35 million visitors annually can't be wrong- Thailand is a wonderful place to vacation
Bangkok
"Bangkok, glorious as if created by angels, the administration centre, beautiful temples, glittering palaces, the capital of Thailand"
Well that isn't the motto I would have chosen, but OK.
Thailand's capital initially appears almost post apocalyptic- skytrains zooming overhead, a chaos of thousands of people on the streets, set to a backdrop of a concrete jungle combined with, well, an actual jungle constantly fighting to overtake the city. You'll get a whiff of everything from the most pleasant coconut curries, to revolting sewage, all within the same city block. This city moves fast.
Grand Palace- You need to be wearing pants to visit here (this will actually be enforced). You can easily buy them just outside if you happen to be wearing shorts. My advice is to buy them when you're still a few blocks away, you'll get a better price.
Wat Pho- Most Famous for its Huge Golden Reclining Buddha. It's a lot more than just that though, it's a huge complex. You'll want to take your time here exploring all that it has to offer
Wat Arun- Just across the river from Wat Pho and the Grand Palace, this is an iconic Bangkok landmark
Khaosan Road- Backpackers heaven, I think every tourist has to go here the first time they come to Bangkok. It's like a rite of passage for backpackers. It's a charming area, too. It's messy. It's hectic. It's fun. You'll find vendors selling everything under the sun. The streets are lined with restaurants and budget hotels and hostels.
Wat Suthat
Wat Phra Kaew
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple- A small, colorful Indian temple in Silom, Especially worth visiting if you've never been to an Indian temple.
Baiyoke Tower II- I enjoy the view from the top and there's a lot of quirky stuff up there too. I wouldn't go super far out of your way for this, but if you're in the area it's nice.
Let the fish eat your feet- this is a therapy offered at many massage parlors and it's fun, it tickles!
Massages- Try them all! You won't find much better a place to be massaged.
Jim Thompson House – Not my highlight of Bangkok, but worth stopping in, especially if you’re in town for a while
Rooftop Bar/ Sirocco Restaurant, located at the Lebua State Tower. 1055 Th Silom.www.thedomebkk.com- Be aware that there's a dress code here and you'll need to be wearing pants, even when it's scorching outside. Jeans and a t-shirt is enough, but it's on the upscale side so dress appropriately.
One night in Bangkok
Drink, Dance, Just don't die- In the second pic you'll see that I was not allowed entry to my friends home due to extensive, uncontrollable vomiting from the taxi on the way home from our party night out. The taxi driver got a big tip so he could go get his car cleaned, and I got to sleep outside on a makeshift bed of trash bags, one of which my friends mercifully put a pillow inside of.
I woke up covered in vomit, urine and mosquito bites. A grand way to start my vacation!
Getting around Bangkok
ALWAYS Use the BTS skytrain or underground metro whenever possible, even if it's more expensive (You'll find that if you're in a group and only going a a few stops that it's more expensive, but only slightly)
Use Grab (app)- For general taxi rides, ESPECIALLY if you're going to a lesser known destination. You can also affordably hire a car by the hour through the app. I didn't find that necessary in Bangkok, but extremely useful in Chiang Rai.
Motorbike taxis- These are good if you're not going too far, or if you want to go in the opposite direction of traffic. Only trouble again here is communicating your destination clearly
Bus- City busses are available but probably won't be your go-to choice for getting around. The only bus I really use a lot in Bangkok is the A1, which conveniently links Mo Chit BTS station with Don Mueang Airport.
Songthaew- arguably some of the cheapest, most convenient transportation. Most of these will operate on fixed routes (depends what city you're in) If you're not familiar with the routes, ask for help to make sure you get on the right one!
Tuktuks- fun, but beware of scams and wastes of time. You would think these should be cheaper than a taxi but they aren't. They're a novelty. Check on grab how much a taxi fare should cost before getting in one of these. Always agree on a price before you enter the tuktuk.
Taxis- Ask about your destination and make the driver agree to use the meter before entering the taxi. DON'T JUST HOP IN. If your driver doesn't speak english well, consider just picking another driver. If they speak english but aren't familiar with your destination, try saying the name of the nearest BTS station or landmark- and that should get you in the general vicinity. Know that Soi means Alley, so You'll be giving directions like "Sukhumvit Soi 25" or "Silom Soi 2" as the structure of the city is with large avenues intersected by numbered alleys in ascending order. This technique should generally suffice if your destination is along one of these major thoroughfares.
I highly recommend to Cruise on the local boat on the Chao Praya River, avoiding traffic and offering you a beautiful connection between Silom and the Historic area where you'll find Wat Arun, Wat Pho, Khaosan Road and the Grand Palace. Be aware that there are other boats for tourists that are significantly more expensive. The local boat will only cost a few baht.
Oh, there will be traffic
Shopping- You won't leave with an empty suitcase:
Chatuchack Weekend Market- Souvenirs, clothing, Massage parlors, bars, Secondhand vintage stalls, boutique start-ups and more! I recommend arriving by skytrain (BTS) to Mo Chit station, take exit no. 1 and follow the crowd until you see rows of canvas stalls selling clothes. Turn right while continuing to follow the crowd and you will see a small entrance that leads into the market (clothing section). The weekend market is open on Saturdays and Sundays, 09:00 - 18:00, and Fridays 18:00 - 24:00.
MBK- A huge shopping complex, feel free to bargain the prices here. Check out the food court on the top floor if you're hungry, it's excellent.
Khaosan Road- Backpacker heaven, cheap eats, cheap clothes, cheap-cheap same-same stuff. Bargain hard!
Patpong Night market- I've found this is the best place to buy underwear (find that pic of the woman in a burka here and talk about the cultural differences)
Baiyoke Tower II- Best deals if you're buying in bulk, while you're here you should definitely take the time to to up to the top and check out the views- especially if your hotel doesn't offer views. Bangkoks expansive skyline is impressive.
Siam Paragon- This is your upscale mall, High end brand names and the most expensive shops in the city. The movie theater is surprisingly affordable, and a really nice place to see a film in you're in the mood. The movies mostly play in their original audio with Thai subtitles. In Thailand, everyone will stand in the movie theater to pay respects to the king before the movie begins.
How to Catch a cab in Bangkok:
Step 1) Make a Thai friend
Step 2) Hide while they hail a taxi and get the OK from the driver to go to your destination with the meter
Step 3) Hop in, and don’t be surprised when the driver looks super pissed that he didn’t get the chance to rip you off!
Actually, not ALL the taxis want to rip you off. For the most part, as long as your destination is acceptable to them (you absolutely must ask before you get in) then you should be fine. Don’t expect them to follow your GPS directions, because they always have some kind of “shortcut.”
I haven’t had too many problems, to be honest. One time the taxi I was in pulled over and the driver got out and opened the hood. He didn’t speak English at all, so I really didn’t know what was going on and to be honest I was a little worried I was going to get robbed. Turned out he actually just had engine problems, so he flagged down another taxi for me and told the driver my destination. I tried to pay him for the part that he had driven me, but he absolutely refused. I found that incredibly surprising that he wouldn’t accept payment just because his car died- I had already been in the cab for over half an hour. Anyways, my point is that not EVERYONE is out to get you. Just be aware!
Pro tip: Get there faster
If you’re in a big group and want to get to your destination fast, get in two tuk tuks and offer a cash prize to the driver who gets you there first! Make them race and HANG ON FOR YOUR LIFE!
Storytime: Finnair lost my bag en route to Bangkok
My first time ever arriving in Thailand, or anywhere in Asia for that matter, I flew to Bangkok from London via Helsinki on Finnair. It was snowing hard in London so many flights were delayed and just after mine departed, all flights were cancelled. Luckily I made it to Helsinki, but because of the delay had missed my connection to Bangkok. It was a once daily flight at midnight at the time. I saw my bag at the baggage claim, but was told that I was to leave it there and that it would be put onto my new connection the next day. I was put up at a hotel and actually had a great time exploring Helsinki the following day. I took the flight at midnight the next night, and upon arrival in Bangkok waited and waited for my bag to come out at the baggage claim. It never showed up. So there I was, first time in Asia, with nothing but the clothes on my back. I was overwhelmed. Several days later, my bag did finally arrive, and was delivered to where I was staying at no cost to me. This stuff happens, so just don't put anything too important in your checked luggage
Foodie Tip: Swensens Ice Cream
Swensens first store was in San Francisco, but you may have never heard of it if you’re from anywhere else in the world, but in Thailand, Swensen’s is by far the most abundant ice cream parlor. It’s upscale too, you will sit down and be offered water, and order from a server at your table from a huge picture menu.
Foodie Tip: Bread Talk
Pick up a tray at this bakery and pile on whatever carbs you want. It's heavenly. Bread talk is a huge chain found throughout Asia, so as long as you're on the continent you mercifully won't be without it.
Ayutthaya- One hour north of Bangkok
I HIGHLY recommend taking a day trip to Ayutthaya, ESPECIALLY if you aren’t going to visit Angkor Wat (Cambodia). The architectural style of the temples here is similar to Angkor Wat. Ayutthaya is a truly special place and a highlight of my trip to Thailand. There’s not much in the way of nightlife, and it can easily be done as a day trip, just make sure to take an early bus because you’re going to want to spend a FULL day here. If you have more time, I wouldn’t have even minded spending two, but you can see all the principal sights in one day. My favorite sights were:
Wat Mahathat- This is The most famous one with the Buddha head engulfed in roots
Wat Lokkayasutharam- Famous for its Huge reclining Buddha
Chai Watthanaram Temple- This is the most beautiful temple in the area, in my opinion. (Similar style to Angkor Wat, alongside the river)
Wat Yai Chaimongkol- One of the larger, more beautiful temples
This is NOT an exhaustive list, there are many MANY temples all over the place.
I recommend hiring a tuktuk at an agreed upon hourly rate to take you around the city, or use Grab to hire a car for 4 hours
Chiang Mai
Doi Suthep- Arguably the most famous temple in the region, located on the hill just 30 minutes outside of town. Try to go on the clearest day of your trip, as the views from the mountain are part of the magic here
These are the MUST-SEE temples (in my opinion)
Wat Phra Singh (Gold Temple)- This photo was the influence for one of my paintings
Wat Sri Suphan- Silver Temple
Wat Chedi Luang- The big brick one in the center of town
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar- Great shopping and great food here. It's not open all night though, unfortunately
Chiang Mai Saturday Night Market
Grand Canyon Chiang Mai
Best day-trip hot springs are Fang Hot Springs at Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park and, closer to Chiang Mai, Pong Duead at Huay Nam Dang National Park. Both have hiking trails and impressive viewpoints.
Karen Long Neck Tribe- This is a tragedy and a tourist attraction all at the same time.
Elephant day- I would recommend taking a day out to an elephant sanctuary and getting to spend time with these animals. Be careful to not go to a place that mistreats the elephants.
Tiger Kingdom – Why does everyone and their mother wants to take you to Tiger Kingdom? They get a free buffet while you play with the tigers! It's a win-win.
Wat Tham Chiang Dao (Cave temple)- 1.5 hours north of Chiang Mai- I didn't get to go here but I think it looks interesting
Foodie Tip- The Good View
The Good View stands out to me as one of the best values in Chiang Mai- it has a lovely setting overlooking the river, great food and service all at reasonable prices.
Chiang Rai
The White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) This is the crown jewel of Chiang Rai. This temple is an impressive work of art designed and built by Chalermchai Kositpipat. It's expanding, too! Soon it will include a larger complex. This has made it fun for me to revisit after several years, a LOT of progress had been made. I was shocked because I wasn't aware that the project was not yet completed the first time I visited.
The Black house (Baandam Museum) This place is AWESOME! I loved it! The artist who designed this museum has collected exotic animal parts (and entire animal carcasses for that matter)and displays them in typical Thai buildings. Here you'll find everything from crocodiles to sting rays to turtles upcycled into furniture, decor and more!
Chiang Rai Blue Temple (Wat Rong Seua Ten)
Chiang Rai Night Bazaar- Not the hugest market, but it's nice! I bought some shorts here that I LOVE! I wish I had bought more, and they were so cheap!
Wat Klang Wieng
Long Neck Karen(there are multiple villages like this)- You can go visit but honestly I wouldn’t recommend it. It's an expensive entry fee and then basically you're just at a shopping village where the people are selling little trinkets. Some of it is really cute handmade stuff but a lot of it is just...nothing special.
Koh Phangan
Famous for it's monthly Full Moon party
The Party is at Haad Rin Beach.
I stayed at Haad Rin Beach for the full moon party and then moved to another beachside bungalow hotel after. To be honest, I preferred the actual beach at Haad Rin, but the bungalow was pretty cute and in a more remote, quiet section of beach.
Storytime: Motorcycle accident
I'm not the first nor last that this has happened to, but while visiting Koh Phangan, there weren’t many easier transport options apart from renting a motorcycle. I had never rode one before, but I figured I would try it out. At first, it didn’t seem to be very difficult and I felt that I had the hang of it after the first couple days. The part I didn’t realize was how unsteady the motorcycle was if there was any sand in the road. I was turning right at an intersection and around the turn, there was some sand on the road. The bike slipped and fell instantly when I hit it. Although I was going pretty slow, the bike still fell on our legs and feet and ripped our skin off all the way to the bone. I remember getting up and with each heartbeat my blood was literally squirting out of my toe a foot into the air. I was dazed and losing blood pretty fast that way. Quickly, we tied it up and somebody passing by offered to take us to the clinic to get the wounds cleaned and bandaged. The last thing I wanted to do was get on another motorcycle, but at that point I really didn’t have a choice. I guess some people get tattoos in Thailand, and some people get scars.
PS. Sascha, I'm still super sorry about this! I still feel bad every time I see this picture!
NEXT TIME, YOU'RE DRIVING!
Krabi
Railay Beach- The crown jewel of Krabi Province. This is easily accessible from Ao Nang beach. I would recommend, in fact, to stay at Ao Nang beach and just go to Railay during the day. The boat connections are so cheap and frequent, and Ao Nang is much more lively at night. Accommodations at Ao Nang are also much, much, cheaper.
Phra Nang Beach- An easy (and interesting) walk from Railay beach, I actually preferred Phra Nang Beach in terms of being a more relaxing beach. You should know there are caves here filled to the brim with phallic objects, so that probably influenced my decision. There was also boats here selling food!
Koh Phi Phi
Halfway between Krabi and Phuket you will find Koh Phi Phi. This is the larger island adjacent to Koh Phi Phi Lay (where any boat tour will take you) Koh Phi Phi has a lot of hotel options, good food, and beachfront nightlife.
Maya Bay (Koh Phi Phi Lay)- Closed Indefinitely due to environmental concerns
James Bond Island- The most iconic island in the region. Accessible from either Krabi, Phuket or Koh Phi Phi by boat tour.
Phuket
Oh, the Russians you'll see! This city has a shockingly high number of restaurants serving delicious Borscht.
Patong beach- This is the main city and beach area for tourists. It's where the big nightlife scene is.
Bangla Road- This is the epicenter of the nightlife in Patong, and therefore all of Phuket.
Big Buddha Phuket- Situated atop a huge hill, this Buddha overlooks all of Phuket. The view from here is spectacular and I thought that visiting was overall a lovely experience. I got dropped off by my friend at the top, and unfortunately had trouble finding a taxi(even with grab) down the hill. Without other options, I decided to just walk, but I didn't get more than 200 yards down before a local on his motorcycle stopped and asked me if I wanted a ride down to the bottom of the hill. I graciously accepted, hopped on the back of his bike, and we sped off down the hill. Thai people are wonderful.
Chaithararam Temple
Wat Chalong
Storytime: Where did all the chairs on Patong beach go?
The first time I visited Patong, I hated it. The beach sucked. It was completely covered in lounge chairs that you had to be paying to use. You couldn't enjoy the beach if you weren't paying to be there, and, frankly I don't see how you could enjoy it even if you were paying for a chair as they were so crammed together you could hardly see the sand. Mercifully, that has since changed. So much so that when I returned, I wasn't entirely sure if I was actually at the same beach as the previous trip. Patong beach is actually pretty nice now. Bangla road on the other hand remains a hot mess, however I don't mind that one bit.
RESPECT
BUDDHA Regarding Buddha be aware that it's considered disrespectful to put a buddha beneath your head level. Also, it's generally frowned upon to buy a buddha simply as a souvenir.
THE KING When talking about the King, be respectful. It's actually illegal to talk badly about the king. I don't think this will be an issue for most visitors though because they probably don't know anything about him other than the photo they see of him enshrined throughout the country.
MONKS Give these guys their personal space. Especially if you're a woman, you should not touch a monk.
TEMPLES You should be covered from your shoulders to your knees, and remove your shoes before you enter
SHOES OFF At temples, houses, and even some small stores; Whenever you see a pile of shoes at the entrance, Take your shoes off before you enter!
FEET ETIQUETTE Don't point your feet directly towards anyone, especially in the temples
HEAD ETIQUETTE Don't touch anyone's head or hair
BARGAINING I'm not going to say you shouldn't bargain hard, because you absolutely should. I'm saying bargain respectfully. Don't get angry. I have seen so many people being downright rude when they don't get the price they had in their head. Start way lower than what you're expecting to pay and be willing to come up a bit on the price you offer. Smile. You're on vacation after all. Bargaining should be fun. Don't make it a chore.
When to visit Thailand
Best Weather- December to February It will be warm, but not hot. Perfect at the beaches. This is high tourist season so expect crowds- It's the biggest time for something like the full moon party in Koh Phangan
Festivals- Mid April for Songkran, albeit hellish hot weather. If you visit during this time of year, I'd focus on where you want to spend Songkran, don't bother going to the beach destinations as they will be miserably hot. Spend a few days in Bangkok or Chiang Mai for Songkran and then continue your trip in say, Japan and catch the cherry blossoms there.
What I'll be back for
Pattaya- We went to a beach house in Pattaya but didn't really explore the tourist sights in the area because we couldn't get ourselves off the beach- I'd like to return and visit:
Sanctuary of Truth
Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden
Tiffany Cabaret Show
Chiang Mai- Cooking classes... we met people who did this and they loved it. I'd like to learn to cook here!
Wat Tham Chiang Dao (Cave temple)- I didn't get to go here but I think it looks super interesting
Grand Canyon Chiang Mai
James Bond Island- I still haven't made it to this iconic island. I've heard it's more of a photo stop than a relaxing beach day, but I'd still like to see it
Comments