We decided to go to Thailand before Indonesia. So we left Kenya and landed in Bangkok, Thailand. Talk about a world of difference!! Although we loved Bangkok for all of it's rich culture, cheap massages, and yummy food, we soon discovered that Thailand is also a tropical paradise! I highly recommend that anyone who loves beautiful soft white sand beaches with warm turquoise water along plush landscapes and mountain cliffs to head to Thailand immediately! It is breathtaking.
Here is a little bit of trivia for you. Thailand is officially the Kingdom of Thailand and formerly known as Siam. The country is a kingdom, (run by a King) but is a constitutional monarchy. Their current King is Rama IX, who has reigned since 1946, making him the world's longest serving current head of state AND the longest reigning monarch is the history of Thailand. One of his predecessors was Rama IV, is best known as the "King" in the play (and movie) "The King and I". I love that play so that was kinda cool to me.
It is actually illegal to speak negatively about the King. While we were at the airport, they reported an American who got arrested for a negative posting he did 5 years ago on the web!!. So if the government is reading this, LONG LIVE KING RAMA!! You can find his picture everywhere! Including all of the money has his picture on it!
As with most of Thailand, the majority of the population is Buddhist, but there is a significant number of Muslims. So you will see their daily "offerings" all over the street. Kinda cool really. Their devotion was actually inspiring to us.
Here are the must sees:
BANGKOK: They shot the Hangover 2 there, but the movie did not show most of the cool parts. Yes, it is very crowded and lots of tourist, but we LOVED it. Lots of craziness going on, but you can have a great time listening to great music and eating great food!! It is the most visceral city we have ever experienced, with the smells and sounds and the beautiful colors everywhere, it appeals to all of your senses at once!! There is nothing fancy about Bangkok though, so if don't go there expecting to be treated like a queen/king, you will have a great time!
PHUKET: This is an island off the south-west coast of Thailand. Admittedly not my favorite, because of the night life that so reminds me of Las Vegas, but it's worth mentioning because of the beaches. They are beautiful. Phuket has a dry season that runs from December through March and a wet season the rest of the months. We were there in April but it was nice and sunny. Phuket's main economy is from tourism so they cater to tourists so here you can get treated like a king/queen. You will find a lot of comforts from home but the prices are comparable (if not more) to the USA, making it the most expensive place in Thailand. This is the point of entry to the other islands, so it's worth checking out for a day or two. But that's all I can recommend, because the rest of the islands are breathtaking and you are going to want to kick yourself for staying there any longer than that!
Phi Phi Island (Kho Phi Phi):
There are six islands in the group known as Phi Phi. Kho Phi Phi was devastated by the Tsunami in December 2004, when thousands of people died and nearly all of the island's infrastructure was destroyed. But you would never know it, the whole place was completely rebuilt very quickly and almost everything has been restored.
It is BEAUTIFUL!! Now, it is a major tourist spot and is especially popular place for diving and snorkeling, kayaking and other marine recreational activities. The province is located at the shore to the Andaman Sea and is an area of outstanding natural beauty. Most notable are the limestone hills, both on the land and in the sea. Rock climbers from all over the world travel to Ton Sai Beach and Railay Beach to climb them. There are several islands (about 154) but the most famous is the Phi Phi Islands because they filmed the movie, The Beach, there. (The movie was lame, but if you watch it the scenery is amazing)
It is also featured in last season of The Bachlorette. (I normally don't watch that show, but I HAD to see the pictures of this breathtaking island). You have to take a boat there but the scenery is SO beautiful along the way, you won't mind.
**IMPORTANT TRAVEL TIP #10: Arrange for your boat trip at the AIRPORT. Believe it or not, the price doubles when you do it at the dock! Just book the boat trip to Krabi. Once you get to Phuket, there are lots of options to get to the dock.
This boat trip was the beginning of me grasping for air. Here are some of our pictures of the islands:
Travel Tip #11: You can arrange trips right from your hotel, but remember that EVERYTHING is negotiable, so don't just take the first price you are given.
We went on two trips while we were there. One was a quick four island trip and we loved it so much that we took another one that was all day island hoping. Both trips included breakfast and lunch, water, snorkeling and swimming in beautiful warm water, so it was a great deal.
AO NANG:
Ao Nang Beach, is Krabi's most developed beach. You have to take the ferry leaving the Phi Phi Islands and then a shuttle to get to this town. It is a nice town with a beautiful beach front, with lots more options of things to do, but without the partiers. This was great and a must see. It's beaches are gorgeous and there is a wide range of accommodation including resorts, bungalows and guesthouses. There you can rent scooters/motorcycles and explore till your hearts' content.
You can also arrange for day trips from there. There are cooking classes to take (if you love Thai Food like we do) and Thai Kick Boxing classes (if you want to learn to hurt someone without hurting yourself in the process) :-). Ours was a trip to a park, a hot springs and included an Elephant Trek. So fun and scary at the same time. But I would HIGHLY recommend this one.
There are also white water rafting trips and quite a bit of things for the whole family.
**TRAVEL TIP #12: DO NOT get pressured into buying any day trips until you get to your hotel and had a chance to do your research first. The bus on the way to "town" will pull into an "official" looking place and they will "imply" that you HAVE to decide right then and there, but you will have plenty of other options once you get there that are more affordable and even negotiable.
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What can I say except that the whole country of Thailand is fabulous, and as you can see, there is something for everyone. From Rock Climbing, to snorkeling, to Elephant rides, to Whitewater rafting, to cooking classes, it is AMAZING! I am already looking forward to coming back NEXT YEAR!! Anyone what to join us??
XX,
Michelle & Seer
