Things to Do in Thailand

20 places across Bangkok, Pattaya and 3 more cities — ranked by traveler ratings, with photos and where to find each one.

The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaeo

Bangkok · Bangkok · castle · ★ 4.6 · 79,765 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

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 complex consists of a number of buildings within the precincts of the Grand Palace in the historical centre of Bangkok.

The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaeo

ICONSIAM

Bangkok · Bangkok · shopping mall · ★ 4.7 · 59,647 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Iconsiam is a mixed-use development on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand. It includes a large shopping mall, which opened to the public on 9 November 2018, as well as hotels and residences.

CentralWorld

Bangkok · Bangkok · shopping mall · ★ 4.5 · 76,590 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

CentralWorld, is a shopping plaza and complex in the Siam area of Bangkok, in Thailand, opened in 1989. It is the ninth-largest shopping center in the world. The complex, which includes a hotel and office tower, is owned by Central Pattana.

Wat Arun

Bangkok · Bangkok · buddhist temple · ★ 4.7 · 45,128 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan or Wat Arun is a Buddhist temple (wat) in the Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok, Thailand. It is situated in Thonburi on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. The temple derives its name from the Hindu god Aruṇa, often personified as the radiations of the rising sun.

Wat Arun
Diliff (CC BY 2.5)

Grand Palace

Bangkok · Bangkok · buddhist temple · ★ 4.7 · 43,740 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

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.

Grand Palace
Caspar (CC BY-SA 2.5

MBK Center

Bangkok · Bangkok · shopping mall · ★ 4.5 · 63,446 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

MBK Center, also known by its former name as Mahbunkhrong, is a large shopping mall in Siam area, Bangkok, Thailand. At eight storeys, the center contains around 2,000 shops, restaurants and service outlets.

MBK Center

Siam Paragon

Bangkok · Bangkok · shopping mall · ★ 4.5 · 62,488 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Siam Paragon is a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. It is one of the largest malls in Thailand, along with Iconsiam, CentralWorld and Central WestGate. It is located right in front of Siam BTS station, an interchange station on both Sukhumvit Line and Silom Line of the BTS Skytrain.

Siam Paragon

Wat Pho

Bangkok · Bangkok · buddhist temple · ★ 4.7 · 38,033 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Wat Pho, also spelled Wat Po, is a Buddhist temple complex in the Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok, Thailand. It is on Rattanakosin Island, directly south of the Grand Palace. Known also as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, its official name is Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Rajwaramahawihan.

Wat Pho

Asiatique The Riverfront

Bangkok · Bangkok · market · ★ 4.4 · 75,442 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Asiatique The Riverfront Destination, simply known as Asiatique is a large open-air mall in Bangkok, Thailand. It occupies the former docks of the East Asiatic Company, and faces the Chao Phraya River and Charoen Krung Road. The complex opened in 2012 after extensive renovation of the site.

Asiatique The Riverfront
Slyronit (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden

Pattaya · Chonburi · botanical garden · ★ 4.6 · 44,302 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden, also called Nongnooch Pattaya Garden, is a 500-acre (2.0 km2) botanical garden and tourist attraction in Chonburi Province, Thailand. Located on Sukhumvit road, it can be reached via bus, taxi or private land transportation.

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden

Phuket Big Buddha

Chalong · Phuket Province · buddhist temple · ★ 4.6 · 39,071 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Phuket Big Buddha, or The Great Buddha of Phuket, is a seated Maravija Buddha statue in Phuket, Thailand. The official name is Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Eknakiri, shortened to Ming Mongkol Buddha. Sitting atop Nakkerd Hill near Chalong, construction began in 2004. Expansion of the base was ongoing as of 2015.

Phuket Big Buddha
CEphoto, Uwe Aranas (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Sanctuary of Truth

Pattaya · Chonburi · museum · ★ 4.6 · 38,245 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗
The Sanctuary of Truth
Luka Krstulović (CC BY-SA 3.0)

King Power Mahanakhon

Bangkok · Bangkok · tourist attraction · ★ 4.7 · 29,531 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

King Power Mahanakhon, formerly known as MahaNakhon (มหานคร), is a mixed-use skyscraper in the Silom/Sathon central business district of Bangkok, Thailand. It was opened in December 2016 by MahaNakhon Managing Director Kipsan Beck.

King Power Mahanakhon
Ram Samudrala (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Chatuchak Weekend Market

Bangkok · Bangkok · market · ★ 4.4 · 56,306 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Chatuchak Weekend Market, on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok, is the largest market in Thailand. Afectionately known as JJ Market, it has more than 15,000 stalls and 11,505 vendors (2019), divided into 27 sections.

Chatuchak Weekend Market

Wat Yai Chaimongkol

Ayutthaya · Phang Nga · buddhist temple · ★ 4.7 · 26,655 reviews

Lumphini Park

Bangkok · Bangkok · city park · ★ 4.5 · 40,889 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Lumphini Park, also Lumpini or Lumpinee, is a 360 rai park in Bangkok, Thailand. The park offers rare open public space, trees and playgrounds in the Thai capital and contains an artificial lake where visitors can rent boats.

Lumphini Park
Chainwit. (CC BY 4.0

Wat Mahathat

Ayutthaya · Phang Nga · historical landmark · ★ 4.7 · 25,639 reviews

Wat Mahathat (Thai วัดมหาธาตุ พระนครศรีอยุธยา, Temple of the Great Relic) is a Buddhist temple in Ayutthaya, Thailand.

Wat Mahathat

Safari World

Bangkok · Bangkok · zoo · ★ 4.4 · 48,416 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Safari World is a tourist attraction in Bangkok, Thailand that consists of two parks named Marine Park and Safari Park, operated by Safari World Public Limited. The park was opened in 1988 with a total area of 480 acres (190 ha) for its open zoo and 180 acres (73 ha) for its bird park.

Safari World
Joachim Lutz (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Wat Phra That Doi Kham

Chiang Mai · Chiang Mai Province · buddhist temple · ★ 4.7 · 23,068 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Wat Phra That Doi Kham is a Buddhist temple in the Mae Hia sub-district, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Situated atop Doi Kham hill at an elevation of approximately 200 meters above sea level, the temple is a significant historical and religious site that enshrines relics of the Buddha. Its original name was Wat Suwannabanpot.

Wat Phra That Doi Kham
ManoiCMU (CC BY 4.0

Jomtien Beach

Pattaya · Chonburi · beach · ★ 4.4 · 6,107 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗
Jomtien Beach
Pescov (CC BY-SA 4.0

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under Creative Commons licenses. Individual credits shown on each photo where available.