Best for families
Dino Park and Mini Golf: Phuket. An 18-hole mini-golf course that trails over rocks and across rivers and waterfalls, past dinosaurs with smoking nostrils. For more information, click here.
Elephant trek: Pattaya. See elephants bathing and feeding, then take a trek on one’s back into the forest. For more information, click here.
National Discovery Museum: Bangkok. Explore Thailand’s history and culture at the country’s best interactive museum. For more information, click here.
Phuket Fantasea: Phuket. An exciting stage extravaganza combining dance, drama and acrobatics with pyrotechnics and performing elephants. For more information, click here.
Siam Ocean World: Bangkok. See more than 30,000 marine animals in a giant Oceanarium, observe different marine -species on a glass-bottomed boat ride and go diving with the sharks. For more information, click here.
Underwater World: Pattaya. Explore the varied wonders of the briny depths without ever getting wet. For more information, click here.
Monkey Theatre: Ko Samui. Watch monkeys scamper up trees at lightning speed to pluck coconuts from the palms. For more information, click here.
Kitsch Dino Park.
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Food and drink
Cookery Schools: Bangkok, Hua Hin and Ko Samui. There’s nothing like learning how to cook Thai food while you’re in Thailand and these are some of the best schools on offer.
Night Markets: Trang and Songkhla. For some of the best southern-style streetfood, plus local colour and a great atmosphere. For more information, click here.
Nahm: Bangkok. Voted one of the world’s best restaurants, it produces sensational traditional Thai flavours.
Sirocco: Bangkok. The stupendous city views are the main attraction at this famous alfresco rooftop restaurant and bar.
Sra Bua: Bangkok. Modern Thai cuisine by Copenhagen’s Michelin-starred restaurant Kiin Kiin includes dishes like red curry ice cream.
Red Thai curry.
John W. Ishii/Apa Publications
Temples
Khao Luang Cave: Petchaburi. More than 100 Buddha images fill this cave temple in several underground chambers. For more information, click here.
Wat Chalong: Phuket. The island’s largest and most important Buddhist temple contains a relic of the Buddha’s bones. For more information, click here.
Wat Mahathat: Petchaburi. A 14th-century temple, Petchaburi’s most important and known for its fine carvings and murals. For more information, click here.
Wat Matchimawat: Songkhla. The town’s most famous temple, with paintings that are over 200 years old. For more information, click here.
Wat Pho: Bangkok. The capital’s largest temple is best known for the gigantic statue of the reclining Buddha found here. For more information, click here.
Wat Tham Suea: Krabi. “Tiger Cave Temple” is surrounded by forests and cliffs with truly fantastic views of the neighbouring area. For more information, click here.
Wat Chalong – the most important of Phuket’s 29 Buddhist temples.
John W. Ishii/Apa Publications
Cultural sights
Bangkok Art & Culture Centre. Eleven storeys high and featuring some of Bangkok’s best art and multimedia shows. For more information, click here.
Khao Wang: Petchaburi. A vast hilltop complex of temples, pagodas and the winter palace buildings of King Rama IV. For more information, click here.
Sanctuary of Truth: Pattaya. This awe-inspiring all-wood edifice pays homage to traditional Thai and Asian religious imagery. For more information, click here.
Thaksin Folklore Museum: Songkhla. This regional museum highlights the culture, traditions and handicrafts of South Thailand. For more information, click here.
Vimanmek Mansion: Bangkok. Billed as the world’s largest golden teak structure, this former 19th-century royal summer home has lots of period artefacts. For more information, click here.
Detail of the Sanctuary of Truth, Pattaya.
John W. Ishii/Apa Publications
Hottest nightlife
Ku De Ta: Bangkok. A huge entertainment complex with several restaurants, a club with top DJs and live music areas.
Moov: Ko Tao. Chilled-out club-bar with a tree house that caters to the island’s diving crowd.
‘Lady-boy’ cabarets: Bangkok, Pattaya, Ko Samui and Phuket. Men in various stages of cross-dressing and sex change perform Vegas-style cabaret. For more information, click here.
Seduction Beach Club & Disco: Phuket. A hot club on three floors with good house DJs and international imports.
Reggae Bar: Ko Phi Phi. The island’s biggest and best party venue has its own Thai boxing ring.
Revellers watch a Muay Thai boxing Match.
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