Whenever I would get the opportunity to travel, whether it’s for work or personal leisure time, I always look forward to visiting places that can captivate me because of their interesting cuisine, their prominent landmarks, and their charming local culture.
It was unfortunate that we couldn’t leave our homes during the height of the pandemic. And while everyone was forced to stay at home, I was watching travel vlogs most of the time.
Among those places that I’ve been eyeing to visit was Thailand. Most of the travel vloggers and people I know kept saying that if given a chance, they would go to this fascinating country. And I wanted to know why.
Fortunately, AirAsia Philippines and the Tourism Authority of Thailand invited some members of the press to a journey to remember. Yes, I was able to tick Thailand off my bucket list.
Now that I’ve already gone there, I’m telling you, I would not stop talking about this country for there are a lot of reasons why you should experience Thailand on your own and not just by watching travel vlogs. But let me sum it up for you.
Easy to get there
Now that travel restrictions across the globe have been slowly easing out, it is now easier for us to travel outside the country. With only three and ten minute-flight from Manila, you can already reach Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, via Don Mueng International Airport or Suvarnabhumi Airport and enjoy the beauty of the city.
Considered their top international destination, AirAsia Philippines underscored their partnership with the local tourism of Thailand to sustain the demand and because of that, the low-budget carrier is now offering a P1, 612 one-way base fare for bookings made until January 8. To add more good news for you, a one-way base fare of P1,173 is also offered for DMK-MNL bookings for travel until June 30. That’s more reasons to visit Thailand!
You’ll get to experience its rich culture and lifestyle
Do you know the feeling of being at home while you’re far away from home? I think that’s why Thailand is so special to me. It made me feel like I’m no stranger to this country because of its people. There were times when I would greet them in Thai and you could see genuine smiles on their faces. Definitely deserved to be called the Land of Smiles.
Equivalent to Manila’s flower market, Dangwa, Pak Khlong Talat is the perfect place to spot fresh and vibrant flowers delivered from the provinces nearby the city. At the end of the street, you would get to see The Floral Café Napasorn where you could have your afternoon tea while creating your own garland.
The Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya, meanwhile, showcases a manually-carved wooden castle that would introduce you to the Seven Truths of Life through its wooden sculptures. As you walk around the museum, you will be learning a more depth history of Thailand’s religion.
Hundreds of places to visit
Strolling in Thailand in a day is not possible.
It’s no secret to anyone that Thailand is known for its Buddhist temples. And when they say temples, it means 40,000 temples.
Our first destination was Wat Suthat Thepwararam, a royal Buddhist temple constructed during the reign of King Rama I. Upon entering, you will see the 25-foot-tall Phra Sri Sakyamuni Buddha. According to Thai Buddhist cosmology and Hinduism, Wat Suthat was built as a symbolic representation of Mount Sumeru which is a sacred mountain existing in the center of the universe where God Indra is dwelling. Right across the temple, you will see another prominent landmark where a red, giant swing stands.
Another temple that we visited was Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan or the Temple of Dawn located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. Its name was derived from the Hindu god Aruna.
More than temples, I think, it would be best to describe Thailand as a place where you can find tons of shopping malls or convenience stores. I promise wherever you go, wherever you look, left or right, it’s either you’ll see a shopping center or a 7-Eleven.
From a two-hour drive from the busy districts of Bangkok, we got to explore the beauty of the province of Pattaya. Near where we checked in, stands one of the most beautiful malls I had ever gone to—Terminal 21. Each floor is designed accordingly to city capitals around the world such as London, Paris, and Tokyo.
To have a glimpse of Pattaya’s nightlife, you should try strolling on The Walking Street, the red-light district of the city where neon lights and loud music live. It has numerous bars and restaurants that mostly feature seafood dishes and live music bands. Now that we’re talking about entertainment, the province also has the Nongnooch Tropical Botanical Garden—a 625-acre garden where varieties of plants are planted. What excites me during our visit was seeing the elephants having their lunch and having a quick tour of the whole garden through a sightseeing bus.
Of course, a quick trip to Pattaya would never be complete without a side getaway to one of its treasured beaches. We boarded a catamaran via the Ocean Marina Yacht Club to reach Sai Kaew Beach, the most popular beach on Koh Samet Island—where clear waters almost touch the clouds of the bluish sky.
Memories and experiences which are for keep
We also got the chance to visit the King Power Mahanakhon and experience their premium attractions —Thailand’s highest observation deck located on the 78th floor. Thinking about it now, while writing this article, I was actually brave for stepping on that glass tray above the beautiful skyline of Bangkok.
Meanwhile, The Peak offers amazing 360o panoramic views. The deck also has its own rooftop bar where you can order your drinks while appreciating the beauty of the city. Tip: Best to go there at night time.
One of the highlights of my trip to Thailand was when I decided to skip the Thai massage activity in exchange for getting lost (not literally lost, though) in the streets of Bangkok for almost two hours. I kept telling myself that I could have the massage back home but who knows if I would be given the chance to explore Bangkok again.
With a pair of earphones on while listening to my favorite Thai band, Scrubb, without a clue of where to go, I just let myself have a walk for a while and soon after, I tried searching for malls (again) near the spa.
Later on, I found myself exploring the city. From a 13-minute walk, I found myself at the biggest branch of Big C Supercenter and bought my favorite Thai noodles. Across it is the middle-class, seven-storey shopping center, centralwOrld, where you can find luxurious brand stalls and even BTS In The Soop Pop-up Store. The two malls are both located on Rachadamri Road, one of the main streets of the capital.
Amazing offering of Thailand’s rich cuisine
We all know that the best part of going to an unfamiliar place is trying out its food. Honestly, I am not a fan of spicy food, and knowing Thailand, they really love spicy food. But surprisingly, I got to enjoy some of their dishes.
I tell you, the overjoy I felt as they welcomed us with a Shrimp Pad Thai meal partnered with Chatramue’s authentic milk tea as we rode our shuttle going to our hotel. Finally, a legit pad Thai dish.
During my visit to the centralwOrld, there’s also a Bangkok Street Food bazaar outside the mall where you can find the rich culinary tradition of Thailand perfect for those who are into exploring Thai food like me. Being the first-timer that I was, I almost jumped for joy because of excitement. I just usually see this in Thai series or travel vlogs. I got to finally try the authentic milk tea sold in Thai streets.
We also tried eating at The Neverending Summer located near Chao Praya River and ICONSIAM. This open kitchen offers authentic Thai dishes such as Som Tum Ta Lay, Tom Kha Kai, Por Piah Tod, and Yam Som-O.
But if you wanted to experience a more diverse and traditional Thai food crawl, go to ICONSIAM’s food court called Sook Siam. It features stalls that sell authentic Thai dishes and delicacies from 77 provinces. And believe it or not, it has a floating market in it.
What left me in awe was the moment we got to have our dinner whilepassing by the landmarks of the city through the Bangkok Night Bus Food Tour.
Meanwhile, upon arriving in Pattaya, we had our dinner at Shell Tangkay Seafood giving us a kind of beachfront vibe while enjoying some seafood dishes.
I couldn’t believe I’m saying this but Rennaissance Hotel’s 609 Kitchen has the best dishes for me—from its appetizers down to its dessert. Going there to try their Tom Kha Gai and Mango Sticky Rice is one for the books.
Our last dinner in Thailand was spent at The Sky Gallery, located also in Pattaya. What a perfect way to end the day, eating a heavy meal after a long, tiring day of walking. And we couldn’t let the trip end without trying Thai Nom Yen (Pink Milk).
Because you deserve to experience Thailand and its charm
The pandemic has taken over two years of our lives and if you have the means to travel, why would you restrict yourself from exploring other places, especially the ones that you’ve never been to? After all, we have been through a lot during the past years and it’s already time to treat ourselves to a place that is worth visiting.