Category: thailand

Things To Do: Koh Phi Phi Edition!

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Me, At The Beach In Koh Phi Phi

Hey everyone!

Welcome to the next instalment of my travel series: Koh Phi Phi, Thailand! Sadly, this is the last location we’ll visit before heading back to Bangkok, and therefore means that this will be one of the last of my South East Asia travel series. Going home is certainly bittersweet, I’ve honestly had some of the best experiences of my life on this trip and would love to stay and explore more, but am also excited to go home. Besides, going home just means I get to work on planning my next trip!

Anyways, Koh Phi Phi!

To preface, I’ve actually been to Phuket before, and spent a day on a boat trip around Koh Phi Phi and the surrounding islands. However, this time I got the opportunity to actually stay on the island of Koh Phi Phi itself, which was a dream. Phuket and the surrounding islands are hands down my favourite place on earth, and while this location certainly offers a lot less in terms of religious culture and exploring than the others, it still is my personal fave. Not only is Phi Phi the most beautiful place on earth, or very well may be one of the most relaxing. Stay tuned to hear all about my favourite things to do in the area (besides just lying on the beach)!

Do A Boat Cruise!
Phi Phi Island Boat Tours

One of the best ways to get some exploring done around the islands is to book a boat cruise! They’re offered everywhere you look in Koh Phi Phi, so take some time and do the research about which one is best for you, but you really can’t go wrong! On our personal half day boat trip, we did a mix of snorkelling, kayaking and beach exploring. We stopped in first at Bamboo Island to snorkel, kayak or head into shore and check out the beach. After that, we stopped in at another reef and were given time to snorkel some more. And finally — my personal favourite — for our final stop, we kayaked into some beaches that were inhabited by monkeys! We actually got to go on shore, feed them and take photos of them, which was incredible. They were so cute and so fascinating to see up close in their natural habitat, and not some kind of exhibit or zoo. 10/10, would highly recommend checking out if you take a boat cruise, but there’s all kinds of option to choose from! If you’re interested, there’s other islands and activity options, and you can read more about it in my next post!

Hike To The View Point!
Sunset View, Viewpoint #2, Koh Phi Phi

To be fair, Koh Phi Phi is full of beautiful views no matter where you look. However, hiking up to the top of the viewpoints was one of the most spectacular views I have ever seen. To be fair, you should be prepared for a fair amount of stairs and a good work out if you decide to check this one out, but it’s 100% worth it (especially viewpoint #2)! I’d definitely recommend planning to head up to catch the sunset, which was both just amazing to see as well as a little cooler than hiking up midday.

Check Out The Local Restaurants!
Eggs Benny at Acqua

Koh Phi Phi is a pretty small island that’s very much geared towards tourists, so everywhere you look there’s either shops, bars, restaurants, and tour guides. So many of the restaurants at Koh Phi Phi were fantastic, but we certainly had a few favourites: Acqua, Anna’s, Unni’s, and Charlie’s. As Phi Phi is a lot more tourist-friendly than almost any other place we’ve visited on this trip, most restaurants do not stick to a singular cuisine and offer a variety of options. Most places will have, at the very least, both Western and Thai options — as all the places I loved most did (especially as I did get a fairly serious case of food poisoning from the food stands at the docks and had to take it easy for the first half of our visit). They’re all still unique in their own way, however; Anna’s was predominantly Swiss/German and Thai, while Unni’s and Acqua were both more standard North American and Thai. Charlie’s, in comparison, focused mainly on Italian cuisine but had Thai options as well. Not only would I highly recommend any of these four restaurants if you ever get the chance to visit Koh Phi Phi, but I can almost guarantee that even though it is a small island, it’ll have something for everyone. Seriously.

Go to Phuket!
Sunset View, Phuket

Okay, so I feel like the usual trip is “Go to Phuket, visit the Islands” and not the other way around, but I feel like I’d personally suggest focusing your trip around the islands. However, Phuket is still amazing in a completely different way and shouldn’t be overlooked! While you’re in Phuket, the beaches are a must-see. They’re so different from other South East Asian beaches, and have evergreen trees lining their shores instead of palms. Not only is it a cool change from a regular beach experience, but these beaches are just spectacular in their own right. So whether your trip is based around the islands or Phuket, be sure to check out both during your stay!

And that’s Koh Phi Phi! Stay tuned to hear more in depth about my boat cruise experience! For anyone looking to travel to Thailand, I really personally believe Koh Phi Phi is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen and I already am hoping to get the chance to go back in the future. For such a tiny island, it really has it all — a HUGE party scene, plenty of adventures and wildlife, snorkeling and scuba, and all sorts of places to kick back and relax. It really is a must see and perfect for almost any Thailand trip, no matter what you’re looking for.

Much Love,

Meredith

Me, At The Beach In Koh Phi Phi

Places To Eat: Chiang Mai Edition!

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Hey everyone!

I’m back again with another Chiang Mai instalment: Places To Eat! Finding good places to eat in a foreign country can be daunting to say the least, especially if you don’t speak the local language. So I figured I’d compile a little list of the best places I’ve found in Chiang Mai! If you ever decide to visit (which I highly recommend), be sure to check a couple of these out!

It’s Good Kitchen

This place boasts being the top-rated Chiang Mai eatery of 2018, and for good reason. It’s a simple, outdoor eatery and perfect for a quick, causal lunch. But seriously, the food here was out of this world. Hands down one of the best meals I have EVER eaten in my life. If you’re ever in Chiang Mai and looking for real, authentic Thai food, make sure to give this place a try.

Baan Landi

Okay, this place was seriously amazing. To be fair, by Thailand standards, it was a little expensive — but by Vancouver standards it compared to a regular somewhat fancy meal. The pineapple and minced pork starters were to DIE for, and the shrimp and fried noodles I had for dinner were exceptional. On top of all that, they served cocktails composed of wine, candle smoke and lychee juice, which were incredible. If you’re looking for a somewhat upscale dinner during your stay in Chiang Mai, be sure to check this place out!

Mind Over Matter Restaurant

This little cafe was super close to our hostel, so we ate here a whole lot over our time in Chiang Mai. Not only was it super cheap, the food was outstanding, and very fast. If you’re ever in the area and want a quick, delicious meal, this place offers a mix of Thai and Western food — so there’s guaranteed something for everyone.

See You Soon Cafe

We stopped in at this place on a whim but honestly me and Nylah were both super into this place. Not only was the decor super cute (as you can see), but the food was amazing. I got shrimp wonton soup, which was hands down the best wonton soup I’d ever had. I tried to take a picture of it for you all, but the lighting wasn’t fantastic and really didn’t do it justice. Regardless, this place was amazing and I’d absolutely recommend it!

And there you have it! The food in Chiang Mai was so amazing, I’m sad to leave but excited to see what our trip holds next. Stay tuned for my next post to follow me on my travels!

Lots of Love,

Meredith

Things To Do: Chiang Mai Edition!

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Hey friends!

I’m back with my second instalment of my travel blog series: Things to see and do in Chiang Mai! We have a pretty jam packed few days here, but here’s a low down of my favourite things I’ve experienced in this beautiful city!

Visit the Old Town

All of Chiang Mai is lovely, but the Old Town in particular is beautiful! Not only is it full of adorable restaurants and plenty of tourist-friendly things, but it also has loads of culture and temples you can visit.

Visit The Temples!

This city is literally packed with more beautiful temples than you could count. When I came here a few years ago, I saw the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temples, which were absolutely stunning but also completely overrun with tourists. This time, I stuck to temples in the Old Town and saw the Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh Waramahavihan temples, which were both so incredibly beautiful but even more importantly, not at all crowded. This made the overall experience like 200% better as me and Nylah actually got a chance to walk around and really take everything in peacefully, without having to mill through massive crowds. 10/10 would absolutely recommend checking out some of the smaller temples if you visit.

Visit An Elephant Sanctuary!

This was honestly one of the days best spent in my time in Chiang Mai. The Elephant Jungle Sanctuary is in the business of rescuing elephants from tourist elephant ride attractions, circuses, and other areas that abuse these creatures. When you spend a day here, you get to feed, play with, and wash the animals in a space that keeps them safe and happy. It is so clear that they love these animals and put their needs first, and all the elephants were so friendly and gentle. When I came here a few years ago, sanctuaries like this did not exist and instead there were parks where you could ride the animals, such as the one this sanctuary rescues their elephants from. The difference in the happiness of the elephants is clear as day. I’m not even sure if you can ride elephants in Thailand anymore, however, if you’re considering it, please think about this instead. You still get to spend a whole day with the animals and it was honestly such a highlight of the trip for me.

Hit up the Night Market!

Chiang Mai offers two night markets, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Me and Nylah went to the Sunday market, which was in the centre of the Old City and absolutely packed with hundreds of adorable little stalls. They offer art, clothes, food, desserts, fresh fruit, and more! Not only was it super fun to just walk and look around, they had all kinds of cool stuff to try. I had some durian for the first time, which was super interesting, and some sticky rice with mango which is hands down one of my favourite foods. Overall, it was a 10/10 experience.

Take A Tour Of Doi Inthanon National Park!

Oh my GOD was this place ever magical. If you’re going to go, I would highly suggest taking a tour as it’s both likely cheaper and easier than making your way there yourself. We stopped at two waterfalls, a textile village, and a lunch break on our way to the peak of Thailand’s tallest mountain, where we did a nature walk through the rare habitat of the cloud forests. On our way back down, we visited the two Chedis pictured above, which were honestly two of the most beautiful temples I have ever seen in my life. This was honestly one of my favourite places on our trip so far, and if you’re ever in Chiang Mai it’s 100% a must see.

Check Out The Street Markets!

The street markets, or anywhere in Chiang Mai really, have the most AMAZING fruits you will ever eat in your life. Seriously. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried some. If you’re ever in Thailand, be sure to stop by your local market and pick some up. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

So that’s all for now! I hope you’re all having a lovely week and enjoying my little travel series. Be sure to keep checking in for adventures, recommendations, updates and more!

Xoxo,

Meredith

Spend A Day With Me In Bangkok!

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Hey everyone and welcome to my first travel blog!

Soooooo to kick off our South East Asia trip, me and my best friend Nylah arrived in Bangkok, Thailand for a quick first stop before we get going. We’ve mostly just been getting our bearings and acclimating to the time difference, especially since we’re going to come back to Bangkok later on for the bulk of exploring this city. Also, this is my first time blogging from my phone so please bear with me through whatever technological struggles I encounter!

B Story Cafe

This cafe was honestly one of the best little places I’ve ever discovered travelling. Not only was it ADORABLE, but the food was amazing (and not just because it was my first meal in like twelve hours). The fried rice I got was honestly out of this world, plus the Thai Tea I ordered with it was quite possibly the most refreshing drink I’ve had in my life. If you’re ever in Bangkok and need a quick, easy, casual place to stop in for food check this place out, seriously. 10/10 would recommend. They have so many food options as well, both Thai and Western, so there’s something for everyone here.

Hungry Nerd Restaurant

For dinner we followed a recommendation and tried out the Hungry Nerd restaurant. It was kind of nice as all the food was pretty Western influenced so it wasn’t too hard on our stomachs as we get used to the sudden dietary changes, however it was all almost 100% meat and therefore not vegetarian friendly. However, it was still great and exactly what we needed after a long day.

Sights

We didn’t have much planned for today as we’re heading back to Bangkok later on in our trip; we figured it would be good to take some time to relax and get ready for our next stop, so we kept it simple and just did a little on-foot exploring. Walking the streets of a new city is one of the easiest ways to take in a new culture, as a lot of culture is made up in the little things. Some of my favourite little differences were the fruit stalls, the tuck tucks, the motorbikes and most of all, the street cats! Everyone who knows me knows that I’m a sucker for cats and the area around our hostel in Bangkok literally had unlimited cats. It was amazing.

Anyway, that’s more a less it! We’ve already left for Chaing Mai and have a jam-packed few days so the next post will certainly be more exciting. Be sure to check back for more travels and reviews over the next month!

Love y’all endlessly,

Meredith