THAILAND 2023

My oh my! Where do I begin? Let me start by saying I have been on the move this year. I’ve had five international  and 7 domestic trips but none of them tops this recent trip; hence why I am so eager to write about it. For those of you who don’t follow me on instagram, I recently visited Thailand, AKA Paradise. I used to hear people talk about Thailand: the food, its breathtaking scenery, exceptional history , and everything in between. However, it never made it to my list of places to visit until my very good friend Marie brought it up. I have to say, I did not realize how much I was missing out. Thailand was an exceptional experience and here is why: 

FIRST OF ALL,

Planning a trip of this caliber can become stressful very quickly. Trust me, I know. I’ve been there and done that! Factoring in matters such as, how much time to request off from work, airfare, place to stay, things to do, currency exchange, where to eat can be overwhelming to say the least.  I’d like to take the time out to acknowledge my friend, Marie, for the extensive research she did for this trip. THANK YOU SIS! I cannot emphasize the importance of doing your research when planning ANY trips. PLEASE, I am begging you. Don’t ever  show up to a place and not know what you are getting yourself into. Believe you me, I can go on and on about that but I will not bore you with my opinion.

Moving right along, during Marie’s research she came across a traveling planner site called LUXE TRIBES. A Black-Owned company that helps thousands of travelers each year plan stress-free getaways; and that is exactly what they did for us. I was impressed at how organized they were. Luxe tribes truly made this trip one to remember.  We communicated how long we were staying and they created an itinerary based on the length of our stay. Luxe Tribes provided transportation to and from the airport, hotel for the entire stay(including breakfast), private photographer, daily excursions (including transportation), suggestions on restaurants, nightlife, and above all, ENGLISH SPEAKING STAFF. I don’t know about you, but that is a priority on my list. 

THE TRIP:

Ten years ago when I started traveling, spending twelve, fifteen, eighteen hours in an aircraft was never an issue. To be honest, I found amusement in the journey to the destination. Fast forward to now, I need an entire week to mentally prepare myself to spend five hours on an aircraft. Don’t judge me, you’d probably share the same sentiment if you travel as much as I do. Nevertheless, the distance in time still remains a gamble. I traveled 24 hours to get to Thailand. Between you and I, this was the longest time I spent in route EVER! I had 2 layovers. Yes, you heard me right- TWO. If you’ve ever read any of my other blogs, you’d notice that I am quick to advise you to avoid any layovers. Unfortunately, I did not have much choice this time around. I used Korean airlines to and from Thailand. They offered top shelf service. I was pleased with the comfort as well as the dining menu. Take off and landing was smooth. Immigration was organized and they stamped  each passport at a reasonable pace. 

The one question I received most about this trip was in regards to the cost. I won’t give a specific number because airfare, length of stay, time of travel, and itinerary have a direct effect on the price of the trip. I hate to give a broad answer, but just know that it’s in the thousands. Keep in mind that 80% of the cost is getting there. Staying in Thailand is inexpensive. The currency exchange when we went was $1= 35THB. That rate may change depending  on when you decide to go but when we went that’s what it was. In addition, one thing I’ve observed first hand is when I travel and use bank cards, I end up paying so much more because of ATM or Bank fees. So to avoid that, I just use cash now. However, you can always use a credit card instead that avoids foreign transaction fees, like Jetblue. Jetblue Credit card has travel insurance too. If you do decide to carry cash, make sure to exchange outside of the airport to not get ripped off.

THE HOTEL:

We stayed at the Panwaburi Beachfront located about 1-hour away from the airport. The hotel was a little more on the boutique side. It was nice, clean, and had two pools: one on the main floor and  one on the rooftop. The restaurant served breakfast, lunch and dinner. The front desk team was very fluent in English.

THE NIGHTLIFE

SUPERB that’s the best word to describe it. We visited Illuzion at first but we did not fancy the music.  When we left, across the street was another club named SUGAR so we decided to check it out. OMG! I was reevaluating my entire life on that dance floor. The crowd was fun, the DJ was a whole vibe, the hype man was so socially skilled, the drinks were perfect. Did I say superb? Look, you just have to experience SUGAR yourself. 

TIME TO TRAVEL:

Like anywhere else in the world, Thailand also has its peak season. We were told that the best time to travel is between November through April. However, we went in August. We did experience some rain showers (mostly in the evening), and some high 80s low 90s temperature while visiting. However, that was no hindrance to our Itinerary. We completed everything from our list. One thing to keep in mind is that it’s almost summer all year around so shorts, t-shirts, and Maxi dresses are the best items to pack. In addition, when going to the temples, make sure to have something to cover your arms and legs. They will not let you in if those body parts are not covered. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

PLACES TO VISIT:

These are my top five recommendations: 

1. Phi Phi, Maya and Bamboo Island

2. The Big Buddha

3. The Elephant Sanctuary

4. Chalong Temple

5. Suuko Wellness and spa resort 

FINAL THOUGHTS/PERSPECTIVE

I can sit here and accumulate thousands of words to express the emotions I felt on this trip and still fail at having you feel what I felt. Thailand is a place where YOU have to experience it yourself to really understand the magnificent beauty of nature. Thailand is rich in culture, the people value each other, and create an atmosphere of love and safety for their visitors. I do think one needs at least 2 weeks to really get the full experience. We did not travel to Bangkok but I’ve heard great things and wish to visit it one day. 

There you have it y’all- my trip to Thailand. I know you all have questions.  Drop them in the comment section below and don’t forget to share and subscribe for more updates. 
Link to Luxe tribes: https://luxetribes.com/