Jack talk Thai very well

The titled quote is dedicated to my brother-in-law Stephen- who is the Focker of the Phelos household.

If you are interested in crossing TONS off of your bucket list, Thailand has it all. 

*To hear more about Thailand visit: Phuket Resort & Everything you want is a dream away

Thailand was everything I could have hoped for and more. It was my first taste of completely planning and executing a travel itinerary and it was almost eerie how perfect it panned out. It was a bustled trip from Pittsburgh- New York- Bangkok-Phuket-Koh Phi Phi-Phuket-Bangkok- New York- Pittsburgh (a truly accordion style trip) in about a week and a half, but it kept us on our toes. We stayed in six different resorts throughout our stay so we were continually moving around and discovering new amazing amenities and niches of the country. If you would like to see our travel itinerary/ resort costs, I have listed them at the bottom of the page Thailand does luxury to the fullest. For CHEAP, you can stay at amazing resorts, so if you want to experience Southeast Asian charm, Buddhist culture, and the lap of luxury- then Thailand is the place for you!

An overview of activities

BANGKOK:

On the Chao Phraya River there are tons of temples that you can easily access via river ferry. Anything with the name “Wat” means temple. If you look at a map, you can see just how many temples there are in Bangkok. Wat Arun and the Grand Palace are some of the musts in temple sightseeing. 
7/11 stores are at every corner and I definitely recommend popping in there once or twice… or daily. I would stock up on everything from coffees to exotic fruit drinks to Thai snacks. For two coffees, three bags of snacks, some superfood shots the total cost was only $2. Redbull is priced the same as is in the states so try the Thai energy drink, M-150 for about 30 cents. It’s debatable how legal it is internationally but hey, it’s legal in Thailand so might as well live it up. 

PHUKET:

We flew to Phuket via Thai Airlines for $80 round trip and it only takes around 40 minutes. Phuket is a huge island that is very diverse. The center of the island has a big city feel and hardly any island vibes but the outer parameter has anything from private oasis to party beaches (for parties, check out Patong). The island is bustling and lively but the beaches themselves are lackluster.

KOH PHI PHI:

We took an hour and a half ferry ride from Phuket to Phi Phi. The island is so small that you can walk from one end to the other in a few hours and there are no cars on the entire island- only foot traffic. The island is extremely thin but long so virtually every resort has incredible views. Every pedestrian path runs along the beautiful blue waters.
For more on my favorite day in Thailand, check out my blog Everything you want’s a dream away.

Review of the destinations:
So if I had to rate it, Phi Phi has by far the white sand beaches, the spectacular hiking views, and a million day-trip excursions to fit thrill seekers and beach bums alike. Phuket has the luxuries and the party scene but lacks in the natural beauty that Phi Phi offers. Bangkok is a major global city so it fits a lot of western needs. But this traditional city mingles with beautiful temples and this makes Bangkok truly awe-inspiring. All three combined make for an action-packed and fulfilling trip.

Read on to see resort information—>

Ibis Bangkok Riverside: 

price: $36/night

why you should stay here: There is a huge infinity pool (need I say more?). This hotel is right on the river and you can take a ferry to any destination in Bangkok. In the other direction, lies a main road in Bangkok with tons of street food (must try fried bananas and Thai coffee).

Pacific Club Resort, Karon: 

price: $50/night

why you should stay here: Infiniti + waterfall features in pool (if you cannot tell by now, I love a nice pool). The hotel is located at the top of a mountain and the pool is on the rooftop so this makes for amazing views. Not only is the pool lovely, but also the rooms. The rooms are massive and come with large fluffy white robes (robes make my heart happy). We had a balcony that overlooked the Indian Ocean and a luxurious bathroom with a jacuzzi and stone shower tower. There is also a gym and an outdoor spa. The spa has a 20 person jacuzzi that lights up different colors in the night and has a bridge going over it to the sauna. The sauna has infusions of eucalyptus in it and is a great way to detox.

Baray Villa at the Sawasdee Village:

price: $200/night

why you should stay here: THIS IS JUST AMAZING AND HEAVENLY. check out my next blog->THE MOST AMAZING RESORT EVERRRR for an in depth review

Phi Phi Villa Resort:

price: $44/ night

why you should stay here: Phi Phi Villa is a community of individual bungalows. The rooms are not fancy but it reminds you of going to a cabin. The reception area is accompanied by a large dining hall and an infiniti pool with beach beds that line the parameter. The resort is steps aways from the beach and a bob marley bar and has loads of kittens that follow you around.

Kamala Resort and Spa:

price: $25/ night

why you should stay here: The second you walk in from the 100% humidity/ 100 degree heat outside, you are welcomed by cool towels and exotic fruit juices. The room is more like an artsy New York apartment with modern light fixtures and Thai decorations. Floor to ceiling windows line your whole apartment and you can overlook the massive pool and spa below. The pool changes from red to blue to purple to green and its great fun to swim in at nighttime.

Khao San Palace:

price: $18 / night

why you should stay here: I would say location is the only real attention grabber here. Khao San Palace is right on Khao San road which is famously known as “backpackers’ road.” The entire road transforms into a raging party at nighttime and the street is packed with food huts. To feed your wild side, you can get cheap fishbowls of booze at the many clubs to chose from. To curb your sweet tooth, you can get fresh coconuts, banana and nutella crepes, or dragonfruit smoothies. To feed your crazy and adventurous side, you can eat fried scorpions, like Mijo did our first day here. This all greets you the second you walk out of the hotel and onto Khao San Road. The hotel is filled with backpackers and smells like cigarette smoke. The pool would be really cool because it’s on a rooftop overlooking downtown Bangkok, but the lining is two times too big for the pool and bubbles everywhere it can. All-in-all, the experience and the price outweighed the sub-par hotel amenities.