Thailand
THAILAND
LOCATION
MUST DO
- Bangkok City Tour in a Tuk Tuk
- Phuket beaches
- Snorkeling in Phi Phi Island
- Eat exotic fruits you’ve never tried before
Trip Details
When: June 2005
Where: Bangkok, Phi Phi Islands, Phuket
How: Independent Travel with friends
TRAVEL TIPS
- For amazing views of Bangkok, take the public ferry down a portion of the Chao Phraya river.
- The best way to get around–Tuk Tuk. The drivers can also act as tour guides and can take you to the popular tourist sights for a negotiated price.
NOTES
I will never forget when I first arrived in Thailand. It was my first time in Asia and the first time I traveled by myself at the ripe age of 20. Don’t tell my mom, but I arrived around 2 or 3 a.m. and hopped right into a random taxi with a man who didn’t speak English. We drove around for what seemed like an eternity before he safely deposited me at my hotel. Looking back, maybe that wasn’t the best idea.
The next day, I booked a half-day city excursion, then took a taxi back to the airport to pick up my two friends who were meeting me in Bangkok. Though I felt proud of myself being independent and savvy enough to get around a foreign city, I was happy to have my friends join me for the rest of the trip.
Bangkok was cool. But lots of traffic. Lots and lots of traffic, exotic fruits, colorful fabrics, and delicious food. And it’s so cheap! Every restaurant we went to treated us like royalty. I loved the hospitality and kindness of the Thai people.
We spent the second part of our trip in Phuket. That was a last minute decision. We just showed up at the airport and bought our plane tickets right then and there for the same day. I had never done that before! I was so used to buying airplane tickets months in advance. Fortunately, it was pretty affordable, so off we went. It had only been about 6 months since the Tsunami that destroyed much of the region. And we could still see a lot of the destruction. It was a difficult thing to see. Many homes were in shambles and most of the palm trees were downed on the beach. However, there were signs of rebuilding and the locals were thrilled to welcome us and to show us that there was still beauty to be found. And it was true. The beaches and coves and were so pristine. The water was clear and calm. Marine life abundant. But most of all, the beauty was within the people who had recently been through such tragedy and loss and despite all their troubles, welcomed us with hugs, smiles, and kindness.
We were given the option of taking a snorkeling trip out to Phi Phi Island. I highly recommend it! It’s absolutely beautiful and probably one of my favorite places in the world.