It’s that time of year. The snow is melting, the days are getting longer, warmer, and drearier as the season of rain and slush and mud approaches. I hate this weather. It makes me sad and tired. But more importantly, it gives me the travel bug. All I want to do is hop on a plane and go on a trip somewhere beautiful. But unfortunately, I don’t have the funds for that. So, I am just going to write about it instead!
I have this friend who graduated from the University of Connecticut last year, and she is the queen of traveling. She has lived the van life in Iceland, hiked in Hawaii, and traveled across a lot of Europe and the US. We were talking about maybe going on a trip together next year in January. At first, we wanted to go to New Zealand, but the flights are long and expensive. After some thought, we decided on Thailand. Why? Because Thailand is affordable, beautiful, the food is delicious, and it is notoriously an easy place for backpacking.
FIRST, BANGKOK
I think the easiest option is to fly in and out of Bangkok since it is the country’s capital and the largest city. Bangkok is also a great place to visit historical sites, eat delicious food, and stay cheaply in hostels. A few that have been deemed the best by Hostelworld Lub d Bangkok Chinatown, which is located just 0.7 km from the city’s center. A dorm room in this hostel is just over $20, while a private room is $76. The hostel is located in Chinatown and is surrounded by temples and other historical sites that would be fun to explore. Another option that I am looking into is Once Again, which is located only 0.2 km from the city’s center. This hostel offers a lot of outdoor hangout space and promotes the food in the area, which is always something to look for. The only downside is that it doesn’t offer private rooms. Although, the dorms are very cheap and the beds are wider than most hostel dorm beds, which is a plus.Â
NEXT, PHUKET
Phuket is an island off the west coast of Thailand and is known for its beaches, nightlife, and food. A flight from Bangkok to Phuket costs only $26 USD and is about an hour and a half, making an excursion to the island so worth it. Hostels in Phuket vary more than in than they do in Bangkok, which makes it harder to find a good one for a quality price. Purr Hostel is located in Phuket Old Town, close to the heart of the city. This hostel is only $18 for a dorm room, or $35 for a private room, which is not bad at all.
THEN, Kanchanaburi nATIONAL PARK
After spending a couple of days in Phuket, soaking up the sun at the beach, admiring the rockscapes, and enjoying nights out, a quick trip to Kanchanaburi National Park is a must. This national park has a number of hiking trails that span approximately 75 miles of mountains, forests, and waterfalls. One particularly noteworthy waterfall is Pha Sawan, which can be reached by taking the Pha Sawan waterfalls trail. This trail is a 17.3 mile loop that takes a little over seven hours to complete. While this trail may be a bit challenging, it’s definitely worth it because not only does the trail have a beautiful waterfall, but it also has a great view of the forest and rock formations. There are a couple of lodging options at Kanchanaburi National Park. There are numerous Airbnbs and hotels right outside the park. There are also multiple trails in the park where camping is permitted. Khao Chang Phueak is a very popular, along with San Nok Wau Ridge and Erawan Campsite, which is located near Erwan falls.Â
While there are many other spectacular places to visit in Thailand, I think I’ll stick to these three places. I’m planning on staying for a few weeks, but if I was going longer I would look into exploring Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, which are both known for their architecture, art and historical sites. I would also maybe visit Krabi or Ko Tao if I wanted more time at the beach. Through these three destinations I would be able to explore Thailand’s capital that is rich in culture and food, party on the beach and soak up the sun on an island, and check a national park off of my bucket list.
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