When I went to Thailand with my grandparents in the summer of 2018, we had the chance to see and experience different aspects of the country’s culture while staying in Phuket and Bangkok.
In Phuket, we stayed at the Best Western Bangtao Beach Resort, which was located on the very edge of the shore. The resort had a dining deck, which looked right out over the beach.
The housing accommodations of the resort consisted of houses clustered together in a layout resembling a village. The lush green palms and plant life all around the houses created a very relaxing atmosphere; it really felt like the entire resort was a village nestled in the wilderness.
The entire resort was beautifully laid out, particularly the pool area. There were palm trees towering all around against the sky, and the deep blue tiles of the pool created a feeling of depth through the clear water. The entire pool area was overlooked by the balconies of the rooms, and the white dolphins that stood around the edges spouted streams of water from their mouths. I spent the afternoon of the first day relaxing at the pool- it was a great way to unwind after the flight!
We also visited Laem Phromthep Cape, which had a view of a beautiful lush green island rising out of the sea, with white- tipped waves lapping at its base.
At Som Chit Noodle, a small local restaurant, we had some hot and savory noodle soup and two traditional Thai beverages- fresh coconut water (served directly in the coconut), and refreshing Thai iced tea.
Then, we headed to the Wat Chalong Temple, one of the 29 Buddhist temples in Phuket. The Wat Chalong Temple was surrounded by other temples built in a similar style. The temples were a wonder to behold, with graceful, sloping tiered roofs accented with complex golden wrought decorations atop lofty white walls adorned with decorative shimmering doors. I began to notice clues to Thailand’s association with elephants- statues of the tusked animals stood all around the site of the temples.
We also visited Central Festival, one of the top recommended shopping malls in Phuket. I was curious to see if there were any differences between the malls in America and Thailand, but the layout and design of Central Festival Phuket largely resembled those I was familiar with in America, with a massive building containing a variety of mostly brand name stores.
However, there were also stands set up all over the mall selling local products; there was even the “Street Market” in the central part of the mall featuring local foods and brightly colored sweets and desserts. The mall was beautifully designed; circular levels ringed the interior of the building, which was very spacious, clean, and brightly lit.
We also tried some traditional Thai dishes during our stay. On our second day in Phuket, we enjoyed fried calamari, chicken Pad Thai, and seafood fried rice for lunch. (Here’s some advice: when you go on vacation, be sure to check out small local stores and businesses; the places where the locals go often give you the most authentic experience of traditions in that region!).
For dinner, we went to Bô Restaurant, where we tried grilled chicken skewers, more fried dishes (spring rolls and crab cakes), and seafood rice noodles. The food was all well prepared; the fried foods were crispy and the dishes all arrived hot. This was also the first restaurant where I got a taste of the classic Thai dessert that is offered by most restaurants in Thailand- mango sticky rice. The dish features sliced mangos along with a bed of sweet, glutinous rice (sometimes with ice cream). The dessert seemed very exotic to me, but I was glad that I had a chance to try some of the local cuisine.
In Bangkok, we stayed at the Grand Hyatt Erawan. The hotel was built in a very modern style and was clean, and spacious. It also provided breakfast on the premises! We had a very pleasant time staying there.
We had dinner at a local restaurant, where we enjoyed a variety of seafood and vegetable dishes. The crab cakes, seafood pancake, fish and shrimp we were served all tasted delicious!
Another one of our stops was at the Jim Thompson House Museum, where we toured the works created by American architect Jim Thompson. The site of the museum contained a series of red wooden houses built around the trees, which gave the place a natural, forest-y atmosphere. The Museum also had a restaurant where we had seafood rice served in a pineapple, pad thai and rice noodles, and for dessert, I got a taste of the classic dessert that is offered by most restaurants in Thailand- mango sticky rice, which features sliced mangoes along with a bed of sweet, glutinous rice.
We were not permitted to take pictures or videos on the actual tour, but it was an engaging experience, with our guide leading us in and out of the different levels of the house and introducing the different exhibits.
The last activity on our itinerary was at Asiatique, an open- air mall that faces the Chao Phraya River. The premises contained a marketplace made of of rows of stalls selling everything from clocks to bags to desserts, as well as a Ferris Wheel and several restaurants. Although it was raining, we still had a great time browsing the stalls, which were mostly indoors.
I also went for a ride on the Ferris wheel. From up above the lights shining through the darkening sky were beautiful to see!
We had dinner at Kodang Talay Seafood Restaurant, one of the restaurants at the mall, where we had a dinner of fried seafood, including fish and octopus.
Unfortunately, this meal left me with something other than a full stomach: food poisoning. (Later speculation has led me to believe that the ice in my Thai tea drink had not been made with the cleanest water.) Despite this unfortunate occurrence, I’m grateful that it occurred at the end of our trip rather than in the middle. If you ever do happen to get food poisoning on vacation, I would advise you to rest in your room and stay hydrated until you feel better- it’s better to let your body recover than to force yourself to complete your itinerary while feeling like you have to hurl the entire time.
Food poisoning aside, overall, I still really enjoyed my trip to Thailand; as always, it was a great experience travelling to another country and observing the cultures, cuisine, and attractions they have available there!
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