Escaping The Tourist Hordes: The Frantic Search For Hidden Gems
The Great Hidden Gem Hunt in Thailand: Spoiler Alert, They’re Not Hidden Every tourist landing in Bangkok has the same dream: “I’m not like the others. I’m here for the real Thailand. The hidden gems. The untouched places.” That’s right. You, fresh off the plane in elephant-print harem pants, believe you are the Indiana Jones of Southeast Asia. You will boldly go where no tourist has ever gone before, along with the other 10,000 backpackers who read the same blog post last night. In fact, if you scroll travel forums, you’ll always find the same question: “Where can I go in Thailand that’s non-touristy?” As if the 70 million locals all live in the shadows while you get to stroll around discovering the “secret Thailand” like it’s a limited-edition treasure chest. Locals usually answer with polite patience, but the truth is: if you’re asking on a forum with 200 replies, the place is already touristy. Let’s start with the mountains of Chiang Mai. Somewhere, someone will whisper about a hid...