The best places to visit in Thailand

Enjoy the best places to visit in Thailand while you are on vacation. Meanwhile, become overwhelmed by the authentic atmosphere of sacred locations in Thailand. 
Read more about the connection between sacred venues and religious festivals. These holidays are either Buddhistic or animistic. However, sometimes it is a mixture of both. On this page, you will discover two things. Firstly what sacred places mean for people living in Thailand. Secondly, when and where are festivals celebrated by people in Thailand. 

Holy places of Buddhists 

So, let us start with the best places to visit in Thailand, which have a sacred context for Buddhists. You will discover these places keep many spiritual travellers fascinated. Even though; most people think of India first regarding holy places, instead of thinking about Thailand. 
Because Buddha has travelled to many locations in Asia the spiritual and cosmic nature of Buddhism is still found everywhere in Thailand. This resulted in findings of several relics of Buddha, such as shoulder bones, hairs or a tooth. For people from Thailand, these findings possess magical life-transcending powers. So, Buddhists in Thailand regularly visit these sites and make sacred offerings there. And to enhance your spiritual holiday, it could be deepening to visit a holy venue like the temple of the White Elephant in Chiang Mai or immerse yourself fully in the culture by joining a religious festival.

The legend of the white elephant

To clarify, centuries ago, Buddhists built a monastery called Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. The place is holy to Buddhists because of the legend of the white elephant. So, a monk named Sumanathera found a shoulder bone. Because the bone belongs to Gautama the Buddha, it possesses magical powers. With overwhelming magic, the bone multiplied itself during the find. Undoubtedly, the big bone broke into two pieces. So the people took the smallest bone part and enshrined it. Afterwards, the large bone was tied to a white elephant. Subsequently, King Nu Naone ordered his people to send the white elephant into the jungle. Then the elephant walked up the mountain Doi Suthep where he fell dead after three trumpets. Since then, Buddhist experts say the death of the white elephant is an omen. And because of this omen, King Nu Naone built a temple on this location. 

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Celebration of Chinese Dragon Festival

The most extraordinary sites

Certainly, holy places are abundant in Thailand. If you are open-minded for sacred experiences then visiting one evokes a spiritually authentic atmosphere. Basically, it goes too far to list all the holy locations of Thailand here in this part of the travel guide. But, for spiritual travellers reading this guide, here you read a shortlist of five locations with a greater significance for Buddhists. 

However, this list is not complete as there are hundreds of other venues that are also worth visiting.

Wat Phrae Kaew

To point out, the location of the temple is in Bangkok. In reality, it is the most important temple in Thailand. Because it is constructed on the grounds of the royal palace. The exhibition of the Emerald Buddha is in the Ubosot. However, the statue is only twenty-seven inches tall. At the same time, it is the most important religious symbol of Thailand. 

Doi Suthep

So, the location of the mountain called Doi Suthep is close to Chiang Mai. Whereas, centuries ago, a temple has been built on the mountain to worship the dead white elephant. To clarify the story is written here too.

Even so, the most important thing to remember is that there is a powerful and healing relic of Buddha’s shoulder bone. Buddha’s healing powers work whether you believe it or not. With this in mind, it is overwhelming to understand that the view of the mountain over Chiang Mai is as spectacular as the finding of the relic once has been.

Phra Pathomachedi

Undoubtedly, Nakhon Pathom province is the temple with the largest chedi in Thailand. This chedi is the first constructed and, therefore, the oldest too. To illustrate, the building is a hundred and twenty-seven meters high. The location is sixty kilometres west of Bangkok. However, only a few foreign tourists are visiting this temple. And therefore interesting for those looking for something different than the well-known places.

What Arun

Then there also is another temple in Bangkok called: Wat Arun. Explicitly, this temple has been built in the eighteenth century by King Taksin. Because the king wanted to build a place to pay a tribute to the Emerald Buddha. As a matter of fact, Wat Arun is the temple of the aurora. So, the temple is located across the Chao Phraya River. Of course, you travel there by ferry over the river. To point out, the word Arun is a tribute to the Hindu god Aruna.

Putthamonthon

Finally, you should go and see the impressive Buddhist park. Besides, this park is also known as Buddhamonthon. To illustrate, in this park you will find the tallest free-standing Buddha statue in the world, made by Silpa Bhirasri. Certainly, there are higher statues than this nearly fifty-two feet high statue. But other Buddha statues have been constructed in a sitting position or connected to another building. To point out, what makes the park really impressive is a building called Marble Vihara. Because, this vihara contains the complete Buddhist canon, engraved in fourteen hundred and eighteen marble standing tablets (stela’s) having the size of a human.

Make a healing trip to Thailand

Thus, if you plan to make a trip to Thailand and you want to enjoy the meditative tranquillity, then Thailand is a country that has a lot to offer to you. If you like to undergo a soul healing retreat or participate in a monastery during your trip, a visit to a sacred site gives an exciting and complete feeling. Therefore, going on a trip to Thailand to do yoga and find balance gives a dynamic and unique experience to travellers.

Many different festivals and holidays in Thailand

But no matter what time of the year, a traveller will find a suitable colourful spiritual or Buddhist cultural festival.
Besides, holy places have a special meaning for people in Thailand. For that reason, a god, a spirit or Buddha is often worshipped during a festival or holiday.
To clarify, some days people honour the spirits of the harvest, other days are the beginning or ending of the rain period – the monsoon – celebrated and then again at other days Buddha, the water goddess Loi Khratong or the moon are revered.

Thailand holiday calendar

Of course, the best places to visit in Thailand are these locations with festivals or celebrations. As you read here, there is plenty to find for spiritually orientated travellers. Because every month and every season you will find something essential to celebrate in Thailand. So for your convenience and to keep it clear, read this list of the most important holidays in Thailand below.

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Holy man pierces his face at Vegetarian Day Thailand

Book a yoga retreat and visit Buddhistic holidays

In summary, this guide gives a clear survey of the most well-known Thai festivals. Besides, not mentioned in the list are smaller village festivals and holidays. Because these are also a terrific way to get acquainted with the culture.

But, if you are a traveller, then it is ideal to combine a festival with a yoga retreat in a meditative resort. In other words, you will then combine the wonderfully relaxed refreshing yoga retreat experience with Vesak Day or Makha Bucha Day. Thus, for serious yoga practitioners, your holiday becomes an authentic and pure experience this way. For example, it is the habit to walk with candles around a local Buddha sculpture during Makha Bucha.

Also, there are Dhamma sermons. Dhamma is an inner perception of written and unwritten justice in the form of a revelation. But to point out, the concept of Dhamma does not everywhere have the same explanation in every Buddhist country.

A Dedication to Buddha’s enlightenment

Another Buddhist remembrance day is Vesak Day. To illustrate, Vesak Day is dedicated to the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama the Buddha. It should be noted that lay followers sometimes fast from noon until breakfast. Indeed, this is something monks do every day. For many Thai people, it is the happiest day of the year. Particularly, it is time to bring happiness to the sick people, the elderly and the unfortunate in the form of gifts or charitable contributions. With this in mind, you visit parades and ceremonies. What’s more, is that houses and temples are decorated with lights of all shapes and flowers. Also, the children give flowers to their parents. To summarize, you will easily find Buddhistic festival locations to visit in Thailand. 

Take your chance and go to the Festival of Lights in Thailand

So, if you are a tourist looking for relaxing spiritual events, then Thailand is an excellent place to visit. Ready to explore the best places to visit in Thailand? You easily taste the atmosphere at one of the Buddhist holidays in Thailand. Visit the Festival of Lights called Loi Krathong for example. However, you can also go to the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival. Or take part in a celebration in honour of the monsoon period. Noticing there are in Thailand places to visit with an almost magical spiritual and Buddhistic festival atmosphere, giving you the feeling to travel to Thailand instantly. If you want to take extra time to really immerse yourself in Thai culture and customs after a yoga retreat then easily enjoy your vacation at or around the time of a festival or holiday mentioned in the list above.