Thailand, November 2023

I just got back from an epic 22-day adventure in Thailand, and it was everything I dreamed it would be. I soaked up the country's famous sights and made memories that'll last a lifetime. But what really made the trip stand out was finally crossing off something I'd been wanting to do for ages. And the best part? I got to share it all with my girlfriend, Shreya, making it a super special trip for both of us.

Visa

Thailand originally had a visa-on-arrival that let you stay for 15 days, but since I was planning to stay there for 21 days, I had to apply for a sticker visa through the Thai embassy in New Delhi. This visa allowed me to stay for 60 days. The funny thing is, just after I got my visa, Thailand announced that Indians could enter the country visa-free and stay for up to 30 days.

Flights

I opted for direct flights from Delhi to Phuket and back from Bangkok to Delhi. The return trip set me back around INR 45,000, which isn't cheap. I guess that's what I get for traveling during peak season - November and December are when prices tend to skyrocket.

Currency and eSim

I already had a multi-currency forex card from my Japan trip, so I just topped it up with some Thai Baht. When I arrived at the airport, I hit up an ATM to grab some cash. My advice is to use a forex card or a zero markup international debit card - they're a lifesaver. Airport exchange rates are usually super high, so it's best to avoid exchanging currency there and just use these cards to withdraw cash instead. That way, your money is already in the local currency. For my e-sim, I went with Airalo, which gave me unlimited data and calls for 15 days for $20. That being said, I'd recommend checking out local stores in Thailand for e-sim options - they might be even cheaper.

Phuket (3 Nights)

We kicked off our trip with an early morning flight from Delhi to Phuket, landing at around 9AM local time. Luckily, the immigration process was a total breeze since we had our sticker visas sorted. From the airport, we grabbed a cab to our Airbnb in Patong, which turned out to be a super cute 1BHK condo. The best part? It was just a short walk from Patong Beach and the infamous Bangla Street. After a quick rest, we strolled down to Patong Beach in the evening, trying out some delicious Roti Pancake and massive smoothies along the way (which, I have to admit, took me a couple of hours to finish). We ended up catching a stunning sunset on the beach, which was pretty amazing despite the crowds – the beach is huge, so there's plenty of space to soak it all in.

The next morning, we strolled over to the 7-Eleven just outside our condo for a quick breakfast. That's when I spotted Meji Melon Milk and Cheese Toast, and let me tell you, it was love at first bite. We were totally hooked on that Cheese Toast - it was honestly the best I've ever had. After fueling up on breakfast, we grabbed a scooter and set off for a day at the beach - but not just any beach. We were on the hunt for a hidden gem that was a bit off the beaten path. I hopped on the scooter and drove as far as I could, then we ditched the bike and hiked for about 15-20 minutes to reach our destination. And let me tell you, it was totally worth it. The beach was stunning, it's called the Freedom Beach, with pristine white sand and crystal-clear waters. Plus, it was pretty quiet, which was a nice bonus. I'm not exactly a strong swimmer, so it took me a bit to get comfortable in the water. But with Shreya's help, I was eventually able to float around and enjoy the ocean. We spent a few hours soaking up the sun, then headed back to grab some rest.

In the evening, we headed to Phuket Old Town, which is quite picturesque. It's about a 15km ride from Patong, and I had a blast cruising there on a scooter. We spent some time wandering around, snapping photos, and indulging in some delicious Mango Sticky Rice and Thai Iced Tea. We also checked out some local eateries and grabbed a bite to eat.

From Phuket, you can easily take day trips to some amazing spots like James Bond Island, Similan Islands, and Phi Phi, but since we were already headed to Krabi and Phi Phi, which have some of the most stunning beaches, we decided to skip those boat tours. That being said, I've heard the Similan Islands are a must-see, with breathtaking beaches and an incredible array of marine life.

The next day, we headed back to Phuket Old Town to experience it in the daytime, and it did not disappoint. I had the most epic burger of my life at Juicy Lucy Burgers - it was seriously amazing. We also stumbled upon Korrakang Cafe, which is literally covered in pink flowers and is super pretty. To top it all off, we found this authentic Italian restaurant that served up some seriously delicious pizza.

As the evening rolled in, we geared up for a wild night ahead and made our way to Bangla Street. We spent the night pub-hopping and even stopped by Illuzion, one of Phuket's top clubs – and boy, did we have a blast.

Krabi (2 Nights)

The next day, it was time to check out and head to Krabi. I'd already sorted out our bus tickets from Phuket to Krabi through 12go.asia, so we just grabbed a taxi from our Airbnb to the bus station and hopped on a local bus to Krabi. From there, we took another taxi to our new Airbnb in Aonang. This place was a bit out of the city center, but trust me, it was worth it - it was hands down the most stunning Airbnb I've ever booked. It had its own private pool, a gorgeous glass wall, and the whole place was just super aesthetic. After chilling out for a bit, we rented a scooter and cruised over to Aonang Beach to soak up the atmosphere. We ended up watching the sunset while sipping on some delicious fruit smoothies - it was basically our daily ritual by this point.

We headed back to the Airbnb as it was my birthday eve and had a blast lounging around the private pool. I ended up dozing off, but Shreya woke me up at midnight with a surprise. She had transformed the place into a birthday wonderland, and it looked amazing. We dug into the cake, celebrated for a bit, and then wrapped up the night.

It was my birthday, so we figured we'd do something awesome. We kicked off the day with a quick breakfast run to 7-Eleven, grabbing some snacks and a bottle of wine. Then, we rented a private boat for a 4-island tour in Krabi - the Thai longboat was really pretty, by the way. Our first stop was West Railay Beach, which honestly might be the most stunning beach I've ever seen. It's no surprise it was ranked one of the top 10 beaches in the world in 2022/2023. The combination of soft white sand and crystal-clear waters was just perfect, and the limestone formations added an extra touch of beauty. We spent some time floating around in the sea, and then headed to our next stop. Poda Island was just as gorgeous, with its clear waters and white sand. We set up a little picnic spot there, enjoyed our snacks and wine, and then spent some more time floating around. I've got to give a huge thanks to Shreya for teaching me how to float in the sea - I don't know what I would've done without her, it would've been a total disaster.

Our next destination was Chicken Island, which got its quirky name from its resemblance to a chicken. This was where I had my first real snorkelling experience, and it was amazing. From there, we headed to Tup Island, another stunning spot. What made it really unique was the narrow strip of sand that connected it to Chicken Island - if the tide was low, you could literally walk between the two islands. We finally made it back to our Airbnb after a long 6-hour journey, and all we wanted to do was crash and recharge. But we didn't let exhaustion get the best of us, because we had a date night planned. So, we freshened up and headed out to this stunning restaurant overlooking the ocean. The food was amazing, and after a lovely evening, we headed back to the Airbnb.

Koh Phi Phi (2 Nights)

The next morning, we set off for the Phi Phi Islands. I'd already booked our ferry tickets from Aonang using 12go.asia, so we just had to grab some breakfast and head to the port. The ferry ride took about two hours, but it was worth it. When we arrived on the island, we walked to our resort - Phi Phi is tiny, so there are no vehicles, just walking paths. After checking in and taking a quick break, we headed to the Phi Phi Viewpoint to catch the sunset. The hike was about 30 minutes long, but the view from the top was totally worth it. We sat on the ridge, taking in the stunning view of the island as the sun went down. It was honestly one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen.

After the sun dipped below the horizon, we hiked back down. Phi Phi has a pretty lively party scene, with clubs and live Thai boxing, but we opted for a more low-key night at the local market instead. We tried all sorts of desserts and foods, and of course, we had to have our daily dose of Mango Sticky Rice - it was a ritual for Shreya and me.

The next day, we headed to the port for our island-hopping adventure. We'd booked the tour through a local shop near our hotel in Phi Phi, and it promised to be an epic day out. First up, we stopped at Bamboo Island for some snorkelling fun. Then, we made our way to Monkey Beach, which was basically a tropical paradise with crystal-clear waters and some monkeys swinging from the trees. Next, we cruised over to Pi Leh Lagoon, famous for its dazzling emerald waters – and trust me, it was breathtaking. After that, we took a dip in the crystal-clear waters of Loh Samah Bay and explored the Viking Caves. Finally, we ended up at Maya Bay, the stunning beach made famous by the movie "The Beach". It's now a conservation area, so we couldn't go into the water, but the soft sand was pure bliss. After a packed day, we headed back to our hotel, exhausted but happy.

Krabi (Back again for 2 Nights)

It was time to head back to Krabi, so we hopped on a speedboat from Phi Phi to Aonang. From there, we made our way to our hotel and spent some time unwinding after the journey. In the evening, we checked out the Aonang Night Market, which was a real treat. The market was huge, with tons of local vendors serving up all sorts of delicious food. We sampled at least 10 different dishes, and caught some traditional dance performances while we were there. After a fun-filled evening, we called it a night.

The next day, we decided to venture off the beaten path and explore the Monkey Trail. The trail was supposed to be teeming with monkeys, and it led to a secluded beach. Unfortunately, we didn't spot any monkeys, but the trail itself was pretty cool. The beach, however, didn't quite live up to our expectations - we'd seen some amazing beaches on our trip so far, and this one didn't quite compare.

We revisited the Night Market in the evening, indulging in our daily fix of Mango Sticky Rice. Our these two days in Krabi were largely spent relaxing, so we kept our activities light. The following day, we checked out and headed to the Krabi bus station to catch our VIP recliner bus to Bangkok. The journey was relatively comfortable, allowing us to sleep through the night. We arrived in Bangkok early the next morning.

Bangkok (2 Nights)

We booked a hostel in the heart of Bangkok's Khao San area. After dropping off our bags, we stumbled upon a 7-Eleven right across the street, so we grabbed some breakfast on the go. Next up, we headed to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, which was about 100km away from Bangkok. We hopped in a taxi to the bus station, then caught a public bus to the market - it was actually pretty cool to travel like a local. When we arrived, we jumped on a boat (500THB per person) to explore the market. It was such a unique experience - instead of streets, the market had water canals that you cruise around in boats, with shops lining the way. To be honest, most of the stuff was super overpriced, so we didn't end up buying much - just the Mango Sticky Rice, which was a must-have, obviously.

Next up, we hopped on a public TukTuk and headed to the Maeklong Railway Market, which is basically Thailand's version of Hanoi's famous Train Street. The market is set up right on the railway tracks, with shops literally just inches away from the trains. We timed it perfectly, arriving just in time to see a train rumble by - it was a pretty cool sight. After that, we spent some time exploring the street and grabbed lunch at a nearby restaurant. To wrap up the day, we caught a bus back to Bangkok. There are group tours for the Floating Market and Railway Market, but we instead opted for public transport to explore these spots on our own. There's something really satisfying about doing it that way.

In the evening, we decided to check out the legendary Khao San Road, known for its vibrant nightlife. We were starving, so we stopped to try some delicious Pad Thai and a few other local dishes. After wandering around, we started to feel pretty beat, but that's the beauty of being in Thailand - whenever you're feeling exhausted, you can just pop into a spa and treat yourself to a rejuvenating massage. We opted for a fantastic foot massage, and before long, we were feeling refreshed and ready to go again.

The next day, we decided to tackle a few temples, so we grabbed a bike and headed to Wat Arun, one of Bangkok's oldest Buddhist temples. It was quite stunning, although I've heard it's even more breathtaking during sunset - unfortunately, we visited during the day. After exploring the temple, we wandered around the surrounding area and by late noon, we made our way to Wat Saket, which sits on a small hill. We had to climb a few flights of stairs, but the views were totally worth it. After spending some time taking it all in, we headed back to our hostel to chill out.

In the evening, we headed to Chinatown, and it totally lived up to its reputation for amazing Chinese architecture and food. We sampled a bunch of dishes and loved every bite. The whole area was bathed in neon lights, which gave it a really cool vibe. The next day, we checked out of our place and then hit up Platinum Mall, which is a shopper's paradise for clothes. After that, we swung by Terminal 21 Mall, one of the top malls in Bangkok. To wrap up the day, we made our way to the Bangkok Bus Station to catch our ride to Chiang Rai.

Our ride to Chiang Rai was seriously impressive - it was a Mercedes Benz bus, which was hands down one of the best bus experiences I've ever had. The seats were ridiculously comfy, with recliners to boot. And get this, there was even a hostess on board. The trip included meals, which was a nice touch, although the rice with pork was a bit of a letdown for my taste buds - it was pretty bland, to be honest.

Chiang Rai (2 Nights)

We reached Chiang Rai in the early morning, so we took a taxi from Bus Station to our hotel. It was northern Thailand, so the temperature was a bit on the cooler side, but not freezing or anything. We were able to get early check-in so we checked-in and got some rest. In the evening, we explored the nearby places and restaurants and rented a bike. Then we went to the Blue Temple. It was very stunning and it looked even beautiful in the orange sunset hue.

The following day, we set off to the White Temple, another 30kms outside of Chiang Rai. I took the reins on the bike, and the ride was really enjoyable. When we arrived at the White Temple, I was blown away - it was just breathtaking. We spent a bit of time taking it all in, then headed back to Chiang Mai and grabbed some lunch at a pizzeria.

Chiang Rai is a pretty small town, so there aren't a ton of things to see and do, apart from the famous Blue Temple, White Temple, and Black House. At night, we headed to the local night market, which is where I stumbled upon this amazing dish called Khao Soi. It's a Northern Thai specialty, and let me tell you, it's incredible. I fell in love with it instantly - it's now my favourite Thai dish, even beating out old favorites like Pad Thai and Basil Fried Chicken.

The next day, after checking out, we made our way to the black house, which is basically a museum, but to be honest, I found it a bit out there. The place had some amazing architecture, but overall, it was pretty abstract. We hung out there for a bit, then headed back to the bus station to catch our bus to Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai (4 Nights)

We finally arrived in Chiang Mai, and we were stoked to be checking off a major bucket list item. The city was buzzing with excitement as it geared up for not one, but two festivals - Loy Krathong and Yi Peng - that just happen to fall on the same days. As we made our way from the bus station to our hotel, we caught glimpses of the city's stunning decorations. After arriving at the hotel, we checked in and it was beautiful and quite affordable at the same time. I mean, I don't think you'd ever find a deal like that in India. After a long day of traveling, we were beat, so we decided to call it a night and get some rest.

The next morning, we kicked off the day with a delicious breakfast at the hotel - a lovely perk that was included in our stay. The highlight was definitely the super buttery croissants, which were honestly the best I'd ever tasted. Post-breakfast, we decided to rent a bike and head to Wat Phra Singh, a beautiful temple in the old city. After spending some time exploring the temple, we were in the mood for a nice lunch, so we drove to Carp Café, which is famous for having lots of carp fishes throughout the cafe. The café itself was gorgeous, and we enjoyed some tasty Thai food there. As the evening rolled in, we took a leisurely stroll to the night market, where we indulged in some Vodka Buckets and my favourite Khao Soi. We also tried some other things like skewers and eventually called it a night.

The next day was all about celebrating Loy Krathong and Yi Peng festival. Loy Krathong is basically a festival where people create these gorgeous floating lamps called Krathongs that light up the river. Meanwhile, Yi Peng is all about releasing lanterns into the sky, and trust me, it's breathtaking. Both festivals go on for two days, and for us, it was November 27th and 28th. We started the day with a visit to an elephant sanctuary, where we spent some quality time with these gentle giants, fed them, and even took a bath with them - it was super peaceful. I'd booked the trip through Klook, and it cost around INR 2000 per person.

In the evening, we headed out to Doi Saket Lake to experience the magic of the Yi Peng festival. This place is the real deal – it's where the locals come to celebrate, and it's totally unpretentious. It was a bit far from the city center where we were staying, about 30kms away, but the bike ride was actually really enjoyable. When we finally arrived at the lake, we were blown away by the sea of lanterns lighting up the sky – it was seriously breathtaking. We couldn't wait to join in, so we grabbed a lantern, lit it up, and set it free. After hanging out by the lake, grabbing some food, and taking it all in, we headed back to Chiang Mai city. We still had one more thing on our to-do list – releasing a Krathong into the river. And to top it all off, we caught an amazing fireworks display. It was the perfect ending to an incredible night, and we were happy to finally crash back at the hotel.

Day two of the festival was something I'd been looking forward to for ages, and for good reason - I'd splurged on tickets to the Chiang Mai CAD Lantern Festival, which didn't come cheap at around INR 12,000 per person. But trust me, it was worth every penny. I'd booked them months in advance through the official website, and I'd definitely recommend doing the same before they sell out. That evening, we headed to our designated pick-up spot. The ticket included a transfer to the festival location in a minivan, so we didn't have to worry about getting there. When we arrived, we were shown to our table, and it was clear that this was a more organized, tourist-friendly version of the Yi Peng festival. Don't get me wrong, it was still like stepping into a fairy tale - the whole scene was incredibly beautiful. But having experienced the authentic celebration in Doi Saket the day before, this felt a bit more polished. As the moment of truth arrived, everyone released their lanterns, and I swear, it was the most breathtaking thing I've ever seen. Thousands of lanterns floating in the sky, accompanied by some insane fireworks - it was like something out of a dream. And I felt so lucky to be sharing it all with Shreya. We'd finally ticked off one of our bucket list items, and it was an experience I'll never forget.

• Celebrate Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai

Bangkok (Back for 2 Nights)

Our last day at the hotel was all about unwinding by the pool. We took it easy, knowing we had a long overnight bus ride to Bangkok ahead of us. The next morning, we arrived in Bangkok and checked into our hotel early. We spent the day just lounging around, which was exactly what we needed. As luck would have it, James Arthur was in town for a concert, and I'd already snagged tickets. We got ready and headed to the venue, but were a bit surprised to find it was an indoor auditorium with seating. Everyone was just sitting and listening, which seemed like a pretty low-key way to enjoy a concert. But when James Arthur started playing his hit song "Say You Won't Let Go" towards the end of the show, the crowd got more into it. We joined the throngs of people who got up and stood near the stage, dancing and singing along to the music.

After the concert, we didn't want the night to end, so we grabbed a Bolt ride - which turned out to be a Toyota Fortuner. We headed to the legendary Soi Cowboy, ready to let our hair down and have a wild time. When we arrived, the scene was just as lively as we'd imagined, and we spent the night bar-hopping, making memories that would last a lifetime.

The next morning, we knew we had to make the most of our last full day in Thailand, so we decided to do something really special. We headed to Muang Boran, also known as Ancient City, which was about 30 kilometers outside of Bangkok's city center - a Grab Cab ride was the way to go. As one of the world's largest outdoor museums, I was blown away by the incredible architecture of the buildings. If you're ever in Bangkok, this is definitely something you shouldn't miss - it's probably the best experience the city has to offer.

In the evening, we strolled along the vibrant Khao San road, savoring the sweet taste of Mango Sticky Rice and the familiar flavors of Pad Thai - a bittersweet farewell to the culinary delights of Thailand. A rejuvenating foot massage was the perfect way to unwind before our departure. The next morning, we hopped into the 7-Eleven next door to grab a quick breakfast, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as I clutched my beloved Meji Melon Milk and Cheese Toast - the perfect breakfast combo that I would soon be leaving behind. With heavy hearts, we checked out and made our way to the airport, eventually touching down in Delhi as the evening drew to a close.