[Applause] [Music] Thailand a far away land of worldclass luxuries
and exotic Treasures is well established as a travel lovers Paradise from its famous
beaches to its notorious nightlife it's no surprise that it also draws many Western
retirees and digital Nomads possibly because of the incredible Thai boobs food food join me
and my parents as we show you a very simple yet tried and true itinerary that explores the
best of Thailand my mom and I will start in Bangkok before exploring the jungles in
the North and then we'll meet up with my dad and fly down to the beaches in the South
all while traveling at the speed of mom and dad my name is Ricky Moreno and I'm going to show
you some of the most popular tourist attractions in the country and all the reasons why people
say I love Thailand [Music] I love Thailand! Bangkok is a modern Asian Metropolis with
over 10 million people it's a destination within itself and worthy of its own trip but
if you're going to travel to the other side of the world to visit Thailand and can hold
off on the beaches and elephants for just a little while longer then Bangkok is
an absolute must in your itinerary. Bangkok is feeling more and more like Tokyo
or Seoul a decade has passed since the last time I was in the city and it's modernizing like
crazy and giving off some serious Shinjuku vibes. It feels as if there's a revolution happening
in Bangkok and high heels and wing tip shoes are slowly outnumbering the flip-flops. It's like the
Thais have grown tired of being endlessly compared to its Southeast Asian counterparts and have their
sight set on the Ultra Modern Lifestyles like in the North. Packed Subways ,worldclass malls, I
mean some of these malls are ridiculous just these massive marvels of architecture, an oasis from
the hot sun, luring you in with their sparkling designs and keeping you endlessly entertained
with shopping, delicious foods, everything. And when you finally head back out into the
street you're reminded why bangkok's nightlife scene always tops every list and hey weed is
legal here now too so that's interesting but whether you want to get high and have a
massage with some Backpackers on Khao San Road eat some of the world's best street
food in Chinatown, or maybe have a peek at all the girls in the red light district of Soi
Cowboy, there's always a party waiting for you. We went to the 55th floor of
the Central World Mall to the Red Sky Bar for a drink and our
first look at the sprawling City skyline in all its glory. It really
set the tone for the days to come. The Grand Palace is a must see for
a sense of traditional Thailand, and a great place to start your first
full day of sightseeing. Guarded by demonic pugs and built to enshrine relics
of Buddha, this is where you'll find those iconic golden temples from every Google
image search of Bangkok. Shorts aren't allowed so wear some pants today to avoid
being forced to buy some at the gift shop. Nearby is Wat Pho, conveniently
within walking distance of the Grand Palace and another must
see to add to your itinerary. A temple has stood on these grounds since the 16th
century, before Bangkok was even established as a capital. Spanning across 20 acres, you're going to
fill up an entire memory card with photos of all the golden statues and ornate structures, but save
some storage for the best part cause this is also home to the golden reclining Buddha. Barely even
able to fit within the walls of its own temple, it stands 50 ft high and 150 ft long, leaving
tourists struggling to fit it all into one photo. This is King Power Mahanakhon, or the Jenga
Tower as my mom called it and at the very top of it is the country's highest observation
deck with unbeatable views of the city. It's not cheap to go up here. A ticket is
about 30 bucks which may seem unreasonable since most of the rooftop bars
like Red Sky Bar have free entry, but you won't regret the ticket
price after seeing these views. If you have the stomach for it,
there's a transparent glass floor you can walk out on and look straight
down all 77 floors to the street below. With so many things to to see and explore in
Bangkok it's easy to lose track of time trying to fit everything in. From cruising along the
Chao Phraya River on a Hop On Hop Off boat, to getting lost in the labyrinth of shops
inside Chatuchak Market in search of that perfect pair of elephant pants or all
those incense sticks you're buying for family back home but always seem to
break inside your bag. But instead finding that alligator head backpack
you've been looking for your whole life. But don't miss out on the chance to visit a
floating market. There's a handful of them around the outskirts of the city. It may
seem like a challenge getting to one of these floating markets, having to take either a
long expensive taxi or booking a mini bus tour, but it's worth all the hassle. The colors, the
noises, the smells, the flavors, and the chaos of it all makes this unique experience memorable
and hard to beat. Vendors are stationed on the sides of the canals or in passing boats ready
to sell you some flowers or delicious treats, or you can get in one of the boats
yourself and just float around the canals. Thai Cuisine has firmly planted its culinary
flag in every corner of the globe at this point, and is and always will be loved by the
masses. It's one of the main reasons so many expats choose to live here in
Thailand opposed to other neighboring countries. Bold flavors, warm
spices, mouthwatering curries sweet desserts, succulent meats, awe-inspiring
noodle dishes. Americans are lucky to have grown accustomed to Thai flavors in the
past few decades but experiencing these flavors here in person brings it
to a whole new level. Don't be shy, and don't hold yourself back. Indulge in the
food culture. Venture out of your comfort zone and taste everything you can while you're here.
Your mind and your senses will be blown away. And most surprising of all- it's these cheap
street vendors that will leave you speechless, rivaling any formal restaurant in terms of
taste and quality. Food stalls and markets are waiting for you in every city costing only a few
dollars for a classic dish you're familiar with or maybe something you've never even heard
of but quickly becomes your new favorite. And sitting at the forefront of this glorious
street food paradise is of course pad Thai. A simple yet complex noodle dish that
will make even Italians wonder where they went wrong. Order it with the meat
of your choice, some veggies, some spice, and brought together in perfect harmony
with a fluffy egg. You'll be in a trance just watching it be made right in front of
you and nobody does it better than the Thais. It's time to leave Bangkok and head north
to Chiang Mai. The Thai Railway has been shuttling passengers around Thailand for
over a 100 years. Is it the fastest way to get to Chiang Mai? No. Is it the most
comfortable? No. But trains are cool. The journey from Bangkok to Chiang Mai is
about 13 hours so get comfortable. If you opt for a private first class cabin you'll
get your own little room with two bunk beds, a little table, a sink and peace
of mind for all your valuables. If you choose second class, the only
privacy you'll have is a thin curtain, but you'll save a lot of money I guess. You
can come prepared by bringing your own dinner and have a little fun picnic on board but if you
forget, or you're in a rush to catch the train, someone will also walk around every
now and then selling pre-made meals. And yes there are bathrooms,
and they are kept clean, but they may not be what you're expecting... Nah just kidding, they have regular
toilets too so you can poop in peace. Do you have dreams of being a digital nomad
but don't have any useful skills or degrees to land a high-paying online job to afford
a flat in Europe? Move to Thailand! Are you a retiree living in a box, forced to eat
Chef Boyardee mini raviolis to make your Social Security checks get you through the
month? Well hey.. move to Thailand! Let me introduce you to Chang Mai- a gem of a city in
Northern Thailand. Not too big, not too small, but exactly what you're looking for to
start your new life abroad. And there are plenty of lovely ladies waiting to hear
all of your stories of big ole America. Nestled amongst beautiful misty mountains,
a river running straight through the middle dividing the old town from the new, you know
it's actually a lot like Portland, Oregon, just with a lot more Thai people. The streets
are safe and full of life, a big modern mall with everything you could possibly need from the west
stands tall like a shiny beacon in the new town, and getting around is cheap and easy with red taxi
trucks. Just hop in and tell the driver where you want to go. Back in the old town, a huge Night
Market dominates the streets each week- a great opportunity to add some new elephant pants to
your growing collection. Everywhere you look there's music, homemade goods, and so many
street stalls offering delicious food. Big, delicious food. But the most fascinating
thing about Chiang Mai is the sheer number of temples scattered about, commanding
your attention on nearly every street. Chiang Mai is a haven for young adults getting
their feet wet in the whole traveling full-time and working online world we're living in
today. And for all the retirees wanting to make their dollars stretch as far as
possible, healthcare is very affordable here. An ear exam and a dental cleaning
only cost me a fraction of the price, and the service was on par with anything you'd
receive back home. And grocery stores have a lot of things you're craving from home,
and the meat selection is great, too. Thai food is delicious, but if
this is all new for for you I can understand that unfamiliar foods can be
intimidating and maybe even a little scary.. But you've already come this far, just push
yourself a little further and expand your pallets. There's something for everyone here. But
if you're just too stubborn, don't worry. Thailand has you covered and you'll feel right at home.
And a McDonald's is always nearby to save the day. Another advantage to living here is your access to
cheap and amazing massages. Intense Thai massages, calming oil massages, stinky foot
massages. This place only costs seven bucks for a full body massage.
Try it once and you'll be saying, Wow! But if you're insecure about your
weird body you can also try a Fish Spa, where little carnivorous fish snack on all
the icky dead skin on your feet. And if your feet are as gross as I think then you'll be
providing a feast for these little suckers. But now you may be asking, what about
rent? Where will I live? While it's true that rent prices have been increasing,
you can still find fantastic places to live for way less than back home. You can rent
a stunning one bedroom condo with top tier amenities just like this one for only around
400 or 500 bucks a month. I mean.. come on.. Elephant sanctuaries in Northern Thailand
usually offer half day or full day experiences from Chiang Mai with many even organizing
transportation straight from your hotel. They all offer similar activities such as feeding
them, walking beside them on nature trails, and getting down and dirty by joining
them in a muddy river and bathing them. Riding the elephants is frowned upon and many of
the elephants you'll meet in these sanctuaries were rescued from difficult and stressful lives of
working to carry tree lumber through the jungles. Don't rush this part of your trip. Choose
a sanctuary where you can also embrace the nature and use it as a time to rest and
relax. And once you get your first glimpse of these magnificent creatures, you're
going to wish you had more time here. This sanctuary is unique because it offers
these Bungalows for overnight stays. This room will cost you about $70 a night and has air
conditioning, and hot water in the shower, and it's only steps away from a delicious restaurant.
The greatest thing about these Bungalows however is when they send an elephant straight to your
door first thing in the morning to say hello. The city of Pai is a few hours drive from
Chiang Mai. It's the most interesting point along the famous Mae Hong Son Loop
and a great place to fully immerse yourself in the Thai Countryside. Blessed with
breathtaking backdrops and rich with culture, Pai is a tiny mountain town where life moves at
a snail's pace, but it will reward you with a very authentic feel and laid-back atmosphere that
makes it a must see for all visitors. You won't find any high-end luxury here in this backpackers'
paradise. The food and accommodations are cheap, and the parties run late, and it's peppered with
hippies and yoga fanatics embracing a peaceful bohemian vibe which makes Pai an ideal home
base for the adventures that are soon to come. There's a right of passage here in the north for
anyone looking to rent a motorcycle or scooter for a few days and drive on scenic windy
roads through mountains, small villages, and picturesque waterfalls. It's called the
Mae Hong Son Loop and it begins and ends in Chiang Mai, but you can cheat like we did
by just taking a bus to Pai and renting a scooter when you get here. We're spending
one full day exploring the area around Pai and focusing our time on just a couple
attractions so we can go at a slow pace and thoroughly enjoy the surrounding
beauty without trying to do too much. Just make sure the bike you choose
to rent is as motivated as you are... It'll take you about 30 minutes to drive to Sai
Ngam Hot Springs. And if you have your own bike, do yourself a favor and get here
as early as you can to have some more privacy since the guided tours
usually start showing up around 10:00am. The hot springs are terraced, with each pool a
bit warmer than the one below it. Enveloped in lush greenery with crystal clear water, you'll
find peace and tranquility here at Sai Ngam, so don't rush it. Just take your time, relax,
and let the warm water rejuvenate your soul. Keep following the road for another hour and
you'll reach Tham Lad, where you'll be matched with a tour guide armed with an old school lantern
who will lead you to the mouth of a giant cave. One look at us and she knew
we were in for a wild ride. Lod Cave is a massive natural limestone cave
system with chambers, subterranean passageways, stalactites and stalagmites, ancient cave
paintings dating back thousands of years. Some areas require you to walk across rickety
bamboo bridges and wooden staircases, and the deeper you venture into the cave the darker
it gets until it's just you and the lantern. Eventually you'll make it to an
underground river with a line of bamboo rafts waiting to whisk willing
passengers off into the darkness. If you think you can survive the bats and
the crazy fish and these questionable rafts, give yourself about 2 hours to
explore Lod Cave and be sure to thank your guide for showing
you the way back to the light. And so concludes our time in Northern Thailand.
This time we're taking a plane back to Bangkok. There are numerous budget airlines you can
fly with and air travel around Thailand is pretty cheap and easy. Once in Bangkok,
we'll be meeting up with my dad who's flying in from the USA then continuing
on to the southern island of Phuket. Anybody that has visited Thailand will have a
different recommendation for which island to visit and why it's the best, and the truth is
that they'd all be right. You'll have a great time wherever you choose. This is Patong.
It's the most touristy city on Phuket which is its own island off the southern coast. Many
tourists opt to just skip Bangkok and the north entirely and fly straight into the Phuket
international airport to spend their whole vacation on its world famous beaches, and
enjoy its laid-back island vibes. And while there's plenty to do in the city, the reason
you're here is for the beach, so let's go. Welcome to the star attraction- Patong Beach. What
makes Patong Beach and the other nearby beaches of Phuket so attractive to so many is also what
so many others dislike about it. They're loud, crowded, chaotic.. boat motors, parasailers,
volleyball games, Zumba classes, jet skis.. Millions of visitors flock to these beaches every
year. And love it or hate it- it's beautiful here. And it turns out Patong Beach is the perfect
setting for something very special. Maybe there was something in the fresh coconut juice that
gave him the courage, but my dad decided to do the unthinkable. For the very first time
in his life, he was going to attempt to walk out into the ocean and let the water come
all the way up past his knees. Good luck, Dad. The nightlife scene in Phuket is infamous with
Bangla Road Walking Street being the epicenter of all things unholy. But over time, deviant behavior
in Thailand has become accepted and normalized, and red light districts like Bangla Road are more
like a Disneyland for adults now. You can still come here to live out some of your weird creepy
sexual fantasies, sure, but you can also come here without hanging your head in shame, just to take a
look around, have a drink or two, take pictures of the ping pong show menus, and to celebrate getting
in the ocean all the way up past your knees. Phuket has much more to offer
than just beaches and go go bars, and to give my dad the full Thailand
experience we hired a driver for a whole day and set off on a day trip
to explore other parts of the island, starting with a beautiful temple called Wat
Chalong. And while rainy days like today may slow you down a little bit, it creates a very
powerful mood at a place like Wat Chalong, and it's a great place to pray for forgiveness
and wash away your sins from the night before. But there is such a thing as too much rain, and that's what we were dealt when visiting the
big Buddha- a 150 ft high white marble statue of Buddha on top of a mountain with sweeping
views of the island and beaches below. Even though the Buddha was completely shrouded in
rainclouds, the staircase below it appeared to be leading you into a white abyss with people
just disappearing the higher they climbed, maybe never to be seen again. I'm sure they're
fine but we stayed at the bottom just in case. Just because you're not in Chiang Mai, it doesn't
mean you can't have a genuine elephant experience. Phuket has numerous sanctuaries you can visit
to get up close and personal with these gentle giants, and even if you've already visited some in
Chiang Mai, you can never have too much elephant. If you're a resort style traveler who doesn't like
the idea of trying new foods in unfamiliar places, but your family forced you to take a trip all the
way to Thailand instead of back to the Sheraton Waikiki, stop your worrying. Thailand can offer
you every comfort you can ask for, especially when it comes to food. Thanks, Chef Mauro. Even though
the most amazing pad Thai stand is right there, right across the street frying up some fresh
and delicious noodles for just a couple bucks. Sometimes you just need a little taste of home. So many of Phuket's resorts and restaurants
will cater to you and they'll cook you up some pancakes and bacon at the breakfast buffet,
and all the pasta you can possibly eat. Speaking of Phuket resorts, oh man are you
in for a treat. Sawasdee Village is just one example of the high-end luxury and
superior quality you can get for a super affordable price. With its thick jungle-like
setting, strong Arabian Decor, gilded artwork, and elephant statues, you'll feel like royalty.
Rooms here can be booked for less than $100 a night, or for not too much more you can
splurge and get your own private villa. You don't have to limit yourself
to just one Island, and ferries are the easiest way to get around. The
Phi Phi Islands are not far away, and you can take either the big slow ferry
that takes 2 hours, but has bathrooms and comfortable, spacious seating or you
can choose to take the small speedboat, which takes half the amount of time but
will thrash you around in the waves a bit. As you get closer to Phi Phi Don, huge rock
formations will start coming into view and you'll start to feel like you're in a scene from
Jurassic Park as you approach the main island. The ferry captain will even slow down and
give a little tour before docking at the pier. Phi Phi Don is not a big island.
There's no roads or taxis, but most hotels will just be
a short walk from the pier. Phi Phi Don is the only inhabited Island
between those that make up Phi Phi, and every inch of space is taken up by gift shops,
restaurants, gift shops, tour operators, and some gift shops, and you can also find
some tour operators here on the island. But once you find your way through the maze and make it to the beach you'll
be greeted with postcard views. Other nearby islands can provide you with equally
stunning views with more privacy and maybe no McDonald's, but we chose Phi Phi for the ease of
getting here on the comfortable ferry from Phuket, and to keep our trip as simple as possible for my
parents. But don't let any anyone tell you that the Phi Phi Islands are not worth your time,
as this is home to one of the most epic boat tours you'll ever experience. The only hard
part is just getting yourself into the boat. I highly recommend pre-booking a private tour with
an established company before you even get to the island. It'll be much more expensive, but this
will be one of the highlights of your whole trip, and having friendly knowledgeable guides
will make your experience much more special. With a private tour and your own boat you'll
still have to deal with crowds in certain places, but you can go at your own pace and see exactly
what you want to see without being part of a large group, or on a big yacht rushed from
one spot to the next. It makes a world of difference. After making your way across
the water to the uninhabited sister island, you'll arrive at Phileh Lagoon. Steep,
sheer rock faces will line the small entryway into the lagoon and once inside,
it will almost feel like time is standing still as you're greeted by a wall of green
cliffs with sparkling blue green waters. This would be an amazing place to swim but for
fear of being chopped up by the propellers of all the other boats, we just stayed in our
seats and admired the surrounding views. Another stop on your tour is
Monkey Beach, where families of monkeys have taken up residency and
greet newcomers hoping for some food. But don't get too close, as monkeys can be unpredictable. But
they seem pretty chill.. mostly.. When you get hungry, the guides will provide
you with a picnic lunch that you can choose the night before. They docked and
set up a blanket on Secret Beach, and served us sweet and sour chicken, rice,
spring rolls, fresh fruit, and drinks. We knew what was coming next. We had watched
so many videos and read so much about our next stop in preparation for our trip, and
everyone is right. The crowds are huge at Maya Bay. But it doesn't matter because after
following a short trail through a dense jungle, you're met with one of the most
jaw-dropping scenes in the world today. Maya Bay had gotten so touristy
that the government closed it down for years to give the coral
reef a chance to rebuild itself, but now it's open again and the
tourists are back. But this time, boats have to stay away in the distance and
you can only go in the water up to your ankles. We finished our tour with the most genuine smiles
on our faces. It almost didn't feel real and I keep replaying all of our experiences in my mind-
the food, the people, the elephants, the jungles, the ocean, the big city. Thailand is truly the
trip of a lifetime and hopefully this video can give a little nudge to those of you on the cusp of
coming here and experiencing this for yourselves.
