what are your Thailand must-dos?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, and this is only my 3rd post. I'm not the poster who is bashing peoples' suggestions, so please keep them coming. Even the ones suggesting going to Cambodia area interesting, although I don't think we'll be able to go that route.

As for Thailand itself, there is a family reason why we're going there and as I said, we've been there once before. I'm just really looking to see what others have liked, and I'm sensing an elephant sanctuary theme, so I'm going to look into that (a real sanctuary, not one that has elephant rides because that's horrible). Beach time is already planned as well.

Patara Elephant Farm near Chiang Mai was wonderful. They do (bareback) rides. We found Koh Samui a little underwhelming. An island nearby (Koh Tao) is a great place to get your diving license, if that suits your fancy. We only did one day of scuba there. We stayed in a few Le Meridien properties throughout the country with points and found it to be a good value.

Please don't ride any elephants, bareback or not. And, don't bathe elephants. The activities are not only bad for the elephants but they also often don't treat the elephants well in order to make them complacent/compliant with that type of human interaction.

DH spent ages 7 through 18 as an expat in Thailand (in both rural south of Thailand and went to high school in Bangkok), and rode elephants all the time as a kid. He was so excited to take our kids to do it last year in Chiang Mai, until we both did a little research. Instead, we went to Elephant Nature Park, and it was a wonderful experience.

https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, and this is only my 3rd post. I'm not the poster who is bashing peoples' suggestions, so please keep them coming. Even the ones suggesting going to Cambodia area interesting, although I don't think we'll be able to go that route.

As for Thailand itself, there is a family reason why we're going there and as I said, we've been there once before. I'm just really looking to see what others have liked, and I'm sensing an elephant sanctuary theme, so I'm going to look into that (a real sanctuary, not one that has elephant rides because that's horrible). Beach time is already planned as well.

Patara Elephant Farm near Chiang Mai was wonderful. They do (bareback) rides. We found Koh Samui a little underwhelming. An island nearby (Koh Tao) is a great place to get your diving license, if that suits your fancy. We only did one day of scuba there. We stayed in a few Le Meridien properties throughout the country with points and found it to be a good value.

Please don't ride any elephants, bareback or not. And, don't bathe elephants. The activities are not only bad for the elephants but they also often don't treat the elephants well in order to make them complacent/compliant with that type of human interaction.

DH spent ages 7 through 18 as an expat in Thailand (in both rural south of Thailand and went to high school in Bangkok), and rode elephants all the time as a kid. He was so excited to take our kids to do it last year in Chiang Mai, until we both did a little research. Instead, we went to Elephant Nature Park, and it was a wonderful experience.

https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/

OP here, and we have no intention of riding or bathing elephants, or supporting any place that allows those activities. I'm not sure we'll be near Chiang Mai, but I do appreciate the rec for an ethical elephant park, and will look for one closer to where we're likely to be.

[Anonymous]

Namnam.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely agree about Elephant Nature Park if you want an elephant experience near Chiang Mai-the ones where you ride the elephants are horrible.

In Bangkok, I liked the Jim Thompson House.

The Koh Samui Four Seasons really was gorgeous. But the beach was not great the week we were there-a super low tide meant you could hardly get into the sea. But I don't think it is always like that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thailand and Cambodia are involved in intense border skirmishes that could result in closed border crossings, including by air. I'd monitor it.

This.

Street food in Bangkok
Pick a temple. Hang out for an afternoon
Ayutthaya - amazing ruins