Instead of focusing on one specific city this week, I thought I would focus on both Chiang Mai and Bangkok, Thailand, and some of the best places to visit within the two cities. For years I’ve wanted to visit an elephant sanctuary in Thailand. Elephants are one of my favorite animals and I was planning to visit Chiang Mai last summer after my graduation, but I think we can all guess how that turned out. I don’t know a whole ton about Thai culture and cities, my uncle has lived in Bangkok for nearly ten years and loves it, but sadly I haven’t gotten the chance to go yet. Street food definitely seems to be one of the best parts of visiting any Thai city: it’s super cheap (a couple of dollars per meal) and there’s plenty of places to choose from, but it’s also important to be aware of what you’re eating because food poisoning isn’t fun. I found a great article here that gives some great tips on what street food stands are best to avoid. Thailand is one of the most budget-friendly countries in the world, even hotels and airbnbs are relatively inexpensive. Getting to the country is probably the most expensive part (as it normally is with any international trip), but once you get to a major city like Bangkok it’s easy and honestly really cheap to travel to other cities (less than $100), by plane or even train if you feel like being more adventurous.

I’ve dragged on a while, so here are a few of the best things to do in Thailand: 

Situated in the center of Bangkok, the Grand Palace is one of Thailand’s most famous attractions. While it might be somewhat touristy, there’s no reason not to visit. The palace is the former residence of the Royal family, but is now just used for ceremonial purposes, to host royal guests, and houses the offices of state officials. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, on the grounds of the palace, is considered the most sacred temple in Thailand. On the topic of temples– Thailand is not lacking in that aspect, in almost any city throughout the country (Chiang Mai especially) there are countless temples to visit and any one of them should definitely be at the top of the travel list.      

If you find yourself in Chiang Mai, or any area in northern Thailand, going to an elephant sanctuary is a must-do.  I know that elephant sanctuaries (or any animal sanctuary for that matter) can sometimes get a bad rap due to ethical concerns, which is one hundred percent valid. There are definitely plenty of places that treat their animals pretty badly, but there’s also plenty of places that are truly sanctuaries. So my suggestion is to do your research before deciding on one. Here is a link to a few places that have great reputations. 

Floating markets are a Thai classic. Vendors fill their boats with produce and float through the canals. Some of the best and most famous are in Bangkok: the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and Amphawa Floating Market. 

This is a short list, but I hope it gave you some ideas when visiting. Now I want to go travel. 

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