Thailand & Laos: a quest through Buddhist heartlands

From the deserted temples of Si Thep to the monasteries of Luang Prabang, Tour Operations Director Sarah Pullen traces the spread of Buddhism through Thailand and Laos prospecting a new destination.

Each of Thailand’s former capitals belongs to a different kingdom, and each speaks its own artistic language. Travelling north through the country this spring, with my colleague Antonia Holle to scope out an exciting new tour, I found these places functioning less as isolated archaeological sites than as chapters in a single, unfolding civilisation – political change, regional influence and artistic evolution laid out city by city.

Perhaps nowhere captures this better than Si Thep. Recently inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it remains remarkably little visited. Arriving in the afternoon, we encountered only a handful of other visitors, and for long stretches it felt as though we had the site almost entirely to ourselves. The site is among the earliest Buddhist centres in mainland Southeast Asia, where beautifully preserved stucco carvings survive after 15 centuries – evidence of the arrival of Buddhism and Hinduism in the region.

The contrast with later capitals could hardly be greater. At Sukhothai, often regarded as the first Thai kingdom, elegant lotus-bud chedis rise above tranquil lakes, while the seated Buddha of Wat Si Chum demonstrates Sukhothai sculpture at its height. Further north, Chiang Mai introduces another tradition: the temples of the former Lanna kingdom display richly carved wooden halls and layered roofs, shaped as much by mountain forests as by royal courts.

What fascinated me throughout was the relationship between these sites and Thailand’s living Buddhist tradition. The ruined capitals are not museum pieces; they provide the context for understanding the active monasteries and temples that continue to shape daily life. Visiting an ancient temple in the morning before removing one’s shoes to enter a working monastery makes clear that Buddhism here is not simply of historical interest but an everyday presence.

Architecture became my guide to understanding this continuity. From early Dvaravati sculpture at Si Thep to the monumental stupas of Ayutthaya and the intricately decorated temples of Chiang Mai, each period developed its own artistic identity while remaining connected by a shared religious tradition. The changing forms of Buddha images, temple plans and decorative carving reveal political change, regional influences and evolving expressions of faith as eloquently as any written history.

Crossing into Laos extends this story rather than interrupting it. Luang Prabang, the former royal capital of the Lan Xang kingdom and another UNESCO World Heritage Site, has an altogether different atmosphere. Set between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, its monasteries, wooden houses and surviving French colonial architecture create one of Southeast Asia’s most harmonious historic towns. Here, too, Buddhism remains woven into everyday life, with saffron-robed monks moving through streets where centuries-old temples continue to serve their communities.

The narrative then passes to the Khmer Empire, whose influence spread northward from Angkor from around the 10th century. Nowhere is this more apparent than in northeast Thailand, where the temple of Phnom Rung commands views across the plains. Its companion site, Phimai, blends Buddhist and Hindu iconography, reflecting the complex religious politics of the Angkorian period. Both fell victim to antiquities smugglers during the chaos of the 1960s and 70s; both have since benefited from repatriation efforts that have returned stolen sculptures to their original contexts, lending visits a particular resonance today.

Our route culminates in Bangkok, where the splendour of the Grand Palace and Wat Arun suddenly makes sense in the context of everything that has come before. The modern capital inherited artistic traditions, religious practices and royal ideals developed across the earlier kingdoms of Dvaravati, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Lanna – the final chapter in a much longer narrative.

We are very lucky to have Dr Stephen Murphy as our expert lecturer for this tour. He is Director of the Centre of Southeast Asian Studies at SOAS and specialises in the art and archaeology of Buddhism and Hinduism, with a focus on Thailand and Laos. Fluent in Thai, he has spent many years in the country and has been instrumental in recent repatriation efforts.

The journey offers more than archaeology: excellent museums, superb regional cuisine, elegant hotels and landscapes ranging from the fertile central plains to the mountains of northern Thailand and the river scenery of Laos. But what stayed with me was the sense of travelling through an unfolding history. Thailand deserves to be known not only for its beaches but as one of Southeast Asia’s great cultural destinations – and following the thread of its ancient capitals is perhaps the finest way to discover it.

To Visit Thailand & Laos from 29 December 2027–11 January 2028. Book your place now.