Chiang Mai
This expansive animal park is open day and night, but the real action happens after dark, when you can view all sorts of critters from the back of an open…
Must-see attractions in Thailand
Nong Khai Province
Boasting a beautiful chedi that locals believe holds 29 Buddha relics, Wat Phra That Bang Phuan is one of the region's most sacred temples. Nobody knows…
Siam Square, Pratunam, Phloen Chit & Ratchathewi
Thailand’s oldest and most prestigious university is nestled in a leafy enclave south of busy Rama I.
Bangkok
The bronze figure on horseback is Rama V (King Chulalongkorn; r 1868–1910), the monarch widely credited for steering the country into the modern age and…
Phetchaburi
This rather unattractive beach, 20km southeast of Phetchaburi (you'll need private transport to get here) attracts a mix of beach and book lovers…
Northeastern Thailand
That Khang Khao Noi, the ‘Small Sticky-Rice Basket Stupa’, is one of the best-known icons of Yasothon. The famous stupa southeast of town on the Ubon…
Udon Thani
During 1928 and 1929, Ho Chi Minh used the jungle around Nong Hang village as one of his bases to train soldiers and rally Isan's sizeable Vietnamese…
Nakhon Phanom
Though this place is much smaller than the Nong Khai aquarium and lacking any Mekong catfish (þlah bèuk) on our last visit, it's still mildly enjoyable to…
Phuket
Thailand's largest settlement of chow lair ('sea gypsies'; also spelt chao leh), with a population of around 1900, is a cluster of metal-roofed shacks on…
Lopburi
King Narai had this palace built as a country retreat and, so the story goes, he stayed here when hunting elephants. It's not in great shape now. There's…
Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Right in the centre of the main moat, this is the most significant of Muang Sema's ruins, after Wat Dhammachakra Semaram. Labelled as Monument 1 on the…
Ubon Ratchathani
Also known as Wat Pa Yai, the 'Large Forest Temple' (from long ago when Ubon was just a small town and this area lay beyond the city limits), this is one…
Kanchanaburi Province
This little cultural centre mostly works to promote appreciation of Karen, Mon and Thai culture to local children, but visitors are welcomed inside to…
Nong Khai
Although it's looking a little shabby these days, this large aquarium offers a fairly interesting collection of freshwater and ocean-dwelling fish from…
Ayuthaya
The field north of Wat Phra Si Sanphet full of brick foundations, walls and little else was once the royal palace compound of the Ayuthaya kingdom. There…
Northeastern Thailand
Drive into Yasothon from the south and you can't miss the 19m-tall toad sitting on the shore of Mae Nam Tuan. It honours the Toad King, a central…
Loei Province
If you have realistic expectations of the wine, you might find Chateau de Loei worth a visit. It released the first commercially produced Thai wine in…
Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat)
The wooden pillar at the centre of this small shrine was once used for tying up sacred 'white' elephants that passed though Khorat on their way to be…
Ubon Ratchathani
This old riverside temple, founded in 1793 around the same time as the establishment of the city, has a pair of noteworthy buildings. Most eye-catching is…
Northeastern Thailand
This little aquarium with a walk-through tunnel houses fish found around Isan. Most of the tanks are rather plain and sad, but the walk-through tank has…
Chiang Khan
Wat Mahathat, in the centre of town, is Chiang Khan's oldest temple. The bóht, constructed in 1654, has a new roof over old walls, with a faded old mural…
Phetchaburi
Not a fully fledged museum, rather there are 32 large năng yài shadow puppets, made by the former abbot, displayed on light boxes in Wat Plabplachai's old…
Kanchanaburi
This restored original city gate (built 1831) is a remnant of Kanchanaburi's once mighty defensive walls, which linked six fortresses. Just behind it is a…
Nong Khai
Nong Khai and the surrounding area came under several attacks by jeen hor (Yunnanese) marauders in the late 19th century. The small Prap Haw Monument …
Nong Khai
The city's newest Chinese temple is dedicated to Ji Gong, an eccentric and heavy-drinking Chinese monk (he's usually depicted with a bottle of wine) now…
Loei Province
This museum sits on the 2nd floor of the restored 1933 city hall, above the tourist office. It contains mostly pictures and written commentary. Its minor…
Chiang Rai Province
The first sight you’ll inevitably see in Sop Ruak is Phra Chiang Saen Si Phaendin, a giant Buddha statue financed by a Thai-Chinese foundation. The statue…
Ubon Ratchathani
This humble brick obelisk in the northeast corner of Thung Si Meuang park was erected by former WWII allied-forces POWs in gratitude for the secret…
Northeastern Thailand
This shrine commemorates two princesses, daughters of the King of Vientiane, who died when their boat sank in a storm. There's a similar one in Nong Khai…
Udon Thani Province
About 300m southwest of the burial site (follow the signs for 'Phuan House which the King and Queen visited in 1972'), this traditional Isan house is…
Nong Khai
Wat Hai Sok is right in the thick of the action, across from Mut Mee Garden Guesthouse. It contains the 'Two Princesses Shrine' and is a popular place to…
Udon Thani Province
This temple is 500m north of the burial site, across the little bridge. The awesome childlike murals in the white two-storey storage building at the back…
Khon Kaen Province
One of the first things you see after crossing the pass into the mountain, Si Wiang Dinosaur Park is full of giant photogenic concrete dinosaur statues…
Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen's city pillar shrine is fancier and more frequented than those of most northeastern cities. As thanks for large wishes granted or success in…
Loei Province
The 'City Pillar' shrine is thoroughly ordinary, but it sits on the edge of Kut Pong lake and park, so it's a great place to begin an evening walk. Also…
Kanchanaburi
In contrast to the manicured uniformity of the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery next to it, this Chinese cemetery is somewhat overgrown but contains some large…
Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park Western Entrance
Phetchaburi
The west entrance on the opposite side of the hill has a cable car (closed for 10 days each June for regular maintenance and a few other days during the…
Lopburi
Wat Puen may have been built in the time or King Narai and its name may refer to the arrow of Rama. There's little left other than the four walls of a wí…
Ayuthaya
A kitschy, photo-friendly tourist trap rather than an actual market, around 250 food stalls and souvenir stands cluster on wooden platforms above the…
Lopburi
This small, ruined temple next to the train station was constructed during the reign of King Narai. The wí·hăhn (assembly hall) has lotus petal–arched…
