Memories of our dream holiday to Thailand
I was recently looking back through our photos of Thailand, and I really do love the country. When I think of Thailand I think of bustling streets, the smell of freshly cooked Thai food, the smiling people, the warmth and the sunshine. I have really happy memories of our honeymoon to Thailand just over 4 years ago. It’s a place I would love to go back to, and I wouldn’t think twice about that. The food, the culture and the sunshine is enough to draw me in, and to make anyone want to visit this wonderful country.
For now with a toddler in tow, the photos and the happy memories will suffice and stay firmly etched in my brain. We spent a wonderful two weeks in Thailand visiting Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Bangkok. You could say that we saw a lot of Thailand in a relatively short space of time from the adventures in Chiang Mai, to relaxing in Koh Samui, and lastly to the busy city of Bangkok.
Chiang Mai
I love this small city in Northern Thailand surrounded by mountains making the flight from Bangkok pretty impressive. This was my second visit to Chiang Mai, my first visit was in 2005 on a round the world backpacking trip after university (I’m showing my age now) and I remember the moat that surrounds the city, to the busy streets, and the food markets.
We spent our time in Chiang Mai visiting temple after temple which are all very different and so pretty. And, then taking part in a full day cookery course that both my husband and I really enjoyed. We are big foodies so this day was perfect. I learnt how to cook spring rolls from scratch and fold them, as well as cooking a Thai curry, Chiang Mai noodles and mango rice. These were full meals that we ate as we cooked, so you can imagine at the end of a full day cooking course we were both pretty full.
Our hotel in the centre of Chiang Mai was perfect. It was right in the heart of the action, where you could still hear the hustle and bustle, but was an oasis of calm. It had a gorgeous swimming pool and our room felt like it was up in the trees.
Koh Samui
Our next stop was Koh Samui just a short 2 hour flight from Chiang Mai with a rather precarious landing. This was to be our week of luxury and relaxation, well the entire trip was luxury, but this felt extra special. From having an outdoor bathroom to a bottle of champagne on arrival we were well and truly spoilt.
We stayed in Bophut on the North of the island away from the busyness of Chaweng and Lamai. Bophut was gorgeous, it’s described as a sleepy fishing village, although I would hardly call it sleepy with 5 star resorts and fine dining restaurants, it’s just quieter than the other resorts on the island.
Our hotel was at the far end of the beach so every night we would walk along the beach into Bophut to enjoy dinner and cocktails somewhere. We had a real mixture of food here from traditional Thai curries, to Australian steak to pizza. It was nice to have a little break from a Thai curry, and as write this my mouth is watering for one. The food at our hotel at the time of visiting was one of the best restaurants on the island, and I was wowed as each dish arrived with its presentation and tastiness.
There is so much you can do on Koh Samui, and we enjoyed a boat trip to the marine park where we saw crystal clear water and got to snorkell over beautiful coral reef whilst watching tropical fish. It was all going well until my husband cut his toe on the coral, which is really easy to do.
We also enjoyed an island jeep safari, seeing the famous rocks that look like a male and female private parts, drinking fresh coconut picked by a monkey, riding an elephant, swimming in waterfalls, and lastly going on a jeep safari adventure.
As you can see we loved our stay in Koh Samui and I wouldn’t hesitate for one moment not to go back there. It was a perfect escape after spending a few days in Chiang Mai.
Bangkok
Our final part of the trip was a 3 night stay in Bangkok, and after the quietness and calm of Koh Samui it felt quite surreal to be back in a bustling and traffic clogged city. Saying that my husband and I loved it.
We were staying on the 28th floor (I think) of our hotel that had incredible views of the Chao Praya river and the Lumphini Park. It even had a swimming pool half way up, which we enjoyed using at the end of a busy day.
Our days in Bangkok were spent doing a lot of walking, visiting temples, markets, and taking a trip on a boat on a river. One of the best memories I have of Bangkok was the breakfast in our hotel, it was amazing, you could have pretty much anything you wanted. Another perk was being upgraded to Club which allowed us to have afternoon tea with beers and wine as part of our room deal.
As you can see I have so many special memories of our honeymoon in Thailand, and I would love to go back, one day.
If this is making your mouth water and you want to experience the Thai culture and warmth for yourself, then Destinations2 can help book the holiday of your dreams too.
Claire x
N.B This is a collaborative post.
5 Comments
Jules
I had a great time in Thailand on my adult gap year. I’d love to go back with my family and do the whole ‘with kids’ thing…
Jenna Parrington
You’re photo’s are fantastic! I’d love to visit one day!
Karen, the next best thing to mummy
Thailand is a place that I have always wanted to visit, but haven’t as yet, reading this has made me want to visit even more!
Claire at Tin Box Traveller
What a very special destination for an extremely special occasion. I’ve not been to Thailand but every time I’ve spoken to someone who has they say it has captured their hearts.
Jade - Raising the Rings
It looks like a fantastic place to visit! I’d love to go there to try all the food and just immerse myself in the surroundings x