When I think of Thailand, I reflect of the beautiful beaches, tasty foods, and kind smiling people. My trip to Thailand was a unique experience for me. I travel alone, meet local people, and attempt to experience the culture from all angles. Thailand is a country of many colors. For this reason, I will always have Thailand very close to my heart.
Grand Palace, Bangkok
As I said, I usually travel alone. I feel traveling alone can make a trip more adventurous as well as less-complicated. I do like having a companion along, but I feeling traveling solo can make provide greater opportunity to do what my heart desires which can be a simple as sleeping in, eating some bizarre local food, or exploring an exotic location.
Tuk Tuk Ride
My trip to Thailand included four major places. These included Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Krabi. I have a story to tell each place I visited and each one have memories I will never forget. I did a lot of flying during this trip. Most backpackers prefer trains or buses. I find it easier and sometimes with equivalent expenses to take an airplane. Some flights were as cheap at 40 USD!
I learned a lot in Thailand. I would see many poor people begging for money and I would usually give some to them. Being able to travel at such a young age has made me realize how blessed I am to have the time and money to travel. Giving a small amount of money might be a huge help to someone in need even though it’s pennies to me.
Bangkok
One night in Bangkok makes the tough guy tremble, right? Actually, Bangkok has become very modern and even safe with an array of things to do and see. It’s such a vibrant city filled with shopping malls, temples, and yes, traffic. I have never seen traffic like Bangkok but at the same time, it can be easy and cheap to get from place to place. A common form of transportation is the “tuk tuk” which is motorbike connected to a two-wheeled, open-aired carrier. It’s cheap, chaotic, and sometimes frightening to take one. You simply approached a driver, negotiate a price, and hold on for your life. Another thing I noticed about Bangkok upon arrival was the billboards. The billboards seemed to the size of football fields and advertised many large companies. They were enormous!
Busy Bangkok
Another thing about Bangkok is the heat. Like many cities, walking is necessary which means walking outside. After leaving the freezing cold temperatures of Korea, the heat in Bangkok was a blessing although my face never dried.
Bangkok is a city of many faces. It has its poorer areas but in the same vicinity, I would find nice, innovative buildings. The city has many skyscrapers and has also become a shopper’s paradise. I walked into malls full of luxury brands and I also explored areas of cheap, knockoff goods. I bought a pair of $5 sunglasses that are already in need or repair.
Wat Arun
Food, food, food! It’s everywhere in Bangkok! I was able to enjoy so many local flavors at a very cheap price. Thai food is some of the best in Asia and seems to be so fresh and flavorful! I already miss the tastes of lime and cilantro.
Karon Tribe
In Bangkok, I made a friend named Mikey. He has studied and lived in different English speaking countries and he became a great friend and travel guide for my stay in Bangkok. He showed me the numerous shopping districts, historical places, and art galleries. One of our favorite memories was taking a long-tail boat on the river in Bangkok. It was a great experience seeing the city from this angle as we saw the famous Wat Arun and Grand Palace. It’s quite touristy but also really enjoyable. Mikey and I also did other simple things such as drink coffee, sing karaoke, and see a movie. By the way, seeing a movie in a cinema with snacks is super inexpensive! If I lived there, it would be week experience. Mikey also took me to the well-known Chinatown. Here, we ate beef noodles, drank dragon fruit juice, and I tried durian fruit. Durian fruit is known for its smell. To me, it had a smell of onions and tasted awful. This is only my opinion as many locals love it.
Delicious Eats!
Meeting Mikey and experiencing Bangkok was an unforgettable experience! I am so thankful for my short trip there. Hopefully, in the future, I can have many more “One night in Bangkok” experiences.
Chiang Mai
Located in northern Thailand is the second largest city of Chiang Mai. It has become a favorite among tourists. I loved it for its simplicity. I stayed in a hotel inside the city with a perfect location to do many things. My first day in Chiang Mai was a lazy day for me, but I was still able to taste local food, Thai style.
In all Thai cities in towns, there are restaurants serving lower budget meals. Even though these places are economical in price, the quality and flavor is incredible. I ordered sufficient dishes to feed an army and would only spend a few dollars. In Chiang Mai, I was able to experience this time and time again. My mouth waters just at the thought of Thai food.
Elephant Ride
On my first full day, my friend from Hong Kong, Raphael, joined me. He flew in to spend time with me and to explore this city. We quickly started a routine of massages and eating. It was great. Massages in Thailand are the best because they are so cheap. We would get massages for a couple of hours and spend around 12 dollars. If we had a free hour, we were getting a massage. Our first night, we had two massages before and after we explored the night bazaar.
The next day, we got a taxi driver and paid around $30 (7 hours) for him to drive us in the region. This driver was a very pleasant guy who spoke English. He told us he has never left Chiang Mai and all he knows is his city. I guess a guide like that is best to have when getting to know a place. He took us to see a monkey show where I played with monkeys, I tiger home, where I played with tigers, a temple atop a mountain, a waterfall, and a traditional Thai show and dinner. It was a perfect day!
Tiger and I
My final full day in Chiang Mai was spent at an Elephant camp where we rode elephants, visited the longneck Karon tribe, rode bamboo rafts, ox carts, and saw an elephant show. Riding elephants was something I always wanted to do in Thailand. It was a little nerve-wracking at first riding that immense creature, but after time, we became friends and all was good.
That night, after eating our favorite restaurant “Lemon Tree”, we had another two hour massage and rested for the night. Chiang Mai was such a great experience and it is beyond hesitation one of my favorite places in Asia! It’s not as recognized as other cities, but it is worth a visit.
Phuket Island
A favorite of European tourists is the island of Phuket. It’s a large Island completed with natural beauty, beaches, resorts, and people. There is actually a lot to do and see in Phuket in addition to the beach. I stayed on Karon Beach on the southwest side of the island. It was not as busy as the Patong beach which was full of motorbikes, scooters, and pedestrians. Yes, it is an overcrowded holiday location. After coming from the tranquility of Chiang Mai, the bustling beaches of Phuket became a shock to me.
Phi Phi Islands
My time in Phuket was supposed to be a time of relaxation and more massages. It was to a point, but also I do not like sitting very long. Within my time in Phuket, I saw “James Bond Island” which is now famous from the movie “The Man with the Golden Gun”. This tour included rafting in the ocean, visiting a floating Muslim village, and visiting a caved lying Buddha statue (of course some monkeys were included). It was all beautiful but at the same time, very touristy. I also met a woman named Bella who became my travel buddy. She is an actress living in New Orleans.
Also in Phuket, I did another elephant experience in the area of Kao Sok. It was a long drive north but we made stops along the way. We visited Kao Lak beach which is famous for getting battered by the Tsunami. Visiting there was a reminder of what happened and the lives lost in that tragedy.
I thoroughly enjoyed this elephant ride because it was so calm and I did the driving as I rode on the elephants head. Also, the rafting on the river was very calming and relaxing. I just lifted my feet and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. I could not complain about anything.
What I love about Phuket? I love the diversity of the food, the cheap massages, the lively atmosphere, and the beaches.
What I don’t love about Phuket? I disliked the traffic, the overcrowded places, the tourists, and the distance to the airport from the major beaches.
Overall, Phuket was an exciting and an amazing place. I might have other places in mind when visiting Thailand’s beaches, but I still love Phuket.
Muslim Fishing Village
Krabi
The shortest part of my trip in Thailand was spent near the coastal town of Krabi. Taking a three hour bus ride, I stayed on the beach town of Ao Nang. It was a lot quieter than Phuket and also a bit cheaper. Still, many tourists roamed the streets. The beach at Ao Nang was incredible and super beautiful. I am happy I got to see it for myself. I also noticed here the vast amount of Indian tailors on the street, “Hello, my friend. Suit for you? Good price!” They were very persistent. I eventually gave in and bought a nice fitted shirt even when I repeated said no and that I didn’t need one.
Kao Lak
During my stay in Krabi, I speed boated myself to the Phi Phi Islands. These islands are known as being some of the most beautiful islands in the world. Some of the most beautiful places I have ever been were at these islands. Yes, a bit overcrowded, but also very spectacular. Another movie was filmed in this location called “The Beach” with Leonardo DiCaprio. They day was filled with island hopping, beach relaxing, and working on my tan (my tan meaning my white skin that I tried to tan which never happened). The beauty around me was enough for marvelous images in my head.
I really do recommend Krabi as a destination to visit the attractions near Phuket without actually staying in Phuket. Even though it was short visit, it will definitely be a great memory to have. After Krabi, I needed make my way to Malaysia. That will be the start of my next story.
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