Parks, coasts & wildlife

West coast: karst, monsoon in the northern summer, diving that actually needs a cert. Phuket, Krabi, Trang, the Similans in season.

Which beach matches the trip: family, diving boat, party, or a longtail that leaves at 8. Not a ranked list — a sorting hat.

What is still alive, what bleaching did, and why a national-park mooring is not a suggestion.

Richelieu Rock, Sail Rock, Chumphon Pinnacle. Certs, seasons, and which side of the peninsula is even diveable that month.

Highest peak in the country. Cloud forest, royal stupas, hill communities, and birding near Chiang Mai. Cold at the summit; bring a layer.

Work animal, tourist draw, and a wild population that still moves through parks. How to see them without funding a circus.

East and peninsula Gulf: Samui, Phangan, Tao, Hua Hin, a different rain calendar from the Andaman. Calmer water most of the high season.

Ancient rainforest, Cheow Lan Lake raft-houses, limestone towers. The complete southern wilderness overnight, not a viewpoint stop.

Thailand’s first national park. Elephants, hornbills, waterfalls, a night drive if you book it. UNESCO forest a few hours from Bangkok.

Whale sharks, mantas, reefs, dugongs. Two seas, two seasons, and a lot of sites that only work if the park is open.

Hundreds of protected areas. Permits, hours, and which park actually matches the trip — start here before you pick a single name.

Tigers, gibbons, hornbills, irrawaddy dolphins. What still lives here, and which park actually has a chance of a sighting.