Thailand
Where can I see your posts on Thailand?
Click the see articles button on the right sidebar, or scroll to the bottom of the page for mobile.
When did you travel to Thailand?
Fletch and I first spent a month vacationing on Koh Tao in November of 2013. We then moved to Thailand for nine months in 2014.
In 2020 I returned, this time on the standard, 30-day tourist visa, which I spent island hopping to some of Thailand’s lesser-known islands.
Which areas of Thailand did you visit?
We lived on Koh Tao, but thanks to everything in Thailand being so dirt cheap, were able to travel around a lot. Places we visited include: Bangkok, Koh Pha Ngan, Koh Samui, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Chiang Mai, and Pai.
In 2020, my trail started in Koh Lipe, then lead me to Koh Mook, Koh Lanta, Koh Pu, Koh Chang, Koh Phayam, and finally back to Koh Tao.
Why did you go to Thailand?
The story of why we went to Thailand (the first time) is intertwined with the story of how Fletch and I fell in love. We were completely plutonic in the beginning, and both solo travelers. I had always wanted to visit Thailand, and he had talked about wanting to visit friends there. At some point we decided to travel together, and so ended up visiting a buddy of his in Koh Tao for a month. We had so much fun together that people were always approaching us to ask if we were on our honeymoon. And we weren’t even dating! Well that changed towards the end when Fletch made his move. I tried to break it off at the end because long distance did not sound like something that would last for long. Then neither one of us was happy back in the US. Then Fletch chased me halfway across the country, and finally proposed that we just move to Thailand together. I told him that he was asking me to believe in fairy tales, and the rest was happily ever after.
How did you get to your final destination from the US?
We flew United Airlines from Denver (DEN) to Tokyo (NRT) (12h), and then Tokyo (NRT) to Bangkok (BKK) (6h 30m).
Once in Bangkok, the easiest thing to do is just walk into the nearest booking office (they are peppered on every corner in tourist areas such as Khao San Road), and tell them where you want to go. They can make all the arrangements, and give you stickers to wear. And then you just get herded from point A to point B based on what color sticker you’re wearing.
To get to Koh Tao, you can take an overnight bus or train (about 10h), followed by the Lomprayah ferry to Koh Tao (2h).
Alternatively, if you are pressed for time and willing to spend more, you can take a domestic flight from Bangkok (BKK) to Koh Samui (USM) (1h), followed by the Lomprayah ferry to Koh Tao (1h 30m).
What advice do you have for someone visiting Thailand?
A lot actually! Check out my blog post, Lexi’s Ultimate Guide to Koh Tao, but do keep in mind it hasn’t been updated since I was last there in 2014.
For a more up-to-date guide, check out my 2020, The Aquaholic’s Guide to Koh Mook (Ko Muk).
More 2020 updates coming soon!
Basic Information:
→ Capital: Bangkok
→ Population: 68,863,514
→ Area: 198,120 square miles (513,120 square kilometers)
→ Currency: Thai baht
→ Time Zone: UTC +7
→ Official Language: Thai
→ Religions: Buddhism (94.5%), Islam (4.3%), Christianity (1.2%)
