The Best Provinces in Thailand

Thailand is located in Southeast Asia in the southwestern part of the Indochinese Peninsula and the northern part of the Malay Peninsula. The country consists of 77 provinces grouped into six main regions:

• Northern Thailand  
• Isan, or Northeastern Thailand 
• Central Thailand  
• Bangkok and surrounding areas
• Eastern Thailand  
• Southern Thailand

It’s hard to say which province is considered the best, this depends on the traveller's preferences: some of them seek silence, natural beauty, and pristine locations, others want to cover as many cultural attractions as possible. For some people their trip is a kind of pilgrimage, and others want to swim and relax on the beach, or spend the entire holiday diving, or throw themselves into nightlife and parties. Every corner of this country has unique ethnic, climatic, and geographical features. Let’s take a look at the top provinces in Thailand.

• Northern Thailand
• Isan (Northeastern Thailand)
• Central Thailand
• Bangkok
• Eastern Thailand
• Southern Thailand

Northern Thailand

Northern provinces:

If you are tired of noisy resorts and want mountain landscapes and wildlife, the north of Thailand is perfect for you. Here, you can enjoy non-tourist routes through jungles, high mountains, canyons, hot springs, waterfalls, highland tribal settlements, rice terraces, trips to the jungle, elephant nurseries, small rural temples, and magnificent temple complexes. All this and much more will fascinate every curious traveller.

There are many people from Myanmar and Laos here, since the border with these countries runs through the north of Thailand. This has an impact on the local lifestyle, culture, and traditions. The climate here is also very different from the rest of the country. There is no sea, but this is where the highest point of the country is located — the Doi Inthanon mountain, which rises 2559 metres above sea level.

Northern Thailand is home to various attractions:

• Tham Chiang Dao, a cave with stalactites and stalagmites wrapped up in cloth, like sacred trees;
• Fang Hot Springs near the city of Fang;
• Tha Ton, a city with the famous nine-level temple Wat Tha Ton built over 1000 years ago;
• Doi Mae Salong, a Chinese village with tea plantations;
• The Golden Triangle, a meeting point of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar on the Mekong river;
• Chiang Saen, the first capital of the mediaeval kingdom of Lanna;

• Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a temple founded in 1386 and one of the most worshipped temples in Thailand;
• Many tribes live in the Chiang Mai province. If you visit the village of the Karen people, you’ll meet women with long necks stretched with special metal rings;
• Near Chiang Mai is the Doi Inthanon National Park with one of the highest mountain waterfalls in Thailand, Mae Surin (280 metres), two pagodas in honour of the king and queen, and the highest mountain in Thailand;
• The promotional booklets of Northern Thailand often feature the famous futuristic White Temple, Wat Rong Khun.

Isan (Northeastern Thailand)

Isan provinces:

This region consists of 20 provinces and is the largest in the country. Its natural and climatic features such as high mountain ridges and widespread tropical forests bring the thermometer up to 40°С. Therefore, when choosing the dates of your holiday, keep in mind that there are three climatic seasons here:

• hot, from March till the end of May
• humid or rainy season, from the end of May till the end of October
• cool and dry, from November till the end of February

The hot season is the best for swimming and relaxing on the beach.

Nearby Laos has an impact on traditions and lifestyle of the locals, as well as on the architecture of Buddhist temples. There are 20 national parks in Isan; some are UNESCO world heritage sites and are under protection.

The mountain ridges of this region form a natural and insurmountable border with the neighbouring countries. The biggest part of this area is the vast Khorat plateau where farmers successfully grow rice and other crops. In the Northwest of Thailand, there are Khmer temples which managed to withstand the ravages of time as well as towns and settlements located near the reddish waters of the Mekong river valley, the most fertile place in the region. Isan is famous not only for its gastronomic delights and night markets, but also for Thailand’s first national park, Khao Yai in the Nakhon Ratchasima province, which is home to Asian black bears, elephants, and gibbons.

We must mention another curious cultural attraction of Isan — Mor Lam music: its pliable melody is stylised to match the tone of the lyrics. Most often, this singing is accompanied by the Khene bamboo mouth organ, originating from Laos.

The Isan province has also given the world the famous Thai boxing and National Boxing Day is celebrated here every year.

People in Isan love holidays and festive processions engaging up to 100,000 residents. Locally grown produce is sold at picturesque floating markets.

Here are some of the attractions of the northeastern region:

• the Royal Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew, or the 14th century Wat Phra Singh temple. This is one of the most sacred places in Thailand;
• a route through the Tak province located along the border with Myanmar. The province is an environmental centre with magnificent forests, breath-taking waterfalls, mysterious caves and amazing mountain tribes such as Karen, Lahu, Lisu, Yao, Akha, and Hmong. The Bhumibol Dam is considered the most massive hydraulic structure in Thailand;
• the Thung Yai Naresuan wildlife sanctuary located in the provinces of Kanchanaburi, Uthai Thani, and Tak. It has preserved many endangered species of fauna and flora;
• the Lan Sang national park that features beautiful rugged mountains. One of them, Khao Luang, splits the park into two parts. Its highest peak reaches 1065 metres.

Central Thailand

Central provinces:

The southern part of Central Thailand is washed by the Gulf of Thailand, and is bordered by Myanmar to the west. This is a region of fertile valleys, some of which lie below sea level. Once a year the Bangkok valley goes under water and turns into a freshwater lake. 

Most of the country’s population live in this province. Locals grow rice and fruits, and crops are irrigated by a special system of canals. Central Thailand has the largest number of famous historical locations in the country. Nakhon Pathom, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, and Lopburi are among them. 

Here are the key attractions of the region:

• the Ayutthaya province, located 70 kilometres away from Bangkok, was once the capital of the kingdom founded in 1350. This is a fascinating place for lovers of antiquity;
• the Wat Phra Si Sanphet Buddhist temple complex with the ruins of the Wang Luang Grand Palace;
• the ancient monasteries Wat Ratchaburana and Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, striking in their size and rich interior decorations. Tourists are also attracted by Buddha statues made by ancient masters;
• a unique outdoor Muang Boran museum. Take a look at the copies of the architectural masterpieces of ancient Siam (the name of the country until 1939) and other countries of Southeast Asia.

The central region of Thailand has a well-developed transport infrastructure, which is obvious: it is home to one of the largest metropolises in the world, the capital of Thailand, Bangkok.

Bangkok

Bangkok belongs to the central part of Thailand, but is often described separately.

The population of the capital is 8 million people, but restless tourists longing to get to know the country increase this figure to 14 million. The main occupation of the locals is tourism and agriculture (on the city outskirts). The city lies on a navigable waterway — the Chao Phraya river — and its numerous canals. 

Bangkok is home to various cultural monuments and sites of world importance. 

The main attractions of the capital are:

• the Grand Royal Palace;
• the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred and worshipped place in Thailand;
• Wat Pho, one of the most revered temples in the capital. It is home to the largest Buddha statue in the city, as well as the largest number of images and sculptures in the country;
• Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn. Its interior is decorated with flowers made from multi-colour fragments of ceramics and porcelain;
• the Jim Thompson House Museum. This is a vibrant jungle island in the heart of the metropolis. Thais pay tribute to the memory of the American architect for reviving the Thai silk industry when he came to Bangkok during World War II. He also built up an incredible collection of Thai antiquities;
• the Golden Mount temple. This is an amazingly beautiful building with stunning views of Bangkok opening from its rooftop;
• Baiyoke Tower II (304 metres). It allows you to see the Gulf of Thailand in good weather. Night filming at this height is breathtaking;
• Vimanmek Mansion, an amazing architectural combination of oriental traditions and Victorian style;
• the Ananta Samakhom palace complex with alleys, green nooks and exhibitions of artists as well as arts and crafts exhibitions. The massive dome of the Throne Hall brings together Thai culture, neoclassicism, and baroque.

Eastern Thailand

Eastern provinces:

This is one of the small regions of the country, with its coast overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. Excellent infrastructure connects it with the capital. Locals, tourists, nightlife fans, and those who prefer a quiet beach holiday will find everything they need here. 

The famous Pattaya resort is located closest to Bangkok, while the islands of Koh Mak, Koh Chang, and Koh Kood are the most remote. A holiday on these islands is cheaper than the southern resorts, which is a great advantage. From here, travellers can make it to Cambodia in just three hours by plane. 

Most of the attractions in the eastern part of Thailand are located in the Pattaya area, which is widely regarded as the Asian Riviera and a resort of world importance.

Here are the key attractions of the eastern part of the country:

• the Phra Yai Temple, located on a hillside not far from Pattaya with an 18-metre golden Buddha statue;
• Khao Kheo open air zoo, which is the world’s second largest zoo and a part of a national reserve. Here, children and adults will enjoy hand-feeding animals from Asia, Africa, and America;
• Chanthaburi, the city of parks and gardens, where sapphires are mined. History lovers will find many fascinating things here;
• the city of Rayong. It is famous for Ban Phe, a picturesque fishing village, and the island of Samet surrounded by 15 bays with beaches and coral reefs;
• Bang Sare. It is a vast and secluded beach which used to be a fishing village. It is a 30-minute drive from Pattaya. This place is permeated with tranquillity many travellers are looking for in Thailand;
• Trat, a province near the border with Cambodia known for its national marine park which consists of 52 islands.

Southern Thailand

Southern Thailand:

Southern Thailand is perhaps the perfect place for a beach holiday. The most popular resorts in the southern provinces are Phuket, Krabi, Khao Lak, Phi, Lanta on the Andaman coast, and the islands of the Gulf of Thailand: Samui, Tao, and Phangan. 

When choosing the dates of your holiday, keep in mind that the rainy season on the Andaman coast is very intense and usually lasts from May to October. Undercurrents and the restless sea will not allow you to enjoy your swim. 

The Gulf of Thailand is defined by a more moderate climate and less troubled sea. The rest of the time, you will enjoy perfect views of the sea, from soft turquoise to rich blue, beaches with almost white sand, mysterious rocks. To put it simply, everything is picture-perfect.

However, in addition to the above, it is worth visiting less famous, but still very charming islands for enjoying the sun, sea, sand, and other exotic things: 

• Nakhon Si Thammarat
• Khanom
• Koh Yao Yai
• Koh Yao Noi

Attractions of Southern Thailand:

• the Wat Chalong temple. A three-storey Phra Mahathat Pagoda houses a priceless relic: a fragment of the Buddha’s upper arm bone;
• the Big Buddha statue that is huge and snow-white. It sits on the top of the high Nakkaked hill and is 45 metres high and 25 metres wide;
• the Monkey Mountain. You will enjoy it if you love animals. It is inhabited by hundreds of monkeys who are eager to take food from your hands and pose for a photograph;
• Khao Rang viewpoint in Phuket.

In a Nutshell

Thailand’s regions and their provinces are rich in history and have many differences in climate and natural landscape. Therefore, before you go to this country, think about your preferences and choose accordingly. 

Statistics show that 80% of tourists who visit Thailand return at a later date. Thai people are very friendly and hospitable. No wonder Thailand is called the land of smiles.

Cover photo: Khao Sok National Park, Khlong Sok, Thailand. Marcin Kaliński (Unsplash)