For years, I’ve relished and envied my friends’ stories of their incredible trips around Thailand – from island-hopping, to dancing under the full moon, to city bike tours and mountain hikes in Chiang Mai. Wanting to discover the gem of Thailand for myself, I embarked on a solo adventure in ‘The Land of Smiles’. I wanted a taste of everything, and boy was it the trip of a lifetime.
Bustling Bangkok
After a comfortable flight on Thai Airways, I landed in vibrant Bangkok.
Settling into my accommodation in Villa Mungkala in the heart of Bangkok, I loved my quaint bedroom overlooking a laneway filled with little shops and food stalls.
Each morning I feasted on the Villa’s delicious banana pancakes coated in honey and chocolate sauce.
Wandering the streets on my first day, my senses were piqued at every corner.
I tasted some delicious bites at a market, then popped into a side street spa for a neck and shoulder massage.
Later, I enjoyed a cheeky cocktail at Palate Bangkok’s rooftop bar, before tucking in to a delectable chicken massaman curry at Mazzaro Boutique and Restaurant down the road.
The next day I was thrilled to get a spot in a bicycle tour through GetYourGuide.
We cycled around ChinaTown and through the backstreets.
We went to the flower market and stopped off at a local temple.
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Feeding bananas to the turtles at the temple was great fun, and we also got to taste some delicious fruits at the market.
While in Bangkok I also stayed at the Parisian-style hotel Phranakorn-Nornlen, further up the Chao Phraya River.
It’s a whimsical wonderland with outside relaxation areas, great food and what must be the comfiest bed in Thailand.
Quaint Kanchanaburi
During my trip, budget travel service 12Go was my best friend when it came to booking flights, vans and buses.
Grabbing two seats on a minivan (one for me, the other for my suitcase) for transport, I swapped bustling Bangkok for quiet Kanchanaburi.
Staying at Sakarin Valley Resort, I relaxed and read books in my own real-life doll’s house by the river, with poolside views.
The charming cottages are so sweet, I felt like I was living out a scene from a movie.
In town, I ate and drank my way down the strip of little restaurants and dive bars, and indulged in a wonderful Thai massage.
Kanchanaburi is known for the notorious ThaiBurma ‘death’ railway, built during WWII by POWs.
Today, travellers have the chance to walk across the historic bridge over the River Kwai.
There’s also an ethical elephants’ sanctuary located just outside the party at the launch of a new bar in town where you can meet the elephants and feed them watermelon and pumpkin!
Charming Chang Mai
My favourite stop was in dynamic Chiang Mai, in the north of Thailand.
Over a week, I pranced around town and found my new favourite bars inside the main square.
The staff were incredibly lovely.
I also found my new favourite Thai meal, Khao Soi – the signature dish of the north, it’s a mix of coconut cream, noodles and spices .
Highlights included a Siam Garden Cooking School class, where we sourced our ingredients from a market then built our own menu of Thai dishes, such as pad Thai and coconut soup.
I loved Mitt Studio, where you get to create ceramics. I painted a mini vase with daisies and waves.
After making some great new mates, I enjoyed a fun party at the launch of a new bar in town.
Over the week, I stayed at two places – Thee Kashatharn and Glory Wabi Sabi.
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The first is heritage luxury near the Old Town and has a mountain backdrop.
The second is a more modern hotel with city views.
Both were absolute bliss!
Relaxing Khao Lak
This coastal village in the south dances to a slow beat and is a great pitstop for travellers to unwind.
I was a little lazy here and didn’t venture around too much.
Instead I kicked up my feet at the Sentido resort, where I had a low-cost, modern room overlooking the pool.
I spent three days swimming, reading and taking in the beachfront views from the resort’s pool bar and restaurant.
This fantastic place had an incredible cocktail list, with some fancy wines on the menu too. And ordering the succulent steak through room service, while watching movies in bed, was the icing on top.
It was an absolute indulgence.
Picturesque Por Bay
Staying at Supalai Scenic Bay Resort, my gorgeous room overlooked the water and offered the country’s most stunning sunrise.
The resort’s spa was a wonderful way to satisfy my senses and cleanse the body and soul, with scrubs, aromatherapy and massages.
After taking a taxi south to Phuket town, I enjoyed the buzz of the bars and eateries there.
It’s also the best place in Thailand to catch a Muay Thai (boxing) match.
A personal highlight for me was doing a cocktail masterclass at The Distillery Phuket, in Chalong Bay.
Using the distillery’s range of rum and with a fully stocked cocktail station, I created three delicious concoctions.
It was a fantastic way to spend an afternoon.
I also went on a guided tour of the distillery and learned how rum is made.
Dreamy Koh Samui
This slice of paradise was the best way to end my trip.
Over a week, I ‘glamped’ at Khwan Beach Resort, enjoyed jacuzzi baths on my balcony at Deva Beach Resort, and watched the fire shows at Elephant Beach Club’s Resort.
The best meal in town was at Boklee Bite – the Korean pork roll and the chicken breast salad with almond, apple and basil are to die for.
The nightly fire shows along Chaweng Beach were amazing. I loved tasting all the delectable Thai dishes and sipping pina coladas while enjoying the dynamic dancing and magical music accompanying the fabulous fireworks.
I also had a giant lizard put onto my arm, which I didn’t love, but it’s all part of the experience!
I loved every bit of my trip to Thailand and can’t wait to go back and discover more of this Asian gem.
