Thailand is a country where you’re guaranteed a warm welcome, whether you arrive fresh from a business class flight or with your clothes for the next six months stuffed into a backpack. This proudly independent country was never colonised by Europeans, and retains a distinctive culture that is embodied in everything from the incense-scented Buddhist temples to the zingy flavours of Thai cuisine. Often pigeonholed as no more than an exotic beach destination, Thailand offers an incredible diversity of travel experiences, encompassing buzzing cities, lush rainforest, scattered islands and mist-shrouded mountains.

Thailand’s hectic capital, Bangkok, can be a dizzying introduction to the country, a place where soaring skyscrapers and multi-lane freeways sit alongside gilded palaces, floating markets and sizzling street food stalls. To the north lies Chiang Mai, Thailand’s more sedate second city, and mountainous countryside where a patchwork of ethnic groups cling on to ancient customs. To the south, the glittering Gulf of Thailand offers an island for every type of traveller, whether you’re looking for hedonistic nightlife, a secluded spa retreat or the chance to snorkel and scuba dive amongst spectacular sea life. However you choose to travel, you’ll be touched by the gracious hospitality of the Thai people, and you’ll soon discover why Thailand is known as the ‘Land of a Thousand Smiles’.

 

Touring Highlights in Thailand

• Bangkok is Thailand’s sprawling capital, a place to marvel at the gleaming Grand Palace, zip along busy streets in a tuktuk and dive headfirst into the fantastic food scene.
• Tarry a little in Chiang Mai, a city of serene temples and spicy northern cuisine, before striking out into the countryside for spectacular trekking and cultural encounters with local hilltribes.
• Discover more about Thailand’s history at Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, where scattered ruins give clues to the wealth and power of ancient kingdoms. 
• Relax after a busy tour with beach time on one of Thailand’s myriad islands; popular choices include diving hotspot Ko Tao, family-friendly Phuket and backpacker favourite Ko Pha Ngan. 
• Take a walk on the wild side in Khao Sok National Park, where ancient rainforest provides a home for wildlife including gibbons, tapirs, elephants and even tigers.
• World War II buffs will want to visit Kanchanaburi and the famous bridge over the river Kwai, where you can ride a section of the ‘Death Railway’ and learn about the area’s dark history.
• Throughout your tour of Thailand you’ll enjoy fantastic Thai food, with its unmistakable flavours of fragrant lemongrass, creamy coconut, umami-laden fish sauce and fiery chilli.