Becmo Travel Diary | Getting started in North Thailand

Hi guys, I'm back (with a not so short update on our trip so far...!) So it's now been 16 days since we left the UK on our little adventure. We've done so much since we've arrived, so it definitely feels like we've been away for longer! We've already learnt a lot and made countless memories with new friends that we've made along the way. 

We arrived in Bangkok on 18th July, then moved to Chiang Mai on 21st (via the sleeper train which was so fun) and onto Pai on 24th. On 27th we went on to Chiang Khong and crossed the boarder to Laos the following day where we got the slow boat to PekBang. I'm now writing this on our second slow boat, which will take us into Luang Prabang where we plan to stay for a couple of nights before moving on to Vang Vieng. 

It's been such a great experience so far and Pai has been my favourite place, followed by Chiang Mai. Pai was so chilled and it was great to hire a scooter and drive around for a day taking in all the beautiful scenery and visiting the sights - the Pam Bok waterfall had to be my favourite part, although the views from the Canyon were also a must see - unless you're not good with heights! Pai was a lot more chilled than Chiang Mai and we stayed in the Spicy Pai hostel which is almost like a glamping experience, basic but very cool. 

Spicy Pai Hostel - Pai, Thailand

In Chiang Mai it's more of a city feel but there is lots to see outside of the centre. We visited the Maeklang Elephant Conservation which was amazing, particularly when we got muddy with the elephants and got in the river to wash them off. We also went to the Wat Temple (a lot of steps) but it gives you a great view of the city (if you don't go on an overcast day like we did...). We also did a cooking class in the town at We Cook Thai Home Garden Cooking School - that has to be one of my best experiences so far, the lady that ran the course, Mam, was so passionate and I would highly recommend it to anyone in the area. We also saw a Lady Boy show and I bloody loved it! It was absolutely hilarious and a great night out for our first night in Chiang Mai. We stayed in D-Well hostel in Chiang Mai and I can't recommend it enough. It's a bit on the pricey side at £11 per night but it was worth the extra cost. The facilities were great, with breakfast included as well as hot drinks/water and biscuits throughout the day. The staff were also absolutely wonderful, so helpful when it came to booking experiences/travel and always showed a genuine interest in what you'd been up to - smiles all round! 

Maeklang Elephant Conservation - Chaing Mai, Thailand

Maeklang Elephant Conservation - Chaing Mai, Thailand

We Cook Thai Home Garden Cooking School - Chaing Mai, Thailand

Bangkok was good, but it didn't take my breath away. We visited a number of sights such as the Golden Buddha, the Golden Mount and the Lucky Temple, as well as experiencing a tuk tuk and visiting the Floating Market, but it didn't amaze me. I've had mixed thoughts from the travellers that we've met along the way in regards to Bangkok, but it's definitely a place you should and probably would end up visiting should you travel to Thailand. We are due to return to Thailand and Bangkok in a couple of months, so we'll see if our views have changed next time. 

Bangkok, Thailand

Floating Market - Bangkok, Thailand

Here are my top tips so far: 

Bring a good waterproof jacket and carry it with you at all times as it will rain and when it eating it RAINS and can come out of nowhere 

Pack headphones, you're likely to be on long bus/train/boat journeys when travelling between locations - a portable charger is also useful!

Don't forget to top up the suncream! An obvious one but something I didn't do when we hired scooters for the day, leaving me with lovely burn lines 

Haggle, haggle and haggle more. This is something everyone plans to do when they arrive but as the prices are already so much cheaper than the UK it's easy to be happy with a price that you could drop further, so don't give in so easily! 

Don't forget sunglasses - despite bringing numerous pairs with me I managed to forget these on day 2 and it was so frustrating

Keep a journal, it might seem annoying to keep up with but it'll be worth it in the end when you can look back on everything! 

Don't be afraid to speak to new people. Everyone is so friendly and speaks to everyone, it's such a lovely, friendly vibe 

Carry anti bacteria gel with you at all times, as well as tissues - bathrooms can be interesting...

Bring more than one padlock - stupidly I only brought one but it's good to have two so you can lock both your big backpack and day bag 

Rent a scooter if you can, or find someone who can take you out on one as it's the best way to explore and you can go where you want when you want (just take it slow at first and wear a helmet!) - they're cheap too!

Don't be scared to try street food, it's really good and cheaper than eating out all the time - just make sure any meat is cooked fresh in front of you

Most importantly, try a pineapple shake, they're delicious! 

There are plenty more tips and I'll share more as we go - in the meantime feel free to comment any tips from your own experiences too!

I'm looking forward to see what Laos has to offer, as we plan on staying in the country over the next 7 days or so before moving onto Vietnam (which I cannot wait for!!)

Make sure you're following @top_floor_tour on Instagram for daily updates! 

Until next time,

Becmo

xo