I lived and worked in Thailand for 6 years, and I find myself itching to get back soon. Maybe it’s the White Lotus effect. Maybe it’s just because it’s the BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD. You can get massages for $6 or you can go very hi-so and have tea at the Mandarin Oriental or buy a car at the mall — it’s all up to you. I lived in Bangkok, which I loved, but things change SO fast it’s hard to keep up. Many of my favorites no longer exist (RIP Soi 38). But that’s the joy, or at least, the only way to keep up — always something new to discover. I also lived in the North (Phayao and Chiang Mai) and spent weekends on meandering road trips and hikes. The best time to go is November-January because it’s cooler (and there’s Loy Krathong!), but it’s also most expensive then. Avoid hot season if at all possible. Monsoon can be surprisingly lovely, but you will get stuck in flooding at some point. For packing inspo, here is the Emerald Buddha and his outfits for the three Thai seasons — hot, rainy, cold:

Be ready to sweat no matter the season, but it will so be worth it. Just for you, my dear paid subscribers, is a list of a few places I love, miss and recommend…