The Only 3 Cities You Need To Visit In Thailand
If you’re adventurous like us, these 3 cities are all you need to make your Thailand travel complete.
CHIANG MAI
Chiang Mai is a beautiful city with cooler weather. If you love nature and enjoy being outdoors this is your city. Chiang Mai is also the most relaxed city we visited in Thailand.
Ran-Tong Elephant Centre
The best elephant experience in Thailand
Ride, play, and bathe with the elephants! We urge everyone not to visit any elephant centers that are not rescues and are only for profit.
The Roam Down
- Duration: Half Day
- Price: ฿1,600.00 (if 2 people) – ฿3,000.00 (if 1 person)
- Wow Factor: Very High
- Essentials to Bring: They Give You Clothes to Wear
- Highlights: Bathing with Elephants
One of our favorite places was the Ron-Tong Save and Rescue Elephant Centre. It’s located in the middle of the green jungly mountains in a cute little Thai city. We loved this place because they take in elephants that have been abused, sick, unwanted, or starving. They nourish them back to health and all the money that we paid to visit their facility is used to care for and feed the elephants. We urge everyone to not visit any elephant centers that are not rescues and are only for profit.
At Ran-Tong we enjoyed taking care of the elephants, feeding them treats, and riding them (barefoot only of course). It was so fun to ride them to their bathing pond. Once we got there, they walked right into the pond with us on top and we slid down waist deep into the water and bathed them. It was so fun to see how much they enjoy their baths. They give you clothes to change into, so don’t worry about getting your clothes dirty or wet! We also got to see a baby elephant and his mom, enjoyed dinner with the group, and watched the villagers play
We had dinner with everyone in our group and watched the elephants play on the mountain and throw dirt back on themselves.
Wats, Wats, and More Wats
Bet you can’t visit just one
With over 300 wats scattered through Chiang Mai, you’ll find yourself wanting to explore each one. These are sacred places, and you should be modest when inside.
THE ROAM DOWN
- Duration: As Long as You Want
- Price: Free, Unless You Rent a Scooter
- Wow Factor: High
- Essentials to Bring: Good Walking Shoes
- Highlights: The Ornate Wats & Monks
We loved exploring Chiang Mai. We could walk down a street and walk past ten wats and maybe even a monastery or two, all so intricate, beautiful, and unique in their own way! We loved how easy it was to walk through any part of the city and see such beautiful things on each corner. This was definitely the easiest city to explore by foot and the most fun to explore.
Thai Cooking Class
Only thing better than Thai food…making your own Thai food.
Something about making Thai food in Thailand seem so right…and delicious. This comes highly recommended.
THE ROAM DOWN
- Duration: Half Day
- Price: $25-$32/person
- Wow Factor: Medium
- Things to Know: They Give You a Cook Book
- Highlights: Mango Sticky Rice, Lighting Woks on Fire
Today we signed up for a cooking class. They picked us up from our hotel and drove us to the local market where they taught us about all the ingredients and what to buy for our dishes. We got to choose between several options so James and I chose different plates from each option. They drove us to a really nice outdoor kitchen in the jungle with beautiful views. I would have gone there just to enjoy the scenery. We learned how to make 8 different dishes combined. It was so easy and so delicious.
The trick to making Thai food is to use super high temperatures and then remove it from the heat and let it sit for a while. We lit our woks on fire which was pretty scary, watch the video below. We ate dinner with everyone on our tour and enjoyed every dish we made. They gave us each a cookbook of the food we learned how to make so we could come home and make them. The sun set while we were there and after dinner we headed home. We went back to the night market and bought an elephant decoration to remember our day with the elephants. I bought an elephant charm and a cute bag I had been eyeing the day before 😀 We then walked home to pack for our early flight the next morning.
KOH PHI PHI
The Thai island that is full of adventures, views, and amazing even more islands!
Amazing Hikes and View Points
Perfect activity to watch the sunset
We like to adventure, so we talked to some locals and they told us how we could hike to the lookouts without having to pay an entry fee. We love the locals.
THE ROAM DOWN
- Duration: Evening hike, 1-2 hours
- Difficulty: Hard
- Wow Factor: Very High
- Essentials to Bring: Water (Buy Pina Coladas at the Summit)
- Highlights: The Amazing Sunset View, FREE
On our first day here we wandered around the island, checked out the tours, and met a lot of Americans and Europeans that had traveled to Ko Phi Phi on vacation and just never ended up leaving. We met an American named Matt at one of the dive shops and signed up to do two dives with him the following day. He was cool and let us take some snorkeling gear from the shop to bring back when we went on our dive. He also gave us some insider tips on how to get to the best viewpoint #3 on the island. Apparently this is the only viewpoint you don’t have to pay for and there is a separate trail to get there if you want to skip #1 and #2.
We spend the rest of our night hiking up to viewpoint #3. It was sooo steep and sooo hot, but it was so worth the hike. We enjoyed a pina colada from the restaurant up top, relaxed, and took pictures of the view. You could basically see the entire island and it was so pretty. We watched the sunset before heading back down the trail. Since the viewpoint was on opposite sides from where our hotel was we walked along the beach the entire way back. The tide had risen so we were walking in a couple inches of water and we basically had the entire beach to ourselves.
Amazing Scuba Diving
Yet another reason to get Scuba Certified
Advanced Open Water Dive in Thailand. Scuba with amazing colors, tons of wildlife, and some of the most beautiful dives spots you’ll ever visit.
THE ROAM DOWN
- Duration: 4-5 Hours
- Price: ฿10,400.00
- Wow Factor: Very High
- Essentials to Bring: Scuba Certification
- Highlights: We were surrounded by 1,000’s of fish
We piled onto a dive boat that was also taking out the advanced divers and also people who were just getting certified. It was such a crowded boat with everyone on there. They had hot chocolate and cookies on board so that was really nice. Our first dive was at Bida Nok by Ko Phi Phi Le. The water was 80 degrees and we literally saw thousands of fish, a sea turtle, poisonous sea snake, it was awesome. The boys used up their air faster so they left about 30 minutes in and the three girls stayed out for 45 minutes. I was nervous to be down without James there and it was actually scary because our dive master wasn’t paying attention to us. I had to chase her down to tell her I was running out of air in the end, not cool. But it was still a good experience overall and I’m glad we did it.
We had an hour break in between our two dives. We enjoyed lunch (but someone ate mine so we had to do a switcharoo) and drank hot chocolate. Our second dive was at a long wall and lasted about the same amount of time. James did an excellent job for his first real open water dive. After the dives we headed back to our hotel, showered and went out to enjoy the city and walk the streets
Viking Caves…Yes Viking Caves
If you go on any boat tour, they probably show you the Viking caves
This was a mind blowing experience, something out of this world and truly unforgettable. Stay to the end, as the fire show at the end is incredible.
THE ROAM DOWN
- Duration: Most tours last about 4 hours or more
- Difficulty: Easy
- Wow Factor: Medium
- Essentials to Bring: Camera
- Highlights: Historical location
On your way to Ko Phi Phi, you’ll pass by these famous Viking Caves! Don’t worry if you miss them, pretty much every boat tour from Ko Phi Phi will bring you closer to get a good look at them!
The Infamous Maya Bay
Crowed as it may be, it’s still gorgeous
This coastline is so unique, you have to make a day of it. Book an early tour for a more relaxed visit.
THE ROAM DOWN
- Duration: 4-5 Hours
- Difficulty: Easy
- Wow Factor: High
- Essentials to Bring: Good Walking Shoes
- Highlights: Pristine water and gorgeous views
Today we had our Maya Bay tour but we also had to check out of our hotel because we were heading to Krabi next. The hotel was okay with holding onto our stuff for us so that was really nice and worked out perfectly. Our tour included breakfast so we enjoyed a tasty curry meal at the restaurant and boarded a long tail boat. Our tour guides didn’t speak any English so half the time we really didn’t know where we were or if we were supposed to get out of the boat. We had a few short 10 minute stops at places and everyone was confused as to whether this was supposed to be a snorkeling spot or a sightseeing spot. It was kind of funny and made for a lot of jokes in our group. We finally made it over to Maya Bay. It was so crowded but its still a place you have to see. We hiked a little through the island and swam at the beach.
KRABI
Not that touristy, and that’s why we love Krabi!
Railay Beach
One of the top three beaches in Thailand
Plan to spend at least a day enjoying this gorgeous beach. Better yet, stay a few nights at a local hotel!
THE ROAM DOWN
- Duration: 2 hr tours, or book your own ticket and stay!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Wow Factor: Very High
- Essentials to Bring: Swim suit, camera, beach towel
- Highlights: Best beach views and watching climbers
After getting to Railay Beach, we set our stuff next to a family and went to enjoy the water. We swam out about a quarter of a mile to get closer to a cave on the left side of the beach. It was only 4 feet deep but you had to swim because all below us was sharp coral rock. We met a couple with their family just before reaching the cave and chatted with them for a bit. We finally made it to the cave. James explored deeper where the kayakers were all going but I headed back because the rock was so sharp to stand on and I knew it would take me longer to get to shore. We noticed that the tide had gone out and where there used to be four feet of water, there was now 6 inches and less. Much of the area we had swam was now just sand and sharp rocks. We glided on the top of the water as far as we could and then had to walk the last part. We were really worried that there could be a tsunami coming since the tide had gone out so much in less than 30 minutes. James made it to the beach and went to ask a local if this was normal. They said this happens everyday around 2-3 pm so that was a relief. This experience was a reminder to always have our chacos with us, it would’ve really saved our feet from getting scratched on the sharp rocks. We literally left a piece of ourselves at this beautiful beach and it wasn’t just from our hearts. We spent a few hours enjoying the beautiful beach and then walked back across the island to grab a long tail boat back to Krabi.
Rent a Scooter
Best place to rent a scooter, cause there aren’t a lot of people
The best and safest place to rent a scooter in Thailand! It’s so different to explore a city by scooter!
THE ROAM DOWN
- Duration: Per day rentals
- Cost: ฿820/day
- Wow Factor: Very High
- Essentials to Bring: Attitude for adventure
- Highlights: Exploring all of Krabi with ease!
This morning we woke up and rented another scooter. As soon as we got on the street we noticed how there were hardly any cars on the road, it was the perfect place to cruise the area. We drove all over Krabi, clear to the large beach on the other side. Krabi is sooooo pretty. There are little peaks all over and beautiful mountains nearby covered in trees. It has a small feel to it too even though there is a lot happening there. I couldn’t take my eyes of the views while we were driving around.
Everything You Need To Know Before Visiting Thailand
Go through this list before you visit Thailand and things will be a lot easier
Before your trip, call your phone provider and unlock your cell phone for international data and text usage, so you can use a travel SIM card.
Learn about Buddhism before your trip so you can appreciate the culture, rituals, and respect the worshipping in the wats that you will see.
To go in wats, you must be barefoot and wearing pants or a long skirt.
Many hotels do not have hair conditioner, so bring your own
Eat where the locals eat or pay 5x as much for the same food and double for water/coke.
If you travel in the shoulder/off season, book your first hotel night online and then extend your stay when you get there. It’s much cheaper to book in person. The only places you cannot do this is Phi Phi island and some of the famous beaches.
Always agree on a taxi price before getting into one.
Carry smaller baht bills. Most taxi drivers will tell you they don’t have change so that they can keep the difference.
Use the bus system, its way cheaper than flying or ferries and can get you anywhere.
Arrive to the ferry ports early so you can barter prices. You can usually get tickets for half price.
Only buy a one way ticket to and from Phi Phi Don. If you plan to travel to Krabi or anywhere else from there, its cheaper to buy the ticket once you get to Phi Phi.
Do not ever let a taxi driver or anyone pick up your bags to escort you. They will talk in Thai to the person or place you are meeting and tell them to charge more so they get a commission.
If you are a women, don’t sit next to, touch, hand something to, or stand taller (if they are sitting) than a monk.
Before you get on a ferry, put all your electronics and valuables in a small bag or backpack. They’ll force you to put your big bags in a pile that may end up at the bottom of 30 other bags and your stuff will probably get broken. They are very serious about everyone checking their bags.
Don’t book tours until you get there and always offer them half the price and barter from there.
If a taxi driver tells you the place you want to go is closed, find someone else to drive you. They will try to convince you to go other places that actually make them commissions.
Take a small roll of TP and bar soap from your hotel before checking out. Public restrooms rarely have TP and there is often no soap in the airport bathrooms. Take toilet paper and hand sanitizer on day trips.
Use your coins before coming home. Banks won’t exchange coins in the US.
Eat the Thai Pancakes (Roti) and get as many Kiwi shakes as you can find!!!
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