Holiday rentals in Thailand

Thailand is one of the most popular destinations in Asia, with millions of visitors annually drawn to its rich historical, spiritual, natural, and culinary attractions. Here you’ll find the jaw-droppingly gorgeous temples of Bangkok, Ayutthaya, and Chiang Mai, as well as untouched island beaches and pristine natural parks like the Doi Inthanon National Park, where you can find Thailand’s tallest mountain. Thai metropolises are vibrant hubs of activity. Bangkok, the country’s capital city, houses more than 400 temples, a thriving Chinatown, the buzzing Chatuchak Weekend Market (known locally as JJ Market), and a bumping nightlife scene.

The country has a diverse culinary heritage that draws chefs and home cooks from around the world to taste the splendor of its street food, cozy eateries, and fine dining establishments. You’ll find plenty of visitors getting a sweat-inducing, spice-drenched Southern Thai curry from a street vendor’s wok or finishing off a deliciously sweet order of mango sticky rice while gazing out at a beautiful beach sunset.

As with most tropical destinations, Thailand has a rainy season and a dry season. You’ll find the driest weather during November through April, making this a great time to secure your Thailand villa if you plan on spending a lot of time outdoors. Weather in the northern part of the country is typically cooler during this time, so you’ll want to be sure to pack a sweater for chilly nights. The Songkran Festival celebrating the Thai New Year is held in mid-April and is celebrated by the entire country breaking out in one big water fight.

Things start to really heat up again in May and June, and a lot of the country begins to feel like a steam room. If you can handle the heat, this is a great time to explore one of Thailand’s many islands where you can relax on the sand or cool down in the crystalline waters. The “rainy season” can be a bit of a misnomer — most often, rain spells are hard and fast and are usually gone within an hour, giving you plenty of hours of sunshine.

Bangkok

Bangkok is a vast city that seamlessly blends the old and the new. The magnificent 18th-century Royal Palace was once home to the royal family and features a complex of buildings with whitewashed walls, brightly tiled roofs, and gold fixtures. Just a short 10-minute walk away, the enormous 46-metre long Reclining Buddha awaits at Wat Pho, one of Bangkok’s oldest temples. Khao San Road offers a bustling market with endless shopping and street food options both day and night.

Koh Samui

This island paradise lies in the beautiful Gulf of Thailand. It is the country’s second largest island and is famous for its white-sand beaches fringed with swaying palm trees and sparkling aquamarine water. If you can pull yourself away from the beach, Koh Samui is also home to lush rainforest that is perfect for hiking and the 40-foot-tall Big Buddha, one of Thailand’s most famous shrines.

Ayutthaya

An hour north of Bangkok is the Siamese kingdom of Ayutthaya, founded in the 14th century. Destroyed in 1767 by the Burmese army, Ayutthaya was one of the biggest cities in the world in the early 1700s with a population of roughly one million people. Today you can explore the ruins at the Ayutthaya Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During your visit, you can wander around the remains of more than a dozen temple complexes, Thai and European style palaces, and the city walls.