The following ’24 hours in Koh Samui’ article is a guide from a guest blogger to help you plan one day in Koh Samui without having to think about it! We love that :) 

After spending our first anniversary in Phuket, Thailand, this last year for our 2nd anniversary we planned a trip to a different island paradise just off Thailand’s southeast coast, Koh Samui. It’s one of the best places to visit in Thailand! I want to share with you how you can spend one day in Koh Samui.

How to best spend 24 Hours in Koh Samui

It was hard to imagine a trip that could compare to our first time in Thailand, but Koh Samui didn’t disappoint! We were welcomed with that same Thai hospitality and kindness, ate the freshest curries and noodles, drank our fair share of fresh local juice and Mai Tai’s, and had some incredible adventures exploring the island.

The exchange rate with the US dollar is quite good- 35 Thai Baht to 1 US Dollar right now. Your money can take you a long way here! (to give you a better idea, we stayed in Samui for 6 days and our total food + drink cost was only $215 US!)

We know that a trip somewhere new can be a bit overwhelming to plan, so we’ve put together our favorite things about Koh Samui to serve as your 24-hour guide.

While we recommend 4-5 days at least, Koh Samui’s modest size (15 miles long at it’s widest point) can also work for someone with just one day to explore.

The island has something for everyone, and whether you prefer luxury resort vibes or jungle adventures, Koh Samui is a must-visit destination for your next getaway.

Lamai Beach: Best Beach

Koh Samui is lined with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The east coast beaches (Lamai and Chaweng, for instance) have wonderful restaurants, vibrant nightlife and are quite popular, while the west coast is a bit less developed.

Chaweng is the busiest beach and the definite hotspot, but our favorite was actually Lamai! It’s less crowded and perfectly tropical.

There’s a wonderful beachfront restaurant we loved called the Black Pearl where you can get a delicious green curry or pad thai with your feet literally in the sand.

Good food is so easy to find and so inexpensive, so we always found ourselves ordering a second (or third!) round of drinks. Lamai is lined with hotels, bungalows, restaurants and shops, but still feels beautifully undeveloped at the same time. It’s a perfect place to spend a morning, an afternoon, or your entire trip.

Chaweng Beach: Party Beach

While Lamai beach came in as our favorite beach in Samui, Chaweng is the busiest and most popular.

If you’re looking for a party, you’ll likely find it in Chaweng! The shopping is incredible and you can’t escape the wonderfully carefree vibes that make Chaweng a draw for the young, cool crowd.

While Lamai is quieter and more secluded, Chaweng is the beach hotspot that Koh Samui is famous for. Plus, there’s no shame in beach-hopping for a few hours, so get on your scooter and go decide your favorite beach for yourself!

Stay at: X2 Resort

Incredible resorts abound in Samui, but we have to tell you about the place we stayed- X2 Resort + Spa (pronounced “Cross-to”). This is technically a 24-hour guide, but if you decide to extend your trip we highly recommend X2.

Our room was massive, beautifully renovated, and had it’s own private courtyard and pool.  The booking site called it “all-spa inclusive”, but we figured that had gotten lost in translation.

To our surprise and excitement, upon check-in we learned that it actually meant all-spa inclusive!

Treatments in the stunning, tranquil spa were fully included in our stay and totally unlimited (based on daily availability, but we both got at least 2 ninety-minute treatments per day).

Breakfast was included, the grounds were beautiful and romantic, and it cost us less than $150 per night on a special. Book X2 Resort here. It’s a link to Agoda who typically give the lowest prices in Asia.

Day Trip to Koh Tao (Turtle Island)

Samui is surrounded by amazing islands, many of which make a perfect half-day adventure.

The area is famous for having some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world, so we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to Scuba Dive for the first time. We found the 100 Degrees East dive shop online, and we could not more highly recommend it.

If you’re inexperienced with diving like we were, they offer a 1-day PADI Discover Scuba experience. It’s worth every penny.

After the brief course, we completed 2 dives and it was one of the most magical experiences of our lives. You have the choice to dive in either Ang Thong Marine Park (an incredible destination on it’s own) or Koh Tao. We chose Koh Tao and it was perfect.

Ask if Kurt is available as an instructor- he really made the experience for us. Imagine stunning coral, all sorts of sea life, a remote tropical island, warm azure waters and being surrounded by thousands of bright, tropical fish.

Tips for Visiting Na Muang Waterfall on Koh Samui

The beaches aren’t the only place to spend your time in Samui. The island’s interior is a dense tropical jungle.

We rented a moped for a few days, which is the easiest way around. It cost a measly $9 per day from our resort, and most of the busy areas have local rentals available. The ride from our hotel to the falls was about 20 minutes, but we stopped off at every cool thing we saw. It took us 45 minutes or so.

There’s lot at the entrance to the park where you can leave your scooter for less than 1 USD, and then you hike through the jungle up to the falls. There are two waterfalls, one downstream from the other.

There are a few little shops along the way and some locals selling food- we convinced them to make us a pineapple fried rice with chicken and it was phenomenal (and cost only 250 THB- or $5 US)!

You can hike and swim the waterfalls in just a few hours, leaving lots of time to explore the rest of the island. It gets very hot in the midday sun, so we recommend doing this in the morning or late afternoon if possible.

Temples in Koh Samui

Samui is home to a plethora of stunning temples and structures, perfect for exploring. The Big Buddha is one of the most famous, located on the northeast side of the Island.

It’s quite close to the 100 Degrees East dive shop, so you could visit quickly before or after your dive. Another temple we found particularly intriguing was the Wat Kahunaram temple near Lamai. We pulled off to check this place out on our way back from Na Muang, immediately drawn to the colorful, striking architecture.

To our surprise, the mummified remains of a Buddhist monk (sitting up!) were on full display right at the entrance!

Buddhist Thais have great respect for death as part of the cycle of life, and the monk’s remains serve as an inspiration to follow the Buddhist ways.

The surrounding grounds and temple are a sight to see and take less than an hour to explore.

You’ll have to take your shoes off to enter the temples themselves. As always, visit this religious sight with reverence and respect, as it is highly revered among Buddhist Thais.

Dining in Koh Samui

If you haven’t already picked up on this, we LOVE Thai food. After a busy day of sightseeing and adventuring, we’d recommend dinner in Chaweng, Lamai, or Bophut.

All three of these areas have extensive dining selections and are easily accessible from your afternoon adventures- whatever those may be.

If you find yourself on the south end of the Island, X2 has a wonderful restaurant called 4K (“fork”), or the Conrad Koh Samui in Taling Ngam is said to have one of the best sunset views on the Island. Let’s be honest, though- there’s no bad spot for a sunset cocktail or dinner when you’re in paradise.

The Koh Samui Nightlife

We can’t talk about Koh Samui without mentioning the nightlife. If you want to party till the sun comes up, make your way from dinner to Chaweng Beach and have the time of your life.

This is the party beach, and you won’t regret having a few tropical drinks or Thai beers in this vibrant bar scene.

Full Moon Parties happen monthly on nearby Koh Phangan- but as Rachel talks about this here, we also don’t recommend you stay on Koh Samui to attend the party. If you’re up for a crazy adventure, go for it. Otherwise, make it the next stop on your trip instead of an evening excursion. More more nightlife information, check out this article.

Whether you’re stopping by for 24 hours or spending a relaxing month, Koh Samui is truly a tropical island paradise.

Pin this 24 Hour guide to Koh Samui for later:

Zach from League Travels here. My wife Tara and I are based in NYC, but we travel at every chance we get! Three years ago we got married on a South Carolina Beach and left for an adventure-filled honeymoon around the world. You can follow us on our blog League Travels or Instagram.

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The following article is from a fellow travel blogger who is sharing an awesome budget friendly private tour in Phuket she found on her travels. 

I didn’t know two tourists on a budget could feel so important and VIP until our private tour in Phuket.

The two areas we’d visited prior, Bangkok and Chiang Mai, were incredibly affordable. But we arrived at this Thai city in disbelief of the inflated prices. They have risen over time due to so much tourism and like other Thai islands,  Phuket has a VAT (tax) to enter. When we discovered this tour we felt like we hit the jackpot.

Budget Friendly Private Tour in Phuket

We arrived with only one day of five planned. There I was, with all-around island sticker shock, starting to panic at the realization we had nothing to do besides sit at the pool all day- which wasn’t what we came to Thailand for.

We were totally secluded at our remote hotel and reliant on taxis, which we quickly learned were expensive. I spent about two hours on our hotel balcony on my phone’s wifi feverishly browsing the web for reasonable tours and excursions that were great value for the money.

Ideally, we were interested in any options that could pick us up in hopes of avoiding an added taxi expense to first get to a tour location.

Luckily, we came across PPKK Tours Service. They offer private tours, airport transfers and coordination for larger tours from island excursions to cooking classes.

I immediately messaged them to inquire about availability.

The company’s owner, Panya, answered us in a timely manner and we coordinated a private tour for two people, myself and my partner, for five hours. A car would pick us up the morning we had a late afternoon flight back to Bangkok to begin our journey home to America; he agreed to drop us off at the airport after our time together.

We killed two birds with one stone utilizing the tour as an airport transfer as well. Not only was it a wise financial decision but it allowed us to have more time with him to discuss Thai culture as well.

Days later, he picked us up precisely at the time we agreed to. We loaded our luggage in his impeccably clean and well air-conditioned black SUV and were offered bottles of cold water to help beat the heat. We excitedly proceeded to our first stop.

Because we did this our last day, there were certain landmarks we’d read about we hadn’t yet visited. I can also envision this as a first-day-in-Phuket tour to get acquainted with the city.

He was very open to us taking the lead of where we’d visit through conversation in the car. We decided on Chalong Temple, Big Buddha, Promthep Cape, and Karon Viewpoint. He also drove us through some popular towns that were fun to see. It was his pleasure to find us a local Thai restaurant for lunch when we requested an impromptu stop to eat and trip to 7-Eleven for snacks before arriving at the airport.

He dropped us off at the front of each location or attraction, meeting us after he parked the car; we were given celebrity treatment every step of the way.

It’s worth noting traffic in Phuket is significant. Panya knows how to thoroughly navigate the roads and time site seeing accordingly. He is also a licensed tour guide, having gone through the necessary education and testing to gain this coveted status with the Tourist Authority of Thailand.

So how much did this all cost?

Five hours including pick up at our hotel and drop off at the airport was 1800 Thai Baht, which is approximately $56 USD. This is a steal at about $11 per hour. We opted to pay cash (and tip him because he was so fantastic) but they accept credit cards online too

Split between the two of us, the tour was $28 each. That price ended up including our airport transfer since we set that as our drop off point – so it’s even less if you take out what the taxi would have cost.

A few reasons to book this tour:

• Budget-friendly cost
• Cleanliness of the car
• Plentiful cold bottles of water provided
• Panya’s personality
• His historical knowledge

You can connect with Mikkel on her blog, sometimeshome.com. You can also follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

The post A Great Option For a Budget Friendly Private Tour in Phuket appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

(The following is a guest post from Nina Ragusa, a fellow blogger, who lived in Krabi for over a year and is sharing her budget tips.)

Majestic karst mountains, idyllic islands, and shorelines for miles.

It’s a magical getaway.

The Krabi region, in Thailand, provides exactly this, so there’s no surprise it’s a hot spot. It’s a world famous climbing destination right on the coast, sprinkled with gorgeous islands. Yeah, who wouldn’t want to vacation here? I’m so lucky, to have called this place home for a little over a year. It’s a place I always come back to.

Krabi Budget Guide | spend less than 30 bucks a day

Often times the popular spots can totally bust your backpacker budget. If you shop around and take away some information from this article you should be set with $30 or less a day. Of course depending on your spending habits, this may or may not work for you.

If you’re an avid diver, a five cocktail minimum per night person, or a shopaholic, I’d suggest scrounging up some more money before heading over.

If you’re a modest spender, you can go pretty far with $30.

Check out how in Krabi’s hottest spots to wander to…

(prices in USD)

Krabi Town and Around

Skip around the quiet town for a bit, and you’ll notice there isn’t too much do. There are a few markets which are all fantastic, but the real stuff is on the outside. Phanom Bencha National Park offers a viewpoint, hiking, and waterfalls, and Tup Kaek is one of my favorite places on earth! The hike is relatively easy and the views are unmatched.

The Emerald pool would be nice if everyone and their mom didn’t go to it, but you still might find it of interest, and if there happens to be a cool morning in your future, a dip in the hot springs is a fantastic idea!

Accommodation: Blue Juice and Good Dream are $5+.

Less than 30 bucks a day on the Andaman Coast!

Railay and Tonsai on a budget

These two spots, especially Tonsai, I hold near and dear to my heart. They are simply gorgeous locations that offer tourists delightful views along with a castaway feel. These mainland beaches feel like a world of their own. You must get here by boat, giving you the feeling you’re on an island. Beach bumming is the main activity, but it also happens to play host to phenomenal world-class rock climbing. So try your hand at that. Many choose to stay on Railay which is more developed (and pricer), but my personal choice is Tonsai. It’s a lot more laid back here.

It cost $3 to get here by boat from Ao Nang.

Accommodation: Rampala on Railay is $10+. I never EVER can remember the place I stay at on Tonsai. It’s around $10 depending on the season. Tonsai is another world, you’ll know what I mean if you go. Names aren’t important while you’re here.

Koh Phi Phi on a budget

Koh Phi Phi is the quintessential spot to go to in Krabi. Buckets, snorkeling trips to the famous Maya Bay, and beach parties. You might burst your budget here if you’re not careful. This might be the most expensive spot on this list.

Accommodation: Places go for $10+.

Koh Lanta on a budget

Escaping to lonely beaches, partying on Long Beach, snorkel trips, chilling out, and more.

Accommodation: White Flower on Long Beach goes for $12+.

Ao Nang on a budget

This is the popular mainland beach to hang out at. You can also chill here if you’re headed to Tonsai, Railay, or on a snorkel trip.

Accommodation: Yellow Sun is about $6+.

Getting some grub | budget eats in Krabi

Food will be cheap, if you eat local. Should you be someone who doesn’t fancy market food or food from vendors that appear to be selling food just outside their home (because they probably are) you’re going to drain your budget. There are a plethora of markets to chow down at for super cheap.

Budget $10, and this on the high end.  I spend, on average, $7 per day for three meals.

I usually have a western style breakfast and a local dish for lunch and dinner. You can spend as little as $4 on food a day if you eat the cheapest local food around.

Other Expenses in Krabi:

Motorbike rental – $6 for a 24 hour rental.

Full tank – $2

National Park entrance fees – $5-10

Songthaew (public taxi) – $1-2+ depending where you’re headed.

Rock climbing with gear and guide- $30

Four island snorkeling trip – $13-$15

As you may have noticed, you can also spend a lot less than $30 a day. If you are just hanging out for a few days with no plans but sticking your toes in the sand, you’d be fine to get by with $15-20 for a room and food. After a few days like that, maybe busting your budget one day for climbing or diving would be well justified.

Last minute thought, keep in mind the season you’re coming in at as well. High season will hike the cost up.

There’s one thing that’s for sure, there’s no going wrong with traveling around the Krabi region. It’s popular for a reason. It’s freaking gorgeous! Feel free to check out more info on Krabi on my site and please feel free to comment with any questions.

Nina Ragusa is the intrepid soul behind Where in the World is Nina? She’s wandering the world and telling people how they can do it too, without fluffing the details. She has been on her globetrotting mission for years and is showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. She gives REAL advice as she shares her explorations around the world. Connect with her on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Snap – WitWiNina.

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I hope you guys weren’t too annoyed by my # TBEX Asia 2015 coverage back in mid-October. I was at my first travel blogging conference! And yes, it’s kind of as nerdy as it sounds. Before I get into details on the conference I just want to share a bit about my week in Bangkok.

The conference center was at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Sukhumvit. I wanted to stay in a hotel near there and also a cozy boutique hotel since I know big cities like Bangkok usually stress me out. The blogging world is weird and we have all these Facebook groups were we talk and exchange information and tips. I met a girl Hayley from LovePuffin blog online because she was traveling in India. We ended up deciding to room together in Bangkok.

Hayley and I crashed at Maduzi Hotel for the week which was PERFECT! It was a great hotel and only a 20 minute walk from the conference center- perfect for Hayley with a boot on her sprained ankle!

When you pay the fees for the conference you get to pick one free activity (well, not really free since you pay to go to the conference) to do before and one to do after. I didn’t stick around to do something after. The options before were food tours, visiting temples, learning Muay Thai, cooking classes, spa, and more.

OF COURSE, as soon as I saw the 4 hour Mango and Champagne massage, my ideas of seeing a new side of Bangkok, getting that cultural experience, and digging into the street food went out the window. I was like, yeah I want that 100%.

Divana Spa Review Bangkok

I wasn’t obligated to share about this, but this is kind of massage I won’t forget and really wanted to tell you all about it. It was INSANE! In a good way.

First of all, I thought 4 hours included transportation time, and maybe a lunch after. I didn’t realize it was actually 4 hours of massage treatments. I kept thinking it was over, then the masseuse would tell me there was more. That’s a good surprise.

First it was about an hour of Thai massage, then the herbal bundle being pressed all over, then there was another hour of an orange mango scrub applied. Then, this is where it gets nuts… I knew champagne was involved but didn’t know how that would work. The masseuse opened the bottle and I kid you not, doused me in it! It was so cold and bubbly and great!

Up next was an oil massage for an hour or so… I’m not sure; I fell asleep!

Lastly, I got in a milk rose bath and had some mango sticky rice (so, that counts as experiencing Thailand’s culture, right?). You can see the price there, which is quite expensive but if you’ve got cash to blow, this is definitely the place to blow it.

Hayley and I went for a spa day together the day we first met at the JW Marriott. I just can’t get enough Thai massage! I am telling you, it’s the best kind.

We were both really jet lagged and the timing was perfect. Of course, it was an amazing massage. You can see in the photo below what I mean by “herbal bundles”. They are filled with all kinds of these that are good for you and massaged as if it is an extension of the masseuse’s hand.

We also had a kick ass dinner there! The NY Steakhouse was clearly right up my alley. Soup, salad, bread, steak, potato, and brocoli! They make the Caesar salad in front of you. I had no idea so much stuff went into it. No room for dessert after this meal, that’s for sure.

I hate to admit it, but I ate McDonald’s FOUR times while I was there. I did it by choice, not because I was rushed or something. I just freakin’ love it, sorry. I can’t get good burgers in India, the only fast food is KFC and pizza, and I miss it SO much! If I could get burgers flown to India, I would.

I am also pretty obsessed with Mexican food and we tried the top Mexican place in Bangkok, Mejico, and it was good. We only had some snacks on our way to the opening party of the conference but I would go back for the nachos and jalepeno poppers.

Bangkok has more than good food and spas, of course! Check out these fabulous things to do in Bangkok while you’re there as well.

What to expect at TBEX & Tips for first timers going to TBEX

I don’t know what to think looking back. I wasn’t very impressed which I hate to say. I wish I could say it was perfect and recommend it to everyone, but I want to be honest about the good and bad. There weren’t enough brands represented was the major problem. I was also a little disappointed in the ‘breakaways” where you can choose a speaker (there are usually 5-6 at a time) you’re interested in learning from.

Alex Baackes of Alex in Wanderland and Katie Hammel of Viator talked about blogger/brand relationships which was worth listening to. It was great to hear actual figures about how much to charge. The biggest take away for me was Sharon’s talk about SEO. It was very helpful and I’ve even downloaded SEO software now. Of course, maybe I just chose the wrong ones.

It was cool to meet other bloggers and socialize but to fly there and pay those fees, it’s up to you to decide. I think this would be more helpful for people in their first 6 months of blogging, or even their first year of blogging in terms of learning. For brand collaborations, I think if you have great numbers this could be really good for you.

I feel like I fell in the middle and either probably wasn’t big enough of a blog for some companies during the “speed networking” but found the breakaways something I would have needed a year or so ago.

I was also disappointed that the majority of the companies represented who wanted to work together were only pushing affiliate programs, or wanted freelance work or sponsored work in exchange for exposure. Again, perhaps my blog wasn’t big enough to be considered for other options but that was my experience.

So, on the the tips: 

Try to find a buddy to share a room with at TBEX or choose a hostel that other bloggers have also mentioned they will stay at. It’s good to have someone to help you prepare before and digest information after with. I was so glad I had Hayley with me! There are usually official Facebook groups for each TBEX. Use these to stay in the loop. There will be a lot of get togethers before and after.

I would also recommend you do NOT print 300 business cards. I passed out maybe 50 and I was trying to give them out! Travel blogging is a small world, so a lot of people you meet are other travel bloggers and don’t really need your card.

I did print a media kit. I think 20 copies would have sufficed. I gave it to all the brands I talked to at the speed networking and it was a great tool to help guide what I wanted to say to them.

If it’s your first time, I will explain was speed networking was. You DO need to set up meeting ahead of time. They will explain how once you register. At the conference, there was a room with tables very close together. The tables had tags on them for the brand. You need to look ahead of time where the brands are you will meet with. You’ll have 8 minute with each brand. In my opinion, it’s best to do it all back to back and get it over with!

The way the conference was set up was an opening party the first night to meet everyone. On the two conference days, they would have breakaways in the morning and networking after lunch. The “breakaways” had 5 options of speakers to go and learn from. Choice wisely! Go to the one you want, not one your friends are going to.

They do serve lunch and have coffee and water at the center.

You can apply for press trips. I didn’t apply this year because I hadn’t spend much time in Goa and knew I would want to get back after the conference. So, unfortunately I don’t have advice on how that works.

You WILL meet people and make friends! It’s inevitable! Don’t take it too seriously. It was a fun experience, but I worried before for no reason. It was very laid back. Oh and take photos. I wasn’t even thinking and didn’t take any!

I was generously hosted by Maduzi and JW Marriott during my stay in Bangkok.

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I was just in Bangkok for TBEX (travel blogging conference) and knew well ahead of time I was going to one. It was one of the only very planned out trips I’ve taken since I had to buy the conference tickets early. It gave me a lot of time to decide which hotel I wanted to spend those 5 days at. There are a LOT of hotels in Bangkok, and even a few options for boutique hotels. I found what was voted online as the best boutique hotel in Bangkok, the Maduzi, and was set on it!

I was a little worried about flying in to Bangkok so early. I arrived at 5 AM. With no traffic, I knew I’d be to the hotel by 6. A lot of places make you pay for an extra night if you check in that early, or in a boutique hotel with less rooms there won’t be space. Maduzi always allows (if there is a room) a guest to check in as early as 6 AM so when I emailed the concierge about it ahead of time, they jotted down that I’d be arriving so early.

The staff there was really nice and the kid shyly said at 5:30, “usually we don’t allow check in until 6 am… but I’m going to let you!” Thanks kid! He gave me a tour of the room and showed the infinity bathtub saying fill it until it spills over, it’s supposed to!

The rooms at Maduzi Bangkok

For me a room really just needs a big fluffy bed for me to like it, but add in a cow print bathroom stool and I’m sold. I just love cows. It’s the little bit of Indian in me now. Don’t worry it’s fake print! I tend to never stay anywhere more than a couple of days, so with 5 nights, I was happy to actually unpack my dresses and hang them up.

My friend Hayley was joining me a few hours later (I barely mumbled to her half-asleep then she crashed as well. We woke up at 2 PM delirious from our flights. It was nice to have a spacious room and since we’re both bloggers, we liked that we could link the WiFi to as many devices as we needed to.

The bathtub was much-loved by the Brit in the room (Hayley) since Brits have a strange obsession with baths! It was an infinity bath and we had a laugh because she was texting me while I was out saying “the bathtub won’t fill! It’s taking forever”. I hadn’t told her it’s an infinity and meant to spill over, like the guy told me when I checked in (whoops), so she was waiting for the infinity part to fill which of course never would! Too funny. I definitely think this is one of the cutest hotels in Sukhumvit and the best hotel in Bangkok I’ve stayed in so far.

Okay but we all the second most important thing after the bed is the FOOD!

The food at Maudzi Bangkok

The chef is Japanese and trained in France, so the food is a combination and really varied for a small hotel. Hayley and I both loved it!

So, breakfast… it’s a meal I usually have no interest in, but this time I was ALL about it! I mean, a BLT and salad is breakfast in Thailand! That is my kind of start to the day. The pancakes were actual American pancakes with maple syrup, something I NEVER get in Asia and it was really this serious moment of happiness because I was so excited when they came out… looking back, I was probably too excited for pancakes, but it was like having breakfast in America. The English breakfast was good, as well as the American one (photo at the top) and coffee and tea was served all day with take away cups as well.

For dinner we did the 4 course special, and I chose to have mushroom soup, a salad with egg, onion jam, pancetta, parmesan, and mushrooms (mushrooms were the theme this month in case you didn’t notice). For the main it was veggies and steak and dessert was this Masterchef-like creation of chocolate fondant cake with an array of little goodies! It was all devoured.

The hotel had other great things like a gym, the happy hour (buy a drink get a drink) I mentioned above, and a coffee bar and FREE mini-bar in the room. I am pretty sure I’ve never stayed at a hotel which offers all guests free mini-bar access. It was a very nice touch!

But in the end… the thing I’ll remember the most: the pancakes!! I mean, because look at that. They are so big. And fluffy. And that butter….

Book Maduzi Hotel Bangkok | The best boutique hotel in Bangkok

You can click-through the link above to book on hotelscombined.com, a great website for cheap rates, or you can book direct on their website. The hotel is in Sukhumvit which is a great area to stay in Bangkok. Enjoy!

This room was complimentary in exchange for this honest review.

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Well, over a year has passed and I’ve STILL been meaning to write about what to pack if you’re going to the Thai islands. You can easily do laundry as you go so whether it’s for 2 weeks or 4, this should work well.

First, you need to know what bag to take. A carry-on is perfect for the islands and I just love traveling carry-on only. I recommend taking a 48L backpack. It’s small enough to go as a carry-on but can be expanded greatly if you want to shop while you’re there and check it on the way back. I would NOT take a rolling bag since you have to jump around via ferry. I used a REI Traverse 48L Backpack.

If you’re curious how to dress on the Thai islands, it might not be what you’re thinking. Coming from Goa (a non-conservative place in a conservative country) I had an idea of what girls would be wearing and packed really well. Basically, pretend like you’re going to LA and pack that- you’ll be fine. But leave the baggy tourist pants behind!

I packed the same way I do for a weekend getaway in Goa.

• Sarong
• 2 maxi dresses, 1 maxi Skirt

• Jean shorts

• Kimono/jacket
• 2 pair yoga pants
• 1 sports bra
• 5 tank tops, 3 cute crop tops for going out

• 1 club like dress, or just a little black dress

• t-shirt to sleep
• 1 pair of flip flops & 1 pair of sturdy hiking sandals (I prefer Chaco’s)

• 4 bikinis

• Undies & a bra

You be surprised how often you are just in your bikini and sarong- meaning you don’t need a day outfit. Shopping in Thailand is huge and there are cute crochet tops and t-shirts to buy so whatever you do, don’t over pack.

Ko Samui

maya bay

You’ll need some other misc things like a small medical kit, travel size toiletries (pack a lot because they are expensive on the islands), comb, wet wipes, sunscreen, tanning oil if you like, sunglasses, and maybe a couple bracelets but you can buy jewelry as great souvenirs. I also take my Fossil Heather Watch everywhere I go.

full moon party

For makeup, it’s hot so keep it as simple as you can. Don’t forget to take OPI nail polish. They shops will charge you almost double to use a good polish, and without doing that, the manicure will be ruined without two days.

My makeup list, most of which I have in sample sizes and large sizes.

• Sephora Bronzer in Aruba
• Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in Pout
• Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Bare Pink
• NARS The Multiple in Orgasm
• Burberry Brit
• Lash Power Mascara
• Clinique Moisture Surge

You’ll want a Kindle, your phone, chargers, adapter for the plugs, headphones, ATM cards and passport!

This post is in partnership with Expedia

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Let’s say you’re rolling in the dough… you have so much money that you could pick random places to travel and not worry about budget. Usually I wouldn’t even consider this, but thanks to a reader’s e-mail, it’s been brought to my attention people like this exist!

They don’t want to know which places are convenient or easy to get to- they want to know what are the BEST and coolest places in the world. They may have all the money in the world but only a couple weeks to fly from place to place. I can’t say which are for sure the best, but I can give you my opinion!

So here we go, my 5 favorite cities in the World

except one is and island & one is a state, but hey, SEO ;)

1. Dubrovnik, Croatia.

It’s been getting this reputation of being too crowded and too touristy but it’s a stunning town. Here you’ll get to see the prettiest town I went to in Eastern Europe complete with a fairy-tale castle (the one from Game of Thrones), winding alleys like a small town in Italy, delicious pizzas and local food, and some of the greatest ocean views I’ve ever seen. On top of all that, it’s got a serious cultural bonus: you get to stay at a Sobe and have a local woman treat you one of their own kids. If you want to visit here, consider a full Croatia road trip!

2. Ko Lanta, Thailand.

Ko Lanta might not stay this way for long, but as of late it’s been known as the most beautiful sunset in the world… with not nearly enough people there to see it. Just the way I like it! Of course you have everything the other islands have: good food, great nightlife, and even better 5 star hotels, but having a whole stretch of beach to yourself in Thialand? Nothing better.

3. Goa, India.

There’s no greater adrenaline rush than coming to India, but if you’re short on time you won’t get to really take it all in. In a rush, just come to Goa and enjoy a mixture: get a massage for under a buck on the Arabic sea, indulge in coconut curries, wash a few elephants, take a spice plantation tour, and maybe even partake in one of the impressive Psy trance parties on Anjuna beach. Maybe I’m bias since this has been my home as of late, but Goa holds such a special place in my heart.

4. Corfu, Greece.

It’s said to be the most beautiful island in Greece. Other than the typical bright blue sea views, you get all that Greece is known for (seafood, white and blue houses, parties) and on top of that you have way fewer tourists than it’s counterparts Santorini and Mykonos. The island has a historic Old Town, a castle, forts, and plenty of outdoor activities. The island is “greener” than others and quite possible the most beautiful place in the Mediterranean.

5. Paris, France.

Paris, France photo source

Paris isn’t only for hopeless romantics; it’s for shopaholics and those who keep their noses buried in history books. Get dressed up in your favorite black outfit and pretend to be Parisian in one of the street side cafes. Wonder the Louvre and sip wine under the Eiffel Tower. Take the time to see Notre-Dame and peak through second-hand novels at the Shakespeare and Company book store. After all your site-seeing make sure you aren’t too tired to sip cognac and take on the luxurious nightlife.

The post My 5 Favorite Cities in the World appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Before I tell you about Koh Tao, I’ll share what else I’ve been up  too online. Couchsurfing’s Tumblr posted my tips for safe couchsurfing which brought me some new readers! That was a nice surprise. This next one is a little old, but I never shared a blogger collaboration on best coffees around the world, where I mention Bosnian coffee. 

I also shared with Twenty-Something Travel my photo of a sadhu in Varanasi which is worth taking a second to pop over and see. 

Now, on to Koh Tao!!

Of all the Thai islands I went to, Koh Tao was by far my favorite. Instead of being a full on party scene all day and night like Koh Phi Phi, it was more relaxed during the day and came alive at night. It has a chill surfer vibe, even though there is no surf! I guess scuba divers give off the same vibe. Other than scuba, there are great places to eat, see sunsets, snorkel, and sleep. Snorkeling here is actually one of the best things to do in Thailand!

Koh Tao is THE place to get scuba certified. The island certifies more people than anywhere else in the world. There are companies on every corner with people begging asking for you to sign up for a class. If you aren’t into scuba/snorkeling/the ocean you probably won’t want to stay on Koh Tao too long.

One thing I didn’t like on Koh Tao:

Some of the best places to stay are also dive companies. They won’t let you stay unless you sign up for a class, but if you do sign up for a class, then you can stay a night for free if there is availability. This is all fine, except the seasonal workers at some of these dive shops had an all-inclusive attitude, like “I live and work here, and you are just a tourist”. One chica in particular shooed us away before we could even ask for a room, plus she didn’t know yet if we were planning to dive or not. That is not a good sales tactic! I’m used to living in Goa, where tourists come just for “season time” then disappear and I can’t imagine having my nose up in the air at them. Hello, we were all tourists at one point!

Diving and Snorkeling Koh Tao

Some companies will take you to a pool first to learn, or to shallow water. My boyfriend and I have dived before but neither of us were put into the PADI system because we just went with friends. Ben dives for a living building artificial coral reefs, but they wouldn’t see past the paperwork. This is totally understandable because they could get in trouble; we knew it was a chance we took, but being Koh Tao, we hope they’d be more laid back.  I think because my unique introduction to diving in Santorini made me think no one cared about certificates. They do! We decided to bite the bullet and do the course back in India with friends (cheaper for us) that can certify us.

At this point, Ben really should have his paperwork, but hey were talking about someone who lost his ATM card 6 months ago and just sends himself Western Union, instead of getting a new card sent out.

While the other two girls we were with went diving, we rode a scooter up to the north side of the island and went snorkeling. ­­­­­­­­Aow Leuk Bay on the Northeast coast was almost completely empty; the coral was gorgeous, visibility perfect, and so much marine life to see! We goofed around trying our own version of free diving (a technique where you can hold your breathe longer) with the go-pro and got some cool photos and videos. I really do love using the go-pro, and it was SO useful on the islands. The view of the sea from the top is incredible (there is a restaurants that’s yummy but I can’t remember the name or find it online- you’ll drive pass it), but unless you’re good on a bike you might want to walk! All over Koh Tao scooters are so popular, but accidents are just as popular… as well as bike scams. Make sure you weigh your options. Another cool place to snorkel is called Shark Bay, because, yes you might see sharks! Don’t worry, only nice ones.

For more scuba information check out Alex in Wanderland who has many posts dedicated to where to dive and what equipment to buy. She spent a lot of time on Koh Tao diving & living that laid back island life.

Where to Stay

Although there are loads of huts to stay at, there wasn’t a lot of option on the main beach (the western coast, Sairee) because due to England’s summer break it was crowded with kids who just finished exams. It was the hardest place to find a decent priced place to stay with A/C. Ben cannot handle just a fan hut.. which is turning me more spoiled by the day. There are many cheap beach fan-only huts for about 500 baht, but then for A/C it jumped up in price straight to the big resorts. We had been slumming it on other islands, so this time we paid about 3,000 to stay at Seashell Resort so we could have a soft bed for a little while; it was a great room but offered horrible customer service.

Where to Eat

There was a pretty good Mexican place, El Toro, and a gourmet sandwich shop that had bagels and cream cheese called Zanzibar. Other trendy places were Hippo bar and La Dolce Vita. There’s a very popular Aussie bar called Choppers.  There are lots of power outages and I got food poisoning on Koh Phi Phi from beef, so be careful. I really wasn’t even giving it a second thought; I figured after being in India a year there was no way that Thailand could take me down… but it did. Pretty hard. Thank god for IV fluids!

Beach Bars

Maya Beach Club, Lotus, and Castle were very popular at night and like all the other islands, everyone drank buckets upon buckets. If you’re budgeting (who isn’t?) then try to go for the popular deal of buy 2 buckets get 1 free, or get them on the street and make it up yourself. I crashed out early most nights on Koh Tao, but my travel buddies told me the pool across from the main bar had a party every night when the bar closed. As I’ve mentioned in other island posts, it’s so fun to get dressed to go out on Koh Tao. You can either wear your bikini and get covered in body paint, or wear a club dress- seriously, anything goes! The more flowery hippie jewelry and leather arm bands the better!

Getting there and away

It’s as easy as all the other islands. Book through an agent and show up at the dock when they tell you to. The A.M. ferry we took to Koh Samui for full moon party was way over full ** Thai ferries have a tendency to do this… and sink**. The workers will put stickers on you, color-coded for your next stop where you’ll be herded around like sheep. You could be dumb as rock, but it’s okay they’ll get you where you need to go. There are literally no worries on the Thai islands.

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Have you been told that staying on Koh Samui for full moon party and just take a boat across to Koh Phangan to rage? Whoever told you that is crazy!

The reason people, including us, stay on Koh Samui, is because it’s really expensive to stay on Koh Phangan (where the full moon party takes place) if you call to book ahead, and if you just show up you might not find a room. Being nearby islands, we were advised wrongly to stay on Samui and take a shuttle across. We weren’t the only ones… hundreds of people fought for space.

The Facts (plus a few tips on what to wear)

• The shuttle speedboats can only take 18 people- at least our boat. If you book to go across at 11:00, and so do 100 other people, guess what? You’re not getting on that boat for hours. One hotel doesn’t own the boat, many hotels use the same shuttle services and they are NOT communicating. They only schedule in for their guests and add it to the pile. When you show up you’ll take a number… and wait. The shuttle cost 1,000 baht per person.
• It takes 20-30 minutes to get across, and then you wait for that boat to come back. That’s about 1 hour for each group. So if you want to do this still (don’t!) take booze and pregame while you wait.

• The boat will get you soaking wet and freezing cold.
• On the way back, you’ll be expected to wait in line for your particular shuttle you’ve already paid for, for HOURS. People were literally pushing others in the water. Drunk, and 3 A.M. and you have to wait for hours just to get home… no thanks
• You can take a long boat back if you want- that’s what Ben and I did. It’ll cost you about 3,000 baht (100 bucks or so) and it’ll be around 40 minutes of pure torture. I love adventure. I wasn’t afraid of grade 5 rapids, or bungee jumping, or canyoning… but this… I cried off and on the whole way back. It was terrifying! Pitch black, the driver standing in the back of a boat that looks like it could split in half, riding parallel to the waves, each one coming at the boat like it will capsize it. No matter how close we got to Samui, I always felt like we were in the middle of the ocean about to die. The waves were BIG, and the boat would jump so high, if I held on any tighter to the seat my fingers would have broken. But, even that risk of death was better than waiting hours for a shuttle speedboat. Plus, Ben loved it.
• Another reason people think staying on Koh Samui is better: on Koh Phagan while you’re at the party, locals will raid your hut and steal everything. The huts aren’t hard to get into. Here’s a thought: If you book through your guesthouse on Samui to go to another island for the night, isn’t that a perfect chance for locals on Samui to rob you?
• Saving money is the number one reason people do this. A lot of places force minimum stays of 5-7 days during full moon party at 10x the normal rate. From talking to people on Koh Phagan, it wasn’t difficult for any of them to find a place to stay as long as they were willing to pay about 3,000 a room. If you split that with friends it isn’t that much money. In the end, booking well enough ahead of time we would have spent less staying on Koh Phagan. Most places in Thailand, booking ahead isn’t necessary at all, but full moon party we didn’t want to risk it, which is why we chose to stay on Koh Samui.
• Even if you don’t stay on Koh Samui, you should make time for it- it was my favorite island!

• Granted I was in a horrible mood and didn’t really want to be there, but the full moon party had lots of really young wasted kids in neon shirts that read “FULL MOON PARTY”. It was packed chaos, and according to people who went years ago compared to now, it’s starting to become somewhere you’d rather skip. I think I’m getting old or something because lately, I hate being at these huge parties, or maybe Thailand just left me jaded.
• Other than where to stay- make sure you pack a cute outfit when backpacking Thailand so you have something amazing and fun to wear (literally anything goes) but for me, I wore a tie dye skirt from ASOS and a tank top, but lots of girls just wore swim suit tops. Another great option is short shorts with a psychedelic/crop top.

• You can buy neon shirts at the Full Moon party, but you can get them on any island anywhere and might be nice to sleep in and keep as a souvenir. If you’re really going to rage it doesn’t matter much what you have on. They also have body painting which sometimes stains clothes.
• Take more baht than you think you need- they’ll be selling cute flower headbands on the streets… or you might want to buy a matching tattoo with someone. I swear I didn’t. Almost though!

The post The Facts: Staying on Koh Samui for Full Moon Party appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

If you still want island life, but need a little more “big city” mixed in, Koh Samui nightlife will be perfect for you to take a break. I went twice; the first time as a base for the Full moon party, then second because we had some time to kill before we needed to catch a flight our cute hotel in Bangkok, and wanted to get some shopping done, which Koh Samui is great for.

Most important information EVER:

DO NOT use Koh Samui as a base for the full moon party. It’s so dumb. I’m going to tell you about this next week!

Where to stay on Koh Samui

We stayed up north on MaeNam Beach the first time we went so we were close to the port to Koh Phagan. It was a cute resort called Shangrila with great stilted huts on the sea. Although far from Chaweng, the main scene, it was a nice break from people.It was a relaxing resort with fair/decent food, but good breakfast. Getting to Chaweng at night was easy from all locations; trucks drive up and down all the main streets, and it’s hop on hop off as they drive around.

The day after the full moon party we stayed on the south side Bo Phut because it was less expensive and closer to the main road. Ben and I also stayed here when we came back to Koh Samui the second time. An attraction near this beach is Big Buddha; we saw it in the distance but didn’t take the walk to it. I am usually underwhelmed by statues and it was really hot.

What to Buy on Koh Samui

The main beach, Chaweng, is also is not only THE place for Koh Samui nightlife, it’s where the shopping is best. All over the islands are Beats by Dre speakers and headphones. They might be fake, as one retailer admitted, but they still have incredible sound so we got speakers for about 900 and headphones for 600. Ben, who hates to shop, and lives in board shorts actually was quite a shopper here. He got loads of really cool printed boardies from billabong, O’Neil, etc for about 300 baht (10 bucks) each as well as some tee shirts. The only thing I bought was a fake Longchamp bag that is holding up really well; I take it as a carry on here in India. Prices were cheaper here than anywhere else, but they didn’t have the handmade pieces or crochet that Koh Phi Phi had. A lot was straight from factories, knock-off’s, and unoriginal items. I actually see a lot of what’s sold in Thailand on the streets of India. But I am sort of still obsessed with my Beats speakers and headphones. Ben has since lost his (it’s bound to happen with all items he owns).

wearing my favorite Koh Phi Phi leather arm band

The burlesque show!!! (video)

It is SO hard to wrap my head around the fact those are men! Male Christina Aguilera killin’ it! Seriously, don’t scroll past this video. You have to watch it to understand how amazing these shows are! PS now I have a YouTube account you can subscribe to- yay for more upcoming GoPro videos!

This was my favorite. It is suitable for guys and girls, old or young! It’s funny and not obscene like the ping pong shows in Bangkok. I would even advise my parents to see it. The lady-boys copied the likes of Tina Turner, Britney Spears, the Moulin Rouge girls, and did some traditional songs. It was the cost of one drink (200-300 baht), so technically the show was free, although the hope you tip at the end. There were many shows on Chaweng and they run over and over for about 30 minutes.

this was by far the best performance. the Christina was dead on!

Food on Koh Samui

Food was great and BBQ was everywhere.  We tried multiple BB places on the main road eating mostly ribs, prawns, corn on the cob, and salad. Each places serves almost the same dish with about the same price. Most full all you can eat platters go for 100 and it’s about 600 for a normal plate. Ben got the all you can eat, but it wasn’t necessary.

Don’t kill the American…. McDonalds. I’ve been in India nine months. Beef is usually water buffalo. I NEEDED a big mac. And hash browns. And chicken nuggets.  Also, Starbucks was right next-door. There are a few western restaurants on the island like those and Burger King, just look it up on google maps, but on the main strip Chaweng, you’ll see them all.

What else can you do on Koh Samui?

Hiking to Na Muang waterfalls (there are 2). We hired a car from our guesthouse for about 100 baht each person. Make sure you wear comfy shoes because it’s a lot of walking. Wear a swimsuit so you can jump in the natural pools! There is a “water park” at the top and restaurant that we didn’t bother to eat at. It’s definitely worth going here to see the waterfalls and elephants.

Riding bikes here was safer thanks to paved roads, so this would be a good place to rent. You’ll save loads of money on taxis. There are multiple restaurants near Na Muang waterfalls that you can eat at; all are quite pricey along the main road.

Some people hate Samui, probably because it is very different from the other islands. It’s larger, commercialized, and has more adults than raging teenagers. Regardless, I found it had a lot to offer, especially since I was headed back to India and wanted my western commercialized fix.

What to Wear

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The famous beach where Leonardo DiCaprio played a backpacker in the movie, “The Beach”, looks pretty stunning… if you get there early enough to beat the crowds. It’s Koh Phi Phi Leh, and most likely you’ll be coming from Koh Phi Phi Don (if you’re not spending every day sleeping, recovering for Phi Phi’s raging parties). Below, I’ll outline a few tips for Maya Bay to help you plan it out as well as a tour you can pre-book on the cheap.

10 Tips for Maya Bay

1. Take a Long Tail Boat

Take a private long-tail boat instead of a speedboat. If you have a group of people, try to rent out a whole boat for yourself. You’ll save at least half your money, and the more people you get to take the tour, the more you can divide the cost by. We had three people and paid 600 baht each when we booked it on the spot. That was about $18 and took haggling and the bother of asking many people on the beach. I found the same price on Getyourguide (linked here) that you can book ahead if you want to have it pre-arranged and guarantee a good price. If you have a group and can get a boat to yourself, the other benefit is moving at your own pace. You can snorkel longer if you want, play with the monkeys longer, or just sunbathe. If you want to go on a group speedboat tour, then here is a tour for that on Viator.

2. Check on the “tax”

Discuss up front whether or not you’ll have to pay a “tax” when you get to Maya Bay. On the tour we booked on the beach, this is supposedly included in your price; when we arrived without a guide we were forced to pay it. Others we talked to said that it isn’t a real tax, so be sure to ask the man you purchase tickets from. It was 200 baht.

3. Bring snorkel gear

Make sure decent snorkel equipment will be on the boat and ask for the boat driver to bring water with him in the morning because it gets hot once the sun rises. He could also bring food for the monkeys (FYI: signs say don’t feed the monkeys but it’s clearly not followed. I just hope the monkeys are okay during the off-season when no tourists feed them). Also, make sure he brings a water-safe bag for cameras and phones to take up to the beach. Almost all boats offer these nice things! Don’t bring anything other than that! Wearing a swimsuit and sarong is all you need.

4. You only need a half day

Don’t take a full day tour; it would be overkill. You need about 2-3 hours for the whole tour and a half-day would be nice. The boat will take you around to see Viking Cave, perfect snorkeling water, and Monkey beach as well. We spent the most time snorkeling, which I wouldn’t change. Actually, I wish I would have snorkeled longer and seen Maya Bay for less time.

learned that monkeys can swim! This boat is a large group tourist boat. They had more food than us, so the monkeys loved them most, but Evelyn did get one to eat out of her hand.

5. Add time as you go

If you need to ask for more time on the boat, the driver isn’t going to say no to extra pocket money, so just ask to extend and decide on a rate that works for you both. If you book through an agent, of course, the boat driver is just getting paid a percentage of that money. Negotiate for more time as you need it that the agent doesn’t need to know about and then your driver gets more money for himself.

6. Start earlier than you think

Go early in the morning, I’m talking leave your hut at 6 A.M. If you don’t beat the massive crowds, there’s really no point in going. We avoided the wild Ko Phi Phi nightlife the night before our trip to Maya Bay.

7. There’s more than just Maya Bay on most tours

There is nothing on Maya bay in terms of food and drink, so it’s not somewhere to hang out. Honestly, it’s pretty but it’s one of those ‘enjoy the moment and leave’ places like the Taj Mahal.

in the movie, there is another rock photoshopped in to block off the bay

8. See if you have to go in the back way

According to our boat driver, long-tail boats cannot go into the bay from the front side (but others have commented that they DID so maybe our guy lied or it’s changed). He took us around the backside and you have to be a strong swimmer to make it to the island and be up for some bumps and bruises to get to the top. After swimming against the current, and over rocks in shallow water, you’ll have to climb a rope. Then you’ll walk through a park until you see Maya Bay. From the front side, larger tour boats will come through, because unlike the movie, there is no rock closing off the bay- that was digitally added.

below here is what you have to swim to from these boats! scary stuff.

9. Remember your boat to leave

Make sure you know which boat is yours! When it’s time to leave you’ll be looking down from a cliff at 10 long tail boats that look the same. The water is rough, so you don’t want to swim out to the wrong one and have to start over.

10. Book more tours through your driver

If you like your boat driver, try to book other tours directly through him. Save yourself the middleman fee. Remember to tip!

Got a big trip to Thailand, other than my tips for Maya Bay, check out these other articles and resources for your trip.

• Check out my other tips on Thailand here. I spent one month traveling the islands and have been to Bangkok multiple times. Clicking through will give you a list of my Thailand tips!
• I get a lot of emails asking me about a tour to Maya Bay (Ko Phi Phi Leh) from the main bit of Ko Phi Phi Don, and these are the best options: this tour with Viator which includes lunch. If you want something cheap you can do this longtail boat for just $18 on getyourguide.com.
• Getting to Koh Phi Phi by flight: I do all my flight bookings these days on Kiwi. It is the bomb and searches all the budget airlines plus gives you a free flight if you miss a connection!
• Please get travel insurance if you are coming to Thailand. I recommend World Nomads. The hospitals ARE expensive. This post explains what is and isn’t covered on WN.
• You do need a visa as well.
• If you’re planning a big trip, check out my guide to start planning from scratch.
• Traveling SE Asia? Here is a guide to how much money you’ll need.
• An additional 23 tips for traveling SE Asia you should definitely check out.

Pin these Maya Bay Tips for later:

The post 10 Tips for Maya Bay appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Before, reading this post I want to make a note. I wrote this about 5 years ago, and my thoughts on seeing a ping pong show have changed quite a lot. At the time I went, it was in my head no different than seeing a stripper in Vegas (just something you do as a tourist). But, as I’ve grown up and learned I see that these could be a darker issue like sex trafficking. As travelers, we definitely learn as we go and other issues like riding elephants, for example, I didn’t know was a bad thing 6 years ago when I did that – but once I learned I made a point not to and to discourage people doing it as well. I truly don’t know if the people behind ping pong shows are being forced to do them (I assume now that some are) or if it’s a choice to make money (which I don’t judge!) but personally, I do feel uncomfortable about them with the unknown of *why* they are there and wouldn’t go again. I have been to the red light district in Amsterdam as well nearly 10 years ago and it’s another place that now I feel the same way about. I’m not going to delete this post as it does share the experience with you – and I know travelers have this on their “bucket list” but maybe seeing how it’s not that great will make you want to skip – or not, it’s always your choice as a traveler.

Original post:

Bangkok’s nightlife is what you make it. It’s not a city OF brothels; it’s a city that HAS them. This is about my first time there, but I want to mention, when I went back I stayed in a very different area and had a relaxing and peaceful time of no partying because Bangkok is so much more. I was with two other American girls. They are party girls, and definitely very outgoing.

The trip had just started, Bangkok being first on the list, and we were ready to make some new friends. There were fun times drinking on Khaosan Road, inhaling laughing gas balloons, and sharing buckets with Australian DJ’s that wore silly hats and bragged about their skills. Then there was the night we set out to find a typical tourist “sex show”, and ended up seeing a ping pong show in Bangkok instead.

these were so fun! such a money waster!

We figured we couldn’t go to Thailand and not see what everyone’s talking about! I mean, Rihanna tweeted she saw birds come out of a women’s you-know-what, and got a club shut down in Phuket. These places were meant to be crazy and we wanted to be in the know.

So we got in the cab.

“where do you want to go?”

“we want to see a sex show.”

The driver clearly had heard this many times.  With no expression of shock, we were off to see whatever a sex show was. But, it was actually to a road with people holding signs everywhere that said “ping pong show”. We didn’t know what it meant but it’s what everyone was doing so we went in to the first one that aggressively talked us into the club.

What was offered? Two things: girls dancing (except actually just standing there) and what turned out to be a ping pong show. I wish I had known what a Ping-Pong show was so I could have skipped it…. Because it’s whack!

The area itself was a little bit sketchy yet full of tourists – the whole street. We were also already pretty drunk and didn’t need much talking into it by the guy holding the sign for the Thai ping pong show. Apparently the “sex shows” were all at 8 o clock show and we missed them. Turns out you have to go out early for these things- who would have thought.

The area was called Phat Pong, the red light district, similar to what you see in Amsterdam except no ladies in windows, it was all hidden inside. If you’ve been to the red light district in Amsterdam then nothing here will shock you. The hostess’ aren’t wearing tops, and many of the clientele are insanely happy old white men.

You’ll see 18-year-old boys coming out of back rooms with smiles stretching all the way across their faces, even though the women who came out behind them could have been 60 years old.

Above some bars are brothels. Men can come down for a beer and take a girl up for a couple of hours, then repeat. It’s actually really gross. Other places in Bangkok, there are girls actually lined with numbers that men can look through glass and choose who they want – supposedly, but we didn’t see that. If you just wander through Phat Pong, you will see prostitutes, but I never saw anything dangerous.

People will really bother you to see a show saying it’s “free” as long as you buy one drink for 100 baht each person. We were warned that they would try to charge more. A lot of the “show” was 3 very tired looking women standing on stage giggling to each other.  So after seeing a woman use something other than her mouth to blow out 100 candles on a birthday cake, blowing horns to get our attention (again, not with her mouth) and other explicit things I unfortunately can’t un-see, we went up to pay our bill…I think 10 minutes was all we could bear to stay. It was truly an uncomfortable experience and there were some weird people in there watching.

I’ve seen a “ladyboy” burlesque show in Koh Samui, Thailand which was incredible – the people performing were insanely talented and it’s a true art, not something trashy. They were clearly happy to perform, making money from tips, and the crowd was cheering them on while they sang from Moulin Rouge, super high-quality Vegas-style. This was just the total opposite.

the ping pong scam…

3,000 Baht instead of 300 was written on the check. Extra charges for each thing we “saw”. If I had come straight from the U.S. and never dealt with a scam I might’ve been nervous, but I did what I’m always advising on here in India: I made a scene, a nice little, not too over the top scene that made it clear we weren’t going to pay.

Basically, on the way to the door a very huge manly woman blocked the exit. I held out the 300 we were told to pay, I said “no… as if!… you’re crazy…” and all those types of things, and we pushed our way through. It wasn’t actually too dramatic or distressing.

People warn you that the rip-offs are really bad, and you’ll be forced to pay. Really though, it’s not a scary scam. They know they’re lying; they do it to everyone who comes in. Just laugh at them for trying and leave. They won’t follow you.  Don’t pay them the fake bill.

Bottom line: they are gross and not sexy at all so it’s quite shocking that it’s such a huge thing in Thailand- there must be hundreds of these things going on every night and it seems to be a huge reason for tourism to the city. They’ve actually been going on in SE Asia since the 70’s and famed travel writer Paul Theroux described a bar in 1973 Vientiane thus: “Your eyes get accustomed to the dark and you see the waitress is naked. Without warning she jumps on the chair, pokes a cigarette into her vagina and lights it, puffing it by contracting her uterine lungs.”

There were couples making out while watching, young boys getting dances, and old men salivating. Then there were the groups of tourists with their eyes peeled open and their jaws on the floor in an uncomfortable disbelief.

Instead of a ping pong show, I recommend you see a burlesque show in Thailand. They are incredible- you can check out a video I took at one with that link.

If you’re headed to Bangkok, I’ve written a few articles about my time there. I’ve been a few times and explored, although don’t know the city perfectly these will help first-time visitors!

• Which area of Bangkok to Stay
• Review of the Maduzi Hotel
• TBEX & more in Bangkok

And if you’re planning on visiting the rest of Thailand, here are some more of my Thai guides:

• Packing for the Thai Islands
• 10 Tips for Maya Bay
• Private tour of Phuket
• 24 Hours in Koh Samui
• Koh Samui Full Moon Party
• Krabi Under $30/day
• Koh Tao Guide
• 7 Ways to Screw Up Ko Phi Phi
• Koh Lanta Guide

If you choose to go airbnb option which has so many rooms in Bangkok, I have a discount code you can use! Just follow this link and get $40 off your booking.

The post Should You See a Ping Pong Show in Bangkok? appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Did you think Koh Phi Phi was overrated? It’s a gorgeous island but if you don’t get away from the main bars and beach, you might not see some of the best places and will leave with a bad taste in your mouth. Here are 7 ways to screw up Koh Phi Phi. Try not to do them and use the Koh Phi Phi travel tips below instead! 

Ko Phi Phi Travel Tips – 7 Ways to Screw it up

1. Having High Expectations.

Ko Phi Phi is packed to the brim with what looks like 18-year-old kids chugging 400 baht buckets having a Spring Break style party. You don’t want to have expectations beyond laying out, maybe some hiking, and partying. There are some quieter beaches to visit and you could avoid all of the parties, but it is sort of the “thing to do”here.

the incoming ferry 

What you should do instead: have realistic expectations. The sea water isn’t that clean these days, there isn’t a lot of lodging compared to amount of people, you’re going to spend double your budget, and the island is so small that you’ll fall asleep to the techno/dub music lullaby of the island. Also, buy your buckets on the street, not at a bar. Like college, you need to pregame or go for the bucket deal: Buy 2 get one free and let each person have their own bucket. It is an awesome place to let loose and party, so expect that this will be one wildly fun, budget-unfriendly time.

you’ll get this if you just take a 20-minute hike

2. Not getting off the main party strip of Ko Phi Phi Don.

It’s a small, crowded beach. Yes, it’s gorgeous in a panoramic view; but up close the partying remnants from the night before are floating in the water along with pieces of old long-tail boats. There is another beach that is full of boats that you can’t go on, and then you have the side with the huge new pier. It’s a small island; you’re pretty limited on where to go. Check out my post on Koh Lanta, a place that I found beaches just to have to myself!

main beach- when the tide goes out, the beach doubles in size

the long-tail boat beach; you can’t swim here

Instead, take the 20-minute hike to Long Beach. It’ll still have a few groups of people, and if you’re unlucky it might be overly crowded, but it’s still better than the main beach. The hike is gorgeous and the water is clean and deep! You can actually stay on that side of the beach. I think for more than two days you’d get bored, as all the shopping and most popular bars are on the other side. On the main beach, you can rent a kayak for 100 baht per person. If you want to get to the “open water” via kayak… well it’s harder than it looks to get out of the bay! Once you get out, you’ll see the water change to a darker, deeper color, you’ll remember Shark Bay isn’t far away and if you’re like me, you’ll paddle faster to get back to the bay.

even hiking to beautiful Long Beach, the “gem”, you’ll see loads of trash

3. Getting massages near the beach.

These are the worst Thai massages I’ve had and it cost two times more. I am actually a Thai yoga masseuse, and one part of giving a massage is focusing on that person. These women just chit-chat, don’t watch what they are doing and massage the same area for 10 minutes so that don’t have to move.

save your massage money one day (300 baht), instead pay to use a pool & sip on some fresh fruit juice

Instead, get a massage as far inland as you can to a less crowded place. You’ll get more focused attention and a better price. The same usually goes for shopping, but I found an exception. A little place on the main strip (forget the name, tear) sells handmade leather jewelry. The guy running it is Thai and his helper is his English girlfriend. I got a hair wrap as well as a few armbands and a headband. They are my ultimate favorite pieces of jewelry right now and everyone asks where I get them!  They’re shocked when I say touristy Phi Phi.  A little pricey but great quality. It’s just near Woody’s. 

4. Getting a bad guesthouse.

Ko Phi Phi is the most expensive of the islands, and Koh Phi Phi hotels match that. All of Thailand it’s true that booking online will sometimes be the higher price you can pay since you can’t negotiate. In person or even over the phone you will get a better rate but you risk there is no availability at the decent places.

If you just roll up and negotiate with the Thai guys at the port, you’ll find somewhere decent at an okay price if there are open rooms. I usually NEVER deal with touts but I find that Ko Phi Phi is not the most fun place to wander and hunt for a room (because it’s hot and most rooms are full). So, I wouldn’t typically say this but you are better off asking the guys for your options. Then negotiate those prices. You’ll pay a fee to him ahead of time, which will be a portion of your first nights stay. Make sure you get a receipt. Don’t book too many nights in advance because if you stay longer, you can negotiate with the actual guesthouse owner. We stayed way uphill from the beach. I preferred this; it was a little quieter and we got a nice work out walking uphill two or three times a day.

This was one of the more annoying places to find somewhere to stay so even though it’s a little more expensive it would have saved hassle to book online. Here are some great options we saw:

Phi Phi Relax Beach Resort– cute bungalows, cheap

Mama Beach Residence– Ao Ton Sai beach, yoga, chic

Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort– little more high end, pool, stunning views

Zeavola Hotel Koh Phi Phi– if you want to live it up, the most luxurious stay

You might also find something on airbnb which has great options all over the world. I have a discount code for you: $40 off your first stay if you use this airbnb link to book.  You can actually sign up now and it will save the credit until your first booking even if its not one of the Koh Phi Phi islands hotels.

5. Not getting to Maya Bay.

Some people come all the way to Ko Phi Phi and don’t see Maya Bay because it’s “too touristy”. You got all the way too overrated Phi Phi and drew the line at Maya Bay!? Come on! Just check it out.

Go to Ko Phi Phi Ley: Maya Bay, but follow these 10 tips for Maya Bay, like taking a private boat and being prepared to get up the difficult rope climb if they go in the back way.

I get a lot of emails asking me about a tour to Maya Bay (Ko Phi Phi Leh) from the main bit of Ko Phi Phi Don, and these are the best options: this tour with Viator which includes lunch. If you want something cheap you can do this longtail boat for just $18 on getyourguide.com.

6. Jumping a Rope of Fire with the Fire Gods.

The fire gods are what we dubbed the oiled up Thai guys that put on the all-night fire shows. If you’re unlucky the hunkiest of all will pull you up to hold you while he jumps rope- a giant rope on fire. Then you’ll catch your hair on fire. It will be traumatic. Your friend will do the same and burn her leg; she’ll have a scab for weeks after. It’s not fun. Be smart! Yes hair grows back and scabs go away, but I’ve heard worse stories that what happened to us.

Understand that it’s real, hot, fire and even though it touches them and they don’t seem to care- it will burn and it will hurt. If you want to jump, keep your hair and a pony and do it when you’re not that drunk. You can also choose to do something a little less scary. You can jump through a hoop or just stand there while the Fire Gods spin the flames around you. They’ll pull up people near the front to participate so if you don’t want to be around it then sit back a couple rows.

7. Eating Beef at Breaker’s.

This restaurant is geared toward tourists with its t.v.’s playing soccer and it’s menu like that of an American Bar. I eat beef in India all the time and wasn’t that worried about it- I guess in the last year of Indian life I’ve let my guard down a little. My friend and I shared the nachos… and I got a cheeseburger. Two hours later we were sweaty, puking all over the bathroom. It was disgusting. We were way uphill on the island, a 30-minute walk from the hospital. We both were dehydrated, but I was sicker than the time I got food poisoning from prawns in Goa. I went to the hospital at sunrise and told them I want an iv asap. As a nurse, I see the magic of a little fluid all the time and really just wanted to fast forward the process. Anna was sick at this point too and got an iv as well. We were better in an hour, but without fluid replacement, we would have suffered all day. The consequence was being on antibiotics for 5 days after (that I didn’t take because seriously if I did every time I got sick living in India and traveling in Asia, I’d be on them ALL the time).

all my bikinis I wore in Thailand were Agua Bendita – the CUTEST bikinis, love them!

like the pizza, Ko Phi Phi was “Not the Best, but nice one”

Ko Phi Phi does have some positives because we stayed for a week. Part of the lengthy stay in comparison to our stays at other Thai islands was because we were waiting on friends to meet us. If you go into this with realistic expectations, you can enjoy yourself; party all night, sleep all day. I had way too high of hopes for “The Beach” and I wasn’t in the mood to drink buckets with youngsters (did I mention I was there when England colleges had a huge school break?)

Headed to Thailand? Other than my Koh Phi Phi travel tips, check out these other posts and resources so you can save time and see the best there is to see on your trip.

• Getting to Koh Phi Phi by flight: I do all my flight bookings these days on Kiwi. It is the bomb and searches all the budget airlines plus gives you a free flight if you miss a connection!
• Please get travel insurance if you are coming to Thailand. I recommend World Nomads. The hospitals ARE expensive.
• You do need a visa as well.
• If you’re planning a big trip, check out my guide to start planning from scratch.
• Traveling SE Asia? Here is a guide to how much money you’ll need.
• An additional 23 tips for traveling SE Asia you should definitely check out.

Pin these Koh Phi Phi travel tips for later:

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Krabi’s beach buddy, Koh Lanta, was the only deserted beach I made it to in Thailand. I only wish I would have gone there last, so I would have appreciated it more! With stunning views along the Andaman coast, the almost empty guesthouse we chose was perfect to relax and recharge. Had I known what was in store on the other more crowded islands, I would have stayed here a little longer.

Where I stayed

We stayed at Lanta New Coconut, which was beautiful. Whenever you read a guidebook about Thailand it says under the budget rooms quotes like, “not much to the place, but cheap!” or “pretty simple, but didn’t cost much!” It’s so ridiculous, because these places are gorgeous! Yes, the roof is made from leaves, but that’s the beauty of staying in these beach huts. I love my luxuries, but I will always want to stay in a private room like this than a hotel, and definitely not a hostel! Our huts were right on the beach, lined up, and surrounded by gorgeous flora. The place had a swimming pool with lawn chairs, wi-fi, little kitchen and overpriced shop, and nice owners. The showers were cold like every other beach hut, but we did have A/C. This one cost me 8 USD/night.

Getting there

We booked an overnight bus on Khaosan Road, where we stayed in Bangkok, for 800 baht to Surat Thani. We had to drive across southern Thailand to Krabi’s Khlong Chilat pier, where we caught our 1.5 hour ferry on to Koh Lanta. We ended up paying another 300 to complete the trip. You can go straight from Bangkok to Krabi, but that was booked for us at the time. It is possible to go on to over-hyped Koh Phi Phi from Koh Lanta, which is what we did at the end of our stay on the island.

Partying & Food on Koh Lanta

Our guesthouse was just down a path from the main road. We got lunches and dinner at a local Thai place up the street. There was an art gallery nearby and a 7-11 as there always is. The island offers a Marine National park, but we chose to read by the beach and recover from our Bangkok nights. The hotel offered “The Four Islands Boat Tour” around the island to caves, but we were informed by another group that is was uneventful so we decided to save that money for future excursions.

We had one non-thai dinner at the Greek Taverna. As far as Greek food goes, it wasn’t amazing, but if you’re looking for a break from the same food every day, it’s good enough to go for lunch and get a gyro.

Partying on Koh Lanta was pretty dead while we were there. The island isn’t walkable, it’s the largest of 15 islands in the krabi area) so you have to get tuk tuks, which don’t run as late here as other places. The main party spot is Phra Ae/Long Beach to Galaxy Bar, Funky Monkey, Opium Bar, and Ozone Bar. We were in a pretty chill mood while on the island and instead of searching out for buckets, we went to a nearby beach bar.

We obviously still ended up drinking buckets. This island is known for being more laid-back and also doesn’t have the sex tourism scene that you’ll see elsewhere. It surprised me how many Thai are Muslim, and Koh Lanta was the place in Thailand I saw more Islamic culture in dress, and people speaking arabic.

early in the day, while the tide is in, you still can’t hardly swim because the rocks are right under

While the water had these hidden we tried to swim out and got scraped up! ouch!

Tips for Koh Lanta

• Rent a scooter! Be braver than me! The land is very hilly in some areas, but the roads are wide and paved, the perfect place to learn. Always remember to take time-stamped photos of the bike before and let the renter know of any previous scratches so you don’t get scammed.
• The hospital on the island is not equipped for emergencies, so don’t go overdosing on drugs or anything else stupid!
• The west coast is where most tourists stay, on the beach, but the east coast is the lush location of Old Town
• If you do take the Four Islands Tour, make sure you include snorkling the Emerald Cave, I’ve heard from other travelers it’s the real deal, and a shame I missed it.
• November to April is High Season here (no rain). I went in September, so that’s why it was so quiet, luckily the rains were pretty much over.
• Sea gypsies have lived on Koh Lanta for hundreds of years, having come from Indonesia, and they should not be seen as a tourist attraction.
• If you’re on a super tight time frame and are interested in partying, skipping Koh Lanta might work for you.

Did you go to Koh lanta? Was it a relaxed break for you as well? 

The post Kicking Back on Koh Lanta Island appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

On my way to and from the Thai Islands, I stayed in Bangkok. I, unfortunately, didn’t do any research on where to stay. This worked out well on the islands, but unless you are staying on Khao San road, you should book a place in Bangkok ahead of time. A very large modern city; although, not overwhelming to a seasoned traveler, you really do need to know where to stay in Bangkok to have the best time. It has a very western feel to it during the day, while at night is a different world! It is easy to get around thanks to the sky train and taxis. I stayed in 3 very different areas that each has their own pros and cons. (These are not the only areas worth staying, just the ones we chose.)

 Area 1- the hostel

Upon initial arrival, 2 friends and I spent 2 nights at Lub D Siam Square Bangkok.  This was a bit too far from the attractions we hoped to see in Bangkok, although, it was near the MBK center. This is a huge mall with market-like shops. If I had come from the states, I wouldn’t have been too interested. But having come from India, I was so excited to see such western things: the food, shopping and air conditioning. On the other hand, my friends had come from California, and they were ready for street food! I literally could have just chilled at the hostel and spent my days at the mall eating soft pretzels from Auntie Anne’s. Click here for rates and availability.

The hostel itself was overpriced, charged for each little thing, and offered tours that were not at a very good rate compared to what could be gotten at Khao San road. Also, the man with the maps to help us out with “anything” couldn’t book bus tickets, which you get a good price on in Khao San road at any travel agency.  For night 3, we did end up switching hotels to be closer to the “backpacking scene”. We had wasted a bit of money on transportation. Keep in mind, you can’t walk all over Bangkok, it’s a good idea to hire a driver for the day, instead of paying each small distance you go.

Area 2- Khaosan Road

So we took the sky train (I love cities with great transport!) to Khao San (Khaosan) Road. This is described in “The Beach” as all the backpackers trying to be cool, etc. I found it to be a nice mix. A nice professional looking guy, pale as can be, because probably just arriving in Thailand would sit down and get his whole head dreaded, buy a tie dye shirt, and he’s a brand new person. It’s neat that you can re-invent yourself, but, it is the type of environment that makes me personally want to get out… it was congested.

eating a scorpion!

The guesthouses we checked out all seemed pretty similar in price, much cheaper than near MBK. Some have pools they let non-guests hang out at. I didn’t see food as cheap as Khao San road once we got to the islands. This was also the best deal I saw on jewelry, although most pieces here were unoriginal. The islands were expensive; for me Koh Samui was where I did the most shopping at good prices. I hardly shopped at all on Koh Lanta, the most laid back of the islands. Khao San road is good for the consumer (aka me!)I brought hardly anything to Thailand and shopped quite a bit for jean shorts, crop tops, and all things crochet and feathered! It’s also a good place to drink, party, and set up tours to any sightseeing activities you want to do- at a good rate. But the best perk of all- the cheap massages! Priced lower than the islands, why not get one everyday?

 Shopping & nightlife on Khaosan Road

Area 3- Sukhumvit

When I left through Bangkok, a month later, my boyfriend and I were meeting up with some friends from India in a swanky area called Sukhumvit. Our driver said “oh, so so special, sukhumvit!” when we told him where to take us. Then he charged us three times what the meter said *sigh. Roads are named by number, as in: Sukhumvit Soi 1, Sukhumvit Soi 2, etc. We went to the Park Plaza on Sukhumvit Soi 18. I am not high-class, but this area was my favorite by far. Although, the side streets had locals serving street food, there weren’t as many tourists, and everything moved a little slower. It almost seemed private. I was near a large shopping center, as well as amazing restaurants. I am not the best at eating local. Because of living in India, I miss a lot of western foods. I ate Burger King and McDonalds in Thailand about 5 times in the month I was there. I don’t regret it at all! In Sukhumvit, we ate at an Argentinian steakhouse and sipped our drinks with friends until it was time to fly back to Bombay.

Overall, if you are backpacking there is really just no reason not to stay on Khao San road. Everything is accessible from there. Food, shopping, and booze are cheap. Many agencies offer tours to floating markets and temples at better prices than a taxi would be. If you are in Bangkok for luxury, stay far away from Khao San road. If you are here with your kids, check out some family travel in Bangkok tips.

The post Where to Stay in Bangkok appeared first on Hippie In Heels.