u/Best-Gur-481

Share some of the weirdest, coolest, and most unique things you did in Thailand! I’m talking stuff that isn’t listed in every single guide post you see. Stuff you have to randomly stumble across, get a rec from a friend or local, or dig deep to find. These can be guided tours to relatively unknown areas, bizarre entertainment shows, or things you won’t find anywhere else on the planet.

They could also be relatively mundane things that were special to you, but not often talked about in the general Thailand conversation.

Cheers!

Hi! Late 30s female, experienced solo traveler here. I’m heading to Thailand in November and am hoping to get some feedback on my current itinerary, as well as have some questions answered. 

I have 15 days and 14 nights (arriving at 5:30am on day 1, departing at 10pm on day 15). Below is my current itinerary. Travel time between stops is somewhat accounted for with half days removed here and there. I like to stay busy :)

Arrive in Bangkok 5:30am
Bangkok - 2 full days/2 nights 
Chiang Rai - 1 day/1 night
Chiang Mai - 3 full days/4 nights
Phi Phi - 1 day/1 night (remove?)
Koh Lanta - 2-3 days/3 nights (two days of diving)
Ao Nang - 3-4 days/3 nights
Depart from Krabi 10pm

I'm open to any feedback/suggestions, but I'm primarily hoping to answer the following questions:

1. How do you all feel about the distribution of days? Am I spending too long or not enough time in any specific place? (yes, I know I could spend weeks or months in any single place, but I only have so much time to distribute)
2. Do I skip Phi Phi? I plan to do some island hopping tours around Ao Nang, including at minimum the Hong Islands, and I will also be doing two full days of diving off Koh Lanta (HD/HM and Ko Haa), which is already a significant amount of boat and island time. I'm wondering: are the views at Phi Phi/Maya Bay, etc., that much more spectacular than Hong, Railay, and other Krabi landscapes, or is it mostly just famous because of pop culture? I don’t need to repeat the same experiences multiple times, so if it’s mostly the same, I could skip it.
3. I also understand that the nightlife in Phi Phi is supposed to be pretty big, but could I get some first-hand accounts of what it’s really like? Is it primarily really young backpackers going wild, or is it enjoyable for all ages? I’m not super into heavy drinking and partying anymore, but I DO really enjoy fun, unique entertainment and silly things, such as the tourist muay thai fights I’ve read about on Phi Phi. That said, I know there’s all sorts of ridiculous and silly entertainment around Thailand, so if it all can be found elsewhere, that would be good to know. I’d love any recs for unique experiences!
4. If I skip Phi Phi, where should I add that extra day? My current thought is to add it to Bangkok, though opinions are mixed on whether or not you should spend substantial time there. I could potentially add on a day trip to Ayutthaya if that’s recommended. 
5. Do you agree with just spending a night in Chiang Rai rather than a day trip from Chiang Mai? I plan to fly there from Bangkok, see the sights, then shuttle to Chiang Mai. Staying for just a night somewhere doesn't bother me much, I just don't bother unpacking much.
6. Accommodation recs? I’m a late 30s solo female traveler who spent her earlier years in hostels. I still love the hostel vibe, but I've aged out of the typical party hostel and prefer private room hostels tailored to older solo travelers or boutique hotels that are also solo travel friendly. Recs for grown-up hostels would be great. I’m not usually into luxury travel and typically budget around $50/night, but I also wouldn’t mind splurging a little bit (like $100-150) on something nicer if it really is incredible and worth it, particularly in Ao Nang, as it’s my last stop. I generally prefer to stay centrally where I step out the door and easily walk to restaurants, cafes, bars, etc.

 

For context: late 30s solo female traveler. I’m fairly adventurous and scuba dive, and I'm not somebody who enjoys sitting around on a beach just for the sake of tanning/relaxing. I generally stay pretty busy when I travel, though I’m a sucker for massages, so there will be a fair amount of those. I love unique experiences, whether cultural or otherwise, and I especially love food. I’ll for sure do food tours and at least one cooking class. I also do enjoy shopping and plan to check out a mall in Bangkok for the experience, though I typically go more for artisan type clothes, jewelry, and home decor.

Cheers!

Hi! Late 30s female, experienced solo traveler here. I’m heading to Thailand in November and am hoping to get some feedback on my current itinerary, as well as have some questions answered. 

I have 15 days (arriving at 5:30am on day 1, departing at 10pm on day 15) and 14 nights. Below is my current itinerary. Travel time between stops is somewhat accounted for with half days removed here and there. I like to stay busy :)

Arrive in Bangkok 5:30am
Bangkok - 2 full days/2 nights 
Chiang Rai - 1 day/1 night
Chiang Mai - 3 full days/4 nights
Phi Phi - 1 day/1 night (remove?)
Koh Lanta - 2-3 days/3 nights (two days of diving)
Ao Nang - 3-4 days/3 nights
Depart from Krabi 10pm

I'm open to any feedback/suggestions, but I'm primarily hoping to answer the following questions:

1. How do you all feel about the distribution of days? Am I spending too long or not enough time in any specific place? (yes, I know I could spend weeks or months in any single place, but I only have so much time to distribute)
2. Do I skip Phi Phi? I plan to do some island hopping tours around Ao Nang, including at minimum the Hong Islands, and I will also be doing two full days of diving off Koh Lanta (HD/HM and Ko Haa), which is already a significant amount of boat and island time. I'm wondering: are the views at Phi Phi/Maya Bay, etc., that much more spectacular than Hong, Railay, and other Krabi landscapes, or is it mostly just famous because of pop culture? I don’t need to repeat the same experiences multiple times, so if it’s mostly the same, I could skip it.
3. I also understand that the nightlife in Phi Phi is supposed to be pretty big, but could I get some first-hand accounts of what it’s really like? Is it primarily really young backpackers going wild, or is it enjoyable for all ages? I’m not super into heavy drinking and partying anymore, but I DO really enjoy fun, unique entertainment and silly things, such as the tourist muay thai fights I’ve read about on Phi Phi. That said, I know there’s all sorts of ridiculous and silly entertainment around Thailand, so if it all can be found elsewhere, that would be good to know. I’d love any recs for unique experiences!
4. Phi Phi island hopping tours: I know it’s ideal to hire a private long boat driver to take you around to the spots rather than going with large tour groups, but as a solo traveler, I can’t guarantee I’ll have people to share a private boat with. If I do a tour, what recs do you have? I saw something about Bob’s booze cruise, but then others mentioned it may be closed. As I’m a solo traveler, I like having social opportunities to meet people.
5. If I skip Phi Phi, where should I add that extra day? My current thought is to add it to Bangkok, though opinions are mixed on whether or not you should spend substantial time there. I could potentially add on a day trip to Ayutthaya if that’s recommended. 
6. Ethical elephant sanctuary recs? I'm currently looking at Following Elephants, which has locations in both Krabi and Koh Lanta, but I also know Chiang Mai has some. I'm overwhelmed by trying to decipher what is truly ethical and what is just labeled as such.
7. What are some fun and unique experiences you had in Thailand that you’d recommend? As mentioned above, I enjoy unique and silly types of entertainment that I wouldn’t necessarily find elsewhere. In the States I regularly go to drag, cabaret, and burlesque shows, and I know there are some interesting shows like that in Thailand as well. Any recs along those lines or something completely different would be appreciated!
8. Accommodation recs? I’m a late 30s solo female traveler who spent her earlier years in hostels. I still love the hostel vibe, but I've aged out of the typical party hostel and prefer private room hostels tailored to older solo travelers or boutique hotels that are also solo travel friendly. Recs for grown-up hostels would be great. I’m not usually into luxury travel and typically budget around $50/night, but I also wouldn’t mind splurging a little bit (like $100-150) on something nicer if it really is incredible and worth it, particularly in Ao Nang, as it’s my last stop. I generally prefer to stay centrally where I step out the door and easily walk to restaurants, cafes, bars, etc.

 

For context: late 30s solo female traveler. I’m fairly adventurous and scuba dive, and I'm not somebody who enjoys sitting around on a beach just for the sake of tanning/relaxing. I generally stay pretty busy when I travel, though I’m a sucker for massages, so there will be a fair amount of those. I love unique experiences, whether cultural or otherwise, and I especially love food. I’ll for sure do food tours and at least one cooking class. I also do enjoy shopping and plan to check out a mall in Bangkok for the experience, though I typically go more for artisan type clothes, jewelry, and home decor. I'd really appreciate any and all advice, as long as it's productive!

Cheers!