Hi!
Asia—a continent full of places to discover. December 2023 brought me a whirlwind of emotions, experiences, reflections, stress, love, joy, and most importantly, gratitude for each day and so much more—I could go on, but I think it’s better to describe it below in order and share my feelings, as well as valuable information to help you better prepare for this truly fantastic journey. At the end of each section, I’ll leave you with information about the places visited, accommodations, and what’s worth bringing along to each destination.
We began planning the entire trip over the course of the year, step by step. First, we carefully considered where we wanted to stay, what we wanted to do, how we wanted to spend our days, and what we expected from each place. Finally, a month after deciding to travel to Asia, we selected our destinations: Thailand, Bangkok, Bali, Sri Lanka, and Dubai. I must admit, Dubai inspired us the most—its unique world fascinated us, which is why it made the list for this incredible journey.
I will divide the entire trip into individual destinations so that you can have information and references from my perspective and through my eyes. I’ll do my best to share as much information and joy from each place as possible.
Our journey began in Thailand (here you can find video highlights from Beautiful Thailand). The flight took 17 hours, with a layover in Dubai before heading to Krabi.
We flew with Emirates for the first leg of the trip, followed by Air Asia. For a long-haul flight, everything was excellent—comfortable with top-notch service. The flight departed at 8:00 PM UK time and lasted 7 hours. Onboard, the crew welcomed passengers with a glass of prosecco (I don’t drink alcohol). Each passenger received a small pillow, a blanket, and headphones for listening to music or watching movies. Meals were served in both meat and vegetarian options, included in the ticket price for long flights. We arrived in Dubai at 7:00 AM Dubai time, where we waited for 3 hours for our next flight. It was fine, as we had slept through the night.
The next flight to Krabi lasted 6 hours and 55 minutes. Onboard, we had access to TVs and meal options, either vegetarian or meat-based. The meat option didn’t really suit me, as we usually base our meals on rice, so I only ate the meat and broccoli. We arrived at our accommodation around 10:00 PM. We stayed in a lovely small cottage in a truly picturesque location in Krabi. We took an evening walk (our daily evening routine).
The next day, we woke up around 7:00 AM. The coffee called „Sunshine in a Cup” tastes truly delicious. You have to believe me, the greenery here is indescribable—it’s impossible to fully capture it in a photo. One thing is certain, what people say and show online is absolutely true—this is paradise.
Reflecting on the days spent in beautiful Thailand—I apologize, but I’m still captivated by it. Imagine 40 minutes of exercise in conditions where there’s no gym, no shower, and no pool. On the first day, we took a very relaxed, local walk, sunbathed, worked, and planned the next few days. Since each establishment offers different tours and attractions, we always review them on the first day.
We planned our days to be active, but we also had to account for a few days of remote work. We went on a kayaking trip down a paradise river, visited an elephant sanctuary where we had the chance to feed them, and took a tour of a pineapple plantation.
Kayaking is a really fun activity; you paddle leisurely down a paradise river, entering an incredible jungle where everything is lush and green, with rays of sunlight piercing through the trees, offering a truly heavenly and phenomenal view. The river leads to a spot where you can observe fish up close, drink fresh coconut prepared on-site, and the time is unlimited, so you can float and enjoy the tranquility and beautiful green scenery for as long as you want. After that, you move on to the pineapple farm—well, nothing too special, just a field where small pineapples grow. Meeting a young elephant was certainly an interesting experience, especially in a place where elephants are rescued from captivity and can enjoy better treatment. These animals are incredibly intelligent and friendly towards humans.
Wat Tham Seua Khao Kaeo is the site of the Great Buddha Statue. To reach the top, you need to climb 1,237 steps, with an elevation of 280 meters above sea level. Entry is free, but visitors can make a symbolic donation. Upon arrival, you must provide contact information for safety purposes. Women are required to have their shoulders and legs covered, but there are shops near the entrance where you can purchase appropriate clothing at a low cost.
The climb is challenging, with stairs varying in size and steepness, so it’s important to be cautious. The view from the top is breathtaking, and the statue itself is impressive. At the summit, you can take beautiful photos, hydrate, and then descend, taking advantage of the showers available at the bottom.
Practical Information About Thailand / Bangkok:
Activated charcoal is a good thing to have in case of digestive issues.
The bottled water in Thailand isn’t very tasty—if you’re sensitive to the taste of chlorine or odd flavors, it’s worth bringing a travel filter to purify the water further, or just buy Ervine water.
Laundry services are very cheap, so it’s really not worth bringing a large suitcase full of clothes. When you give your clothes for laundry, you get them back the next morning or even the same day for just a few cents.
Be cautious with food, as food poisoning is easy to get. Thailand is very hot, so dishes like sushi or steaks are not recommended—we got food poisoning the day before our next flight and spent the whole day in our bungalow.
The best way to get around Thailand is by renting scooters, which are available almost everywhere for very little money. You just need a driver’s license. There’s no paperwork involved; you just go up, say what you want, and take the scooter.
In hotels, you often pay at the end of your stay, though I’m not sure about special points. Scooters are a great transportation option; you can park everywhere, and scooter parking is free.
In summary, I’m totally in love with Thailand, and it definitely ranks among the most wonderful and beautiful places in the world that I want to visit again. Thailand is straightforward. It’s not overcrowded, the people are true angels, the weather is heavenly, the views are indescribable, and the food, especially the fruit, is paradise—I felt like I was in heaven. It’s also inexpensive. Of course, the flight is costly and long, but you don’t go to Thailand for just 3 days, so it’s worth planning a longer trip.
Który miesiąc jest najlepszy na wyjazd do Tajlandii? Wszystko zależy od indywidualnych preferencji. To, czy chcemy zwiedzać i relaksować się na pięknych plażach, czy tylko zwiedzać, czy może leniuchować, delektować się przysmakami i popijać drinki przy palmie, ma znaczenie. Ja odwiedziłem Tajlandię w grudniu, gdy w Wielkiej Brytanii nie ma słońca i pogoda nie jest ciepła. Tajlandia, mimo że był grudzień, a nie pora letnia, była gorąca. Warto jednak zauważyć, że nie żyjemy codziennie w takim klimacie tropikalnym, więc nasze ciała inaczej reagują na takie temperatury. Podczas gdy turysta ubiera się bardzo lekko, Tajlandczyk jest ubrany w długie rękawy, ponieważ dla niego jest to chłodniejszy czas roku. Dlatego warto przemyśleć, co chcemy robić w tak gorącym kraju i ewentualnie zaplanować każdy dzień, zrobić dokładne badania i wybrać odpowiedni miesiąc dla siebie. Dla mnie grudzień był dobrym miesiącem, ale powrót zaskoczył mnie nieco zmianą temperatury. Niemniej jednak, jeśli zdecydujesz się na ten raj, życzę wspaniałego czasu.
See you!
