A Taste of Thailand
- Tasnia Mozammel
- Jan 3, 2023
- 7 min read
Known for exotic tropical beaches, opulent palaces, ancient ruins, and vibrant ultramodern cityscapes, Thailand offers an unforgettable journey to all kinds of travellers. This post features my visits to the bustling destinations of Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and Hua Hin offering highlights, hidden gems, and an ultimate travel guide to inspire your next adventure to Southeast Asia!
As many borders are now loosening COVID-19 or Coronavirus restrictions and are re-opening for tourism, many people are finding themselves boarding flights after spending nearly two years fearful of travel. My family and I travelled to Thailand to attend a destination wedding, continuing precautions, and visiting Bangkok and Phuket en route to Hua Hin. This post entails my experiences exploring some of Thailand's most famed destinations, must-visit sites, and the country's unmistakably delicious cuisine.
BEFORE YOU GO:
1. Animal Tourism. A trip to Thailand often offers the touristic opportunity to interact closely with animals such as elephants and tigers. But wait! Before you seek tours and packages, it's crucial to acknowledge the ethical errors encompassing the captive animals who are poached from the wild. As a first-time traveller to Thailand, I paid a visit to a Tiger Farm in Pattaya that - had I been better educated - I would have completely avoided. To ensure you make a choice that you're content with, read more before you go...
2. GRAB. Make sure to download the Grab app! It's the Uber of Southeast Asia and is a commuting necessity.
3. Don't forget your camera!
Bangkok - a Culture Trip
Bangkok, Thailand's heaving capital, is known for its ornate shrines, vibrant street life, a network of canals, and hedonistic corners! A few days in Bangkok enabled me to encounter diverse experiences the city offers to travellers and expats.
The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, & Wat Arun
Explore the iconic attractions in Bangkok visiting the Grand Palace, the Emerald Buddha Temple, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun! It's best to visit the historical sites earlier in the day to avoid the mass flocks of tourists. The Grand Palace entrance tickets also include a shuttle service to a spirited cultural show at the Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre that is worth seeing!
Take a River Cruise
Various boats that depart from the ports along the Chao Phraya River - long tail boats, shuttles, and evening and diner cruises. A river cruise is a great way to absorb Thai culture whilst passing historical landmarks fused with a contemporary skyline in the city once known as the Venice of the East! Be sure to make a stop at ICONSIAM, the largest mall in BKK.
Stroll through Khao San Road
Khao San Road is a short but incredibly energetic street located in central Bangkok that is worth the visit for any traveller! Known as the "traveller hub" of Southeast Asia, the happening area is jam-packed with foreigners from all over the globe, buzzing bars, restaurants, food stalls, shops, nightlife, and budget accommodations. A fantastic site to explore and capture a glimpse of Thailand's vibrance.
An electric traveller hub and a long-time haven for foreign backpackers...
Do bear in mind, however, that the Khao San atmosphere quickly transforms into a hedonistic raucous area mimicking Red Light District vibes later in the evening and particularly during the weekends.
Explore Chinatown
Bangkok's Chinatown covers a large area and is predominantly popular for its street food, variety of food stalls, and temples. The markets mostly sell household items and stationary, hence is not recommended for those seeking a major shopping spree. Not as exciting as other international Chinatowns in my opinion, but can be explored during leisure time!
Chatuchak Weekend Market
The size of many football fields, Chatuchak Weekend Market, offering over 15,000 stalls and 11,000 vendors, is one of the best places to spend time in Bangkok! The market sells anything and everything - from authentic designer clothing to souvenirs to artistic household items/kitchenware to tech accessories to plants and pets.
SkyHigh Sukhumvit
Well-known among foreign visitors and expats, Bangkok Sukhumvit is a bustling and vibrant cosmopolitan area that is home to a handful of famous Red Light districts, main shopping centres, elite dining and nightlife hubs, and ultramodern hotels and residences.
Nearby attractions including prime malls can be easily accessed via the BTS Skytrain, a high-speed elevated metro rail line. Top malls include Terminal 21, Emporium, and Central World.
Drive to Pattaya City for the Day
Pattaya City, located on Thailand's eastern Gulf coast, is just a short 2-hour drive from the bustling capital of Bangkok. Previously known as a quiet fishing village, the coastal city is now lined with resort hotels, high-rise condos, cabaret bars, and 24-hour nightclubs! The city also offers touristic diversity from local elephant sanctuaries to glistening beaches and viewpoints to unique temples and heritage attractions such as the Sanctuary of Truth.
1. Explore Pattaya Floating Market via a Paddleboat
Pattaya Floating Market was a beautiful experience! Known for its maze of canals, the riverside site offers a colourful scene of vendors selling products from their paddle boats as well as walking pathways and bridges interconnecting shops above the water.
2. Relax on Pattaya Beach
Pattaya is popular for its bustling coasts and sandy shores that are lined with lounge chairs, water sports, and restaurants! There are also boat rides to wondrous neighbouring islands.
Other things to do in Bangkok:
1. Take a Day Trip to Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Delve into Thai history and take a day trip to Thailand's former ancient capital, Ayutthaya.
2. Tour Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
Experience Damnoen Saduak, one of the most popular floating markets.
Phuket Paradise
Situated in the Andaman Sea, Phuket is a mountainous island paradise that is not to miss! The destination is known for the world's finest beaches with crystal clear and glistening turquoise waters, as well as its lively towns, local markets, and thriving club scenes.
Old Town Phuket
Old Town Phuket is a quieter tourist attraction that offers travellers the experience to stroll between century-old and brightly painted Sino-Portuguese townhouses. The main road, Thalang, is most popular for its local artisanal shops selling souvenirs, batik, and street food. Old Town Phuket is also known for its Sunday Market which is open during the evenings.
We loved Old Town for its high-quality local shopping experience, however, the area in itself is quiet and tends to close by 7-8 pm.
Phi Phi Islands Tour
We pre-booked the Premium Speed Catamaran tour to Phi Phi Islands from Klook with the Yacht Master company. Organizing a tour beforehand is a good idea as finding a guide at the site is time-consuming, especially during peak tourist season. I would also highly recommend taking a private tour despite the price differences. Mr. Chet's Longtail Boat Trip offers exceptional and more flexible services due to being private or limited to small groups.
Our tour comprised multiple stops including Khai Island, Phi Phi Island, Monkey Beach, Pileh Lagoon, and Viking Cave. Although we stopped at each attraction for nearly an hour, the tour itself felt incredibly rushed as more time is required to properly absorb the beauty and enjoy the water activities offered.
Experience the unspoiled beauty of the Thai archipelago, and admire the pristine seas and marine life with several snorkelling stops along the route...
Patong Beach & Bangla Road
Patong Beach, adjacent to Bangla Road and Bangla Walking Street, is a buzzing tourist beach resort town and a major attraction. Sharing the same vibes as Khao Son Road in Bangkok, Bangla Road stretches significantly longer and offers a vast variety of resort hotels, restaurants, bars, nightlife, street food, souvenir shops, imitation items, cultural and Muay Thai shows, and much more.
An electric area inviting all kinds of travellers...
Meet the Gentle Giants
A visit to Thailand presents the opportunity to touch, feed, and play with elephants! The Elephant Jungle Sanctuary along with other respected sanctuaries and nature parks promote ethical ways to get close to and interact with the gentle giants who are lovingly cared for.
Soak Up Sea Views at a Resort Club
There are several vacation clubs and resorts in Phuket that offer dream escapes and paradisal relaxation!
Other Things to Do in Phuket:
1. Ma Doo Bua Cafe - an Insta-worthy Spot!
Nestled in a cozy corner just 30 minutes north of Old Town Phuket is Ma Doo Bua Cafe surrounded by giant lotus lilies that should not be missed by any Phuket-bound traveller making it an enviable Insta-worthy spot! Unfortunately, due to weather conditions, we were not able to visit but will deffo return to Phuket to experience this wonder in the future!
2. Relax on Phuket's Pristine Shores
Phuket is known for some of Thailand's most popular beaches offering crystal clear waters, seaside resorts, and restaurants. Some must-visit beaches include Freedom Beach, Karon Noi Beach, Ya Nui, and Banana Beach.
A Destination Wedding in Hua Hin
Hua Hin is a seaside resort district on the Gulf of Thailand. Most people enjoy Hua Hin for easy-going beach holidays as the district primarily features powdery sandy beaches, seaside restaurants, and a lively night market. We had the entire Avani+ Hua Hin Resort to ourselves for the duration of the destination wedding.
Indian Subcontinent Weddings swiftly explained: traditionally multi-day affairs comprising several intricate and colourfully coordinated ceremonies...!
A Beachside Welcome Dinner
The first event to kick off the wedding festivities entailed an exciting White Party Welcome Dinner on the beach lawn as family and friends joined from various corners of the globe!
Mehendi / Holud
A Mehendi is a pre-wedding celebration in the Indian culture that is typically held a day before the wedding. At this function, "mehendi" or henna is applied to the bride as well as the guests! Alternatively, "Holud" or "gaye holud" is a Bengali pre-wedding beautifying and blessing ceremony held for both the bride and groom. This fusion event tends to comprise vibrant colours of yellow, orange, green, and red and is one of the most joyous celebrations among the multi-day affairs!
Sangeet - a Pre-Wedding Musical Celebration
During the Sangeet, the groom's and bride's sides perform dances followed by an endless night of music and festivities for all!
A Jewel-toned evening filled with irresistible music...
The Wedding Ceremony
We celebrated the final occasion in pastel tones overlooking the picturesque sunset by the sea as the newlyweds sought farewell to start their new journey together!
The After-Party...
What happens in Hua Hin is on my camera roll...
Thai Food Scene
Thai food is globally famed for its brilliant balance of flavours served in one dish that creates an authentic harmony that is unmistakably Thai. From delicate carvings of fruits and veggies to matching sight and taste, follow me as I explore Thai cuisine from street food to seafood to creatively luxe dining experiences.
The Street Food Scene
Thai Fish on Dish
Thai Epicurean Diaries
Apart from street food and local restaurants, we paid worthy visits to Issaya Siamese Club, a Michelin Starred Thai restaurant in Bangkok, and Taurus, in Phuket, specializing in Thai gourmet tenderloins.
GALLERY:
More of Thailand? Visit: Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Koh Tao.
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