It’s almost hard to say who missed each other more during the pandemic lockdown: the travelers who ached for Thailand’s gorgeous shores and buzzing cities, or locals like the tuk-tuk driver whose eyes flooded with relief at the first sight of foreigners ready to boost a thirsty economy. Now that restrictions have eased, tourists are once again turning their sights back to a cherished friendship with Thailand. Though you won’t see the droves of crowds the country once hosted, you will see a land recovering in more ways than one. You’ll also still see a few masks—such as on the jeweled yaksha guardian statues, at work to protect its people—but behind them is still the famous Thai smile, crinkling the eyes with kindness.
Here you’ll find shocking cliffs jutting vertically out of the ocean, giant flowers floating on turquoise waters, and temples nestled in jungles on top of…
