7 Things I love About Thailand As a First Time Visitor
I've been to different places in South Asia but my recent travel to Thailand is so far my best DIY travel experience. The trip was smooth and seamless, despite visiting the country for the first time and on a DIY (do-it-yourself) trip.
My first travel abroad was to Hong Kong in 2013, then went to Macau for a day. Two years later, I traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia and explored the cultural wonder of the Angkor Archaeological Complex in Siem Reap, but nothing beats my fascination with Thailand!
From transportation and getting around, to dining options, and accommodations, everything was seamless and worry-free. But ahead of time, I did tons of research on how to visit Thailand on our own so by the time we arrived, everything became easier. 😂
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| Sunset in Pattaya |
Here are the seven things I love About Thailand as a first-time visitor:
1. Transportation - Thailand has a good transportation system and infrastructure, so getting around is convenient and smooth. They have many options to travel around: Bus, Skytrain, Subway, Bolt, Grab, Taxi, tuktuk, motorbike, car rentals, and water transportation.
I also love the fact that the Bolt app (a rival of Grab) offers so many options for a type of car (not just the Bolt car), depending on your budget. It allows the app users to compare prices, you can choose an economy, a luxury, a "ladies" car (meaning the driver is a woman), or a motorbike.
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| Bubble in the Forest cafe is located outside Bangkok |
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| Dinner at The Oxygen Beachfront Oasis in Pattaya |
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| yummy dessert at the Oxygen Beachfront Oasis |
So each time, we look for a ride, we will open both the Grab app and the Bolt app, compare the rates, and book the cheaper one. Very convenient and hassle-free. Transportation fees are also cheap. Thailand indeed is an ideal destination for budget travelers.
I also love the fact that buses leave on time. From Suvarnabhumi Airport, we took a bus ride to Pattaya, and so amazed that the ticket had a seat number already indicated, so you can be assured that you have a seat, the only thing is you can't choose to sit anywhere you like. The buses only sell tickets based on the seat capacity. No ticket, no ride 😄
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| Exploring The Ancient City |
2. Hotel Accommodation - From luxury hotels to Budget hostels to midrange accommodations, Thailand has so many options for travelers to stay, and all accommodations offer excellent value for money.
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| Diamond City Place in South Pattaya where we stayed for two nights |
We stayed at the Diamond City Place in South Pattaya for two nights (I booked the hotel through Agoda), and we only paid Php3,541.74, we were three travelers so we paid only Php590.00 each per night, what a cheap deal! Our room has a veranda facing the city road, a spacious room, very clean, has large beds, a mini-kitchen, a hot and cold shower, a bathtub, a refrigerator, and free bottled water every day.
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| Ferry boat ride going to Koh Larn |
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| Mango Sticky Rice, a Thai dessert |
3. Affordable and Flavorful Food - I always loved oriental dishes (Chinese and Japanese food) but now, I want to add Thai food. 😂 Thai dishes are delicious, aromatic, savory, and full of flavors. Even a simple meal like fried rice or grilled fish, it's so full of mouth-watering flavors. Thai dishes are balanced, meaning, there are always sidings of vegetables and fruits to every meal!
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| Dinnertime at The Oxygen Beachfront Oasis in Pattaya |
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| With Reyn at the Bubble in the Forest Cafe |
You can't say you like Thai food without visiting Thailand. The flavor of authentic Thai cuisine is so different in Thailand than abroad. For instance, dishes at Thai restaurants in the Philippines are not as aromatic, flavorful, and as delicious as dishes in Thailand.
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| Pad Thai at Bubble in the Forest, only 179 baht |
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| Highly recommended restaurant in Pattaya |
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| Exploring Koh Larn! |
What's amazing is that the meals in Thailand are so affordable even if you are in a luxury cafe or a high-end restaurant, everything is so affordable. You can have the best meal at cheaper prices.
There are also so many dining options in Thailand, food stalls, night markets, tea house style, Michelin star-rated restaurants, and a simple eatery house, you can find it everywhere. Thailand is a foodie's dream destination indeed!
Important reminder: Most Thai dishes are spicy so if you are someone who does not like spicy food, tell the server - "please not spicy".
4. Night Markets and Cheap Deals - When the sun goes down, Thai cities such as Bangkok and Pattaya, spring to life. The night market culture in Thailand is so alive, and they also have a food market with all the Thai dishes, and even international cuisine, you crave for.
Night markets are where you can find cheap deals for souvenirs and goods, plus it has hundreds of shops that offer so many options of items to buy.
5. The stunning cultural landmarks. Thailand is home to impressive iconic and historical cultural landmarks, and they are everywhere in the country. Visitors will get lost in the world of cultural wonder in Thailand. From ornate temples to intricately designed buildings, opulent architecture, and traces of old times are so alive in Thailand.
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| The Grand Palace replica in The Ancient City |
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| Ayutthaya Kingdom replica in The Ancient City |
The Ancient City or Ancient Siam, also known as Muang Boran Museum, is located outside Bangkok, in the Samut Prakan province. It is considered the largest outdoor museum in the world. Spread over 200 acres and constructed just like the map of Thailand.
It is home to more than 100 cultural structures, relics of the past, and historical sites of ancient Siam and former Kingdoms. It is so far my favorite landmark in Thailand, there's a section there where you can feel the old world, just like living in old times: the Old Market Town section, it has shops and stalls designed in an ancient setting, complete with soothing music from the past.
6. Relaxing beaches are just nearby. Pattaya is just two hours from Bangkok and it's the closest beach destination from Thailand's capital. So if you are a beach person and just want to relax and chill on the beachside, Pattaya is a must-visit. The stunning Koh Larn (Coral Island) is also around this area, just a 45-minute ferry ride.
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| Pattaya Beach |
I love Pattaya! It's my latest Southeast Asian city favorite apart from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, which I visited in 2015. It's just so relaxing! The beach road offers a comfortable vibe of a stress-free life. It's just so chill!
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| Just chilling in the Pattaya beach at night time |
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| Bubble in the Forest Cafe is a must-visit |
Everything is accessible in Thailand and you have many options for transportation so you don't have to worry about how to get there, how to explore the places, and how to come back to your hotel. If you are hesitant to utilize the BTS Sky Train or the MRT, just book your ride through Grab or Bolt.
Cheap prices of everything, from food, and hotel accommodation, to transportation. Thailand is easy to explore even for first-time travelers. They have a very efficient and smooth system of transportation, very organized, and all the Thai people we encountered were helpful and kind.
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| Outside The Grand Palace haha! |
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| Big Buddha Hill in Pattaya |
It's a highly recommended country to visit. Here are some reminders:
- Download both Grab and Bolt apps when you visit Thailand to compare the ride rates before you make a final booking.
- Avoid Tuktuk because it can be very expensive. If you want to ride for the experience, talk to the driver and make a deal on how much you will going to pay for the ride.
- Pattaya City is a must-visit city in Thailand, it's just two hours from Bangkok. If you are already in Bangkok, you can catch a bus ride going to Pattaya from either the Ekkamai Bus Terminal or Morchit Chatuchak Bus Terminal.
- It's cheaper to book a ride with Grab or Bolt (the latter has so many options of type of car to book your ride).
- Some Thai dishes are spicy, if you don't like spicy food, tell the server "not spicy", they can understand it.
- Thailand has so many magnificent cultural landmarks, make sure you visit them. Highly recommended are The Ancient City (set aside for one day for this landmark because it's so huge you can't explore it in one day) and the famous one (which we failed to visit due to time constraints as we spent most of our time outside Bangkok): the Grand Palace - it's the official residence of the Thai King, the Temple of Dawn, the Reclining Buddha near the Grand Palace, the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya.
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