Destinations & Things To Do
The Best Non-Touristy Things to Do in NYC in 2025
While there’s nothing wrong with touristy attractions—some things you just have to see—the experience might be memorable for the wrong reasons: crowds, wait times, obstructed views. If you’re a repeat visitor or a local looking to get off the beaten path, these non-touristy things to do in NYC are for you.
Visitors to New York flock to well-known attractions like the Empire State Building, Central Park, Chelsea Market, and Times Square—and for good reason! But you can find equally impressive views, natural beauty, art galleries, and colorful photo ops at other lesser-known spots, too. These alternative things to do in New York are just as memorable and far less crowded. After you’ve explored these non-touristy alternatives, go a little deeper and discover the best secret spots in NYC.
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Destinations & Things To Do
Thailand Sees Record Influx from China, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Singapore and More with Bangkok Pattaya Phuket and Hat Yai Leading as Top Destinations in 2025: New Report You Need to Know
Friday, July 18, 2025
China, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore are the top source markets brought to the fast-growing arrival numbers of Thailand’s tourism sector in 2025. The surge is due to the increased airline service to the country, as well as Thai government initiatives from the ‘Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025’. Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket are still leading the pack for the number of visitors, while emerging Hat Yai has become known for its low costs and easy accessibility, pathing the way to other travelers to come, predominantly from Malaysia and Singapore. This rapid development is a testament to Thailand’s commitment to improving travel and tourism facilitation as well as infrastructure to develop as both a regional and world-leading destination.
The tourism industry of Thailand has shown impressive resilience during the first half of 2025, according to the latest findings of travel authority Agoda. Its tourism industry is booming, driven by regional markets, and a lot of its international arrivals are coming not from farther afield but from the subcontinent and the Middle East. By all accounts, according to Agoda, China, Malaysia & South Korea were the top markets visiting DC during the month with Japan & Singapore contributing to the increase.
The upsurge of visitors to the country is in line with the strategy to ensure a high standard of product and service delivery to the tourists following the policies and action plan under the Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025, continuation of the 60-day Visa on Arrival fee waiver, air connectivity strategies, and an enhance image building campaign. These have been instrumental to grow and strengthen the country’s position as a top travel destination in Asia.
Top Markets Driving Inbound Tourism
China ranks first in terms of tourist distribution, with the largest number of tourists visiting Thailand. But it is the South Korean market that has turned many heads for its extended runs. A South Korean tourist stay is the longest average duration in Thailand than other tourists in the six months of 2025 prev. and exceed the average length of stay from other countries. Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, and China were the next most common origin countries of the total inbound travel traffic.
This new trend is indicative of a change in travel habits, and longer stays are increasingly common in destinations with a calm, island feel or quieter locations. This value shift is indicative of a shift in traveler behavior in the way they interact with the destination, that they consider the destination for long-staying holidays, and not just for short or standardlessthannights visits.
Expanding Popularity of Emerging Destinations
Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket continued to the major destination choices for tourists from abroad – but Hat Yai was also becoming a force to be reckoned with. The southern city, often overshadowed by its flashier neighbors, has recently captured the interest of travelers, including those from Malaysia and Singapore.
Long-celebrated as a destination for budget and adventure travelers, Hat Yai has quickly grown in fame as one of Asia’s ultimate places to pinch those pennies. The city has the acclaimed, ‘Top budget-friendly destination’ name for this year and the last year as well and that’s because it is known to be draw to the cheapest type of a traveler, while not wanting to miss the colorfulness of the Thai culture! Hat Yai is increasingly seen as the next major player in Thailand’s tourism world and one of the country’s viable alternative to the larger cities such as Bangkok.
Island and Seaside Spots Lead Extended Stays
Visitors looking for a more peaceful or meditative experience found Thailand’s islands and coastal cities to be most compelling in 2025. Among tourists who went on longer trips, Ko Tao, Ko Pha-ngan and Pathum Thani were the most popular places to visit, according to Agoda. These are laid-back, beautiful places which are drawing longer-term travelers, driven in part by Ko Tao reputation as a diving Mecca that has led to many visitors wanting to spend longer exploring underwater marvels.
There is the island of Ko Pha-ngan, with its mix of idyllic beaches and swarming nightlife, which is still a favourite for holiday-goers in search of equilibrium. And on the mainland, Pathum Thani’s proximity to Bangkok — with a grittier, more off-the-beaten-path feel — brings a welcome break from the throngs of tourists crowding past in the capital.
Growth in Tourism and Tourism Revenue Soars
Agoda’s statistics also highlighted Thailand’s tourism sector reporting high income in the latter half of 2025. Official statistics recently released by the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports reveal that 16,462 foreigners visited the Thai Kingdom in the first 6 months of 2025 while spending a whopping 743,582 Willemstad. These numbers are a reflection not only of the increase of international arrivals but also of how efficient government policies have been in promoting sustainable tourism.
It is mainly due to proactive actions by the government improving infrastructure and easing visa rules and initiating targeted campaigns to draw high-end tourists. This strategy to be better on FA (freedom and attractions) and to even enhance the experience of visiting the country and have those money spend outside the hotels has allowed Thailand to keep it’s leading position as the most desirable country for visiting in the region.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Thailand’s Tourism
Thailand is ever more evolving as a destination and will enjoy increasing good fortunes the in the second half of 2025.” On the government front, initiatives supporting the Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025, coupled with increasing regional air direct connectivity, are expected to drive more potential arrival growth. The rising star Of course, we can begin to see how parts of Asia are gaining even more interest from visitors, but with more people going to places like Hat Yai and the continued demand for Thailand’s popular cities and islands, it may be fair to say that the country will be at the forefront of South-East Asia’s tourism industry.
In short the tourism industry in Thailand has been expanding rapidly in the first half of 2025, regional markets have been key in driving this uptrend. By emphasizing quality tourism and embracing the changing tastes of travelers, Thailand is not only serving the needs of this era’s travelers, it is also preparing for sustained success in the years ahead.
This morning I packed up quietly around 5 AM and got ready to go. Everyone else was still fast asleep and in no rush. Which I definitely understand. For a lot of people this section to the Sierra is going to be one of the most time-consuming portions of the entire trail. But if all goes to plan I would really like to be done in less than 2 weeks. So that would have me averaging around 30-35 miles a day. It will just depend on the conditions and how much snow is left behind.
Once I was ready, I met up with Jay and he drove me down the road to where the trail picked up. Apparently there was a campground in about 3 miles so he told me I could leave my backpack in his truck and he would meet me there. One final slack pack before heading into the Sierra. For that next hour, I flew along the trail and was feeling really good. I’m pleasantly surprised that even after sitting in a car for hours and then on a plane for hours, my previous injury didn’t feel super tight or uncomfortable today.
It didn’t take long to make my way to that campground where Jay was. I grabbed my backpack from him and said goodbye. He would be leaving my food and bear canister in one of the bear boxes at Cottonwood, where I can pick it up sometime tomorrow. It’s so early still that if I do over 30 miles today, then I will be to the campground sometime fairly early tomorrow.
My pack was really light and I was feeling great as I left there. The first day out from Kennedy Meadows involved basically going uphill the entire time. The trail climbs up to 10,000 feet and a little bit above that. Though the climb itself is quite gradual if I remember correctly. A gradual climb is probably my favorite type of terrain out of everything. Even more so than a gradual downhill or a flat portion of trail.
The weather was fantastic and I was so happy to be moving at a predictable pace. After being out on the Appalachian Trail and going slow, it was such a relief to be moving it 3 mph. The trail out here is typically flat dirt with pine. Sometimes portions of the trail can be slow going. But because the trail is graded for stock animals it’s generally a very gradual up and down.
When I was about six miles into the day, I passed some people who were still tented. Everyone’s on their own schedule, but it always surprises me to see tents set up past 7 AM. Especially after 8 AM or 9 AM. But I’m just a type of person that likes to get going early and get the miles in. I’d rather be at camp earlier in the day than start late and get to camp late.
The trail weaved up and down along switchbacks, but was really nice and easy. I listened to music and just let the time pass away. Then when I was about 14 miles into the day, I crossed over a large bridge and decided to stop off for water. There were a couple other hikers there about to head out as well. I recognized one guy from yesterday who I met a grumpy. He must’ve left last night rather than staying at KMS. I sat there for a minute or two and grabbed some water. Then I continued along the gradual climb.
I knew that over the course of the day the grade would pick up a bit. I had such a strong memory of descending down into Kennedy Meadows during my 2022 southbound hike. So I knew it was only a matter of time until it got a bit steeper and I got into a wooded area. It took a while, but eventually I caught up to the two guys who had left the water source before me. Then an hour or so after that, I caught up to another hiker who had been off the distance. I took another opportunity to fill up on water when I could and chatted with that hiker for a bit. He came over from Japan to hike the trail.
As the day went on the temperature just got progressively hotter and hotter. Climbing up in elevation would help a bit, but we were talking temperatures around 90°. When I had looked at the weather most recently, I saw that the temperatures for the whole week were around this. But I figured it might be a bit better in the mountains.
As the day continued, I couldn’t tell if it was the heat or the altitude, but I was feeling very tired. Typically, my body adjusts very well to increased altitude. In both of my experiences in the Sierra previously and in the San Juan’s, I had almost no side effects from the altitude. Generally just a bit of sluggishness for the first day or so. But I think that the little bit of tiredness combined with the heat was wearing on me.
Time was passing by quickly though, and it was looking like I would be at camp around 5:30 PM. And that was even doing a 33 mile day. I definitely missed how nice and predictable the terrain is out here. I was spending so much time on the Appalachian Trail hiking every day to go such a shorter distance than this.
Any chance that I got I stopped off and filled up on water. I was drinking as much as I could, but it still didn’t feel like enough. When I got down to the bottom of the next descent, I filled up one more time and talked to a hiker named Goat Head who was there. From there it was about 4 miles to the top of the next climb. Which would rest at about 10,600 feet and involved a good bit of elevation gain.
Typically, I really don’t mind climbing whatsoever and it doesn’t tend to exhaust me too much. But the heat was definitely wearing on me. Maybe it also had something to do with not eating enough food. And even having drank a lot of water I still think it wasn’t enough. That next stretch of 4 miles was really hard. I found myself stopping a bunch to stand and regain my strength. It wasn’t necessarily that I was out of breath, as much as I was just super tired. But I think considering it’s day one at altitude and also so hot out, that that isn’t super surprising.
There were multiple times on the climb that I considered stopping sooner. There were tons of camp spots on the way up. But I really wanted to just keep going and make it to my intended campsite. It’s so easy to get in your own head and flake on your plans later on in the day. That’s something that I try to avoid if I can.
This is what my final time of the day looked like the majority of the time. I love this section of trail because there are endless places to camp.
Slowly but surely I made my way up and eventually got to the top of the climb. There were tons of super nice tent spots, and it was really early still. The climb definitely took longer than I had expected. Probably because I stopped off a couple different times to rest. But it was only 5:30 PM when I got my tent set up. I couldn’t tell if it was from the altitude or perhaps the heat, but I had a bit of a migraine coming on. So once everything was situated, I got into my tent and took some Excedrin. Then I drank a liter of water, ate something, and set an alarm for an hour later. It was so early that I could take a quick nap and try to feel a little bit better.
I wound up being very glad that I did that. Because after an hour, I woke up feeling great and my headache was gone. It was still super early, so I ate some more dinner and decided to make a hot chocolate to get some more water down. And for the rest of the night, I actually felt really good and quite energized. Two hikers that I passed many hours earlier wound up getting to the top of the climb around 8 PM. I could hear them just around the corner from me obstructed by a large rock. But I don’t think that they knew I was there.
Somehow, I had enough energy to get some video work done and even a bit of writing. Then ate some more and drink some more water before finally calling it a night. Today I did about 7500 feet of elevation gain in 33 miles. And for the first time this year, I got above 10,000 feet. I think that at 10,600 for tonight is coming be really good for me. Typically, sleeping at higher elevation makes it easier to acclimate. And even though I tend to do quite well at high altitude, it never hurts to set myself up for success and even better acclamation.
If you enjoyed this blog and would like to support my hike by buying me a soda or a snack along the way, there is a “Tip the Author” button below! It links directly to my Venmo. Any and all support is incredibly appreciated!
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To learn more, please visit the About This Site page.
- Hiked Today: 26.7 miles
- Appalachian Trail (1,721.3 – 1,747)
- Podunk Road Alt. (1.0 mile)
- Total Hiked: 3,680.6 miles
- Total Paddled: 99.5 miles
Weather: 65 – 82 °F, mix of sun and clouds, very humid
Elevation: 370 – 2,663 feet
Almost Hilltop Dispersed Site to Podunk Brook Site
I did not wake up and feel super energized. My scheme was to have a big day to set myself up for a nero tomorrow, but as I got going, I wasn’t sure that was going to happen. Like I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I felt I waited too long to give myself an extended break and was hitting a wall here. Thus, an early breakfast stop again.
Via a short side trail I found a cabin labeled “The Lookout” on the app. With a viewing platform built on top of it, it was easy to understand why. I had my cereal and coffee up there and was rejuvenated.
I can’t really pin point what it was that switched, but leaving that break I was moving. Flying through the forest like a gazelle, I was. That boost kept me going most of the day until the last few miles when I returned to a trudge.
There was some variety of scenery today that kept things interesting, lots of shaded lush forest of course, but some fields with flowers too. See, check it out 😎…
The Mitten rock… Do you see it? Saginaw Bay is quite long and narrow, but otherwise a pretty good image haha
The humidity plagues me in the morning (and the rest of the day too, but mainly morning for this issue). I picked up this little lens cleaner cloth at the Inn at Long Trail’s hiker box. Even with it, the glasses continuously fog right up again at times.
It was a rollercoaster all day, up and down, some steep some gradual, some nice trail like this and other parts eroded out.
The moss and the mushrooms are everywhere. It’s not like I’m picking out the few spots I see for photos, I could take them at anytime because there’s always some neat little scene around.
But on the other hand, they usually bring about overgrown brushy trail that I’m not a fan of. Some of today’s vegetation was above my head.
Slightly blurry Monarch Butterfly? Birds and butterflies are so elusive to me. It’s tough to find them still long enough to get close and snap a picture. I’ll keep trying 😁
Queen Anne’s Lace? Or something similar, but different, I wonder? I didn’t even know there was a bug in the flower until I looked at the photo afterwards. I’ll try to get more close up stuff. It’s kind of fun to look at a different scale sometimes.
What makes something beautiful to us? Why do these flowers seem to compliment each other and make the whole area more appealing to my eye rather than if just one monoculture? Hmm. Almost like there’s a lesson about humans in there too, how we need each of our unique selves to make the whole more diverse and beautiful 😁
I’m not sure it comes across in the photos, but this was one of my favorite parts of Vermont and maybe the whole AT so far. Super nice trail and easy walking and magnificent trees with mossy rocks nearby. Just captivating.
Raspberries! And they were just out there along the trail. For some reason I think of blueberries and blackberries and huckleberries growing naturally, but raspberries seem more like a cultivated thing to me. I suppose they grew naturally somewhere some time ago though. Hmmm. More deep ponderings haha.
There was a whole network of tubing and what I assumed was “tapping” of Maple trees. It was hard for me to see the leaves way up high though to see if indeed Maple. That’s my one identification tool and am not learned in the ways of bark alone. What else could it be? They weren’t Birch Trees, although I know they’re used for some stuff too.
The trail heads through the small town of West Hartford, VT via a short road walk. This was about the time I started feeling super tired and with sore feet.
The mighty White River. Would have been a wonderful swimming spot if not late in the day and I didn’t have camp on my mind. Indeed, some young guys were jumping off the bridge into the water.
Thanks for joining on the journey! It means a lot that you took the time to read up on these adventures. If you want to help kids get access to the outdoors, a cause that means a lot to me, please help me in supporting Outdoors Empowerment Network! The “Tip Author” button is a direct link to my fundraising page. Y’all are truly amazing. Thank you!
Album of the Day:
“Recovery” (2010) – Eminem
This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek’s ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Thanks for your support!
To learn more, please visit the About This Site page.
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