I should preface, these are the top 10 things you cannot miss if you’re not a beach person. The beach scene is a whoooollleee other article. But if you’re into exploring Thailand’s rich history and participating in their culture like a local, keep reading. This list is compiled of things I actually did and the ones that made my Thailand experience the incredible one that it was. 

1. Wear A Chut Thai: Chut means dress. Ultimately, I am suggesting you play “dress up.” If you search for the temple Wat Arun in Bangkok, you’ll find countless shops that are available to rent their costumes for both men and women. Many will offer photography services and professional hair and makeup as well. This was truly magical because the photos will follow you forever. I wore a traditional Hanbok in Korea, now a Chut Thai in Thailand, and having GOOD quality photos of both will keep those memories alive with a lot more flare than any iPhone could capture. I used Absolute Thai for my rental and booking, which you can find booking links for right here. They made it seamless. 

2. Make Friends with Elephants in Chiang Mai: Not sure how to expand on this with enough passion. Thailand and elephants go hand-in-hand. In both good and bad ways. You will see many elephants offering rides, but I recommend NOT participating in this. Eventually, the rides break the elephants spine and it is very painful. They are usually treated poorly in those environments and required to work long hours. Instead, check out Lanna Kingdom Sanctuary in Chiang Mai. Less than a 2 hour plane ride from Bangkok and our flights were $35 each to get there. Lanna Kingdom is a sanctuary, rescuing these beautiful creatures and you could help them flourish (picture feeding, petting, bathing, and playing with the gentle giants.)

3. Eat Mango Sticky Rice: Because its delicious! More importantly, it is everywhere. Extremely common, most desserts in Thailand will feature some form of fruit, but add their classic rice and readily available coconut milk and you’ve got yourself one of the most classic dishes besides Pad Thai. 

4. Visit the Ancient City: Spend a half day one hour by taxi at The Ancient City. Here you will explore Thailands unique history and see over 100 artifacts and temple replicas scattered around the country. If you want to be transported back in time, this is the place to do it. Great adventure for a first or last day in Thailand.

5. Explore the Sanctuary of Truth: Great spot to explore near Bangkok, its a quick taxi ride. Dress accordingly and cover your shoulders, wear a longer skirt, and explore this solid wooden structure. Not a single nail in sight as this structure was built with ancient methods that lock each piece in place like a puzzle. I was in Bangkok during their 7.7 earthquake and that thing didn’t budge. It truly is a breathtaking structure to withhold, even if you don’t follow Buddhist customs, the sheer artistry alone makes it worth seeing in person. Book tickets in advance, or see a quick video of my experience here.  

6. Get a Massage: I mean, it’s Thailand. You can find foot massages for less than $3. I chose a more “luxe” route -which was still only $70- and was exfoliated, had my feet washed, rubbed from head to toe with deep pressure and stretched over 90 minutes in a beautiful, well trained location. Not all are treated equal, I will recommend The Akesis Touch in the heart of Bangkok all day long. 

7. Get lost in Dantewada: Technically this should be listed under suggestion number 2 as it is near Chiang Mai. When you finish playing with the elephants, take a taxi to Dantweada: The Land of Angels. It is a man-made fairytale land. Much larger than you would expect, with a cafe and multiple shipping areas inside, but it is $1 USD to enter and you’ll be transported into a mythical land of waterfalls, blue rivers, flower fields, and mist-filled jungle. If you like taking pictures on any level, this is a must visit as well. 

8. See Bangkok by Night: Countless hotels, bars, and event spaces are located on the tops of buildings. You do not need to pay to get a great view of Bangkok at night, simply make a reservation anywhere.

9. Visit Pattaya’s Floating Market: There are a few floating markets, but the tourism seemed less at this one and I’ve heard it’s more favored by locals. About an hour out of Bangkok, you could easily spend half a day eating, shopping, taking a boat ride through the ancient river roads, which I recommend. Watching each vendor cook up delicious meals with everything they need in a tiny canoe-styled boat on the river was so cool. Book boat tours, food experiences, and your entry ticket here.

10. Ride a Motorbike: As long as you are feeling brave, because you may not be offered a helmet, and you may have to hang onto the back so as not to wrap your arms around a stranger. Not that they would mind, but the locals ride bareback, side saddle, with no hands, sooooo you’ll definitely stand out as a tourist hugging a stranger. Seeing the city by bike is pretty epic though. Feeling the wind, seeing 360 degrees around you, it’s like gaining a cheap, fast  tour of the city. By cheap, I mean $1-$7 USD for literally every ride. Download the app Bolt for ride share. Like Uber, but not.

For a glimpse into my trip to Thailand and to see some of these locations in action, here is my Thailand Instagram Bubble. There are tons of cool things to do in, and around, Bangkok. Honestly, I never felt unsafe, I learned to have thick skin when someone would try ask for money from me, which they always will in the tourist locations, and remembered to drink lots of water. Heat in Thailand is no joke and sun burn, sun stroke, and dehydration can ruin all of it. Other than that, it was relatively easy to navigate Thailands culture and the people are very welcoming. If you decide to go, send me a message! I’d love to reminisce with more advice!

PS if you aren’t into the solo travel thing but can’t find a friend to take along, my friend organizes group trips. Feel free to check them out.