From breathtaking islands to jungle temples, hot springs, endless Pad Thai and night bazaars. How we explored Phuket, the Koh Phi Phi islands, Krabi, Bangkok and Chiang Mai in two weeks.
PHUKET
Phuket (pronounced “poo-ket”) is where we began our trip, and it was the perfect place to recharge after 27 hours of travel! We watched our first Thailand sunrise from a rooftop pool before heading into town to grab breakfast and explore a bit. We stumbled upon this cute cafe called The Tent — totally Instagram-worthy, and offers lots of light options. Highly recommend the açaí bowls, oatmeal and hot drinks (if you like coffee and latte art)!
We didn’t explore Phuket super in depth because we had a ferry to catch, but I absolutely loved the friendly atmosphere and all the colorful buildings. We also passed by so many more coffee shops and restaurants that looked great, too!
JET LAG // Beginning on our first flight from D.C., I put myself on Thailand time. Meaning, I tried to stay up for what would be a full day in Thailand, and then took 3 melatonin to knock myself out for the “night.” It felt a little weird, but once we arrived it was so easy to get on the right time zone because we had already been doing it for a day+. When in Thailand, I took melatonin the first couple of nights which also helped with the initial adjustment.
KOH PHI PHI/PHI PHI ISLANDS
We grabbed a ferry to Koh Phi Phi (Phi = pea), which was super affordable and gave a really cool view of the islands as we entered. Phi Phi is a little more than 28 miles from Phuket, and is basically an island of its own only accessible by boat (which means no cars at all)! It was the perfect jumping-off point for lots of exploring and water-based activities. Not to mention great food, street shopping and the most friendly people ever.
KOH PHI PHI VIEWPOINT 1 & 2
ENTRANCE FEE // 30 baht = about $1 USD
I would highly recommend this hike if you’re looking for a great view of the islands. It was a bit challenging to find the path up, so don’t be afraid to ask locals if you need help — also wear very cool clothes and bring water because it is MUGGY. Once you arrive at the top, there are two viewpoints. If you can, definitely make it up to the second vista (pictured), for a gorgeous sunset view!
WEATHER // We visited Thailand during the end of November/early December, which is their “cool and dry” season. During the entire two weeks, we were lucky with only one rainy day! If you’re looking to visit, definitely plan accordingly — especially if you’re wanting to do lots of swimming/outdoor exploring.
ISLAND HOPPING DAY
PRIVATE LONG-TAIL BOAT COST // 1800 baht = about $60 ($30 for two people)
*We opted for a private boat, which was still very affordable split two ways (about 5 hours on the water), and allowed us to be more in control of the islands we wanted to see/how long we wanted to stay at each.
This moment felt like a scene from Moana or the backdrop of some amazing island adventure movie. If you come to Thailand, you absolutely have to spend a day island hopping and snorkeling on a long-tail boat. Because our boat driver was native to the island, he had a really good idea of the best islands to take us to, and was super happy to hang out/fish while we took photos or swam (again, would highly recommend getting a private driver as it made the whole experience very relaxing and low-pressure). I got bunches of questions about our boat itinerary, so here is the list:
- VIKING CAVE – This is just a drive-by, but a really beautiful limestone cave with the BLUEST water. You can see lots of ropes and makeshift scaffolding coming out of the cave, which (our driver explained) is actually a site for harvesting edible bird nests. Super interesting and also a historic spot in the area.
- PILEH LAGOON – Gorgeous inlet with green cliffs and super clear water for swimming and snorkeling. We anchored the boat and hung out here for a while.
- MAYA BAY – A famous turquoise cove. Incredibly peaceful with a rocky shoreline and lots of fish (we also saw a barracuda here)!
- MONKEY BAY – This is one you shouldn’t miss! The island is filled with the cutest monkeys (see my “Thailand” Instagram story highlight for lots of funny videos). We even saw a baby monkey — so dang adorable!
PACK // When packing for Thailand during this time of year, bring lots of loose, breathable clothing. However, don’t forget to pack a few long, flowy skirts/pants and something to cover your shoulders if you are planning to temple hop. I bought a scarf in one of the markets that was a lifesaver, since it was unbearable to wear a long sleeved shirt for the humid temple hikes.
KRABI
Some of my favorite days of exploring took place in Krabi. From exotic temples to hot springs and clear blue pools, there is so much to see. I also LOVED the area’s diversity — which is true for all of Thailand. The mixture of swimming, hiking, bustling cities, jungle exploring and more made for a really unique cultural experience that I haven’t gotten anywhere else I’ve traveled!
We hired a private driver for Tiger Cave, the Emerald Pool and Krabi Hot Springs — again, super affordable and made it really easy to choose our itinerary and timing.
TIGER CAVE TEMPLE
ENTRANCE FEE // Free
Otherwise known as “the hike of 1,237 steps,” this cliff-side Buddhist temple is no joke (the steepest steps I’ve ever climbed), but incredibly worth it. My advice? Budget at least two hours for the hike, start to finish. Hike in the cool of the morning. I would definitely recommend dressing in something temple-appropriate, but also very lightweight & breezy. Oh, and wear good hiking shoes (I wore sandals because I was ill-prepared, so learn from my mistakes haha).
Try and tell me this view isn’t worth it, though! There’s a perfect breeze at the top, and the scene is very peaceful & quiet. It was magical to be above the trees, barefoot in a beautiful, open-terrace temple…in the middle of the jungle. Absolutely unreal.
FOOD // Most of the food options were pretty similar everywhere we went — fresh, light and so flavorful! Not to mention, CHEAP. The standard Thai meal consists of a meat/seafood, rice and vegetables (always presented so beautifully). I think I had Pad Thai every other day because it was SO delicious, as well as lots of fresh watermelon juice, spring rolls, mango smoothies, bubble tea, sticky rice and Thai pancakes (little stands on every corner). Be sure to stop by a convenience store and try out some authentic snacks too. The chocolate Collons were my favorite!
EMERALD POOL AND BLUE POOL
ENTRANCE FEE // 200 baht (a little more than $6 USD)
A short walk into the jungle, surrounded by a lush forest is the ethereal Emerald Pool. The water is a natural turquoise blue color — supplied directly from mountain streams — and filled with lots of little fish. We swam in the pool for a while before exploring some of the surrounding mini pools, waterfalls and network of trails. Beware: it’s a popular tourist spot, so visit early in the day if you want to beat the crowds (or get photos without 50,000 photobombers)!
The Blue Pool is a little ways upstream from the Emerald Pool, but another gorgeous must-see. Because it is super close to the water source, it’s incredibly hot (not to mention surrounded by quicksand), so no swimming is allowed. Nonetheless, the incredible blue color is unlike anything you’ll ever see, so definitely worth it in my book.
HOT SPRINGS
ENTRANCE FEE // 90 baht ($3 USD)
We were completely immersed in the experience (and water) for this one, so I didn’t grab any pictures. However, like I mentioned before, everything is documented on my “Thailand” Instagram story highlight in case you want to see a few videos! After a day of intense sightseeing and hiking, a soak in these natural thermal hot springs was the perfect way to cap off the experience. Not to mention the water is channeled from volcanic chambers in the rainforest…how cool?!
RAILAY BEACH
Railay Beach was our final itinerary item in Krabi, so we grabbed one-way tickets for a long-tail ride headed out to the peninsula. We discovered that because the beach is such a popular destination, the drivers will seriously inflate private boat prices. If this is your only stop, I would recommend grabbing a group boat like we did, because they are significantly cheaper!
Railay Beach was stunning — caves, white sand, limestone cliffs (and islands in the middle of the ocean), fresh coconuts and a sandbar. Railay’s truly got it all. The area draws lots of rock climbers, as well as tourists craving relaxation at resorts a little distance up from the shore.
It was a beautiful ending to our time in the islands, and a place I hope I never forget. We flagged down a boat driver (they hang out around the shoreline) and headed back to grab our suitcases and jet off to the next part of our adventure!
BANGKOK
We arrived in Bangkok right as the sun set, which was the perfect time to enjoy the city. I’m not sure if it was the combination of all the lights, all-out-Christmas decor and trees, or what…but it was magical! We wandered around, grabbed ramen, explored the malls and of course, ordered bubble tea (a must get while you’re in the city).
TRANSPORTATION & TRAFFIC // Budget a little extra travel time while in Bangkok, because the traffic is crazy! This is especially important if you are flying out of the city. We used the ridesharing service Grab (the equivalent of Uber or Lyft) during our time in Bangkok, which was super convenient. In a lot of Thailand’s urban areas, you can also ride little red trucks called Songthaews, which are part of the informal public transportation system. You just flag one down, hop on, press the buzzer when you want to get off and pay a couple of baht to the driver (usually 30).
Bangkok is home to some of the most amazing malls, which are really fun to wander around! We loved Siam Paragon, Siam Discovery, Siam Center, MBK Center and EmQuartier (this one even has an atrium with a beautiful waterfall). Each of the malls are connected along the main strip and have incredible outdoor areas with lights, water displays, etc — it makes for a really festive atmosphere, especially in the evening!
Also, don’t miss the night market in Bangkok! Delicious food, lots of clothes, souvenirs, homemade desserts and more. We bought scarves, bubble tea and of course, a Nutella crêpe.
LANGUAGE BARRIER // I was incredibly surprised at how easy it was to navigate Thailand, despite the language barrier. In most of the popular/touristy areas, a lot of the signs are in English (less in the more rural areas like island towns), but both were definitely manageable. Not to mention, every single person we met in Thailand was SO friendly and always willing to help. You can also use the Google Translate camera feature to scan signs/menus/etc. Even flying domestically within Thailand was a breeze! We were pleasantly surprised, because we definitely came into the trip geared up for an incredibly difficult time navigating/communicating.
TEMPLE HOPPING
You don’t have to wander far before stumbling upon the most beautiful temples around every corner!
WAT PHRA CHETUPHON (WAT PHO)
ENTRANCE FEE // 100 baht ($3.31 USD)
This temple complex, directly south of Grand Palace, is a must-see. Known as the “Temple of the Reclining Buddha,” it houses a giant Buddha statue that is more than 150 feet and covered in gold leaf. Pretty crazy!
There is a beautiful courtyard filled with plants, statues and bells that connects each of the buildings together…and you can’t miss the huge, ornate spires that stretch up into the sky. It’s a beautiful place to get completely lost, and enjoy an hour or two of exploring.
PHOTOS // Consider this your warning: pretty much every place we went on this trip, save a few of the more remote islands, were packed. If you want photos without people, prepare to wait a few minutes for people to pass. And get up EARLY! But in my opinion, it makes the shots way more magical…totally worth the patience and early mornings.
THE GRAND PALACE
ENTRANCE FEE // 500 baht ($16 USD)
Directly south of Wat Pho, is the beautiful Grand Palace (supposedly one of Thailand’s biggest attractions). It was the official residence of the Kings of Siam/Thailand until 1925, and offers history, stunning gardens, ornate design and lots of gold. We weren’t able to visit, due to our packed itinerary in Bangkok — but definitely one to make the express boat ride for if you’re wanting an even deeper taste of the culture and royal history. Linking the Instagram geotag here.
WAT ARUN RATCHAVARARAM
ENTRANCE FEE // 50 baht ($1.66 USD)
Known as the “Temple of Dawn,” Wat Arun is truly so beautiful in the sunlight. It’s considered the most famous and photographed temple in Bangkok, and features a soaring 70-meter-high spire decorated in glass and Chinese porcelain. I’ve seen some INSANELY beautiful photos taken here before, so I’m going to link the Instagram geotag here for a little inspiration.
WAT BENCHAMABOPHIT
ENTRANCE FEE // 20 baht ($0.66 USD)
In case you’re wondering, I still have no idea how to pronounce this one haha! It’s called the “Marble Temple,” and is actually the place we stayed at the longest on our temple-hopping day. The courtyard extends for quite a distance and features fountains, Bangkok’s iconic style of high gables & stepped-out roofs and a stunning marble archway.
During our pre-trip research, we saw this specific archway in so many gorgeous Instagram shots…so we knew we wanted to add it to our itinerary. Seriously so magical!
LODGING // Just like with everything else in Thailand, lodging is very inexpensive. Most of our hotels were pretty lowkey, but came with breakfast, pools and more. I would highly suggest booking hotels that are close to the main towns/hubs, because it makes it really convenient for grabbing food and getting to activities quickly.
CHIANG MAI
Ah, Chiang Mai. I absolutely fell in love with this place. We stayed very affordably during the first segment of our trip, so we decided to get a little fancy our last few days in Thailand — we booked three nights at the Shangri-La Hotel and I could not recommend it more. And the price is unbelievable. This five-star hotel sits centrally in the heart of Chiang Mai, and is in close proximity to lots of restaurants, the night bazaar, Old City and more. The staff is top notch, the rooms are gorgeous, and the property offers the biggest pool in the city, a hot tub, private cabanas, a gym, indoor jacuzzi, complimentary breakfast and great wifi…just to name a couple of the included perks. I was completely blown away during our stay.
If you aren’t dead-set on starting your Thailand trip in Chiang-Mai, I would highly recommend scheduling it for the middle or end of your adventure — the city has a very relaxed vibe and it’s the perfect place to rejuvenate and fully soak up the magic of Thailand before you head home.
We got $12 Thai massages one evening (a must do), spent one sunset out by the pool in a private cabana and even got a fish pedicure on a whim…when in Thailand, right?!
Night Bazaar
If you’re in Chiang-Mai, you have to spend an evening at the night bazaar! There’s live music, tons of fun food options (we ended up getting dinner here two nights in a row because we wanted to try out a bunch of little things), awesome shopping and just an overall fun atmosphere.
If you go, definitely try the Khao Soi (the Chaing-Mai famous) noodle dish, which is only found in the area! It has a curry-coconut broth with chicken, fresh lime, shallots, crispy egg noodles and boiled egg noodles. Even if you don’t love coconut (me), I promise you will love it!
We also enjoyed the fresh crêpes, smoothies (a massive cup of fruit, blended on the spot), homemade waffle cones with passion fruit gelato and Gyoza dumplings.
WAT PHRATHAT DOI SUTEP
ENTRANCE FEE // 30 baht ($0.99 USD)
If you’re looking to avoid crowds, this is probably not the temple for you. I noticed a lot more people there for religious reasons (vs. tourism), so do keep that in mind as well. It’s a very short hike and has a beautiful open-air terrace with a great view of the surrounding area.
On one of the levels, there were hundreds of flowers and colorful lanterns set up…so of course, I had to have a mini Tangled moment!
WAT PALAD
ENTRANCE FEE // Free
On our way down from Doi Sutep, our driver suggested we stop at this little jungle temple — a bit off the beaten path and surrounded by bright, green forest. The moment I stepped out of the van, I felt like I had been transported into a fairytale scene. With the exception of maybe 3 or 4 others who came & went, we had the entire area to ourselves, and it was pure MAGIC.
With the sunlight streaming through the trees, a gentle breeze and the distant sound of birds chirping…I could have stayed there forever. It was also really amazing to see the sculpture/architecture in a natural setting too (as opposed to all the ornate colors of Bangkok, etc). I loved the contrast of both, but there is just something ethereal about stumbling upon a fairytale in the middle of the jungle!
FINAL THOUGHTS // 20/10. Thailand was hands-down the most incredible place I’ve ever visited. Like I mentioned earlier, I loved the diversity of our trip. We swam in beautiful blue water, shopped in fancy malls, hiked mountains, wandered in night bazaars, explored exotic jungle temples…it’s not often you can experience that many things all in one place. I have never felt safer in my LIFE than I did in Thailand. The food is delicious and the people are the friendliest I’ve ever met. I have a new love for Asia, and would go back to Thailand (and hopefully beyond) in a heartbeat!
