Why Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Krabi Town?
Cheap massages, affordable accommodations, Thai food, scenic mangroves, elephants, and tigers, oh my, so enough said. These were the best things to do in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Krabi Town.
Bangkok
Things to do
Day Tours:
I visited the Grand Palace in Bangkok as I felt this was a necessary ordeal for a 1st time trip to Bangkok especially since the royal king who reigned for 70 years had passed away in late 2016.
Self Tours:
Bangkok features a variety of interests for every age level and traveler. I took a trip to the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre which was a nice multi-level art museum. Before that, I visited the Jim Thompson House Museum as you can see below:
Art dance at Jim Thompson House
If you are a bargain hunter and looking for souvenirs you need to make a trip to the
Chatuchak Weekend Market which happens of course only on weekends and you can take the train from the city to get there.
Bangkok is a great place if you are looking to get a customized fully tailored dress suit (pants, shirt, and sports coat) for only $100 USD which they can have ready in 24 hours after taking your measurements to have you styling.
For nightly entertainment, you can stroll around main areas along Sukhumvit Road for restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and a couple other entertainment district areas you can Google about them to learn more.
Chiang Mai
Things to do
Day Tours:
During my stay, I did several tours which included a Northern Thai Dinner and Dance tour, Elephant Show, Tiger zoo, White Temple, and a trip to the northern most point of Thailand where you can see both Myanmar and Laos from the Mekong River. There is also a day tour to Pai. I have taken it but feel you would do yourself a favor by taking a bus to Pai and staying 2-3 nights to enjoy the activities there as there was not a lot of interesting things to see during my day tour. These were all top of the line tours that I highly recommend for anyone putting an itinerary together for coming to Chiang Mai as must-dos. There are other tours I would try if I went back to Chiang Mai for the 3rd time such as going to this waterpark named Grand Canyon which has zip lining, cliff jumping, and other water sports. As well as there is bungee jumping for the ultimate thrill seeker at Chiang Mai X-Centre.
Self Tours:
There are a variety of museums around the Old Town that you can visit including several temples. The area has a ChinaTown which is not a surprise which operates from 9am-5pm and they do have a Night Market which runs from 5pm-midnight where you can find a selection of retail goods and souvenirs.
Food options in Chiang Mai are plentiful as your can find fruit smoothies for $1-2 USD and Thai food for as little as $3 per meal.
If you just want to relax, you should definitely try a Thai massage which you can get for as little as $7 USD for an hour along the main road in the Old Town which I found to be an excellent value. As far as getting laundry done, I recommend you have your hotel or hostel do it as I’m not so sure if I would try this outdoor laundromat below lol!
Krabi Town
Things to do
Day Tours:
During my stay I did rock climbing and kayaking. I booked these tours through the website Klook which has just as competitive pricing as you would by booking it in Krabi Town.
Self Tours:
Krabi Town is very small as there is not much in the way of exploring for the typical backpacker but by renting a motorbike you can get around the countryside for scenic views.
Getting around/safety
Bangkok: Maneuvering around the city can be done via their extensive train and subway system. Everything else can be accomplished by taxi and tuk tuk as all of their transportation options are generally reasonable.
Chiang Mai: Getting around in the Old Town is best done by walking, motorbike rental, and tuk tuk. Aside from watching out for typical motorbikes and mysterious women (or what looks kind of like a woman) standing outside the bars in the Old Town at night trying to grab you to bring you in, I never felt my safety was at risk. One thing I did notice was the number of rats scrambling around at night as I walked around the city. Typically they are found near trash bins and sewer drainage openings along the roads.
Krabi: Easiest method to stroll this town is by motorbike, tuk tuk, and walking.