Unpacked by AFAR · Thursday, September 10, 2026
Travel writer Catherine Romaine emphasizes that Thailand's 77 provinces each boast distinct cultures, landscapes, and hyperlocal cuisines, moving beyond the common perception of Thai food as solely Pad Thai or coconut milk soups. She highlights the stunning variety found even in provinces like Nan, which transformed from an opium-producing region to a coffee-growing area.
“There are 77 provinces in the country. And I've realized that really each of them has its own distinctive culture, its own distinctive landscape, mountainscape, or food. Is another thing that really is so hyperlocal and there's so much food. You think that Thai food is Pad Thai, you know, soups that have coconut milk and it's like the breadth of the food is stunning.”
“So it's interesting, just being able to drive around and see how diverse the landscapes are in these different parts of the country. Because I think so many associate Thailand with beaches.”