The giant Buddha statue of Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen temple is seen in Bangkok, Thailand, June 10, 2021. Photo by Reuters
American magazine National Geographic has included Bangkok in Thailand and Indonesia’s Raja Ampat Archipelago in its list of the 25 best travel destinations for 2025.
NatGeo’s editors described Bangkok as “an intoxicating blend of old and new.”
Beyond its modern skyscrapers and luxury shopping malls like Siam Center, the magazine recommended tourists explore Wat Chaiwatthanaram, a 17th-century Buddhist temple.
Located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, southwest of Ayutthaya’s old city, the temple features a central 35-meter-high prang surrounded by four smaller ones, all resting on a rectangular platform. It is accessible by road or boat.
During the 2011 floods in Thailand, Wat Chaiwatthanaram was submerged under two meters of water and sustained considerable damage.
Raja Ampat Archipelago, another Southeast Asian destination on the list, is described as ‘a marine wonderland’ with around 500 types of corals, over a thousand species of reef fish, and marine life such as manta rays and dugongs.
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Raja Ampat Archipelago in Indonesia. Photo courtesy of Tripadvisor |
NatGeo noted that the remote area can only be explored by ship.
Other destinations highlighted in NatGeo’s “Best of the World 2025” list include Ocala National Forest in the U.S., Cenobitic Monasteries in Italy, Kanazawa in Japan, and Suru Valley in India.
The list was curated by National Geographic’s explorers, photographers, and editors, focusing on the most thrilling and meaningful travel experiences for the coming year.
