Thailand was my favorite place I had ever traveled to until I went to Guatemala in 2019. I went there in 2015 so it is probably a lot different now. I’m not sure if I would still be so completely enthralled by Thailand but at the time it was my first backpacking adventure. I was blown away as I realized how much freedom life can entail. Obviously I got hooked and I largely thank Thailand for the course my life has taken. Below is a detailed travel guide.
Bangkok
A hectic city full of temples, Buddha statues, markets, the Grand Palace and tuk-tuks. If you’re a backpacker, then I would recommend staying on Khao San Road. This road is full of hostels, street food and markets. My sister and I took a boat cruise down Chao Phraya River and It was a great way to see the heart of the city. Feeling frazzled by all of the persistent tuk-tuk drivers badgering us to get into their vehicles, we quickly fled south to enjoy the island life.
Koh Pha-ngan
This is the island where the full moon parties happen. It is off the East side of the country in the Gulf of Thailand. Come a few days before the full moon to enjoy the pre-parties. As a backpacker I’d recommend staying in Haad Rin.
My sister and I booked a full moon party package from Bangkok which was unnecessary to do. This package had us staying many miles from the site of the full moon party. However, we had our own bungalow on the beach for only $8 ($4 each) so we definitely had a good time. But to save money, you can simply take a bus from Bangkok to Surat Thani. From there you will board a ferry to Koh Pha-ngan. Once you get off the ferry you can get in the back of a truck heading to Haad Rin and easily find lodging once you arrive.
The full moon party had such amazing energy as people from across the world came together to dance on the beach. People drink alcohol out of sand buckets and wear glow in the dark paint. M150 is an extremely potent energy drink available in Thailand. After chuffing one of those I was ready to dance for hours!
Ko Tao
Ko Tao is also on the East side of Thailand, making it the perfect destination either the week before or after the full moon party. This island is ideal for relaxing beach days and many people get their scuba diving certification here. Ko Tao has a legendary Pub Crawl that you would be a fool to miss. The pub crawl included many bars on the beach, a lady boy show with a beautiful Shakira, a fire throwing performance and a chance to mingle with like minded travelers. The island itself was stunning with cool rock formations and palm trees with 90 degree angles.
Ko Phi Phi
On the West side of Thailand in the Andaman Sea, this island was my absolute favorite part of Thailand. It was made famous after the movie “The Beach” was filmed on Ko Phi Phi Lee. Phi Phi Lee is an uninhabited island that all backpackers must visit by boat tour. There is a secret beach called Maya Bay that can be reached by climbing a rope ladder over some large rocks. Book a booze cruise to Ko Phi Phi Lee and it is sure to be a memorable day. On the way to Maya Bay our boat stopped at Monkey Beach where we had the opportunity to get close and personal with some adorable monkeys.
Ko Phi Phi Don is the main island where all of the travelers and locals stay. This island has a tiny strip of land with beaches on both sides. The end of the strip has mountains and jungle. It is possible to hike to the viewpoint which gives a phenomenal view of the island. One side of the island has fancy resorts where wealthy adults stay. The beaches are quiet, calm and relaxing on this side.
The beach on the other side of the island is full of beach bars that turn into huge parties each night. Limbo competitions, blow up climbing walls, and fire dancers suddenly decorate the beach. You can dance from one bar to the next, your toes in the sand with not a care in the world.
Between these two radically different beaches we discovered many delicious restaurant and bamboo tattoo shops. While on Ko Phi Phi I got a mandala tattoo that took seven hours. I went to a shop that was painted lime green called Relaxed Tattoo. My tattoo artists was named O and I later found out he was the best tattoo artist on the island, lucky me! The bamboo tattoos are incredible. They don’t bleed and scar like a gun tattoo that drags across your skin. The bamboo individually pokes each bit of skin going much deeper than a gun tattoo and is therefore less likely to fade. Much less abrasive on your skin than a gun tattoo, you can swim and be in the sun only twelve hours later.
On Sundays a resort called the Ibiza House has a pool party. We were able to dance around the pool, drink, and play beer pong to our heart’s content. I heard it was very risky to smoke weed in Thailand and had planned not to chance it. However, I soon found out that on the islands it was actually quite safe to smoke. On the back side of drink menus there were joints listed for sale. I bought one once but unfortunately they mix tobacco with weed and I became dizzy. However, if you like spliffs, smoking is definitely a possibility on the islands.
The icing on top of the cake was when my sister and I fulfilled a bucket list goal and went paragliding. During high tide it is possible to paraglide on Ko Phi Phi. After they strapped me into the harness I was instructed to run. As the boat zoomed ahead, I was airborne. Feeling safe and secure I looked down at the island and crystal clear water. After 15 minutes the boat slowed down and I softly plopped into the water.
Ko Lanta
This island is also on the East side of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. I didn’t care for this island much. I wouldn’t recommend going.
Railay
Railay is on the coast of mainland Thailand yet you still have to take a ferry to get here due to huge rocks closing it off from the rest of the country. This place is known for deep water soloing – a type of rock climbing. My sister had a grand time rock climbing, however, I was very sick and stuck in a guest house for three days. We did meet a lot of cool backpackers while in Railay and the place certainly had a cool vibe.
We did spontaneously do a hike turned rock climb to a hidden lagoon. We were in sundresses and flip flops, doing this hike on a whim. We almost made it to the lagoon, however, the last big stretch was a drop down with only a rope. Knowing that I can’t do a push up and wouldn’t be able to lift myself out with my arms, we were unable to reach the lagoon.
We were in Railay when Songkran, the Thai New Year celebration, took place. They celebrate this holiday by putting white powder on their bodies and squirting each other with water guns. We got in an epic water gun battle with the children that lived at the guest house where we were staying.
Chiang Mai
Situated in Northern Thailand, this place is known for its food, Sunday market and its proximity to many cool treks. I found this town rather dull. All you could do was walk around and eat things. There were some cool temples that we checked out, however, spending a week here was a little bit of an overkill.
We stayed so long because we had a failed trekking experience. We started our trek and met a group of European backpackers . We all hit it off very well and were enjoying the humor of our Thai trek leader as he cut things down with his machete. However, that evening at the camp he asked me to get firewood with him and lead me off from the group. Once alone he put his arms around me, kissed my neck and grabbed my butt. I told him no and he asked if I was scared. Sufficiently terrified (he was the man with the machete, also he had been drinking rice moonshine all day) I ran back to the group and the new friends agreed to keep me in their sight at all times. My sister and I ended the trek early and made a formal complaint to the trekking company so hopefully Simon the creepy trek leader is no longer working there.
Talking to the fellow travelers on the trek has made me an elephant activist. My sister and I had gone to many trekking companies trying to find a trek where you could see elephants that were not trained by mahout. The company we chose swore to treat elephants correctly but we soon found out it was a lie. Elephants should not be sat on in any way, it doesn’t matter if they have equipment on their backs or not. If an elephant has been trained to have someone ride it bareback, that means he was beaten and whipped during training. The only way to see an elephant in Thailand without supporting animal cruelty is by going to the Elephant Sanctuary. However, they are often fully booked and you will need to make a reservation in advance. At the sanctuary you watch the animals from a distance which like-it-or-not, is how it should be.
General Info
My sister and I did not make it to Pai which would have been farther north after Chiang Mai. I hear it is a hippie town with a great vibe. There are also many more islands we could have explored such as Ko Samui in the Gulf of Thailand and Phuket in the Andaman Sea.
When traveling to Thailand you do not have to worry about booking lodging and transport in advance. In fact, you will save money by winging it. Any company you find online is going to charge you too much. You can book the buses and ferries at your guest house. You can find a guest house by roaming the streets or when you hop off the ferry someone will approach you.
Tell them what you’re willing to spend and they will have a place for you. If you are traveling Thailand with a travel companion it will be in your interest to book private rooms. Two beds in a dorm will be the same price or more than a private room split. Rooms with AC are slightly more than a room with just a fan. Also, all of our lodging had WiFi as well as many of the restaurants. There is no need to get a SIM card while in SEA. Massages and pedicures are affordable and you can treat yourself frequently! In fact you should because local women are counting on you to get a massage in order to feed their families.
Conclusion
I had the best time in Thailand. It is a magical place and it changed my views on life and freedom. Before Thailand I had never really traveled. I didn’t realize that there were so many different people (Europeans, Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders) all coming together to enjoy themselves and explore. Without any schedule except choosing which town to go to next you experience true freedom. Everyone was in a good mood, curious, and interested in getting to know one another. The travel bug bit me in Thailand and it is why I have devoted my life to experiencing more of the world.
All of my travels since Thailand have not been so free and fun. I’ve been challenging myself by going to places that have less like-minded travelers. I’ve appreciated these new experiences but in the back of my mind I’m always wondering when I can reward myself for all of this “hard travel” and just be free and happy in Thailand once again!
Chronicles of a Wandering Soul 