Thailand Top Ten

After thirty days in Thailand, I'm looking back on all the great places, people and experiences that made the month a great one. While there are too many to list, here are the highlights:

1.     The color of the water in the Andaman Sea

Aonang Beach, Krabi

I was just entranced by the Andaman Sea, where I spent the first two weeks (or so) of my trip, between Krabi, Koh Lanta, and Phuket. I just had to keep taking off my sunglasses to make sure the color was real. It was fantastically turquoise, but at the same time so crystal clear that feet and fish could be easily seen from above. I have never seen water this color before, and would rate it above Hawaii and the Caribbean Sea, hands down. I have high expectations for Indonesia now, so I'll see how it compares.

Railay Beach, Krabi

2.     The completely relaxed and laid-back atmosphere of the beaches and the hostel in Koh Lanta

On the beach in Koh Lanta

When I arrived at the hostel where I would spend five nights, I was surprised at how much like a family the guests and staff seemed to be, and how completely relaxed and unhurried they all were. For someone who, when traveling, feels the pressing need to do something at all times and not waste a single second, the peace and calmness of this group of people (equally happy to scooter around the island and spend the day dozing in a hammock) seemed to be contagious. The beach was no different: instead of massive parties and noisy bars like I imagine overtake some of Thailand's more notorious islands, Koh Lanta hosts lazy bookworms, low key restaurants, and hammock-toting hippies.

3.     Diving in Koh Bida

My first non-course dive was with Lanta Divers, a Scandinavian-owned dive company, which, based on my searches, leads the cheapest boat trips to several sites. I did a 2-dive plus 1-snorkel day trip to Koh Bida, a small island between Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi. The trip was great (I had a cool Malaysian divemaster and a good group of four divers), and the diving was spectacular. We saw tons of fish, amazing turquoise and violet corals, shrimps, crabs, squids, and a couple of unexpectedly massive leopard sharks, who were hard to tear myself away from. I'll be diving again (hopefully a few times) in Indonesia... looking forward to beefing up my dive log!

4.     Visiting old and new friends in Phuket


It's no secret that Phuket wasn't my favorite (a little bit to cocktail-happy and sex-touristy for me), but it was nevertheless wonderful to see a friend I hadn't in nearly a year, and to meet some of her friends, who became great travel buddies (and gracious drivers) around the island (and also later on in Pai). It was great to have a group to eat dinner and lounge around the beaches with.


5.     Touring the Grand Palace in Bangkok

At the Emerald Temple inside the Grand Palace

I wasn't overwhelmingly excited about heading to Bangkok: after being overwhelmed by Phuket, I had a suspicion that Bangkok wasn't for me. I actually had a pretty good time in Thailand's capital, but nothing completely floored me so much as the Grand Palace. It was enormous, and everywhere I looked there was something new to marvel at. I loved the mirrored tiles in various colors that cover all the surfaces there, and that glittered as the sunlight hit them, making the whole place come to life.






6.     Biking around the ruins of Sukothai

Wat Mahathat at Sukothai

Although Ayutthaya was significantly less crowded, and the ruins there were beautiful as well, I definitely enjoyed Sukothai more. Having a bicycle made it possible to see everything, and get a sense of the area. I especially loved the Northern and Western zones: they were incredibly peaceful and calm. That said, the temples in the Central zone were better preserved, and the lily ponds surrounding them were really something to see.

Landscape at the Western Zone

7.     Temple touring in Chiang Mai

Wat Phra Singha in Chiang Mai

I had been looking forward to Chiang Mai more than any other place in Thailand. All I'd heard about the city made me excited to get a real feel for the culture of Northern Thailand, and especially to see the temples. The city and the temples themselves did not disappoint. They were all strikingly beautiful, and the ones where I got to listen to the prayers from the monks were some of my favorites. Despite the crowds at some of them, I found them all to be exceedingly peaceful places, and spent literally hours one day in and out of the more popular ones.

Sunset at Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai

8.     The White Temple in Chiang Rai

White Temple at Chiang Rai

Statue at Chiang Rai's White Temple

A few times while traveling in Thailand, I'd met people who said that Chiang Rai's White Temple was the best thing they saw in the country. I'd already decided that the city Lonely Planet described as a city more easily lived in than visited was too far north to be a viable or worthwhile addition to my trip, so when I found a one day tour from Chiang Mai that included a visit to the White Temple, I was willing to shell out the dollars to participate. While the rest of the trip wasn't overwhelmingly good, the White Temple alone made it wonderful. I have never been anyplace or seen anything like it: it was simply spectacular.



9.     The cozy and delicious cafes and restaurants of Pai

Restaurant on the River, Pai

I'd heard a lot of wonderful things about Pai even before coming to Southeast Asia more than 13 months ago, so I was delighted when I learned that two of my friends would be working there and instantly added it to my itinerary. While we didn't do very much over the several days I was there, we did spend a lot of time visiting my friends' favorite eating places. Highlights included a burger place where I devoured a deliciously messy eggplant and pineapple burger, street food lasagna, a cafe surrounded by a little garden, and a restaurant on the river, where guests waded out to one of several floating platforms to be served. Not to mention the 3 dollar passionfruit mojitos.


10.     The fantastic view of the mountains and valleys from Pai

View from Pai Canyon, just before sunset

All I wanted to do in between meals in Pai was stare at the landscape. It reminded me of Switzerland and of New Zealand (but better weather!) with the green valleys and the mountains hazy in the distance (all told the haze is created by the burning of the undergrowth in Northern Thailand and makes for terrible air quality and isn't at all the natural beauty that it appears to be, but I appreciated it). We spent hours sitting ing the pagoda or near the pool at the hostel just watching the mountains and the town below. It made me feel like we should throw up our hands and burst into a round of "The Sound of Music," but no one ever did. Shame.