Where to find the very best cultural experiences in Thailand

Want to find some authentic Thai experiences? Travel Blogger Phoebe Lee went in search of the very best cultural experiences in Thailand. Here’s her advice.

I want to start this blog post with a confession. Over the past few years I had begun to fall out of love with Thailand a little bit. The country that had once captivated me had seemingly begun to lose its exotic charm, having it be replaced by mental images of drunk tourists ripping around the streets in Tuk Tuks, wearing Chang singlets and the whole country being over-run as a party destination. I could only picture full-moon parties and seedy bars replacing the things I had loved about Thailand so much.

When the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) invited me to explore Thailand a little deeper, as part of their 84 Perspectives of Thailand campaign, I was both excited and a bit worried. But, you guys, something pretty amazing happened; I rediscovered the parts of Thailand I fell in love with in the first place…. the history, culture and the people. What’s great about this is, now, I know how to find it. I know where to look for those wonderful parts of Thailand and how to see a country rich in tradition and natural beauty.

So, I wanted to share with you a few of the incredible cultural experiences you can find in Thailand. These are the best ways to really reconnect with the country and, trust me, fall back in love with Thailand and the local people too! I’m already planning my next trip back!

Visit the Queen’s Gallery in Bangkok

It’s definitely worth visiting Bangkok because there’s a tonne of history and important cultural places to discover. The Queen’s Gallery is one of these. The gallery is open 10am to 7pm daily and it only costs 50Baht to get in, that’s around $2AU.

Why visit? The gallery showcases unique works of art, traditional clothing and creation methods from different regions, so you get a sense of traditional arts, as well as life in general, from all parts of Thailand. Honestly, it’s well worth it.

Visit the Arts of the Kingdom Museum in Bangkok

The Arts of the Kingdom Museum is a must-visit if you’re in Bangkok. It houses insane works of art from all across Thailand, hand-crafted by skilled local artisans. We’re talking tapestries and wood carvings that will, honestly, blow your mind. I couldn’t quite get over how impressive (and unlike anything else I’ve seen) the works here actually are.

Try a Thai cooking class

You’re going to eat a LOT of delicious Thai food on your trip to Thailand, but taking a cooking class is a very good way to appreciate the food of the region and just how much it reflects and captures Thai culture. There is a lot more to a green curry or Pad Thai than meets the eye, trust me. I did a cooking class and was blown away by the amount of love that goes into creating each dish. Not only this, but the recipes and methods are hundreds of years old and part of each Thai locals’ life. The Chef who taught us during our cooking class exclaimed that, if there were no Pad Thai in Thailand, all the Thai locals would die. That gives you an indicator of how important food is in Thailand!

See Thai dancing

We were treated to a number of incredible dance performances in Thailand and one thing stood out among them all; the performers and musicians have a huge sense of pride. It was so cool to see men and women showing off their history, culture, music and performance art and doing it with a whole lot of joy and love.

Take a ride on a long-tail boat

If you’ve never been to Thailand before, there’s a good chance you’ve seen photos of long-tail boats. In your mind’s eye, they’ll be long wooden boats brightly adorned with ribbons and other pretty bits and pieces to fancy them up. While you’re in Thailand, you should aim to take at least one ride in one of these amazing boats. A good chance to do that is in Bangkok, but you can easily do it out along the coastline too, places like Chiang Mai, Phi Phi Islands and Koh Samui, for example.

Visit a fishing village and learn about conservation efforts

It may be easy to underestimate Thailand and assume the country doesn’t have a focus on conservation. Well, my friend, you’d be wrong! We took a trip to a fishing village and learned how the locals are working hard to conserve a valuable food source; crabs. Rather than continuing to over-fish and deplete their food resources, they’re working hard to ensure they release female crabs who are carrying eggs and force large fishing vessels to move much further away from shore. They’re also focused on rehabilitating and releasing turtles, prohibiting the capture and consumption of them too.

Try Batik painting

If you get the chance, I definitely recommend trying your hand at Batik painting. It’s a really relaxing way to spend a few hours and get hands-on experience. What is it? Well, you apply a wax outline to fabric, wait for it to dry, then paint the design with dye. Once your masterpiece is dry you can get crafty and sew it into a blanket or cushion, for example, or just turn into a piece of art for your home.

Learn about the King and Queen

On my trip I learned a lot about just how much the King and Queen have done for Thailand, they’ve brought a huge focus to conserving and developing Thai history and traditions, like arts and crafts, for example. Understanding the King and Queen better will help you have a much richer experience in Thailand. If you love learning more about this stuff, this is a good little history lesson.

Get a Thai Massage

Thai Massage is a unique experience unto itself. Don’t go in expecting to get nude and all oiled up by a stranger. During a Thai massage, you’ll put on some very comfy clothes and have your body moved, stretched, pushed and pulled into relaxation. Thai massage is part of the history and culture of the country, it combines Indian Ayurvedic ideals with acupressure and assisted yoga postures to release tension and heal the body, mind and spirit.

Eat street food with reckless abandon

Some of the best food in Thailand goes down on the streets, so don’t be afraid to try it. Of course, keep your wits about you and if you or your tummy get an ‘off’ vibe from anything, don’t eat it. But street food is where it’s at, especially if you’re in Bangkok and it will keep your budget very, very happy too. P.S Please eat mango sticky rice at least once a day and try a Thai iced-tea! Both are amazing.

Click here to read Phoebe’s full story

Phoebe Lee is a travel writer and award-winning blogger with a love for storytelling. Phoebe creates practical, fun and engaging written content designed to inspire and energise travel-lovers and dreamers. Follow her and Matt’s adventures at home and around the world, right here on Little Grey Box and through Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.