Thailand
Once you are done with Pattaya and Bangkok you want to explore more. Here is the itinerary north of Bangkok.
Kanchanaburi
A day excursion from Bangkok. You can access it by train or by road. If you are interested in the history then this second world war site is of importance to you. During the end of the second world war Japanese had conquered this area and they were planning a rail line to Burma and India from here. The labour was done by captured British prisoners of War. The bridge on the river Kwai movie has showcased it well. Kwai river bridge is the most popular site here.
Ayuthaya
Ayutthaya was the capital of Thailand before it is moved to Bangkok. The name is pronounced as Ayodhya which was capital of Shri Ram in India. King of Thailand use title of Ram before their name. Present King of Thailand is Maha Vajiralongkorn, Ram X.
From Bangkok it is 81 km north well connected by road and rail. It lies on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Important sightseeing places at Ayutthaya are Ayutthaya Historical Park which is a world heritage site. Wat Mahathat, Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, Wat Chai Wattanaram, Reclining Buddha Sai Yat are important sites. You can easily spend 2 days here if you are interested in archeology or Buddhism. Cycles are available are rent and are highly recommended wandering very large campus of historical park.
Museums in the near vicinity of historical park are worth a visit.
Sukhothai
Sukhothai was another capital of Thailand. From Ayutthaya it can be approached by Road or by train to Phitsanulok which takes about 5 hours. Distance between these two places is about 363 kilometer.
This is yet another world heritage site. The Sukhothai historical park has two main zones, Central zone and North zone. The Central zone takes time to visit important monuments there. Opposite to central zone is Sukhothai National Museum. Post lunch you can visit the North zone which has Big Buddha in Wat Si Chum. Another famous Wat in north zone is Wat Phra phai luang.
Chiang Mai
This is the entry point to North of Thailand. It has an international airport. Can be reached from Bangkok by road / rail or domestic flight. Being close to hills weather in Chiang Mai is pleasant and cooler than Bangkok.
Old Chiang mai city has fortified walls with moat filled with water and bastons on four corners. There are many famous Wats inside the fortified city. The place is full of eateries and tourists.
Many adventure activities are centered at Chiang Mai. Be it Elephant orphanage center, Trekking, Rafting, Zipline, Shooting, Cycling. The samoeng loop which is around 100 km circular road in hilly terrain can be explored using rented scooters.
Chiang Rai is 3.5 hours drive from Chiang mai and one can spend 2 days here totally cut off from the hustle and bustle of touristic thailand.
Tour Plan
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Ching rai is another site of attraction in Northern Thailand. It would take a minimum of 2 days for visiting Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai.
Other popular Thailand itineraries are centered around beaches and island in the south of Thailand mainly Phuket, Krabi and Koh Lanta.
Day 1 : Arrive in Phuket
Day 2: Phuket local sightseeing
Day 3: Phuket Phi Phi island
Day 4: Phuket Krabi
Day 5: Krabi four island tour
Day 6: Koh Lanta
Day 7: Koh Lanta
Day 8: Proceed to Phuket International or Krabi Domestic airport for return journey
Weather in Thailand is Tropical. Summers will be hot and humid. Northern territories of Chiang Rai would have pleasant weather due to vicinity of hills and forestation. It rains in summer starting from the month of late April to October. August to October are the wettest months. November to early April is the best time to visit Thailand.
Currency
Thai Baht is the currency used in Thailand.
Visa
For Indians visa on arrival option is available. Visa can also be applied beforehand at the CKGS and VFS global.
Time zone
Thailand follows UTC+7 time zone with no DST. Local time is ahead of India by 1.5 hours.
Religion / Culture
Thailand is a Buddist country. Indian culture has dominated Thailand for its language, customs and traditions. Learning a few words from Thai language before visiting is always a good idea. Thai new year is celebrated as Sonkran (Mesh Sankranti) which falls on 13 or 14 April every year. The celebration is for four days and Bangkok streets will be crowded with locals and tourists playing with water guns or pichkari.
