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Return to Bangkok, Thailand

5/12/2022

 
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Summary

Airport Rating **
Reception of locals *****
Cost: £££
  • Airport loses another two stars since last review with another questionable experience
  • Bangkok is still sensory overload, in good ways and bad
  • Public transport is relatively extensive, cheap and easy to use
  • Things have become slightly more expensive since my last visit, but cost of living in the city remains manageable for those on holiday
  • Main Sights (this time): Wat Saket, Khlong Bang Luang Floating Market, Terminal 21, Ong Ang Canal, Khao San Road, Sikh Gurdwaras, 

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Thai Islands in pictures

30/9/2019

 
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The Thai Islands

Did you know there are 1430 islands in Thailand? These are split between the Andaman Sea (on the west), and the Gulf of Thailand (on the eastern side). I visited a handful of these during my time in Thailand, each of them with their own unique character, different in their own ways. I spent most of my time in the southern islands in the Gulf of Thailand.

I previously shared pictures from my trip to northern Thailand, and although probably not the best photos I've ever taken (on a phone that was basically a potato), I decided to share some photos from my trip to the south for completeness. You can read about my adventures in Thailand here.

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Northern Thailand in pictures

5/12/2016

 
Sikh, travel blog, thailand, buddha, travel

Ancient ruins, mountains and countryside

Northern Thailand refers to the mountainous north of the country, a whole world away from the golden beaches and blue seas of the south. The area roughly corresponds to the mountainous area bordering Myanmar and Laos, however in this article I have gone as far south as Sukhothai, which is about 4/5 hours north of Bangkok.

The north of Thailand is one of my favourite parts of the world. The amazing history of Sukhothai is complemented by the cosmopolitan twin cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, the former being one of the highlights of my visit. 

Sukhothai is famed for its historical park that has literally hundreds of statues of Buddha and ancient temples that are best explored by cycling. It was about an hour into the long journey north from Sukhothai that I began to feel a difference in the climate and landscape. The humidity and flat terrain of the south was slowly replaced by a crisp air and mountainous landscape. The road was bounded by greenery on all sides and the hectic pace of Bangkok tranformed into a slow crawl.

Up until the early 1900's the Lanna area of the north was relatively independent and the natives are still fiercely proud of their local traditions and customs. I was lucky enough to visit Lampang, a city the northerners refer to as the 'last true paradise' of Thailand. Staying in a village about an hour outside the city was one of my favourite experiences and I spent my time there visiting local cottage industries as well as a school.

Further north is Chiang Mai, a city becoming increasingly popular with tourists. The night market in Chiang Mai is incredible and the nightlife in general is very lively. The area has a significant Burmese influence, not just due to its proximity to the country but also having lived under Burmese rule. The city is the capital of the north, built in a valley, surrounded by mountains and is a great starting point for treks further north to the hill tribes. It's also a great place to spend a few days (or weeks) exploring the many temples, restaurants or getting lost in the streets.

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How expensive is Thailand?

29/8/2016

 
thailand, sukhothai, buddhist, ruins, travel, sikh
I've been to Thailand a couple of times now, but before I first went out there, I had no idea how much cash to take with me or how much I would be spending out there.

​I found Thailand to be one of my better value for money experiences. Sure, its not cheap to get there, however if you book flights in advance, you can get a good deal, especially with Russian or Chinese airlines. While you are out there, you really do get bang for your buck. You can do a whole range of activities, for a fraction of the cost of doing them in European cities. 

I won't lie, I did have to save some money before I went, no matter how cheap a place is, spending a significant amount of time away from home will always eat into savings. Whats strange is, the longer you stay, the cost per day actually falls, this is because you begin to realise the cheapest places to eat and the most cost effective ways of travelling or finding shelter for the night.

How expensive is Thailand? Here's my take...

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10 things I loved about Thailand

29/6/2016

 
thailand, travel, south east asia, sikh, singh
When it comes to Thailand, I can't limit myself to my usual 5 favourite experiences as this country has so much to offer.

I have been to Thailand twice in the past 3 years, covering the entire country from the ancient cities in the north to the beaches and islands of the south and everything in between and I loved absolutely everything about it.

From cycling in the beautiful countryside of Lampang to enjoying beach parties in Ko Phangan, here are the 10 things I loved about Thailand.

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SE Asia v South America

16/5/2016

 
travel, sikh, south east asia, south america

Summary

  • South East Asia has a cheaper cost of living and travelling within SE Asia is also cheaper due to the shorter distances between countries in the area
  • The topography of South America is incredible, with the Andes and other mountain ranges providing the backdrop to some incredible scenery
  • SE Asia places significant importance on tourism and therefore locals are especially friendly and helpful. This is also true of large areas of South America, especially Peru
  • SE Asia has more cultural gems over a smaller area, with Angkor Wat and northern Thailand being particularly special
  • South America has vast areas of emptiness where you can feel completely disconnected from the 'real world'
South East Asia or South America. These two parts of the world have seen an explosion of popularity over the past decade and for most people the decision of where to visit first is often a difficult one. In this entry, I'll try and rate each of the locations on factors that are important to the average person and come up with an overall rating.

Things to consider

Before I get things started, its important to note that my experiences over the two locations will vary. I spent more time in South East Asia, and it was also the place I decided to visit first. There are important locations missing from both locations. I didn't visit Laos in SE Asia and I didn't visit Colombia and Argentina in South America. Personally, I feel that Argentina is a significant omission due to the size of the country and the number of things to see and do. Ratings and experiences are also very subjective, my experience could be significantly different from the experience of others so I'd bare this in mind when you make your decision.

Finally, a comparison between the two locations isn't an exact science. The phrase apples and oranges comes to mind. Peru and Brazil have completely different cultures, speak completely different languages, yet for the purpose of comparison they have been lumped together under a loose 'South American' category. This entry is a subjective rough overview of my experiences and can form part of your research into each location.

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Bangkok, Thailand

16/3/2016

 
bangkok, thailand, south east asia, travel, sikh, blog

Summary

Airport Rating ****
Reception of locals *****
Cost: £££
  • Large airport and although I had a sniffer dog have a little nose around my bag, there wasn't any specific Sikh issues
  • Bangkok will give you sensory overload, there is a lot happening at once and it takes a couple of days to acclimatise to it
  • Good mix of of modernity and tradition with old temples just a stones throw away from large skyscrapers
  • Hot, sticky and humid with a lot of noise. Depending on where you go, you either get bargains, or you pay as you would in the UK
  • Main Sights: Grand Palace, Wat Arun, Wat Pho, Khaosan Road, Golden Buddha, Central World
Bangkok is an assault on the senses. The sights, sounds and smells are overwhelming and impressive in equal measure. The dichotomy of rich and poor, modern Bangkok and the old city are amplified when compared to other cities in SE Asia. There is a lot to see and a lot to do, and if you can handle the humidity and heat you could easily spend months here and still be exploring the city.

I caught an overnight train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok with a few people that I had met on my way to the north of Thailand. The trains from the north are quite big, I'm a reasonably sized guy and didn't have much trouble in the beds located in the carriages. There were about 9 of us who headed down together, most were around my age or a little bit older and the journey was a lot of fun (probably not for those around us though). We spent most of the journey enjoying the scenery of the Thai countryside. We played a few games and spoke about our home countries. An attendant on the train came round late in the evening to convert the seating into beds. 

We decided we weren't ready to sleep just yet and decided to have some competitions. The girls thought it would be fun to have a tricep dip competition. As a guy that likes to work out, I had a lot of fun doing it but it was hilarious, One Swiss girl in particular spent the best part of 20 minutes trying to do one tricep dip. Everytime she would get close, everyone would burst out laughing. I felt bad for her, but when you start laughing, pretty much anything is funny.

By 3am most people were asleep so instead of disturbing everyone if someone wanted to talk they would just come over to your bed or you would go to theirs. It was funny watching people trying to jump from bed to bed then disappearing behind curtains. After an hour or so I felt ready to close my eyes and just then I saw a head poke through the curtain. There was no way anyone was getting any sleep.

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Chiang Mai, Thailand

14/3/2016

 
chiang mai, thailand, travel, sikh

Summary

Airport Rating N/A
Reception of locals *****
Cost: £
  • Although there is an airport that serves the city, there are also other ways to reach the city including trains and buses
  • The city is geared towards tourism and caters very well for travellers
  • Naturally very beautiful, the city is surrounded by hills and mountains on almost all sides
  • The food here is amongst the very best I have tasted in all my travels with a mix of traditional Thai, Laonese and Cambodian cuisine as well as western food
  • A great place to find bargains, especially the night market
  • Main Sights: Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, Wat Chiang Man, Night Bazaar, Wat Rong Khun, Wat Chedi Liam
Whenever I get asked what my favourite city that I visited is, the answer is always the same - Chiang Mai.

There is a buzz about this city that isn't easily explained and must be experienced. I travelled to Chiang Mai via coach after spending a few days in Lampang. Surrounded on all sides by hills and mountains, Chiang Mai is built in the valley and naturally very beautiful, although the fact it is built in a valley could explain the humidity. I thought Bangkok was humid, this wasn't far off.

After getting some food, I headed off to Doi Suthep, a temple on the edge of the city. The temple is about a 45 minute drive from the city centre along a beautiful ,scenic winding road up the side of a very steep hill. As I reached the end of the road for cars, I stepped outside into a busy market place set up at the base of the temple, as with most other tourist attractions in Thailand, stalls ranged from Doi Suthep themed souvenirs, to strange objects, clothes and quite uniquely, swords. As I walked through the markets I reached the end of the paved road and was greeted by a 300 step naga guarded staircase.

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Lampang, Thailand

10/3/2016

 
lampang, thailand, travel, sikh, blog, singh

Summary

Airport Rating N/A
Reception of locals *****
  • Although the town has a small domestic airport, I had traveled by bus from Sukhothai
  • Known locally as the 'last paradise in Thailand' due to its relatively untouched infrastructure, architecture and low tourist numbers
  • Sits on the northern road to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, the two larger northern cities
  • Main Sights: Friends of the Asian Elephant Hospital, countryside industries, Wat Phra That, Chae Song National Park
The drive from Sukhothai to Lampang was a pleasant 3/4 hours. The roads weren't particularly bumpy and greenery of the central Thai countryside was slowly transformed into more mountainous terrain as we moved north.

Lampang is one of Thailand's relatively untouched cities. Locals refer to it as the 'last paradise' in their country. Tourism has brought a significant amount of benefits for the north of the country, but with tourist money has come new developments. The traditional cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai have been transformed into cities with skyscrapers, catering to the tourism industry. Lampang stands out in this development. The cityscape has remained broadly the same, and tourism is still in its infancy. Those tourists that do stay, tend only to stop off for a lunch break. I fell into a third category, staying slightly longer to explore the surrounding area.

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Sukhothai, Thailand

3/3/2016

 
sukhothai, thailand, south east asia, travel, sikh, blog

Summary

Airport Rating *****
Reception of locals *****
Cost: £
  • Smallest airport I have ever flown to, but absolutely no issues
  • Friendly, welcoming locals
  • Parts of the old town have been designated as a UNESCO World Hertitage Site
  • Very cheap accommodation as well as food, drink and transportation
  • Main Sights: Sukhothai Historical Park, Night Market, Ceramic factories
Centred on the Historical Park and Old Sukhothai, the modern city is a friendly and welcoming place with a number of activities to keep you occupied and numerous small industries and factories that give Sukhothai a distinctive vibe.

The city is about a 6 hour drive north of Bangkok. During the whole of my travels to SE Asia, I tried to avoid internal flights as much as possible. There's a number of reasons for this, (1) you get to see the more rural side to a country, (2) its cheaper (I'm not rich...yet) and (3) internal flights in some of these countries can be nothing short of scary.

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    British Sikh, born in the Midlands, based in London, travelling the world seeing new cultures.

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