Completed trip

Thailand · 2024

Thailand was really two trips in one: the green, misty north around Chiang Mai and Pai, then the southern islands, winding up in Bangkok before the flight home.

Chiang Mai · Chiang Rai · Pai · islands · Bangkok

JungleIslandsWarm weatherElephants

It started up north around Chiang Mai: buzzing night markets, a morning with elephants, white-water rafting, jungle waterfalls and a hill-tribe village, plus a side trip up to the tea hills of Chiang Rai.

The lit Chill Square sign over the Anusarn night market in Chiang Mai — Chill Square at the Anusarn night market, Chiang Mai.

Two elephants by a river with green hills behind, Adir standing nearby — Elephants by the river at a sanctuary near Chiang Mai.

Adir reaching out to an elephant by a river near Chiang Mai — Up close with one of them.

White-water rafting down a river near Chiang Mai.

The days swung between adrenaline and calm: rafting and waterfalls one minute, a village loom or a quiet tea hillside the next.

Water running over the limestone Bua Tong sticky waterfalls in the jungle — The Bua Tong "sticky" waterfalls you can walk straight up.

Adir climbing a waterfall by rope, jungle all around — Climbing them by rope.

A Kayan woman with brass neck rings weaving at a loom in a village — A Kayan weaver at a hill-tribe village near Chiang Mai.

Then up to Chiang Rai for a day of temples and color: a hillside tea estate, the red pagoda and giant white Guan Yin of Wat Huay Pla Kang, and a night market glowing pink. The drive even threw in a steaming roadside hot spring and a temple the monkeys had taken over.

Rolling rows of tea bushes at a plantation in Chiang Rai — The Choui Fong tea plantation up in Chiang Rai.

The red and gold nine-tier pagoda and white temple of Wat Huay Pla Kang at dusk — The pagoda and temple at Wat Huay Pla Kang, Chiang Rai.

The giant white Guan Yin statue towering over the steps at Wat Huay Pla Kang — The giant white Guan Yin above the steps.

Trees covered in bright pink lights at a night market in Chiang Rai — Glowing pink trees at a Chiang Rai night market.

The White Temple, Wat Rong Khun, was the strangest of all: bright white and mirror-flecked, with a field of reaching hands at the bridge and silver wish plaques jingling overhead.

The all-white Wat Rong Khun temple reflected across its pond — Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple of Chiang Rai.

Silver heart-shaped wish plaques hanging at the White Temple — Silver wish plaques hung around the temple.

A sea of sculpted reaching hands at the entrance bridge of the White Temple — The field of reaching hands at the entrance.

A steaming hot spring at Wiang Pa Pao, on the road to Chiang Rai.

Macaques running the show at a roadside temple.

Then a run up to Pai, slower and greener: rice fields, a misty valley, a rainy walking street, and a scooter ride out to a steaming hot spring.

Adir with arms spread on a bamboo bridge over rice paddies in Pai — The bamboo bridge over the rice fields in Pai.

A green, misty valley and hills seen from a hillside balcony above Pai — A misty valley view from a hillside spot above Pai.

A wet Pai walking street lined with hanging paper lanterns under grey skies — Pai's walking street in the rain.

Adir on a white Honda Click scooter parked under a carport in Pai — The scooter I rented to get around Pai.

The Mueng Pang Hot Spring entrance sign with steam rising behind it near Pai — Mueng Pang hot spring, a scooter ride out from Pai.

Between the big sights, the small stuff was half the fun: night markets, trays of mochi, flower stalls, and slow evenings by the river with friends.

Adir with a baby in a carrier and two friends on a lit bridge over a river at night, a colorful market glowing across the water — A night by the river with friends.

Trays of colorful mochi (strawberry, green tea, chocolate, salted egg) at a night-market stall — Mochi stacked up at a night market.

Buckets of marigolds, roses, and dyed chrysanthemums with jasmine garlands at a Thai flower market — A flower and garland stall at the market.

Then south to the islands, starting with a short flight into Koh Samui's little garden airport.

Coming in over Koh Samui.

The orange Samui Airport sign in a tropical garden — Koh Samui's open-air garden airport.

A ferry over to Ko Tao, then island time: a climb to a viewpoint over a turquoise bay, palms down to the water, a sunset swim, fresh coconuts, and a fire show on the beach after dark.

A high viewpoint over a turquoise bay with green hills and resorts on Ko Tao — A viewpoint over a turquoise bay on Ko Tao.

Tall coconut palms framing a turquoise bay on Ko Tao — Palms running down to the water.

Sunset over the sea with longtail boats and swimmers off a Ko Tao beach — A sunset swim off the beach.

Adir smiling at a beach restaurant with a fresh young coconut and a green smoothie — Fresh coconut at a beach restaurant.

A fire show on the beach after dark.

Ko Tao had a boat day in it too: out by longtail to snorkel among the granite boulders and pull up on quiet beaches, then sunset drinks at a hilltop bar.

Adir and a friend on a red longtail boat at a wooden pier under a moody sky on Ko Tao — Heading out on a boat trip from Ko Tao.

View from a boat of a palm-backed beach in clear shallow turquoise water — Pulling up to a quiet beach.

A beach with big granite boulders and snorkellers in turquoise water on Ko Tao — Snorkelling among the granite boulders.

Sunset from a hilltop bar.

Back on Ko Samui, the day was all jet skis: a tour out across a calm green bay, opening it up on the open water, and dinner to finish.

A group lined up on a row of jet skis in a calm green bay off Ko Samui — The jet ski tour lined up off Ko Samui.

Adir on a jet ski in clear blue water by Ko Samui — Out on the water off Ko Samui.

Adir riding a jet ski fast across open blue water with spray flying — Opening it up on the open water.

Adir smiling over fresh coconuts at a restaurant table at night — Dinner and fresh coconuts.

Then over to Phuket, the big-island version of all this: driving everywhere, long beaches, and even a water park.

View from inside a car driving down a Phuket road at golden hour — Driving around Phuket.

Kata Beach at dusk with loungers and two small islands offshore — Kata Beach at dusk.

Stone steps leading down to a busy Phuket beach with longtail boats — Steps down to the beach.

A big wave pool with rock formations and slides at a Phuket water park — The wave pool at a Phuket water park.

A day out into Phang Nga Bay: a speedboat through the limestone karsts, kayaking under the cliffs, and a roadside fruit stop.

View from a speedboat of limestone cliffs and a floating village in Phang Nga Bay — Into Phang Nga Bay by speedboat.

Tall limestone karsts rising from green water in Phang Nga Bay, seen from a kayak — Kayaking under the cliffs of Phang Nga Bay.

A roadside stall with pineapples, watermelons and coconuts under bunting — A roadside fruit stop.

And the nights: the Naka weekend market, the neon of Patong's Bangla Road, and a quieter clifftop sunset to balance it out.

The lit entrance arch of the Naka weekend night market in Phuket — The Naka weekend market.

The neon Patong Beach welcome arch over Bangla Road at night — Bangla Road, Patong, after dark.

A red sun setting over the sea from a clifftop bar with rattan chairs and a palm — A clifftop sunset to wind down.

A boat over to Koh Phi Phi: clear turquoise under the cliffs, longtails everywhere, kayaks on the sand, and the bay hemmed in by karsts.

Turquoise water and a towering limestone cliff seen from a longtail at Koh Phi Phi — Clear turquoise water under the Phi Phi cliffs.

Adir on a longtail boat between limestone cliffs at Koh Phi Phi — A longtail boat between the cliffs at Koh Phi Phi.

Many longtail and speed boats moored in Phi Phi bay under the twin karst headland — Longtails lined up in the bay.

Colorful kayaks on the sand with longtail boats and karst behind at Koh Phi Phi — Kayaks on the beach at Phi Phi.

A quiet stretch of Phi Phi beach.

And the rest of it: coconuts on the walking street, lanterns over the lanes at night, and a fire show on the beach.

A hand holding a fresh green coconut on the Phi Phi walking street — A coconut on the walking street.

Colorful paper lanterns strung over a Phi Phi walkway at night — Lanterns over the lanes at night.

A fire show on the beach.

The last stretch was Bangkok, a loud, sprawling city to land in after weeks of beaches and mountains.

View of Bangkok's outskirts and an AirAsia wingtip from the plane window on approach — Coming back into Bangkok from the islands.

The spires of Wat Arun across the Chao Phraya river with longtail boats passing — Wat Arun across the Chao Phraya.

A lake at Lumphini Park reflecting a tall glass tower, framed by trees — Lumphini Park, green in the middle of the city.

A large water monitor lizard resting on rocks by the lake at Lumphini Park — A water monitor sunning itself by the lake.

Lumphini is a piece of green dropped into the middle of the towers, and the water monitors wander it like they own the place.

Bangkok skyline over a stadium and rail tracks, towers fading into haze — The city stacked up, all the way to the horizon.

Colorful light installations reflected in water by the ICONSIAM riverside at night — ICONSIAM lit up along the river at night.

The illuminated facade of MBK Center shopping mall in Bangkok at night — MBK Center after dark.

A brightly lit 7-Eleven storefront on a Bangkok street at night with scooters parked outside — And, of course, the 7-Eleven on every corner.

And then the flight home.

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