Bangkok - Koh Chang

Do-it-yourself tour. Hotel in Bangkok Grand Millennium Sukhumvit booked online. Guide in Bangkok booked online. Stay in Koh Chang booked through our guide. Wonderful trip spending between 500 and 1000 euros per person for 15 days between city and sea.

As the destination of our trip, this year we chose Thailand. It was not the first time we went to Asia, after India, China, Burma and Vietnam, and since the time at our disposal was not much we opted for fifteen days in the Land of Smiles. Arrival in Bangkok in the morning at about 6:00, without delays, direct flight Rome-Bangkok to avoid intermediate stopovers; we spent a little more but at least that way we did not waste time, airline Thai. Through our hotel, booked online, the Grand Millennium Sukhumvit, we had previously agreed that they would come to pick us up at the airport, and indeed at arrivals the staff was waiting for us with a nice sign showing our surnames.

The hotel is really good, let's say wonderful, we could not believe it for what we had spent; classical music was playing in the background enveloping the hall and everything is very well kept, including the staff, impeccable, special; moreover we discovered the next morning that the breakfast is first class. After a good sleep, towards evening we went out onto Sukhumvit Road, the street next to our hotel, full of life, little markets, skyscrapers, sellers of every kind and also a bit of prostitution. For dinner we went to Soi 12, a side street off Sukhumvit, a very good restaurant that we had found online, the Cabbages and Condoms, eating Thai food, fish for only 600B for two. (no stalls for us, we look after our stomach…).

The second day wake-up at 6:30 since in the morning we had an appointment at 8:30 with our Italian guide, Lakis, contacted previously online, a Tuscan guy (Florence/Arezzo), who has lived in Bangkok for about two and a half years and who, moreover, we discovered speaks very good Thai. (my husband and I know about Asian languages, since we both speak Chinese…). When we came down into the hotel lobby, Lakis was already waiting for us. Our day was very intense, we saw a great many things and also learned many new things about Thai culture and beyond, and in the end we discovered that Thai culture has many congruences with Hindu culture. By Sky Train (a stone's throw from our hotel, Asoke stop) we reached the Pratunam district, similar to Sukhumvit, and from there by boat along the canals we reached the historic centre of Bangkok.

The first temple we visited was the Golden Mount, a temple placed on top of an artificial mountain, very unusual compared with the other temples and where from the balcony at the top you enjoy a beautiful view of Bangkok. On foot we then reached the Giant Swing and the Wat Suthat temple, through a route among very characteristic and non-touristy streets and alleys. The Wat Suthat temple is very fascinating, but more interesting was the story about the great swing where Brahmin rites were performed, and since we are well-versed in the subject there was a nice, very interesting debate. Always on foot we passed by the Democracy Monument, until we reached the Wat Phra Kaeo temple.

We were fascinated by the colours, the statues, the stories of demons and Kings, queens and flying monkeys, a little less fascinated by the Emerald Buddha because we expected a bit more, it being a very small statue and moreover placed on a very high base, and far off to see it. Lunch in a very good Thai restaurant, where we then asked Lakis to write down a few Thai dishes for our trip. More interesting was the Wat Pho temple, where there is a very large Buddha about 40 metres long, completely lacquered in gold. By boat on the Chao Phraya river, he took us to Chinatown, avoiding the Wat Arun temple since we had informed ourselves beforehand; the temple is beautiful to see and photograph even from the small harbour on the river, since it is opposite. From the Chinatown stop on foot we reached the Wat Traimit temple where the Golden Buddha is (which then is not really gold…).

The walk on foot was very unusual, also not touristy, passing through streets and alleys where the Thai population of Chinese ethnicity, always in constant movement, enlivened our passage. We were very tired, but we went to Chinatown all the same and it was worth it, we were in an environment akin to us…The day was very interesting. In the evening dinner in a Thai restaurant, it is called "Bua" and is on Silom Road and you eat really well.

Dishes not to be missed: Som Tam Puu, Kung pad kii mao (extremely spicy..), very good, which we liked a lot, is the Pad thai and the tempura, the Tom Yam kung, though very spicy, and a fabulous rice dish, the Khoa Pad kai…enjoy! The third day in Bangkok we opted for a day of shopping among the big shopping centres, Siam Paragon, Mbk, Central world; the one obviously with more affordable prices, at least for our budget, was the Mbk, where we bought everything, and my husband allowed himself the luxury of buying a fake Rolex, but very well made, for 1700B. In the evening a visit to the red-light district of Patpong and dinner in a very chic Japanese restaurant. The fourth day departure for Koh Chang, the elephant island, at last the SEA! By private minibus from Bangkok we arrived at Koh Chang, up to our resort.

Our resort for the holiday in Koh Chang was the Siam Beach Resort on Lonely Beach. Koh Chang is a very large island, but what makes it special and unique is that, unlike many islands in Thailand, it is covered with greenery and plants, flowers of every kind and above all it is not busy, since around the island a single road stretches. Fifth day just SEA! Sixth day SEA! On the seventh day we realised we were turning into algae and decided to rent a scooter for 150B and go around the island. We discovered many beaches and at times the route was very bumpy since some roads are not yet asphalted, but that is what we were looking for too.

The beach of White Sands very touristy and crowded, Bang Bao instead very quiet and wild, whereas that of Long Beach was the most difficult to reach but it was worth it also because on the beach there were my husband, me, and a little dog that every now and then came to greet us. In the evening, after a day of beaches, we went to a restaurant by the sea at White Sand beach, eating very fresh fish and spending only 500B for two, alcoholic drinks aside. Eighth day SEA! Ninth day SEA! The tenth day we decided to do an excursion to Koh Wai, a small island south of the island. Price 800B per person, through an agency near our resort. Sea, snorkelling, colourful fish and beaches, this was what we wanted for our holiday..if you are looking for calm, peace, warmth, the sea, but also the city, Thailand is the right trip! Sawadika!