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Must-dos in Thailand

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Saturday

8:30 a.m. - Kick off the weekend with an Asian breakfast of congee with meat balls or stir-fried vegetables with steamed rice at the Grand Riverside.

10:00 a.m. - Visit the Wang Chan, a former Chan palace, where King Naresuan was born in 1555. The palace compound has a shrine which depicts the king proclaiming the Ayuthaya kingdom's independence from Burma.

12:00 p.m. -
Head to the Wat Ratcha Burana, a 14th century Buddhist temple built in Sukhothai style and go for a tarot reading by a parrot.

Just across the river is the Wat Phra Si Rathana Mahathat, a pilgrimage site that houses the bronze Phra Phutta Chinarat, the most famous Buddha image in the country after Bangkok's Emerald Buddha.

1:30 p.m. -
To enjoy a traditional Phitsanulok lunch, follow the pilgrims to Pa Lai, a noodle shop famous for its "hanging-legs" rice noodles.

3:00 p.m. - In the mood for a late-afternoon adventure? Head around 20 km (12 miles) out of town and go rafting on the Mae Nam Nan River.

5:30 p.m. - Still feeling energetic? When the sun goes down, Phitsanulok gets into fitness mode. Go for a jog on the riverside promenade or join a mass aerobics class.
In case you need a more relaxed workout, how about tai-chi with the town's older generation?

7:30 p.m. - Go bargain hunting at the night market with its collection of clothes, souvenirs, antiques and bronze Buddha statues. The market also has massage parlors and outdoor food courts.

9:00 p.m. - Cap off the day with dinner and drinks at the "flying vegetables" food stalls by the riverside. Watch the chefs toss water-spinach and baby corn in the air from the wok before they land on your plate.

Sunday

9:00 a.m. - Drive through the lush green countryside to the UNESCO World Heritage historic old town of Sukhothai, the site of the oldest Thai civilisation. Begin with a visit to the Sukhothai museum to learn about the town's architectural gems and the history of the Thai language.

Have you visited Thailand before? What other places do you recommend our readers should experience?
 
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