Best non-mainstream travel destinations in Thailand?

[flyDelight]

What are the more interesting travel destinations/attractions etc. not the mainstream tourism magnets but places that make you experience the 'real' Thailand, any tips would be much appreciated!

Edited December 8, 2015 by flyDelight

[craigt3365]

The mainstream tourist sites are generally that way because they are great. Yes, there are many other tourists, but they are also not to be missed.

Do you speak Thai? Really getting off the beaten track requires a bit of Thai...and preferably, your own wheels.

You can come to my wife's village. That's "real" Thailand. But I think you'd be bored after a few days! LOL Nobody speaks English, there are no restaurants nearby, only very small shops and nothing to do. And it's close to impossible to get to unless you speak Thai. No public transport in that area.

[asanee]

Fully agree with craigt in this: the usual guidebooks-yes, those old-fashioned things you can READ, have about all of the for Farang=westerners interesting places-and quite a few of those are not at all visited that much, like in Isan.

For the rest there are indeed a few spots that only feature in mainstream Thai tourist info-go into any mag-shop and you find dozens of interesting magazines on that, but they will in general not be of any interest to the joe average western tourist. And IF they would-it would not be joe average, but someone who knows Thai-in lingo and way of living. MOst are seasonal too- flowers in season, cold up till a wee flake of snow, some special animals, and special foods. IF there is any transpo there, itsusually to town mornigs/market, back afternon after schools have closed-thus not allowing any ''day out''.

[lovelomsak]

Do you mean the real thailand or the old Thailand. Thialand is changing quickly. Hard to find a small village now without a 7/11,and expresso bars. Thailand is small so easy to go to a larger city in an area and then rent motorcycles to go out into the country and look around. Donot have to go far to get rural. I think the beach experience is done. Every accessible beach or island has been found and gone commercial. Remote villages have wifi and pickups at every home. Any villages that appear to be tribal or ethnic are usually just tourist traps, ran by the Karen tribes in the north and people there are same as slaves.To find an Akha or Lahu or Lisu or Hmong tribe that has not adapted already to western ways is probably impossible.

Like I said rent a motorcycle and go look. Get off the beaten path will experience soon different things.a lot of the Thai only traditions of daily life is gone. What you will find every where is attempts to modernise their environment. You came to late sorry.

Bangkok is the real Thailand. Hard ,money hungry,materialistic,and selfish.

[fireplay]

Great question man i have lived in thailand 6 years and have never been to phuket....for islands i would recommend samet koh lipe or the very back end of koh chang...but you know what is the best..rolling by motosai through the provinces....

Maybe roll up to saraburi go look for monkeys around lopburi....roll along burma border...or cruise through isaan like roiet kohn kaen and hit the little villages along the mekong river...actually a fun tour i did was hit the temple festivals...and i did straight camping on the temple grounds....there are some important festi's in thailand you can hit those up all around the temple festi season which febuary...also go to docks behind the temples in khlong toei near the bangkok post offices...you can find a boat to take you across the river...then rent a bicycle and go get lost in the bangkok jungle area...nam lamphueng...area...there is a weekend morning crafts food market...that has been getting more played out over the years but if you can get over there yourself...the trek is sweet...urban...jungles boats bikes parks dead ends...empty cemetary temples...all kinds of cool stuff...

Edited December 8, 2015 by fireplay

[Bredbury Blue]

We like to do family road trips to explore new areas. Excellent trips/places have been:

Nakhon Sawan..Khampangphet..Sukhothai..Si Satchanalai..Tak..Mae Sot..Mae Sariang. .Mae Hong Son. .Pai..Chiang Mai..Lampang..Sukhothai

Khao Yai. .Khorat..Khon Kaen..Sakhon Nakhon..Mukdahan. .Khao Yai

Khao Yai. .Chaiyaphum. .Loie..Phu Rua..Khao Kor

All good provinces/towns/cities to visit. Best trip was the Myanmar border trip.

[yellowboat]

You may find the Emerald Triangle interesting

[hanssna]

The North and Northeast ( as stated before ) are excellent, but I also find that the provinces Chumphon and Prachuap have good things to offer. Nice beaches ( not all beach areas in Thailand are spoiled with tourism ) and nicely off the beaten tourist track. Try around Ban Krud, and north of it ( Prachuap ) or Ban Beurd and around there ( Chumphon ), having your own wheels is a big plus ! Or further down south, Nakhon si Thammerat province ( Had Khanom and Si chon )

[Trentham]

I suggest you do not miss Boklua in the North of Nan province. It is another Pai before it was discovered. Scenery unbelievable, hill tribes, nature. There is a nice little place to stay called Boklua View Resort. and if you go order the ckicken makwan in their restaurant. From Nan city there are 2 ways to get there Nan - Santisuk - Boklua or Nan - Pua - Boklua. The Santisuk road is not so mountainous and an easier drive but the Pua road is the way to go for the most spectacular scenery in Thailand. I cannot wait to go again.

[dotpoom]

Rent a car and make your discoveries as you go along.

[Lannig]

Hardly really off the beaten tracks, but I still find Hua-Hin a good compromise between the facilities and amount of tourists, especially if you move out of downtown towards Khao Takiap and beyond. If you wish to go further south along the same coast, there are nice and quieter places like Bang Saphan.

As already suggested, the Kho Chang island in Tradt province. Haven't been there in quite a while, though. Probably has changed a lot.

The waterfall parks in the Kamphaeng Phet province (Klong Lan, Klong Namlai) probably aren't worth the trip, but certainly worth the detour on your way to/from the northern provinces from/to BKK. So is the historical park in KP, much, much smaller but so much quieter than Sukhothai's.

Just random thoughts...

[farangmick]

Khao Kho in Phetchabun. Not enough there for a holiday, but great for one or two nights if doing a road trip south to north, or vice versa. Or in my case, a pleasant day trip with some good restaurants. Just avoid the Thai holidays, when it appears that half of Bangkok goes there, judging by the traffic on the 21.

[LivinLOS]

The list is huge.. But many of the places are more one or two day visits so road tripping is what works..

Doi Mae Salong in the north.. Round to Chiang Khong for the evening on the river.. Phu CVhi Fa eascarpment.. Back Rds through nan down to the ferry over to Utharadit and a stop at Sirikit dam and over to Phu Rua for a misty dawn over the clouds.. Multiple great national parks in Loei.. Head up to Chiang Khan (lots of Thai tourists) and rent a pushbike for the wandering walking street and lovely old wood buildings..

Thats just a simple one around a couple of northern spots.. You can almost chuck a dart and get great results (floating barges in kanchanaburi.. The nature of Omkoi or Mae Sariang / Mae Hong song).. But sometimes it takes a few goes round to find the best spot.

[Laza 45]

The North and Northeast ( as stated before ) are excellent, but I also find that the provinces Chumphon and Prachuap have good things to offer. Nice beaches ( not all beach areas in Thailand are spoiled with tourism ) and nicely off the beaten tourist track. Try around Ban Krud, and north of it ( Prachuap ) or Ban Beurd and around there ( Chumphon ), having your own wheels is a big plus ! Or further down south, Nakhon si Thammerat province ( Had Khanom and Si chon )

Totally agree with all that.. getting to see 'the real Thailand' takes time.. if you have the time travel around and find a place you like and spend some time getting to know the place and the people.. wonderful things happen when you relax and notice the small things around you.. I like the villages along the Mekong .. but for seaside .. Prachuap and south to Chumpon is great.. not too many ferang tourists.. nice beaches and great seafood.. nice people too.. have fun!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/organize

https://www.flickr.com/photos/organize

..a couple of old albums from visits...

[Bredbury Blue]

I suggest you do not miss Boklua in the North of Nan province. It is another Pai before it was discovered. Scenery unbelievable, hill tribes, nature. There is a nice little place to stay called Boklua View Resort. and if you go order the ckicken makwan in their restaurant. From Nan city there are 2 ways to get there Nan - Santisuk - Boklua or Nan - Pua - Boklua. The Santisuk road is not so mountainous and an easier drive but the Pua road is the way to go for the most spectacular scenery in Thailand. I cannot wait to go again.

Thanks, we've been planning for a future roadtrip to Nan and north so I've filed away your tip.

[Bredbury Blue]

Khao Kho in Phetchabun. Not enough there for a holiday, but great for one or two nights if doing a road trip south to north, or vice versa. Or in my case, a pleasant day trip with some good restaurants. Just avoid the Thai holidays, when it appears that half of Bangkok goes there, judging by the traffic on the 21.

Kho kor itself is a great place for a few days but you can also use it as a decent base for daytripping neighbouring provinces.

[nithisa78]

Hire a guide of you think you can't handle it. I can help you with that. PM

Go to Phanom Phrai, then Yasothon, then on to Ubon.

Ignore the nay sayers on TV. Most of their lives lack meaning and they're about what they can't do, not what can be done.

You can start this journey in Ubon, fly in hire a car and driver. La dolce vita. Bon Voyage.

I have never been anywhere the world over where if I didn't babble on in the native tongue, an English speaking person would show up to bail me out or something else good would happen.

[Marknreston]

I am not a permanent resident, only an interloper January - March but I have tried to "get off the beaten path". I once flew to Loei in Northwest Isaac, stayed there a few days renting a scooter and just exploring the countryside. Was directed by the locals to go see the temple in some caves. Other than the perpetual ladies selling food and crafts in the parking lot I was the only tourist. Not even thais that day. Monkeys all over the place and one lone monk in this temple in a cave Awesome but simple. hung out with him for an hour, exchanged gifts and off I went. Took the buss across northern Isaan to a small town called Erawan where I met a local I had connected with online. She took me to some really cool places like unexplored caves and an amazing wooden temple only accessible by driving dirt roads for about 10 miles. Bus to Udon Thani where I rented a scooter and headed East to a World Heritage site of ancient tribes. Long drive but whats the hurry. Bus to Kon Kaen, bus to Korat, Bus to BKK. Always renting a scooter and heading out into the country. Amazing what and who you might run into. As a blond haired blue eyed westerner I became the sight for the locals.

In Hue Hin I rented a scooter and drove 80 K West to a waterfall the locals told me about....again almost no tourists and NO Farang. Rented a car in CM, drove to Chiang Rai for a few days and then drove over to Nan. Only way is back roads. Got lost a few times, stopped along the side of the road to ask for directions and eat whatever they were selling. It is relatively cheap to rent a car and if you have gps on your phone.....just drive. Bit be prepared to loose you gps signal somewhere on the journey. cell phone coverage is way less than 100%

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

If you are a very good driver, rent a 4x4 vehicle, buy a tent and equipment (or bring it with you) and take the back roads. You start out in BKK and travel west. The area west of Sing buri, Uthai Thani and Nakhon Sawan, next to the mountains go to Chong Yen. The western area south of Mae Sot next to the Burma border going down to Umphang. The area east/south east of Ubon Ratchathani next to the Cambodia border. Stay in national parks (B 200 for entry pp + B 30 for vehicle and B 30 for campsite) and eat at road side village (many don't have western style hotels some may have home stays that why the camping bit). If this is boring to you, you will not like the rest of the old Thailand you are seeking, it was undeveloped (few if any bars and hotels) with plenty of friendly people. But if you can bare the boring bits you may just discover jewels like Wat Kao Wong. Good luck with your quest.

[farangmick]

Khao Kho in Phetchabun. Not enough there for a holiday, but great for one or two nights if doing a road trip south to north, or vice versa. Or in my case, a pleasant day trip with some good restaurants. Just avoid the Thai holidays, when it appears that half of Bangkok goes there, judging by the traffic on the 21.

Kho kor itself is a great place for a few days but you can also use it as a decent base for daytripping neighbouring provinces.

Khao Kho is only about a two hour drive north for me. If you know anywhere not too far from there that kids would enjoy, please pm me.Always looking for things to fill the weekends and holidays. Cheers.

[sagra]

Great question man i have lived in thailand 6 years and have never been to phuket....for islands i would recommend samet koh lipe or the very back end of koh chang...but you know what is the best..rolling by motosai through the provinces....

Maybe roll up to saraburi go look for monkeys around lopburi....roll along burma border...or cruise through isaan like roiet kohn kaen and hit the little villages along the mekong river...actually a fun tour i did was hit the temple festivals...and i did straight camping on the temple grounds....there are some important festi's in thailand you can hit those up all around the temple festi season which febuary...also go to docks behind the temples in khlong toei near the bangkok post offices...you can find a boat to take you across the river...then rent a bicycle and go get lost in the bangkok jungle area...nam lamphueng...area...there is a weekend morning crafts food market...that has been getting more played out over the years but if you can get over there yourself...the trek is sweet...urban...jungles boats bikes parks dead ends...empty cemetary temples...all kinds of cool stuff...

fireplay - thanks, great ideas. One thing. I searched and searched on the internet and could find nothing or any reference to a "nam lamphueng". Please tell where that is. Thanks.

[fireplay]

Ban nam phueng I guess...trust me do not take the 1500 bht guided tours...find your way on your own and the rewards are tremendous...

[SiSePuede419]

My girlfriend wants to go back to BKK, because we spent so much time there in Central waiting in line at True to replace my SIM card only to be told I will need to report to the nearest Police Station to get it replaced.

What a barrel of fun, BKK is.

555

[neitmoj]

So many! Where to start? Here are two. Prachuap Khiri Khan (the town, not the province). Probably the most scenic beach spot, and entirely free of the snobbish hordes that make Hua Hin an expensive urban hell. North, try Mae Hong Son. Delightful mountain town. A tough drive along a tortuous mountain road from Chiang Mai via Pai and flights from CNX now suspended, but well worth the effort. Break the car journey in Pai. Very hot around Songkran, though, because of its valley location.

[neitmoj]

Correction. CNX to Mae Hong Son flights are operating. Kan Air (http://www.kanairlines.com/main). Three flights daily. Best fare: 1,980 baht RT. I missed it because the Kayak aggregator I use doesn't pick up Kan Air. Apologies.

[1FinickyOne]

Go up to Nan Province - or - go across the northern portion of Petchaboon Province - - depends on what you are looking for - learn a bit of Thai and stop in little villages anywhere. As others have said, not really much to do unless you know people there… but just get out and around -

[derator01]

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