Thailand · best-of list
10 Top Things to Do in Thailand
All 10 things to do our route editors picked in Thailand, across 3 destinations, gathered in one list. Each one is a stop on a route you can open and copy into a trip.
Our curated picks
10 things to do in Thailand, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Bangkok 5 picks
Chao Phraya Express Boat
Bangkok · On our Bangkok to the Andaman route
Cheap river ferry linking the old city, temples and Chinatown.
Tip: The orange-flag boat runs a flat fare on most routes.
Photo: Nicole Timpe · Google
Grand Palace
Bangkok · On our Bangkok to the Andaman route
Royal complex housing Wat Phra Kaew and the Emerald Buddha.
Tip: Shoulders and knees must be covered; go at 8:30am opening.
Photo: Preecha.MJ · CC BY-SA 4.0
Jim Thompson House
Bangkok · On our Bangkok to the Andaman route
Teak houses and gardens of the American silk merchant who disappeared in 1967.
Photo: Don Ramey Logan · CC BY-SA 3.0
Wat Arun
Bangkok · On our Bangkok to the Andaman route
Riverside temple with a porcelain-covered spire, reached by a short ferry.
Tip: Cross from Tha Tien pier; views are best from the far bank at sunset.
Photo: Mastertongapollo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Wat Pho
Bangkok · On our Bangkok to the Andaman route
Temple of the 46-meter Reclining Buddha and a famous traditional massage school.
Tip: Book a massage at the school on site after touring.
Photo: Mastertongapollo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Chiang Mai 3 picks
Wat Chedi Luang
Chiang Mai · On our Bangkok to the Andaman route
Partially ruined 14th-century chedi in the heart of the old city.
Tip: Monk chats are offered in the afternoons.
Photo: Kingkidton · CC BY-SA 4.0
Wat Phra Singh
Chiang Mai · On our Bangkok to the Andaman route
Chiang Mai's most revered temple, with Lanna-style murals.
Photo: This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images, · CC BY 4.0
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Chiang Mai · On our Bangkok to the Andaman route
Gold-spired mountaintop temple reached by a 300-step naga staircase.
Tip: Go at sunrise to avoid tour buses; cover shoulders and knees.
Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Krabi 2 picks
Railay Viewpoint and Lagoon
Krabi · On our Bangkok to the Andaman route
Steep, muddy scramble up ropes to a viewpoint and hidden lagoon.
Tip: Wear grippy shoes; skip after rain.
Photo: shuu suk · Google
Tiger Cave Temple
Krabi · On our Bangkok to the Andaman route
Hilltop temple reached by 1,260 steps, with views over Krabi's karsts.
Tip: Climb at dawn; bring water and cover shoulders.
Photo: kallerna · CC BY-SA 3.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Thailand?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 10 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Thailand has the most things to do on this list?
Bangkok has the most (5 of 10), followed by Chiang Mai (3) and Krabi (2).
Are any of these free?
2 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Railay Viewpoint and Lagoon and Tiger Cave Temple. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Thailand
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Bangkok 5 on this list
- Chiang Mai 3 on this list
- Krabi 2 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.