Believe it or not, there are many places in Thailand that are one and done.
Meaning, after you visit the first time, you have no wish to go back; ever!
This list can be long and far reaching, but also depends on the individual.
Thailand tourism does a heck of a good job promoting tourism with glossy brochures and slick videos.
However, many tourists find out once they actually get there, it is nothing like it was advertised to be and never want to go back.
Some reasons include over-crowded, over-priced, pushy other tourists, pollution, trash everywhere, traffic congestion and even the weather (scorching heat and monsoon rains).
If I had to make my own list of One and Done’s it would be:
PAI – Drunk, backpackers acting stupid is not something I want to hang around.
Pattaya – Once you see the sites like Nooch Gardens or the Sanctuary of truth, there are too many foreign tourists everywhere.
Chinatown – Once you have been once, the stifling heat and the crowds are just not worth it. Very difficult to find a place to sit and eat without massive crowding.
Chiang Mai – To me this is boring and growing to the point traffic is crazy. North and outside of Chiang Mai is 100 times better.
Bangkok – Bangkok in unavoidable. However, these days the air pollution is a serious health hazard. We rarely, if ever, go to Bangkok anymore without first checking the air quality forecast.
Phuket – Never during the high season. The over-crowding is just not worth it. Yes there are Russians everywhere.
Ayutthaya – Once you have seen all the ruins once, there isn’t anything else to see.
It is unfortunate that there are many places in Thailand, that once you have been once, you have no desire to go back.
But that is why we travel. To discover places we like and to experience other places we may end up not liking.
For me and mine, we would much rather travel outside of Thailand.