Thailand: Popular backpacker destination. Exotic island beaches. A land steeped in ancient history and tradition. A culinary playground. A country mired in controversy, political conflict and, at times, civil unrest. It’s also one of our next destinations.
Yes, it’s true, we were JUST there. At least, it feels like we were just there as it was only last October that we landed in Chiang Mai and began our 2 months of travel across the country. So why then are we returning a year later, in October of this year, to Thailand? There are several reasons for this.
1. We have arranged to go to a Travel Blogger Retreat and?TBEX, a travel blogger convention
2. There were several things we didn’t do when we were last in Thailand and would like to check out at least some of them
and
3. We absolutely LOVE the country. We had such an amazing time when we were last there, it just made sense to seize the opportunity to go again!
What We Did in Thailand
If you read Carolann’s post on 8 things she didn’t do in Thailand, you may be asking what exactly we did do the last time around. Take a look at the video and read below as we shed some light on some of our major, and most memorable, experiences?during our?last trip to Thailand?and what?we think are the top things to do while there!
The Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and Hill Tribe
We’ve mentioned that one of our reasons for choosing?Thailand as one of our first destinations when we started full-time travel was to fulfill Carolann’s dream of seeing elephants. We ended up with much more than we could have expected with two full days interacting with, feeding and bathing three elephants, including a baby, and spending a night in a Karen Hill Tribe village, learning about their history and culture, eating some amazing food and experiencing a few days without electricity or internet. The Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Chiang Mai provided one of our most memorable experiences in Thailand and put a smile on Carolann’s face that stayed for days!
Driving from Chiang Mai to Pai
Intense, exhilarating and butt-bruising. That’s right – our butts were hurting by the end of this drive! We decided to make the harrowing scooter ride from Chiang Mai to Pai, navigating?762 turns up and down mountains, avoiding potholes and passing traffic and, at one time, shimmying our bums with the scooter, and crossing our fingers, in an effort to keep it going up a particularly steep climb. With?several stops and a few detours, we arrived in Pai seven hours after we first left Chiang Mai, drenched by the rain, weary from the ride and with a slightly stilted walk due to the literal pain in our arses.
It was an amazing drive that took us to one tranquil and unique area of Thailand. We enjoyed it so much, we wrote several posts on?getting to and exploring Pai as well as a Guide to Pai E-book with extra tips and suggestions! We also had one luxurious stay at Soi One, after a few weeks of cold showers with no pressure and a couple nights in a low-budget hostel.
Learning to Scuba Dive in Koh Tao
When people ask us what is our favourite experience in our almost one year of travel, we can’t really offer one answer. It’s all been so amazing. Definitely in the running though, is our experience?getting our open water scuba certification?in Koh Tao. We had no plans to dive?when we first arrived on the island, known for its amazing dive sites and affordable dive costs, but as we saw more and more dive shops, our interest was sparked. What ended up being a spur-of-the-moment decisions turned into an adventure into a whole other world under the water.
We absolutely loved being under the surface, seeing the beautiful and unique creatures under the water and learning to work together as dive-buddies. While we’re not sure we’ll get a chance to dive in Thailand this time around, we’re hoping to dive again real soon!
Experiencing?Paradise on Koh Phangan
Another spontaneous decision was to attend the Travel Writer’s Workshop on Koh Phangan. This meant spending two weeks at Phananburi Resort (now Buri Resort) on a gorgeous beach and attending daily workshops. We ended up meeting some truly amazing people, learning a heck of a lot, watching some of the most beautiful and unique sunsets each evening and each getting an article published in Southeast Asia Backpacker Magazine – Carolann for burgers on the Koh Phangan?and Macrae for places to watch the sunset while enjoying a drink on the island.
It seems as though we are coming full circle, not only ending up in Thailand a year later, but also attending a retreat, albeit a different one, on the island of Koh Phangan at, you guessed it, the same resort! Whether your visit is business, pleasure or a bit of both, this is one paradise island with some pristine?beaches and spectacular?sunsets!
Climbing Pu Chi Fa For The?Sunrise
One thing we rarely travelled without in Thailand was a scooter. We used it to boot around the north and rented ones in the south on each island we visited. The only time we chose public transit over a scooter was in Bangkok, where it was quicker, cheaper and safer to ride trains and take cabs.
After our drive to Pai we knew we had to explore more of the north and decided to make our way to Pu Chi Fa from the city of Chiang Rai. Pu Chi Fa mountain lies on the eastern border where Thailand meets Laos and we were told that watching the sunrise from the top of the mountain is an experience not to be missed.
It took us another 7 hours of butt-numbing driving from Chiang Rai, through some amazing scenery before we reached a hotel at the base of the mountain. It probably would’ve taken half the time if we hadn’t gotten lost, er taken a detour, which had us stumbling on a waterfall, getting stuck in pouring rain and riding almost the entire way up the mountain in fog and drizzle?before finally finding someone who suggested we head back down the mountain to one of the resorts. It. Was. Amazing.
Waking up the next morning at 3:30am, we headed back up the mountain barely able to see a foot in front of us. And if we thought the potholes on our way to Pai were big, boy did we get a surprise! We passed through clouds and found a parking spot before walking up the rest of the way to the top. Unfortunately it was too cloudy to watch the sunrise but it was still a beautiful place to visit. It was also an interesting experience seeing the Hmong people that live in the mountain and we are able to say we stood in Laos, even if it was only for a minute or two!
Dining at Rock Restaurant Bangkok
One of our favourite restaurants, anywhere, is Rock Restaurant in Bangkok. With an impressive menu of traditional Thai fusion, great original cocktails and a wonderful ambiance, we were hard pressed to forget our experience at Rock! We had some amazing pork buns and some delicious crab and cream cheese wafers. We’re really hoping we’ll have a chance to dine here again when we head back to Bangkok and try some of the new additions to their dinner and cocktail menus!
Having Ancient Ruins to Ourselves
In all our research we never came across anything telling us about Wiang Kum Kam or its ruins located in Chiang Mai. In fact, we still had a hard time finding much information once we were told about the area. Our Airbnb host recommended we drive our scooter to Wiang Kum Kam?and explore the various ruins. While there were a few people who were travelling around each of the ruins via horse-drawn carriage or tour, we were pretty much the only two people at most of the sites. It allowed us to take our time, see as many of the ruins as we wanted and really get a feel for it?without crowds or conversation. We’re not sure why it’s not more popular but we’re thankful we had it to ourselves.
We can’t wait to see what’s in store for us when we head to Thailand in October. We know we’ll be eating lots of the food we’ve missed, visiting the friends we made the first time around and looking to make amazing new memories while exploring some new, and some of the same, places throughout the country!
Have you been to Thailand? What was your favourite memory? If not, is there a place that seems to keep drawing you back? Comment below and let us know!
Sounds like you did a lot of great things during your time in Thailand. It all sounds fantastic but I’m particularly tempted by the Rock Restaurant (pork buns!) and climbing Pu Chi Fa for the sunrise – two things I didn’t know anything about before reading your post. Thanks!
Katja – globetotting recently posted…The (posthumous) adventures of Christopher Columbus!
We thought they were great finds! We’re looking forward to those pork buns and whatever else they’ve added to the menu when we are in Bangkok in October but unfortunately we won’t be able to return to try and catch a clear sunset on Pu Chi Fa!
Thailand has to much to offer travelers … though some jaded souls write this place off without giving it a chance, it really is that good of a destination!
James recently posted…When is a good time to use a travel agent?
It really is! Like every place, you can find pros and cons, but it is an amazing country worth visiting!
Hey Guys!!!
Finally I?m gonna meet you person!
I?m going to the Travel Blogger Retreat and TBEX too!!! It will be awesome to finally be able to talk to you and listen to your amazing tales.
As you, we came back to Thailand sooner than we expected. We were supposed to stay around Europe till October, but we couldn’t. Have already been a month that we are back in Bangkok. Ready to follow some of your tips and explore places in Thailand that we didn’t visit yet!
Cheers,
Nat
Natalie Deduck recently posted…Powerful Lesson from 1 year travelling the world
We’re really excited to meet you as well! And we’re REALLY looking forward to hearing what you have to say about working with brands – it’s a big focus of ours right now. It’s funny how travel plans can change so drastically! See you soon!
The thought of Thailand always makes me smile.
It was in fact the first country abroad I ever visited.
Great food, wonderful people, colour galore… oh, and damn cheap!!
Glad you enjoyed the diving, that’s an activity we never got into there, but now that we’ve done our Open Water (as well as our advanced), it offers more potential options wherever we now go!
Chris recently posted…Galapagos: Beneath the waves of Santa Fe
We would highly recommend diving in Thailand! AMAZING dive sites and really really cheap!
I love the part where it says Having ancient ruins to ourselves. It really makes a difference when you visit a place crowded with tourists and having one all to yourself. It just makes you appreciate it more and reflect more :)
karla recently posted…Comment on 15 Life Lessons Traveling Taught Me by The Aussie Flashpacker
It does! It gives you a chance to really get a feel and appreciation for it!
Thailand has been on my bucket list for a while now and this makes me want to go even more! Thank you for sharing about your experiences!
Julie @ Girl on the Move recently posted…#SeptemberScopers Challenge
We loved it! It’s quite the experience!
I got my scuba in Taganga Colombia, but I am saving my advanced for KT. one of my good friends is a divemaster there and he mentioned it was worth it. Good list, I havent been to Thailand yet, soon tho
Kimberly Erin recently posted…El Chalten Argentina: Just Keep Trekkin
Totally worth it!!! The sites are amazing and the prices are incredible!
That looks like a great list, and I would love to do everything that you both did! Hanging out with elephants, climbing up to Pu Chi Fa to see the sunrise, scuba diving… all of it looks like so much fun! I hope you get into some new adventures this time as well :)
We sure hope so! We’ll be back in just over 2 weeks so we’re looking to see some new things!
Nice post. Some great things to do. We really enjoyed the slow boat ride we took from Northern Thailand to Luang Prabang in Laos. It was so pleasant and relaxing. We saw the mahouts bring their elephants down to the river very early in the morning for a drink. There was still mist on the river. Magical. The stops along the way in the local villages were a good way to break up the journey and get off the boat.
Elizabeth recently posted…Money Saving Tips for Traveling Around Turkey
We REALLY wanted to take the slow boat along the Mekong but just didn’t get a chance to do it! Hopefully one day as you make it sound amazing!
I have been to Thailand numerous times and you still brought some new ideas to the table! I’ll have to check them out! Thanks guys :)
Glad to have given you something new for the next time you go!
I would love, love, love to go to the The Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. It is also a dream of mine. I wouldn’t say no to Koh Phangan either ;) If I’m able to work TBEX into out plans then maybe I’ll get a chance.
Dana recently posted…Savoring International & Dutch Cuisine in Amsterdam with Kids {Amsterdam Food Tour Review}
Definitely try if you can – an experience with the elephants is truly remarkable!
I must admit I’ve never been much into Thailand or South-East Asia but it’s been changing recently and I’m thinking more and more of going there. You just gave me some solid reasons to consider it for next year! Thanks!
kami recently posted…Is it safe to travel to Ukraine?
Southeast Asia is very much an in your face, intense experience at times but we love it! Hope you enjoy it as well if you decide to go!
What amazing memories you’ve created! Arse ache is the worse when you’re travelling LOL! Especially by scooter up lots of bumpy hills! What a fantastic trip, Elephants and Scuba looked particularly awesome. I went to an Elephant orphanage when I was little in Sri Lanka but our camera was stolen so I don’t have a lot of memories from it :( when I go to Thailand I’ll check this sanctuary out for sure, thanks for the heads up :)
Mel Jones recently posted…5 things that surprised me about Barcelona
Oh yes! The bums were a-hurtin several times when we went on long road trips but Pu Chi Fa was completely worth it! So sad you got your camera stolen but at least you’ll have your own memories of interacting with those incredible creatures!
You guys had some awesome experiences in Thailand! I can echo what you said about how nice it is having ruins to yourself. In Sukhothai I woke up before sunrise one morning and explored the temples and ruins by bike. I didn’t see another person for a few hours, aside from the temple guards. It was such a serene and memorable experience! We recently visited Mae Salong, Thailand on the Myanmar border. A very interesting place! Thailand is such a diverse country-we love it!
Jennifer Ryder Joslin recently posted…Maya Bay, Thailand: Living Life by a Bucket List
I think we’ll be taking that tip and waking up before sunrise to explore temples and ruins from here on out!
I have always wondered why Thailand does better in tourism than the Philippines. Your post shows some of the reasons! You have found special things-ruins all to yourselves, sunrise close to heaven, and wonderful pork buns!
It may be the accessibility to those hidden gems as you don’t necessarily have to head to one of the islands in order to find so many great things. Philippines is so incredible in its own right though and I think it’ll be picking up in Tourism as more and more people see how wonderful it is. That being said, it may be the difficulty in getting from island to island (price, time, etc) that has slowed tourism in comparison until now :)
Wonderful post guys. Visiting the elephant sanctuary in Chang Mai is SO high up on my dream list. I think I would also have a smile on my face for days :). Your video is fantastic – what amazing experiences. Will look forward to reading about your experience at TBEX. We unfortunately couldn’t make this one but would love to do so in the future. Great post and I will keep my fingers crossed that you make it back to the Rock and feast on more pork buns again soon!
Gabby
Gabby | The Globe Wanderers recently posted…Why the Wild Ones are Richer than Most
Thanks!! We had an amazing time at TBEX but unfortunately got so wrapped up with conference events we weren’t able to get back to Rock restaurant! :( We hope to meet you soon – at TBEX or just crossing paths!
Wow, so many people going to TBEX! I’ll probably be there, too, and I’m excited to meet you all in person! (And I’m writing down Wiang Kum Kam for the next visit to Chiang Mai… never heard of it either :) )
Tatiana recently posted…Jardines d’Alfabia – Mallorca’s tropical oasis
Very excited to meet you in person as well!! Hope you enjoy the ruins – we thought it was quite the special surprise!
Two of my favourite things up there – The Elephant Nature Park (so sad!) and the ride to Pai, unmissable! I am jealous that you dived in Koh Tao, we couldn’t justify the time so settled for Koh Samui (not Chewang, gads!) but would have loved to have partied and chilled there. Great post, brought back lovely memories!
Gemma Two Scots Abroad recently posted…Deafying Stereotypes – Deaf Travel
Some amazing things to do in Thailand!! We always say there’s never enough time to see EVERYTHING in any destination :)
I’ve not yet been to Thailand, but your post and pics sure make me want to go! Thx for sharing.
Doreen Pendgracs recently posted…5 reasons you’ll love Las Alcobas in Mexico City
I’m sure there’s some chocolate-y goodness there as well!! :)
You know Thailand is such a short distance away from here, in India; but somehow I always seem to downplay the entire South-East as a destination. My parents have been to Thailand and keep telling me how brilliant it is, but I never really took them seriously. I think I might have to take some time off and explore all of the South East soon; starting of course with Thailand.
Sanket D. recently posted…North Shore’s Kahuku – A Hawaiian Paradise
It’s an incredible place to visit – everywhere we’ve been in Southeast Asia is really! Hope you enjoy when you do get a chance!
I can’t believe you took a scooter from Chiang Mai to Pai! Haha! The bus ride was bad enough for me, but what an adventure you must have had that day. Maybe I’ll meet you as I am heading back to Thailand for TBEX too! I’m sure a lot has changed since I was last there, so this is a great post for me. Thanks for sharing!
Tracie Howe recently posted…Travel photography : How to avoid the ugly in the real world – Part 1
Really hope to see you at TBEX! We think the scooter may have been a less adventurous option than the bus…we’ve heard some bad stories! haha
Wow, I would like to go to the Travel Blogger Retreat too! Looks like a lot of fun! Did you meet a lot of digital nomads in Chiang Mai? There are a lot of travel bloggers in that area! Btw, I love Pai!
Trisha Velarmino recently posted…3 Reasons Why Iceland is the Perfect Travel Destination
We were just starting out when we went to Chiang Mai so we didn’t find out about all the digital nomads and bloggers there until we were leaving! There should be other Travel Blogger Retreats – Travel Dave did an amazing job and it was a huge success!
I only went for about two weeks last summer (which feels only recently!) and did my best to explore many things. I did the elephant sanctuary in Chiangmai too! It was so much fun and worth the experience :) As for the our open water scuba certification, my travel partner wanted to do that! She said it’s one of the cheapest places to get the certification. I’m not ready for that though haha, I’m terrified of the sea! Hopefully one day I’ll overcome that :)
Stacey Valle recently posted…Chichen Itza – One of the 7 world wonders
Everything sounds amazing and I’m so glad you took in a responsible elephant sanctuary – far too many people head to Thailand not caring about supporting responsible tourism especially when it comes to wildlife. And OMG so psyched that you learnt how to Scuba dive! That’s on my list, and I havent yet managed to take a course, though I’m constantly being bombarded with everyones amazing photos and videos of their dives around the world and its inspiring some serious wanderlust for the sea!
Will definitely try and take in similar experiences when I can get to Thailand. Thanks for the inspiration!
Diving is INCREDIBLE! We used to roll our eyes when people would go on about how we have to try it…but now we’re those people! Responsible touris all the way!
Enjoyed your post! My husband and I spent three weeks in Thailand at the start of our 8-month trip around the world in 2013. Some memorable experiences: meeting the elephants in Chiang Rai, exploring ruins in Chiang Sean (and having them to ourselves), Koh Phangan sunsets :), visiting Phangan Animal Care ? they provide medical care to the street dogs. We hope to return to Thailand some day!
Hi I have a house in Thailand, a Thai wife and son and travelled the country extensively. I do not know if you have a motorcycle licence in your country but if you don’t then do not hire a scooter, motorcycle etc in Thailand. Firstly you will not be covered by your travel insurance if you are in an accident, in hospital or having to replace the Motorcycle. Secondly Thailand is the second highest country in the world for vehicle accidents. Many people get killed every year especially on Motorcycle scooters. It is NO place for inexperienced or non licenced riders. Hire a car if you need to travel. Here is what happened this year over Songran (7 days in April) Thailand is a fantastic place but keep safety first.
“A total of 442 people were killed in road accidents across the country during the “seven dangerous days” of Songkran which ended on Sunday, up a huge 21.4% on last year despite the government’s intense road safety campaign.
Four out of every five accidents involved motorcycles.”.
Absolutely! nobody should hire a moped/motorcycle in Thailand without a motorcycle license and if you do please drive carefully and responsibly. We agree with Tony here. We don’t promote any one to rent bikes in Thailand and if you do, it’s your own choice. we can’t stress enough to please be careful!