Top Ten Places To visit in Thailand

1. Top Ten Places To visit in Thailand Thailand has much to offer to the visitor, from cosmopolitan cities with great shopping opportunities to jungles, waterfalls and some the best beaches in Southeast Asia. It would take months to truly explore and understand Thailand, but if you don't have the luxury of so much time, the best-next choice is to visit the top sites in Thailand. According to experts like Lonely Planet, those top spots include everything from sandy beaches to historical sights.

2. Bangkok Thailand's capital is a cosmopolitan city with both a vibrant nightlife and plenty of culture to keep you entertained during the day. Must-see includes the Grand Palace and WatPrakeaw (palaces.Thai.net/day/index_gp.htm), a complex of temples built in 1782 by order of the king. The DamnoenSaduak, or Floating Market (floatingmarketbangkok.com), is another interesting attraction. Hundreds of boats scurry by through narrow canals, selling fruits and vegetables just as they did a century ago. Visitors can shop while sitting in their own chauffeured boat or simply take a tour of the surroundings.

3. Temple of the Dawn

4. HuaHin HuaHin is a beachside resort three hours south of Bangkok. The king's summer palace is here, a testament to the beauty of the place. HuaHin's beaches are clean and quiet and several national parks surround the town. The 11-tier Pa La-u Waterfall is one of the most popular day trips from HuaHin. Pa La-u Waterfall

5. HuaHin Beach HuaHin is Thailand's oldest beach town resort. Situated on the west coast of the Gulf of Thailand and only 200 kilometers from the capital, Bangkok, it offers the ultimate getaway destination for the city's elite. The oldest and most traditional Thai resort combines the attractions of a modern holiday destination with the charm and fascination of a still active fishing port.

6. Chiang Mai White Temple Chiang Mai is a city and province in the north of Thailand. Famous for its jungles and mountains, Chiang Mai is the destination for those who want nature and a relief from the heat of the city. The city is home to many temples, or wats, including the famous WatChediLuang, built in 1402. Jungle treks, which can last from a few hours to several days, also are a big attraction in Chiang Mai. The area around the city is home to the Long Neck Karen hill tribe, a local indigenous group with a tradition of elongating its necks using metal rings. Tours to visit the Karen village are available.

7. Northern style architecture WatPhra Sing, Chiang Mai

8. Phuket Phuket is Thailand's most famous beach town, and PhangNga Bay has some of the best beaches in Thailand. The area also is home to Koh Ping-gan, or "James Bond Island," where "The Man With the Golden Gun" was filmed. Phuket also is notorious for its active and over-the-top nightlife, which include lots of bars, cabaret shows music and alcohol.

9. Loy Krathong Festival in Phucket

10. Pattaya Pattaya has gained a reputation as a "seedy" town over the years, but if you stay away from the bar area you'll find plenty of things to do and see. The beach in Pattaya is not as impressive as those in the south, but it's still worth a visit. The town also is home to some distinctive attractions, such as the Bottle Art Museum, the Pattaya Floating Market -- the largest floating market in the world --- and Mini Siam (minisiam.com), an on-scale recreation of some of Thailand's most important landmarks.

11. Santuary of Truth Pattaya

12. KhaoYai National Park KhaoYai National Park (dnp.go.th/index_eng.asp) in northeastern Thailand is one of the few remaining places in Southeast Asia where you can still see wild elephants. Several waterfalls and miles of hiking and biking trails crisscross throughout the park. Nighttime drives allow you to see wildlife you would miss during the day, such as the Asian tiger.

13. Ayutthaya Temples Ayutthaya (ayutthaya-info.com) is a group of ancient ruins dating to 1351, and the old temples, monasteries, fortresses and memorials stand in different stages of destruction. Lots of Buddha statues, including a 39-foot-long reclining Buddha, can be seen inside the temples. The Ayutthaya Historical Study Center is a good stop to learn about the temples and their history. Ayutthaya is just north of Bangkok and attracts many tourists year-round.

15. KohSamui KohSamui is famous for two things: scuba diving and parties, particularly the Full Moon Party, a once-a-month extravaganza that attracts up to 30,000 people every time. The parties are held on the beach and last all night.

16. Full Moon Party

17. Kanchanaburi No trip to Thailand is complete without a stop in Kanchanaburi (kanchanaburi-info.com) and at the site where "The Bridge over the River Kwai" was filmed. The "Death Railway" was built here by prisoners of war under Japanese direction during World War II. Today, visitors can cross over the bridge, visit abandoned trains and half-built railway tracks and stop by the Memorial Walking Trail and the small museum covering the history of the infamous Thai-Burma Railway..

18. Krabi Krabi is a beach town with some of the most impressive seaside cliffs in Thailand. The Phi Phi islands and the many surrounding beach areas attract snorkelers, scuba divers, boaters and kayakers. Krabi has large coral areas and great water visibility, making it a great destination for all kinds of water sports