Category Archives: Thailand

6 must visit hidden treasures of Thailand

Thailand has been a bucket list destination for travellers across the world. It’s not at all surprising, and its popularity is quite understandable because of the bustling Bangkok city, rich history of Chiang Mai, walking street of Phuket and parties of Koh Samui. But, if you are an offbeat destination lovers like us; then how about discovering the lesser known Thai destinations; which many tourists are yet to discover. Here are the six hidden treasures of Thailand which can inspire your next getaway.

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Six Hidden treasures of Thailand

Trang

If you want the feel of Krabi but aren’t keen on the crowds flocking there with each other and every day, consider visiting Trang instead. It parallels and perhaps even exceeds Krabi in many ways – the limestone cliffs and emerald waters here are more magnificent than any other. Many tourists pass Trang, en route to another destination. So, you’ll pretty much have Trang to yourself.

Trang - hidden treasures of Thailand
Trang, Hidden Treasure of Thailand (Source: CNN)

Consider checking Trang town too, where you can discover an authentic and unique blend of Thai, Chinese and Muslim culture. It’s reflected in everything from their architecture to the food. Be sure to sample the diverse cuisine on offer, described as a bastion of curry, kopi and cake.

Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya is Recommended as one of the best ancient ruins on offer in Thailand.  It has a fascinating and rich history that many travellers aren’t even aware of. Once the place also boasted the title of the biggest and most populated city in the world, but the Burmese invasion in the 18th century left it burnt to the ground.  And the result is? A dilapidated yet still magnificent complex of temples and ruins.  The intricate details of temples and sculptures beckon you to explore further. Hints of white and gold architecture can be found throughout. With hardly any tourists here, Ayutthaya remains undisturbed and quiet as ever.

Ayutthaya: must visit hidden treasures of Thailand
Ayutthaya, Hidden Treasure of Thailand (Source: Top Tourist)

Koh Lanta

It seems like a dream to have your own personal deserted island, but a visit to Koh Lanta will give you just that feel. Beautiful beaches and waters are absolutely unfrequented means you’ll be left to your own devices in one of the most beautiful settings in the entirety of Thailand.

Koh Lanta: must visit hidden treasures of Thailand
Koh Lanta, Hidden Treasure of Thailand (Source: Kilroy travels)

Head inland to the Koh Lanta town and you’ll be greeted by welcoming smiling locals. Here too, you’ll find a mix of cultures, in a similar vein to Trang. There are also some beautiful and extravagant resorts on the island for accommodation, and many of these lie only a stone’s throw from the deserted beaches.

Lampang

Lampang lies quite close to the wildly popular Chiang Mai and is much quieter and rewarding. The city is famed for its majestic temples and was once part of the Lanna Kingdom. Now, only the temples remain standing tall and beautiful throughout.

Lampang: must visit hidden treasures of Thailand
Lampang, Hidden Treasure of Thailand (Source: Shutterstock)

Visit the Temple of Lampang’s Great Buddha Relic to discover some beautiful ancient Buddha artefacts.  Also, explore Chalermprakiat Temple atop Pu Yak Mountain. It is one of the most incredible sights in the entire world, even if many say the journey there is terrifying.

Also Read: The best party hostels in Chiang Mai

Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai, a sleepy city in Northern Thailand is often overlooked in favour of the aforementioned Chiang Mai. But, truth is, Chiang Rai offers even more than its counterpart. Take the example of famed White Temple, a majestic and beautiful architectural marvel which is hard to find anywhere elsewhere in the country.

Chiang Rai: must visit hidden treasures of Thailand
Chiang Rai, Hidden Treasure of Thailand (Source: citiestips.com)

Foodie Lovers, make sure to visit the Chiang Rai Night Bazaar. The food court here serves the most delectable dishes, from traditional Thai to a unique spin on Western cuisine. Also, do snap a picture of the famed Clock Tower, where light shows take place every evening.

Koh Khai

Koh Khai can be recognised by its stone arch jutting into the water. Many travellers already have their dream pictures with it but still many tourists skip this tiny, deserted island while travelling to Thailand. There is only a beach and a small forest, but it is the perfect place to unwind away from the civilisation.

Koh Khai: must visit hidden treasures of Thailand
Koh Khai, Hidden Treasure of Thailand (Source: GettingStamped.com)

Although; many locals do flock to the island, so try to be there at the right time to have a feel of whole place belonging to you. There are no options for the night stay at KohKai, and a day trip is enough too. One can even take private speedboat tours that allow to stop off and get mesmerized by the luscious scenery.

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These six hidden treasures of Thailand are the perfect mix of tradition, culture and natural beauty. We are sure they will leave you stunned and speechless.

If you liked them do share these hidden Treasures of Thailand with your family and friends.

6 must visit hidden treasures of Thailand

My Travel Tattoo Butterfly and its tale

Shall I get Inked? Will this tattoo look good? Will it stay forever? Won’t I get bored of it seeing every day? Not only these, but many other questions poured up when I had to get myself tattooed. Is that true with you too? The only thing clear to me was that I wanted a travel tattoo. The travel tattoo which could depict my lust and hunger to see the world; the soul which want to be free but equally connected to nature. So it could not be- compass, suitcase, map, globe, the trajectory with a paper plane or passport stamps. But then what it should be? After scrolling on hundred images, I stopped at a gift of nature – Butterfly. Yes, this is what I want but not a regular dark one, something different in a gradient look! And this is how it looks.

My travel Tattoo Butterfly and its tale

According to me, a tattoo is not just an artwork. It is a souvenir which one wants to embed on his or her skin as a special remembrance forever. Tattoos are drawn superficially but they carry a very deep meaning inside. They tell a lot about the self-expression and personality of a wearer.

Travel Tattoo is just one type of all the tattoos. They are mostly adorned by travel lovers. These tattoos depict the desire of one to travel the world, to follow the dreams and some even represent the unforgettable memories of the place or trip.

My Souvenir – Butterfly Travel Tattoo

My travel tattoo might be a simple butterfly to an eye; but to me, it means much more. It depicts me as being feminist, my nature as well as it pushes me to follow my travel dreams.

My travel tattoo butterfly and its tale

It represents me as:

  • A woman who is graceful, delicate and gentle like a butterfly but is independent too.
  • As the soul who has the freedom to spread her own wings with the wind.
  • Who is wanderlust, unstable and wants to see the whole world just like a butterfly that goes from flower to flower collecting food
  • Who can accept the changes and is ready to undergo transformations of any kind
  • One connected to the universe and nature around
  • Who has emerged from the shell and has retained its inner beautyMy travel tattoo butterfly and its tale

I say, getting a tattoo done is purely one’s own decision. Never listen to others for it. Go for the one which you like and which you feel meets your personality. For me, the tattoos are great memorials and self-characters. This one is my unique travel tattoo and its tale. What is yours? I would love to see and hear about yours. Do share and pin it if you like it.

My Travel tattoo butterfly and its tale

Three days at Patong Town, Phuket Thailand

Beach: Best Escape Anyone Can Have – is what it stands for. Yes, and this is true for me too. I love beaches, not only for their vivid colors, views or waves but they help me get back to “me”. I can sit for hours, admiring and getting lost in the waves. Each coming wave tells me to come out of my comfort shell, expand the horizon and not to get tied away. They tell me that let the worries drift away and think deep. Beaches make me feel heaven is much closer. Ya Ya! A lot of philosophies. Let’s come straight to Patong town & the beaches in Phuket Thailand.

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Patong town is the center of attraction of Phuket and is famous for tourist nightlife and shopping. In fact, people often describe Patong town as a quiet relaxing place during the day which becomes a huge party town during nights. So, here in this post, I have listed the activities to do during day and night, which I explored recently.

Activities during Daytime at Patong Town

  1. Hop over to Beaches

I explored that in and around Patong Village there are many beaches. In fact, the whole of the Patong village is built around beaches. So you can spend days relaxing, sunbathing, taking views and enjoying water sports at beaches. The nearby ones are Patong beach, Freedom Beach, Kalim Beach etc.

The Patong beach is widest of all the beaches here. It spreads over 3 km with a wide strip of golden sand around it.  At the beach, one can explore parasailing, speed boating, cable skiing, target shooting etc and on the other side of the road, there are lots of vibrant shops which lure you to shop and restaurants to chill out.

Patong town, Phuket, Thailand
Patong Beach

Just next, to the Patong beach is the Kalim beach. It is an extension of the Patong beach and is rockier and surrounded by hills. No water sports or activities happen on Kalim beach. You can just take awesome views from here.

Freedom Beach at Patong Town , Phuket Thailand
Source – www.phuket101.net; Freedom beach

The freedom beach lies on Phuket’s west coast. It is difficult to access and is very quiet as compared to other beaches. There is hardly any noise except that of long tail boats. One can enjoy beach soccer, beach volleyball, and snorkeling here.

Also read: A complete guide to diving in Thailand

  1. Ride till Kathu Waterfall

Phuket is rich in waterfalls too. Few of them are Bang Pae, Tonsai, Layan Bay and Kathu Waterfall. I suggest you ride to Kathu Waterfall as it is near to Patong town. From Patong head towards Phuket town, then turn left at the traffic lights next to the Caltex gas station, pass the local Kathu market and you will reach the road following Kathu waterfall. There is a climb before you get to see the magnificent views. But I am sure, once you reach and see the view you will forget everything and will say it is worth climbing.

Kathu waterfall at Patong Town, Phuket, Thailand

  1. Explore Historic Old Phuket Town

Explore the 18th century old Phuket town on foot to take an authentic feel. Here, click pictures and admire lots of colorful buildings influenced by Sino- Portuguese architecture. Many of the old buildings have now been converted to hotels, restaurants, coffee shops etc. Besides this, you can explore nearby Chinese temple. The vegetarian festival  happens in September – October. During this festival, people refrain themselves from meat and other stimulants to obtain good health and peace of mind. Meat dishes are replaced by soya and protein substitutes.

Old Phuket Town; Patong Town, Phuket, Thailand

Also Check: The detailed post on Phuket Old town

  1. Get yourself massaged with Thai massage

Thailand trip is incomplete without Thai massage and Patong is a hub for the same. There are many small and large establishments offering various types of massage package which eases your aching foot and relax the body, mind, and soul. If you get a chance, also try an ancient massage at Temples such as at Wat Pho in Bangkok. (You can read my post on Bangkok here – 10 places not to miss during Bangkok trip).

 Activities during Night time at Patong Town

  1. Bangla Road/ Walking Street

The Bangla Road is the lifeline of Patong and it gets a life when the sun goes down. I mean it’s quiet and just like a normal road during the daytime and the actual activities come into action only during the evening. The road on both sides gets packed with bars, restaurants, clubs, and shops. The walking street gets colorful and flashy. Late night bars pump out music at full volumes and many places host live music. The touts are seen everywhere selling services of ping pong and strip shows. Strip poles are placed on the club edge and many pole dancers are seen dancing on the road itself. The best part of this place is – it is safe and you can hop to a party any time at night.

Bangla Road, Patong town; Phuket, Thailand

Also Read: The best areas to stay in Phuket Thailand

  1. Muay Thai Boxing

Boxing is a famous sport of Thailand. You will find many small and big fight rings in the town. But for a real experience, see Muay Thai Boxing at Bangla Boxing Stadium. There is a huge advertisement for the fight through loudspeakers and sometimes fighters themselves promote the event. The fight happens thrice a week from 9:00 pm – 11:30 pm on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Ticket for the boxing is priced between 1700 THB – 2500 THB.

Phuket Muay Thai Boxing, Patong Town, Phuket, Thailand
Source: www.phuketstag.com
  1. Simon Cabaret Show

The Simon Cabaret located around the Patong beach hosts most respected and famous Lady Boy cabaret show in Phuket. The show hosts spectacular musical floor with impressive sets and ladyboys dressed in beautiful costumes. All the performances are well choreographed and songs are in Thai, Japanese, and Korean. The show has fixed timings and it happens for 70 minutes. The ticket costs for Simon Cabaret costs around 800 THB – 1000 THB. After the show members of cabaret pose outside for a photograph with the audience for a fee.

Phuket Simon Cabaret; Patong Town; Phuket; Thailand
Source: www.phuket-simoncabaret.com/
  1. Opt between Phuket Fantasea and Siam Niramit

Opt between Phuket Fantasea and Siam Niramit if you are on a family trip. The two are almost similar.

Phuket Fantasea is a night theme park complex which features circus performers and a large number of animals to depict the traditional Thai story. Space encompasses games, shopping village, bird cave and floating village. The dinner buffet is served before the show. The show happens for 1 -1:30 hrs and costs around 188 THB.

Phuket Fantasea Show; Patong town, Phuket, Thailand
Source: www.phuketthailandtrip.com

Siam Niramit also hosts another spectacular show on the world’s highest stage. The whole show is a delightful picture of Thai culture and beliefs mixed with humor, dazzling costumes, and spirituality. There are lots of incredible dancers giving their best.  Here also enjoy Thai buffet dinner is served before the show.  The show timings are from 5 pm – 10 pm and ticket costs between 1500- 2350 THB.

Siam Niramit, Patong town, Phuket, Thailand
Source: www.phuket.com

So, let us know which one of these you included in your Patong town, Phuket trip.

Apart from these options, there are many beautiful Islands around Phuket Town which can be explored taking a day trip. Do read the day trip to Khao phing kan James bond island here.

5 tips before finalising the exclusive honeymoon trip

The wedding is the biggest event in everyone’s life and as soon as the wedding dates are decided we start working on our never-ending to-do list. We start planning for every single event to make it exclusive especially honeymoon trip. It is right to be thoughtful and plan these holidays well with your fiancé as it is surely going to be once in a lifetime trip.

Honeymoon Trip
Source -www.naturehillstation.in

I still remember when we had to plan ours; my husband asked me to do some research. Then he asked me few questions and my choices, to make it easier for choosing the final place among the shortlisted destinations. All this helped us in short listing and planning our holidays.

Now, these tips along with research can help newly hitched or to be hitched couples in narrowing and deciding  on their honeymoon trip.

  1. Determine how far and how much time you both can spare for your holidays

Discuss with your spouse openly how far you both can travel? How much time you both can spare for honeymoon trip? How many leaves you both have or can avail? Is travelling extensively comfortable with you and your fiancé? A destination like Europe and America require lot many hours of travelling and sometimes connecting flights. Throw in the fact of time zone too, to get mentally prepared to get acclimatised. Some of the places may be your dream destinations. But don’t panic or push on each other for that destination! You can plan a trip to your dream destination some other time.

Apa Villa Thalpe, Sri Lanka- Honeymoon Trip

  1. Choose a theme

Choose with your fiancé what type of trip you both want to take – relaxing, adventurous, romantic, peaceful, road trip, cultural or nature. A romantic relaxing honeymoon trip on the beach resort, getting suntanned and sipping wine can be on many couples list. So, one can consider Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bali, Bora-Bora etc from the long list. Streets of Paris and Gondola ride of Venice; dressed up like a princess are on the list of others. So, one can opt for them too, if looking for romantic, cultural spots.

Phi Phi Island, Thailand, Honeymoon Trip

  1. Fix up your budget

After short listing destinations according to the theme, next is to set up the budget for the decided number of days. This is where you and your partner need to sit and discuss frankly how much you should spend. There is no limit to spending but budgets always help. The other option can be to collect funding through honeymoon wedding registry . Some of the links for honeymoon holidays registry are: (https://www.honeyfund.com/; http://www.zankyou.com/us/honeymoon-wedding-registry )

Ranikhet Uttrakhand, India - Honeymoon Trip

  1. Decide on when to leave for honeymoon trip

Sometimes, leaving immediately for honeymoon trip after wedding doesn’t go well with your schedules or with the weather conditions of that place. So, do a quick research to know the weather conditions of the chosen destinations at the time of your travel. Also check for the local festivals, crowds at the time of your travel. For e.g. – If you are travelling to Europe in August, many of the towns are closed for vacations that time and in January, February it will be very cold. So, this all can change your decision. You can also consider travelling during off season to cut off the costs and experience more.

Honeymoon Trip
Source – www.destinationweddingmag.com
  1. Get Bookings done early 

Honeymoon holidays are not the time to experiment. Everything needs to be perfect. Don’t wait till last moment. At last moment, flights, hotels, everything will cost you much more than the actual amount. Look for the honeymoon packages, deals and check the hotel’s reviews and recommendations before booking. Read some travel blogs to get more insights.

Inform hotel about your honeymoon. They may charge you more but you will also get the room with better view and sometimes a complimentary dinner too.

So, planning honeymoon trip in not a big task. Talking everything candidly and planning together will act as a catalyst to your new married life. And I say travel solves every couple’s problem and it can save your marriage.