It is boring to be a tourist when you are always visiting the same spots that every tourist visits. How much more fun a vacation would be if you could plan your itinerary and take off. There would be so much to see and do that tourists normally wouldn’t do.
If you are in Thailand, take this opportunity to hire a car and follow the road. Of course, you would need an itinerary but it would be much more exciting and adventurous than following the travel agent’s itinerary. Ask a local, a friend or someone who has been in the country for a long time and you will know what places to visit, where to stay and what to do. Here is a sample itinerary planned just for you –
Phuket – Start your trip from Phuket. Hire a car and do all that tourists do. Phuket is the largest island in Thailand. You can take a city tour to visit old Phuket town. From here proceed to Khao Rang Hill from where you get a view of Phuket. Proceed to Wat Chalong, a renowned monastery.
Stop for lunch and enjoy the local cuisine. Phuket is known for its seafood. Your cuisine should include Tom Yam Goong, chicken cashew nuts, Kuay Tiew, Pad Thai, Green curry chicken, the spicy papaya salad, the galangal chicken soup, fried rice, chicken- rice and Massaman curry.
After lunch, visit Phromthep Cape.
Phi Phi Island – The next day, start early and take a boat tour to Phi Phi Island. This island is situated between Phuket and Krabi and is at a distance of 48 kms from Phuket. Enjoy swimming and snorkeling. Spend time with the colorful tropical fishes and visit Bida Islands, Pileh Bay, and the Viking Cave.
Krabi – The next morning, drive off to Krabi and stay there for two days. A trip to Krabi is incomplete without sea kayaking or visiting the night markets. Shop at the night markets and have dinner near Khong Kha pier. Try one of the special Thai foods like the papaya salad.
Cha-am – Cha-am is approximately 7 hours distance from Krabi. There are huge statues of chickens, elephants and kangaroos on the way. Stay at a resort on the beach so that you can watch all the activities on the beach and the road. You can hire 5-seater pushbikes to move around. Visit the fishing pier, a popular spot, for seafood rice.
Don’t miss the cooking of a whole pig over a barrel. The pig is manually turned with rotisserie. The entire process of cooking takes about 1.5 hours.
Puek Tian Beach – Close to Cha-am is Puek Tian Beach, which is famous for its sea statues. These are statues of Sunthon Phu, a famous Thai poet and his 30,000-lined story, Phra Aphai Mani. There are some nice temples on the way to Puek Tian Beach.
Prachuabkirikhan –Visit the Dolphin Bay, the breeding ground for dolphins.
Thung Wua Lan Beach – 16 kms from Chumphon lies Thung Wua Lan Beach. Just outside the town of Chumphon lies the Cowboy Country. Take the back roads of Thung Wua Lan Beach to see the famous teepees. These are bars, saloons, coffee shops and others. Visit the Prince Chumphon Shrine & Memorial.
Khanom – After driving for 180kms, you will reach Khanom in the Province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. Your first stop should be Khanom Beach with miles of white sand and beautiful sunrises. The next stop should be Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, an important historical site. You will need hours to see this place as it is huge. The Pagoda is 55.7meters high with a pure gold top. Make sure you make your hotel reservations for at least 4 days at Khanom.
After Khanom, it is time to head back to Phuket. To complete this journey, you will just need 4.5 hours. Stop for lunch at don’t miss the local Thai food. Plan a 12 day trip as it should cover all these areas.
This post comes from the road crazy travellers at Skedaddle Car Hire, if you’re considering a four-wheel holiday anywhere, check into their blog and learn more.
