THAILAND

IT’S TIME TO EXPERIENCE

A TROPICAL TOURIST PLAYGROUND

If you like temples, tropical islands, and crazy street food, Thailand is the pick for you. From the busy streets of Bangkok to the mountains of Chiang Mai, it offers a rich mix of culture, nature, and adventure. Beach lovers can chill on many of the Southern islands, while history & culture enthusiasts can explore ancient temples in Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, colorful markets, and traditional festivals. The best time to visit most of the country is during the cooler, drier months from November to February, while the rainy season typically runs from May to October. Plus, Thailand’s lovely hospitality, excellent cuisine, and range of budget-friendly to luxury options make it an ideal spot for many different travelers.

Cost of living score: 40

avg price restaurant meal

€€€€

€5

avg hotel price

€30

BEST SPOTS & ACTIVITIES

Getting around Bangkok is cheap and easy using taxi apps such as Grab and Bolt. There is also the BTS Skytrain and MRT Underground. As traffic is crazy, I wouldn't recommend renting a vehicle here. For booking accommodation throughout Thailand, Agoda is the cheapest platform, but make sure to check Google reviews of the places as well, as there are some fake reviews. Staying in the Sukhumvit area puts you in the middle of the action. Some of my Bangkok highlights were watching Muay Thai in the Rajadamnern Stadium, getting massages, and the rooftop bars. For some cultural experiences, consider visiting a floating market, Chatuchak Weekend Market, and famous busy temples like Grand Palace & Wat Arun. In the photo you see Soi Cowboy, a red light district street.

Starting in the capital, Bangkok

Visiting historic Ayutthaya

I unfortunately missed this gem due to not having enough time in Bangkok, but in hindsight I wish I made time. Its about 80 kilometers north of Bangkok, and you can take a train there from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (KTCT) or Hua Lamphong Station, taking 1.5 to 2 hours. A great full day trip from Bangkok! It was the capital of the Kingdom of Siam, and an international trading port, from 1350 until razed by the Burmese in 1767. The ruins of the old city now form the Ayutthaya Historical Park, an archaeological site that contains palaces, Buddhist temples, monasteries and statues. The park is on an island between 3 rivers. As it will be a lot of walking, it is better to rent a scooter right opposite the railway station that costs between THB 200-300 per day. You can also rent bicycles in the city. If you wanna visit all the temple ruins in the city, its best to buy a single ticket for THB 220 from the counters that are valid for 6 locations. There is also a floating market here if you haven't been to one yet.

If you're looking for more temples, jungle, and a more laid-back mountain vibe, consider going up North to Chiang Mai. If you want to maximize beach time, you might skip this, as it is far from the tropical waters and sandy beaches. You can take a sleeper train or a bus there, but book this far in advance as first class cabins sell out fast. It is not super luxurious, but I at least want a wall around me when I'm sleeping. In 2nd class you only have a curtain around your foldout sleeper. The best overnight train is Train #9 departing at 18:40, which is scheduled to arrive 12 hours 35 minutes later at 07:15. You can take transport to Chiang Mai from Bangkok or Ayutthaya. You can check 12go.asia for available options.

Take the overnight train/bus to Chiang Mai

Explore the Northern jungle & waterfalls

So many temples, so little time. If you are saw temples around Bangkok, or you are heading to Chiang Rai after, I would focus more on nature than the temples in this area (but there are many!). You can rent a car if you are also planning to head to Chiang Rai, but to explore the city a small scooter is more than enough. For jungle activities, do a course of zip lining through the jungle with Skyline Adventure. For easy hikes & waterfalls, visit Doi Inthanon National Park, where Ang Ka Nature Trail forms a short, easily accessible 30-45 minute boardwalk loop located at the 2,500m+ summit. There are many longer hikes at the Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary, a nature reserve with endangered wildlife. You could climb the sticky waterfall at Buatong, but be prepared for crowds. I really enjoyed the Grand Canyon waterpark and the Night Bazaar.

As we rented a car in Chiang Rai (and have experience driving on the left) it was an easy 3,5 hour drive with one stop. You can also do the trip with motorbikes or scooters, but we had a giant suitcase. There are also busses for very cheap, check 12go.asia. In this town you will find the most extra temples, known as the White Temple and the Blue Temple. I would recommend the White Temple, and it will take a good couple hours to explore everything here. Dress modestly, so cover your shoulders and bare legs inside the temples. I also loved the Choui Fong Tea Plantation, where you can wander around and enjoy lovely teas, cakes and everything matcha. If you have your own transport, consider staying outside of town in the mountains - where you can enjoy a choir of crickets, stunning sunsets and starry skies.

Head over to the next temple town: Chiang Rai

Surat Thani & East Coast Islands

If you're coming all the way from the North, flying down to Surat Thani is most convenient. From Bangkok, the train takes around 9 hours. Surat Thani, known as the "City of a Hundred Islands" is worth staying in for a day. Chilling in Ko Lamphu park, an island in the middle of the city, and surrounding floating markets are highlights. Stop by BB specialty coffee & brunch, a hidden gem with great coffee (try a blueberry cappuccino, trust me!). From Tapee Pier, you can take ferries or speedboats to Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan, and Ko Tao. These islands are beautiful, but overpriced and overrun by tourists. Ko Tao is known for cheap and great diving, but the accommodation prices are outrageous. If you want to see any of these islands, I would recommend booking a stay far in advance for better prices, or taking a day trip from the mainland.

A gorgeous man-made lake in an ancient rainforest and one of the most beautiful places I've seen. Flooded for hydropower, the peaks of the rainforest mountains tower over the water in Khao Sok National Park. You can take a bus or shared minivan to get here from Surat Thani for cheap, which takes around 2,5 hours. There are expensive floating accommodations on the lake, which I wouldn't recommend. If you want to take a longtail boat tour around the lake, stay somewhere close to the pier. There are also accommodations close to the jungle that offer boat tours, as well as jungle hikes where you can see a lot of wildlife and maybe even a wild elephant! Note that all "elephant sanctuaries" in Thailand are the reason more elephants are taken from the wild, so avoid these everywhere. You should only spot them in the wild, and especially NEVER go to "sanctuaries" that offer rides and bathing.

Khao Sok National Park

Khao Lak is a more laid-back West Coast beach town, about 100kms North of Phuket and around an hour from Khao Sok. This is a more relaxed base for a tour of the Similan Islands, a protected area consisting of 11 islands, only open for visits from mid October to mid May. It is regarded as one of the top 10 dive sites in the world (advanced open water certification often required) and has mindblowing coral reefs and biodiversity. If you don't have an AOW certification, I would recommend doing a snorkeling tour from Thap Lamu Pier. It takes around 75 min to get there by speedboat and you will be with loads of other tourists. It is relatively expensive (and crowded) but I did see a sea turtle here - and the crystal clear waters were so beautiful. However, the best way to explore it would be to do a multi-day dive trip and sleep on the boat, but that is quite pricey.

Khao Lak & Similan Islands

Phuket is a wild place, and a stomping ground for international travelers. Streets are busy, traffic is hectic, and it is riddled with bad scooter drivers, restaurants and coffeeshops. Renting a scooter is the only reasonable way to get around, but be careful. I would highly recommend doing a Muay Thai class here, doing a dive (discovery dive if you don't have experience), with the best spots being Kata Beach (shore dive, beginner level) and Shark Point (boat dive, intermediate level). I did my open water certification by doing 4 dives at Kata Beach with Phuket Dive Tours, as this was cheap and time efficient. From Phuket, you can also take many day trips to top hotspots, like Phi Phi, James Bond Island, Similan, and Khao Sok - so it is a good base in the South.

The busy streets & underwater world of Phuket

It is amazing how overtourism can turn a paradise into a nightmare. Moving through the narrow streets in this conveyor belt of tourists and hearing club music until 6 am from every side of the island was as unrelaxing as anything I can think of. On the upside, the scenery around Phi Phi was some of the most beautiful I've seen. You're better off taking a boat tour around all the sights than staying on the island itself (unless you love partying with drunk Brits). Some of the highlights around Phi Phi (reachable by boat) were Maya Bay (super crowded though), and Monkey Beach. Our longtail boat stopped at a few other sites, where we could snorkel freely and saw baby sharks, moray eels, many beautiful fish and giant corals. Doing a snorkeling day trip around Phi Phi is the best way to explore it without getting overrun by tourists.

Island hopping stops: Phi Phi Islands

After Phuket and Phi Phi, arriving in Koh Lanta was like a breath of fresh air. No crowds, no McDonalds, just quiet sand beaches, decent prices and cute restaurants. From Koh Lanta, you can dive with whale sharks and manta rays at top dive sites like Hin Daeng & Hin Muang & Koh Haa. Unfortunately for me, advanced open water certification is required for these sites. It is one of the best places on Earth to do this certification though! Definitely coming back for this one. You can go snorkeling in Koh Haa too though, would definitely recommend that. Koh Jum is a super quiet, underdeveloped island where you can be totally alone. No fancy restaurants, just beach vibes and cash only. No ATMs or shops anywhere near. This was a little too remote for us. Koh Lanta was a good balance between having amenities close by, but no crowds.

Koh Lanta & Koh Jum

Krabi was a fun place to be. Note that it is better to stay around Ao Nang then to stay in Krabi city itself, and it forms a good base for many sights and activities. Ao Nang has busy streets, lined with restaurants, massage places, beauty salons, and small shops. From Ao Nang beach, you can take a longtail to all the sights in the area, like Railay & Phra Nang Beach, as well as the bat cave and bioluminescent plankton in this area, Hong Island, and Ko Poda island. Highlights in Ao Nang itself are the free fire show by Phoenix Fire Team, starting around 6.30 pm when the sun sets on Ao Nang Beach. I also loved kayaking through the mangrove forest in Ao Thalane (pickup from Ao Nang), where you will see some monkeys and have the chance to swim a bit. You can also hike the Monkey Trail in Ao Nang if you want to see even more of them! You can fly home from Krabi Airport.