Travellers can’t get enough of Thailand, and the accolades keep rolling in.
If you’ve never been, or if you haven’t been in a while, put Thailand at the top of your list in 2017.
It has urban pleasures in cities such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai, tasty cuisine famous around the globe and beaches we flock to.
You’ll also discover a slew of luxury hotels about to open for those who like the finer things.
And the Thais love a good time, but just be mindful that the Land of Smiles will be a little subdued as it enters a year’s mourning after the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej this month.
SEEK IN THE CITIES
Two cities made it on to T+L’s World’s Best list in 2016: Chiang Mai at No.2, and Bangkok in 14th place. Mastercard’s seventh annual Global Destinations Cities Index proves Bangkok’s popularity as the world’s most visited city, with an estimated 21.47 million international overnight visitors expected in 2016.
CNN.com recently named the capital as one of the world’s best destinations for street food. Hmm, did somebody say pad Thai? Go beyond the crunchy spring rolls and stir-fries to try mussel pancakes in Bangkok’s Yaowarat area and hearty noodle soup in Chinatown.
BOOK INTO A NEW RESORT
The team behind Phuket’s stunning Sri Panwa resort are building on the success of that property’s Baba Poolclub to open a new resort, Baba Beach Club, on the sands of northern Phuket’s Natai Beach. If Sri Panwa’s rock star clientele and legendary parties are any indicator, expect this Beach Club to evoke the hedonism of Ibiza and St Tropez.
AVANI has just opened its first purpose-designed hotel, AVANI Riverside Bangkok, with a rooftop bar, ATTITUDE, set to pull the cool crowds. minorhotels.com.
Fans of 137 Pillars House Chiang Mai will want to check out its sister hotel, 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok, when it opens in February. A Phuket property is planned for 2019. 137pillarshotels.com.
The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui, will be revealed in late 2017; located in the gorgeous Choeng Mon area of the island, the 187 luxe guestrooms and suites will enjoy a prime beachfront position overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. ytlhotels.com.
COMO Point Yamu’s glam offerings have been enhanced with the addition of COMO Beach Club; guests are whisked away from the resort on a 20-minute boat ride to Naka Yai Island, where private salas, signature COMO Shambhala spa treatments and a beachside restaurant make for a perfect day out. comohotels.com.
HIT THE SHOPS
Shopping is a year-round pastime, but the savviest shoppers know the best time to plan a visit is between mid-June and mid-August when the Amazing Thailand Grand Sales are on. Discounts of up to 80 per cent are offered and promotions mean plenty of gifts with purchase and buy-one-get-one deals at mega-malls and boutiques all over the country.
DO IT AUTHENTICALLY
Sustainable tourism: tick. Authentic experiences: tick. Travel with purpose: tick. The team at Hivesters, led by Thai sisters Achi and Mint, did their homework and have created a young, fun, hub for real Thai travel experiences. With photography tours, elephant encounters, diving in national parks and wakeboarding with local fishermen on offer, boredom is not an option.
TAKE A CRUISE
As cruise holidays become ever more popular, cruise companies are looking for new and exciting itineraries to tempt holiday-makers. South East Asian destinations are high on cruisers’ wish lists, as they offer terrific shopping, dining and diverse cultures. Holland America Line’s Tony Archbold says Thailand offers a unique culture as the only Asian country never to have been colonised. “In 2017 we are showing our guests both the island of Koh Samui as well as Bangkok in order to show off both the beautiful and bustling aspects of this dynamic country,” he says. hollandamerica.com
ENJOY SOME ART
Chiang Mai continues to blossom as Thailand’s Creative City with the recent opening of MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum. Housed in a converted 3000 sq m warehouse in Sankampaeng, MAIIAM displays the astonishing Bunnag-Beurdeley family collection, acquired over the last three decades, as well as special exhibitions. The building’s architectural design is alone worth the visit. maiiam.com.
JOIN A FESTIVAL
Thai people love to celebrate and with countless festivals and special events held throughout the year, visitors can join the party. Get wet during Songkran water festival, celebrated nationwide in April, or Instagram to your heart’s content during November’s Loy Krathong, when paper lanterns light the night sky and rivers twinkle with the glow of candlelit offerings to the gods. For something totally different, join the wellwishers at a mass underwater wedding held in Trang on Valentine’s Day, or watch a troop of monkeys make short work of a lavish fruit banquet in Lopburi. thaizer.com.
WELL, WELL, WELL
It’s no secret that Thailand is the place to go for pampering and rejuvenation. From five-dollar foot massages under the stars, to the latest in hi-tech cosmetic enhancements, visitors love the feel-good factor in the Land of Smiles.
Kamalaya Koh Samui Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa has recently introduced small group retreats; called Life Enhancement Retreats, they will bring together like-minded participants throughout the year to explore topics that contribute to health and happiness. Sign up now for yoga immersion, emotional balance insights or a master class on Traditional Chinese Medicine. kamalaya.com.
Over at Six Senses Yao Noi, an Integrated Wellness program might be just what the doctor should have ordered. The deluxe resort, just off the coast of Phuket, was always known for the very best spa pampering. Now with the latest diagnostic equipment, analysis of key physiological biomarkers, nutritional advice and personalised wellness program, vitality is a take-home gift. sixsenses.com.
RACE TO THE TOP
For a new way to enjoy Banyan Tree Bangkok’s award-winning Vertigo Grill and Moon Bar — one of the highest al fresco venues in Asia — lace up your runners and race to the top. In 2017, the Vertical Marathon will celebrate its 19th event, as competitors race up over 60 floors and a thousand steps to reach the top. Proceeds from the registration fee go to charity. The spectacular views over Bangkok’s cityscape are priceless. See banyantree.com, gotorace.com
SEE ANIMALS ETHICALLY
There’s more to Thailand than beautiful beaches and delicious curries. Immerse yourself in the cultural side of the country with two new adventures offered by World Expeditions.
The 12-day Wild Encounters in Thailand Adventure will be offered for the first time in 2017, in conjunction with World Animal Protection. Guests will enjoy some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in Thailand — wild elephants, tigers, gibbons, macaques, flying foxes — with the comfort of knowing the tour has been crafted by experts in responsible, animal-friendly travel.
Also offered for the first time in 2017 is the Remote Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand Adventure. This eight-day trip connects travellers with traditional local communities and gets the heart rate up with trekking through pristine forests in the north, near the border with Myanmar.
