UNESCO sites in Thailand to visit

Around an hour from downtown Bangkok, the ancient city of Ayutthaya is a doddle to get to. The capital of Siam, now Thailand, between 1351 and 1767, it was once one of the biggest cities in the world. Today, it’s centred around a square mile of ruins and temples enclosed within the Chao Phraya, Pasak and Lop Buri rivers. Among its many attractions are the impressive Khmer-style complex of Wat Chaiwatthanaram, the three large chedis of Wat Phra Si Sanphet, and Wat Mahathat, where a carved head of the Buddha has become tangled in centuries-old tree roots. Ayutthaya can be visited on a day trip, but we recommend spending at least two days, perhaps on our 3-day Overnight Loy Pela Cruise.

Ban Chiang is approximately 40 minutes outside Udon Thani, a small but vibrant northeastern city an hour’s flight from Bangkok. It’s off the beaten track but more than worth the effort. UNESCO calls it ‘the most important prehistoric settlement so far discovered in Southeast Asia,’ Bronze Age Ban Chiang offers some of the region’s earliest evidence of rice farming and manufacturing using metals. Pottery found at the scene has been dated up to 5,000 years old, and the city is believed to have been continuously occupied for over 500 years between 1495 BC and 900 BC. One for the prehistory buffs, Ban Chiang is a fascinating window into a civilisation long gone.

If you’re visiting Udon Thani, the most recently added Thailand UNESCO World Heritage Site is a little over 90 minutes northwest of the city. Phu Phra Bat Historical Park is notable for its ‘bai sima’ stone boundary markers. Placed around the sacred site between 600 and 1100 AD, these stones have transformed the landscape. And Phu Phra Bat has even older secrets to unveil. In addition to an indentation in the mountaintop that is claimed to be the footprint of Buddha, the park's grottoes are canvases for prehistoric paintings. These images of humans, animals and symbols, some of which might be up to 6,000 years old, are a window into Thai life before the borders were even drawn.

A few hours outside Bangkok or the beaches of Pattaya, Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai Forest Complex can be reached by bus, train or private car. This Thailand UNESCO site is celebrated not for telling stories of the past, but for preserving the beauty of the present. Covering 2,300 square miles across six provinces, the tropical forest is ‘internationally important for its biodiversity and the conservation of globally threatened and endangered mammal, bird and reptile species.’ Among the animals for which it provides a vital habitat are Asian elephants, leopard cats and Siamese crocodiles. Wildlife viewing can be enjoyed on hired scooters, guided day tours, or from hiking trails and campgrounds.

Drive north from Bangkok for three and a half hours and you’ll reach Si Thep Historical Park. Declared a UNESCO site in 2023, the ancient town of Si Thep was once a thriving city of the Dvaravati Kingdom. The lost dynasty’s culture was shaped by Indian religions like Hinduism and Buddhism, and is now showcased in distinctive sculptures described as the Si Thep School of Art. The site, housed within moated inner and outer towns, is also home to monuments such as the giant Khao Klang Nok chedi and the carved Khao Thamorrat Cave.

The largest national park in Thailand is only an hour from the country’s oldest beach resort. Hua Hin and Kaeng Krachan make perfect partners for a trip combining one of the region’s most authentic coasts with one of its most unspoiled wildernesses. A haven for endangered plants and animals and a paradise for bird-watchers, this natural landscape at the top of the Malay Peninsula is home to Asian elephants, Asian giant tortoises, Asiatic wild dogs, clouded leopards, fishing cats and more. Explore by self-drive if you have a 4x4, or day tours led by local experts give extra insight and the best chance of encounters with the park’s captivating residents.

Roughly halfway between Bangkok and the northern city of Chiang Mai is the very first capital of Siam, now Thailand. The once magnificent Royal Palace has since been reduced to ruins, but there are plenty of architectural remains. Visitors can’t help but sense the scale and importance of the historic settlement, which helped shape Thailand’s culture, religion and language. Among the still-standing attractions are the graceful stupas of Wat Mahathat, the 15-metre Buddha statue of Wat Si Chum, and the Sri Lankan-style island temple of Wat Sa Si. A modern city close to the old town offers easy access via bicycle, tuk-tuk or private car.

The last place on our list of Thailand’s UNESCO World Heritage sites is the Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries. Covering almost 2,500 square miles of the Kanchanaburi, Tak and Uthai Than provinces, these natural expanses make up ‘the largest conservation area in mainland Southeast Asia’. Most excitingly, they’re believed to be home to between 50 and 100 wild tigers, around half the region’s entire population. Tiger sightings are extremely rare, but you may see or hear evidence of their presence while searching for other animals like elephants, boars and deer.