Having crab in Thai restaurants or watching little crabs play along the Krabi seaside was more than a year and a half ago, but the memories are still fresh. And now, I’m back again with those Thailand days, where the first night was nothing less than a disaster.
Just imagine: planning an 8-day itinerary, dreaming about sleeping in a raft house in Surat Thani (almost 600+ km away from Bangkok), but forgetting the one key thing – train tickets! We thought we’d just buy them on the spot, that’s what all those YouTube vloggers said, bro. Boom! There started the disaster. The three of us, complete noob nomads, landed in Bangkok with nothing but the words “Sawasdee kha” and a whole lot of excitement.

Our excitement quickly turned into confusion when we realized the old train station didn’t even have trains to Surat Thani. So, off we went in a Grab to the “new” train station, only to discover every single seat was already booked. They offered us standing tickets – 9 straight hours of standing! For a moment, I was the brave one, trying to convince my two low-key travel partners that we could somehow manage. But the second we stepped into the train, even I knew it was impossible. We backed out, sat at the station – snacking, and just saying to each other, “Let’s return the tickets and get back the money.” My sister was kind of “you name it, and it’s done.”

“One day, when the tonguin’ is done
We’ll take our leave and go
We’ll take our leave and go
We’ll take our leave and go”

Wellerman (Sea Shanty) – Nathan Evans

That night ended at a hotel called Eco Friendly Resort. Ironically, it was anything but eco-friendly – dirty streets, sewers nearby, and an atmosphere far from what its name promised. We had dreamed of floating in a raft house under the stars, but instead, we ended up staring at floating plastic bottles in the gutter. Talk about expectations versus reality! Pure disappointment! However, we booked flights to Krabi for the following day.

And oh, Krabi! If Bangkok tested our patience, Krabi healed it. The town was calm, scenic, and full of things to do. Rock climbing here is world-famous, but I’ll save that story for another blog; it deserves its own space. What I will say is: Krabi’s beaches and cliffs are not just photogenic; they’re magnetic.

From Krabi, we hopped on a boat to Phi Phi Islands. The ride itself was full of salt air, sea spray, and that thrill of heading toward somewhere iconic. But what I’ll never forget wasn’t just the boat ride, it was the view from our hotel in Phi Phi. Perched on the hillside, it gave us a panorama that felt straight out of a postcard: turquoise water meeting rugged limestone cliffs, long-tail boats drifting below like toys in the ocean. And then came the sunset – soft orange melting into pink, the whole sky glowing as if it were on fire. That moment is still etched in my heart, a quiet memory I carry no matter how many sunsets I see elsewhere. Maya Bay, made famous by The Beach, was both surreal and crowded, yet still wondrous. The water was greener than green itself could be, the limestone cliffs rose like giants, and for a while, it felt like time slowed down. For its own raw beauty, it was where we went snorkeling. Floating in the crystal water, watching schools of fish dart around colorful corals, I realized why people call it paradise. And the food, Tom Kha Gai, a coconut-based chicken soup, stole the crown for me as the best dish in Thailand. Spicy, tangy, creamy; it’s the kind of taste you chase long after the trip ends.

After Phi Phi came Phuket, another bigger, busier place, but buzzing with energy. Street markets, nightlife, long beaches lined with palm trees, Phuket was the opposite of Krabi’s calm charm. Yet, that contrast made it exciting. For a twist, we stayed a night in tents tucked away in a mountain jungle. Imagine waking up to birds instead of alarms, wrapped in the thick green silence of nature. It was rustic, slightly uncomfortable, but wildly refreshing.

Finally, we looped back to Bangkok. This time, wiser travelers with plenty of stories, a few regrets, and countless little joys, because it was Coldplay concert time! Maybe that’s why we digested every wrong turn, every misstep, and every chaotic plan along the way. Bangkok’s Chinatown was a total chaos! The streets were crowded, the smells of street food were super strong (some not-so-pleasant 😅), and we didn’t really know where to go. We just clicked a few photos and left, honestly, that was enough adventure for one day! That’s the thing about Thailand – it can frustrate you, surprise you, and still make you (not sure though, LOL) want to return again and again.

Let the wind carry your heavy breaths, and save the laughter for later to cherish. Until next time, khàawp khun khâ, to y’all.