Thailand Travel Guide

Bangkok

Some people describe Bangkok as an “assault on the senses.” We disagree. It’s more like a waking up of the senses. As you explore the capital city, you’ll dip into a continuous stream of movements, sounds and smells that all compete for your attention. The effect is mesmerizing. 

Perhaps the most thrilling aspect of Bangkok is the food: its plentitude, its taste, its preparation (street kitchens), its take away and motorbike “drive-in” culture. Everywhere you go, you smell the making and eating of food. Everywhere else you go, you see the selling and offering of food (temples). It’s an endless feast that makes you question why you’ve settled for anything less than Thai food in Bangkok.

Look for accommodation in Bangkok. 

Read Next: Bangkok Travel Guide

Taling Chan Floating Market

Taling Chan is in Thonburi, an easy distance from Bangkok. You can independently explore the market and the surrounding canals without an organized tour. The market itself has a genuinely local vibe. It’s not a show market run for foreign tourists. Locals shop, eat and get massages here.

At the canal, there are several tied up wooden boats that function as kitchens. There are also several floating docks that serve as dining space. The atmosphere of the market is enriched by the swarming of catfish between the docks and the traditional live music. We wholeheartedly recommend trying the Somtam with mango, which is made on one of the boats. We also recommend getting an open-air foot massage under the trees (200 THB / 6 USD – 1 hour).

After enjoying a meal or two at the market, you can ride along the Klong Bangkok Yai canal in a longtail boat back to Bangkok. We took the boat to China Town (Ratchawongse Pier), which costed 100 THB per person. The canal itself is lined with stilt houses, people fishing, temples, and lush greenery. 

Visiting Info:

• The market is only open on Saturdays and Sundays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
• To get to Taling Chan, take the skytrain to the station Wongwian. From there, grab a taxi to the market (approx. 130 THB).

Look for accommodation in Bangkok.

Cycling between temple ruins in Ayuthaya

Ayuthaya (also spelled Ayutthaya) was the capital of Siam between 1350 and 1767. In its glory days, the island city was one of Asia’s major trading ports. It was also home to over 400 temples. The city fell in 1767 when the invading Burmese army sacked the city, looted its treasures, and enslaved its citizens. That event marked the end of Ayuthaya and the imperial beginning of Bangkok. 

The city is sprinkled with temple ruins, both on the Island and around it. The best way to visit the ruins is by cycling between them. We particularly liked visiting the ruins of Wat Phra Si Sanphet, which was built in the 15th century. The temple features three impressive stupas that collectively dwarf the surrounding area. Stupas are  Buddhist architectural structures that contain relics, or the possessions of a sacred person. Stray dogs are also particularly fond of the temples. We saw dogs roaming the streets and sleeping on the ruins everywhere.

After visiting Wat Mahathat (also spelled Wat Maha That) – the temple with the sandstone Buddha head tangled within a bodhi tree’s roots – we walked to the nearby Bang Ian Night market for dinner.

Visiting Info:

• You can reach Ayutthaya by train (35 THB – 3rd class ticket).
• We stopped here for one night on our way north. There are also organized day trips from Bangkok.

Lopburi, Monkey City

Lopburi is the capital city of Lopburi Province, located about 150 km north-east of Bangkok. The main attraction here are the mischievous monkeys that roam the streets, walk the power lines, and climb the city’s ruins. They even manage to sneak into shops, or charm their way in. Some stores display toy crocodiles inside their shops to keep the devious creatures out. 

These little assailants are playful and will climb on you. If need be, locals will come to your rescue. The best place to monkey around is Phra Prang Sam Yot. Here, you’ll see impressive Khmer-style shrine towers (prangs), which you can encircle as well as go inside. When we visited, we saw mothers nursing their young, monkeys performing full-body flea-inspections on their companions, and a whole lot of playing and mating. The most shocking and terrifying sight is what the baby macaques put in, or near their mouth: glass bottles, plastic bags, juice boxes.

Why are there so many monkeys in Lopburi? They are believed to be the disciples of the Hindu god Hanuman. Their holy status ensures their safety. You’ll see drivers take special precaution when approaching a crossing monkey.

Visiting Info:

• We arrived by train from Ayutthaya (3rd class ticket: 13 THB per person). 
• The old city is self-contained, making exploration relaxed and enjoyable. You can easily get around by foot. There are several markets in the city, selling everything from fruit to turtles.
• We stayed at Noom Guesthouse, which we can highly recommend.

Traveling by Train

Traveling by train is a rewarding experience that brings you even closer to Thai life. As you ride in a train, you see a cross-section of Thai society: female and male monks, families, and military. Food saleswomen and salesmen walk the aisle selling their specialty (noodles, soups, sticky rice with meat, hard-boiled eggs with a savory sauce, fish, green papaya with a sugar-chili-salt “dip,” iced drinks in plastic baggies and much more). They announce what they’re selling continuously as they make their way from one car to the next. The effect is almost sing-song-like. When a train pulls into a station, new food vendors enter the train. The unwritten rule for disposing of your food waste and garbage is to tie in a plastic bag and place it under your seat.

A few things we learned while traveling by train:

• Train travel is the cheapest mode of transportation in Thailand. It’s also the slowest.
• Trains rarely run on schedule. We experienced delays from 30 minutes to 45 minutes.
• You’ll see stray dogs at the train station platforms.
• You can purchase tickets same-day of departure. We typically bought tickets 30 minutes ahead of time.
• 3rd class tickets are the cheapest. However, they don’t guarantee you a seat.

Island Hopping in the Andaman Sea

Thailand is blessed with hundreds of islands. The challenge is choosing which ones to visit. The first step is to define your interest. Are you interested in snorkeling, partying, reading, relaxing? Do you like busy places with lots of eating options, or do you prefer more isolated locations with less development?

If you want to party, Koh Phi Phi should be at the top of your list. If you want to snorkel just off of the beach, Koh Lipe is a great option. If you’re seeking something altogether more remote, Koh Phra Thong might be the destination for you. And, if you’re looking for a beautiful island where tourism is light, but there’s a nice selection of eateries, Koh Mook promises just that.

Transit  Tips:

It’s easy to navigate between islands. There’s usually a ferry, or speed boat connection (sometimes both). You should book your connections 1-2 days before departure. Speed boats are bumpier and more expensive than ferries, though they are faster. Before beginning each transit trip, it’s a good idea to communicate with your accommodation to figure out arrival logistics. Depending on the island, your accommodation may need to pick you up from your boat (ferry) with a long-tail boat. Or, they may have a taxi wait for you at the end of a pier.

Read Next: Quiet Thai Islands

Celebrating Yi Peng in Chiang Mai

Yi Peng (lantern festival) is celebrated on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month every year. Yi Peng coincides with Loy Krathong in Chiang Mai, both of which focus on the releasing of hardships and misfortunes in favor of new beginnings. The release is embodied by unleashing lanterns into the night sky and floating krathongs in the Ping River.

As soon as the sky darkens, people begin to float lanterns into the full moon sky. There is a steady stream of flickering lanterns flying up for hours. From a distance, the stream of lights looks magical. It’s the embodiment of dreams and wishes being carried into the universe. But up close, the release is madness. Some lanterns burn up before they take flight. Others float, only to fall into a tree or close to someone’s head. When a lantern is successfully launched, people applaud. And all the while, the traffic never stops. There are continuous lines of motorbikes and cars struggling to wrap around the lantern gawkers. Adding to the chaos is the sound of firecrackers and fireworks. Eventually, the lanterns burn up like falling stars and return to earth.

Along the river bank, locals engage in the making and selling of krathongs (decorated baskets). Thai people buy krathongs, place 5 to 10 THB under the flowers, light them up (candle and incense), and launch them into the river, after making a wish (head touching the krathong). As we watched locals and tourists cast away their past, we also noticed several locals grab already floating krathongs and inspect them for money (which when successful they pocketed). Another part of this ceremonious festival is the releasing of fish into the river. We saw women selling baby turtles, eels, and fish in small plastic bags. Locals open the plastic bag and liberate the tiny animals into the river. And, without any concern for the environment, they also drop the plastic bags into the waterway. The festival’s origin is likely about showing respect to the river and the goddess of the river, Phra Mae Khongkha. So, that was shocking on more than one level.

Hiking the Monk’s Trail to Wat Pha Lat in Chiang Mai

Wat Pha Lat (also spelled Wat Palat) is a temple in Chiang Mai. Given its almost hidden location in the jungle, Wat Pha Lat sees far less tourism than other temples in the city. We hiked to the temple from Suthep Road (close to the University), but you can also take a songthaew (the red car shared “taxi”) to the end of the road. The “Monk’s Trail” begins close to the red and white television tower (near the Chiang Mai Zoo). It’s a moderate 45-minute hike from the starting point. When you reach the serene environment of the temple, you’ll also have a view of the city. The most striking feature of the temple is the waterfall that gently cascades through the temple grounds. There are also majestic statues and stairways flanked with mystical creatures. Some of these mythical statues are draped in cloth, while others are wearing jewelry.

The hike was made even more beautiful by the vibrant, colorful, and larger-than-life butterflies. The diversity in color and shape was incredible. But, the wow-factor was their size.

After exploring this jungle oasis, we continued the trail for another 45 minutes to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. It’s a steep climb to the top. And given the nature of the trail, we’d only recommend doing this when it’s dry. This temple crowns the mountaintop and is a major destination for pilgrims as well as tourists. It houses a relic of the Lord Buddha.

Getting a Thai Massage

There is nothing more painfully sweet than a Thai massage. If you haven’t had one before, brace yourself. Your masseuse will stretch your limbs unsympathetically and apply a herculean amount of pressure to all areas of your body. At times, you might want to scream out.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a great massage. We had an amazing one-hour massage for 150 BAHT ($4.50) and another one for 200 BAHT ($6). But, it can be hit or miss. We suggest doing some research, before heading into a parlor. As a general rule, avoid the places that try to beckon you in.

Most massage parlours are located in open-air pavilions. Typically, there are several mats lined up next to each other in one large space. It’s not a private experience. You’ll likely be getting a massage next to a stranger. But don’t worry, you’re fully clothed.