Unbiased Article Reveals Three New Things About Thailand Travel That Nobody Is Talking About

For secluded beaches with affordable bungalows you only need to go to the west or northwest parts of the island.

For many it's the key reason to visit, though outside of the Full Moon and Half-Moon events, Koh Phangan happens to be much more than just a party island. Koh Phangan is famed for its Full Moon Party, which once began as a psychedelic hippie beach bonfire but since grew into a massively commercialized event attracting tens of thousands of drunken revellers every month. But maybe that's why Koh Lanta has stayed pleasantly low-key, offering family-friendly resorts along Khlong Khong beach along with a sprinkling of backpacker hostels mainly on Long Beach.

Koh Lanta might not be as instantly photogenic as other islands; while it has wonderful beaches, it lacks the craggy cliffs of Krabi or the hillside views of Koh Tao or Ko Phangan. Spending some time here on a 2-day (or longer) excursion is a great way to add some adventure to what will inevitably be a very beaches-and-islands focused part of your trip in the south. It's a spectacular park, featuring lakes with floating bamboo houses, and limestone karst often rising up from the jungles.

Khao Sok is a wildlife reserve in southern Thailand. The area is also world-famous for its rock climbing, with introductory courses and equipment rental available in Railey, Ao Nang or Krabi Town. The scenery is impressive and worth seeing despite the crowds — be sure to climb up to the lagoon and viewpoint!

On multi-day treks, you'll be offered a homestay in one of these villages. Someone in the village will typically prepare a meal for you, which you eat while sitting on the floor. The people in these traditional villages live in wooden houses on stilts, and while they have basic facilities like water tanks and solar panels, they usually still cook over wood fires and live on subsistence farming.

Elephant Nature Park near Chiang Mai is known for its ethical practices. There's something truly beautiful about connecting with these gentle giants and realizing just what a tiny little human you are. Instead, they invite visitors to simply feed and wash these wonderful creatures.

Thankfully, there are now more enlightened elephant parks that have stopped the practice of riding the elephants (so they don't need to be horrifically broken in). The WithLocals platform provides many walking tours run by locals, as well as dining experiences at local Thai homes, which can add a more meaningful twist to your Bangkok visit. But this is not the only way to get a different perspective.

The temples open at 8:00 and this can be a great time to visit, as most tour groups arrive later in the day. These are some of Bangkok's prime tourist sights, so don't expect to be alone! Koh Tao and Koh Samui are only a short ferry ride away!

You've seen some of Southern Thailand's highlights, but obviously there are so many other amazing places you could Top travel in Thailand (https://www.thailandtravel.co) to!