Thailand Travel Guide

I am so excited to finally share my Thailand travel guide with you all! Where do I even begin!? This was one of the most memorable trips I have ever taken and I am so excited to share all the details with you! Thailand has been on my bucket list of places to visit for many many years. I would always see pictures on Instagram and Pinterest of all it’s beauty, the islands, the temples, everything… and I really could not wait to visit and see it all first hand for myself. This trip was actually planned pretty last minute in my opinion; my BF and I booked this trip about 2 months before but we were able to lock down everything pretty smoothly including flights, accommodation, and activities.

We spent 10 days in Thailand and split our time between 5 different islands/cities. We were able to see almost everything we wanted to in those 10 days, however it was pretty jam-packed. There was really no down time, we were on the go the whole time and that’s because we packed a lot into our short 10 day trip. This trip is definitely doable in 10 days, but if you have extra time, I think you would ideally need 14 days in Thailand to see everything while still having time to relax in between travel days.

Leading up to our trip, I was really nervous about the flight. I am already a nervous flyer in general, and the fact that I was going to be on a plane for 18 hours non-stop really freaked me out. To my pleasant surprise, this was probably one of the best flights I have EVER been on. We flew out of LAX on a red eye flight with Singapore Airlines. We flew into Singapore and had a 1 hour layover before flying into Bangkok. The flight was honestly amazing! I was able to sleep for most of it which really helped me in regards to the time change and jet lag. We arrived in Bangkok in the early afternoon and were able to spend our day exploring a bit because we were able to sleep on the plane.

Our itinerary consisted of 5 islands/cities – 2 nights in Bangkok, 2 nights in Koh Samui, 1 night in Railay Beach, 2 nights in Phi Phi, and 2 nights in Phuket. I think the most efficient way to go about this blog post recap is to break it up into each city/island so I’m going to do that in order of the timeline of our trip!

FIRST STOP: BANGKOK

The first stop of our trip was Bangkok. We picked this as our first stop because it was the easiest to fly into it and made the most sense in terms of the direction we were traveling. Bangkok is a major city, it’s super busy and congested (I’ve probably never experienced worse traffic than I have here), it’s honestly pretty dirty (a lot of garbage on the streets, and polluted air), and it’s probably one of the hottest and most humid places I’ve been ever! You will sweat A LOT, I was taking like 2 showers a day! It’s crazy but honestly worth it. Now aside from all that, it is still such a beautiful city with so much history and culture to see! The main reason for coming to Bangkok was to see the temples. I actually love sight seeing and learning about a countries culture is so important to me when traveling. I love to learn about the history, the people, and culture in general, so I knew I had to visit Bangkok. The temples are some of the most beautiful in the world! It’s an experience I didn’t want to miss out on. We had two days in Bangkok (I wouldn’t recommend any more than that) and we spent our first day settling in and exploring the city a bit. You will do a lot of walking in Bangkok so I recommend comfortable shoes and casual outfits.

WHAT TO DO IN BANGKOK:

 

• VISIT THE TEMPLES:
  • Bangkok has some of the most beautiful temples in the world and there are 3 that I made sure to pay a visit to. They were Wat Arun, Wat Phra Kaew in the Grand Palace, and Wat Pho. These three are all walking distance to each other so we started off early morning at Wat Arun. What Arun had to be my favorite of the three. It was absolutely breathtaking! Every little detail about this temple blew me away. I would say Wat Arun is one of the most iconic temples in Bangkok, it has a central tower which is the most picturesque part of the temple. There are steep steps which you can climb and get some amazing photos. This place is iconic and a must see! My next favorite was Wat Pho. What Pho is known for it’s reclining Buddha. This was actually unreal! It is one of the oldest and largest Buddhist Temples in Bangkok. Lastly, Wat Phra Kaew in the Grand Palace, which was insanely busy. This is a apparently one of the most visited temples in Bangkok. It is HUGE. There is so much to see and the details of every part of this temple are again, just so beautiful.
  • A few things to remember when visiting the temples:
    • Get there early!! We were there around 9 AM and it was the best decision because the crowds were smaller. If you’re like me, and also want to get good photos, it is a good idea to go earlier. We got to the last temple around noon and it was insanely packed. Long lines everywhere and it was really hard to get good photos, hence why I only got good shots without anyone in my photos at the first two temples
    • Respect the temple and familiarize yourself with temple etiquette. Dress modestly and make sure to cover your shoulders and knees and have no midriff showing. Remove your shoes whenever entering any areas that require shoes to be off, do no get in the way of the locals who are there to worship, and don’t be loud.

Wat Arun

Wat Pho

Grand Palace

•  VISIT THE FLOATING MARKETS:
  • Bangkok has a few floating markets and they are a famous attraction in the city. I wasn’t able to visit the most famous one sadly because it was too far away and we didn’t have the time, but we were able to visit a more local one and it was pretty cool to see! You can get food, buy souvenirs, and just hangout at these floating marketings. It’s a pretty unique thing to see!

• VISIT THE NIGHT MARKETS:
  • There are a ton of night markets in Thailand, and Bangkok has some of the best! The most famous one is the Chatuchak, we unfortunately didn’t get a chance to visit this one but I have heard great things about it as well! Worth a visit if you have enough time in your schedule.
• CHECK OUT THE NIGHTLIFE AND RESTAURANT SCENE:
  • Bangkok has a great nightlife scene as well as some amazing restaurants and bars. There are a ton of rooftop bars which are so gorgeous overlooking the busy city. We went to a couple called Red Sky Bar and CRU Champagne Bar, but Bangkok is also home to the highest rooftop bar in the world, Sky Bar by Lebua, which is on the 63rd floor. This is probably the most famous rooftop bar in Bangkok. They also filmed a scene in one of the Hangover movies here so it is also famous for that as well! Definitely worth checking out. Unfortunately we didn’t have much time there to explore the restaurant scene but there are a ton of top rated Michelin star restaurants worth checking out! One spot I also really loved and recommend is Namsaah Bottling Trust. It is this super vibey, fun, and trendy restaurant. It’s kind of hidden on a random street and looks like a house, but the inside is turned into the coolest restaurant. The food and service was great! I really recommend it!

Red Sky Bar

Namsaah Bottling Trust

• VISIT KHAO SAN ROAD:
  • This is a famous and very busy road known for its shops, restaurants, cafes, hotels, and so much more. You can find almost everything here and it’s busy with locals as well as tourists. I didn’t have a chance to check this out but it was recommended to me and it seems like a must see when in Bangkok.
• SHOP:
  • Bangkok has some great shopping and I visited one of the biggest and coolest malls I’ve ever been too! Siam Center and Siam Paragon, two malls right next to each other, are located right in the heart of Bangkok and offer some amazing shopping. Everything from designer to local brands, the options are endless. They also have some great dining options! This was walking distance from our hotel which was super convenient!

HOW TO GET AROUND BANGKOK:

There are a few ways to get around in the city. First, you can walk anywhere! The streets are always busy with tourists and locals walking around, exploring the town. If you need to get some place further you can take the BTS Skytrain, Tuk Tuk (a popular form of transportation in Thailand, it’s like a mini taxi, basically on three wheels, ideal for short rides), Taxi, or Uber. They also have a commuter boat or express boat on the river which takes you to a lot of places as well. When riding with a taxi make sure to have your driver use the meter, sometimes they will try to give a flat rate which can we almost triple the price the meter would be. So always request the meter!

GETTING IN AND OUT OF BANGKOK: 

We flew into Bangkok Airport on Singapore airlines, from our layover in Singapore. We took a taxi from the airport to town and it cost about $10 (using the meter) for an hour ride to the airport. So cheap! We also flew out of Bangkok and into Koh Samuai on Silk Air.

WHERE TO STAY IN BANGKOK:

There are SO many places to stay in Bangkok, the options are endless! I had the pleasure and opportunity of working with one of the most popular hotel chains in Asia, Amari. They have properties all across Asia and I was so excited to be able to work with them in three of the cities/islands we visited. My first experience was in Bangkok – We stayed at Amari Watergate Bangkok and truly had a wonderful stay. The hospitality and accommodations were great! The service was on point, the rooms were spacious and VERY clean which you guys know is super important to me. The staff was warm and friendly, and helped us with any questions we had throughout our stay. The hotel also offers some great services like a executive club lounge for club rooms/guests/members. Whenever traveling, I like to make sure my hotel is located in a central area, close to everything I want to do and see. Amari Watergate Bangkok was truly in one of the best locations! We could walk to many popular spots in the city, like the Siam Paragon and Red Sky Bar, and had easy access to grab a taxi whenever we needed. The hotel also offers amenities such as a fitness center, pool, free parking, restaurants and bars/lounges, free wifi (this is a HUGE plus whenever I’m traveling), room service, and airport transportation. They are also family friendly, and offer non-smoking rooms as well as suites.

SECOND STOP: KOH SAMUI

After our 2 days in Bangkok, we headed back to the airport for a quick 1 hour flight to Koh Samui. Koh Samui is Thailand’s second largest island and it’s known for it’s beaches, rainforests, luxury resorts and spas, as well as the big golden Buddha at Wat Phra Yai Temple. It was so nice to finally be on the beach after the hustle and bustle of a city like Bangkok. Koh Samui actually really reminded me of Tulum. It gave me the same vibe, with all the trendy restaurants and hotels along the beach. The nightlife also was similar to that you experience in Tulum. Koh Samui has a lot of fun parties on the beach, and they also host really popular Full Moon parties. We spent two days in Koh Samui and it was perfect!

WHAT TO DO IN KOH SAMUI:

 

• RELAX AND ENJOY THE BEACH:
  • The beaches in Koh Samui are absolutely breathtaking, the water is crystal clear blue and it was so nice to layout and just enjoy the beautiful view. There are a few popular beaches: Chaweng Beach, Lamai Beach, and Bophut to name a few. We stayed on Chaweng beach and I loved it. The water is also really warm but be careful because there are a lot of jellyfish and it’s easy to get stung. You can also enjoy a lot of water activities such as snorkeling, jet skiing, parasailing, and many more. Chaweng Beach is also home to a lot of nightlife such as the Full Moon parties, bars, and restaurants.

• VISIT THE TEMPLES:
  • The two most popular temples in Koh Samui are Big Buddha Temple and Wat Plai Laem. They were really easy to get to and I really recommend checking them out because they are breathtaking! Koh Samui is much more laid back than Bangkok and I did see people who weren’t dressed appropriately visiting these temples, but I still recommend you following the same temple etiquette as above when visiting these as a sign of respect. The two temples are similar in distance and you can either walk or take a 5 minute taxi ride.

• VISIT THE SCENIC POINTS:
  • There are a lot of scenic points in Koh Samui, where you get get a stunning view of the island. Some famous ones are Lamai Viewpoint, Wat Phra Yai Viewpoint, and Koh Mae Koh.
• WATCH A MUY THAI BOXING MATCH:
  • Now this isn’t something that interested me, but if you’re into boxing, I recommend checking out a Muy Thai match. It is super popular on the island, you’ll even hear cars driving through town blasting the details on their car sound system (it’s actually kind of funny but I was so tired of hearing this by the end of our stay lol!!)
• RENT A MOTOBIKE AND EXPLORE THE ISLAND:
  • Most people get around Thailand’s islands on motorbike, it is super popular among tourists! I’m way too much of a chicken to get on one, so I didn’t do this, but I saw so many people riding these around town. They can cost anywhere from 150-250 b/per day and it is a great way to get around the island and explore. Since they drive on the opposite side of the road in Thailand (from the US), it just seemed too risky to get on one and I didn’t want to run the chance of getting into some sort of accident. If it is something you’re comfortable with then I really recommend it because taxi’s can get a bit pricey on this island as most of the taxi drivers don’t use the meter here!
• WALK AROUND TOWN AND VISIT THE LOCAL SHOPS, MARKETS, AND RESTAURANTS:
  • Our hotel was located in a great location, where we could easily walk into town and explore. We did this during the day as well as night and loved seeing all the local markets and shops. You can find everything from dining to shopping, and they even have a local mall.

• GO TO A YOGA CLASS OR RETREAT:
  • Koh Samui has some amazing yoga retreats such as Samahita, Absolute Sanctuary, and Vikasa. I really wanted to check out Vikasa because it has this trendy restaurant, Vikasa Life Cafe. It has the most amazing view of the island and the food is fresh, organic, healthy and delicious. It was SO good and I was so happy we made the time to check it out. We went their for lunch after visiting the temples and the perfect lunch spot. Simply breathtaking. Just take one look at their Instagram and/or tagged location and you’ll understand!!

Vikasa

• VISIT OTHER PROPERTIES ON THE ISLAND:
  • One of my favorite things to do when I am traveling is to explore other hot spots in the area I’m staying, especially if they are known for specific things. Two places we absolutely loved was this lunch spot called The Page (located on Chaweng Beach) and Woobar at The W.  The Page was really close to our hotel, we walked along Chaweng Beach to get there and had a delicious ocean front lunch. The lychee mojito was TDF! On our last night in Koh Samui we went to the W Hotel to check out the amazing view + have sunset drinks at Woobar. It was unreal. The hotel is situated on top of a cliff and they have an awesome set up overlooking the ocean, with super trendy and cool decor + a bar with delicious drinks and small bites! Everything about this place is a vibe and I really recommend it if you have a chance to check it out! It was about a 35-45 min drive from our hotel in Chaweng but well worth it!!

The Page

Woobar

HOW TO GET AROUND KOH SAMUI:

As I mentioned above, the most popular way people get around the island is with a motorbike. If that isn’t your thing then you can taxi or hop on a Tuk Tuk. Taxi’s on the island are more pricey than other places I visited because they don’t typically use the meter. They usually give a flat rate and don’t really negotiate much.

GETTING IN AND OUT OF KOH SAMUI:

We flew in and out of USM in Koh Samui, which is the tiniest international airport I have ever seen! It is super easy to get to and to get through. Getting to our hotel from the airport and back, we used the hotel shuttle service but you can also use a taxi. The airport was about 5-10 minutes from our hotel.

WHERE TO STAY IN KOH SAMUI:

We got to experience our second Amari hotel in Koh Samui and once again, it did not disappoint. Amari Koh Samui is very different than Amari Bangkok in terms of size and style. Amari Koh Samui is located right on Chaweng Beach and offers a much more laid back vibe, because it is on an island. It is Thai inspired but has a contemporary twist, I loved it so much! It is also family friendly and offers free wifi. The hotel also has a secluded beach front, two swimming pools, restaurants and bars, as well as a spa. I had the pleasure of getting a massage at the Breeze Spa upon arrival and it was the best way to be welcomed. I had a Muay Thai massage and highly recommend it because it was so relaxing! The staff was extremely friendly and warm, they attended to all our needs and help set up any activities and transportation services we needed. We also had breakfast every morning here and the buffet was delish! They had SO many options, we loved it!

The resort is also located in a great spot along Chaweng Beach, making it walking distance to the town, as well as all the beach front bars and restaurants. It is also about a 10 min ride to the airport and the temples which makes it very convenient! Amari Koh Samui also has a great Italian restaurant located right across the street, Prego, and we were able to experience it one night. It was so delicious! I would have never thought I would have such good Italian food in Thailand but was I wrong. The chef is from Italy and everything we got was so good, the pizzas are a must!!

THIRD STOP: RAILAY BEACH IN KRABI

For the third stop of our trip, we flew out of Koh Samui and into Krabi. Once we arrived in Krabi we got on our hotel shuttle (we booked this in advance) and made our way towards the town to get on our long tail boat to the hotel. I recommend booking transportation on this island with the hotel because it can get really confusing with all the transfers. Railay is a large peninsula between Krabi and Ao Nang and is only accessible by boat because of the high limestone cliffs cutting off the mainland. So that is why we had to take a long tail boat to our hotel. Once we got to our boat, we took a 10-15 minute ride to Railay Beach and got dropped off right off the shore near our hotel, onto a tractor. Yes a tractor! The tractor pulled us in a little cart with our luggage to the shore in front of our hotel. The reason we had to get on the tractor is because the tide was extremely low during the time we got there, and there was no water near the shore. Once we got to the shore, we got on a golf cart and were escorted to the lobby. So it basically took like 4 different forms of transportation to get to the lobby of our hotel from the airport! Railay Beach is VERY small and only has a few hotels there. We stayed at Railay Bay Resort and Spa and it was one of the nicer hotels on the island but still very different from any hotel I have ever stayed at. I will get into more details below! We spent one night here and I would say it was enough for us, if you are into outdoor activities, I would recommend two nights here. It is pretty slow and relaxed in general. Our main reason for visiting this part of Thailand was to see the spectacular limestone cliffs that we wouldn’t see anywhere else during our trip. It was well worth it!

WHAT TO DO ON RAILAY BEACH:

 

• CHILL ON THE BEACH: 
  • This is obviously something you should do at every beach in Thailand! The main beach in Railay can get pretty crowded with tourists though so it can sometimes be too busy, but it’s still nice to layout and enjoy the view and beach. There are also some cute spots to eat along the beach at the resorts

• GO ROCK CLIMBING:
  • People come all the way to this part of Thailand just for the rock climbing. The limestone cliffs are famous for this and we saw groups of people doing this all over the island. You can get a tour with an instructor and experience this throughout the island. We didn’t have time to try this but it seems like a really awesome experience if you have the time to try!
• VISIT PHRA NANG BEACH (MUST SEE!!!):
  • This beach was walking distance from our hotel which I was so grateful for! We were lucky enough to visit this beach for sunset, as well as go for an early morning walk the following day. It was honestly unreal! The limestone cliffs were absolutely breathtaking, and it was so peaceful to be there when no one was around. I really recommend checking it out for sunset, but also make the effort to wake up early and take a walk along the beach when no one is around, especially the tourists. Tourists come from all over Thailand by boat and you can expect to see them arrive around 10-11 am. We got there around 8 am and had the entire beach to ourselves. It was amazing. Also perfect for some amazing photography without anyone in your way! When visiting Phra Nang Beach you will come across something pretty unique: Princess Cave. Here you will find a bunch of…. well… I’ll just leave pictures below for you to see for yourself lol! It’s pretty interesting to say the least.
    • There are three ways to get to Phra Nang Beach: walk, paddle, or take a long tail boat. We walked because it was fairly close to our hotel. To get there on foot you have to walk southward along Railay East where you will make a right towards the trail to the viewpoint. You will pass the viewpoint and continue towards the end of the trial until you reach the beach. It’s fairly simple and straightforward to get to! If you want to paddle, I recommend getting a kayak and it will take probably around 30 minutes to get around from Railay Beach to Phra Nang. Last option is to take a long tail boat, which I don’t really see the need to, but if you prefer it is another good option. You can hire someone on the beach and they can get you there in minutes! Very easy.

• GO HIKING:
  • A lot of people spend their time on Railay Beach hiking the viewpoint. We didn’t have time to do this but it is very popular! From what I have heard, it is not a very long hike (maybe 1 kilometer) but it is very intense because it is steep and high up. Once you get to the top, the view is stunning but it’s not the easiest hike that’s for sure!
• GO KAYAKING:
  • It is very easy to rent kayaks on Railay Beach. So many people do it and it is a great way to get around the area and island. It is also cool because you can get through caves and tunnels that are only accessible in the water.
• WATCH THE SUNSET/SUNRISE:
  • As I mentioned above, the sunsets on Railay Beach are epic and a MUST SEE! I didn’t get a chance to see the sunrise but I can only imagine how beautiful it must have been.

• EXPLORE PHRA NANG CAVE:
  • Another must see on the island, it’s basically a way to see what the limestone cliffs look like from the inside. It is so beautiful! It is recommended that you bring a flashlight so you can see better as it can get dark sometimes. Also beware of bats in the cave!
• VISIT THE COOL AND UNIQUE BARS:
  • Along Railay East you can find a ton of hole in the wall restaurants and some of the most unique bars I have ever seen before. I really recommend spending one night walking along this street checking out all the bars and eating at one of the hole in the wall restaurants. Some cool and popular bars in the are are Last Bar Railay and Tew Lay Bar Railay. We also had the most amazing Indian food here, it was literally at a hole in the wall called Kohinoor Indian Restaurant. It was so good and very reasonably priced!

HOW TO GET AROUND RAILAY BEACH:

As I mentioned above, in order to get to Railay Beach you need to take a long tail boat since it is not accessible by land. Some tourists who are staying on other nearby islands will take speed boats or a ferry to get to Railay Beach for a day trip but regardless, you will need to get there by water. Once you’re on the island, you can basically walk everywhere between Railay West and Railay East. There are no roads for cars or tuk tuks. It is such a small area that everything is accessible by walking.

GETTING IN AND OUT OF RAILAY BEACH:

As mentioned above, we flew into Krabi and took a long tail boat to Railay Bay. When it came time to leave Railay Bay, our next destination was Phi Phi Island so we booked a ferry transfer. Getting out of Railay Bay was a little hectic because you literally have to drag your luggage through the sand on the beach and get on a long tail boat (you will get wet and so will your luggage), once you’re on the long tail boat, they take you further off shore where they meet with the ferry because the ferry is too big to come to shore to pick up passengers. Once we got on the ferry it took about 1.5-2 hours to get to Phi Phi Island. I recommend booking the transfers prior to arriving to Railay Beach, however, you can book the ferry out of Railay through your hotel while you’re there.

WHERE TO STAY IN RAILAY BEACH:

Railay Beach is a small area with only a handful of hotels. You are literally in the middle of the jungle so the hotels are much more different than hotels I am used to. There are a few hotels I would recommend; if you’re looking to be at the nicest resort IMO, I recommend stayed at the Rayavadee. It’s the highest rated and most expensive hotel and is unique in the way in is situated on the peninsula. It is located on Railay West and extends over to Phra Nang with a beautiful outdoor restaurant located on Phra Nang Beach. It is only open to hotel guests and offers stunning views of the beach, it is perfect for a sunset dinner! The other two hotels I recommend are Bhu Nga Thani Resort and Spa and Railay Bay Resort and Spa. Our hotel, Railay Bay Resort and Spa, is considered one of the nicer hotels in the area. It is a bit old in my opinion, however it’s still very clean and cozy; the way the rooms are designed and situated is super unique. The location was perfect, situated right in the heart of Railay West, but expands out to Railay East, making it easy to walk around both sides. It also is very convenient to get to Phra Nang Beach from this hotel. They offered free breakfast in the mornings and the staff was extremely friendly. My only complaint would be the bathrooms in the rooms. The sewers would give off an unpleasant smell in the bathrooms so that was a downside to me. Other than that, it was good for our one night stay. If we stayed two nights I would have chosen Rayayvadee, but for one night Railay Bay Resort and Spa made the most sense.

FOURTH STOP: PHI PHI ISLAND

After one night in Railay, we made our way to Phi Phi Island with a ferry. We left Railay around 9 am and got to Phi Phi around 11 am. We spent two days in Phi Phi and all I can say is WOW. Phi Phi was just a dream. It was unreal and my absolute favorite part of the trip. I was looking forward to visiting Phi Phi the most before our trip, and man did it not disappoint. I never wanted to leave! The Phi Phi Islands are a group of islands that are not accessible through a direct flight. You have to get there by a ferry, seaplane, or boat. The most popular way to get there is to come from either Phuket or the way we did, through Krabi. We took a ferry here and got dropped off at Tonsai Pier, which is the main port of Phi Phi Islands. Once we got dropped off, we took a long tail boat to our hotel. There are hotels all around Koh Phi Phi, if you’re looking to be in the hustle and bustle of things, where it’s happening, I recommend staying in Tonsai Bay or Loh Dalum Bay, however, these areas tend to be very noisy with so much happening in the area, especially late at night. I love the option of going into the happening areas, but do not choose to stay in this areas because I like my sleep 🙂 we stayed in Long Beach, at Phi Phi The Beach Resort, which is about a 10 minute long tail boat ride from Tonsai Bay or a 25-30 min walk. We chose to ride long tail boats in and out of Tonsai Bay just because it was easier!

WHAT TO DO ON PHI PHI ISLANDS:

 

• EXPLORE KOH PHI PHI:
  • Koh Phi Phi is where everything is happening. Here you will find hotels, hostels, restaurants, nightlife, shopping, and more! The island has a lot to offer so I recommend spending time in the Tonsai Bay area, checking out the shops and dining. Spend time relaxing on the beach, the area by our hotel, Long Beach, was so nice to lay out. It was much more peaceful and less rocky than the area closer to Tonsai Bay.

• ISLAND HOP:
  • Now this is an ABSOLUTE MUST. If you do one thing on Phi Phi, this is it. You absolutely have to take a day trip and island hop. This was my favorite day of the entire trip. It was magical, it’s hard for me to put in words how much I loved this day. It’s an experience I will never forget! There are a few ways you can do this: 1) take a speed boat/tour boat with a group of people and explore the islands OR 2) rent a private long tail boat so it will just be you/your party + the tour guide. I highly recommend renting a private long tail boat because it gives you much more freedom to do whatever you want. It made the most sense for me because I wanted to make sure I could get the content I wanted to without other people around me and it also gave us the freedom to pick and choose how much time we wanted to spend on each island, where we wanted to snorkel, and where we wanted to chill. After doing some research, I came across trip advisor reviews for Mr. Chet’s Longtail Boat and the reviews were great! So with a quick text and going back and forth, we scheduled our session. We did a half day tour which was about 5 hours. We got an early start, meeting at 9 am, which I really recommend because the islands start getting really busy in the afternoon. By going this early, we were able to get to some islands before anyone else (making for the perfect photo ops :)).
    • Our guide took us to all the must see spots: Loh Samah Bay, Phi Leh Lagoon, Viking Cave, Ton Sai Beach,  Wang Long Bay, Monkey Beach, and Maya Bay. Maya Bay is most famously known for being the island where Leonardo DiCaprio’s “The Beach” was filmed. Unfortunately Maya Bay is now closed indefinitely because tourists were damaging the island by littering, and they are trying to preserve it and let the ecosystem recover. It was still breathtaking to see on the boat but I wish we could have gone up to shore.
    • Monkey Beach is known for it’s monkeys. Tourists go here to hangout up close and personal with all the monkeys on the island. The beach here was also the clearest water I’ve ever seen. It was amazing! We spent about 30-45 minutes here relaxing, but I was so sad to not see any monkeys! Apparently they were all asleep when we arrived lol! This was around noon and the tour guides say the monkeys usually come out earlier or later in the day so unfortunately I didn’t get to see any.
    • You can snorkel in so many different areas on Phi Phi, but I saved snorkeling for the last stop which was Wang Long Bay. I love the ocean and the beach, but I’m not one who really enjoys getting in the water because it kind of freaks me out. But the water here was crystal clear and it made me feel more comfortable jumping in. I was hesitant at first, but I am SO happy I did. Although it may not seem like it, there is a big difference when sitting on your boat versus actually being in the water. The water was so warm and felt amazing. I took one look under the water and was amazed. The coral reef was so beautiful and it was crazy to see all the fish right under my feet. It was a moment I’ll never forget! If you’re like me and not a fan of being in the ocean, let me tell you, it’s a must here! You can’t miss the opportunity 🙂
    • After about 5 hours on the long tail boat we headed back to our hotel and were able to spend the rest of our day laying out by the pool and beach. That is another reason why I recommend the early tour, because you still have the rest of your day to do whatever you’d like when get back.

• SNORKEL AND/OR SCUBA DIVE:
  • As I mentioned above, snorkeling is a must on the islands. I highly recommend it! If you’re brave enough to scuba dive, there are a lot of classes and tours you can book while on the islands. I am very claustrophobic so scuba diving is not for me, but if you’re up to it, I hear it is a must do on the island!
• HIKE TO PHI PHI VIEWPOINT:
  • This located near Loh Dalum Bay and is about a 20 minute hike up. We didn’t get a chance to do this hike but I heard it has the most beautiful view of the island!

HOW TO GET AROUND PHI PHI:

Phi Phi island is only accessible by boat since there are no airports on the island. The best way to here is either flying into Phuket or Krabi, and taking a boat or ferry to the island.  That is why we went to Krabi before, so we could take a ferry to Koh Phi Phi, and went to Phuket last, so we could take a ferry to Phuket and eventually fly back home from there! I highly highly recommend spending a few nights in Koh Phi Phi, but if you don’t have the time, you can always do a day trip from both Krabi and/or Phuket. But again, I highly recommend spending some time on Koh Phi Phi. We had two nights but I wish we did three because it was my absolute fav!

WHERE TO STAY IN KOH PHI PHI:

There are a lot of different options on where to stay in Koh Phi Phi. The island offers a variety of hotels and hostels, all along the island. If you want to be in the busy town, near all the nightlife and dining, I recommend staying in Tonsai Bay or Lah Dalum Bay (but again it is very busy and loud here). If you want a more quiet scene, I recommend staying in Long Beach or Laem Tong Bay, where the nicest hotel on the island is (Zeavola). We stayed at Phi Phi the Beach Resort and Spa in Long Beach and really enjoyed it. All the rooms are bungalow style on the hill and have a great view of the island. Our view was absolutely breathtaking! The rooms all have balconies and it was so nice to sit out there during sunrise and sunset.

LAST STOP: PHUKET

The last stop of our trip was Phuket. We wanted to end in Phuket because it was the best option for us in terms of returning home. We spent the last two nights of our trip here and Phuket had such a different vibe than all the other places we visited. Phuket is a mix of city + beach life. It oddly felt like I was in the states, on Waikiki! All the resorts are around the beach and ocean front, but it also is in a big city with nightlife, restaurants, shops, and basically everything else you see in a big city. We took a ferry from Phi Phi to Phuket and it took about 1.5-2 hours. Once we arrived in Phuket we took a taxi to our hotel, Amari Phuket. The taxi ride was about 45 minutes to our hotel and we just booked this taxi upon arrival. Since Phuket was the last stop of our trip, we were so exhausted by the time we got there. Up until this point, we were waking up every morning around 6 am and doing activities all day or traveling to a new island. So once we got to Phuket, all we wanted to do was lay by the pool and relax! So we spent the first day doing just that. The Amari was absolutely stunning and they had a beautiful pool overlooking Phuket and the beach. On our second day in Phuket, and final day in Thailand, we explored the town a bit and visited an elephant sanctuary. More details below!

WHAT TO DO IN PHUKET:

 

• EXPLORE THE CITY AND TOWN:
  • Phuket is a major city with a lot to see! There are a ton of restaurants, bars, clubs, shops, and so much more. I really enjoyed exploring the town at night because it was seriously full of life. The streets were so busy and there was so much happening, it’s a very lively town so it’s cool to experience it at night. The most popular spot to go for a late night stroll is Bangla Road in Patong Beach.
• VISIT BIG BUDDHA:
  • Big Buddha is a very popular attraction in Phuket. You can see it from many parts of the island, it sits on top of a hill over looking Chatong. From Big Buddha, you get a 360 degree panoramic view of Phuket. It’s beautiful!
• VISIT OTHER ISLANDS:
  • Since Phuket is such a popular destination in Thailand, many people spend a week or so there and do day trips to the near by islands such as Phi Phi, Phang Nga Bay, Pa Tong Beach, Similan Islands, and a few others. These trips can be done by speedboat or ferry and will take a full day but totally worth it if you are not able to spend any other time on those islands. I really wish we had time to visit the Similan Islands and James Bond Beach but unfortunately our schedule didn’t permit us to. If you have the time, I recommend visiting those as I have heard such great things about them both!
• VISIT AN ELEPHANT SANCTUARY:
  • Many people come to Phuket to visit the elephant sanctuaries. This was what I was looking forward to the most before we arrived! Unfortunately, since it is such a popular attraction, there are many places in Phuket that claim to be “ethical sanctuaries” however they are not. It is important to do your research before choosing one because many of them do not practice ethical standards. For example, you should never ride an elephant because they’re backs are not meant to support or hold that much weight, however there are places that claim to be ethical, yet still offer elephant riding. It was very important for me to do my research before choosing a place, and I was so happy I did. It’s great to be educated on these things so we can continue to spread the word and message to others who are traveling to Thailand. We chose to visit Elephant Jungle Sanctuary because it is an ethical and sustainable sanctuary. All the elephants there are rescued and treated with love, care, and respect. We did a half day tour and it included feeding the elephants, spending time with them and learning about them, and a mud bath. It was so fun and an experience I will never forget! This cost about $60 USD pp

• VISIT PHUKET OLD TOWN:
  • I wish I had time to visit Phuket Old Town but sadly we didn’t! It is a very picturesque town where you will see a lot of temples, beautiful homes, and shops. It is a great place to walk around and have lunch
• TAKE A THAI COOKING CLASS:
  • If you love thai food and enjoy cooking, this is a must! There are a ton of places in Phuket to get a cooking lesson and it is a popular activity among tourists there

HOW TO GET AROUND PHUKET:

It is pretty easy to get around Phuket. Depending on where you stay you can walk into town, which is what we did for the most part. However, if your hotel is a bit further away, you can easily hop on a Tuk Tuk or take a taxi around. You can also rent motorbikes

WHERE TO STAY IN PHUKET:

When it comes to accommodations in Phuket, the options are seriously endless. There are so many beautiful hotels all around the island! We had the pleasure of staying at Amari Phuket for the final leg of our trip. This one had to be my favorite out of all three locations. It was absolutely breathtaking! Amari Phuket is bigger than the other two locations we stayed at and it had a different vibe. It is located on a secluded beach, on Patong Beach. The hotel offers 380 guest rooms and suites, luxury ocean wing, a secluded beach, spa, and restaurants and lounges. It is walking distance to Patong beach and Bangla Road, which is a huge plus! The hotel was beautiful and the rooms were even better. Our room was a suite and it was so bright and airy, extremely clean, very roomy, and had a balcony with an ocean view. The Amari staff was kind enough to offer the club suite to us, which gave us access to the club amenities which included club house access, a private infinity pool and outdoor terrace, FIT centre, and a delicious breakfast as well as happy hour drinks. We truly enjoyed our stay here and I couldn’t have asked for anything better! The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating to our needs, they helped us book our transportation and activities, and guided us on the must see things to do in Phuket. It was a wonderful experience! Ending our trip at Amari Phuket was the perfect way to leave Thailand. I can not wait to go back to Asia again and hope to visit more Amari properties. If you’re looking to travel to Thailand, I highly recommend all the Amari properties I was lucky to visit. You will not be disappointed!

YOU CAN CHECK OUT ALL THE PROPERTIES AMARI HAS TO OFFER HERE!

FAQS ABOUT THAILAND:

If you follow me on IG, then you may have seen me ask you guys to send in any questions you have about my Thailand trip. A lot of them were answered above, but here are a few more I got that I wanted to cover!

Q: Where did you stay? Are there affordable villas?

A: I mentioned all the places I stayed above, but to the second part of the question – yes there are affordable places all over Thailand. Coming to Thailand from a place like the US, you can definitely get more for your money at a hotel in Thailand vs the states and many other parts of the world. Thailand has everything from hostels to luxury 6 star resorts. Depending on your budget, I believe there is are options suitable for everyone and their budget/needs. I’m sure many of you come across Thailand photos on social media and see all the crazy beautiful hotels and resorts. As nice as those places are, they are out of budget for so many people. That’s why I really enjoyed working with Amari during my time in Thailand because I feel like their hotel chain caters to so many people and a lot of my readers. It’s still a luxury hotel, but more budget friendly than a lot of places you see on the gram. I love that I am able to share my experience with you guys because I feel like Amari is a place you all would love!

Q: How far in advance did you schedule your tours?

A: As I mentioned in the beginning of my post, we booked our Thailand trip fairly last minute in my opinion. About 2 months before. When It came to our tours and activites, we actually booked everything as went along each island. The only things we booked in advance were our transportation from Krabi Airport to Railay Beach. Other than that, we booked everything as we went along and had no problems doing so. I would recommend booking things once you get to the city or island you are on because some activities, such as the elephant sanctuary, can book up or need booking at least 24 hours in advance. If you’re more comfortable booking things in advance then go for it! But I don’t think it is necessary.

Q: What should I pack?

A: As a blogger, my job is to create content and whenever I’m traveling I put a lot of pressure on myself to get the best content I can. And with that, means cute outfits to share as well. Going into this trip, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew I should dress casual and skip heels at all costs. Which I was correct! Thailand is VERY laid back and casual. Leave your heels at home and don’t bring anything fancy or valuable. I really wanted to bring my Chloe backpack with me on this trip, and literally up until the last 5 minutes before we left for LAX, I was about to bring it. But then I had a change of heart and didn’t want to risk getting it ruined or stolen. I am SO glad I didn’t bring it with me. I don’t recommend bringing anything designer or anything valuable in general such as jewelry or bags. Pack casual and comfortable outfits, trust me you can still look cute! Also I really recommend bringing the most comfortable shoes you have. I thought the shoes I packed were comfortable but I was wrong. Bring comfortable sandals and sneakers with support. I came back with like 12 blisters on my feet so prepare yourself for all the walking! I am also by no means a light packer. My BF wanted me to just bring one luggage and it wasn’t really possible for me for such a long trip. I ended up bringing a luggage + carry on. In my opinion it wasn’t as difficult to get around as I thought it would be, except when it came to Railay Beach and Phi Phi. Transferring in and out of boats was rough and if it wasn’t for my BF, I would not have been able to haul everything myself! So keep that in mind when packing for a trip like this.

• Important things to pack:
  • Sunscreen
  • Bug spray
  • Bandaids/Neosporin/Cortizon or anything to help with bug bites
  • Hats and Sunglasses
  • Electrical outlet converters
  • External charger
  • Lock to luck and secure your luggage (lock it all all times during any traveling)
  • A sweatshirt or hoodie
  • Waterproof phone case
• Don’t pack:
  • Anything valuable
  • Luxury handbags
  • Fine jewelry
  • Clothes you don’t want ruined (you will sweat A LOT in Thailand)

Q: Do you think as a solo female traveler I’d be okay?

A: This is an interesting question for me because I am always all about the safety. Before going to Thailand I would have guessed no, it’s not the safest idea to go alone because I just feel safer whenever I’m with someone especially in a foreign country. But after spending almost 2 weeks there, I actually feel like it would be totally fine traveling alone as a female. Of course, I would make sure to very cautious of your surroundings, don’t put yourself in sticky situations, especially at night. Don’t get into unlicensed taxis, go home with strangers, drink or eat anything a stranger gives you, etc. I would pack pepper spray with me or something to protect me and definitely share my location with friends and family so they will know where I am at all times. Also be mindful of your handbag/backpack and pockets, as with any place with a lot of tourists, Thailand does have petty theft so be vigilant. Also, I feel like it could get boring traveling alone, but that’s just me! I saw a lot of people traveling alone and if you decide to stay at hostels, you will meet plenty of solo travelers who you can hangout with.

Q: Did you ever feel unsafe?

A: Nope! I was reflecting on this when we returned and the only time I felt a little unsafe was our first night in Bangkok. We ended up on a quiet and random street with no one really around so I felt a little nervous because it was unfamiliar to me and we were in a foreign country. Other than that, there wasn’t any time I felt unsafe. That made me really happy because it can sometimes be scary going to a foreign country with a language barrier and all that but we made sure to make smart choices during our time there and never put ourselves in a situation where we would be unsafe.

Q: What was your favorite food in Thailand?

A: How can I even answer this question! Ugh there was so much good food in Thailand. Of course the pad thai was amazing. I think I had pad thai almost everyday during our trip! Aside from that, I loved the spicy papaya salad and also this cashew nut salad I had in Railay. The salads are super refreshing there so I really enjoyed those as well!

Q: What is a good budget to have for Thailand?

A: I think this kind of goes back to the first question. There are many different ways you can do a Thailand trip. You can stay on the lower end of budget and go on the hostel route or you can spend a ton of money and stay at luxury 6 star resorts. There is also a middle ground which I think is what a lot of people lean towards. Nice hotels can start anywhere from $100-$250 a night and the very luxurious ones can be anywhere around $250-$600 a night. Hostels of course will be much cheaper! Depending on where you’re coming from, plane tickets are typically more pricy. Our round trip ticket cost around $1100 from LAX but we took Singapore Airlines, which is one of the nicest airlines you can take to that side of the world. There are definitely cheaper options! Also other costs to factor in while in Thailand are transportation costs to and from each island, food+drinks, and activities. It is not a cheap trip but it is well worth saving up for!

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER:

• High season is December-April. Going end of Feb-March was honestly the BEST! We only experienced like 1 hour of rain in Railay during our entire trip
• It is hot and very humid. You will sweat a lot! I remember taking two showers a day in Bangkok, so be prepared for it
• The currency in Thailand is the Thai Baht, currently $1 USD is equivalent to 31.93 Thai Baht. You can’t really use the US dollar in Thailand so I recommend bringing cash and converting it there at the airport or a bank in town
• Don’t forget a travel adaptor for electrical outlets
• Respect the culture, especially whenever visiting places of worship such as the temples
• Be vigilant and watch your belongings at all times to avoid theft
• Lock your luggage whenever traveling from one place to another
• You will be getting around town in Tuk Tuks a lot
• Uber in Thailand is called Grab Taxi, so download the app beforehand if you plan on using it
• Bring cash to tip (not necessary, but they greatly appreciate this gesture)
• Have a detailed itinerary of what you want to do and see before you arrive
• Get a massage! It is insanely cheap to get a massage in Thailand so I highly recommend it!
• Beware of jellyfish in the ocean! I can’t tell you how many jellyfish we saw during out trip, it was actually scary. Even along the shore! I almost stepped on one and am so thankful I saw it right before. Keep your eyes open!
• When flying to the small islands, you will be getting on small propeller planes
• Drink bottled water unless at a reputable resort/resturant with filtered water
• Vendors and shops will always try to charge tourists as much as they can but we always bargained with them. I would definitely be reasonable but you can always bargain with street vendors up to 30-40% off the price they offer

Alright guys, if you made it this far on my post, THANK YOU! I know this was a long one and took forever to publish but thank you for reading! Also another big THANK YOU to Amari for partnering with my on this trip! I hope this blog post helps any of you who are looking to play a Thailand trip anytime in the future. If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments and I will get back to you! You can also find all my IG stories saved from my trip on my Thailand Pt 1 and Pt 2 highlights on my Instagram.

Xx, Sami