As many of you who follow this blog know, I live in Bangkok which I think is one of the best cities in the world. Apart from being cheap, having great food and super friendly locals, the main reason I love living here as that I can go on weekend trips away to all parts of the country. Within an hour I can be at the beach or in the mountains – it doesn’t get much better than that.

It is so easy and all I have to do is pack my carry on suitcase, call a cab and head to the airport. Here are 3 of the best places to visit in Thailand when you want a weekend away from Bangkok.

Chiang Mai

This is the second largest city in Thailand but doesn’t feel like a big city at all, that’s down to the layout and also the lack of big high rise buildings. You can get a flight from Bangkok for around $35 and the flying time is around an hour. It is a great place to chill out, enjoy a cool temperature and eat in some of the best restaurants in the country. There are also plenty of temples to visit to get a bit of culture and if you’re looking for something unique you can head to the women’s prison to get a massage – you can’t do that every day!

Bangsaen

Now this one doesn’t involve a flight which is awesome. Within an hour I can be in Bangsaen which happens to be the closest beach to Bangkok. The rule when you travel is always do what the locals do and each weekend Thai people flock to this small seaside city to enjoy themselves. It costs about $30 by cab and you can get a hotel for the same price. I love sitting on the deckchairs by the sea reading a good book, sipping on a cold beer waiting for the sun to set – you feel a million miles away from the big city here. The fact you only have an hour by taxi to get home is a big plus too.

Mae Sot

If you’ve travelled in Thailand or live here you may not have heard of Mae Sot. Located in the north west of the county on the Thai-Myanmar border, this interesting little border town isn’t visited by many people. So why do I have it on my list? Well, firstly it’s because I do a lot of charity projects here and secondly because whilst your here you can spend a day in Myanmar. After exploring the many national parks that are dotted around the city you can walk over the friendship bridge and spend a day in Myanmar which I think is a pretty cool experience. It only costs 500 THB ($15 USD) to cross over and you get to experience a new culture and a different way of life. You’ll love visiting Myanmar and meeting the super friendly local peoples, it is a day out to remember!

Have you been to any of these places or are there other destinations that you would recommend? I’d love to hear your thoughts and hopefully find out about some real gems. Just pop your musings in the comments section below, thanks for sharing guys!