#10 Warm weather
If you’re living somewhere winter and cold you might look out the window wish you were somewhere tropical. Enter Thailand; despite monsoonal season (and unless you go north and actively seek cooler weather) you’ll never need a jacket. Unless you become acclimatised by living there. It’s easy to tell a Western expat from a tourist in Thailand. The expats will the 20 degrees Celsius is a reason to wear a long-sleeve shirt in January.
#9 Full Moon Party
This one might only be for those young and wild enough. On the night of, before or after every full moon, the island of Ko Pha Ngan hosts a full moon party which has become a traditional and infamous right-of-passage for many younger tourists. A night of debauchery and dancing awaits but a diligent pursuit of happiness is recommended as recent years have seen instances of violence and ever-increasing drug-usage.
#8 Pattaya
A beach resort popular with tourists and expats, Pattaya is the almost cliched image of Thailand that Western culture has. Whilst a “family friendly” resort city, Pattaya has earned its reputation in large part due to its nightlife due to the sex industry. Of course, prostitution is illegal in Thailand, but here in Pattaya you’ll find more sin than you can handle.
#7 Adrenaline Junkie’s Paradise
Many islands, rivers and a lot of coastline means Thailand is a great place to be out on the water. Then there’s the mountains too. Water skiing, kite boarding, rock climbing, cliff diving, mountain biking, you can even learn the art of trapeze. Then of course there’s surfing and diving.
#6 Tuk Tuk Ride
Hit the congested road with the wind in your hair, exhaust fumes in your nose and your stomach in your throat as a modified three-wheeled motorbike takes you on an exhilarating duck and weave journey through the dense Thai traffic.
#5 Shopping
The malls of Bangkok are a shoppper’s paradise and make it hard to leave. Not necessarily because of all the things to spend your money on, but mostly because they are so big you might get lost enough to give up and live out your days exploring.
#4 Temples
The temples of Thailand not only play a large part in Buddhist traditions but they are also amazing pieces of architecture. Intricate glittering decorations are everywhere you look. There are many temples with over four hundred just in Bangkok.
#3 Elephant Encounters
Have you ever met an elephant? Tours pick you up from a hotel, take you to ride an elephant and jump in the water with it and have a weird bath. Now that doesn’t happen every day.
#2 Friendly Locals
Thais are generally extremely polite and always helpful. Most shop owners, tuk tuk drivers, people on the street, will all greet you with that famous Thai smile.
#1 Location
Thailand is in the middle of anywhere else you might want to travel to. It’s three hours to Hong Kong, two hours to Singapore, four hours to Bali, and half way between Australia and Europe. To top it all off, flights are quite cheap to and from Thailand.