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10 Things Everyone Should Experience in Thailand

You’ll be missing out if you go to Thailand and don’t experience the best things Thailand has to offer…

The Street food

Street food in Thailand is uhhh-mazinnggg! Not only can you pick up some delicious Thai curries, Thailand’s traditional Pad Thai and meat skewers but you can also get your hands on some great sweet dishes – Southeast Asian crepes with nutella and bananas will always be a winner!

Fancy trying something a bit different? Get your gnashers around a scorpion, cricket or deep fried tarantula. Give it a try…after a few pints of Chang you won’t even taste it and whilst you might be dying inside, just think of all those Instagram likes you’ll get!

Eating a scorpion in Bangkok

A massage Thai style

One of the best things about Thailand? Thai massages! Thai massages are amazing and so cheap. Yes you might be shocked at how a tiny Thai lady can bend your body in half with so much force but you’ll also get one of the best massages you’ve ever had! When in Thailand make sure you get a couple…or twenty and don’t forget to get involved in a fish foot massage – one of the weirdest ‘sensations’ ever!

A bit of history

You can’t go Thailand and not take in a little culture and history. The temples in Bangkok give a great insight into Thailand’s main religion, Buddhism, and are not to be missed! My fave is Wat Pho, temple of the reclining buddha!

Beach parties

When it comes to beach parties, Thailand is THE place to go! There’s nothing like walking (or weaving your way through the crowds) onto Haad Rin beach in Koh Phangan to see thousands of people dressed in fluro, dancing on the sand with music pumping for miles. Fire shows are also popular on a lot of the islands including Koh Tao and Koh Phi Phi. Want to jump through a ‘ring of fire?’ Now’s your chance!

  • Fire shows in Koh Phi Phi
  • Alcohol buckets in Thailand
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The infamous bucket!

Speaking of island fun..no beach party is complete without Thailand’s infamous bucket! You can get your hands on one of these bad boys for about 200Baht (about a fiver!) When you buy a bucket you’ll usually get a concoction of M-150 (concentrated redbull), a local spirit and a can of mixer. Just a word of warning – these buckets are STRONG. They give you 4 straws for a reason..sharing is caring! 😉

Local transport

In my opinion, the best way to see a country is by experiencing the local transport. Use local transport such as TukTuk’s in Bangkok, hop on an overnight train with Thai locals and cruise around in Thailand’s iconic longtail boats whenever you have the option!

  • Longtail boat in Thailand
  • Riding a tuktuk in Bangkok
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Wildlife

If you’ve ever dreamed of feeding baby monkeys, volunteering in an elephant sanctuary or getting up close with exotic birds and wildlife such as monitor lizards, Thailand is for you!

Feed monkeys in Thailand

All things Bangkok

Bangkok is an overload for the senses and one of the most exciting cities I have ever been to. Head to the famous Khao San Rd to party with other travellers and to Patpong, Bangkok’s red light district to party with lady boys! Also, Bangkok’s famous floating markets aren’t to be missed! You could even catch a Muay Thai boxing match – no better place to experience it and anyway – Bangkok has you now..

Maya Bay

If you watched ‘The Beach’ you’ve probably dreamed of visiting this stunning bay since you saw Leo swim around with millions of glowing plankton surrounding him! You can’t beat the crystal clear waters of Maya Bay, the beautiful white sand and great snorkelling in the area – just remember your camera!

Hair flick in Maya Bay

Stay in the Jungle

Thailand isn’t all about island life and partying on the beach! Your visit to Thailand won’t be complete without a little ‘off the beaten track’ action. Say hello to Khao Sok National Park! Stay in floating bungalows on the lake, explore caves, go tubing, feed baby monkeys and chill in paradise. This place is heaven on earth!

Khao-Sok

Is Thailand on your travel bucket list? Check out our 10 day tour of Thailand and get in touch for help planning!

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Monkeying Around…

If you’re coming to Thailand with the hope of new experiences then I’ve got just the thing for you taking place in November. In a little town called Lopburi, just under 4 hours away from Bangkok, you can witness a particularly special feast. Eat before you come however, as unfortunately this feast isn’t for you but for our simian relatives!

Thais believe that treating monkeys with kindness will bring them good luck, so one local hotel owner treats his monkey pals to a huge banquet each year. Tourists delight as they watch these delightful creatures monkeying around as they literally dive head first into a three course meal. There’s no use telling them not to play with their food though, as the meal soon becomes a huge food fight while the monkeys fill their boots.

If you don’t get the chance to travel up to Lopburi to see the feast but want to get up close and personal with some monkeys, as part of the 10 day Ultimate Thailand trip, we take you to monkey temple, where you can hand feel baby monkeys yourself! These cheeky little creatures will climb all over you and take nuts right from your hands. Don’t forget your camera!

A monkey dinner party, what could possibly go wrong?
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Bangkok Temples… Say Wat?

Did you know that the city of Bangkok has over 400 temples?! Might be a bit of a hard task to see them all! Most backpackers aim to see a handful of the most popular ones, which allows us to get a taste of the cultural and religious significance of these buildings. At the start of our Ultimate 10 day trip we have a Bangkok City Tour and we take you to two of the most awesome temples, or Wats, in Bangkok. The culture of Thailand is what draws backpackers here in their droves and for me the city tour was certainly a highlight and allowed me to soak up as much culture as possible from a local and knowledgeable tour guide.  After all, I wasn’t in Thailand just to drink buckets in Phi Phi or sunbathe in paradise…honestly. A Wat refers to a place of worship in Thailand and we show you Wat Arun and Wat Pho. Wat Arun is known as the ‘Temple of Dawn’ and provides unrivaled views of the city. Climbing up the almost vertical steps is fairly easy going but it’s the getting down again that can prove a bit of a challenge. Certainly not for the faint-hearted. Wat Pho is the temple of the reclining Buddha, which features the largest Buddha in Thailand at over 150 ft long, covered in impressive gold leaf. This place really is a must see. Pictures of these temples do not do them justice; they really need to be seen in person to be truly appreciated. How many Bangkok temples can you tick off the list?? We’ll see you in Bangkok!

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Bangkok… What’s in a name?

Did you know that Thai people don’t refer to their Capital as Bangkok?  The name Bangkok is actually thought to have derived from the Chinese, and adopted by us Westerners, as we were struggling to remember its 169 character original name.  But if you’re up to the challenge you will be sure to impress the locals… The full name is Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit. Translated this means “City of Angels, Great City of Immortals, Magnificent City of the Nine Gems, Seat of the King, City of Royal Palaces, Home of Gods Incarnate, Erected by Visvakarman at Indra’s Behest… Wow!! Luckily, often the locals use the abbreviated version Krung Thep, which means “City of Angels”.

So, Head to Bangkok now and show off with your new found knowledge!  Check out our tour start dates here!

Bangkok's real name
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