This is an archive of a travel blog
What could you possibly want if you find yourself in a popular (but laid back) city beaming with warm locals, friendly expats, and an endless list of awesome activities? How about taking a break to find a welcoming place that serves a decent drink, like a much-needed cup of tea or coffee? Well, you’ve still come to the right place then, because Chiang Mai has a booming cafe culture that shows no sign of slowing down!
Read the post
It was difficult to say goodbye to Chiang Mai, our temporary home for the past 2 months. But it was that time again to pack up our belongings and move on to Bangkok – our last destination in Asia. We boarded an early morning train from Chiang Mai; it took around 12 hours to reach the Thai capital. Foreseeing that this was our last mode of transportation, we were welcomed by a constant stream of cockroaches feeding through the train walls, the toilet ‘aromas’ were enough to make the sturdiest of souls shed a tear, and the food served at lunch lingered an after scent of microwaved mackerel and over boiled eggs in the air.
Read the post
Chiang Mai is one of the last places we’re visiting before we return to the UK. It’s been just over a month since we landed and settled in an AirBnB apartment, and I can honestly say that I feel just as comfortable here as I did back at home, if not better. Back in the UK we’re accustomed to paying a lot more when it comes to renting an apartment, using public transport and doing social activities.
Read the post
Meditation has always been somewhat of an enigma to me. The irony of wanting to learn about this technique but not being committed because there’s **always more important/busy things to do.**Does this sound familiar? Out of curiosity I researched into meditation courses in Chiang Mai and came across a site which provided weekly one night meditation retreats; Monk Chat Meditation is located at Wat Suan Dok and also offers weekly ‘Monk Chats’.
Read the post
N’aaw, look how cute we looked It’s that time again, or should I say ‘occasion’ where we’ve reached another milestone. It has been one year since we waved goodbye to England in return for a years’ long Asian adventure. Only one problem…that ‘year’ practically flew by! I find it very surreal to believe we have been away from home for 12 months. I remember how I felt when I left the UK, all those fears and nerves about the unknown.
Read the post
6 countries in 6 months It’s been 6 months since we left our routine lifestyle in the UK and started our Asian adventure. As I sit here in Kuala Lumpur trying to sum up my thoughts into a post, it’s surreal to think how far we have come and what we’ve accomplished. Traveling has been an eye-opening, first hand educational experience for me which continues to spark my curiosity and excitement.
Read the post
This coach is going take us from Hat Yai, Thailand to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The journey will roughly take around 14 hours. We’re already bored and hungry. We’re not stranger to long bus journeys so I’m sure we’ll find something to keep us occupied. I’m glad to be saying bye to Thailand, we’ve enjoyed 2 months in this wonderful country exploring the Northern cities and Southern beaches. But it’s now time to move on.
Read the post
It was that time again where our 2 month visa was nearly up and once again we were looking forward to the prospect of visiting another country. Still challenging overland transportation we researched the best place in Thailand for onward travel to Malaysia. We found Hat Yai to be a popular hub for onwards travel to Malaysia so we made arrangements to go there by bus the next day. There is a regular service which runs from Krabi to Hat Yai and we had no problems booking a ticket on the day of travel.
Read the post
We’ve seen our share of overhyped, touristy beach destinations in Thailand during our travels. It was time to go somewhere that retained its charm and authenticity. Welcome to Ko Lanta! It took around 90 minutes by ferry to reach Ko Lanta from Koh Phi Phi Don. It was just starting to rain as we arrived but we remained optimistic. We were picked up at the port and taken to our hotel Lanta Just Come where we stayed for a few nights.
Read the post
When most people think of Thailand they think of the film ‘The Beach’. The film’s location was filmed at Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi Le. The success of the film threw Maya Bay into the spotlight as one of Thailand’s most visited destination. We decided against a tour and wanted to find a long tail boat that’d take us there ourselves. We’ve heard how crowded Maya Bay gets and we wanted to go on our watch before it gets too busy.
Read the post
From Ao Nang we went Ko Phi Phi. We found a tour agency and book ourselves on a ferry for the next day. The price per person for the ferry was 300 baht. Our tickets for the ferry also included pick up from our guesthouse. We left our guesthouse at 07:00am and jumped into the large songthaew which picked up as many people as possible to take to the port.
Read the post
We decided to visit Ao Nang as it wasn’t too far from Krabi. The white songthaews go direct to Ao Nang (bus station is outside the KFC) and costed 100 baht for the both of us. It only took around 40 minutes to reach there. The white songthaew go to and from Krabi town to Ao Nang Ao Nang is a popular beach town in Krabi town and consists of a main road bustling with restaurants, bars, hotels and clothing stalls.
Read the post
We needed an escape plan out of Patong and decided it was time to make our way to Krabi. It was actually quite easy – we hopped on a bus from Patong back to Phuket, and from there we caught a local bus going to Krabi. It only took 3 hours, we were just so glad to be far away from Patong! Cool claw sculpture near the river Krabi town oozed the space and calm we needed for a couple of nights till we planned our next move.
Read the post
It’s true what they say. Like Marmite, you’ll either love or hate Patong. After a chilled few days in Phuket we wanted to check out the beach towns nearby. After reviewing the options we agreed to visit Patong – a lively beach town on Phuket’s West coast. It took 1 hour to get to Patong from Phuket by local bus. It was clear as we arrived how popular Patong was. Big Western chains have flooded this once idyllic town; there are mass shopping outlets selling the standard ‘same same’ merchandise ranging from souvenirs, clothing, and fake designer goods.
Read the post
Still challenging overland transportation we booked ourselves a series of buses from Chiang Mai to Phuket. We stayed in Bangkok for a couple of nights before heading down to Phuket. Bangkok – Phuket – the bus we spent an entire day on We paid a little extra for a ‘VIP’ bus which departed at 07:00am and took around 12 hours to reach Phuket. We were surprised to find that the bus was pretty decent!
Read the post
Tigers. _‘King of the Jungle’ – as the saying goes._Something which the majority of the world’s population adore, admire and respect. At least that’s what I thought, until I visited Tiger Kingdom. Tigers are powerful, they are hunters, they fight for their territory. But if we had the opportunity to be near these animals? Maybe even going as far as touching them? Well this is where Tiger Kingdom fits the bill (apparently) by giving visitors the opportunity to enter the enclosure and get up close with a tiger.
Read the post
Morning view from our apartment Chiang Mai is a popular city in Northern Thailand. The city is renowned for its ancient temples, scenic landscapes and welcoming people. Over the years it has gained popularity and homes a thriving expat community. It took around 3 hours to reach Chiang Mai on bus (from Chiang Rai). I noticed when we arrived how alive the atmosphere was. It’s been on our bucket list to see the Lantern Festival (Yi Peng) and we had arranged our schedule so we arrived in time for the event.
Read the post
As we consider ourselves lovers of Thai cuisine we chose to do a cooking class in Chiang Mai. Of course there are plenty (if not, too many) options available and we very nearly missed out because we couldn’t decide who to go with! I noticed a particular leaflet advertising ‘We Cook Thai Home Garden Cooking School’ at our apartment. As a spur of the moment gesture I contacted them via email to see if they had availability for the next day.
Read the post
Ahh, the Yi Peng festival. Otherwise known as the Lanterns festival. Before we set off on our travels (actually way before that) we always spoke about this particular festival. Wouldn’t it be great to go there? I bet it’d be wonderful. Look at how beautiful these photos are! Ahh I’m getting jealous now. If only we just ‘dropped’ everything and went this year. But that’s not gonna happen is it? Oh well, it’s good to dream I guess….
Read the post
From Sukothai we headed back to Phitsanolouk and caught a local bus to Chiang Rai. The journey lasted 10+ hours with only 1 stop for a quick toilet/food break. You can pretty much imagine how boring/tiring/dismal/frustrating it was! Chiang Rai is the most Northern region we’ll be visiting in Thailand. Our main reason for visiting Chiang Rai was to see Wat Rong Khun – otherwise known as ‘The White Temple’.
Read the post
Curiously getting up close to a Buddha monument. Have you ever looked at a Buddha statue for so long that you feel that its staring right back at you? We visited Sukhothai as it was on the travel route north (where we’ll eventually make our way to Chiang Mai). The journey wasn’t direct but easy enough; first we boarded the morning train from Bangkok to Phitsanolouk which was about a 5 hour journey.
Read the post
Though I’m not a fan of Bangkok I did enjoy an afternoon visiting Wat Pho, one of Thailand’s oldest wats (temple). Wat Pho has more than 1000 Buddha monuments and is home to the renowned ‘Temple of the Reclining Buddha’ Wat Pho has the largest reclining Buddha in Thailand. The reclining Buddha is to represent Buddha’s passing into Nirvana (death). Admission fee for tourists is 100 baht per person. There is also a dress code under strict guidance – no exposed shoulders or knees (and above).
Read the post
Pretty much anyone on a travelling quest will no doubt pass through Thailand. What can easily be recognised as Asia’s main gateway, Bangkok is usually the first port of call for newbie travellers embarking on an Asian adventure. To be frank I hadn’t been looking forward to Thailand. I was worried for the following reasons: A. The plague of tourists and travelers that now flock here every year have dented Thailands’ idyllic reputation
Read the post
As we’ve decided to stay longer in Hanoi, we decided to be super productive and go to the Thailand embassy to get a tourist visa. Before going to the Embassy we did a quick internet search to see what the requirements were. As with all visas its vital that your passport does not have an expiry date no less than 6 months. Apart from this we also read the following was required:
Read the post