Our stay was for two weeks in the country. Started in Chiang Mai where we stayed for five days. Moved to Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort and Spa and finally Bangkok. Each of the locations we stayed at proved to be great for short trips to the various attractions we wanted to see. Chiang Mai was full of many cultural experiences. Santhiya Koh Yao Yai was an awesome relaxing paradise. Bangkok as expected was one of the craziest big cities we have ever seen. For brevity, only a few details will be listed under each section below. To get all the places we visited and attraction details click on the read more link next to each paragraph.

Chiang Mai

There is so much to see in Chiang Mai. Figuring out what to see is a challenge. It has so many temples, statues, bazaars that you always feel the time is not on your side. The plan was to do various trips every day to different attractions. Many of the places you would want to see are a few hours drive so have that in mind when planning. For example, the Floating Market was 3 hours drive from Chiang Mai for us. Elephant Rescue Park was about an hour. Staying in a good hotel with various concierge choices helps. We did that vs arranging those beforehand. Elephant Rescue Park was the only one we pre-arranged due to it being fully booked all the time. Here are some of the photos of the places we visited from Chiang Mai. / read more

Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort and Spa

We wanted to have some relaxing time while in Thailand. Santhiya was a perfect place for this. It is a resort located on Koh Yao island and has everything you can imagine for a resort & spa. Due to its location, it is also perfect for daily trips to the Phi Phi islands, Phuket, James Bond island, etc. We truly enjoyed our stay there and we highly recommend it. Here are some of the pictures we took while staying at Santhiya. / read more

Bangkok

Bangkok was a very unique experience for us. It has such a big contrast between the rich and fancy areas and the less fortunate ones. Downtown has these amazing stores, malls, temples, and places to see. We stayed close to downtown and traveled mainly with taxies. Traffic is pretty crazy so plan accordingly. There were many places to visit to list here. Here are some of the photos we took. To get more details about all the places we visited and we recommend click on / read more

Conclusion

After the two weeks we spent in Thailand we left the country truly blessed to have been able to explore and experience it. It has a very different feel from Japan and other countries we have been to. Truly unique landscapes, cuisine, and culture. People were super nice everywhere and always eager to help and assist you. Overall we would really miss Thailand and would want to go back for another similar adventure! Our 5 year old still asks about that trip. It appears he really likes Asian countries :).

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Lodging

Picking a good hotel in Chiang Mai with a central location is very important. The economical state of the country is such that many five-star hotels are at the price level of 3 stars in the United States. We stayed at the Le Méridien Chiang Mai which is literally in the center of the city. From there it was a breeze to explore and get transportation to attractions that were driving distance from the hotel. The room, food, and service were awesome. Also, there were tons of options around the hotel including one of the best Japanese sushi we have ever tried. The Night Bazar is also within walking distance if you feel like shopping in the very late afternoon.

Things to See & Do

Our main goal was to visit as many temples, animal parks, and other tourist attractions as possible. Some were very close by others required close to 3 hours drive from the hotel. Doi Suthep was very close. Elephant Rescue Park was about an hour drive. The floating market, white and blue temples were much further. Some of the roads were in heavy construction at the time and there was some traffic as well.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple

One of the most beautiful temples we visited during our trip. Probably the most famous and busiest of all we explored. So much detail it is absolutely awesome to see. The temple is 15 km (9.3 mi) from Chiang Mai and situated at an elevation of 1,073 meters. Since it is high in the mountain you can also see great views of the city.

The name of the Temple (Wat Phra That Doi Suthep) actually explains what the temple has. Phra entails of an honorific Buddha image, and That means a relic. Combining the two tells that there is a relic of Buddha’s in the sanctity of the Wat, and in this case it’s half of Buddha’s shoulder bone.

The temple itself is quite large and has various different buildings, statues, and places to explore. There is a huge sitting Buddha as well as one laying down on the terrace of the temple. From there you can oversee the Chaing Mai downtown and just relax and enjoy the views. Make sure you have some water with you. You must remove your shoes when going inside the temple.

Elephant Rescue Park

When in Thailand you must visit one of the Elephant Parks/Sanctuaries. The overall experience is hard to beat and for us specifically was the first of its kind. The overall drive to the park was about an hour. We booked a private tour which includes our family and the guides only. The park rescues elephants from around Thailand and heals them. Some of the elephants were used in the logging industry others performed in circuses. The experience took about half a day and it also included an awesome lunch. Overall one of the absolute best attractions we experienced in Thailand. Highly recommended! Here is a link to the Elephant Rescue Park Website.

Wat Rong Khun, The White Temple

The White Temple is an interesting one. Build very differently than the other temples and it feels more of Thailand’s version of a Disney Land theme park than anything else. It was by far the most detailed and unique architecture wise temple we saw on our trip. Nothing came close really. Turns out it is not an actual temple but a privately owned art exhibit. And as such it is impossible to take a decent photo once inside due to the number of people everywhere. It does get less crowded in the afternoon. You also need to buy a ticket to enter.

Wat Rong Khun is a privately owned art exhibit in the style of a Buddhist temple in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. It is owned by Chalermchai Kositpipat, who designed, constructed, and opened it to visitors in 1997.

Rong Suea Ten, The Blue Temple

After we visited the White Temple our driver recommended seeing the Rong Suea Ten or as it is known to tourists – The Blue Temple. It is a short drive and well worth it. Beautiful architecture and attention to detail. Build by a student of the main architect of the White Temple. It is also an actual real temple with a huge sitting Buddha inside. There are various statues around it that we could not stop taking pictures of. Each one more unique and better (sometimes scarier) looking than the other. If you are visiting the white temple make sure you visit this one as well. It is much smaller in size but offers a lot in color and detail.

Rong Suea Ten was established in October 27th, 2005  and successfully complete in January 22nd, 2016, It is on the area of 6 acres. Blue color represents the Dharma, the Lord Buddha virtue code of moral that spread all over the world becomes the doctrine of logically naturalistic as the bright blue sky. This temple displays the contemporary Buddhist art that implied the Lord Buddha ‘s doctrine.

Night Bazaar

The Night Bazaar was within walking distance of our hotel and it was recommended to us by the locals. It is a large covered marketplace hosting tons of merchants selling all kinds of handmade items and food. There are more than a few restaurants there as well. Overall it was nice to see and experience. Make sure you look after your belongings since the place is packed with all kinds of people. That was a recommendation by the locals.

Conclusion

Overall we absolutely loved our stay at Chiang Mai. So many and so different experiences. From temples and parks to elephants and tigers. The food as well as the service was great. People were very nice and overall always helpful. The only issue we had was with the traffic and the overly busy attractions (like the temples we visited).
We highly recommend Chiang Mai!

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Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort was by far the most relaxing experience we had in Thailand. It is an eco-luxury resort comprised of 39 teakwood pool villas and 109 deluxe rooms located on the Koh Yao Yai island. We loved every minute spent there. The villa, service, and the overall experience was truly unique and very memorable. In fact, it would remain the highlight we enjoyed the most from our adventure.

The Santhiya Resort

We found this resort by looking at places to stay near Phuket and the Phi Phi islands as those were some of the main attractions we wanted to visit. It did not take long for us to choose once we saw the pictures online from this place. We booked more than 3 months in advance just to make sure (booking link). We strongly recommend not to book a room but a villa with a pool. Those are absolutely awesome! The views, the size, and the service were very impressive. The resort size-wise is enormous. It has a large pool at the lower level and one at the top. The latter has an infinity pool type view and it is right next to the Saaitara restaurant (which is where the breakfast is served).

The Vilas

The main Santhiya Koh Yao Yai resort attraction to us was the actual vila. You could probably easily not leave at all while staying there and still have an amazing vacation. It has everything you would imagine. Pool with an awesome view, outside showers, bathtub & plenty of other amenities to enjoy your stay. Our favorite by far was the private infinity pool. The villas are all built mainly with wood and everything inside is done with that material. You have internet and TV although the internet connection in our case was barely usable.

The Pier

The Pier at Santhiya has a dual purpose. During the day it is the only way for you to get out of the island. During the later afternoon, it also becomes a bar that serves quite tasty small bites and of-course all types of alcoholic beverages. You have to reserve your spot however around breakfast time since the bar/tables get booked very quickly. The beds are nice and the sunset views breathtaking. Highly recommended.

The Food

Overall the food was very good (with some exceptions). The main bar at the lower level named “The Titan Grill” had by far the best tasting meals. The breakfast at the top-level restaurant (named “Saaitara Restaurant”) was also decent. The lower level restaurant we did not like at all. Both the main one and the buffet one we only tried once and never came back. It might have been a bad day for them that night but the quality and taste were atrocious. The Titan Grill was consistently good throughout our entire stay. It is also very close to the main pool and the pier so it was a strategic place for us :). Here is a link to the resort restaurant page.

Transportation

Due to its large size of the resort you need to get one of the transport-themed pickup trucks to get to your vila. That is probably one of the main negatives about the resort. The trucks are not super comfortable and in some cases due to the road incline even dangerous. Make sure you hold on tight when getting into one of these. In the case where you are close to the top walking would take some time to get to the bottom but it is definitely doable if you want to avoid the trucks. As far as getting off the island you would need to use one of their boats. They have a specific schedule for the trips to the mainland and also a different one to attractions nearby.

Day trips

At the Titan Grill, there is a reservation booth where you can book day trips to all kinds of local attractions. We visited James Bond Island, Phuket, and various other local hot spots. The prices were ok but definitely more expensive than booking in advance outside of the resort. The convenience would not be there however since you need to get a boat to the mainland and from there go back to the attraction you want. Time-wise this was much better and allowed us to experience more things per day.

James Bond Island

The insanity of that island in terms of people there was astounding. We have never seen so many tourists in one place in our entire lives. It was so bad that we had to be super creative to take any pictures. On top of that the locals, there were constantly trying to sell something and following you every step of the way. It is one of those places where you want to go in, experience it as fast as possible (take a quick photo), and get out!

Phuket

On one of the day trips, we went for a few hours to Phuket. Initially, we thought that a few hours hardly would be enough but as time passed we realized that Phuket was way too touristy for us. It was so packed and busy that you felt stressed just being there without doing anything. Tons of people, boats, and noise. It absolutely seemed the place to be if you are into diving and water sports, however. Plenty of shopping opportunities as well.

Phi Phi Islands

We were not lucky enough to get closer to the Phi Phi islands. The government had closed them due to the number of tourists and mainly due to the fact that the sunscreen on them was killing the local reefs. Initially, that made zero sense to us but once we did some snorkeling there we witnessed it with our own eyes. Just imagine for a minute how many tourists had to be there daily that the sunscreen on them would actually kill the reefs under them. Just unbelievable. It just shows again how touristy the Phi Phi islands have actually become.

Fishing Village Island

One of the day trips also included a visit to a unique island on which there was a fishing village. The residents on it lived there for generations. Fishing and selling small hand made items to the visiting tourists is how they made their living. Quite an interesting experience. No roads, no cars, just boats, and small walkways. We stayed there for a few hours, just enough to get some souvenirs and move on with our daily adventure.

More Island Views, Monkeys & Caves

During the multiple day trips, we did we encountered on more than one occasion some interesting caves and their inhabitants. The monkeys were so used to the humans that they were already proficient at drinking from soda cans and opening sealed candies. They had zero fear from the boats and on one occasion they literary jumped on ours and started walking on people’s heads. Needless to say that caused some panic on the boat. The caves themselves were very nice to explore and they provided some shade and cover from the sun as well. A meal is also included as well as various drinks as part of the day trip package/price.

We also stopped for a lunch on a few smaller islands which only had a small exposed beach area. Most of these we frequent stops for other locals as well as we noticed in other boats coming and going. In some cases, we were the only boat on the island which felt quite relaxing. The provided lunches were nothing special but when you are all day exploring various islands on the sun they ended up being more than sufficient.

Conclusion

Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort was exactly the experience we were looking for in Thailand. Relaxing and full of pleasant surprises week which would remain in our memories for years to come. The resort itself was very unique and different in terms of villas and transportation. Villas were absolutely awesome, the way to get to them not so much. If you do not pay that much attention to this your stay at Santhiya would be absolutely awesome. At least it was for us and we highly recommend it based on that!

Here is a link to a booking.com hotel page in case you want to book your stay at Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort.

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Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometers (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has a population of over eight million, 12.6 percent of the country’s population. Over fourteen million people (22.2 percent) lived within the surrounding Bangkok Metropolitan Region at the 2010 census, making Bangkok the nation’s primate city, dwarfing Thailand’s other urban centers in both size and importance to the national economy.

Lodging

In retrospect the hotel we stayed in in Bangkok was ok but nothing extraordinary for a 5 start hotel. It just felt small and cramped. The area could have been better around the hotel as well. Options were few when we were booking so that was the best option at the time. We used taxies to travel around and do day trips.

Things to See

Every day in Bangkok we either explored the attractions of the city or we had a day trip to something that was recommended to us to see. We loved the temples and the Grand Castle. We never expected those places to be so busy so have that in mind. The castle and temples get almost empty after 3 PM since most of the tourist buses leave around that time. We were almost alone in most of them after that time. Also if you look at the map you would notice that most of the main attractions are very close by. So in a day, you could visit the Grand Castle, The Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Temple of the Dawn for example.

Mahanakhon Skywalk

The skywalk for us was a must-see. You get this stunning 360-degree view of the entire Bangkok. There is a bar and a transparent walkway which felt super scary to some of us :). Also, there is a gift shop and an amazing mall build into the 78 stories tall building. Have in mind that tripods and obviously drones are not allowed at all.
Here is a link to the official attraction web site: https://kingpowermahanakhon.co.th/skywalk/

Thailand’s highest outdoor observation area, with its highest point located at The Peak, 314 meters above ground level.

Wat Phra Kaew, Temple of the Emerald Buddha & Grand Castle

Probably the most impressive set of buildings you would see in entire Thailand. The temple resides on the territory of the Grand Castle which itself is a must-see. Insanely busy attractions. We have never in our lives seen so many people packed in one place at the same time. Make sure you go in the afternoon when it gets less crowded. You can’t go wrong visiting either of those. We explored both the temple and the castle. Have in mind that both have very strict dress code rules and would return anyone who does not follow them.

Built within the grounds of the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew or ‘The Temple of the Emerald Buddha’ is the most important and most visited temple in Bangkok. One of the most significant features of Wat Phra Kaew is the Emerald Buddha, carved from a 66 cm tall block of jade.

Wat Pho, Temple of the Reclining Buddha

Another interesting temple nearby is the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. This one left an impression on us due to the Buddha size. It is located within walking distance from the Grand Palace.

Wat Pho, named after a monastery in India where Buddha is believed to have lived, is one of the oldest and largest Buddhist temples in Bangkok. It is also known as ‘The Temple of the Reclining Buddha’ thanks to the 15-meter-high, 43-meter-long Buddha image it shelters, covered with gold leaf and baring 4-meter-long feet encrusted with exquisite mother-of-pearl (or nacre) decorations.

Wat Arun, Temple of the Dawn

This one is better to be seen when it is dark outside. They turn on the lights surrounding the temple and the view is pretty awesome. Very different than the other temples which you see during the day. Worth the wait.
We were quite tired from a full day of exploring other attractions and waiting on the grass to get dark felt relaxing. There are plenty of places to sit and enjoy the view.

Tiger Park

There are not many places in the world that offer close proximity to elephants and tigers. After we found from a brochure in one of the taxies we took about the Tiger Park we knew we are not missing that experience. It was not initially planned in our itinerary and was totally improvised. It was awesome! You have a choice between baby/small/medium and large tigers with which you share a large cell. You can play/touch the baby and the small tigers where the medium and large ones you kind of do not want to even if you could. The time per session is 30 minutes and you can buy as many sessions as you want.

We have never in our life witnessed bigger and more majestic animals than the ones we saw in this Tiger Park. Some of the large ones felt as big as some of the elephants we played with the previous day. Size-wise we spent time with the baby and the small tigers. You have plenty of time to take photos and also enjoy the experience. The prices were reasonable overall. Here is a link to their web site: http://tigerpark.co.th/

Floating Market

Floating markets are quite a popular tourist attraction in Thailand. There are multiple ones in the country and each is somewhat unique. We went to one that was recommended by our concierge at the hotel. It was not very close but the drive was worth it. Quite a unique experience. You are on one of Thailand’s famous motorized small boats shopping through these water canals, surrounded from every side by merchants. All prices are negotiable. Make sure you negotiate the time on the boat. We had to argue to have two trips around the entire market. One was not enough to really get the feel since we were there early and most of the shops were closed.

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