Thailand

If you've seen amazing pictures of Thailand’s beaches or videos of elephants bathing in the river and decided that this Southeast Asian country was just a tropical paradise built for Instagrammers, you're missing the big picture. Thailand is one of the world's most exciting, cheapest, and forever surprising destinations that always lives up to the hype in ways you wouldn’t expect.

A Thailand vacation can mean taking to the bustling streets of Bangkok, where you can try are all sorts of spicy Thai street foods. It can also mean visiting elephant sanctuaries in Chiang Mai, where ethically practiced pachyderm tourism sometimes finds piano players serenading the animals. Thailand travel can include hitting a Full Moon Party, visiting the most stunning temples, getting a Thai massage, taking a cooking class, hiking to waterfalls in the jungle, sailing down the Chao Phraya River, or just interacting with Thailand’s incredibly friendly people.