Out of all the places I have been to in my life, visiting Thailand was definitely the best. I must admit, walking to our hotel walking through the busy roads, I felt quite overwhelmed as it’s so different from other places I have been to. Trying to get used to the roads and not getting run over was something I found the hardest considering there were no rules!
With majestic temples, stunning beaches and interesting modes of transport (especially the Tuk Tuks!) Thailand is a place that attracts mostly backpackers and budget travellers. Spending 10 days there myself, still wasn’t enough as there was still so much to see including the surrounding islands I didn’t get to visit.
Food
Thailand is a perfect place to delve into the authentic Thai cuisine. With stalls and restaurants being the main attraction in Thailand, visiting them is a must to easily try everything! The best foods to try include Pad Thai, Kai Med Ma Muang (Chicken with Cashew Nuts), mango sticky rice, massaman curry and Pa Thong Ko (little donuts) -I also had lots of smoothies as it gets very humid during the day and night.
Bangkok
Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, is a place like no other. It is an exciting and busy city to visit that’s full of culture and delicious foods! Being is such a clustered city, the smells of exhaust fumes and grilled meats do get quite hard to get used to.
Visiting the Temples
Visiting the many temples across Thailand can be pretty impressive. With stunning architecture inside and out, it’s a lot to take in. However, there are strict dress codes and rules in mostly all the temples in Thailand.
Shoulders must be covered: This means no strap tops or sleeveless shirts for men or women. You may wear a tank top, but cover up with a cardigan before entering. T-shirts are okay.
Knees must be covered: This means you must wear trousers or a dress/skirt that falls below your knees.
No tight clothing: Don’t wear leggings or a tight dress/skirt that could be seen as inappropriate. Dressing in loose clothing will also keep you cooler.
No see-through clothing: This is pretty self-explanatory.
No flip-flops allowed: You can wear sandals, but they must have a back strap to be acceptable.
No cameras: some of the temples allow some photos but due to respect they ask for no photos to be taken in.
Taking your shoes off: also due to respect they ask you to take your shoes off. If you plan a whole day of looking at temples, where easy shoes to take off!
Phuket
Unlike Bangkok, Phuket is quieter and scenic, with its many beautiful beaches. It is much calmer and has easier routes to get to connecting islands. You can take a speedboat (prepare to feel extremely sick and take the sea sickness tablets they give you!) or long tail boats to get to the famous Phi Phi islands. Booking a tour to see the Phi Phi islands allows you to see many places including Phang Nga Bay, Viking Cave and Monkey Beach (depending on your chosen tour). As there is lots to see on the tours it may be best to book an all-day tour to appreciate everything.
