Recommendations for somewhere new
 

I have lived in Thailand for 5 years, We have done all the main tourist resorts and more but I feel there must be other undiscovered gems out there.

What are your recommendations and why?

As usual it all depends on your interests and where you have been before.

For the beaches, who are still "undiscovered" by farang masses try Kanchanaburi, Bang Saphan, Nakhon Si Tammarat, Rayong (that one near burmese border) or Kho Ko Khao. Decent beaches, relatively cheap and rather quiet.

If nature is more your style I'd take a look at Umpang, lovely landscape with mountains and water falls near burmese border.

If getting to know thai life a little bit more, then I'd take a rather "adventurous" tour through Isaan. Fly to Ubon Rathchathani and from there do some round trip with a car like this . If you are at Ubon it's also easy to get to the south of Laos for a trip to Wat Po and the great landscape at Si Phan Don area.

Have you done Khao Yai? There are some nice resorts near the park and the park itself is quite nice. And huge.

I hear Pai is supposed to be worth a visit but I haven't been there.

Have you done Sukhothai and the surrounding area? Go for Loy Krathong it's really nice.

Where do you live? Do you have a car? What kinds of things do you like to do?

If in Bangkok, then day trips to almost any nearby province can be interesting. Ko Kret, Samut Songkhram: temples, King Buddhalertla Naphalai Memorial Park, Rama II park/house, Bejarong Porcelein, etc. Chachaengsao and Chantaburi are also day/overnight destinations. Farther afield: Phimai Historical Park in Nakhon Ratchasima; Phanom Rung historical park in Buriram; as mentioned: Sukhothai Historical Park/Si Satchanalai historical park (BTW, I would recommend not going during Loy Khratong as it is over-run with extra lights, cables, fire-works cannons, vendors); Zodiac temples in the North; particularly Phrae and Nan.

Certainly looking at the Islands as an option. Enjoy chilling and eating seafood but do tend to get sick of it after a while so would need some variety.

I can second all of these.

Last week I visited Phrae for the first time and quite enjoyed walking around and seeing all the wonderful wood houses. Neither it nor Nan has much of a tourist infrastructure but that's what make them wonderful.

See I really enjoyed the "sound and light show". And the LK parade is really neat as well. And the displays of the of the krathong from the contest. And I liked the fireworks too. But to each his own I suppose. :)

We spent a little time in Phitsanulok before going to Sukhothai and they had these really neat revolving colored light displays all over and colorful lights hanging in the trees along the river. I loved it all.

There are a number of spots near Kanchanaburi, over and above the 'usual' touristy spots. Around ANZAC Day (=memorial day for those from US) on 25 Apr visit Hell fire pass museum( the flame trees are in full blossom by then), Home Phu Toey Resort (includes some direct history with owning family and resistance against the Japanese), puengwaan resort (Sai Yoke) and others. In 1986 I visited Doi Ahng Khan, near Fang, on the Thai Brunese border with some student from Thamasat University. Was quite a trip with a Royal agricultural project running to encourage locals to depart from opium cropping..... Dunno how it has gone.

Beaches, Well if you have done the main places try near Cambodia, with Ko Chang, Ko Kood and others. Quickly into the region where infrastructure can only support aircon 1800-0600 with itinerant power, and no Internet (well, decent connectivity anyways).

Forays into Cambodia highly recommended, but so much depends on what you are prepared to 'tolerate'!

Cheers, TK