A Backpacker's Dream: My Crash Course Through Thailand

Thailand. What a magnificent and chaotic place. It's a place where anything goes; where you can negotiate prices at markets, where you can fit nearly 8 people in a tuk tuk through the busy streets of Bangkok without anyone stopping you, and where you can learn to drive a motorbike without even needing a driver's license.

I would often find myself sitting on a beautiful hot beach, drinking a $2 freshly chopped coconut, not a worry in the world. And what should you worry about? This place is not only beautiful, but dirt cheap.

When I told people I was going to Thailand, I was told by many that it was a backpacker's dream. It's beautiful, cheap, and easy to get around. And as soon as I arrived, I realized how true that statement was.
 

I started my journey in Thailand in the island of Phuket. I was warned that Phuket was flooded with tourists, but looking back, it was a great place to warm up to Thailand. It was also where I took my first motorbike taxi, which shouldn't cost you more than $7 (I got ripped off big time in the beginning).

Place to stay: Fin Hostel.
This hostel was a fantastic social hostel which was amazingly fun to stay at. Also, it's air conditioned, which is a massive plus. It's quite hot in Phuket. There's a small street market around the corner where you can practice negotiating prices and eat some awesome street food (which is the safest food to eat, I haven't met anyone that's gotten food poisoning from street food).


Koh Phi Phi

After hearing so many stories from other travelers, I knew that my next destination had to be the island of Koh Phi Phi Don.
 




It's true what they say, Koh Phi Phi is indeed a party island (and a great place to spend your birthday). Enjoy a bucket of whichever alcohol you choose with a mixer (apparently it's equivalent to about 5 shots..sometimes a bit stronger) for maybe $7. Choose whichever beach bar you want to lounge on, most of the bars have fire shows that start when the sun sets. My favorite fire show was at the Stone Bar. Try not to burn your legs when they bring the fire jump ropes out.

Place to stay: Sunset Hostel. This hostel isn't much to brag about in terms of cleanliness, but it's about $3 per night and shows a great view of the island from the deck. Also, theres a wonderful bar called the Sunset Bar right above it, which would be great for a first bucket experience. However, you will be sleeping in a room with about 24 other people. That's not a turn off, is it?

Must Do: Take a longtail boat trip to monkey beach and go snorkeling. I only did a half day trip, so I was back in about 4 hours, but you can do a full day trip if you like, just be careful with the monkeys. They give you a plastic bag full of bread and a monkey went right up to me, snatched the bread out of my hands, and ate straight through the plastic.






Koh Phangan





Koh Phangan is the island known for the famous full-moon festival, and yes, that's exactly why I went there. The island itself it quite small, but diverse; ranging in beaches and desolate rainforests alike. If you rent a motorbike, be careful. The roads can be very steep at times and are known for being very dangerous.

The Full Moon Festival




The full moon party takes place on the main beach on the island (unfortunately, I can't remember the name. I was pretty drunk). If you go to Koh Phangan for the party, which everybody does, you'll find the beach just fine. The florescent party itself is massive, but I found that you can't fully enjoy it unless you are very intoxicated or on an absurd amount of drugs (neither of which I was). It can also be quite dangerous. I rolled my eyes when people told me that girls get drugged at the party like it's nothing, but I actually saw it happen, and so did many others. I also witnessed someone from my hostel get hit by a taxi and break his arm. Apparently, another girl fell off the main stage and broke her leg. Also, I think someone may have gotten fatally stabbed. It could just be a rumor but if you go, be careful! These things do happen, especially there.

There's a jungle party that takes place the night before the full moon party, and it is in fact a bit better than the full moon party. And yes, the moon is really full during the full moon party. It's beautiful.

Where to stay: Echo Beach Backpackers.

This hostel was absolutely lovely. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but on the inside it opens up into a chilled out atmosphere that faces the beach, surrounded with comfy couches and hammocks that you could sleep in if you're too drunk to reach your bed. It is a social hostel, but not quite a "party" hostel. It is run by British expats but a Thai family lives there and cooks the most amazing food ever. Also, when hostels say they have free breakfast, usually it's just toast and instant coffee. But not this place, they give you a full course meal of cereal, sausage, eggs, bacon, fruit, yogurt, and an assortment of juices. This is critical!! I loved this hostel so much.



Chiang Mai




This is one of my favorite places in the world! It's hard to describe it in words...other than ELEPHANTS!! But there's so much more as well: canyons, temples galore, and dope tattoo shops. Its a great city. If you're in Thailand, it would be a shame not to go to Chiang Mai.

Where to stay: Baan Khun Hostel.

This place is just brilliant. It's another chilled out social hostel where I met some amazing people (mostly Americans). It's run by (I think) a Thai family that are friendly and helpful. Also, they advertise the Jungle Elephant Sanctuary; a sanctuary dedicated to the safe and productive practice of raising and taking care of healthy elephants (with absolutely no riding). If you every go to Thailand, don't ride the elephants. There's a history of elephants being severely mistreated throughout the trekking tours in Thailand. But this sanctuary is known for safe practices for taking care of the elephants that don't include trekking. It will cost you about $80 for a full day trip, but it's worth the money.




The tour includes a ride up to the mountain village to feed and bathe the elephants, and then you play in the mud with them afterwards (I know, it seems semi-counterproductive). The elephants truly seem happy and healthy, and why wouldn't they, they've pretty much got it made. It honestly was a truly profound experience that will stick with me for the rest of my life (literally, I got a tattoo of an elephant the day after the tour).

Other sights to see:

Temples

Chiang Mai is chock full of temples, and they are all beautiful. It's definitely worth it to go check out a few of them.
 











Muy Thai Fighting


I'm not a fan of fighting or boxing or anything of the sort, but seriously, it's really really entertaining. Worth the $10.

The Markets

There's markets every night to find anything you could ever want to possibly buy. Also, Chiang Mai was my favorite place for street food. It's very yummy.


Pai



Pai is a small mountain town in northern Thailand; about a three hour drive away from Chiang Mai. If you take a motorbike, drive safely. If you take a bus and are prone to motion sickness..take some kind of medication. It's not a very comfortable ride.

Pai is the type of place where people say they will go for a few days, and end up staying for a few weeks. You get sucked into the kind of chilled, laid back lifestyle. With herb infused cafes and live music bars, this place had a type of vibe that you can't really find anywhere else. Also, it's surrounded by beautiful mountains, a grand canyon, and waterfalls.

 Place to stay: Purple Monkey Backpackers.
It's nice. It's chill. There's puppies. Any other questions?

Hostel to party at: Circus Backpackers.

This hostel is definitely unique. With an infinity pool overlooking the misty mountains and people messing about with juggling, tightrope walking, and other "circus" activities, it's a place that is unlike any other hostel I've stayed. Go there to socialize and do circus stuff and use the pool. Don't stay there. The bamboo huts aren't comfortable, the roosters next door will keep you up all morning, and there's only two bathrooms and no where to charge your stuff. For what you pay for, the accommodation doesn't really add up. You're paying for the lifestyle, so just party there for free.





Bar to check out: Sunset Bar

Try the mushroom milkshakes. Enjoy your walk home. The military is known to raid the bar from time to time, so just make sure you don't have any joints or drugs on you.



**Other places worth mentioning that I didn't have the energy to write about in detail**

Ao Nang: This place is just dope. You'll meet some awesome people and go on crazy pub crawls.

Railay Beach: This is an awesome, reggae inspired island. Apparently it's awesome for rock climbing, but I was too sick at the time to go.

Koh Samui: What a wonderful island. I had one of my best nights here. Just don't take photos of the people on the beaches with exotic animals, it's totally wrong and illegal. And the Thai kids will go on the beach and hustle with you. It seems funny and innocent at first, but after a while you realize that Thailand is a different world, and these young children are trying to get a buck by fucking with drunk tourists. It felt kind of sad and wrong.

Koh Tao: Unfortunately, I was only here for one day. I wish I could've stayed longer but I chose to go to the full moon festival instead. I'll go back there one day. Apparently it's the best place to get your scuba diving license, so that's on my bucket list for when I go back.

Tip: Don't go swimming when you go to the bar. You will get your cash stolen (this applies everywhere).

Bangkok: I don't like big cities. I especially don't like big dirty cities where women are exploited to shoot ping pongs and other various items out of their vaginas. If you're curious, then go, but I don't suggest it by any means.




Overall: I loved Thailand so much. I consider it a magical place that I can't wait to visit again. The locals prove that it truly is "The Land of Smiles" and you will never get sick of your craving for pad Thai (and you will never find it as satisfying as when you eat it in Thailand). If you have never backpacked alone before, it's definitely a wonderful place to start. It is cheap and easy to get around, nearly everyone speaks English, and anyone will literally give an arm and leg just to help you find your hostel or find a cab driver willing to pick you up.

However, Thailand is somewhat devoted to it's catering of tourism. I believe that is why it has become so developed in recent years. The Thais literally serve us tourists, and we come in drunken herds that hand them fuck tons of money so we can do touristy things in their beautiful country. This is fine, but of course, I wish that I hung out with less backpackers. They were quite hard to escape, and I found it frustrating after a month of backpacking through Thailand to be only acquainted with backpackers like myself. It was when I made friends with my tattoo artist and my good friend who owns the shop where I got it done that I really got a sense of what hanging out with local Thai people was like, and it frustrated me that it took nearly a month for that to happen. The Thai locals are lovely, and my next trip to Thailand will be devoted to making more connections with locals.


Also, if you want a tattoo done, go to BLACK CANDY TATTOO in Chiang Mai. The guy that owns the shop is named Peak, he's the man.

Solo Travel vs. Traveling with Others

Picture this scenario: You and your best friend from home decide to fuck everything and backpack for three months internationally. You've bought your plane tickets, have your passports, and have chosen a backpack that is to your liking. You both are excited to get away and happy that you're doing it together; it seems much scarier facing this trip alone. What could possibly go wrong?

Apparently, a lot of things.

I've recently gone through a travel experience very similar to this scenario. Me and one of my good friends decided to backpack together. We both shared this sense of wander and open-mindedness, and we wanted to experience traveling together. We weren't best friends, but we were close enough to willingly go with each other. But, what I didn't realize was that even if you choose to travel with your best friend in the entire world, that doesn't mean that you're going to get along during a backpacking trip.

Think about it: you spend nearly every day with this same person. Almost every minute. It makes sense that tensions are going to run high, and I'm sure it's normal for group travelers to get on each other's nerves. But once you feel as if the trip is being brought down because of your travel companions, you know you need to cut the cord.

Without going into much detail, we basically just differed too much in personality. We were friends in the normal New Jersey world, but in the wild world of travel, we just weren't compatible. I noticed that there was a bit of tension between us during the first week, and I had messaged a friend back at home about it.

"You need to say something. My biggest regret when I was traveling was not saying something when I should of," he told me.

And though I knew he was right, I struggle with confrontation and let my feelings brood until it became unbearable. We were bringing each other down in different ways, and eventually I decided that I would much rather travel alone, and we went our separate ways.

Once I started my solo leg of this three month excursion, I immediately felt different; the metaphorical weight was lifted off of my shoulders despite my heavy backpack. I wasn't angry or burdened or unhappy. I began to enjoy myself, and I think she did too.

Though solo traveling seems nerve-racking (and I totally understand the feeling), I'm an advocator for it. I believe that it's the best way to travel, and from now on it will most likely be the only way that I travel.

But isn't traveling alone dangerous?

Meh, dangerous isn't how I would describe it, though it is of course situational based on which country you are traveling solo to. But dangerous? I would rather use the word challenging, it's much more appropriate.

Then again, I always like to say that you normally choose the danger that is set upon you. For example, if you put yourself in a vulnerable situation, say like leaving your wallet open where someone can easily steal your cash, that most certainly is a dangerous situation, but a situation that you nonetheless brought on yourself (and it's happened to me, it sucks). If you're going out, watch your drinks and your belongings. If someone strange approaches you, they are most likely just trying to sell you something; ignore them to your best efforts. If you're having sex, use a condom. It's usually very simple.

Of course, there are situations out of your control that most certainly can be dangerous, but if you keep your guard up, you can avoid or at least lessen the danger posed to you.

Doesn't it get lonely?

It's strange for me to admit it because I'm am someone who really enjoys my alone time, but the inevitable answer is: yes. It can get lonely at times. But I'd like to think that how you deal with that loneliness is a reflection of your growth and maturity.

However, there are usually hostels that you can stay at where you share a room with about 6-10 people, so if you ever are feeling lonely during your travels, there's always someone that you can find to talk to. You'd be surprised by how many solo travelers you'll encounter (I found it interesting that they were mostly girls my age). You might even find someone or a group of people to travel with.

You've got some balls to travel alone, that's terrifying. 

I could say the same for those who choose to travel with others. You've got some balls man, that's a real commitment. And trust me, I'm not putting myself on some kind of high horse pedestal. I'm a real bitch to travel with. I can be negative and moody. At times, I can be very apathetic and selfish; not really caring about what other people want. I like my alone time. Social situations sometimes give me anxiety, and there are days where I just don't feel like talking to anyone. I'm surprised that my travel companion stayed with me as long as she did. Some people are just meant to travel alone.

However, if you do have a friend or a group of friends that you are planning to travel with, do it with an open mind and positive attitude, I'm sure you will have a great time. Just be a bit weary about it, and if you realize during the course of the trip that it's not working out, just tell them. It's perfectly okay to go your separate ways and reunite later on. Like I said, it's a commitment traveling with someone else. Sometimes you just want to wake up and start your day on your own terms, and there's nothing wrong with that. Just make sure you say something. I made the mistake of not saying something and it costed me a friendship.

Catching The Travel Bug: Is There A Cure?

It's funny to think about the person I was before I started traveling. I was shy, naive, insecure, and ignorant about the world surrounding me. I knew very little about much except for life in my own home state of New Jersey, and yet I always felt a deep and innate desire to go out and see something else that the world had to offer. I watched movies like Into The Wild and read Jack Kerouac novels, and I deeply identified with this sense of wanderlust. I wanted to go somewhere completely different with no goals in mind other than to see if life was lived any differently and if people were different from those in my home town.

While in college, I was granted the opportunity to do this. As soon as I started taking classes and seeing study abroad posters, I knew it was what I wanted; what I needed. And for some reason, the place that I felt I needed to go to fulfill my wanderlust craving was indeed the beautiful and magnificent country of Australia. And once I landed in my new temporary home for the next six months (conveniently called the Sunshine Coast), I was greeted by sweltering heat and smiling faces and different accents and perspectives, and I knew the from this moment that I had a very big problem.

I was hooked. Much like a junkie dependent on drugs, I felt dependent on travel, and without it, I felt like life just wasn't fulfilling. I had heard people telling me that once you start traveling, you won't be able to stop, and since that day that I stepped on my first place to head to Australia, I've been living my life by a regimen of working, saving, and then bouncing; leaving everything behind to find something new.

They call it the travel bug. I've been infected, and I just can't seem to find a cure. Maybe I just don't want to be cured. Each place I go to just proves to be more fascinating then the next, and I end up coming home with a list of more places I want to go to then where I've been.

I don't think this is a bad thing. When I find more people like me, more people infected with this travel bug, I feel relieved; almost as if there's hope to make this lifestyle work. I'm not crazy for not adhering to society's norms of getting a degree, starting a career, and then choosing someone to settle down with. I'm not crazy for wanting to leave and experience the world during the short amount of time I have here. People have been doing this for ages!

So, even though there's no cure for this disease...lets call it travelitis, maybe it's possible to make it a perfectly live-able condition that will not burden your life, but instead will enhance it. You will have unique experiences that will shape you into an open-minded and thoughtful person, and yes, you can most certainly make a lifestyle out of it.

I just need to find out how this lifestyle is going to work for me.