in the background.
Pool and city views at the Millennium Hilton.

Can’t miss sites in Bangkok:

  • Chinatown – one of the largest in the world!
  • Riding along the Chao Phraya river
  • Visiting the impressive grand palace
  • Visiting temples Wat Pho to see the world’s longest Buddha and Wat Arun, to admire the incredible detail
  • Step into one of Bangkok’s world famous malls and try out great street food (safely!), like Icon Siam
  • Visit the Chatuchak Weekend Market – and get lost in the mazes of clothes and trinkets!
Ornate golden and mosaic-covered structures and details at a Thai temple, with a golden stupa in the background under a bright sky.
Close-up view of the face and upper body of the golden Reclining Buddha statue in Wat Pho, Bangkok, surrounded by ornate decorations.
A river with modern skyscrapers on the left, a docked sailboat on the right, and several high-rise buildings in the background.
Statue of a mythical figure with mosaic details supporting a golden structure at a temple.
A person browses clothing racks in a narrow, covered market aisle lined with colorful garments and accessories.
Four ornate temple spires rise against a blue sky, surrounded by palm trees and a wall with yellow and white detailing.

Krabi

Two long-tail boats with people onboard are docked in clear turquoise water near a rocky, tree-covered shoreline under a partly cloudy sky.
Boats in Krabi.

Why go?

Krabi is one of the primary beach destinations in Thailand, alongside Phuket. If you are looking to add some beach time and island hopping to your Thailand trip, either of these destinations will fit the bill! One reason to choose Krabi over Phuket is that Krabi allows you to explore a bunch of small islands, like the famous Phi Phi Island, while Phuket is more of a one a done destination.

Where to Stay

In Krabi, we stayed at Deevana Krabi Resort, the appeal of which was besides the amazing pool, our room came with a private plunge tub which was a really nice touch.

White freestanding bathtub with a towel draped on the side, next to a bamboo ladder with umbrellas, against a textured wall.
Private indoor / outdoor plunge tub.

Some of the things we got up to that you can’t miss:

  • Doi saket
  • Tup island natural beach
  • Chicken island
  • Ko poda
  • Phra nang beach, where you can rent kayaks and explore the sea caves!

Most tourists either rent private boats to access their island areas, or they go on an organized tour (which is what we did). Here is one that visits Phi Phi and a number of other smaller islands.

Colorful long-tail boats are docked in shallow turquoise water near a sandy beach with people and trees in the background.
Rocky island with a tall, narrow rock formation stands in blue ocean under a clear sky, with another small island nearby.
Person in a hat kayaking toward rocky cliffs and a natural arch over clear water, with other kayakers visible in the distance.
Limestone cliffs and small islands rise from turquoise water under a partly cloudy sky.

Rebecca runs The Adventure Beckons, a travel and outdoor adventure blog based in Vancouver, British Columbia. As an experienced traveler to over 40 countries and counting, she provides her readers with practical travel itineraries from day trips to multi-week adventures. She strives to balance nature and hiking with the must-see tourist highlights that are genuinely worth your time and money.

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