Time stated that this Year their list was made, “with an eye toward those offering new and exciting experiences” by correspondents and contributors all around the world.
Time lists 50 locations in their list which they believe are the “top spots to visit this year.” The locations are not numbered in any particular order.
Phuket making the list probably comes as no surprise to most tourists, given the island’s reputation as a much sought-after holiday destination. Phuket’s most notable feature is “family thrills,” according to Time magazine they said that:
“Thailand’s most visited region due to the famous beaches of Phuket, just upped its family appeal with the grand opening of Carnival Magic last September. The country’s first culturally-focused theme park, 40 acres sandwiched between a verdant mountain and sandy shore, re-creates traditional festivals and market fairs found throughout the kingdom in a dazzling array of neon lights.
“Kids can get their ice cream fix at Torry’s, a family-run ice cream shop in the heart of Phuket Town that uses ingredients like coconut milk and blue pea flower in the subtly sweet and umami-rich Bi Co Moi.
Isaan, however, is not hot on tourists’ radars despite its rich culture and temples, vast landscape, amazing traditional music and instruments, and culinary uniqueness.
Isaan, or Isan, doesn’t fit the same description. Time calls the huge area of Thailand a “unique culinary capital,” offering more adventurous tourists a different experience:
“Chances are you’ve already tried food from Isan, and you might not even know it. The largest region in Thailand, which hugs the border with Laos and Cambodia in the country’s northeast, has given us such classic dishes as som tum (green papaya salad) and larb (ground meat salad), and its diaspora is spreading this sour, spicy, herbaceous cooking style far and wide.
“Those who venture to this off-the-beaten-path region of Thailand teeming with rice fields are rewarded with national parks and Khmer temple ruins that rival Angkor Wat, and now: Michelin-recommended restaurants.
“This year, the company expanded its Thailand guide to include Isan, doling out 33 Bib Gourmand designations across the region to spots like Kai Yang Saeng Thai, which has been serving its herb-marinated rotisserie chicken since 1967, and Lab Nua, known for its fiery salads and rice field snail soup.”
It’s not just restaurants and night markets that are drawing a new crowd of visitors though. Last year marked the 60th anniversary of Thailand’s first national park, Khao Yai, which sits largely in Isan’s Nakhon Ratchasima province and is home to elephants, gibbons, and Asian black bears. In September, the park welcomed the Inter Continental Khao Yai Resort, which is inspired by 19th-century train travel and features upcycled vintage railcars that now double as the hotel’s spa, tearoom, brasserie, and specialty suites. Nearby Roukh Kiri Khao Yai is a collection of a dozen minimalist villas that offer sweeping views out over this often-overlooked slice of rural paradise.
Having been a huge fan of travelling this region over the years and loving the beauty of the culture and different side of Thailand, I am glad to see that it has finally been internationally recognized. Hopefully it will bring more money and investment into the region without spoiling it’s unique culture.