Here’s why we’re crazy about Siam. And we want to take you with us!
Thailand is one of the many countries in the world with spectacular things to offer. Some of them, however, have been spoiled by mass tourism, which distorts the true local culture and turns what was naturally almost perfect into something artificial.
To be clear, the typical Phuket resort holiday is pretty much our idea of the antichrist.
But there’s plenty more that has resisted tacky package-tour style tourism and still radiates the authentic spirit of Thailand. So much so that for this country we decided to create two separate itineraries: one in the North and one in the South.
Here’s a taste of what we offer.
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Northern Thailand
Bangkok
First stop: Bangkok, the huge capital, with its congested traffic, streets filled with every kind of smell and fragrance, and so, so many amazing things to do.
Like seeing the laid-back Reclining Golden Buddha together with many of his companions at Wat Pho Temple, along with lots of other spectacular temples. Or taking a stroll through the capital’s Chinatown and tasting the local food.
The railway market
The Mae Klong Railway Market is something truly unique: a market made up of stall upon stall set right along the edge of a fully functioning railway line, where trains pass several times a day!
Traders had already been setting up shop here more than a hundred years ago, before the railway was built. And even when work started on laying the tracks, they basically said, “No way. We’re not moving an inch.”
And they’re still there today, simply making sure to move their goods just enough to avoid being hit when the train comes through. And we mean “just enough” literally: the train passes practically over their merchandise!
The Golden Triangle
This is the name given to the area where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet. It is mostly mountainous, of course stunningly beautiful, and in the past part of the region was dedicated to opium cultivation, making it one of the world’s main production centers for this substance.
All of this history is told at the House of Opium, which is not a secret den for drug use, but a museum dedicated to the phenomenon we mentioned above.
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Southern Thailand
Bangkok
Déjà vu?
Yes, we’ve already talked about it, but we wanted to let you know that we also dive into the wonderful chaos of Bangkok during our Southern Thailand tour. How could we possibly miss the chance?
And that’s that. We’ve already told you the rest before. Let’s move on.
Thongsuk Elephant Sanctuary
This reserve is a natural area dedicated to beautiful Asian elephants and their protection.
The best part is that here you can enjoy an absolutely moving experience: the Ethical Elephant Experience.
What is it?
Well, it means caring for these magnificent pachyderms, feeding them, and even washing them. It’s fantastic, and the educational value of spending time with the elephants in the park is truly limitless.
Koh Samui, or “what kind of incredible place is this?”
Koh Samui is an island with a breathtaking coastline: turquoise waters, shallow seabeds that make the view even more spectacular, and an overall dreamlike landscape. And inland, there’s a lush jungle and peaks, the highest rising above 600 meters. Naturally, they’re all covered in rich green vegetation.
In short, it’s a kind of earthly paradise that we love visiting during our Southern Thailand tours for a bit of relaxation and carefree fun. And also to race quad bikes along the dirt tracks, because why not.
Kui Buri National Park
Since we can never get enough of seeing elephants, we also head to this national park where these gentle giants of the animal kingdom live peaceful, quiet lives, protected by the reserve staff just as they should be.
It’s the ideal place for a safari, but not one of those tacky ones with crowds of noisy tourists shouting and disturbing the local wildlife. No, this is a safari designed with their well-being in mind first and foremost, during which we observe them from the proper distance so as not to disturb the peace of their daily lives.
In conclusion
From north to south, Thailand is truly an incredible place and perfectly suited to the kind of tour we love: a journey where the main goal is to connect with the local culture, admire wild nature, and experience local wildlife in all its beauty, in its natural habitat.
Mainstream weekend breaks, or full weeks of super-luxury stays in tourist-packed resorts, we leave those to others who don’t know what they’re missing.
You, on the other hand, already have a good idea—or at least you now know part of the experience offered by the real Thailand, the one we’ve told you about in this article. And believe us: this is only a fraction of what we’ll do there!
If you want to know more, take a close look at the details of our Northern Thailand itinerary and our Southern Thailand itinerary. And maybe consider joining both, so you can experience every shade of this land.
