Sights of Thailand

Before traveling to a country, every inquisitive tourist wonders what sights to see first. There are enough must-see places to fill more than one week's tour, more like several years of permanent residence. But first and foremost, vacationers visit the country's Buddhist temples, museums, palaces, statues, thermal springs, beaches and diving reefs.

To help you decide where to go first for the experience, we've put together a list of Thailand's attractions.

Cultural Monuments

The majority of architectural, historical and cultural attractions are concentrated in four provinces: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Ayutthaya.

Architectural landmarks

Phuket Town

The architecture of Phuket Town is already a separate attraction. The buildings in the area are considered colonial, as they combine native Thai motifs with building trends brought in by the Portuguese. Most of the structures (villas, mansions, houses) are now residential. The exception is the Tai Hua Museum, located on Krabi Street.

Hua Hin Royal Palace

The Hua Hin Palace has been used by Thai kings as their summer residence on the coast since the 1920s. The building is built in the Queen Victoria era style, and is only slightly reminiscent of Thai architecture.

Tourists today have access not only to the palace itself, but also to the entire park grounds, as well as the summer house on the royal beach.

Grand Palace

A complex of palace buildings and temples in Bangkok that was laid out in 1782 as the residence of the kings of Thailand. This is why the structure system is known as the Royal Palace in many guidebooks.

Grand Palace covers an area of almost 220 square meters. The fortress wall surrounding the buildings is 2 meters wide. The Chao Phraya River flows nearby. Today, it is used only as a place for tourists to visit. Travelers are allowed to tour several halls, including those for coronations, ambassadors' reception, government receptions and others.

Religious Sights

The Big Buddha of Phuket

One of Phuket's most famous landmarks is the Big Buddha statue, the largest in Thailand. The height of the structure is 45 meters. The width reaches 26 meters. Despite its impressive size, the statue has no religious value. Big Buddha was built already in the 21st century as a tourist attraction. There is another Buddha nearby, a 12 meter seated emerald statue.

Wat Pho Monastery and the reclining Buddha statue (Bangkok)

This is one of the most famous and oldest landmarks in Thailand, located in Bangkok, although it appeared long before it was founded. The monastery was the scientific and educational center of the country, and the 46-meter gilded statue still amazes visitors.

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phrakeu) in Bangkok

One of the holiest temples in the country, located in Thailand's capital, Bangkok. It is located on the grounds of the Grand (Royal) Palace. It houses a 66-centimeter statue of Buddha, carved in the 15th century from a single piece of jadeite.

Dawn Temple (Wat Arun)

This Bangkok temple is famous for its pagoda. All 79 meters of its height are decorated with fine molding of colored porcelain and ceramic tiles. A very steep staircase leads up to the observation deck.

Wat Prathat Doi Suthep

Located in Chiang Mai city in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park on the mountain of the same name. There is still no clear opinion as to when it was built. Temple officials cite the year 1383.

"White Temple" (Wat Rong Khun)

Built in 1997 in an unconventional style for Buddhism. It was named for the fact that it is made mostly of white-colored materials. It is located near the town of Chiang Rai.

Temple of Truth

Launched in 1981 in Pattaya, the wooden Mahogany Temple is being created without nails. Construction is still ongoing - the original idea is too large and takes time to realize. Its height has already reached 105 meters. The temple is also named Wang Boran and is meant to reconcile four cultures - Thailand, India, China, and the ancient Khmer culture.

Natural Attractions

Elephant Village in Pattaya

Founded in 1973 as a kind of "retirement home" for ageing elephants that can no longer be used for service. The village hosts shows, demonstration bathing, feedings, and photo shoots.

The zoo in Chiang Mai

The local zoo is visited by thousands of tourists every year. They are mainly attracted by the pandas brought from China. There are also koalas from Australia, white tiger from Africa, elephants from India and Africa, hippos from Africa, and parrots from Latin America. Its own aquarium has collected exotic fish of all sizes and shapes from around the world.

Stones on Samui Island

Samui is famous for the "Grandma" and "Grandpa" stones. This natural attraction is perhaps the most original rock in existence. The rocks outwardly resemble male and female genitals, which can be seen from the sea side. The grandfather can also be seen on land.

Phiphi Lookout

Thailand boasts a dozen famous observation decks. The most popular of these is located on Phi Phi Phi and is designed for enjoying vivid views of the Andaman Sea. Several islands can also be observed from the observation terrace.

Limestone cliffs in the south

In the southern provinces of Krabi and Phang Nga, there are several limestone cliffs both on land and in the water near the coast. In fact, they are vertical sheer rocks covered with vegetation. Due to their unusual appearance, limestone cliffs are considered a natural attraction in Thailand.

Samui's Naumang Waterfalls

The two Naumang Waterfalls are located almost in the heart of Samui Island. The first one is only 20 meters high. The second is considered a titan in the world of waterfalls - its height is over 80 meters. Visiting Naumang only makes sense in the fall or winter. Spring-summer is the dry season in Thailand, and the water streams dry up completely during this time.

Chao Praya River

The Chao Praya is a river flowing in Thailand's capital city, Bangkok. Locals have come up with several options for their own recreation and to attract tourists:

• Ferry ride;
• Individual small boat ride;
• Excursions along the banks of the waterway.

Similian Islands

Diving in the Similian Islands is not for the simple scuba diver. Those travelers who have already explored the underwater world near Phuket, Pattaya, Krabi, can try their hand in the Andaman Sea at Similian Islands.

Nong Nuch Tropical Park

Located near Pattaya in Chonburi province. The park includes bonsai gardens, orchids, cacti, pots, aquatic plants, birds, an elephant farm, a butterfly hill and more.

Khauai National Park

The second largest park in the country. The main part of it is located in Nakhonratchasima province. It is home to more than 67 species of animals, 320 species of birds, and 3,000 species of plants. It is on the UNESCO world heritage list.

Pattaya Tower

The main highlight of Pattaya Park is the Tower attraction. From a height of 56 meters everyone can descend on a cable, simulating a free flight that takes a little over a minute. The slow enough speed allows you to see all the neighborhoods of Pattaya during the descent, and see the city in the palm of your hand.

Pangan's Hadrin Beach

Hadrin is the brother of Ibiza hailing from Asia. The beach sparkles with disco lights both day and night. Every party on Hadrin attracts several thousand people in the open air. That's why Pangan is considered the best province for a rowdy youth vacation.

Golden Triangle

The triangle created out of gold symbolizes the borders of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. The man-made landmark is located in the north of the country. The structure is constantly the subject of tourists' camera flashes, despite the fact that it takes about 10 hours to reach it.

Tuk-tuks

Tuk-tuks are sometimes referred to as Thailand's main attraction. It is a three-wheeled vehicle that existed decades before the familiar cabs, transfer buses, trains and planes. A covered bicycle allows the driver to move two passengers at a decent speed.

It's impossible to cover all of Thailand's attractions in a standard week or ten-day tour. It's more practical to plan your itinerary in advance and book excursions back home through a travel agency or the Internet. You can save up to half the cost.