Lonely - Lonely Planet Thailand

E-reader devices vary in their ability to show our maps. To get the most out of the maps in this guide, use the zoom function on your device. Or, visit http://media.lonelyplanet.com/ebookmaps and grab a PDF download or print out all the maps in this guide.

Friendly and fun-loving, exotic and tropical, cultured and historic, Thailand beams with a lustrous hue from its gaudy temples and golden beaches to the ever-comforting Thai smile.

Thailands beaches are mythical: tall palms angle over pearlescent sand, coral gardens flourish in the shallow seas and beach parties are liberally lubricated with alcohol and fun. With a long coastline (well, actually, two coastlines) and jungle-topped islands anchored in azure waters, Thailand is a tropical getaway for the hedonist and the hermit, the prince and the pauper. And in between the kissing cousins of sea and sky are dramatic limestone mountains standing sentinel. This paradise offers a varied menu of playing in the gentle surf of Bang Saphan Yai, diving with whale sharks in Ko Tao, scaling the sea cliffs of Krabi, learning to kiteboard in Hua Hin, recuperating at a health resort in Ko Samui and feasting on the beach wherever sand meets sea.

The celestial world is a close confidant in this Buddhist nation, where religious devotion is a colourful and ubiquitous spectacle. Gleaming temples and golden Buddhas frame both the rural and modern landscape with exuberance. Ancient banyan trees are ceremoniously wrapped in sacred cloth to honour the resident spirits, fortune-bringing shrines decorate humble noodle houses as well as monumental malls, while garland-festooned dashboards ward off traffic accidents. The Thais ongoing dialogue with the divine anchors the day-to-day chaos to a solid base of tranquillity. Visitors can join in on the conversation through meditation retreats in Chiang Mai, noisy religious festivals in northeastern Thailand, peaceful underground cave shrines in Kanchanaburi and Phetchaburi or scenic hilltop temples in northern Thailand.

No matter what draws you to the country first, a Thai meal will keep you hooked. Adored around the world, Thai cuisine expresses fundamental aspects of Thai culture: it is generous and warm, outgoing and nuanced, refreshing and relaxed. And it is much more delicious in its native setting. Each Thai dish relies on fresh and local ingredients from pungent lemongrass and searing chillies to plump seafood and crispy fried chicken. With a tropical abundance, a varied national menu is built around the four fundamental flavours: spicy, sweet, salty and sour. And then there are the regional differences, which propel travellers on an eating tour of Bangkok noodle shacks, seafood pavilions in Phuket, Burmese market stalls in Mae Hong Son, and luscious tropical fruit everywhere. Cooking classes reveal the simplicity behind the seemingly complicated dishes and mastering the markets becomes an important skill.

Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu (), Mae Hong Son
ALAIN EVRARD/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Food, shopping, fun, temples, palaces What isnt available in Bangkok ( )? Be prepared to adjust your itinerary if youve only given Bangkok the requisite day or two. The Bangkok of today is tidier and easier to navigate than ever before, and will pull you in with one of the worlds biggest markets, fun bars, sublime eats and endless opportunities for urban exploration. Supplement your fun with more scholarly pursuits such as a cooking or Thai massage course, and were certain youll see Bangkok as much more than just a transit point.

Wat Arun, beside the Chao Phraya River
PAOLO CORDELLI/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Ko Tao

The dive-masters island, Ko Tao ( ) is the cheapest and easiest spot around to learn how to strap on a tank and dive into the deep. The water is warm and gentle and the underwater spectacles are not to be missed. Just offshore are scenic rocky coves and coral reefs frequented by all sorts of fish providing a snorkelling aperitif. Ko Tao is a beautiful island even for nondivers. Its small size means you can explore all of its jungle nooks and crannies, looking for a sandy niche to call your own.

Ao Chalok, Ko Tao
RICHARD NEBESKY/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Mae Hong Son Province

Tucked in the countrys northwest corner, this province ( ) has a lot more in common with neighbouring Myanmar (Burma) than anywhere else in Thailand. In fact, with its remote location, intimidating mountains and unique culture and cuisine, Mae Hong Son can seem like an entirely different country. Exploration is the reason to make the schlep here, and can take the form of tramping through one of the provinces many caves, taking a hairpin turn on your motorcycle, or doing a self-guided trek from Mae La-Na to Soppong.

Prayers during Poi Sang Long, Mae Hong Son
VIVIANE PONTI/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Ko Pha-Ngan

Famous for its sloppy Full Moon parties and all-night techno parties, Ko Pha-Ngan ( ) has graduated from a sleepy bohemian island to full-on attraction for migrating party-people. The beach shanties have been transformed into boutiques, meaning comfort seekers have an alternative to Ko Samui. And in the northern and eastern coasts, the ascetic hammock hangers can still escape enough of the modern life to feel like a modern castaway (well-fed ones, of course). Just offshore is Sail Rock, one of the gulfs best dive sites.

Hat Rin
KIMBERLEY COOLE/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Surin & Similan Islands Marine National Parks

These world-renowned dive sites ( ) have anchored Thailand as a global diving destination. Live-aboard trips set out from Khao Lak, allowing for more time at the famous sites where you can meet the local manta rays and whale sharks. There is the thrill of being far from land as the sun sinks into the sea and the night shows off its twinkling lights. The islands are an attraction in their own right with jungle-filled interiors and smooth white beaches surrounded by decent coral reefs.