Day 1- Kolkata to Bangkok
A favourite with Indian tourists and brimming with natural beauty, culture and history , Thailand is one country you can spend a month in and still be lusting for more. Ours was a family trip with two young daughters so my itinerary involved a mix of history, culture and adventure.
We arrived at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in the wee hours of the morning and checked into our hotel at Khao San Road. We spent the day exploring The Grand Palace which was a stone's throw away from our hotel and followed it up by a visit to quite a few famous Wats in the area.
Inside the palace complex is situated a royal chapel the Wat Phra Kaew which houses the Emerald Buddha, a statuette of Lord Buddha meditating in a yogic posture. Photography is prohibited here.
Just behind the Grand Palace is the Wat Pho or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. We reached the Wat on foot. A short ferry ride from Wat Pho is the Wat Arun which is the most beautiful in Bangkok because of the different colours used in its exterior.
We also visited the Wat Traimit to conclude a day spent taking in the history, culture and religion of the country.
Day 2- Bangkok to Phuket
We had an early morning flight to Phuket , the beach town obviously for a dose of fun and adventure . We checked in at Novotel , Patong beach ,a stone's throw from the most popular beach and Bangla Street, the most happening place to be in Phuket.
After lunch, we got the Patong beach and enjoyed a lovely sunset. The evening was spent at the dreamy Phuket Fantasea with a buffet and the magnificent Golden Kinaree restaurant followed by a finely produced and executed show at the Palace of Elephants.
Day 3- Phi Phi islands
The day began early for us as we were headed for a speedboat trip to the Phi Phi islands, Khai islands and Maya bay. The Maya beach was closed as there had been owing to a huge rush of tourists which seemed to harm the aquatic life.
The girls were unable to contain their excitement as they anticipated a day swimming, snorkelling and diving in the cool , blue waters.
After 45 minutes of travel, we finally reached a snorkelling point and the girls had the time of their lives underwater. Later we had lunch at the Khai islands , soaked in the sun and seam in the cool blue seas.
Day 4- Phuket sightseeing
We spent the day exploring Phuket Town. We hired a cab for eight hours and started our day of sightseeing with the Big Buddha, the highest point in Phuket.
Our next stop was the most revered temple in Phuket.Wat Chalong is the most revered temple in Phuket and a must visit if you are in the town.
We enjoyed a dolphin show next and spent some time on the Karon Beach.
After a relaxing swim at the Novotel we went in search of some street food for dinner and explored the Patong night market and Jungceylon Mall.
Day 5- Phuket to Krabi
Our next destination was the breathtaking island of Krabi. We hired a cab to take us from Phuket to Krabi and it was such a great decision as the road trip was absolutely gorgeous . On reaching Krabi, the first thing we did was to hire scooters and this made exploring the tiny yet picturesque island easier. We stayed in Ao Nang in the heart of all action.
After lunch, we drove to Krabi town and in this beach Island also found one of the most exquisite Wats. Wat Kaew is a temple in the middle of Krabi town. Its blue and white exterior makes it stand out among the other ways which were mostly red and gold. The inside of the wat has beautiful paintings on the walls. Not the biggest perhaps but one of the most serene temples we visited.
We hit the Ao Nang beach in time to catch the most glorious sunset. Krabi is the most gorgeous place to be in all of Thailand. It is less crowded and less developed than Phuket but it is the ultimate castaway experience as you lounge on the sandy beaches amidst breathtaking scenery, exploring giant limestone structures and blue waters. It has 200 islands just off the coast , a jungle and beaches that stretch for miles.
I just couldn't get enough of these long tail boats. These pictures are of the Ban Ao Nang beach.
The long-tailed boats took my breath away and I fell head over heels in love with them.
At night we hit the Krabi night market in all its glory . The atmosphere was so lively that one cannot help being captivated by it. We came back with our stomachs full and our hearts content.
Day 6 -Four island trip , Krabi
Day 6 in Krabi turned out to be the most memorable day of this trip for me. We had booked a four island trip on a long tail boat to visit Phra Nang, Chicken , Poda and Tub islands. I'll let the pictures do the talking here.
Our first stop was the Phra Nang caves and the girls got off the boat and hopped on to a kayak to explore the caves.
Our second stop was the Chicken islands where we stopped only for snorkelling and some pictures.
The next stop was the Poda islands which had a backdrop of a huge cliff and a beautiful ,white,sandy beach. We had a restful evening later at the hotel.
Day 7- Krabi to Bangkok
We flew from Krabi to Bangkok early next morning in time for the New Year celebrations.
Since no trip to Thailand can be over without some shopping we headed for the Chatuchak Weekend market.
What's Bangkok without some night life thrown in and that too on New Year's Eve..
Day 8- Safari World Bangkok
Day 8 was another fun filled day spent at Safari World Bangkok , in short , a day dedicated to the kids but we ,the adults, also enjoyed ourselves as much. The shows at the Marine park were all world class but those who have been to Singapore would obviously know who wins it hands down. I particularly enjoyed the Urang Utan show.
In the evening we visited Asiatique, the Riverfront..one of the most well organised and aesthetically decorated market I've ever seen.
Day 9- Bangkok to Kolkata
It was time to bid adieu to the Land of Smiles and we boarded our flight back to Kolkata with a heart full of memories to cherish for a lifetime. I've promised myself that I need one more trip to this country minus the kids to further explore the history and culture of this mesmerizing land.