I still remember my first trip to Thailand. It also happened to be my first time in Asia, and there were so many new sights, sounds, and smells to take in! From sparkling temples, to remarkable street food, it has an energy that I fell in love with. I just finished my third trip to Thailand, and I still keep discovering new things that make me love it more and more!
If you’re considering a trip to Thailand for the first time, keep reading for some suggestions and helpful tips that I have learned.
Bangkok
Chances are, you’ll be passing through Bangkok at some point during your trip. It’s an enormous city that offers almost anything you’re interested in. During our recent visit, we spent a few weeks here living like locals and planning out the rest of our trip.
Favorite touristy things you can do:
- Ride in a Tuk Tuk. These little carts are like a taxi, but way more fun. They whiz around traffic, and are all individually decorated with flashing lights and interesting colors. Traffic laws mean nothing to these guys, and if you get a fun driver (the chances are high) this might just be the highlight of your time in Bangkok.
- Get a rooftop drink. (I like this place, which is located on the river and is not fancy.)
- Walk around Khao San Road. (Go at night, when it’s extra entertaining. Be sure to order pad thai for $1 from a street cart and buy your cheap tank top souvenirs while you’re there.)
- Check out some temples, The Grand Palace, etc. Wat Pho was a personal favorite.
- Need some green scenery and fitness in your life? Lumphini park is huge, and very popular for jogging among locals. Also: CrossFit. I usually visit Ten500 because it’s located near Silom (the area I usually stay).
- If you love shopping, be sure to check out the Chatuchak Weekend Market. See this article for a guide and helpful info. There are many unique items I didn’t see around the rest of Thailand. (Unlike the night markets, where many items look the same throughout Southeast Asia.) Be sure to arrive hungry. I recommend paella, a coconut water to keep you hydrated, and a fruit or coconut shake to cool you down in the afternoon.
If that hasn’t satisfied your shopping craving, MBK mall is enormous with floors of souvenirs, clothing, and knockoff everything. If you ever wanted a personalized hat, MBK mall is the place for you.
Where to stay in Bangkok:
Top choice: Inn a Day hotel. This is a super cool hotel in a perfect location. I also remember the breakfast and coffee being very good. Funny story: when you fly to Thailand from the US, you gain a day since you pass the dateline. On our first trip, we booked this hotel for two nights without realizing the date change. When checking in, the guy said “oh, you guys were supposed to arrive yesterday.” Ooooops. At around $100 USD/night, we won’t be making that mistake again.
C40Winks Hostel – It’s in the business district near Lumpini Park, with tons of nearby food options, and the sky train (public transit).
Where to eat in Bangkok: I’ve eaten a lot of places in Bangkok (both well-known, and not). Though everything was decent, nothing was worth trekking across the city for. My best advice is to find a busy street food stand or small local eatery. The crowds of locals are there for a reason.
Phuket, Thailand
Phuket (pronounced poo-ket) is a huge island, and also the base for visiting famous smaller islands (like Koh Phi Phi). When visiting Phuket, know that your location commits you to a certain area (and they vary greatly). The phone app Grab (Uber, for Southeast Asia) makes transport very cheap in Thailand, except for Phuket where it is nearly four times more expensive. Just something to keep in mind if you plan to venture all over the island.
I’m partial to Phuket Town because of the beautiful colorful buildings, assortment of coffee shops, and general atmosphere. (It has no beach at all, but you can take a taxi to another area, do a snorkel excursion or boat day trip, etc.) Be sure to check out Monkey Hill, Khao Rang Kill, and the Sunday night market (lots of unique eats and crafts.)
Where to eat in Phuket Town:
Breakfast: Khanom Jeen. This is as local as it gets. Pay for a plate of rice noodles, pile it up with the assortment of curries, and then add fresh herbs and other toppings at the table. This is only for the adventurous. The curries are authentic, featuring Thai spice levels, chicken feet, tiny fish, and other surprises. I come here every time I’m in town. (Go early. The good stuff is gone by 9 am.)
Lunch: Ice Style Salad Phuket. I didn’t discover this until our last visit, but once I did, I ate here A LOT. When traveling long-term, vegetables are often hard to come by, but not here. This is a gourmet salad bar with So. Much. Variety. Multiple types of leafy greens, chopped fresh veggies, an assortment of grilled items (kabocha squash, sweet potato, bell pepper), kelp noodles, fresh fruit, lots of protein sources, and 12 different homemade dressings (all without mayo or eggs). My favorites were roasted pumpkin, miso, black pepper, curry, wasabi, and spicy. Bonus points: this place is located one block from my favorite gym.
Dinner: Khun Jeed Yod Pak Restaurant. It’s cheap, local, and damn good. You must try: chicken satay, crab rolls, and the flat noodles with black soy sauce. (I like the seafood version, my husband prefers chicken.) Don’t leave without trying the mini coconut custard!
Coffee in Phuket Town
There are so many options. I end up at Dou Brew a lot (mega bonus points for being open early) and love the flavor of their iced cappuccino. Between the quality, availability of seating, price, hours, and service, they are my top choice in town.
Another option: Bookhemian. Their listed opening hours are merely a suggestion, and they open too late to satisfy my morning coffee craving. But, their iced coffee topped with toasted marshmallow is a great way to escape the afternoon heat. They do seem to be getting stingier with the marshmallow, are aloof when it comes to service, and raise their prices without updating the menus. But… the coffee keeps bringing me back.
Where to get your fitness on:
Let’s face it, Phuket is HOT and HUMID. Find yourself a gym with AC, and do not leave. My favorites: Workout Club. The entire top floor is a functional fitness/Muay Thai area, and it’s always empty. Like Disneyland, but better.
Option #2: CrossFit Phuket. This gym is huge, air conditioned, and located on fighter street (a street lined with Muay Thai gyms, healthy cafes, athletic clothes, and everything else related to fitness). I love this gym but find it to be unfortunately far away from the happening areas of Phuket. Still, an easy trip if you rent a scooter.
Where to stay in Phuket Town:
Mid-range: The Rommanee Boutique Guesthouse. We stayed here on our first trip. It’s artfully decorated, and is located on a street famous for photo shoots. You can look out your window and watch Instagrammers all day long.
Budget: Vitamin Sea Hostel. Comfy, clean, friendly service. Unfortunately they only serve instant coffee, but that’s okay because there are 250 coffee shops within walking distance. I also had them do my laundry twice, because it came back smelling amazing.
Koh Samui
On our first trip to Thailand, we decided to splurge on a beach resort. We loved it and I highly recommend this if you’re a beach person. We stayed at The Tongsai Bay. The resort was top notch, and I looked forward to the breakfast buffet every day because it was amazing! They had tons of activities, a nightly happy hour with free drinks and snacks, and a gym with a rowing machine. Bonus points: we were there on the shoulder season and got upgraded to a seafront cottage overlooking the water. The only negative point about staying at a resort is that taxi rides around Koh Samui were around $20 to get anywhere, which really added up since we wanted to eat dinner outside of the resort.
Another Southern Thailand option: Krabi
After enjoying a few days in Phuket Town, catch the bus to Krabi and spend some time there enjoying beautiful beaches, going on an assortment of excursions, and eating at the night market. You can then fly out of the Krabi airport.
Pad Thai wrapped in an omelette. This is a popular street food and one of my night market dinner choices. You can find it in Krabi, and all over Thailand. Don’t miss it!
Chiang Mai, Thailand
This previously walled city has a mind-blowing amount of cafes and coffee shops. This was my mom’s favorite place we visited with her, and should be on every visitor’s radar when visiting Thailand. If it’s your first time here, you’ll want to visit the elephants, shop at the night bazaar, visit a temple or two, and get lots of massages. (Will a $7 Thai massage or foot reflexology treatment ever get old? I think not.)
To make that massage to feel extra good, drop in for a workout at Crossfit Chiang Mai. It’s an impressive gym with a weightlifting area, outdoor ropes and rings, a garden, coffee bar… pretty much a dream fitness operation.
These suggestions are great and all, but let’s not forget the main reason you’re in Chiang Mai (and Thailand for that matter): you’re here to eat khao soi. This heavenly creation features a rich curry, egg noodles, chicken, and a few fresh toppings. It is my favorite Thai food. Period. I’ve taken two cooking classes to learn how to make it, so hopefully I’ll be posting a recipe with my own rendition once I’m back home.
Luckily for you there are many places around town to find a delicious khao soi. (Just check reviews in your area.) My current favorite is Jok Sompet (pictured above). It’s damn delicious, open 24 hours, and if you’re with someone who doesn’t want khao soi (why are you hanging out with them??) they also serve dim sum, fried noodles, and a few other items.
Other places to eat in Chiang Mai
Breakfast: (see khao soi, above). Also: The Hideout (for incredible french toast, and the godfather sandwich (avocado, bacon, chicken, ham, egg, and cheese, served on a bagel).
Lunch: Khun Kae’s juice bar (for smoothie bowls). Cat House Chiang Mai for healthier versions of different regional dishes. (I love their tea leaf salad with black coconut rice, and the gado gado (a mountain of vegetables and tofu, smothered in peanut sauce).
Dinner: the night bazaar area has an assortment of local food stands which we ate at a lot. For something slightly more upscale, check out Ginger and Kafe.
Coffee in Chiang Mai:
I think the old town might have the highest amount of coffee shops per capita in the world. For me, there are two coffee shops I always visit.
Nes Coffee– unpretentious local shop run by an extremely nice girl. This is where I discovered iced americanos with coconut milk, and my life has been infinitely better since then.
Thamal Coffee– hidden on top of a Nepalese clothing store near Warorot Market, half of the adventure is finding this place. (Hint – find it on Google maps and look up when you stand in front of it.) Sit at a window table where you sit cross-legged with cushions. In addition to beautiful and colorful Nepalese décor, they have a great tea and smoothie menu.
Where to stay in Chiang Mai:
Nice Sleep Box – budget option right near the night market, and one minute from Fah Lanna Spa. You get to sleep in an actual shipping container! It was surprisingly cozy.
This Airbnb is perfectly located in the old town, and sits right above a popular cafe. It’s a great area to stay in for exploring the old town, and eating at all of my favorite places. Be sure to buy a cold coconut from the woman down the street who sells them out of her house!
Happy travels!
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