Our top Thailand tours and excursions

Thailand is overflowing with guided tours and excursions, but not all are created equal. That’s why we only ever recommend the best of the best: the experiences guaranteed to get you under the skin of Thai culture.

What makes a great experience? For us, it always starts with the people. A fantastic guide is your magic key to understanding Thailand, whether it’s getting to grips with war history or learning how to make a killer green curry. They’re not just there to make sure you don’t get lost; they’re there to take you inside their culture and show you what makes this country tick.

You might be exploring the Chiang Mai countryside on the back of a vintage Vespa, stopping off to admire the views and visit old-fashioned farmhouses. You might be island-hopping in the southern islands, visiting hidden coves to splash about in coral reefs. Or you might be in the heart of Bangkok, sampling street-food treats as you explore the city’s world-famous nightlife. Whatever the experience, expect full immersion, hands-on fun, and the company of some of our favorite people in all of Thailand.

Sukhothai Historical Park

It was during the age of Sukhothai that Thai culture as we know it was born.

Hop on a tuk-tuk tour to uncover the 700-year-old remnants of this extraordinary city — which invented the Thai alphabet, spread Theravada Buddhism and presided over a golden age of the arts. Stop in at some of nearly 200 temples and spires spread out between trees, paddies, ponds and villages, and soak up the atmosphere of one of the great pre-modern civilizations.

Views over foothills near Mae Hong Son looking towards Myanmar

Nature & tribes of Mae Hong Son

Get a glimpse of Mae Hong Son’s natural and cultural bounty as you bamboo raft through a 1.5km cave system, watch as thousands of bats and swifts fill the air at dusk, and visit a village of the Black Lahu tribe, who’ve adapted to use eco-friendly tourism to support their traditional lifestyle. On the way home, stop to take in breathtaking views over the Himalayan foothills stretching into Myanmar and beyond.

Blue Temple with white Buddha statue at top of stairs

Full day art scene of Chiang Rai

Get beneath the skin of this eccentric beacon of creative culture as you take in the dazzlingly kitsch vision of Buddhism at the White Temple, contemplate the meaning of life and death at the hellish Black House, then peruse scripture art at the strikingly contemporary Blue Temple. Grab lunch at an arts community with a local art expert, then round off the day in the hills at the home and gallery of a local potter.

Bowl of curry noodles with chopsticks and lime to garnish

Morning/afternoon class at Pantawan Cooking School

Heavily influenced by Laos and Myanmar, northern Thai — or Lanna — cuisine is totally different from Thai food as you know it.

At Pantawan you won’t just whip up some dishes, you’ll learn about the local food culture, hear personal stories, and get tips on how to use your newfound skills back at home. Begin with a tour of the local fresh market, then cook your own curry noodles, spicy laab or mango sticky rice back at the school’s beautiful gardens.

Girl looking up at gilded arch in front of golden temple in Chiang Mai

Half day Chiang Mai's spiritual side

Beginning in the old town center and working outwards to the peak of Doi Suthep, trace Chiang Mai’s spiritual heritage from city-center chedis, up the longest naga stairway in Thailand to one of the North’s most sacred sites.

Stop in along the way at Wat Pha Lat, an enchanting “hidden jungle temple” tucked away from the crowds, and arrive at Doi Suthep in time for the evening ceremony, when monks’ chanting drifts across the landscape as the sun begins to set.