Chiang Mai’s food is distinctly northern Thai, or Lanna cuisine: milder and more herb-forward than the dishes most visitors already know from Bangkok, built around sticky rice instead of jasmine rice, and shaped by real Burmese and Shan influence. The one dish to try first is khao soi, a curried coconut noodle soup that is…
Old City is the easiest first choice for most visitors to Chiang Mai, with hundreds of temples, guesthouses in every price range, and the main night markets within walking distance. Where you should actually stay depends on whether you care more about temple-hopping on foot, a modern cafe and nightlife scene, or a quieter riverside…
Chiang Mai is northern Thailand’s cultural capital: a walkable old city ringed by a 700-year-old moat, hundreds of Buddhist temples, a growing digital-nomad cafe scene in Nimman, and mountain day trips like Doi Suthep and Doi Inthanon within an hour’s drive. Most first-time visitors need 3 to 4 days to see the highlights without rushing,…
Bangkok’s nightlife splits cleanly by neighborhood, so the best area for you depends on what you actually want out of the night. Sukhumvit and Silom-Sathorn cover rooftop bars and mainstream clubs, Khao San Road is budget backpacker energy, Thonglor and Chinatown are where locals and expats go for a quieter, design-led night out, and a…
Three days is the practical minimum for a first visit to Bangkok: enough time for the major temples, one market day, and an evening or two to eat and see the city after dark. Two days works if you are only passing through on your way to the islands, and a fourth day is worth…
Bangkok’s food scene runs from one-dollar noodle carts to Michelin-listed street stalls, and the best meals in the city are almost never in a restaurant with a menu in English. The dishes worth prioritizing are Pad Thai, Pad Kra Pao, Som Tam, Tom Yum Goong, Moo Ping, and Mango Sticky Rice, and the best place…
The eight best things to do in Bangkok, ranked from essential to skip-if-short-on-time, covering the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Chatuchak Market, and more.
A neighborhood-by-neighborhood guide to where to stay in Bangkok, comparing Sukhumvit, Silom, the Old City, Riverside, Thonglor, and Chinatown by price, vibe, and who each is best for.
A first-timer planning guide to Bangkok covering top sights, neighborhoods, getting around, and how many days to budget for Thailand capital.
Thailand cut its visa-free stay from 60 to 30 days and added a mandatory Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) on September 15, 2026. Here is exactly what US, Canadian, and Australian travelers need to know.
