A Look Back: Thailand

In just shy of 80 days I will find myself back in the Southeast Asia of my college days. Besides Korea, this will be the first time I have ever revisited a place.

Maya Beach long tail  boat in the rain

I am excited to experience Thailand again, with a set of fresh eyes, eager to see how it’s changed, morphed, or (hopefully) stayed the same.

Thailand was the first Asian country I’ve traveled in. I spent the first 2 weeks and the last 2 weeks  of a 10 week Southeast Asia trip in Thailand, which I find appropriate. Thailand is comfortable, and despite liking other countries better (Laos in particular), Thailand is everything that you would want in an exotic Asian experience and then some. If you didn’t have time to visit more than one country in this region, I would wholeheartedly recommend Thailand without reservation.

Bangkok skyline at sunset

Thailand is covered in steamy, elephant dwelling jungle. It has amazing temple ruins from the early days, when it was called Siam. The flora and fauna is spectacular, especially in its national parks. The southern isthmus is blessed with some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Although tourism has perhaps ruined a lot of once-coveted places, you can still find your little slice of paradise if you search hard enough. The food is to die for (I mean, c’mon, who doesn’t love Thai food?), not to mention it’s ridiculously cheap. The fresh fruits will make you rethink your conception of what a fruit should really taste like (re: juicy pineapple pieces on a stick).

Railay Beach abseiling

They don’t call Thailand the land of a thousand smiles for nothing. The people are genuinely friendly (the majority anyways). Even if you find yourself being ripped off by a tuk-tuk driver after already agreeing on a set price, you will, minutes later, be laughing at the pah thai man as he grins at you with a toothless mouth while mixing your noodles with peanut sauce.  This is just how it goes. It’s such a laid back atmosphere you can’t help but go with the flow. This is what makes Thailand great.

Thee Lor Sue Falls

I was fortunate enough to experience a lot of the country back in 2006. I spent a lot of time in Bangkok, so much so that I grew to like the little area I was in (despite the rather negative opinions most travelers have for the giant city). I went trekking in the hills along the Burmese border, and met Burmese refugees fleeing their homeland for a better life. I spent 5 hours on the back of an elephant in thick jungle. I wandered through numerous night markets in Chiang Mai, an awesome city in the north. I biked around ancient temple complexes, and, at the end of my trip, experienced the gorgeous beaches of the southern coast.

So, I find myself extremely blessed to have a chance to go back. After a whirlwind week in Vietnam with my mom, we will take a short flight to Bangkok and, after meeting up with Matt, will continue down to the southern coast to enjoy the beach for another week. I can’t wait to share this experience with the two people I love the most!