13 Extraordinary Experiences that defined our Thailand Getaway!

We usually try hard to get away from the crowd and so we end up doing some unusual things to enjoy our destination. The same things might not interest everyone, but here I am sharing our experiences for the like-minded ones. We hate crowd, love food, love nature and our green index is pretty high. If you too fall on our side of the fence, read on! The stunning things that we did in Thailand will always be highlighted in our memories!

1. Airport Shuttle from Suvarnabhumi to Don Muang

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Free Shuttle ride

We landed at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and had our domestic flight to Phuket from Don Muang Airport. The quickest way between the two is a cab which might cost you around 700THB. We had planned enough time between the flights and were able to take the free shuttle from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Don Muang Airport. It is an excellent service and we could get an overview of Bangkok in the 1 hour journey. So our trip started with a good amount of saving!

2. Canoeing in the Phang Nga Bay

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Canoeing in Phuket

This was one of the most memorable water experiences. Canoeing amidst the crystal clear emerald green waters and entering the limestone caves was a thrilling experience. We almost had to lie down flat in the canoe while entering some caves. The limestone caves and “hongs” (in Thai) have an interesting geological story. The Phang Nga Bay was earlier a part of a huge coral reef. The caves and the islands are formed as a result of the movement of the “earth plates” which were under water.

3. Car Ferry ride to Koh Yao Yai

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Car ferry ride

We stayed on an island called Koh Yao Yai to the east of Phuket mainland. We took the public transport car ferry to reach one of the piers on the island. The one hour ride was a fascinating experience. We could see the changing colours of the sea water as we moved far from the mainland. It was a 360 degrees splendid panorama and we couldn’t rest our cameras even for a minute. We could also see jelly fishes floating besides the ferry in the middle of the ocean. It was a terrific ride!

4. Breakfast with a view

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Breakfast with a view

Not everyday can you enjoy such stunning views while you have your breakfast. This was one of the best sceneries we enjoyed while eating. Read more about this place on our next blog.

5. Bike ride around Koh Yao Yai

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Bike Ride in Koh Yao Yai

Koh Yao Yai and its sister island Koh Yao Noi are situated to the east of Phuket. We stayed at Yao Yai and hired a bike to explore the island. Most of the island is covered by mountains and rainforests. The island is abundant with wildlife, hidden beaches, and traditional fishing villages making the area an abode of nature. There is one main road and few side roads leading to houses in the village. We truly enjoyed the bike ride on this super cute island.

6. Stay in a Teak Wood Villa

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Stay in a Teak Wood Villa

We are going to have an entire blog on the experience in this exotic resort on Koh Yao Yai. The stay in this teak wood villa with the balcony overlooking the ocean rinsed away all our stress and was an exceedingly relaxing experience. We are still not regulars in the luxury travel arena, but we treated ourselves to this splendour this time and now things are gonna be difficult!

7. Infinity Pool along the Andaman Sea

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Infinity Pool in Koh Yao Yai

An infinity pool is always a pacifying experience and we found the perfect one during our stay in Thailand. The dip in this one glancing over the Andaman Sea made our day!

8. Bus ride to Grand Palace in Bangkok

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Bus Ride to Grand Palace in Bangkok

We wanted to see the Bangkok Grand Palace. Someone told us that a bus goes there and we found the exact one near our hotel and leisurely hopped into it. The bus ride was an exciting experience as we could witness the complete different side of Bangkok while on our way to the Grand Palace. Some buses are old but not too crowded, we could easily get a place and had fans above our seats to beat the heat and the 9 THB Journey was a joyride. Travelling by the Skytrain (BTS) in Bangkok was mind-blowing too!

9. Cycling in Bangkok

We are so glad we could do our bit of cycling in Bangkok. After the street shopping, Mall Hopping and walking around old temples, we decided to visit a public park in Bangkok and that was the best thing that could happen to us. We went to Banjakitti Park (also called as the Queen’s Park) near Asok BTS Skytrain Station. It was one of most impressive parks that we had been to. A manmade lake is surrounded by specially built running and biking tracks and the skyline of Bangkok served as the backdrop. We hired bikes at one of the main gates and had a super awesome bike ride in this park.

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Cycling in Queen’s Park in Bangkok

10. Mall hopping in Bangkok

Shopping and Bangkok is synonymous! We had our quota of Mall Hopping and enjoyed marvelling at the huge structures and the vibrant stores. We entered the skywalk from Notovel in Siam and walked our way to Centara Grand. The malls are interconnected and we changed malls to Siam Paragon, Siam Central, Siam Discovery and finally the oldest mall in Asia, the MBK Centre. Each mall has its own identity and it is easy (but lots of foot work) to walk through them. The food courts of every mall flaunt world cuisine. Mall hopping can be one of the best way to spend a rainy day in Bangkok.

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Mall hopping in Bangkok

11. Lunch on a floating restaurant of an island.

While on the island hopping tour from Phuket, we had our lunch on Koh Panyee Island in the Phang Nha Bay. Around 2000 people live on this island. The houses are built on stilts by the fishermen families. They serve set vegetarian and non-vegetarian lunch. The experience of having lunch on the backdrop of the sea was fantastic.

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Lunch at Floating restaurant on Koh Panyee Island

12. Breakfast and Stay on 78th Floor in the Tallest Tower in Thailand

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Breakfast on 78th Floor of Baiyoke Sky Hotel

After marvelling at the nature’s wonder in Phuket and the adjacent islands, now it was time to marvel at the man-made wonders. We had our breakfast on the 78th Floor of the Baiyoke Sky Hotel and had the astonishing view of skyscrapers and flyovers below us. Technology is at its best and the dazzling city of Bangkok is one of its highlights.

13. Fantasea Show in Phuket

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Phuket Fantasea

We were unsure whether to go or not to go for this hyped show! We decided to go and though not unmissable, it was indeed a rare experience. What we loved the most was the management of the Fantasea park and the ambience of the theatre. Cameras are strictly not allowed inside and the system to deposit and collect them is extremely efficient. Around 10 elephants on stage at a time, flying trapeze, LED and laser displays make the show interesting!

This was Thailand in a gist for us. Which was your most unforgettable experience in Thailand? Let us know in the comments.  If you have not yet been to Thailand Read 10 Reasons to Visit Thailand beyond Elephants and Massage. 

P.S. We live on a beautiful planet. Please do not litter. Be a responsible traveller.

 

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