By My second trip to Thailand was a short and sweet one, 4 days in Koh Samui, followed by 2 in Bangkok. What I wanted was a few days doing absolutely nothing but laying on a beach, cocktail in hand. What I got was adrenaline filled days followed by boozy nights and not much rest between. Despite this, Thailand has once again captured the spirit of my soul.
Koh Samui – Having only spent only 1 night in Koh Samui previously, staying at the stunning Sandalwood Luxury Villas this time I decided on a slightly more backpacker vibe. Lub D Chaweng Beach is a great little beach front hotel with a variety of different rooms and amenities catering to a wide range of clientele. Despite wanting a more bohemian feel, being the princess I am, I of course opted for the deluxe room with sea view over the shared accommodation.
The location of this hotel is brilliant, slap bang in the middle of Chaweng beach, you can walk left or right and find a plethora of bars, restaurants and spas to fit any taste. Places of note in the this area include Will Wait café for great Thai food, Backpackers for cheap beer, shots and late night snacks and Ark Bar for the full out party scene and $45 bottles of prosecco (always important!)
One daytime activity of choice was an ATV safari with Samui Quad Motor Being a total adrenaline junkie this was right up my street. The first dusty then wet conditions, steep inclines and sharp drops, puddles and would be waterfalls could not slow me down or deter me. Even the guides called me 100% CRAZY! This is a defo must try for everyone. The guides are lovely and will adapt the routes taken to the confidence and ability of each rider.
Our other daytime activity was a visit to Samui Elephant Sanctuary which is linked its much larger counterpart in Chiang Mai. Here they have 6 female elephants who have been rescued from different parts of Thailand and now have a safe place to live out their retirement. Hearing each individual elephant’s story is truly heartbreaking. 2 are even blind in one eye due to mistreatment from their former mahouts. My favorite of these beauties was an elephant affectionately known as Grandma, at 61 years old she is the oldest in this sanctuary and likes to spend time on her own enjoying her newly found freedom and quiet life.
Aside from the party nightlife in Koh Samui there is also a large following of Thai Boxing, announcements for the almost nightly fights can be heard from almost every bar restaurant and spa along the main Chaweng strip and beyond. Of course curiosity got the better of us so on our last night we headed to the much seedier side of town (Thairish is a great little bar in the area and the only bar we came across where there were no scantily clad ladies trying to entice us and our poor male friend in) and found the Samui International Stadium. 1500BHT for the cheapest tickets we were still close enough to the action to see in great details each injury that befell the fighters and there were many! With only 1 ‘bare knuckle fight’ on the docket that night it could have been called a tame affair however it was anything but. The brutality of these fights if certainly something to been seen if you can stomach it.
One of my favorite forms of entertainment in Koh Samui are the nightly Ladyboy shows. Starz Cabaret is full of some of the most stunning ladyboys I have seen in Thailand and they put on a brilliant show. In fact we enjoyed it so much, we stayed for 3 showings! Entrance is covered by the cost of your first drink. Drinks after that are slightly more expensive than elsewhere but totally worth it. Just remember, if you want to have your photo taken with these stunners you will have to pay each of them individually!
Bangkok – This time I stayed in the Khao San area of Bangkok, right in the middle of the crazy action but still far enough away to have a quiet night’s sleep at a great little boutique hotel called Villa De Khao San, this hotel is an absolute steal with lovely décor and a HUGE tub specifically for 2 people. Don’t bother opting for the street view though, our room only looked out over a next door car park.
Our 1 full day in Bangkok consisted of a little pool action in the roof top pool (unfortunately this was lacking pool side service), and tuk tuk rides to Big Buddha, Lucky Buddha and the Marble Temple.
Our first night we decided to brave the infamous Khao San Road. It is just as crazy as I remember it! Being fond of a glass of wine over the local beer these days we found it quite difficult to find places that catered to our taste. When asking most bars what wine they had the most common answer was ‘Red and White’!? If you’re looking for a little sophistication, and good wine in amongst the craziness I would recommend Buddy Beer. A proper wine list to hand and what looked like amazing food, however in comparison to the next door bars, the prices did reflect this. Other places of note in Khao San with cheap booze and a great atmosphere include Lucky Beer, Khao San 1986 and Is Orange. We did make a quick visit to the famous Brick Bar however swiftly departed after 1 drink and we were swarmed by hordes of Thai students enjoying their weekend off.
One thing you are guaranteed to find in Khao San road is a plethora of weird and wonderful things to try and eat. Common delicacies include creepy crawlies such as scorpions and tarantulas as well as larger offerings such as crocodile!
Our second and last night in Bangkok was an altogether most civilized affair. Dinner was at the lush Speakeasy Bar at Hotel Muse. The décor here is truly stunning, full 1920s glamour down to the waitress’s uniforms. The cocktails matched the theme and food was great! The price tag was hefty compared to other places we had eaten, but worth it for a proper glass of my fave prosecco. Dinner was followed by drinks at Sky Bar, made famous by the file, The Hangover Part II, I was thrilled to finally visit this bar. Prices here are not for the faint hearted, but a quick pit stop for one drink and dozens of photos is certainly worth it, the mixologists are true connoisseurs.
All in all, once again I have a great time in Thailand. With so many more islands and areas left to explore I’m sure it won’t be long before I am back again for my third visit. Where would you recommend I head to next time?
Life Wandered Not Lost 