Thailand
Thailand rewards travellers who look past the postcard circuit. The north — Chiang Mai's old moat city, the hills beyond — is a cool-season proposition with a temple culture that deserves slow mornings. The islands split by coast: Andaman for the dramatic limestone, the Gulf for the long calm. We time the coasts separately, because the weather does.
Best for
- Northern temples
- Island pairings
- Food at every price
- First Asia trips
When to go
- Nov–Feb
- The cool dry season everywhere; the north at its absolute best.
- Jun–Sep
- The Gulf islands' counter-season window while the Andaman side takes its rain.
Photo: BerryJ · CC BY-SA 4.0