One of the best things to do in Ao Nang is take a long tail boat ride

The Best Things to Do in Ao Nang, Thailand

If you’re anything like me, you’ve never heard of Ao Nang, Thailand. This small city is down the road from Krabi and serves as a jumping off point for sun seeking day trippers in Southern Thailand. I think people call the entire area Krabi after the airport. But when people saying they are heading to Krabi for a holiday, what they really mean is Ao Nang. Krabi is the city. Ao Nang has most of the boats. (Although you may need to go to Krabi pier for some of your tours.)

Honestly, I can’t really remember what made me book Ao Nang out of all the places in Southern Thailand, but it must have been something that said “cheap” and “fast WiFi.” I also think the fact that it’s got a Muslim population made me think, “Hmmm…probably not that many sexpats then. That’s good.” (Thailand has a sizable Muslim population in the south of the country, as you get get closer to Malaysia.)

I’m going to be honest here…After I arrived in Ao Nang, I wasn’t sure about my decision to stay here. Ao Nang is BUSY. It’s touristy. And my hotel was in the heart of all the busyness, located right off the main drag. But at something like $25 a night, the neat and tidy Whalecome Resort was a bargain. So I stayed. And because everyone at my hotel and in Ao Nang was just so gosh darn nice to me, I stayed some more. Even the tuk tuk drivers were amazingly chill and friendly and HELPFUL. I ended up really really liking Ao Nang. I’d go back in a heartbeat. Here’s what I got up to in town:

Spas in Ao Nang

One of the best things to do in Ao Nang is hit up one of the many spas and massage places. Get it all done while you are here! Massages, facials, scrubs, and manicures and pedicures are all very affordable. I didn’t think you could bargain but during many of my treatments, I saw a number of groups arrange group discounts, specifically. So don’t be afraid to ask! (Although for me, prices are so low, I feel really bad bargaining.)

Ruen Sukothai: I got a manicure, pedicure, facial and massage at this spa and found it to be friendly and clean. The guy that did my nails was amazingly friendly and even put me on the back of his motorbike one evening to take me to his favorite seafood place. (Krua Thara. See below.) The prices here were great and you can book via Facebook, which is handy. (They get very busy in the evenings.) My only complaint is that you don’t get an entirely private room for your treatments, presumably unless you ask. (It’s like a hospital bed situation with a curtain down the middle of the room.) So in the middle of my massage, they pulled a curtain closed and another tourist entered the room. (To be fair, it was pretty dark.) For the price though, it was hard to complain.

Thai Thai Massage at Golden Beach Resort: During one morning walk, I found this massage place facing the beach and resolved to return later that evening. For a very bargain price of 200 Thai baht (September 2018 pricing), you can get a one-hour Thai massage while listening to the waves and the long boats as they make their way back and forth from Railay. I liked this place a lot and it was so cheap, I visited three times in total. It became a running joke between me and the staff, when they would see me out for my morning walk. “See you later!!” To find this place, go down to the Ao Nang beachfront where the big flight of stairs is to the beach. As you are facing the water. turn left and walk straight on the pedestrian-looking path. (There are still a few cars but I think it’s a “local traffic only” situation.) Keep walking until you see the BIG massage platform.

Exercising in Ao Nang

This might not be on the top of your list of things to do in Ao Nang but hey, exercise is always a good thing. Here are two suggestions for keeping fit on your holiday in Ao Nang:

Bull Muay Thai: I sorta fell in love with Muay Thai in Ao Nang. I found Bull Muay Thai online and organized a few private workouts. This is a bare bones boxing gym but sometimes, that’s all you need And for 500,000 baht per session (2018 prices), how could you not? This is an amazing workout. Note that if you take a tuk tuk to Bull Muay Thai, ask the driver to come back and get you because it can be very hard to get a tuk tuk back. (Or get the driver’s phone number so you can call or text them later..)

The Beachfront Path: Ao Nang’s waterfront is pretty walkable so I really recommend a sunrise or sunset walk either directly along the beach or on the promenade  right above the beach.

Restaurants in Ao Nang

You will not go hungry in Ao Nang, that’s for sure. There’s a ton of Thai food but a lot of Indian food and well, most cuisines that you can imagine. Exploring the food of Southern Thailand is, in my mind, one of the best things to do in Ao Nang.

Krua Thara: On one of my first nights in Ao Nang, the guy that did my nails at Ruen Sukothai put me on the back of his motorbike and drove me along the coast to Krua Thara. I was one of the only tourists in the place and enjoyed a load of delicious, fresh Thai oysters. (Served with slices of lime and all sorts of chilis.) If you’re up for a short ride, this is a great choice although it’s distinctly lacking in atmosphere. (Aluminum chairs, fish tanks.) Bonus: Krua Thara drove me  home??? For free?? There was a bit of a language barrier so no idea if this is normal or not but when I asked for a tuk tuk or taxi to go home, they put me in their SUV and drove me back to Ao Nang!

The Last Fisherman: The place I ended up going to most often in Ao Nang was The Last Fisherman, which is right on the water on the end of the beach closer to the monkeys and Railay. I just really liked the kids that worked here and I liked the food a lot too. I had a great Thai omelette one night and a fantastic Massaman curry another night. They were also one of the few places I found that served wine a reasonable price and not in a thimble. I recommend heading here for sunset drinks. (Maybe get a massage from the massage place at the Golden Beach Resort I mention above first and then walk further south to Last Fisherman afterwards.)

Massaman: More than a few restaurant and bar managers recommended Massaman to me so I dropped in once and found the service so friendly and easygoing that I came back a second time. I really only had snacks here so I can’t comment on the full meal service but I felt very comfortable here.

Jenna’s Bistro: One day I just really wanted a salad. So I went to Jenna’s Bistro and had a great chicken Caesar and it was AWESOME. Honestly, it was so great. I was really happy here. Expensive but I needed a change from all Thai food, all the time.

Thailandia: I’m a sucker for atmosphere and this place looked great from the outside…all dark wood and foliage. Inside, the servers were in traditional dress and there was live guitar music. It was ALL tourists as opposed to Krua Thara which had a nice mix. Service at Thailandia was very formal and stiff. The food was okay. Nothing overly bad about it but afterwards, I sorta wished I had taken a motorbike ride along the coast back to Krua Thara.

Jose: This place was right down the hill from my hotel so I stopped in for a light dinner of chicken satay one night. It was nice to be up  a level, looking down on the street, but other than that…meh.

Cooking Class in Ao Nang

While we’re talking about food…whenever I am in Thailand, I can’t get enough of the food. So I love trying to make it myself. If you are like me, then I think one of the best things to do in Ao Nang is to take a cooking class. There are two schools that are located relatively close to downtown Ao Nang that are worth taking a look at. A bit further afield, there’s Krabi Thai Cookery School. And a little closer to Ao Nang, there’s Ao Nang Thai Cookery School. Both schools will include hotel pickups so definitely ask them if they can come get you.

Buy Wine at Mother Marche in Ao Nang

Wine in Ao Nang is either ridiculously expensive or just plain bad. (With the exception of The Last Fisherman on the waterfront who seems to get it right!) So if you are hurting for some wine, there’s a really great and amazing European/American-style grocery store in Ao Nang on the main drag. You’ll need to be wiling to walk 10 minutes up from the beach. It’s called Mother Marche and it is fantastic. It has an amazing wine selection with wines from all over the world. I highly recommend it!

Tours from Ao Nang

One of the top things to do in Ao Nang is to take a boat tour of the surrounding islands. There are so many options!! Before you book anything, make sure you understand the price of a packaged group tour vs the price of doing something just with your group. Also, consider speedboat vs long tail boat. Lastly, consider food…is food included and if so, will you get a basic lunchbox or will there be a fancier buffet involved? Personally, I decided I liked the buffet setups better because there was always more food.

Hong Island Tour. I really loved the islands we visited on this tour and just wish there hadn’t been 35 other tourists with me. Also, at every stop, there are like 12 other speedboat tours. Lading Island was particularly beautiful but also particularly crowded. Hong Island is really swimmable and big enough for everyone and was my overall favorite spot. Book a Hong Island tour. 

All the other speedboat tours during my Four Islands Tour

Four Islands including Koh Poda. Koh Poda is one of those “So near…but so far…” islands. You can see if from Ao Nang but unless you are traveling with others and can rent a long boat for yourselves, there’s no good way to get there. I tried to take the public boat service but they only go when full and no one wanted to go to Ko Poda because the national park fee makes it expensive. The public boats really just go back and forth to Railay all day long. We also visited Railay on this tour to see the “penis grotto,” which was less interesting to me because I had already done that myself when I stayed at Rayavadee. In short, I think if you can only do one boat tour, do the Hong Island tour. Mainly because it’s easy to do Railay on your own so to me, that discounts the value of the Four Islands tour. Book a Four Islands tour. 

Things to Do in Ao Nang: Take a Tuk Tuk to Tubkaek Beach

Tubkaek Beach: After doing the two tours, I decided I wanted to get away from everyone so I got a tuk tuk driver for the day and had him take me all the way to Tubkaek Beach which ended up being much further than I expected. (The ride felt long but it was probably only 30 minutes.) HOWEVER, once I got there, it was perfect. There was NO ONE there and the beach was nice and there was just one restaurant on the beach, attached to the Tubkaek Krabi Boutique Resort hotel. I felt a bit bad making my tuk tuk driver wait for me while I sat on the beach for two hours ad read my book and swam but he seemed totally fine with it. On the way back, he even bought me some fresh watermelon from a roadside stand and a bottle of water. I mean…how much do I love Thailand?

Things to do in Ao Nang: Visit Railay Beach

Railay Beach: Guys, I was so excited to visit Railay Beach after reading so much about it and hearing that it was one of the best things to do in Ao Nang but then I was just…underwhelmed. It’s a working beach like Ao Nang and not very relaxing. (Lots of long tail boats coming and going. Basically, a taxi parking lot) Maybe I was on the wrong end of things (by Rayavadee) but it was’t for me. I just did’t think it was worth the trip. (I mean…compare the beach in this photo to the photos of the other beaches.) Note I also had food poisoning at this point though and was pretty miserable which may have colored my perspective.

Things to Do in Ao Nang: Visit Koh Phi Phi

Koh Phi Phi: There are many different options for getting to Koh Phil Phi but I had a private speedboat transfer because I was going to the Holiday Inn Koh Phi Phi. I really liked the north part of Phi Phi island where the Holiday Inn is. The beach is GREAT. I’ve been to the main part of Phi Phi before with the ferry and it was good but man…the beach at the Holiday Inn was amazing. Note there’s a public ferry that takes you to Tonsai Pier for the public beaches. Book a tour of Phi Phi from Ao Nang.

Summary of Things to Do In Ao Nang Thailand

Maybe you never heard of Ao Nang before you read this post. It’s a fun, affordable place to stay in Thailand with access to a ton of fun tours and outings.  There are so many things to do in Ao Nang! You will not be bored. (And if you do get bored, get a massage!)

Need More Things to do in Ao Nang and Krabi? Take a Tour!

You Might Also Enjoy

• The Perfect 2 Day Bangkok Itinerary
• Things to Do in Chiang Mai, Thailand
• My Tips for a Two Week Detox at Kamalaya Koh Samui
• Cost of My Four Weeks in Thailand

Pin Things to Do in Ao Nang Thailand for Later!

The post 16 of The Best Things to Do in Ao Nang, Thailand first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Kamalaya Koh Samui is a great place for health retreat in Thailand.

Tips for a Health Retreat at Kamalaya Koh Samui, Thailand

Visiting Kamalaya Koh Samui for a health retreat is a commitment. It’s a commitment to healthy living and well, it’s a commitment to stairs and walking uphill. Because Kamalaya is on a hill. A big one. Get ready for all the uphillness! If you’re planning a long stay — I’m not the only person who stayed two weeks — I have a couple of tips and pieces of advice for you that may make your health retreat easier and more enjoyable. I searched in vain for tips for Kamalaya Koh Samui before my stay and had to sort through hundreds of online reviews before I found a few actionable pieces of advice, so I hope the wonders of the Internet bring this post to the attention of all those who are planning a Kamalaya Thailand visit or looking for a health retreat on Koh Samui.

Everything You Need to Know about Kamalaya Koh Samui!

• Bring books. Paper ones. On the detox program, you will spend a lot of time in the infrared sauna, which is 45 degrees C. A lot of people complained about boredom, but I had a bunch of great paperbacks with me so my 30 minute sessions sped by. I also spent a lot of time in the two pools, and loved lazing around with my paperbacks. Check out my favorite recent reads for some suggestions.
• Bring slip-on shoes. As you go from treatment to treatment, you will constantly be taking your shoes off and putting them back on again. Sneakers are a hassle. I prefer sandals with ankle straps, and even those were a pain. In hindsight, I wish I had brought a pair of Birkenstocks or something.
• Get a Thai SIM card at the airport. While there is wireless in your room and in the reception area — and if the breeze blows the right way, you can also get a connection at the cafe during lunch and at the main pool — having a Thai SIM card made me the envy of many a guest. I bought 15 GB of data at the airport on one of the tourist SIMs they sell right after baggage claim. Surprisingly, I only used about 4 GB of data, and that’s with a lot of Snapchat. (In NYC this summer, I was using 2 gb of data a day sometimes!) I know Kamalaya Koh Samui wants everyone to digitally detox but I really wanted to easily stay in contact with friends and family.
• Pick your disposable underwear wisely: During your treatments, there are two types of disposable underwear: regular and g-string. I found the g-strings deeply uncomfortable, so I learned early on to ask for the “big ones” if the room setup looked like it only had g-strings.
• Get that big betal leaf starter at dinner. The food at Kamalaya Koh Samui is truly delicious. There’s one starter that gives you a bunch of (delicious) betal leaves and then a cornucopia of seeds and other little bits to put in each leaf and eat. It’s very prettily presented — an Instagram moment — and it’s very filling and delicious too.
• Bring bug spray. The American in me brought a ton of bug spray — Zika fears — and I really went overboard. But definitely bring some. While the resort does a great job of spraying and putting mosquito repellant candles and incense around, nothing beats a good bug spray. I found that my bites generally occurred at dinner or on the way back to my room after dinner. Note that you can ask the staff at the restaurants for bug spray.
• Don’t be afraid of the community table: As someone who tends to lean more towards the introvert end of the spectrum, tt took me a good six days to join the community table, but then I am so glad I did. Guests from all over the world, and I met Dan Lepard’s sister too!! (Dan is a well-known baker in London.) I found that people didn’t tend to join the community table until around 7:30 pm or so. This is one of my biggest tips for Kamalaya Koh Samui.

Ask for a mattress topper for your room at Kamalaya Koh Samui

• Ask for a mattress topper: The beds are pretty darn firm. While I do like a firm mattress, this was definitely too firm for me. The resort offers mattress toppers to those who ask. While it wasn’t perfect — a Tempurpedic would have been better — it was a lot better than the regular mattress.
• Don’t buy a hat at the gift shop. My last minute emergency hat purchase — we were heading out on a boat ride — cost me $173 USD. Yes, you read that correctly. The hat is, uh,  handwoven in Ecuador, so there’s that. But I am an IDIOT. I was not paying attention to the exchange rate. I just wanted a hat. 🙁 So buy a nice straw hat from Amazon before your trip. You can get hats in town at the beach for like $10 USD.
• 

  Kamalaya Koh Samui Boat Cruise

• Take the Kamalaya boat ride! It was truly gorgeous. There was a masseuse on board and the food was delicious and we went snorkeling and we saw the sun set and the staff were lovely and kept bringing us more and more snacks. Note that the boat ride stops at some point in October because of the low season, so definitely check to make sure it’s running.
• Bring — and wear — sunscreen. This probably goes without saying. But even when it is overcast, the Thai sun is surprisingly strong.
• Call the buggy. On a few days of my detox, I was definitely feeling sluggish and low. Conquering the hill after lunch was just not going to happen. The staff will very happily send a golf cart for you and it will seriously be there in two minutes. Do it.
• Get a Reiki treatment: “Hah,” I thought. “Laying of the hands??? I doubt it.” Well, I’m a convert now. My two reiki sessions with Jos were strange and weird and wonderful all at the same time. For hours afterwards, I felt amazing, and my poor right ankle — which I’ve sprained multiple times over the last few years — has never been better. All very strange, really. But good strange.
• Don’t overbook yourself. My schedule for my health retreat was super action-packed. Three treatments a day most days. I could have used some more downtime. If I go back, I think I’ll do a 7-day package of treatments, booked over ten days of stay. Seriously. This is one of my most important tips for Kamalaya Koh Samui. Unwind. Relax! (Update: When I returned to Kamalaya Koh Samui in 2017, I did a 9 day comprehensive detox program over 12 days which I liked better and allowed me to hit the gym every day and spend more time at the pools.)
• Pumpkin everything. The pumpkin curry and the pumpkin dumplings at dinner were particularly, pumpkinly outstanding. If you do one of the cooking classes, the chef will let you choose one of Kamalaya’s recipes to take home with you.
• Bring your own shampoo. If you’re on a program with a lot of treatments, you will take a lot of showers and particularly, if you have the Indian head massage, the natural shampoo that the hotel offers just doesn’t cut the coconut oil in the Indian head massage enough. It took me two days and six shampoos before my hair felt normal again.
• Embrace the coconut. I don’t think I’ve ever drank so much coconut juice in my entire life. It was always there for me. I have a new appreciation for the coconut. It’s delicious. At one point, I escaped the resort for a few hours with a couple of Australians on the resort bus. (See next point.) We stumbled into a beach bar and, still on the detox program, I asked the staff for some lemongrass tea. “No tea here. Coca-cola!” was the depressing response. “Ah but you must have a coconut,” I replied. And yes, it was delivered.
• Take the resort bus into town! It’s a small town and there might not be much going on but it’s still nice for a few hours and the beach is great and swimmable.
• Ask for lemongrass ice tea! Because I can only do so much coconut, I started to ask for cold lemongrass tea at lunch and dinner. Basically they will make the tea and put ice in it and serve it with Stevia leaves. This is not a standard option on the menus but they will definitely do it if you ask!
• Get a long massage the evening  you arrive. I had a 90 minute oil massage on the evening I arrived and I went to bed afterwards and slept 12 hours. It was amazing. I had ZERO jetlag in Thailand. Amazing.
• Pick up a glass of water at the lunch cafe before heading to the pool. Staff don’t always service the main pool, so I learned early on to ask for a big cup of water before I set up shop. Also, there are extra towels in the restroom by the main pool. (By main pool, I mean the pretty one by the cafe for lunch.)
• Take the tours! In addition to the boat ride, I did the different island tours and loved them. Both times, I ended up with a private tour which was great. It’s a very beautiful island so definitely make some time to explore!
• Check out the library. There is a HUGE library of books guests have left behind off the reception area. In all different languages too!
• Do a personal training session. During my 2nd visit, I did a personal training session and LOVED IT. I told the training that I liked boxing so we did a bunch of boxing moves. It was great and I wish I had done more of it.
• Use the gym. Most days, I had it to myself. I just liked to go ride the stationary bike for 45 minutes and read my book. Great view of the water from the gym!
• Tell them which treatment rooms you don’t want: There is one set of treatment rooms that is way way up — there are a lot of stairs. (Up above the acupuncture building.) If you are not physically fit, you may struggle with this. I decided to treat it like a challenge but man, it was not easy. Later, they told me I could have asked for different rooms.

Prices for a Kamalaya Koh Samui Health Retreat

If you’ve got the cash, I highly recommend a trip to Kamalaya Koh Samui. I’ve been twice now — once in late September 2016 and again late September 2017. For a 9 day comprehensive detox program spread over 12 nights in in 2017, I paid £4399.00.This does not include flights. Also, I’m not sure if double occupancy is cheaper.

I am sure there are more tips for Kamalaya  Koh Samui I can share — and I welcome any questions — but for now, those are my tips for Kamalaya Thailand. I hope you enjoy your stay!

I have one other post about Kamalaya Koh Samui that you may find helpful — it contains my initial impressions.

Other Posts about Thailand

• What to Do in Chiang Mai
• How to Spend 2 Days in Bangkok

Koh Samui Thailand Tours

The post My Tips for a Health Retreat at Kamalaya Koh Samui, Thailand first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Detoxing. Clean eating. Cleansing. These are pretty unpopular words within the food community. And trust me, I get it. A few years ago, I met with a nutritionist to discuss my lifestyle and dietary habits. (I’ve heard time and time again that it’s 80% diet, 20% exercise.) She told me I could never eat chicken skin again.

Who wants to live in a world with no chicken skin???

Not me, that’s for sure. So I never met with her again.

But I’m not the 29 year old that started this blog anymore and certain things need to be addressed. Luckily my blood pressure is low and so is my cholesterol, but it’s everything else that needed some attention. Overall diet, stress levels, caffeine and alcohol consumed…hopefully you get the picture.

I’m a strong believer in collecting expert advice and uh, also paying money to make problems go away. So I decided a two week detox somewhere tropical made an awful lot of sense for me at this point in my life. I needed a kick-start. I called a bunch of travel agents and interviewed them all. (It’s amazing how helpful a knowledgeable travel agent can be.) My simple question…where was the best place to go for a big ole dose of healthy living?

Kamalaya Koh Samui was the resounding answer from all four travel agents that I spoke with, and they all enthusiastically endorsed what a great place it is for the solo traveler — the community table at mealtimes was a nice selling point. I’d be alone, but only really alone when I wanted to be. So I booked through Healing Holidays because their prices were the best and they also seemed to be the largest UK travel agent partners of Kamalaya, which I liked. They also threw in a £150 quid gift card that I could use on spa services. While some other travel agents offered me a small incentive, the Healing Holidays incentive was by far the best.

I’ll get more into the particulars of my visit to Kamalaya in other posts, but my two weeks were absolutely, positively beautiful. The food was delicious, the staff were lovely, the spa treatments were amazing, and the grounds were gorgeous. (Although there were many stairs. About 100 steps uphill to get from the spa center to my room.) I returned to the UK refreshed, clearer, and lighter — both physically and spiritually. I discovered a previously untapped knack for meditation (good to reduce the stress I let myself experience), and I have an entirely new appreciation for both lemongrass and ginger tea. I also read five books and made a good start on a sixth. Most importantly, I abstained from meat, caffeine, refined sugar, soy, gluten and booze for 14 straight days. Complain about clean eaters all you want, but I think it’s a good thing to abstain from crap every so often.

Of course, as soon as I got home, I had a glass of rose and some delicious cold Middlewhite at St. John. You know what they say about old habits…

Koh Samui Tours

The post My Two-Week Detox at Kamalaya, Koh Samui first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Visit Wat Pho at night during my 2 days in Bangkok itinerary

My 2 Days in Bangkok Itinerary

Bangkok is crazy” Crazy huge, crazy crowded, crazy with traffic. I don’t think I could live in Bangkok — the traffic would seriously make me want to die and public transport isn’t the greatest — but visiting is fun. It’s chaotic, but fun. I usually use Bangkok as a jumping off point for other destinations, so here’s my suggestion for a 2 days in Bangkok itinerary. Note that because of Bangkok’s traffic and how steamy it can get, I’ve been intentionally vague about timings here!! My top recommendation for you is to make sure your hotel is very close to a BTS station as that will really help you move around the city and avoid the crazy traffic.

Day 1 of Your 2 Days in Bangkok Itinerary

Jim Thompson House

Start your morning at the Jim Thompson House. Mr. Thompson was an American who fell in love with Thailand and returned to the country after he was discharged from the military after World War II. He had an innate understanding of design and color and went on to rebuilding the silk industry in Thailand. His home is absolutely gorgeous and a serene oasis in the middle of busy Bangkok.  The gift shop is great and you’ll find Jim Thompson boutiques scattered around Thailand. Note guided tours start on the hour.

Take to the river during this 2 days in Bangkok itinerary

Bangkok Rice Barge Afternoon Tour

After picking up a quick lunch, head out for a tour of the Bangkok’s waterways. This is a GREAT way to see the city. This particular tour was crazy but it was still a highlight of my trip. They dumped six of us into a traditional Thai long boat and then we headed out into the main river, where we jostled for position with barges and ferries and all sorts of maritime vehicles. I come from a big family of boaters and we take boating pretty seriously, so the fact that we were not provided with life jackets while we were zipping around so many other boats and barges sort of bothered me. (The boat pictured is the type of boat we were on.) Specifically, there didn’t seem to be any rules on the river about right of way or port-to-port passing, which was a little crazy. Living on the edge, I tell you. (I believe this may have changed recently after the boating accident in Phuket that killed a number of Chinese tourists. Thailand seems to be requiring more life jackets these days.) After about 45 minutes of this, we pulled into a quiet canal where we were transferred to spacious rice barge and treated to an amazing selection of fruits and nuts as we put-putted at a much more leisurely pace around the rivers and canals of Bangkok. This was a much calmer experience and I felt a lot safer and my heart rate returned to normal. I still think you should do this tour! It’s really fun and the fruits and everything on the barge were great.  Book this  tour on Viator.

Bangkok Food Tour by Night with Tuk Tuk Ride

After your river tour, take a break back at your hotel before gearing up for this crazy fun tour, which will definitely be a huge highlight of your trip. During my tour, we piled into a bunch of tuk-tuks and zipped all around Bangkok…at NIGHT when traffic was at a minimum. I didn’t get home til midnight!!! We had Wat Po all to ourselves, which was amazing. The tour also included a visit to beautiful Pak Klong Talat, Thailand’s largest flower market. Lots of very tasty snacks throughout. The Thai sausages were a highlight.  Book this tour.

Take a food tour during your 2 days in Bangkok itinerary

Day 2 of Your 2 Days in Bangkok Itinerary

Village of Love Food Tour

Start the 2nd day of your 2 Days in Bangkok Itinerary with this delicious tour of Bangkok’s Village of Love neighborhood. During my tour, this lady making fresh fishcakes was a definite highlight. Our group also tried traditional Thai desserts, herbal drinks, Thai fruits, fresh curries, and then to top it all off, we headed to a restaurant that specializes in Royal Cuisine, where we enjoyed multiple courses in a very relaxing setting with great air conditioning and clean bathrooms. Book this tour.

Top Floor of the Paragon Department Store

Time to buy souvenirs and there is no better place to do so than the top floor of Paragon Department Store. After your food tour, hop on the BTS and head to the Siam stop for Paragon Department store and head up to the 4th floor. This is THE place to go for Thai silks and cottons and all sorts of handcrafts.  I have always loved fabrics — pashminas, wraps, sarongs, blankets, scarves — so I had to be dragged out of the store, so enthralled was I with everything Thai and handmade. I picked up a ton of sarongs for all my gal pals as gifts. Beautiful and inexpensive to boot. Highly recommended. Note that you’re looking for something called Paragon Passage on the 4th floor.  Visit their website.

Dinner at Nahm at the Como Metropolitano

After taking a little siesta during the heat of the day back at your hotel (I highly recommend booking a Bangkok hotel with a pool just for this reason), get ready for dinner at Nahm at the Como Metropolitano hotel to round out your 2 days in Bangkok. The restaurant is now being led by acclaimed Thai born, San Francisco chef Pim Techamuanvivit. When I last visited, Pim wasn’t yet in place so I can’t tell you what exactly to expect, but I know you will enjoy the hotel’s modern surroundings and delicious food on your last night in Bangkok. Book a table at Nahm.

Where to Stay in Bangkok

Stay at the Lit Bangkok during your trip

The Lit Bangkok, is a centrally located oasis of modern, fabulously designed calm. I really loved it here and would gladly return. I loved the hotel bed — excellent mattress and excellent linens — and the marble bathroom and the lovely linen bathrobe and the staff in the bar and restaurant and the spa. Did I mention the spa? The spa was amazing. After a long day of walking, I had a one hour foot massage — lying down — and it did me a treat. I felt like a brand new person afterwards. (The spa is also deliciously beautiful.) The hotel is located a two minute walk (but a very long staircase) away from the National Stadium Skytrain stop, making it convenient for most things. In fact, if there’s one lesson I learned during my time in Bangkok, don’t sit in a taxi in traffic. Just have the taxi take you to the nearest Skytrain or subway stop and go from there. Book the Lit Bangkok.

As you can see, this 2 days in Bangkok itinerary helps you hit some of the hot spots, but if you go, consider spending more than two day in town. There’s so much good stuff to see!

Other Thailand Posts You Might Enjoy

• What to Do in Chiang Mai
• What to Do in Ao Nang
• My Two-Week Health Retreat at Kamalaya Koh Samui

Need More to Do during Your 2 Days in Bangkok? Book a Bangkok Tour!

The post How to Spend 2 Days in Bangkok first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

The De Naga Hotel

Things to Do in Chiang Mai, Thailand

I don’t know what I was expecting, but Chiang Mai wasn’t it. I wasn’t expecting the coffee shops or the coworking spaces or the expat community or all the restaurants and bars and FOOD. Chiang Mai is a city that likes to eat. A lot. Everywhere, on every corner, there’s a guy and a barbecue and FOOD. In fact, I think that’s really one of the best things to do in Chiang Mai: EAT. There are locals at the stalls and expats and tourists and everyone seems to be getting along swimmingly. How the Thai people stay so slim, I do not understand.

So I kinda fell a little in love with Chiang Mai. It’s so fun! And so cheap! And so delicious! (Did I mention the food?)  There are so many things to do in Chiang Mai, Thailand I could happily stay here forever. I was sad I didn’t have more time here. In hindsight, I would have skipped Phuket (although it was nice to get some sunshine) and stayed up north. Ah well, next time. Here’s what I got up to while I was in town and my top recommendations for your trip.

Where to Stay in Chiang Mai

De Naga Hotel: Sometimes, I get lucky. I booked this hotel on the edge of the old town and whenever one of my tours picked me up or dropped me off, there were envious “oooohhhs” from the back of the car. De Naga is a gorgeous, gorgeous hotel. If they just upped their service, amenities and Internet speed, they could easily be five star. I really enjoyed my stay here. Great location, sweet staff, delicious food and drink. On the downside, the wifi was SUPER SLOW. Book the Da Naga Hotel.

U Chiang Mai: During my second visit to Chiang Mai, I stayed at U Chiang Mai and really liked it a lot. It has a small swimming pool which is great on those days where Chiang Mai gets too hot. It’s also very centrally located in the old town.

Making Khao Soi at a local cooking school is one of the top things to do in Chiang Mai

Take a Cooking Class in Chiang Mai

Zabb-E-Lee Cooking School: I spent an enjoyable evening at this centrally located Thai cooking school. Ann, our instructor, managed to make cooking fun (always hard for me). We made so many things…spring rolls, hot and sour creamy soup, green curry, red curry, massaman curry, Khao Soi (the dish of Chiang Mai), sticky rice with mango and I forget what else but it was all in abundance.  Lots of Brits in attendance so I felt right at home. Highly recommended. Doing a cooking class is one of the top things to do in Chiang Mai, Thailand so you definitely should book this. Visit their website.

Mmmm massaman curry in Chiang Mai at Ugo

Restaurants in Chiang Mai

Ugo: Foursquare directed me to the restaurant at this small guesthouse by Thapae Gate and I am so glad. The massaman curry was ACE. And beautiful to boot. I liked the food and the service so much, I went back the next day. Visit their website.

I can eat Pad Se Eu all day long. Her’s Dash’s version.

Dash Restaurant: On my last day in Chiang Mai, I decided to just randomly walk around and see where Foursquare sent me. Well, they sent me here, to Dash, and it was interesting. Firstly, it’s a lovely space and someone has obviously thought about the decor. Oddly, everyone there was Chinese but me. OK, maybe not so oddly. The Chinese are all over Thailand.  China has a new middle class…have passport, will travel…and travel to Thailand they do. In droves!  Where they all eat at Dash, apparently, and enjoy the tasty pad se eu.  Visit their website.

Drink Craft Beer in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai does not have a great craft beer scene, mainly for competitive reasons. The big players have made it practically impossible to open a smaller brewery in Thailand. However, if you want to drink craft beer in Chiang Mai, there are still a few good places to do so, although you are more likely to find yourself drinking Vietnamese beers or beers from the UK. Keep an eye out for “My Beer Friend” which is a beer from a Thai brewer who makes his beer in Cambodia and then reimports it into Thailand.

Parallel Universe of Lunar 2 on The Hidden Moon: This small bar is located on the 5th floor of One Nimman. Find the southwest corner of the mall and you’ll find an elevator there to take you up to the top. It’s also a great spot to watch the sunset and/orthe planes take off from Chiang Mai airport as the bar has balconies on both the south and west sides of the building.

A Must Cafe & You: The guys at Parallel Universe sent me here when I said I was hungry. They said they had a ton of craft beers and great food. The food is mostly western but I did find a duck curry that was great. I also found a beer made in Chiang Mai, which was pretty amazing. (Now I am going to forget the name but it’s made my a local university professor and is something like “Naughty Nice”?) They also had live music the evening I was there which was quite fun. This is just a few blocks south of Parallel Universe so you can do exactly what I did — watch the sunset at Parallel Universe and then walk down here for dinner.

Visit a Chiang Mai Spa

Fah Lanna Spa: The spa treatments in Chiang Mai are deliciously cheap so I headed over to one of the bigger and bolder ventures, Fah Lanna, for a scrub, massage and facial and enjoyed my visit immensely. (It was a trifle chilly though.) The facilities are beautiful, modern but rustic at the same time. I loved the sarongs they used so much that I bought two. The ginger tea at the end of my treatment was particularly delicious. I made my appointment online via their website, and they sent a car and driver to pick me up! (They would have also driven me home but I decided to walk so I could check out the street art.) Highly recommended  — spa treatments are seriously one of if not the best things to do in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Book a treatment package at Fah Lanna.

Get a Manicure & Pedicure in Chiang Mai

Princess House Nails: Continuing my tradition of flying 8000  miles to get my nails done — you can take the girl out of Long Island but you can’t take the Long Island out of the girl — I dropped in here for a quick pedicure and it was perfect and inexpensive. It’s a big place but you should still call ahead. Visit their Facebook page.

Experience a Foot Massage in Chiang Mai

Mandara Massage: After a busy day of touring, my dogs were barking. I forget now if it was Foursquare or TripAdvisor that sent me here, but it took me a while to find it — it’s actually located within a shabby looking hotel complex, The Top North Hotel. Service was sweet and the almond cookies at the end of my treatment (along with more tea) were also very nice. A good value and it did the trick, but perhaps not work seeking out.

Take the Chiang Mai Mind & Soul Tour if you are in need of things to do in Chiang Mai!

Take Some Chiang Mai Tours

Chiang Mai Mind & Soul Tour: The tour I just could not stop talking about. This was an absolute surprise. Super early morning pick-up — 6:15 am — and then we sped off into the mountains to bring gifts to the monks. This was followed by a STELLAR breakfast at a place by the airport and military base — all the movie star handsome Thai pilots in their jump suits — and then more monks and more gifts and more blessings and well, by the end, I felt very blessed. A real highlight of the tour was monk chat, where I spent an hour with a monk, chatting about how they live. (Yes, they do use Facebook. No, we couldn’t be Facebook friends.)  Highly, highly recommended. Visit their website.

Chiang Mai Food Tour: While the food that we tried was great, our guide wasn’t the most interesting guy. I learned more from the other American on my tour that I did from the guide. I would give this a miss but then again, maybe you’ll get a different guide who will be totally awesome. Regardless, taking a food tour is one of the best things to do in Chiang Mai. Book this tour.

Go Shopping in Chiang Mai

One Nimman: One of my favorite things to do in Chiang Mai is go shopping! There are so many great shops and boutiques. And one of my favorite places to go shopping is the new One Nimman shopping center. There are a ton of small fashion and accessory shops on the ground floor, along with a nice food court. Upstairs, there’s an upscale department store. There are also a few nice sit down restaurants in One Nimman. Definitely worth checking out.

Maya Mall: Maya is a more traditional shopping mall but what I like most about it is the food court in the basement along with the Western-style grocery store. If you get an Airbnb, this is a a great place to stock up on basics, assuming you need more than your local 7-11.

When can I get myself back to Chiang Mai? How? Anyone, anyone??

You Might Enjoy My Other Posts

• 2 Day Bangkok Itinerary
• My Health Retreat at Kamalaya Koh Samui
• What to Do in Ao Nang
• Cost of My Four Weeks in Thailand

More Things to Do in Chiang Mai, Thailand!

The post Fun Things to Do in Chiang Mai, Thailand first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.