Trip Itinerary: What to Do in Thailand

We are finally back from Thailand and I cannot wait to share our trip! For those wondering what to do in Thailand, this is a great overview of what we did on our trip with some cannot miss excursions. From the sights, to the smells, to the amazing food, traveling to Thailand was one for the books. There is so much more to explore, but for reference we traveled to Bangkok for three days and then to Phuket for seven, before traveling back to Bangkok for a night. All in with travel, it was about a two week trip.

*Shout out and big thanks to my father-in-law for watching our kids so we could getaway and explore!

Travel to Thailand

Traveling to Thailand was what I was most nervous for from the moment we booked this trip. From North Carolina, it required three travel flights to get there traveling to New York City to Qatar and then to Bangkok. Our flight home, traveling through Boston, was a whopping 14+ hours for just one leg. If you read my post on how to survive a long flight, then you know the extreme measures I took to be comfortable and not miserable on these flights. For the most part, all of that worked!

My top five items that got me through the flights were: eye mask with white noise, travel blanket, foot hammock, headphones, and a toothbrush. I am not great at sleeping on planes, especially being that I spent the whole time in the middle seat. However, I was able to get in a few cat naps and surprisingly walked away from that flight pain free.

At the airport, one of the first things we got was a SIM card for my phone, which made it a lot easier to stay in touch while abroad. Additionally, be sure to get $50-$100 worth in baht, which will cover for taxi rides and other fees you encounter along the way.

The one thing we knew we would have to battle but drastically underestimated was the amount of jet lag we had. We were pretty cranky our first few days because we just couldn’t get in a rhythm with sleep. If planning a trip to Thailand, I would definitely build in a few days to just relax and adjust!

First Impressions

When we arrived to Bangkok, it was absolutely pouring down rain. I had a moment of panic because other than one small umbrella, I had not packed for ANY rain on our trip. Happy to say that rain only greeted us on our first day there. It was crazy to see the streets extremely crowded and flooded though, which made our trip to the hotel over an hour by taxi cab.

Once the rain had cleared, I was blown away by how absolutely large the city was. I have spent time in New York City and Los Angeles, but nothing compares to Bangkok. Rather than having a concentrated downtown area, the city is extremely spread out with skyscrapers popping up everywhere. There are cars and people constantly moving. I am glad we did not rent a car because driving is terrifying. Simply put, the lines on the roads are merely suggestions and everyone has the right away. People on scooters will stop for nothing.

I thought when we traveled to Phuket that things would quiet down, but that wasn’t the case. The local people were suddenly replaced with tons of foreign travelers mainly from European countries and Russia. If you are looking for a quiet, relaxing retreat, this is not the place for you. That being said, Phuket definitely had more of that beach town vibe and was significantly smaller to navigate than Bangkok.

Where to Stay

Bangkok

In Bangkok, we stayed at the Skyview Hotel in the Sukhumvit district. This hotel was a great modern hotel with a large buffet breakfast included. I recommend staying at a place like this one that offers a rooftop bar or restaurant that allows you to look out over the city at night. The district we stayed in had a few street vendors near it and was next to the large Emporium mall. It was great for finding our basic necessities and had easy access to the train station, but overall it wasn’t in the easiest area to walk around.

If we were to ever return to Thailand, we both preferred the Siam district which had a lot more activity and better walkways. It also has easy access to the Skywalk and the train station as well.

Phuket

We opted to stay at Karon Beach, which is ten minutes south of the famous Patong Beach where all of the nightlife is. Karon is still crowded, but offers a slightly less chaotic scene and is arguably more family friendly.

Here, we stayed at the Andaman Seaview Hotel, which was right across the street from the beach. The hotel itself was on the older side and offered a unique breakfast buffet to what we were normally used to (hot dogs, baked beans, spaghetti, etc). The biggest issue we had with this location was the spotty internet, but we made do as best we could. The benefit of this hotel was its proximity to restaurants and shops.

Getting Around

Taxis

From the airport, the best way to get to your hotel is by taking a metered taxi. I recommend going for a private taxis versus a shared minibus. While they are cheaper, they take significantly longer (see the mistakes we made section below). Taxi drivers will try to negotiate a price prior to getting in the car and will actually cover up the meter with a towel. Our hotel arranged some of our taxis, which had set prices. However, when possible, ask to see the meter which will be considerably less. Our taxi driver had told us it would be 500 baht to get to the hotel from the airport, but the meter only read 300 baht when we got there.

Tuk Tuks

Most websites I read before we left for Thailand stated that tuk tuks were the way to get around town. While they are readily available, we also had numerous guides tell us that they are most likely to try and scam tourists. However, I do recommend riding a tuk tuk at least once. It is truly an experience zipping through the streets of Bangkok at night.

Skyrail

Our hotel was next to the Phrom Phong station of the BTS Skyrail, which made it quick and easy to get places around the city. The train was probably the cheapest way for us to travel in combination with walking. You can purchase your tickets from the kiosk or from the ticket office. Just make sure to bring baht with you as they only accept cash.

Water Taxi

We only took the water taxi one day to get to the Wat Arun temple, but it was worth the trip on its own. The water taxi offers a great way to see the city from the river. Note that there are two different routes – the blue route and the orange route. They will get you to the same location; one just offers a larger boat and costs more. Lastly, be sure to bring sunscreen if you plan to sit on the top deck!

If you are questioning the best path to take, don’t hesitate to ask someone! The hotel concierge was extremely helpful in pointing us in the right direction or even help get us a taxi. The people at the train station were also great to make sure we got off at the right station for where we were trying to go.

Food

Honestly, this is the absolute best thing in Thailand and I would return just for the food. One of our guides told us that Thai people love to eat, but hate to cook. This is why you will see so many street food vendors so people can just pick up food on the go after work. I took pictures of every meal we ate and gathered a list of recipes to take home with me. My husband’s favorite is the Pad Krapow Gai, or chicken and basil served with rice and a fried egg. My personal favorites were the coconut ice cream, served with peanuts, or mango sticky rice!

While Thailand is known for it’s street food, I recommend staying away from it unless a local has told you it is safe to eat. There are certain areas that are known for having better food and others that are more sketchy and might make your stomach hurt. Mainly avoid anything that has had the potential to sit out for a while. The best way to experience street food is to participate in a vetted food tour. Also, you must avoid the water and only drink from bottled water!

My favorite restaurant we went to was a place in Karon Beach called On The Rock. It is located right on the water and has delicious food. We ended up going there two nights in a row because it was so good. You don’t need reservations, but you could potentially avoid a wait if you have one.

Excursions

Tours are a great way to experience the island without having to put a lot of thought into it. These excursions, both half and full day, can be found online or can be booked at numerous tourism booths around the city. Look for tours that include transportation to and from your resort to make things easy. An added bonus is finding tours that include lunch!

Temples

Make an effort to see at least one temple while visiting Thailand to learn more about their Buddhist religion. We ended up taking the water taxi to explore Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn while in Bangkok. When visiting a temple, it is most important to dress appropriately with males and females needing to cover their knees and shoulders. Fortunately, they do hand out scarves for you to wrap around yourself should you not have the correct attire.

Floating Market & Coconut Farm

The Dameoen Saduak Floating Market is one of the most popular floating markets in Thailand, about two hours outside of Bangkok. Here they sell souvenirs and food items along the canals. They will try to haggle you and will pull your boats to the side with hooks trying to tempt you to buy something. It is a great way to find souvenirs extremely cheap. My husband’s favorite part of this tour was getting food and I got to try some coconut ice cream.

Since the market is far from the city, on the way we stopped at a local coconut farm where they made brown sugar. Here you got to sample all sorts of things they make from coconuts and learn about the process. We loved getting to share some fresh coconut water.

Food Tour or Cooking Class

This is my number one activity to do in Thailand! We participated in the Bangkok Food Tour which explored street food at night by tuk tuk. Our night started at 7pm and went to almost midnight, sampling food at six different places. We tried foods like mango sticky rice, tom yum soup, fried crispy pork stir fry, street food chicken satay, and mini coconut pancakes, among many other things. Not only was the food amazing, but we also got to experience the tuk tuk at night which had us laughing the whole time. We felt like we were in a version of Mario Kart zigging and zagging through the traffic.

Another option is to take a cooking class. We participated in one tour that taught us how to make papaya salad, but there are other classes that offer even more than that. Either way, after trying all the food, you will want to learn how to make these dishes at home.

James Bond Island & Sea Cave Kayaking

James Bond Island is a huge rock structure made famous in the James Bond movie, Man with the Golden Gun. We participated in a full day tour that took us on a large boat out to the island. The island itself is very populated with tourists and offers numerous vendors selling souvenirs. Other than a photo op, there isn’t much there; but as my dad is a HUGE James Bond fan, I just had to see it.

The more fascinating part of this tour was exploring the sea caves via kayak. These structures are truly enchanting and it is incredibly peaceful to drift in between the giant rock formations. It felt like a scene out of a movie. I was a little concerned about the idea of going into caves, but there is only one section that is tight to get through. It then opens up into a little oasis between the rocks that made it all worth it.

Phi Phi Islands & Snorkeling

A tour to the Phi Phi Islands is another very popular excursion among tourists in Thailand. I recommend taking the sunrise tour, which will have you getting up super early but you will avoid a lot of the crowds. For the trip, you travel onboard a very high speed motorboat for about an hour to the islands. If you easily get sick, I recommend bringing non-drowsy dramamine for the ride. Once there, you can get out to explore the popular Maya Bay, which is where they filmed The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio. While you couldn’t swim there, it was a breathtaking sight to see.

We also got to snorkel on this trip and swim in a small cove. For those that love to snorkel, this probably won’t live up to your expectations. Because there are so many tour boats, the water is pretty churned up and it is difficult to see. That being said, they like to feed the fish so you will find yourself swarmed by hundreds of fish which is a unique experience in itself.

We stopped at one island where you can take about a 20-minute hike up the mountain to an overlook. I felt like I was going to die walking up all the steps, but the view was worth it at the top.

The best part of the tour is the food provided for a picnic lunch at one of the islands. The staff on these trips are what make them memorable and I absolutely have to give a shout out to our amazing guide, Lily. The staff is a great resource to answer all your questions about Thailand or help you learn the local language.

Elephant Sanctuary

My husband wasn’t set on the idea of visiting an elephant sanctuary but it was high on my list to do and I’m glad we did it. We visited the Lake Phuket Elephant Nursery for a half day tour. The Green Elephant Sanctuary is another very popular one, but I liked how small the one at the lake was. Our tour only had about eight people, which meant we got to spend a lot of time with the elephants.

We started by preparing food for them and then got to feed the food to them by hand. Our guide and the owner of the company, Dang, was extremely knowledgeable and kind. There are five elephants at the nursery and you can tell how much each one meant to him.

I was shocked by how up close we could get to these incredibly gentle giants. After we fed each one, they walked back to the lake with us where we got to give them a bath. The elephant named Oing was my absolute favorite and was completely lounging during his bath.

After we were done with the elephants, Dang showed us how to make papaya salad and we were welcomed to an incredible meal. Since the tour group was so small, it was a great time to just interact with the locals and learn from them. Our tour was only a half day, but our time there felt very valued and I could have stayed a lot longer. The staff and the elephants made this excursion truly memorable and I highly recommend it.

Lasting Impressions

I was really hesitant and overwhelmed by Thailand at first. With the amount of people and the crazy amount of traffic, I felt lost in it and was turned off initially. However, participating in tours and having the opportunity to engage with the people who live there really helped me change my mind.

It likely won’t be on my list to return to anytime soon, simply due to the extensive travel to get there. But, we barely scratched the surface and there is so much more to explore off the beaten path. I would go back eventually for the people and of course all their yummy food.

Mistakes We Made

We certainly aren’t expert travelers and there were many things we would do differently, but I figured I would share a few tidbits that we learned:

• Do not take a minibus group taxi from the airport. It is the cheaper option, but they will have you wait until every single seat is filled. This meant we waited almost an hour just to fill the taxi, then they shuttled us to a place where they wrote down our hotel info and tried to sell us on tours. Finally another hour later we made it to our hotel after dropping off everyone else first. Save yourself the trouble and time and just book a private taxi!
• Thailand loves to barter! We did not know this until we started asking “how much”. They do not want a sale to get away from them. It is a game and they expect you to counteroffer. The best tactic I found was to say it is too much and then start to physically put the item back, which will very often get them to list their lowest price. They offered me one of those floppy sun hats for 850 baht originally before I talked them down to 150 baht.
• In the United States, your bag limit is 50 lbs, but in Thailand it is only 20kg (44lbs). If you want to avoid going through all your dirty clothes in the middle of the airport trying to find 3lbs of stuff to move to a different bag (like I did), then be aware of this before you go! Additionally, carry-ons can only be 7kg (15lbs) so you might end up having to check it if it is over (again, like I did).
• Make sure you bring a few necessary medications! I fortunately did not make this mistake thanks to my best friend who travels frequently, but I would have made it if it wasn’t for her. I ended up getting a cold from the plane ride over and had stomach issues upon trying some of the food. Fortunately, I had some cold medication, anti-nausea, and Pepto all on hand. I carried these in one of those weekly pill containers so I didn’t carry a bunch of bottles with me.

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Have you ever been to Thailand or are planning to go? I would love to hear about your experience or answer any questions you might have.