Following our extended stay in Australia, we gravitated towards one of our favorite regions in the world: Southeast Asia. We kicked off this leg of our journey in Thailand. A country we’ve come to love and always look forward to revisiting.
We were thrilled to discover Thailand’s recent extension of the visa-exempt stay for U.S. citizens from 30 to 60 days. They basically doubled the time you can eat your body weight in pad thai and mango sticky rice without doing any irritating visa paperwork. We took full advantage and spent six weeks exploring the Land of Smiles splitting our time taking in the big city energy of Bangkok and the laid-back beaches of the south.
During the first three (3) weeks in Bangkok, we had the time to wander into many local areas beyond the usual tourist haunts. For the remaining three weeks, we headed down south to hang out on the southern beaches, in the Krabi area. I have documented Bangkok’s many highlights in previous posts. Therefore, it’s not really necessary to rehash our favorite spots in Bangkok.
However, a noteworthy addition to the city is the impressive One Bangkok, a massive new development on the southeast corner of Lumphini Park. It’s the perfect spot to soak in the vibe of Bangkok’s newest landmark. We had the opportunity to check it out just after its opening, when the crowds were still light, but trust me, once word gets out about all the good stuff here, you’ll be elbowing your way through a sea of mall loving Thais.
One Bangkok features two really cool malls, The Parade Mall and The Storeys Mall. Both have a huge array of dining options, boutique shopping and entertainment options. Barbie and I both love the abundance of new Japanese influences in Bangkok. The gourmet Japanese supermarket (Mitsukoshi Depachika) was a great place to shop and stock up our kitchen. One Bangkok is a must visit and ranks up there with all of the many of Bangkok’s other premier mega-malls like Iconsiam, Siam Paragon, Empshere, Emporium/EmQuartier. It is just another great addition to Bangkok’s incredible rapid growth and development.
After three weeks of city life exploring all corners of Bangkok, it was now time to hit up the legendary sandy Thai beaches. So many southern islands to choose from. We chose Koh Lanta, renting a stunning Airbnb pool villa perched on the jungle hills with spectacular sunset views. We loved sharing the area with curious wild monkeys.
Thailand is blessed with so many islands on the Andaman Sea. Koh Lanta’s strategic location allowed for easy day trips to neighboring islands of Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Yao Yao/Noi and the backpacker haven of Railay Beach. Koh Lanta offered the perfect balance of nice beaches, relaxed bohemian vibe and just enough infrastructure to be comfortable without feeling overrun. The biggest decision you have to make on Koh Lanta is whether to order a coconut shake or mango shake.
Our stay was reminiscent of our good times on Koh Phangan last year. They both are places where you lose track of time and both islands share a similar atmosphere that’s getting harder to find in Thailand. They offer a more relaxed feel than the more developed and tourist-packed commercialized islands of Koh Samui and Phuket. While Koh Samui once held a special place in my heart from my initial visit in 1992, its rapid development has unfortunately spoiled its once-pristine charm. The recent spotlight on Koh Samui, thanks to the filming of HBO’s “White Lotus” at the Four Seasons Samui, will undoubtedly attract even more attention which translates to rising prices and larger crowds.
Our six weeks in Thailand reaffirmed why this country remains one of our favorite destinations. We look forward to sharing more scoop of our Southeast Asian journey.
Next stop……..Cambodia.
Big Doug & Barbie Drop Out of Society 