Pink paradise – Thai attractions in our favourite colour
Dive Phuket’s turquoise waters, trek the juicy, green rice terraces of Chiang Mai or feast on a red chilli curry and you’ll soon realise Thailand is a country of colour. While there isn’t any one specific hue to please all LGBT+ travellers (after all, we fly the rainbow flag for reasons of diversity!), there does seem to be a penchant for all that’s pink.
And unsurprisingly for a country home to magenta dolphins and royal guards sporting fuchsia uniforms during ceremonies, Thailand offers plenty of pink. When headed for the ‘land of smiles’, make sure to visit the below places for an extra dosé of rosé (we can’t resist a pun).
Red lotus sea, Udon Thani
Start your holiday right by visiting Udon Thani for a full immersion in our favourite colour – though seeing the city’s pink attraction is a lake; don’t take the immersive element literally! Udon Thani, an off-the-beaten-track destination in Thailand’s Isan state, is home to the unique red lotus lake, a vast body of water decked in hot pink lotus flowers (don’t ask us where the ‘red’ comes from!). Blooming between December and February, this seasonal attraction is best enjoyed from the comfort of a boat, and enterprising locals will be glad to take you out on theirs. Once you’ve reached the lake’s centre, enjoy the surrounding magenta blossoms stretching all the way to the horizon!
Sai Daeng beach, Koh Tao
Pink beaches are popular around the world and sure enough, the Thai kingdom boasts one as well. Sai Daeng is still a bit of a secret if you ask us: most visitors to Koh Tao stay in the island’s west, leaving this secluded beach in the southeast to a few, determined snorkel enthusiasts. Though it would be an overstatement to call Sai Daeng fiery pink, its soft sands do feature a strawberry-like hue that contrasts beautifully with the aquamarine sea – needless to say, keen Instagrammers will love this place! Can’t get enough of pink? Spend the night in one of the hotels overlooking Sai Daeng and watch the sunrise cover the beach in all its rose-coloured glory!
Pink temple, Nakhon Nayok
If you enjoy nature’s take on our favourite colour, you’ll love its man-made equivalent: Nakhon Nayok’s pink temple is nothing short of a show-stopper. Also known as Wat Khao Durian, the site is surrounded by untouched nature, sitting atop a small, peaceful hill. Ascend its stairs (lined with mythical, serpent-like ‘nagas’) and take a moment to marvel at the structure’s heavily ornate facade. Once inside the temple’s sacred halls, there are elaborate murals and many a golden Buddha statue fighting for your attention. Wat Khao Durian is as fuchsia as it gets and you could easily spend an hour exploring – though don’t leave before you’ve seen its restroom facilities, complete with rose-coloured sinks, mirror frames and lampshades!
Pink Bar, Lebua State Tower
What better way to celebrate a pink trip to Thailand than with a visit to Pink Bar at Lebua State Tower? Staying on theme is key so grab a dragon fruit daiquiri or rosé all day with the impressive champagne menu: this is perhaps the capital’s best venue for rare and fine wines. Though choice of beverage aside, you’ll be seeing pink in any case, as Pink Bar takes its name quite literally – everything here is fuchsia-coloured, from magenta marble tables and curtains to the armchairs and carpets! We’d happily clink glasses here any day, especially seeing Pink Bar is down the road from the gay favourite bars of Silom Soi 4 – rosé, head this way!