This post is inspired because my friend Ally CC is going to Thailand soon. She asked me what should she do when she goes to Phuket and Bangkok. What came to my attention is the question how is Phuket or Bangkok different. Is one better? What will you encounter once you are there.
Pros and Cons
Bangkok
Pros:
Shopping
Ability to travel around the world easier
Culture
Accessibility to the top restaurants
Convenience
Cons:
Busy
Hassled
No nature
Phuket
Pros:
Beaches
Tours
Parties
Cons:
Transportation
Little behind with organization and facilities
BANGKOK
When you are in Bangkok there is the best shopping of my life. You will see many different garments as well as cheap offerings. I would tell you to not hesitate to buy your trinkets there since it will be cheaper with more options. Dig in and go for it! With this being said make sure you under pack when arriving to Bangkok. It might be a good idea to make Bangkok to last stop prior to going home. That way you can bring home the goodies.
Bangkok is a top tourist destination thus being there is great! It has many places to go like the palace or floating markets or countless temples. What makes Bangkok so special (beside being Thailand) is the ability to connect to the country or world through the two international airports. Bangkok there is a train that gets you into the Lush North Thailand. Also you can easily find a boat to take you to an Island. There’s a bus that will take you anywhere in the country or even neighboring countries like Laos/Cambodia/Vietnam within that day. This means you don't need to plan that far in advance when jumping around.
Bangkok is the Capital of Thailand therefore it has temples and living history all over the city. You will get the true experience of everything you think what Thailand is. With the food, and the muay thai available at a moments notice if you have the funds. Travel tip: make sure you cover your shoulders and your knees when trying to go to temples or Palaces because they will turn you away. Luckily, you’re in Thailand, meaning the ability to properly cloth yourself will be around just might cost a little more than anticipated. Once again with the right people and having a little Thai Baht on you anything is possible. Almost feels like Westworld Thailand edition.
A few of my favorite meals in Thailand were in Bangkok. The cuisine from all the corners of Thai is there for you to sample. We were just walking down the street saw a place packed yet had one more seat called Patonggo Cafe. It was amazing, had some type of gravy sauce with the fried almost doughnut which was a Bangkok original. The best part of Bangkok is the street carts because you can find the best offerings here and sometimes less than a dollar. Some of the dishes suggested is the Pad thai, I was shocked was a street food. Also anything that has coconut in it; may it be the curry, ice cream, or something to drink. You can find them there on the carts. My personal favorite is the Mango Sticky rice… yummy! Bangkok also has international food you can sample which is always welcomed after 5 meals in a row of Thai food.
I recommend the 12 Asiago to find your way around the country. It is good to use as a guide and get an idea of your options for transportation. Even Though you might want to be prepared, it is most often better to book once you are there because plans can change. That goes with hotels as well I found Agoda as my favorite in Asia. You will find people trying to compete for your business and you can hassle the prices down. Usually they are pretty honest, but you want to ask about exactly what you should expect in what you’re paying for. If you find something you don’t like go to another person because with enough money you can find anything in Thailand.
Bangkok is BUSY! For us westerners it's packed and crazy specifically for North Americans since we drive on the opposite of the street. It's not too busy that you wont be able to make it around. Just to be safe I suggest something to carry your valuables in because there are professional pickpockets. I like to keep my hands in my pockets and hold my wallet especially in large crowds. For the most part you will are safe here and can feel safe just be an idiot. When people say it is busy they mean no matter what you are doing you will wait in a line. You wait at temples, for transportation, eating at restaurants… everything.
Some people only way to provide for their family is to sell a good or service. With so many people traveling to Bangkok you will get an extra dose of people approaching you to buy something. This is a double sided sword because at times you need to use them to get dels to places such as tours. Otherside you may pay too much for a ride across town. For rides just take a grab (the Southeat Asian Uber)and you’ll get to where you need to go without a problem. People will also try to sell you things and sometimes the best deal you'll get but I would go to the stores or carts in stead of the streets. this is because of the selection and ability to bargain to mix and match what they have there.
Only issue with spending a bunch of your vacation in Bangkok is that you're missing out on the best of Thailand which Is the nature. Thailand offers tours to meet monkeys, tigers and elephants. Even better are the Islands beaches, jungle, and waterfalls. None of these nature excursions are offered in the city of Bangkok so luckily you will be able to leave. Just remember you are coming back to shop and go home with a bag full of awesome and cheap Thai STUFF!
Phuket
Phuket is the second major city in Thailand thus densely populated. There is a night and day difference of the vibe when you get into Phuket. Phuket has that slight beach vibe were things are laid back. This means you can go to a bar or shop and they are closed because they are at the beach. That example is Phuket in a nutshell gives you the best part, live your life. Its surrounded by awesome beaches which can be very relaxing and not as dense as some other Touristy Thai island destinations. With the combination of city and beach, you can get almost all of what Thailand has to offer to some degree.
Since Phuket is a city and close to the islands you can take many tours from this area. We took a bus from Phuket to Surant Thani about a 3 hour bus ride. We spent the night there to get a afternoon ferry to the koh phangan for the Full Moon Party. Around koh phangan there are two other islands (Kohs) which offer more relaxation or snorkeling. Also from Phuket you can access koh phi phi which is where the movie ’The Beach’ was filmed. There are other beaches that offer even more Thailand experience Railey beach or Koh Lanta. This means from Phuket you have access to all the best beaches in Thailand, even Phuket has some of the best resort beaches around. Another kind of tour is the touching tigers or playing with elephants. Side note, please don’t ride the elephants, they aren't treated the best in some cases and it really injures the animal so don’t support this tourist event.
If you are ready to really party Phuket is the place to be. You'll find all the legendary shows here. You'll find the muay thai fights, chicken fights anything you want. You have access to the beach parties that can last all night. It all matters what you are looking for. Also you have to consider those tours from Phuket a party because the destinations are one of kind. I found almost everywhere in Phuket there was a beer in reaching distance. This place is here to party and lounge on the beach. Why it gets a bad wrap is that it isn't the most organized area to live but has a little of everything you want.
Phuket has one of the major airports in Thailand which makes it a good option flying into. My favorite place in Phuket was right by the airport. The issue though is with it being a hub of travel getting to the bus station or the ferry is a total hassle. The reason is the amount of time you take transferring a tad inconvenient so plan accordingly. It isn’t expensive but you might have to drive an hour across this busy segment of the province just to get transferred, to finally get on a method of transportation that you really wanted to ultimately head to your destination. This whole process could take hours for the transfers. You have been warned so have you entertainment of choice prepared. This mostly is because the airport isn't close to the heart of Phuket, please take this to account when getting around the city. You might have to take extra precaution or method of transportation to get to your destination meaning… HAVE A BACK UP PLAN. This lesson can be taken to mind normally, but mostly when traveling here. So many moving parts.
They call Phuket an island although it is more situated like a peninsula. There is a way to drive in and out of Phuket which allows you to drive away from Phuket unlike the Islands where you need a boat. The area of Phuket is a city with beach surrounding but a little behind on the facilities and convenience that you would expect. Travel tip: Make sure to have wet naps or something to wipe with at all times never know when you need TP. There is a lot of tourist money flooding into Thailand so you would expect a major city like Phuket to be on par with Bangkok. Some parts in Phuket you can expect to wait or not be there when it is stated. This was different for me after my time in Korea which is ultra punctual. It’s a little harder to get around and dengy, but has that wonderful fresh luscious island smell so soak it in.
Conclusion
If I'm looking for Thai culture and jump in with the food. are you traveling to north Thailand (Chiang Mai) or another country? Looking to get the thai flavor or city feel, yet have the option to get anything I want like a massage. Want to be a trend setter and pack up some great style of clothes or jewelry. Bangkok is our place.
If I'm in Thailand for the party action and get some beach time, think Phuket. This means you want to be touristy in a laid back manner while taking a gander around some of the activities Thailand affords you. Some of those activities may be a hike, rent motorbikes, go drink on an Island. All in all knowing I'm not going to get all the Thai culture with history or elaborate aged temples, but enough. Just It can be a STRUGGLE to get around town if I want to be timely.
MY recommendation is plan on a trip to Phuket as soon as you get into Thailand but don’t stay too long or in the city because you want to get to the beaches or Islands. Once that’s complete get a plane and spend a couple of days shopping and visiting historic destinations in BANGKOK prior to coming home. Hope that helps with what to expect and reasons to conquer the major cities in Thailand.
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