It’s no surprise that Thailand is the most visited country in Southeast Asia. It’s a dream destination with its beautiful beaches, exotic rainforests, thousands of temples, rich cultural heritage and of course, delicious cuisine. Thailand owes its unique culture partly to the fact that it is the only Southeast Asian nation that was never colonised by the European power. There are so many amazing places to see, its one of those countries that has something for everyone. When planning your itinerary, we recommend including Bangkok, Northern Thailand and some of the islands. We choose five destinations to visit during our trip, Bangkok, Koh Samui, Krabi, Chiang Mai and Phuket.
Bangkok
Bangkok, a busy capital of Thailand, is an unmissable destination. It’s such a vibrant city boasting an incredible diversity. There are plenty of things to do such as visiting some of the most famous temples in the world, sampling some of the best street food and do some street market shopping.
Where to Stay in Bangkok?
We stayed in Sukhumvit Road, which is a leading commercial district in Bangkok and one of the longest boulevards in the world. The hotel was in a strategic location, close to convenience shops, shopping malls, dining and bars. It has a beautiful rooftop pool, where we liked to chill out after exploring hectic Bangkok in the blazing heat. Our room was clean and comfy. For attractions don’t use the taxis outside the hotel as they are way overpriced, grab one at the end of the road or order an Uber.
SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western Sukhumvit 2
Address: 89 Sukhumvit 2, Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Toei, Bangkok, Thailand
Where to eat in Bangkok?
Check out our Foodies Guide to Bangkok.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui is the second largest island in Thailand, most famous for the stunning beaches and its coconuts. It’s no surprise that it’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand. The most popular and commercialised are Chaweng and Lamai beach, known for their party scene and nightlife. We decided to stay in the more peaceful village of Mae Nam, on the north coast and we liked that area.
Where to stay?
Khwan Beach Resort
We had a fabulous stay at Khwan Beach Resort. What stood out for us in this place was huge attention to details such as a quality coffee in the room, mosquito sprays, electric candles, fresh orchids and a vast selection of TV channels and movies. An amazing surprise was how good the food is. It was nice not having to go out every day to enjoy a delicious meal. The room service menu was reasonably priced and had a good selection to cater to different tastes and preferences. Their breakfast was one of the best breakfasts we ever had. The pool was lovely with a swim up bar, rock waterfall and very comfy lounge chairs. The beach with some nice beach restaurants is only a few steps away, and they will set up an umbrella and lounge bags for you upon request. Street with restaurants and food market is reachable within 5min walk. The convenience store and very cheap laundry with superb service are also only a few minutes away. The staff was excellent; they made our stay extra special, everyone was very attentive, friendly and welcoming.
Private Pool Villa
The villa was very cosy and comfortable with a good size private pool. The decor was modern with Thai influences and the amenities were great.
Glamping
As we never did glamping before, we decided to spend a few days in the luxury tent. The design and decoration were unique; the tend had a very romantic feel to it. What’s very important the air conditioning worked very well. We also loved the outdoor bathroom.
Address: 67/61 Moo1, Maenam Beach, Mae Nam, Thailand
Where to eat in Koh Samui?
Check out our Foodies Guide to Koh Samui.
Railay Beach
Krabi is famous for its unique geographical features. Tha scenery is characterised by limestone cliff, mangrove forests and more than hundred offshore islands. Railay beach is potentially the most famous beach in Thailand. It is accessible only by boat due to the massive cliffs which cut it off from the mainland and make it impossible to access it by road. During the day its very busy but becomes fairly quiet in the evening as most of the boats leave before 7 pm. For us, the major let down was lack of any good places to eat. For this reason next time we wouldn’t stay in Railay for more than one night. Instead, we would base ourselves in Ao Nang which is only about 15 minutes boat ride.
Where to stay?
Avatar Railay
Avatar Railay is located on the east side of Railay Beach, about 5 minutes walk from the West Beach and 10 minutes away from the beautiful Ao Phra Nang Beach. We stayed in a deluxe pool access room. As the pool is in the shadow most of the day, the water was quite cold hence it was empty most of the time. However, it was still nice to relax on the terrace. The big letdown was the breakfast; it was very poor.
Address: 629 Moo 2, Ao Nang, Railay Beach, Krabi Town, Thailand
Where to eat in Railay beach?
Check out our Foodies Guide to Railay Beach.
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is the largest city in the Northern Thailand and the second largest city in Thailand. It has a relaxed vibe, its full of culture and incredible food markets. It’s also much more affordable than other main Thai cities making it very popular among backpackers and expats.
Where to stay?
Pingviman Hotel
The Pingviman hotel was very charming; we loved the traditional Thai decor with lots of dark wood and gold. We had a ground floor room with a terrace facing the pool and a jacuzzi. It was so relaxing to have a bubble bath at the end of a busy day. The room was very spacious and comfortable. Breakfast had a good selection of dishes. The hotel is located in the old town, a bit removed from the chaotic touristic areas but a short distance to many attractions. There are also few night markets within walking distance and a convenience store only a couple of minutes away.
Address: 92 Sam Lan Road, T. Phra Sing A. Muang, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Where to eat in Chiang Mai?
Check out our Foodies Guide to Chiang Mai.
Phuket
Phuket is country’s largest island and one of the most famous holiday spots in Thailand. It’s well-known for its beaches, the most popular being Patong beach famous for its crazy nightlife. However, we decided to stay in a quiet Naiyang beach along Phuket’s northwest coast.
Where to stay?
Naiyang Park Resort
The hotel is located opposite Sirinat National Park, only a few minutes from the beach and a short drive from the airport. The room was nice, however, beware that some of the chalets are located in front of a construction site hence they have a horrible view. We happen to get one of those rooms which spoiled our experience at this place. The surroundings were very nice and relaxing; however, the water in the pool was far too warm. Having a refreshing swim was impossible. Most of the staff did not know any English, so it was hard to communicate at times. The breakfast was basic.
Address: 34/5 Tambon Sakoo, Thalang, Nai Yang, Sakhu, Phuket, Thailand
Where to eat in Phuket?
Check out our Foodies Guide to Phuket.
