Things to do in Thailand
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TOP SELLER
Explore Northern Thailand
8 days (Bangkok)
by Intrepid
Soak up the dynamic vibe of Bangkok city, Try fried bugs at the Sukhothai night market, Explore Lampang's enchanting ruins by bike, Watch elephants bathing in…Not LP reviewed
- All things to do
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Parking Toys
Essentially a rambling shed stuffed with vintage furniture, Parking Toys is also one of Bangkok’s best venues for live music, and hosts an eclectic revolving cast of fun bands ranging in genre from acoustic/classical ensembles to electro-funk jam acts.
To get here, take a taxi heading north from BTS Mo Chit and tell the driver to take you to the Kaset intersection and turn right on Th Kaset-Navamin. Upon passing the second stop light on this road, look for the small Heineken sign on your left.
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Bar Solo
A sign of things to come, Bar Solo has future-fitted Chaweng's outdoor beer halls into an urban setting with sleek cubist decor and a cocktail list that doesn't scream holiday hayseed. The evening drink specials lure in the front-loaders preparing for a late, late night at the dance clubs on Soi Solo and Soi Green Mango.
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Scorpion Tailed River Cruise
This River Cruise focuses on the history of the Mae Ping river using traditional-style craft, known as scorpion-tailed boats. Informative cruises (five daily) last one to 1½ hours. They depart from Wat Srikhong pier near Rim Ping Condo and stop for a snack at the affiliated Scorpion Tailed Boat Village.
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Cathedral
This French-style cathedral, across a footbridge from Th Sukhaphiban, is the town's architectural highlight. A small missionary chapel was built here in 1711, when Vietnamese Catholics and a French priest arrived. The original has undergone four reconstructions between 1712 and 1906 and is now the largest building of its kind in Thailand.
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Heuan Phen
At this well-known restaurant everything is on display, from the northern Thai food to the groups of culinary visitors and the antique-cluttered dining room. Try the young jackfruit with a spicy paste. Daytime meals are served in a large canteen out front.
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Uptown Restaurant
This classic, breezy Chinese-style cafe may not look fancy, but look around and you'll notice mounted photos of Thai celebrities who have stopped by to slurp the spectacular noodles.
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Papa's Tapas
Another member of Ko Tao's new designer diner army, this swish set-up takes a stab at nouveau cuisine with sample-sized platters. Those with a big wallet (and a little foresight) can order the Chef's Special - a menu of unique dishes that requires 24 hours to procure and prepare. Reservation recommended.
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Bailan Herbal Sauna
Sweating on purpose might seem like a free and unintended consequence of tropical living but, just south of Lonely Beach, Bailan continues an old-fashioned Southeast Asian tradition of the village sauna. Set amid lush greenery, the earthen huts are heated with a health- promoting stew of herbs. There's also massage, facial treatments and a post-steam juice bar.
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nahm
Australian chef-author David Thompson is behind what is quite possibly the best Thai restaurant in Bangkok. Using ancient cookbooks as his inspiration, Thompson has given new life to previously extinct dishes such as smoked fish curry with prawns, chicken livers, cockles and black pepper. Dinner takes the form of a multicourse set meal, while lunch means kà·nŏm jeen, thin rice noodles served with curries. If you’re expecting bland, gentrified Thai food meant for foreigners, prepare to be disappointed. Reservations recommended.
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Antique House
Antique House is a quaint two-storey teak house and garden filled with wooden antiques and mellow nightly music. Better to come for dinner rather than lunch – it's a much better time to experience the magic of this beautiful setting. Excellent fish dishes especially the tab-tim fish in both Chinese and Thai style. Also available is cook it yourself BBQs and rod duen (fried crispy worm!). This place is just north of the old city, off Th Chang Pheuak.
reviewed
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Thai Massage Conservation Club
We’re not sure why it’s the case, but Chiang Mai’s massage world likes to form their own clubs complete with banners and overly ornate names. This particular massage group employs all blind masseuses, who are considered to be expert practitioners because of their heightened sense of touch.
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Night Bazaar
Most of the vendors next to Sai Ngam are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and serve Thai and Isan basics, including pàt phimai, which is basically similar to pàt mèe koh râht but always uses handmade noodles. Phimai also has a small night bazaar.
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Libernard Cafe
Often credited for introducing Chiang Mai to cafe culture is the unassuming Libernard Cafe, run by Pong who roasts her own beans daily, making different adjustments based on the day’s climate conditions. She makes a smooth latte, hardly needing to be spiked with sugar.
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Pub
In an old Tudor-style cottage set well off the road, this venerable Chiang Mai institution semi-successfully calls up the atmosphere of an English country pub. The Friday-evening happy hour assembles all the old expats who claim to have arrived in the city on the back of elephants. Ice-cold Tiger beer on tap. It's a couple of hundred metres past Th Nimmanhaemin on the west side of Th Huay Kaew.
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Wat Pho Ban Nontan
Just off the lake, this peaceful tree-filled temple pre-dates the city and has a săh·lah like no other in Thailand. The ground floor is covered with ingeniously sculpted trees, animals and village scenes of people acting out old Isan proverbs.
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Maew Hot Pan BBQ
The island’s best do-it-yourself dinner joint, Maew is an all-you-can-eat affair where diners cook their meats, veggies and quail eggs (a local fave) over a gurgling hot pot. Maew can be easy to miss; it is located on the ocean side of Ban Tai’s main road near the 7-Eleven.
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Ratana's Kitchen
For all the talk of Chiang Mai having cool temperatures, it still gets hot by midday. Jump out of the oven and into Ratana's kitchen. It isn't a culinary legend but the dishes and prices are sensible and it's got a prime spot near Pratu Tha Phae for wilting tourists.
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Bake & Bite
Bake & Bite prepare delicious European- and American-style pastries, pies and sandwiches on your choice of bread. They also offer more vegetarian options than most for breakfast, and have good chocolate cake. There's another branch at 183/8-9 Th Chang Klan.
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Tropical Murphy's
A popular fa·ràng (foreigner) joint, Tropical Murphy's dishes out steak-and-kidney pie, fish and chips, lamb chops and Irish stew (mains 50B to 300B). Come night-time, the live music kicks on and this place turns into the most popular Irish bar on Samui (yes, there are a few).
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Chao Lay
Probably the best of the wharf restaurants, this place certainly manages to fill its two levels of pier seating. There's a veritable fish market out front where you can choose your catch of the day, and a small army of waiters to deliver the end product.
reviewed
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Thor’s Palace
The deliciously camp Thor serves up excellent food and terrific beats amid gorgeous surroundings dotted with mementos of his globetrotting. This shrine to Thor’s innate good taste has fantastic views of Hat Sai Khao, but is only open in the high season.
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Ship Inn
Only steps away from Soi Cowboy but a world away in ambience, Ship Inn provides a mature embrace for a quiet drinking crowd. The mock-Tudor bar is as well stocked as a ship captain’s quarters, and the music is gracefully at conversational volume.
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Bed Supperclub
Resembling an illuminated tube, Bed has basked in the Bangkok nightlife limelight for nearly a decade now, but has yet to lose any of its futuristic charm. Arrive at a decent hour to squeeze in dinner – or if you’ve only got dancing on your mind, come on Tuesday for the hugely popular hip-hop night.
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All About Coffee
This tiny wooden place was probably the first business to do the cutesy ‘bohemian’ style that now dominates much of Pai. Come here for eye-opening coffee drinks and the best French toast in town. Yummy open sandwiches are made with homemade bread.
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Koi
The bar of this trendy sushi restaurant is packed with models posing as if real life were a photo shoot. The convergence of so much eye candy is no accident, Koi lures in card-carrying models with freebies, creating a spectacle in its own right.
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