OhThePlacesKiWillGo

“Sah-wah-dee khaa”

Hello! I celebrated this past New Year’s Eve in Thailand and it was phenomenal! It made me realize:

1. If I can’t spend my NYE in another country, Netflix and chill it is!
2. Asia is one of my favorite continents to visit, PERIOD!

Bangkok

I arrived in Bangkok around 11:00 P.M. and here is my first Asia tip: get to Asia at night and go to sleep! That twelve hour time difference is nothing to play with. Take some ZzzQuil or whatever your vice is and get a full night’s rest your first night, you’ll be glad you did.

Day 1

My first and favorite activity in Bangkok was a food truck tour by tuk tuk. For four hours we were able to see Bangkok landmarks and explore temples, while enjoying staple Thai dishes. We ended the night at a rooftop bar with a complimentary drink and the tour was money well spent.

Thipsamai was the most epic stop on the tour. I knew we were in for a treat when I saw the line wrapped around the block. The pad thai noodles here are said to be legendary.

Day 2

The next day, I immersed myself in the cultural and historical heritage of Bangkok via a Flexi Walking Temple Tour. We explored and admired the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun. The temples were breathtaking and our tour guide was quite informative, but the Thailand heat got the best of me. After seeing the final temple I gracefully left a bit early.

For my final evening in Bangkok, I paid a visit to Sky Bar. The drinks were pricey, but you can’t go to Thailand without checking out where a scene from Hangover 2 was filmed! While it very well may be a tourist scam, the lounge offers an incredible view, take a look below!

Phuket

NYE Night!

It was NYE when we arrived in Phuket, and we brought in the New Year at Catch Beach Club. The cost of the party was about $63, USD but counting down to 2019 while watching fireworks on the beach? Priceless.

Day 1–Phuket

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear “Thailand Vacation?”

…Elephants!

For our first full day in Phuket we visited the Phuket Elephant Care Park, easily producing one of my most indescribable vacation memories, ever. We fed and bathed our new friends and enjoyed a traditional Thai lunch and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages.

Although I’ve provided some dope imagery below, make no mistake, the kid was initially TERRIFIED. You don’t realize how large these animals are until you’re inches away from them. But I quickly warmed up to them, and understood why they are known to be gentle creatures.

Day 2

After spending time with elephants, we spent time at Phi Phi Islands. Our vouchers included roundtrip transportation from our hotel, an English speaking tour guide and lunch. We upgraded to the VIP lounge option and it was worth it–we sat in A/C and were provided complimentary snacks and beverages.

When we arrived in Phi Phi Islands, my breath was taken away. It’s just as beautiful as the IG images you’ve seen and clear why the beaches have been featured in movies! Specifically, we visited Phi Phi Leh; an uninhabited island with radiant vertical cliffs capped with green foliage.

Day 3

The week had been so jam-packed that for our final full day I just wanted to be a lazy beach bum, and I did just that. I relaxed at Karon Beach, a quieter beach that is one of the longest in Phuket. When the taxi dropped us off we were immediately greeted by restaurant owners fighting for our business! They were screaming reasons why we should select their business as our choice with taglines such as “FREE WIFI! GOOD NOODLE FOR YOU!”

Sadly, this concludes the highlights of my Thailand trip. I say “sadly” because it was a trip I wish didn’t have to end. The food was delectable, the views were incredible and Thai people are SO friendly. As a result, I really felt like I left a little piece of my heart in Thailand.

Have you booked your trip to Thailand yet?

XO,

Ki

Know Before You Go:

1. Admittance in Thailand temples requires proper attire. I witnessed a young lady be turned away from a temple because her ankles were showing. Be prepared and buy a cover-up if necessary.
2. Street Food is the Best Food. Street food is always one of my favorite parts about Asia. It’s cheap, the service is quick and it’s soooo amazing! The pad thai below cost me about $3 USD!
3. Massages! Massages! Massages! Thai massages are said to be heavenly and highly effective, but they are also ridiculously cheap. For 200 Baht ($6.30 USD) I had my feet rubbed for an hour!
4. Travel With Toilet Tissue. Remember my list of 10 things I don’t travel without? It’s like the gift that keeps on giving 🙂 . Many public restrooms in Thailand do not have tissue, or they do for a fee.