This spa's setting is among the best on Koh Samui. Tucked away in a beautifully landscaped garden and surrounded by adobe-covered brick walls that create an enclave of serenity are just six glass-walled treatment pavilions. It’s a great place to try such local healing rituals as the two-hour traditional Thai Treat, in which steamed pouches containing five Thai herbs known for their restorative properties are used to massage the body.

Located about thirty-three kilometers (about twenty miles) east of Bangkok, this large outdoor museum was envisioned and built by Lek Viriyaphant, an eccentric Thai millionaire who dreamed of bringing the country’s most significant structures back to life (the old capital of Ayutthaya was practically destroyed in the Burmese invasion of 1767). In this 200-acre park, he oversaw the building of more than 100 structures—some restored old buildings, some new replicas. It has a touch of Disneyland (the grounds, for instance, are roughly the same shape as the old Kingdom of Siam), but the life-size replicas, in particular, are impressive. Few tourists make it out here, so it’s a lovely retreat away from the city’s bustle. You can even rent bicycles to explore the grounds. From central Bangkok, it’s a thirty-minute taxi ride.

This was the majestic capital of the Kingdom of Siam from 1351 until the Burmese invasion of 1767 almost entirely destroyed the city, including three splendid palaces and some 400 temples. For travelers interested in archeology and history, visiting the ruins that remain of this glorious city, in a historical park that’s been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, makes a fascinating day trip.

Read about Elephantstay, a rescue program outside Bangkok in Ayutthaya.

Built by the internationally renowned artist Thawan Duchanee, Baan Dam is one of the most significant draws to Chiang Rai.

Many golfers consider this the most challenging 18-hole course in Thailand, so it is understandably favored and, therefore, reserved in advance by visiting pros, Thai businessmen and local expatriates.

While Thailand’s best cooking schools and classes are found up north, in places like Chiang Mai, Bangkok does have a few top places where you can learn about the cooking techniques and ingredients that make Thai cuisine one of the world’s most exciting (and delicious).

Purists head to the Blue Elephant, the school above the renowned restaurant, where classes are offered twice a day. The menu depends on the day of the week (check on the school’s Web site if you have your heart set on one dish in particular). There’s a separate vegetarian program, and private classes can be arranged. Of course, participants enjoy the fruits of their labor over a lengthy lunch or dinner. (Note: If your travel extends beyond Bangkok, the Blue Elephant Cooking School Phuket now offers classes in the beautiful, former Governor’s Mansion in Phuket Town).

Hire a car and driver to cruise leisurely between one ancient pile of stones and the next. Start by heading ten miles west of Chiang Mai town, to Wat Doi Suthep, a mountaintop temple 3,500 feet above sea level that confers exceptional vistas of the surrounding Himalayan foothills. Doi Suthep Mountain was originally inhabited by the Lua people who believed the souls of their ancestors lived at the summit. The temple was built in the late 14^th century when Buddhism became the dominant religion here. According to legend, King Geu Na ordered that a relic of the holy Buddha be strapped to the back of a sacred white elephant that was turned loose. The elephant stopped at the summit of Doi Suthep and the king ordered that a golden pagoda be built here to house a sacred Buddha relic. Climb 306 steps up an almost vertical staircase, or take the cable car to this magnificent Lanna style shimmering gilded chedi, or pagoda, that is today one of the most sacred in Thailand.

Built in the forested foothills of Doi Suthep Mountain, the 14^th century Wat U Mong is named for its distinguishing feature, as umong (Thai for tunnel). The forested grounds beneath the gilded chedi are crisscrossed with tunnels, allegedly because this temple was built to keep one of its original monks who was highly regarded but slightly mad, from wandering off.

Back in Chiang Mai, Wat Prha Singh built in 1345 is known as the Monastery of the Lion Buddha. The exquisite gold lacquered assembly hall, Viharn Lao Kham, contains the Phra Sihing Buddha, the city's most venerated Buddha image. Built in the 14^th century by King Mengrai the founder of Chiang Mai, Wat Chiang Man is believed to be Chiang Mai's oldest and is most famous for its two Buddhas: the miniature crystal White Emerald Buddha, or Phra Sae Tang Khamani and the marble Phra Sila Buddha. Nearby, Wat Chedi Luang dates to 1481 and houses a Buddhist university where visitors come from around the world for daily monk chats.

A beautifully laid-out oasis of calm, the Chi Spa, in the Shangri-La, is one of Bangkok’s most impressive destination spas. The quiet, candle-lit design, with lots of stone walls and teak sliding doors, resembles a monastery, and indeed there is something spiritual about the ambience here. There are just twelve spacious treatment rooms, each equipped with an herbal steam shower, large changing facilities and a soaking tub. Treatments are based on traditional Chinese philosophies and remedies that enhance the chi. It’s worth investing in one of the longer, signature cures, like the two-and-a-half-hour Enchanted Journey, which includes a rejuvenating Himalayan bath therapy, a body rub and an aroma massage. The Chi Spa, located away from the city’s bustle in the hotel’s Krungthep Wing, is a great spot in which to recharge after a few days of sightseeing. Open 10 a.m.–11 p.m.

The Chinese are one of the oldest and largest immigrant communities in Bangkok, and their presence was one of the reasons the city expanded as rapidly as it did in the 19th century. Chinatown, on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River, consists of a maddening labyrinth of tiny alleys, most lined with food stalls of all kinds and vendors selling everything from amulets and beaded jewelry to huge statues of the Buddha and bags of chili peppers. (If you purchase one of Nancy Chandler’s handy maps, you’ll find an entire section dedicated to Chinatown.)

It’s a good idea to visit this section of town with a guide, who can point out the highlights and then take the quickest route to the nearby Grand Palace and the temples. Sensitive souls should know that the smells they’ll encounter will be intense, especially in the heat, and that the heaps of animal parts, meat and fish (dried, picked, raw, still alive) are a vegetarian’s worst nightmare. Don’t miss the spectacular flower market, where an armful of orchids costs no more than three dollars, and the soaring halls where masses of spices, fruits and vegetables are sold.

Chinatown, and its subset of markets is best experiences with a local guide. Contact our bookings department for a specialized tour will kick off at the Ea Sae teahouse, which opened in 1929 and is where the old men of the neighborhood still start their mornings with cha-yen (iced tea) and gossip (you’ll find their wives in Lumpini Park, practicing tai chi). If you go alone, take a taxi to Yaowarat Road, then dive into any of the side lanes that lead to the river. Before you know it, you’ll be lost in the maze that is Bangkok’s Chinatown.

Operating according to the same holistic principles as its sister COMO Shambhala spas (at Parrot Cay, in the Turks and Caicos, and at Begawan Giri, in Bali), the spa at the Metropolitan hotel has ten treatment rooms and a long menu of therapies, including some locally inspired offerings, but also its signature COMO massages, body cures and facials. The facilities are not as roomy as those at, say, Chi Spa, but the organic restaurant Glow, on the same floor, is a great stop for a healthy lunch before or after a treatment. Open 9 a.m.–9:30 p.m.

Dusit is northwest of the city center, but if you do make it there, don’t miss the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall, a whimsical neoclassical palace whose exteriors are clad in white Carrara marble, from Italy. The Jim Thompson House and M.R. Kukrit Heritage Home have pretty gardens as well.

Set deep in the forest in Sra Morokot, the Emerald Pool National Park, the Emerald Crystal Lagoon is a strikingly colored freshwater pool that is cool and heavenly for swimming. This excursion pairs well with a trip to Tiger Cave Temple.

Open to both resort guests and outside visitors, the open-air kitchen is nestled among the lush tropical forest of this breathtaking resort. Classes begin with a morning trip to the local market in the city of Chiang Mai, where students are guided through the market to purchase ingredients and experience a part of the everyday routine for local residents. Then they return to the cooking school for a demonstration by the charismatic and funny chef. After each course is demonstrated, student return to their workstation to fire up a wok of their own. For multiple families, cooking competitions can be arranged. This is a memorable experience for both those who love cooking, as well as those who usually don’t set foot in the kitchen.

Established to repopulate Phuket’s rain forests with indigenous white-handed gibbons, the worthy outing allows urbanites to listen to the singsong sounds of these adorable apes then wander into the rain forest to cool off with a swim under Bang Pae Waterfall.

It is not uncommon to see majestic elephants being paraded down the clogged streets of Bangkok, and often tourists are encouraged to buy treats to feed them. Do not support this trade: these urban elephants are worked to exhaustion and abused. (The elephants’ plight is a major concern in Southeast Asia overall, as the animals are no longer needed for the work they performed for decades and are frequently kept in major cities in unbearable conditions.) Rather, if you want to interact with these regal animals, consider donating time to Elephantstay, an amazing program in Ayutthaya, a one-hour drive from Bangkok.

Plan to spend several hours exploring the Grand Palace, a sprawling complex that was the official residence of the king of Thailand from the 18th to the mid-20th centuries. As with any palace in Europe, each expansion was the work of another king, but perhaps the most influential touches were added by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), whose father was the inspiration for The King and I. (Even though the story of British schoolteacher Anna Leonowens and the six years she spent at the court teaching English to the king’s wives, concubines and children—including Chulalongkorn—is revered by the Thai people, the Hollywood film starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yun Fat is not. In fact, it was banned in Thailand because of major historical inaccuracies.)

King Chulalongkorn was keenly interested in Western politics and administration, and his insight and political savvy is often credited as the reason why Thailand (then Siam) was never colonized. At the Grand Palace, King Chulalongkorn, who traveled widely in Asia and Europe, instigated the building of the Borom Phiman mansion, a whimsical combination of Thai and neoclassical French architecture (today it houses heads of state who travel to Thailand). The big attraction at the Grand Palace, to a large extent, is the spectacular temple of the Emerald Buddha, carved entirely of green jade and clothed in gold. Note that your ticket to see the Grand Palace is also valid for a same-day visit to the Dusit Palace.

While Phuket looks rather developed with one’s feet on the ground, the perspective changes dramatically from above. These choppers offer tried-and-true routes incorporating the fantastic rock formations around Phang Nga Bay and over to Koh Phi Phi or the pilots will fly around as directed.

Approximately 20 miles from Ao Nang, Ao Thalane is home to one of the most beautiful mangrove forests in Thailand. Your guide will lead you through the calm lagoons, marine caves and through dense forests, possibly spotting macaques and herons along the way. The timing of your tour will depend on the tide, as you will be able to go further into the forest at mid-tide. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team for more information and for assistance planning this excursion.

On this full-day tour, guests will be picked up and taken by boat to Rai Ley beach, one of the world’s premier rock climbing destinations. Guests will undergo a safety briefing before heading to a location based on the experience level of the climber. The tour can be accommodated to climbers of all levels and will include rappelling/abseiling as well as "top-roped" rock climbing. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team for more information and for assistance planning this excursion.

One of the best ways to embrace the beauty of Thailand’s northern countryside is to drift gracefully one thousand feet above it in a hot-air balloon. Wake early and take a flight in time to watch the red glowing sunrise over rice paddy fields and temples. You will enjoy a heightened sense of peace and tranquility as you float over the beautiful landscape of Chiang Mai before descending into the open fields for a private Champagne brunch as local farmers and their livestock awaken and begin their day. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team for more information and for assistance planning this excursion.

Spend an exhilarating day (or half-day) flying through the emerald rainforest on this elaborate treetop obstacle course, pausing occasionally to witness stunning views over the mountainous region. With various course options, a jungle experience can include nature walking, abseils, sky bridges and memorable panoramic observation points. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team for more information and for assistance planning this excursion.

Spending a day at sea is a ‘must do’ for any visitor to the area. With an Indagare specialist guide and your own private captain, embark on a boat tour of the immaculate beaches and waters of the Andaman Sea. In just 30 minutes, escape to the dream-like islands of Koh Phi Phi Le, Koh Phi Phi Don, and Koh Mak, where dramatic limestone cliffs and soft, white-sand beaches are scattered throughout the warm, crystal clear waters. Visit Koh Phi Phi Le (famous for being the stunning film set of The Beach) in the early morning before groups of tourists arrive. Bask in the sun and glittering water before navigating towards Koh Mak where you can learn about the island’s strategic value and spend time feeding bananas to the native monkeys. Stop for lunch at one of the many eco-resorts, like The Outrigger (www.outriggerthailand.com), which sit on wide stretches of white-sand beach. Enjoy the later part of the afternoon swimming and snorkeling in the magnificent setting of the Andaman Sea. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team for more information and for assistance planning this excursion.