Five Takes on Thailand

What makes Thailand such an alluring destination? Our Thailand specialists have banded together to pick five experiences that show you the real essence of the country – and they all fit neatly into one two-week trip. For example, you can explore intimate Bangkok neighborhoods most travelers are unaware of, observe elephants near Chiang Rai, and visit one of the quieter spots among Thailand’s panoply of celebrated beaches.

Thai temples Seeing the Wat Arun from the Chao Praya River; (above) Santa Cruz church in Bangkok’s Portuguese quarter

A GLIMPSE INTO EVERYDAY LIFE IN BANGKOK By Patrick Judy

A quintessential Asian megacity, Bangkok is a clash of sleek office buildings, ancient temples and streets filled with the scent of barbecued skewers and freshly prepared curries. It’s a hub for visitors, who you’ll mostly see touring the kaleidoscopic City Palace and wandering down the T-shirt stalls of Khao San Road. On my most recent trip, I joined Paul, a Bangkok resident, who showed me another side to the city. We began by crossing the Chao Phraya River, which splits the cosmopolis, and started to explore its quiet western banks. Immediately you notice a difference: more greenery, low-rise buildings and a distinct lack of fellow travelers. On this tour, which lasts around a morning or an afternoon, you’ll stroll through the Spanish and Muslim quarters, dipping into churches and Sri Lankan temples. We stopped to admire the intricately carved doors of a 200-year-old mosque. Paul explained how certain communities came to live here, and how once this was the heart of the city, before the larger financial districts popped up across the river.

In the Portuguese quarter, we stopped at a small house for a pastel de feijão, a light, fluffy

BURM A

A n d a m a n S e a

Chiang Rai

LAOS

BANGKOK THAILAND Sukhothai I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

ISAAN

CAMBODIA

Gulf of Thailand

Khao Sok National Park

Phuket

Koh Yao Noi

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MALAYSIA

pastry covered in icing sugar. Among the faded ochre walls of the Portuguese architecture, I felt, momentarily, like I was in Europe. However, a few paces later we passed an old stilted wooden house that looked like it was slowly sinking into the river. Sitting on the porch was an elderly man who waved us over, eager to find out where I was from and why I’d veered into this neighborhood.

As my tour came to an end, we passed a mosque that pulsed with celebratory music (a ‘wedding,’ grinned Paul). Some of the guests had spilled outside, and when they spotted us, ushered us in for a plate of food. I asked Paul if this was a rare occasion. ‘No,’ he said, smiling. ‘This is community life in Bangkok.’

Where next? Take a five-hour scenic journey on a commuter train from Bangkok to Sukhothai.

100 miles 161 kilometres

A taste of Thailand Go on a cooking experience in Sukhothai

A THAI COOKING LESSON IN SUKHOTHAI By Lauren Coppola

Wherever I am in the world, there always seems to be a Thai restaurant nearby. The country’s internationally popular cuisine is a big pull for visitors, as there’s nothing quite like tasting a Thai red curry or tom yam soup in the country of its birth.

There are opportunities to refine your own Thai cooking skills right across the country, but to get really hands-on,

I suggest making your own noodles in Sukhothai. The city tends to hit the guidebooks due to its historical park, a sprawl of ruined temples and monasteries where the kingdom of Siam was founded. Across Thailand, however, it’s also a city synonymous with a hearty pork noodle dish.

In a tiny restaurant on the outskirts of the historical park, you’ll be shown the fine art of making Sukhothai noodles, which have a chewier, thicker texture than traditional noodles. The dish, like all Thai cuisine, aims for the ultimate balance of sweet, salty, sour and bitter flavors, and you’ll add barbecued pork, lime, palm sugar and chili in perfect unison. If you’re vegetarian, tofu is used instead.

When the dish is ready, you’ll sit down to try your creation, which is served with crushed peanuts, more lime and crunchy green beans – and a rewarding glass of iced coffee or plum soda.

Where next? Catch a short flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai.

AN ELEPHANT ENCOUNTER IN CHIANG RAI By Patrick Judy

You’ll see pictures of elephants in the airport and on beer bottles, on the currency and almost every type of souvenir. They’re an important symbol to the Thai people and encountering them has become a classic Thai experience.

There are lots of wrong ways to do this, but there are also some really worthwhile ways to support these gentle, inquisitive creatures. For me, one of the best is to visit the Elephant Valley Project. Set in a vast tract of jungle on the outskirts of Chiang

Rai, a small handful of ex-logging and circus elephants live with their mahouts and a team of enthusiastic volunteers.

Almost immediately after my arrival, I found myself following one of the volunteers into the jungle. We soon spotted an elephant, casually running its trunk over a tree looking for snacks. We kept our distance, which is especially important – the elephants are being trained to reconnect with their natural environment so that, eventually, they can be released into the wild. At feeding time, there’s the opportunity to help staff pile up giant pineapples (a favorite, stomped on once then eaten whole) and leaves into a buffet. You can also have lunch with the

staff, who are keen to share stories of each elephant’s development, particularly when one has just mastered a new skill that brings it closer to becoming ready for release.

You can visit for the day from Chiang Rai, or even spend the night on-site. It’s a very basic experience, with a simple room and shared bathroom facilities in a converted farmhouse, but it was quite something to listen to the elephants’ morning trumpeting as I woke.

Where next? From Chiang Rai, it’s a short flight to Phuket, followed by a two-and-a-half-hour drive to Khao Sok National Park.

Something to trumpet about Go on a responsible elephant experience

A JUNGLE TREK IN KHAO SOK NATIONAL PARK By Nick Murawski

Finding a patch of untouched jungle to hike through is a timeless Thai experience for me, especially when you’re pushing past thick vegetation toward a mountain viewpoint or a hidden waterfall. In Khao Sok National Park, you can take things further and stay in a floating lodge on Cheow Lan Lake. The watery setting allows you to explore by longtail boat deep into the surrounding forest. It’s just you and your guide, so treks can be tailored,

ranging from an hour’s ramble to a lengthy day-long trail. I recommend opting for an early start – it’s so quiet on the lake as the boat coasts along, the occasional hornbill flying above; pack your binoculars. As the jungle awakens, monkeys begin to scrabble around in the treetops and, if you’re incredibly lucky, you might see an elephant come to take a drink.

The guides come from the local area. As you explore, they’ll point out hidden creatures or plants of interest. Every time there was the slightest noise, my guide pricked his ears, looking out for the source – which, on one occasion, was a particularly fluffy tarantula.

Part of the experience also includes lunch cooked at a family home – a small cluster of stilted house communities are hidden in the jungle. The villagers take turns to host, ensuring everyone gets the chance to gain income from visitors and, for me, it made for an ideal way to end a morning’s walk.

Where next? Drive back to Phuket and catch a 30-minute speedboat ride across to Koh Yao Noi.

Explore green Thailand Take on the trails in Khao Sok National Park

The beach and beyond Koh Yao Noi offers a coastline of culture

A COASTAL COMMUNITY TOUR ON KOH YAO NOI By Heidi Lockwood

I spend a lot of my time arguing that there’s more to Thailand than its beaches – but I wouldn’t plan a trip without a beach stay. There’s a slip of sand to suit everyone, from secluded coves to restaurant-lined promenades. It can be tempting to arrive and simply flop, but Thailand’s coastal and island communities are just as fascinating to visit as their inland counterparts – mostly because no one else does. Sitting in the middle of Phang Nga Bay, Koh Yao Noi is one of Thailand’s less developed islands, with a handful of hotels tucked into the occasional palm-edged bay. The beaches are photogenic specimens, but I’m suggesting you stay here for its morning island tour.

You’ll start at the waterfront, where a women’s cooperative practices traditional batik painting. On my visit, I was sat down with my own board and paintbrush and shown the correct technique. Your artistic creations will arrive at your hotel later, or can be posted home. Then, it’s a hop into a mini pick-up truck – Koh Yao Noi’s main form of local transport – for a drive around the island. My guide was eager to point out that the tour is pretty flexible from here on in, depending on the season and your interests. We stopped at a coconut plantation to meet a husbandand-wife team, who showed us around and cut me a fresh nut straight from the tree to drink.

Where next? It’s a speedboat back to Phuket. With its international airport, you can fly home from there. Or, of course, extend your trip; there are connections to Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia.

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS Flight information: Flight time from the US to Thailand is around 20 hours. Cathay Pacific have a good range of connections, and fly into Bangkok and Phuket. When to go: Thailand is at its best during the cool and dry season between November and early April. Get me there: A 14-day tailor-made trip to Thailand, including international and domestic flights, starts from $4,300pp. For more information, contact our Thailand specialists on 1-855-595-6472.