Thailand

Since the beginning of October I have been travelling around South East Asia, first stop Thailand. Each area we stayed was about four days so we were able to see much of the country and we made the most of the little time we had to explore each place.

In this post I wanted to share with you what I got up to each day in Thailand and some of my recommendation from areas of Thailand, food and cultural stops which will help you plan what to do when you are in the area. 

Bangkok

Bangkok was the first stop on my travels to South East Asia. It is the capital of Thailand and therefore was a very busy city with much to do,however the other areas felt more like Thailand to me as there was more of a greener habitat and the vibe of the areas were often chiller and more peaceful. 

On the weekend I would highly recommend going to the Chatuchack Weekend Market- It is one of the biggest markets in Asia. I went to the market on my first full day in the City and it was a very intense experience to have but it also made me immerse myself better into the Thai culture. There was so much to see, and try, especially the food which you could try along the side of the markets. As well as that there was so much to buy at really reasonable prices; from clothes to leather goods to handmade items. 

Obviously I’m every place in Asia, the food markets are a place to be. Trying the local cuisines and the classics, like Pad Thai. 

80% of Thailand still follows Buddhism as their main religion and therefore they take their belief very seriously and show their respect through art in their temples towards the Buddha- Siddhartha Gutami and many Bodhisattvas.  I would highly recommend Gold Mount and Wat Pho (to see the famous Reclining Buddha). 

If your interested in the nightlife in the city I would recommend going to Kosan Road. From scorpions to Pingpong shows- they have everything to offer and many bars and clubs where alcohol and weed are on constant circulation at great deals. 

Finally, I would recommend the Icon Siam, a shopping mall with over 8 floors filled with shops, restaurants, a cinema, a gym and more… you can actually spend multiple days there without ever getting bored of what they have to offer. At the top of the shopping centre there is also a view of the whole city which makes going up all the escalators, even if your not interested in shopping, totally worth it! 

Chang Mai

The second area was located in the north of Thailand and required us to take an overnight train to get there from Bangkok. This was my favourite area in Thailand, the area was much more relaxed than Bangkok and there was a lot to do around the area without even planning it- there was always something around the corner. 

Since Chang Mai is focused more on it’s nature we did a lot more activities focusing on the outdoors. On the first day in Chang Mai, we went for a hike to a waterfall in the mountains, where we also had lunch with some of the locals and were able to see elephants working for the town. 

 

On our free day from the tour we decided to spend the day at a Zipline Adventure where we did zip lining and go cart racing. This is another super fun way of seeing Chang Mia’s nature in an active and different way. The experience was one of a kind and some views we’re just breathtaking! 

Some more adventure focused activities. We spent the day at Srilanna National Park where we spent the morning cycling through rice patty fields and through the small town around the area. In the afternoon we headed to the National park’s Dame where we kayaked through the deep water to see some of Thailand’s natural beauty. 

On one of the evenings in Chang Mai we caught a tuk tuk to another temple to watch the sunset. The temple was called Wat Phra Doi Suthep and is one of the most important temples in Chang Mai because it was the first Stupa to be built in 1383 and has gradually expanded into a small village for monks. 

And lastly for even more food markets…The Night Bazar Market is the perfect place to buy your souvenirs and find something to eat at really affordable prices- you can even have some crocodile if you fancy! 

Pai

A three to four hours drive from Chang Mai was Pai, a much smaller town, different from both Bangkok and Chang Mai but just as amazing. It’s a much smaller area filled with backpackers such as myself who have come from all over the world to travel South East Asia. 

Pai usually comes alive more in the evenings- especially if you are interested in buying some new clothes or want street food, the Night market is the place to go. One of my favourite places to eat was the Food Truck in the food market. One man made all the food from his truck, the food was so fresh it- it’s one of my favourite meals I have had in Thailand. It’s in the centre of Pai town and opens around 6pm.  The evenings is when most people are out in the bars and the night markets and occasionally jungle parties. 

Due to the small town being quiet during the day,  it’s often advertised to take a whole day or half day tour around the visit the attractions. These include: the White Buddha and Chinese village, as well as the Pai canon. I took a tuk tuk around to the three locations which was much more expensive than the planned tour but it also meant that I could do it at my own pace, which rather than doing all in one day I did one activity each day. 

Pai is also well known for its caves- there are over 150 in the area and there are three main ones which are open to the public at the moment. The caves can be very small and there are many bats flying around however, if you don’t think about it, the caves are also a beautiful part of nature and should definitely be seen. 

 

My time in Pai was very much a travellers experience, including my yoga classes at… It’s the best hangover cure after a night out in the bars. One can choose from three different classes a day at three different times making it accessible for everyone to do at least one class when visiting the area. This can also be done anywhere in Thailand that you visit but I would recommend getting a Thai massage done in Pai as there is so many places available around the town. 

Chang Khoeng 

A seven hour drive from Pai we headed to an elephant sanctuary, located in the jungle with no internet for a week to help out and learn about the animals. BEES (Burms and Emily’s Elephant Sanctuary) is a no hands policy sanctuary which focuses on ethical and responsible care for retired elephants. Their program helps to spread awareness and stop the mistreatment of elephants in the tourist industry in Thailand. 

Everyday we were there we had an activity which was centred around the elephants without interfering with them and remaining ethical.

Day one- we spent the morning on a conservative walk with the elephants where we learnt more about them in the wild and where able to watch them roam free. 

Day two- as a team we started a water irrigation system project on BEES land to help stop the floods during the rainy season. 

Day three- some children from a local school came over where they taught us some Thai and we taught them English while making Thai desserts and then learnt how to make lanterns for the full moon festival to give our thanks to the water gods. 

Day four- after a relaxing day we were back to work on the water irrigation system project to finish it before leaving. 

Day five- we were given a tour of the local town by the owner Burm to show us his home. We went to a cafe called Amuse Cafe which had amazing coffee and breathtaking views and then were taken to a waterfall for a dip in the fresh water. Finally we finished the day with a tour of the rice pattys which was the most beautiful scenes I had seen on my trip so far. 

Day six- we spent our last full day on another observation walk with the elephants so we could learn more about the company and the hopes for expansion to bring Elephant tourism and captivity to an end. 

Day seven- Before leaving for an overnight train to Bangkok we spent the morning divided between groups to do the tasks of rubbish picking and making elephant supplements. 

Koh Tao

Koh Tao is an island off of Thailand, famous for its astounding beautiful beaches, known for its diving and snorkelling, but there was much more than just that! 

We spent 4 days in the area at a hostel called the Taco Shack which specialised in (surprisingly…) Mexican food. Most of the time we were there the weather was not great because it’s raining season at the moment, however, this didn’t stop us from doing the activities available on the island. 

Most days I started off with either a yoga class or Thai boxing and there was many options for breakfasts to fuel me! I would highly recommend the Factory Cafe and Living Juices for a nutritional start to the day. 

When the weather did improve, so did everyone’s moods. As soon as the sun came out everyone would change into their bikinis and race to the beach to catch some sun. There was much to do on the beach as well as reading and swimming, including; renting paddle boards or a snorkel set or taking a diving course. 

There was much to do in the days but also many nice places open during the evenings as well. We would end each day (that wasn’t poring with rain) by watching the sunset on the beach and go for a quick dip before coming back to get ready for dinner. There were many shops available which meant we often wanted to show off our new clothes. Restaurant recommendations would have to be; Chu Chu, which serves Thai infused pizzas (don’t bash until you try) and Mamas, an authentic Thai restaurant with great prices and the best pad Thai I’ve had! 

As well as beach bars, like Fish Bowl, we also had the opportunity to go to a cabaret show called the Queens Cabaret which was great fun, an evening filled with glitter and sequins- I would highly recommend, especially on the quieter seasons as there isn’t many people around. 

Before heading back to the main land I would definitely recommend getting a ferry over to the other island and spending a few nights on islands, such as; Koh Phangan (especially for a full moon party!) as there are many other things the island offer. 

I have loved Thailand and wish I had more than just a month, however, I am equally excited for my next destination which is Cambodia. I hope to also do a post on my experience there.

Love, 

Aria XO