Thailand offers visitors the best of Southeast Asia. From the mountains and jungles in the north to the most beautiful of tropical beaches in the south, it is highly unlikely that a visitor will leave Thailand without having had some great travel experiences.

The first stop to any Thailand trip is Bangkok. With its mad streets jammed to the brim with cars, tuk-tuk (open-air, three-wheeled taxis) and motorbikes, as well as its sprawling markets and vast malls, Bangkok gives visitors a first-hand look into the modern, urban Thai culture.

Heading south from Bangkok, you and millions of other tourists that come to Thailand each year will come upon the beautiful Thai islands. You can choose to go to the most developed of beach destinations such as Phuket, bordering the Andaman Sea, or Pattaya and Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand. Many mid-range to high-end luxury resort hotels have locations in these beach destinations.

One popular island destination is Koh Phi Phi, the beaches of which were made famous by the film The Beach. Then, there is the wild Full Moon Party at Koh Pha Ngan. For a more laid-back island vibe, you can head to Koh Chang in Trat province.

A trip to Thailand is incomplete without a taste of the cultures of the north. Not only do Thai northerners have their own identity, the mountains in northern Thailand are home to Thailand’s hill tribes. First stop in northern Thailand is Chiang Mai, the de facto capital of the region. Here, various activities can be arranged such as jungle trekking, zip lining, elephant riding, game fishing and river rafting.

Go further north and you will find yourself in the Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai province, famous in the old days for its opium trade. This is where the countries of Thailand, Burma (Myanmar) and Laos meet, separated only by the great Mekong River.

Because of its rich history and culture, Thailand boasts some of the top landmarks in Southeast Asia. Within Bangkok’s historic centre is Thailand’s most significant Buddhist temple. Located within Bangkok’s Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is a sight to behold with its ornate royal architecture.

Just two hours’ drive north of Bangkok is the ancient Siam capital of Ayutthaya. At its height, this UNESCO World Heritage site was the flourishing trade capital of Asia, with merchants from India, China and the Malay islands passing through here. After being pillaged by Burmese invaders, however, Ayutthaya is now only an archaeological site full of ancient stone temples and towers.

Similar to Ayutthaya is Sukhothai, also an archaeological UNESCO World Heritage site, located further to the north. This is the first capital of the Kingdom of Siam. Found here are the ruins of the old Thai capital and other historical monuments.

To explore Thailand’s more recent history, a stop at Kanchanaburi province is a must. Here, you can find a number of sites and museums depicting Thailand’s involvement in WWII. The main thing to see here is the incarnation of the Bridge on the River Kwai, the start of the infamous Japanese railway connecting Thailand and Burma.

The more adventurous travellers will want to visit two of Thailand’s most beautiful jungle reserves: Khao Yai National Park in Isaan and Khao Sok National Park in southern Thailand. Found here are ancient rainforests, pristine waterfalls and a rich diversity of plants and animals.

Because of Thailand’s popularity with western tourists and its fairly liberal attitude, its entertainment scene has grown to be legendary in Southeast Asia. The liveliest and most exciting, not to mention the seediest and grittiest nightlife, can be found in Bangkok.

The financial district of Silom is the capital’s business centre by day, but the place to party by night. The area close to Sala Daeng station is where most of the party venues are found. Also found in Silom is the infamous Patpong Night Market, a seedy centre of bars and clubs that are popular with western travellers.

Another of Bangkok’s happening place is the backpacker centre of Khao San Road. Young, western tourists on a jaunt around Southeast Asia make this their first and final stop for their travels in the region. Bars and clubs here start early in the evening and carry on well into the morning.

Meanwhile, in the north, Chiang Mai boasts some of the best nightlife in Thailand. Apart from the party venues at trendy Nimmanhemin Road, the city also has some of the best night markets. The Saturday Walking Street and Sunday Walking Street are the place to be at the weekend for locals and tourists alike.

Finally, when in the islands, it doesn’t get any better than the Full Moon Party at Koh Pha Ngan. The beach village of Haad Rin in the southern part of the island is where the biggest party in Thailand happens every month. Bars and clubs here blast loud music and hand out cheap buckets of booze throughout the night.

There is a valid reason why Thai cuisine is known the world over. Heading to Thailand to find that reason is enough to make any holiday memorable. Thai food is rich and characterised by the balancing of strong flavours. Be it street food, a seven-course meal at a five-star hotel or an elegant banquet of royal Thai cuisine, no travel to Thailand is complete without diving into its food culture no matter at what level.

Delicate western stomachs need not worry as most Thai street food is clean and safe. The most famous of these street foods is the quintessential pad Thai, thin rice noodles fried with bean sprouts, spring onions, shrimp, pork, chicken and tofu. Fruit juices and shakes made from the freshest tropical fruits are also popular, with fruit stalls found at every street corner.

In the north, Thai cuisine takes influences from Burma and northern Laos. One such dish with varying versions in each of these three countries is khao soi. The dish consists of boiled egg noodles, with thick, coconut milk-based curry as its broth, topped with crispy fried egg noodles. The curry can be served with pork, beef or chicken.

Rice is almost always eaten at every meal and consumed with various meat dishes and curries. This is especially true in southern Thailand, whose cuisine takes influences from its Malay neighbours. Massaman curry, considered one of the most delicious dishes in the world, is an Indian curry developed by Thai Muslims in the south.