Thailand has finally opened to vaccinated tourists from Russia, so it’s time to return to the tropical paradise or get to know this amazing country for the first time. In this material, we have collected three of the most popular resorts in Thailand and told you what to do there. Read and plan your adventures in Asia!
Entry rules
Russian tourists can visit the country as part of the Sandbox program. You can go to a number of provinces (including Phuket, Koh Samui and Bangkok). To enter, you must register on the special Thailand Pass portal (for this, for example, you will need insurance, a vaccination certificate and a reservation for accommodation in one of the certified hotels).
In addition, 72 hours before departure you will need to undergo PCR testing. The test will have to be repeated upon arrival (prepayment is made before departure via the Thailand Pass system) and you will have to stay at the hotel until you receive the result. For seven days you cannot leave the province where you arrived. Then, on the sixth or seventh day, you must take a test and, if you receive a negative result, you can move to other regions. Also be sure to download the MorChana app.
Please note that from December 16, the period of stay in the province you arrived in will be reduced to five. In addition, it will also be possible to enter with a certificate of illness already suffered in the last three months (subject to receiving at least one dose of the vaccine). In addition, a second test upon arrival will replace the rapid test on days 4-5.
What to do in Phuket
The island of Phuket is located in the southern part of Thailand, and it is one of the most popular locations among travelers. There is lush vegetation, mountains and beaches with fine white sand everywhere. You can relax here at any time of the year, but the most successful period is winter – the dry season.
Once you are in Phuket, it is worth driving around all the viewing islands to see the most impressive sunsets. There are quite a lot of them: Rang Hill, Sarasin Bridge, Khao Khad Tower, lookout points at the foot of the Big Buddha, on Karon Beach, Promthep Cape.
Another picturesque and no less interesting place is Monkey Hill, or Monkey Mountain. This is one of the highest hills in Phuket and is home to several hundred sociable monkeys. You can take pictures with them, treat them with mangoes, nuts, corn and bananas.
Lovers of natural beauty will also appreciate the botanical garden, where you can see unique palm trees, hundreds of plant species and dozens of varieties of cacti, stroll through fragrant gardens and ponds with beautiful lotuses, lilies and bright carp.
The surroundings of Nai Yang Beach in the northern part of the island are a great place for spotting: planes land 100 meters from the shore and fly literally over the heads of tourists, so you can take incredibly breathtaking shots.
When the main attractions of the island have been explored and the most outlandish dishes of Thai cuisine have been tried, we suggest heading to the neighboring and incredibly picturesque ones: the Phi Phi archipelago, famous from the film “The Beach”, James Bond Island – an iconic place from the American blockbuster, as well as the small but very interesting Coral Island, the water off the coast of which is incredibly clear. You can get to all these places as part of excursions.
What to see on Koh Samui
Samui is an island of stunning natural beauty and diversity, the third largest in the country. It is famous for its white beaches, vibrant corals, gentle lagoons and picturesque waterfalls, the most impressive of which are Na Muang 1, Na Muang 2, Hin Lat and Tarmin.
The first thing to do in Koh Samui is to go around all the beaches and see incredible sunsets, climb to the lookouts and enjoy the spectacle of a true tropical paradise, and then visit other pearls of the island. Among them is the amazing Red Temple of Wat Ratchathammaram. There are practically no crowds of tourists here and you can enjoy the silence and tranquility of the Buddhist sanctuary, as well as incredible bas-reliefs in red tones. Nearby is the Snake Stone Pagoda, which is one of the three oldest on the island. She is about 250 years old and contains the relics of Buddha.
Another sacred place is the Magic Garden of Buddha. This amazing oasis of tropical greenery is located on the highest mountain of Koh Samui, and here you can spend an hour wandering around the sculpture garden and taking mesmerizing photos. By the way, if you like atmospheric photo sessions, it’s worth checking out the Dusit Dhewa cultural center – this is one of the most interesting places on the island in terms of authentic aesthetics and color. In one place, the Thai Khun Chat collected all kinds of antiques, costumes, figures and sculptures. The result is a ready-made luxurious outdoor photo zone, the territory of which is planted with flowers and fruit trees.
Once the main attractions of Koh Samui have been explored, head to the neighboring islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao – wilder but incredibly beautiful in nature. Local coral reefs off the coast will amaze even fans of the underwater treasures of the Red Sea. Finally, sail to the Ang Thong archipelago, made up of 42 islands. Here you will see absolutely wild nature: you can visit this miracle of Thailand only as part of excursions; long stops and hotels are not provided.
What to be surprised in Bangkok
Bangkok is an incredibly exotic city, where the color of Buddhist temples, floating houses and historical quarters is closely intertwined with skyscrapers and the benefits of modern civilization. It is convenient to travel from one attraction to another by taxi.
The first place to start getting acquainted with the capital of Thailand is to visit the Royal Palace, which consists of several buildings and 95 pagodas, and also see the temple-mountain of the Dawn Wat Arun.
You can admire the city from above at observation points. The most famous of them are the Wat Saket The Golden Mount temple (to climb it, you need to walk 318 steps), as well as the tallest skyscraper in Bangkok – Baiyok Sky.
To join the rhythm of local life, take a look at Lumpini Park – in the evenings, people run here, do fitness, ride catamarans, and monitor lizards – lizards more than a meter in size that are not dangerous to humans – walk right across the lawns (the main thing is , do not touch them). And you can truly feel the Asian flavor at the floating markets, where all kinds of souvenirs, clothes and food are sold directly from the boats.
Another interesting, although not so well-known among tourists, attraction is the open-air museum “Ancient Siam”. This is a huge park with architectural examples of structures from all over Thailand, where you can spend the whole day. The territory is huge, the easiest and fastest way to move around it is by bicycle or golf cart.
If you have a free day, we also recommend visiting the ancient city of Ayutthaya, which is located 75 km north of Bangkok. This is the historical capital of Siam, which has now become an open-air museum with many colorful temple ruins and ruins of an ancient city.
