Thailand
In November 2019 I made my first trip to Asia to explore the magical sites of Thailand. We stayed in four different regions over the course of two weeks: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Phuket.
Transportation:
Be sure to be on your guard at all times especially in the big cities, like Bangkok. Taxi drivers can be a bit aggressive when it comes to negotiating.
One route of transportation that I would gladly recommend is taking a Tuktuk!
Being that it was so hot, it was a nice way to feel the breeze and cool down, while also enjoying the views and being able to pass traffic. Each one is designed to the owners’ taste, most with makeshift roofs and radios blaring.
Hotels:
Our trip began and ended in Bangkok. We came full circle and stayed at The Duchess Hotel and Residences both times. The location was perfect for city exploring, and the room was very accommodating and spacious. We had two full size beds and one rollout, which was more than enough for the three of us.
The Duchess is within walking distance to the main streets for shopping, and just a short car ride to CentralwOrld mall. It is close to the night markets, as well as a Starbucks, and a few massage parlors as well.
2. The second place we stayed at was the De Lanna Hotel in Chiang Mai. The room itself was quite small, but the community space was wonderfully relaxing and calming. There were koi ponds on either side of each room entrance, and you could get food from reception to feed the fish. There was also a ton of outdoor seating, as well as a lap pool.
3. Thirdly, we stayed at the Hi Chiangrai Hotel in Chiang Rai. The hotel was not as memorable as the others, but having a continental breakfast was definitely a huge benefit. The Hi Chiangrai also had an indoor pool, and was within walking distance to many local temples.
4. Our last temporary residence was The Charm Resort Phuket. This was my absolute favorite accommodation out of the four. The room was super spacious and very modern. We even had a staircase to a second floor where there was a private bed and living room. It was very clean and the A/C was pristine.
This hotel was host to a busy tourist population. We were right by the beach, so there was a lot of hustle and bustle at all times of day. The other feature that made this place so popular was the infinity pool. The pool was set off the side of a hill with views of the sea.
There is no shortage of restaurants or activities in this area of Phuket if you decide to stay local. They also have many snorkeling/all day boat tour options. It is super convenient having the shuttles pick up and drop off at the front of the hotel.
The Charm Resort Phuket
Food:
Firstly, I must include beverages on my recommendation list! I highly recommend getting as much Thai iced coffee or Thai iced tea as you can. I guarantee if you buy the mix and try to replicate it at home, it will not taste the same. Getting the ratios of coffee and tea, to sugar and condensed milk, is not as easy as it sounds.
2. We loved trying all things local, but of course there was a Starbucks near our hotel in Bangkok so we had to stop in. They carried the same coffees and lattes as in the US, but also emphasized the teas. They offered more tropical flavors and matcha drink varieties. One was a tea latte with earl grey jellies in it.
3. Another recommendation is to try some of Thailand’s local snacks! There are 7/11 drugstores all over, that offer a huge variety of local favorites. We loved the rice cracker mixes, as well as their different flavors of Pocky sticks. My personal favorite snack was these little pineapple jam sandwich cookies shaped like flowers. They were sweet, chewy, and a great energy boost after all of the swimming.
4. As far as meals are concerned, a wonderful place to grab a meal in Bangkok is actually inside the 11th largest shopping complex, CentralwOrld. Their food court, FoodwOrld, offers a good range of fresh and local cuisine. I ended up ordering hot and sour soup and was able to add all of my own vegetables and spices. The ingredients were fresh and vibrant, and the soup was just filling enough for an afternoon of walking. This was one of my favorite meals for sure!
5. In Phuket there is no shortage of restaurants given it is a touristy area. It was hard to make a decision because the menus were pretty similar. One that caught our eye was Thai Smile 2. We ate here two nights in a row because it was so good and we knew it was reliable for delicious cuisine. I ordered the green vegetable curry on both occasions and was not disappointed. The curry was just spicy enough, and nice and creamy to coat all of the vegetables.
I feel like anywhere you go, you can’t go wrong with pad Thai, coconut curry, or fried rice! All are staples at most restaurants and in my experience, were flavorful and satisfying!
CentralwOrld Food Court
Temples:
Before going to Thailand, I suggest making a list of the temples you want to visit in order to plan your travel route. Be sure to know all of the dress codes and rules before heading out, and have your phone or camera fully charged as well. For some of the bigger temples, it’s best to go when they first open to avoid getting stuck in large crowds.
Wat Saket was one of my favorite Temples to visit in Bangkok. The hike to the top was a feat of over 300 stairs, but the views of the city were absolutely worth it. This temple is the highest in Bangkok. The bells’ chime and Monk’s prayers over the loudspeakers ring throughout Wat Saket and make you appreciate the Thai culture.
The tile work that makes up Wat Arun is absolutely stunning. The attention to detail and craftsmanship is amazing to see. Consider taking a tuk tuk to this site if you are staying across the river.
When visiting Wat Pho, keep in mind how popular this site is! The full reclining Buddha is massive and getting your camera angles just right for photos can be difficult with traffic and large crowds. I suggest taking your time throughout the site and waiting for people to clear out from the Buddha. There are a lot of architectural details and tile-work to admire as well.
The Grand Palace is one of the largest temple sites we visited in Thailand. It is home to the King and Thai government. There are many buildings and statues to admire, made of sequence-like tiles and many gold accents. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is located just behind the Grand Palace as well.
Wat Ratchanatdaram’s temple is made of gorgeous gold cast-iron towers on each tier of the building. It is walking distance to The Golden Mount and easily doable to conquer both in one day. We visited during the evening and were the only ones there.
The popular Blue Temple of Chiang Rai is one you should not miss out on! The exterior is a mesmerizing deep blue with accentuating gold carvings. The interior is just as detailed, with elaborate paintings on dark blue walls throughout. It feels like an underwater experience, with blue symbolizing purity and wisdom.
Wat Rong Khun was the first temple that caught my eye in a travel book. In person, it did not disappoint. The glittering icicles and embellishments made this temple a frosty wonderland. The outreaching hands in front of the temple symbolize unrestrained greed, while the glass, crystal-like details symbolize wisdom.
As far as landscape is concerned, Wat Huay Pla Kang has the most peaceful backdrop of green rolling hills. Guan Yin is the largest Buddha in Thailand, named after the Chinese Goddess of Mercy. The exterior gives magnificent 360 panoramic views of Chiang Rai. The interior matched the outside of the White Temple, with elaborate stucco design.
Elephant Sanctuary:
In addition to visiting the temples, another thing I highly recommend doing is going to an elephant sanctuary. The sanctuaries rescue elephants from tourist traps where they are mistreated. I sincerely encourage you to support the rescues that care for and educate the public on elephant life. The place we chose to visit is part of the Elephant Green Hill Project in Chiang Mai.
We made a reservation ahead of time, so make sure you book online! The experience we chose included feeding the elephants, bathing them, and a short hike with them as well.
The elephants are not caged in by any means, and are free to roam the property as they wish. We were introduced to three elephants in total. They were gentle giants. It was hard to imagine how much they weighed given how sweet and tenderly they greeted us.
We were taught how to cut sugar cane and make medicine balls for them to eat. Our bags were filled with bananas and we were given turns at the feeding station, up close with their trunks, while they indulged in several hundred calories at a time.
After the initial feeding, we were led on a short hike with the elephant pack. The scenery was absolutely stunning and to be side by side with these magical creatures in their natural habitat was my favorite experience. They took turns veering slightly off path to collect brush and leaves from the surrounding trees.
Elephants are known to pick up dirt and constantly toss it onto their backs as a means to cool off. They were quite dirty by the end of our hike, and what better way to get clean than a bath. We were able to help splash them with water and mud to cool them down and rinse them off.
After their baths, we all washed up and it was time for lunch. The food was a buffet of salads, fruits, and vegetable dishes. My favorite part was actually the dessert. Our guide made us grilled plantains with a sweet syrup on top. It was a perfect end to an amazing experience.
I would not pass up the opportunity to learn more about these majestic animals, and to encourage those you know to donate and visit sanctuaries as well.
Boat Tours/Snorkeling:
Thailand has so much to offer when it comes to exploring and immersing yourself in the culture. There is no shortage of places to visit or things to do while you’re there. If you make it to the coast, Phuket has a ton of boat tours and snorkeling opportunities.
We were able to do two boat tours during our stay in Phuket. One of them was supposed to go to the Similan Islands, but was re-routed due to a conservation project at the time. If you do get a chance, I hear it is amazing, and the islands are known for their sea turtles. The tour boats make several stops so you can experience a variety of beaches and areas of water with varying sea life.
On our way to one of the islands, we actually stopped at a cliff that had monkeys high up on the edge. Our guide tossed a few pineapple jam cookies in the water and we were able to watch the monkeys swim and climb. In addition to monkeys, we also saw a couple huge water monitors while eating lunch at one of our destinations. There was no shortage of land or water wildlife to experience on our tours.
While at one of the beach stops, our guide offered the chance to take a small hike to a scenic viewpoint. The views at the top were spectacular and the gradation of the water going outward from the beach was stunning. I was able to see half of the island from the top and captured a few amazing panoramic shots.
Other Recommendations:
1. Get a massage! Because the exchange rate was $1 to 30 baht, we were able to get a massage almost every day for a really inexpensive rate. Thailand offers their full body Thai massage, which involves some slightly awkward stretching, as well as regular foot and back massages.
2. Go to the night markets. Bangkok is known especially for their night markets. There is a variety of souvenirs to purchase at reasonable prices, as well as plenty to eat and drink. You can try local snacks such as seasoned crickets and indulge in a massage or temporary henna tattoo.
3. Watch a fire show on the beach. We passed by one on our way to dinner one night in Phuket and they look like so much fun. If we weren’t absolutely starving we would have stayed to see the performance.
