Thailand: Bangkok, Koh Lanta and Phuket, my honest take on a brilliant adventure

Thailand had been on our wish list for a long time, and it absolutely didn’t disappoint. It’s a country of contrasts: temples and tuk-tuks, quiet beaches and buzzing cities, incredible food, heat, colour and organised chaos in the best possible way.

 

We split our trip between Bangkok, Koh Lanta and Phuket, which gave us a brilliant mix of culture, exploring and proper switch-off time. And for context, this wasn’t my first time in Thailand, I’ve stayed in Khao Lak before (which I loved), and I will definitely go back again. Next on my list are Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in the north, and I’d happily spend even more time in Bangkok too.

 

This blog is simply my personal experience, written honestly, not the polished brochure version, but how it actually felt to be there.

 

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Bangkok – busy, brilliant and full of character

 

Our first stop was Bangkok, where we stayed at the Chatrium Riverside. Our arrival will always stick in my mind because as we were checking in, all the Miss World contestants were checking out. They were all about six and a half feet tall, glamorous beyond belief, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt smaller in my life. A surreal but very amusing start to the holiday!

 

The hotel itself was lovely. We stayed in a river-view suite, and the views from the balcony were incredible, boats drifting along the Chao Phraya by day and twinkling lights by night. The suite was huge, with loads of space and even a small kitchen area (which we didn’t actually use, but it was nice having it there).

 

There are two main restaurants on-site:

• a Chinese restaurant upstairs

• a buffet and à la carte restaurant downstairs

 

Breakfast was excellent, and if you love a big buffet with plenty of choice, you’ll be very happy here.

 

Exploring the city

 

Bangkok is a city that wakes up all your senses at once. Yes, parts of it are rough around the edges. Yes, it can be dirty in places. But it’s also lively, colourful, cosmopolitan and absolutely full of energy. I actually loved that mix, it feels real.

 

We did a walking tour of Chinatown using public transport, ferries, buses and speedboats along the river. It was such a fun way to explore. Our guide was brilliant, answered all our questions, and happily stopped for cold drinks when the heat got too much. We clocked up around 22,000 steps in four hours, so it was full-on, but completely worth it.

 

We visited the Grand Palace and surrounding royal grounds, which were breathtaking. The architecture is incredibly detailed and so vibrant. One thing that surprised me was how many shops nearby rent traditional outfits so people can dress up as Thai princes and princesses for photos. Very unusual from my perspective, but each to their own!

 

Another favourite experience was our day trip to Ayutthaya, the former capital of Thailand. It’s about an hour and a half north of the city by car, but well worth the journey. The temple ruins are beautiful and quite moving. I loved the insulated umbrellas you can borrow there, they genuinely keep you cool, which felt like magic in that heat.

 

We also visited both a floating market and the famous train market, where all the stalls fold back to let the train pass through. They were busy, fascinating, slightly chaotic, and absolutely worth seeing. The floating market is great for people-watching, even if much of what’s sold isn’t necessarily on my shopping list.

 

We did Ayutthaya, the floating market and the train market all in one day as a private tour. It suited us because I wanted to see everything, but we were in the car for around six and a half hours. I wouldn’t usually recommend doing them all in a single day for clients unless they really like that pace, spreading things out is usually more comfortable.

 

We also popped into ICONSIAM, the huge new shopping mall. You could lose days in there. If you’re travelling with teenagers, trust me, take them.

Oh and have a look at the food stall on the ground floor selling all sorts of “interesting food” such as scorpions, spiders, crocodile etc…

 

Overall, I loved Bangkok. It has grit and sparkle in equal measure, amazing food, river life, giant monitor lizards basking on the banks, and a buzz that’s hard to describe until you’ve experienced it.

 

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Koh Lanta – slower, quieter, exactly what I needed

 

From Bangkok, we flew to Krabi and then took a private transfer across to Koh Lanta. We chose Koh Lanta deliberately because it’s quieter and less built up than some of the more famous islands, and honestly, it was exactly what I needed.

 

Koh Lanta still feels like how people imagine Thailand “before it got busy”. The beaches are beautiful, especially Long Beach, wide, golden and wonderfully uncrowded. Prices are generally very reasonable here too, which is always welcome.

 

This isn’t the place for wild nightlife or neon party streets. It’s more about:

• peaceful evenings

• beachside restaurants

• gentle exploring

• long walks on the sand

• proper switch-off time

 

It’s ideal for couples or families who want somewhere relaxed and low key.

 

One of the best parts for me was simply disconnecting. I put my phone on aeroplane mode when we arrived in Thailand and pretty much left it like that, only connecting to Wi-Fi in hotels. Not being constantly “on” was wonderful, we really do forget how nice it is to switch off.

 

Phi Phi & Maya Bay, beautiful, but go with realistic expectations

 

While staying in Koh Lanta, we took a speedboat excursion to the Phi Phi Islands, including Maya Bay, made famous by The Beach. The scenery is truly stunning, there’s no denying it , the sand feels like flour, but it’s definitely a box-ticking experience.

 

Here are the realities:

• there are hundreds of people there at any one time

• you’re not allowed into the water at Maya Bay

• it feels a bit like a conveyor belt, people in, photos, people out

 

I’m glad I saw it, but I wouldn’t describe it as peaceful or untouched. For my clients I’d say: it’s beautiful, it’s busy, and it’s worth it if it’s on your personal must-see list, just go with realistic expectations.

 

We also did some snorkelling, which I loved, and had a wander around Phi Phi itself. It’s much busier than Koh Lanta, and while it wasn’t totally my vibe, I was still glad I experienced it.

 

I did unfortunately get food poisoning one evening, which made our two-and-a-half-hour speedboat transfer the next morning… interesting! But these things happen, and it didn’t define the holiday.

 

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Phuket – bigger, busier, still lots to love

 

Our final stop was Phuket, staying in Surin Beach at the Outrigger. Phuket is definitely more built up, and in parts feels a little rough around the edges, but it also has lovely beaches and plenty to see and do.

 

We really liked the Outrigger. It isn’t directly on the beach, you just cross the main road and it’s about a four-minute walk, but as I’m not a huge beach person, I was more than happy by the pool with bar service coming straight to the lounger. Bliss.

 

Phuket Old Town

 

One of my highlights was visiting Phuket Old Town on Sunday market day. It took around an hour from Surin Beach, traffic depending, and our driver waited for us while we explored.

 

The old town genuinely surprised me. The Sino-Portuguese buildings are gorgeous, and there’s real pride in keeping them maintained. We arrived during daylight and stayed as it moved into evening, so we got the best of both worlds, colourful façades by day and twinkling lights by night.

 

The markets were busy but full of atmosphere. There were even food stalls I’d have been happy to eat from, and that’s saying something for me! We also caught a spectacular, completely unfiltered sunset, one of those moments you just have to stand and watch.

 

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So… would I recommend Thailand?

 

Absolutely.

 

And this wasn’t my first time in Thailand either. I’ve stayed in Khao Lak before, loved it, and I’ll definitely go back again. I still want to explore Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai and spend more time in Bangkok too, there’s so much more to see.

 

Here’s the honest part.

 

Not everywhere is pristine. Not everywhere is picture-perfect. Not every beach looks like the Maldives, and that’s okay.

 

But if you are dreaming of that pristine-paradise, powder-soft-sand, turquoise-water experience, it absolutely exists in Thailand. You just need to choose the right islands, the right beaches and the right time of year, and that’s where good advice matters.

 

Thailand is:

• vibrant

• cultural

• sometimes chaotic

• sometimes rough around the edges

• often breathtakingly beautiful

• always interesting

 

Go with realistic expectations and you’ll have an incredible trip. Choose carefully and you can absolutely find those postcard-perfect beaches too.

 

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Thinking about Thailand?

 

If Thailand is on your mind, whether it’s your first visit or your fifth, I’d love to help you plan the version that suits your style of travel.

 

Whether you want:

• quiet and barefoot

• busy and buzzing

• culture-packed

• family-friendly

• or pure luxury

 

…I can help you put the pieces together.

 

Just drop me a message when you’re ready to start planning