I visited Thailand in July 2022 as part of a three week trip around Southeast Asia.
I spent about a week and a half across Bangkok, Krabi, and Chiang Mai and got a good taste of what makes Thailand so loved.
This is my guide to Thailand, including my favorite things to do, and where to find the best food and coffee along the way.
Overall Thoughts
Overall, Thailand felt very tourist-friendly – It was relatively easy to communicate, there were many signs in English (and Chinese), and there was a general sense that things are built to accommodate visitors.
Thailand also has fantastic coffee shops, seriously good food, and incredibly kind people. It’s got tons of amazing culture and diversity in landscapes, and is very affordable to travel.
That said, there were also some things to watch out for and know before you go:
- Bangkok is massive and super spread out – It can take a long time to get from point A to point B, both because of traffic and the size of the city. In July, it was hot and humid by mid-morning, and thunderstormed often in the afternoon.
- Expect some scams near major tourist attractions (Example – People tried to tell us that the Grand Palace was closed ‘for lunch’ – It’s not) – I’d recommend researching common scams before visiting Thailand.
- Chiang Mai had surprisingly few sidewalks and wasn’t that walkable.
- Krabi was quiet when I visited (post-COVID), but locals said it’s usually lively and full of nightlife. In some places, people could be kind of aggressive about getting you to eat at their restaurants, but you can just give a firm “no” and continue to walk away.
- Temples are extremely sexist – Women are expected to cover their knees, shoulders, etc., when the same standards are sometimes not applied to men (sometimes they are). Women are also banned from entering certain areas of some temples.
Bangkok
Bangkok might be the most sprawling city I’ve ever seen. It has a fantastic energy, with historic architecture and modern infrastructure, and lots to do.
Things to Do
- Grand Palace: The most famous site in Bangkok, worth a visit for its top tier Thai architecture. I recommend going early, as it gets very hot by noon.
- Avoid Golden Place, the cafe inside the palace, at all costs – The coffee is terrible and overpriced.
- ChangChui Market: A cute market, built around an abandoned airfield, full of artsy shops. Most of the shops open around 4PM.
- Dog in Town Ari: A dog cafe! They have a lot of “internet viral dogs” (French bulldogs, samoyeds, huskies, etc.) to hang out with. The dogs seemed a bit tired, but the staff was really nice and the iced latte was actually really good.
Food
- Slowbar: Croffle was absolutely fire and so was the dirty matcha. One of my favorite cafes in Bangkok!
- Vivi Coffee Place: Great place to watch the sunset, the coffee was decent but not strong.
- Chom Arun: Fantastic view from the rooftop, felt touristy but had pretty good food (got their pad thai).
- Chata: Cafe with nice vibes. Really good pandan latte, I expected more from the salted egg yolk croissant was fine, but it was just okay – none of the flavors really popped.
- Hok: Really good dim sum.
- Baby Bar: One of the best meals I had in Thailand. Shrimp pad thai & coconut cold brew were both insanely good. Thai pork neck rice and a scoop of matcha ice cream were also incredible.
- Nana Coffee Roasters: Fruit toast was really good, but affogato was really disappointing. Beautiful space.
- Shinsei Sushi: Fresh, delicious salmon roll.
- A Coffee Roaster by li-bra-ry: Fantastic waffle, unique presentation.
Where to Stay in Bangkok
- Hotel Royal @ Chinatown: Good location, nice amenities, but my room had no windows.
- The Craftsman: Super aesthetic, but not very practical. Located in a nice neighborhood full of cute coffee shops.
Krabi
Krabi was quieter and more laid-back compared to Bangkok, possibly because tourism was still recovering when we went. The white sand beaches on the surrounding islands are some of the best in the world. Normally it’s known for its nightlife (although less than its neighboring Phuket), but as someone who doesn’t love nightlife, I loved how peaceful it was.
Things to Do
- Ko Poda: Favorite beach I’ve been to. Clear water, white sand, cool rock formations, and nearly empty when we visited. It’s a short boat ride away (boats need a minimum number of people to run) and requires a park fee.
- Reeve Beach Club Fire Show: Fun nighttime show with great energy, the fire acrobats are really impressive.
Food
- Sunn Coffee Bar: Best iced latte ever. And the owner was so nice.
- Reeve Restaurant: Great ambiance and service, but the waitress lied to me and told me a dish wasn’t spicy.
- Brightside Bistro: Tuscan chicken pasta was perfect – not too heavy, delicious chicken.
Where to Stay in Krabi
- Panan Krabi Resort: Great resort hotel for a good price. Loved the rooftop infinity pool (with a great view of the surrounding mountains) and the breakfast buffet.
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai was my favorite city in Thailand – for its artisan markets, sense of community, cute coffee shops, and diversity of activities.
Things to Do
- ChiangMai Muay Thai Gym: Took a 1.5 hour Muay Thai class here, it was a cool experience, fun and beginner friendly (this lesson is not that serious).
- Wua Lai Walking Street: Huge open air market food and handmade goods. I loved the sticky rice pancakes, and would overall recommend trying a little of everything.
- Baan Kang Wat: The cutest and most heartwarming artisan community – everyone is so nice and they sell really nice stuff at an affordable price. They also have their own outdoor cat that roams the village.
- Kanta Elephant Sanctuary: Well run “ethical” elephant experience (no riding). You spend time feeding the elephants and helping to bathe them. The elephants are really cute and the staff really try to give you a good experience with them.
Food
- Moon Cafe and Eatery: Shrimp roll was really good, hojicha was okay. Nice ambiance.
- glin.cafe: Extremely beautiful cafe, I didn’t like the food or coffee though.
- Fern Forest Cafe: One of my favorite cafes of all time. Highly recommend the “Fly me to the moon” (earl grey, lemon, lychee cold brew tea), latte, spinach mushroom roti, and coconut cake. Fantastic ambiance too, beautiful outdoor space with leafy plants and a koi pond.
- Obchoei: Great carrot cake.
- Old Days Bistro: Excellent iced latte.
- Mahasamut Library: The sun juice (passion fruit iced tea) is insanely good, and the owner is so nice, he even gave me an extra passion fruit!
- Yook Samai: Super affordable and good pork rice.
- The Volcano: Great cheese bread.
- Jia Tong Heng: One of my favorite meals in Thailand – Wood ear egg stir fry was incredible, I also really enjoyed the stewed duck and pan fried pork buns.
- Graph Coffee: Fantastic cream cheese carrot cake, cool ambiance.
Where to Stay in Chiang Mai
- Icon Park Hotel: My favorite hotel of the trip. Two free upgrades, super nice staff, and unlimited bottled water.
Final Thoughts
Thailand was a fantastic trip, with all the elements I love in a travel destination – great food and coffee, beautiful landscapes, amazing architecture, and kind people, and the cities I visited gave me a great taste of the country.
I’m excited to return one day to revisit all of my favorite spots and see more of what Thailand has to offer.
ADJENTURING 