Here are the best places in Thailand you probably didn’t know you wanted to see. Some of the places I already wrote about. For others, I will write more about them in the future.
Mor Hin Khao
Did you know that Thailand has its own kind of Stonehenge? Natural formed, though. Mor Hin Khao’s stones consist of white sandstone, while some contain siltstone, mudstone and purple sandstone. Locals take turns to guess what the rocks resemble. Go in December and January, and the temperatures will get cool at night, and it will be an excellent period for stargazing or star photography. Mor Hin Khao also holds some fantastic views across the valleys of Chaiyaphum, one of the westernmost regions of the Northeast.
Koh Klang
A car-free island with beautiful scenery in the middle of the Krabi River. Koh Klang offers lush mangroves and fabulous seafood restaurants. A few days on Islanda Hideaway will calm anyone down, and you can take your time to learn more about rice planting, batik making and the production of long-tail boats from the locals. Read more about Koh Klang, the Wonder island, here.
Samet Nangshe Phang Nga’s viewpoint
For sure, Samet Nangshe Phang Nga makes the top list of viewpoints in Thailand. Gaze over Phang Nga and its plentiful photogenic karst landscape with a stunning 180-degree view. There is a 15 minutes trek up the hill; make sure you have enough battery in the phone for plenty of photos.
Or why not stay at a resort where you wake up daily with a view of a Shangri-la.
Ranong’s Koh Kam Tok
No list without an island. Koh Kam Tok forms a lovely lagoon with two beaches and stunning scenery. As for the beach, it’s easy to walk between the beaches with pine woodlands that bend together in a circle along the north-south line; the boaters name this island Ao Khao Kwai, the Buffalo Bay. An actual postcard panorama!
Well, the picture pretty much says it all. A bit challenging to get to Ranong, but you will get rewarded once you get there.
The Sky pagodas in Lampang
A jaw-dropper in the North. The closest you get to walking straight into a Chinese landscape painting in Thailand. The atmosphere and the view are unforgettable. Not to miss if you are heading North.
Read more about my visit to these pagodas here.
Chiang Khan
The province of Loei means its kind of beyond civilisation, and back in the days, it used to be a nightmare for Thai bureaucrats to be sent to work here. Now it is one of the most scenic areas of Isaan, the unseen Northeast of Thailand. The main attraction in Chiang Khan is the walking street.
The main attractions in Chiang Khan are found on Chai Khong Road, which runs parallel to the Mekong River, and is easy to find your way around it.
Then on the smaller streets leading to it, you find the teak houses and rustic inns.
Deep in Esarn/Isan you can enjoy markets and a traditional lifestyle around the Mekong. Merit making for monks is a popular highlight here.
Chiang Saen
The dawn of the northern kingdoms in Thailand took place here. Explore some terrific ruins and feel lazy around the Mekong while enjoying great Chinese food and Street Food.
Read more about this pleasant riverine town here.
Ban Rak Thai
Bordering Myanmar, this traditional Kuomintang village with its tea farmers is still there behind a facade of a mini China town with great food opportunities around the rich pool. Check out if the famous Lee wine resort is worth the stay or not.
Read more about it here.
Sangklabhuri, a drowned temple and an U – Bein feel bridge
Another place in Thailand worth the trip to is the Western outpost of Sanghklaburi. This town is beyond Kanchanburi and close to Myanmar, and has a distinct atmosphere. As close as you get to U-Bein bridge feeling from Mandalay, including people watching.
The wooden bridge was built in the 1980s by the local Mon people.
Take a boat trip to the sunken temple as a part of your visit. The temple was built in 1950 and drowned when a dam was constructed in 1968.
Most of the year, only the upper section of the ordination hall and the top of the bell tower can be seen. Towards the end of the dry season, when the water level is lower, a tiny island forms, and visitors can walk around the temple’s ruins. Locals offer boat trips across the lake. A one hour trip sells for about 250 to 300 Thai Baht.
Petchabun Buddha
The Buddha on the crystal cliff. Wat Phra Sorn Kaew. A spectacular Buddha and temple with some beautiful mosaics in a contemporary, almost Gaudi interpretation.
On the hilltop, there is a grotto where many of the Thang Daeng villagers used to see a flying marble in the sky that flies to this cave! This meditation centre was founded in 2004.
And one more place that is maybe not very unseen anymore but still a bit off the beaten track in the South and definitely less-visited now just after the pandemic, Khao Sok. Read more about this ancient rainforest and artificial lake here.
Are you looking for a company to host your experience in Thailand. Try Your Tour Desk in Bangkok. They offer transfers, private rentals and excursions. You find them on this link here.