Opulent former royal residence & museum
The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam since 1782. The king, his court and his royal government were based on the grounds of the palace until 1925. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, resided at the Chitralada Royal Villa and his successor King Vajiralongkorn at the Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall, both in the Dusit Palace, but the Grand Palace is still used for official events. Several royal ceremonies and state functions are held within the walls of the palace every year. The palace is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand. Construction of the palace began on 6 May 1782, at the order of King Phutthayotfa Chulalok the founder of the Chakri Dynasty, when he moved the capital city from Thonburi to Bangkok. Throughout successive reigns, many new buildings and structures were added, especially during the reign of King Chulalongkorn. By 1925, the king, the Royal Family and the government were no longer permanently settled at the palace and had moved to other residences
Snorkeling, beach, seaside resort, scuba diving, and lagoon
The Phi Phi Islands are an island group in Thailand, between the large island of Phuket and the Straits of Malacca coast of Thailand. The islands are administratively part of Krabi Province. Ko Phi Phi Don is the largest and most populated island of the group, although the beaches of the second largest island, Ko Phi Phi Le, are visited by many people as well. The rest of the islands in the group, including Bida Nok, Bida Nai, and Bamboo Island (Ko Mai Phai) are not much more than large limestone rocks jutting out of the sea. The islands are reachable by speedboats or long-tail boats most often from Krabi town or from piers in Phuket Province. Phi Phi Don was initially populated by Muslim fishermen during the late-1940s and later became a coconut plantation. The resident Thai population of Phi Phi Don remains more than 80 percent Muslim. The current population however—if counting transient workers—is more Buddhist than Muslim. The resident population is between 2,000 and 3,000 people (2013)
Sacred shrine with reclining Buddha
Wat Phra Kaew, commonly known in English as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and officially as Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The Emerald Buddha housed in the temple is a potent religio-political symbol and the palladium of Thailand. The temple is in Phra Nakhon District, the historic centre of Bangkok within the precincts of the Grand Palace. The main building is the central phra ubosot that houses the statue of the Emerald Buddha. According to legend, this Buddha image originated in India where the sage Nagasena prophesied that the Emerald Buddha would bring “prosperity and pre-eminence to each country in which it resides”. The Emerald Buddha deified in the Wat Phra Kaew is therefore deeply revered and venerated in Thailand as the protector of the country. Historical records date its finding to the 15th century in Chiang Rai where, after it was relocated a number of times, it was finally brought to Thailand in the 18th century. It was enshrined in Bangkok at the Wat Phra Kaew Temple in 1782 during the reign of Phutthayotfa Chulalok, King Rama I
Riverside temple with a landmark spire
Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan or Wat Arun is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok, Thailand, on the Thonburi west bank of the Chao Phraya River. The temple derives its name from the Hindu god Aruna, often personified as the radiations of the rising sun. Wat Arun is among the best known of Thailand’s landmarks. The first light of the morning reflects off the surface of the temple with pearly iridescence. Although the temple had existed since at least the seventeenth century, its distinctive prang were built in the early nineteenth century during the reign of King Rama II
Beach resorts & Bangla Road nightlife
Patong refers to the beach and town on Phuket’s west coast. It is the main tourist resort on the island of Phuket and is the centre of Phuket’s nightlife and shopping. The beach became popular with Western tourists, especially Europeans in the late-1980s. It has numerous hotels and the area has expanded into a tourist Mecca
Area with shops & rooms for backpackers
Khaosan Road or Khao San Road is a short street in central Bangkok, Thailand constructed in 1892 during the reign of Rama V. It is in the Bang Lamphu area of Phra Nakhon District about 1 kilometre north of the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew. “Khaosan” translates as ‘milled rice’ or ‘rice mill’, a hint that in former times the street was a major Bangkok rice market. In the last 40 years, however, Khaosan Road has developed into a world-famous “backpacker ghetto”. It offers cheap accommodation, ranging from “mattress in a box”-style hotels to reasonably priced three-star hotels. In an essay on the backpacker culture of Khaosan Road, Susan Orlean called it “the place to disappear. According to the Khao San Business Association, the road sees 40,000-50,000 tourists per day in the high season and 20,000 per day in the low season. In this small area one can observe the interactions and groupings of disparate characters such as un-educated young Westerners on extended leave from affluent society, high school graduates on gap year travels, Israelis fresh out of military service, university students on holiday or sabbatical leave, young Japanese in rite-of-passage attire, ordinary holidaymakers, (ex-) volunteers from various organizations and the like
Remote setting popular for rock climbing
Railay, also known as Rai Leh, is a large peninsula between the city of Krabi and Ao Nang in Thailand. It is accessible only by boat due to high limestone cliffs cutting off mainland access. These cliffs attract rock climbers from all over the world but the area is also popular due to its beautiful beaches and quiet relaxing atmosphere. Accommodation ranges from bungalows and medium-priced resorts in East Railay to a collection of luxury resorts focused on West Railay, though one, Rajavadee, spans both waterfronts and also has a beachfront restaurant at Ao Phra Nang. The four main areas of Railay consist of Phra Nang, West Railay, East Railay, and Ton Sai. Ton Sai caters to climbers and the backpacker set and is more rustic in character than the glitz of West Railay and the shops and restaurants of the East Railay boardwalk. Railay beach was not severely affected by the tsunami of 26 December 2004
Snorkeling, scuba diving, manta ray, whale shark, and sea turtle
The Similan Islands is an archipelago in the Andaman Sea off the coast of and part of Phang Nga Province, in southern Thailand. It is a national park, Mu Ko Similan, which was established in 1982 after a one-year assessment by the forestry department.
James Bond Island & Koh Phanak caves
Phang Nga Bay is a 400 km² bay in the Strait of Malacca between the island of Phuket and the mainland of the Kra Isthmus of southern Thailand. Since 1981, an extensive section of the bay has been protected as the Ao Phang Nga National Park. The park is in Phang Nga Province. Limestone cliffs with caves, collapsed cave systems and archaeological sites are found about Phang Nga Bay. Around 10,000 years ago, when sea levels were lower, it was possible to walk from Phuket and Krabi.
Full Moon parties & Sunrise beachKo Pha-ngan is an island in the Gulf of Thailand in southeast Thailand in Surat Thani Province. Ko Pha-ngan is best known for its Full Moon Party at Hat Rin Beach. Ko Pha-ngan has two sister islands: the larger Ko Samui to the south and the smaller Ko Tao to the north. Estimated perimeter: 40 km From mainland: about 55 km From Ko Samui: about 15 km From Ko Tao: about 35 km Main town: Thong Sala Highest Point: Khao Ra, 630 m