The Beginner’s Abbreviated Guide to Thailand
This post is different.
In fact, it’s way different than most of my other posts, because two weeks ago, I did something pretty different. I went to a fancy resort in Thailand, spent a few days in Bangkok, and came back with a pretty shallow understanding of Thailand. Not my typical “dive into a new place and come back with a deeper understanding” kind of trip.
I guess you could call this my “typical American vacation.” Ask anyone from Europe (or Scandinavians in particular) and they’ll laugh at how short the average American vacation is.
Five days in Italy? Laughable.
One week in Australia? What’s the point.
Ten days in Thailand? Why bother.
Well, I did bother. Ever since I moved abroad, my vacations have become longer (but not more expensive, FYI) and my cultural awareness has increased on every trip. At least I think it has. But in this case, there was no way around it. I could take ten days off of my life to go catch up with my boyfriend in Thailand, so I said yes please, see you there. So unlike most of my other travel posts where I think I’m so worldly and blah blah blah, here is my quick and dirty overview of Thailand, specifically for those Americans on expedited trips.
Oh, and complete with a few pictures to get the point across. You can pin them, share them, print them and hang ‘em on your fridge, whatever you want, as long as you link it back to the blog :)
At A Glance
What to expect in Thailand:
Weather-wise, it depends on which season you’re going in. There’s a rainy season and there’s a… not rainy season (surprise!). Regardless, it will be warm. Like HOT. Oh, and most importantly there will be bugs. Bugs, as in, mosquitos. Pack bug spray and put it on every afternoon, around 4pm, and you’ll be okie dokie.
Resorts: I’m just going to come right out and say it. If you’re staying at an all-inclusive resort anywhere in the world, you’re not getting an authentic snapshot of that country. But don’t worry, it’s not all bad news bears. Pick a resort that’s close to a town (in my case, Khao Lak) and rent a scooter for a few days. After scoring your yummy, western-style meals, duck into the towns, hike in the national parks, and start to understand why this tropical paradise is so special. Note, in Thailand they drive on the same side of the road as Brits do.
*Is your sole purpose of your vacation to lie by the pool and drink cocktails? Pick a location close to home, friends. Because a plane ticket to Asia is a very expensive way to solve your problems.
People: I was super surprised to find a huge number of Chinese and Russian tourists in Thailand. It’s a mixed bag of visitors, which makes every day an adventure, in terms of people watching. As far as locals go, the people in Thailand are overwhelmingly friendly, and nearly all of them speak English.
Expenses: Thailand uses a currency known as Baht. 30 Baht equals about 1 Euro. One tip regarding ATMs in Thailand: They all charge the equivalent of an 8 Euro fee every time you take out cash. If your bank will reimburse this, no problem. Otherwise, you’re better off taking dollars, euros, etc and changing them at a money exchange counter with a good rate. I found the ATM fee to be incredibly high.
As far as expenses go in Thailand, in general, everything is quite cheap. You can get Pad Thai (and similar dishes) everywhere for 3 Euros/dollars. A beer will run you about 2 Euros. And a complete meal for two at a market restaurant will cost you about 15 Euros. That being said, in cities like Bangkok, there are much fancier food and beverage options available, with prices that rival European standards. Accommodation in Bangkok is super affordable, and I stayed in a wonderful private room (with private bathroom), in a hip hostel near Khao San road, for about 20 Euros per night.
In Bangkok, be sure to check out some of the numerous rooftop bars, where drinks are almost the same price as they are in Europe, but the views are stunning and the atmosphere is priceless. Oh, and don’t worry, you can take a cab home in Bangkok for a few Euros. Except in rush hour. During rush hour, you’re better off walking or taking the public boats, for a scenic ride home.
And that’s all she wrote, folks.
I left Thailand with nothing but appreciation for getting even a small glimpse into this incredible country. I didn’t see a single temple, or explore any of the numerous, colorful palaces. I did, however, take part in a cooking class, which left my heart and belly so stupidly full. I bartered a pretty good price for a hectic boat ride through Bangkok’s numerous canals. And more than anything, I just hung out with Kris. And it was splendid.
But I’ll be back.
Because four days in Bangkok isn’t enough! Five days in Khao Lak was way too short! And ten days in any part of Southeast Asia is a tiny blip of a trip. But I guess that’s the familiar travel curse. We’re left always wanting more. More experiences. More culture. More 2 Euro beers on the beach, with an unobstructed view of the giant sun, setting over the cool, blue sea.