I decided to fly across the world for the wedding. Now what?

Thailand Recommendations!

Don’t be afraid of bartering at markets etc. You will 100% be getting the farang (foreigner) price.

Baht – Thai currency. Exchange rate as of 11/11/19, 30 baht = $1I’d recommend bringing US dollars to convert to baht when you first arrive. (For ease I did this at the airport). From there take out baht from ATMs as needed. The VAST majority of transactions you’ll do throughout the country will be in cash.

Bangkok has some of the worst traffic in the world. It’s a very sprawling city. Last time we were there, it generally took us 1-2 hours to get anywhere because of the traffic.

Taxi app recommendation – Grab, can download on the app store. Troy and I found this helpful for paying cashless, keeping the price consistent, and combating the language barrier. If you happen to have data or wifi where you are, it can be a very helpful tool.

Don’t be afraid to make last-minute plans in Thailand! Traveling through Southeast Asia is conducive to that kind of thing. Know the days you are going to be in a specific area/city, but don’t be afraid to let the day’s itinerary shift while you are there.

Airbnb Experiences have some good stuff on there. (This is how we found/signed up for the Lanna Smile Thai Cooking School).

Places to Visit

Chiang Mai – the mountainous area in the North of Thailand. A quick (and cheap) flight away from Bangkok!

Lanna Smile Thai Cooking School – Pim & Nim will lead you on a 5-hour Thai food extravaganza. This was one of our favorite things we did in Thailand last time we were there. Pim & Nim will take you to the Thai market to pick up fresh traditional ingredients. From there you’ll spend the next few hours making your own appetizers, curry pastes (from scratch), noodle and rice dishes, and mango sticky rice. Come hungry leave happy. HIGHLY recommend. And it only costs about $35

https://lannasmilethaicooking.com

Mae Rim Elephant Sanctuary Elephant riding camps have gone out of style because of mistreatment of the elephants. HOWEVER this elephant sanctuary rescues my favorite animal from riding camps, circuses, etc. Spend a half day feeding elephants bananas, bathing them and playing in the mud. It’s great fun! And quite genius. They have basically found a way to have tourists pay them to do work they would have to do anyway, and fund the rescue of more elephants 🙂 You’ll end the day making a DIY noodle soup and jumping into the human pool. Troy and I had a great time last time here last time we were in Thailand. And consider springing for the professional photos during the end of the day, because who wants to bring their phone into a mud pit! Price – about $55 for a half-day. Includes pickup/dropoff from your hotel, lunch, and elephant time you’re not going to get in the states

http://maerimelephantsanctuary.com/

If your trip allows for a visit to Chiang Mai, do NOT miss Kao Soi Gai! This is the signature dish of Chiang Mai. It’s a curry noodle dish with chicken (or your choice of meat). Very delicious and you probably won’t find it in other parts of the country.

Pai

Pai is a town in the North a few hours from Chiang Mai. Troy and I did not have time to go there during our last trip to Thailand, but we’ve heard lots of great things about it.

The Islands

Koh Phi Phi

Thailand has the best beaches in the world, and this one is my mom’s favorite! Don’t miss it 

Troy and I plan on going to the islands after the wedding. We plan on taking a honeymoon to Ireland sometime in the summer, so when we say come hang in the Islands we mean it! If you want to know our specific plans for this, reach out to one of us.

This being said, they are many other wonderful beaches in Thailand and it’s hard to go wrong! The only place I would avoid is Ao Nang. This is the beach on the coast of Krabi. Krabi is on the mainland and is the launching point to many of the main beaches on the Western side bordering the Andaman Sea (Koh Phi Phi, Phuket etc). Krabi is the airport that you’ll fly into from Bangkok. Ao Nang felt like the Myrtle Beach of Thailand to me which was very confusing and concerning. Half expected to see a Speegee cage around the corner at any moment (if you know you know). Spend a night in Ao Nang if you must and from there head to the better beaches! (Think Denver/skiing – the farther you get from the mainland/airport the fancier it gets).

However, before you leave Krabi… do the Dragon Crest Hike! Khao Ngon Nak (In Thai) It’s a pretty tough hike (steep and very hot). You will sweat profusely. But the view is so worth it! You get a wonderful bird’s eye view of the ocean and coast. Wear hiking shoes! It’s a real hike. We saw several adults and children attempt the hike in flip flops (very bad idea).

Troy and I spent some time in Railay Beach (across the way from Ao Nang) and liked that one too.

Other Beaches I’ve Been To (on the eastern side of Thailand – bordering the Gulf of Thailand)

Koh Chang (Elephant Island) – close to Cambodia

Koh Samui – a bus ride and then ferry ride away from Krabi. If you have limited time I’d imagine this could be a harder option. There is also a small airport near Samui (tends to be more expensive but also an option).

As a general rule of thumb, things become more touristy in the Islands, which means more expensive (compared to other parts of the country). This also means more English.

Key Phrases

Other helpful phrases…

Koh – island 

Chang – elephant 

Beer Chang – most popular beer in Thailand 

Chai – yes 

Koh pang! – too expensive!

Farang – foreigner (slang)

Dangmo – watermelon

Gai – chicken 

Koong – shrimp 

Moo – pork

Nua – beef

(My Thai is tragically limited now) You could also use Google Translate…

Our Favorite Thai Foods

Panang Curry – our favorite curry. Excellent flavor. Orange color

Pad See Ew – wide flat egg noodles in a dark sweet soy sauce & Chinese broccoli (great alternative to pad Thai if you’re looking for a different noodle dish)

Papaya Salad – made with strings of green papaya, MUCH better than what you’re going to find in the states for this dish, the ingredients are just so much fresher, usually served with tiny shrimps (phlang warning this is generally a very spicy dish)

Tom Kha Gai – a coconut milk soup with chicken, soooo good

Sticky Rice & Mango – the best dessert out there in my opinionHonorable MentionsMussamun Curry – a sweeter curry generally with potatoes and peanuts and your choice of meat, burnt orange color

Tom Yum – a sweet & sour soup generally made with shrimp or chicken

And the obvious – Drunken Noodles, Pad Thai, Green Curry, Fried Rice. Treat yourself to some crab fried rice in the islands.

More questions about Thailand?

Please let me Troy or I know! If we can’t answer we probably know someone that can.