December 2024 - Thailand and Cambodia

We went to Asia again!

Welcome back to soph's gone solo, I'm so excited to tell you about where my family and I went recently.

Day 1: We had 2 flights to our first destination, JFK → ICN, and then ICN → BKK, Bangkok! This was over 19 hours of travel, so this was all for our first day of the trip.

Day 2: After comfortably settling into our hotel, our first activity was a Tuk-Tuk food tour for dinner. It was our first introduction to Thai food and into the streets of Thailand!

Day 3: This is where the fun really starts, our first temple day! We started at Wat Pho - Temple of the Reclining Buddha. When I tell you that he's massive and spans the whole room, believe it. The Buddha is gold-plated, beautiful, and definitely worth checking out. All of the surrounding temples we visited next are also beautiful and considered a part of the Wat Pho Complex. My favorite was Wat Phra Chetuphon because of its vibrant colors and intricate tile detailing. After the morning experience, we took a boat to lunch, specifically a very extravagant and tasty lunch! Next, we went to another one of my favorite temples on the trip, Wat Phra Kaew - Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Palace. These stunning gold and green architectural wonders are eye-catching and so sparkly in the sunlight you'll never want to look away from them. There are hours of things to see at this large complex, so I recommend booking out some time so you're not rushed!

Rama VIII Bridge

Day 4: This was another temple day, beginning with Wat Pho. Again, the Thai outdid themselves with the stunning, intricate architecture of their temples. I'm so obsessed! So after marveling at that complex for a while and stopping for lunch, it was time for our last temple of the day, or night by this point, was Wat Arun. I loved seeing this one all lit up after the sun went down, but that was not the craziest part. While we were exploring, we saw the Squid Games promotion boat (honestly, it was so unexpected and scary!) Since we had to go by boat to get to the temple, we decided to jump back on the boat after exploring it to chase the Squid Games boat and got waves from the "players"! On that boat ride into the night, I took one of my favorite photos of the trip, completing this amazing day.

Day 5: Our final day in the Bangkok area! This day was, again, jam-packed in the best way. It started with the Maeklong Railway Market. This is a very large market full of fresh fruit, fish, souvenirs, and more that sits on railway tracks. Real trains will pass through, so the entire market has to pack up, and the shoppers stand on the sides to let them pass. This was also terrifying; the train was so close! Next, we visited the Floating Markets. These little shops are on a river and can be toured and shopped at by boat and on foot. We did both, of course, but the boat was for sure a more unique experience, since I don't know where else you shop the size of a mall while passing by people's homes that are next door, also on the water. And with that, and dinner, our time in Bangkok concludes. Onto Siem Reap, Cambodia! That night, our first activity was The Cambodian Circus. Unfortunately, this was not really my thing, but if you love circus arts mixed with storytelling (primarily in Cambodian), this may be for you!

Day 6: Time to visit the "8th Wonder of the World"—Angkor Wat! This was a full-day venture, starting at the East Gate, where we entered to watch the first light on the temple, and there were only a few other people there! The East Gate to the temple itself is a bit of a walk, so we were led by torchlight through the darkness to get there, a crazy feeling. Once inside at 5:45 AM, the sky was turning from a light pink to a bright purple as the sun rose. After sunrise came the exploration of the temple. All I have to say is that it is a huge complex, unlike anything else in the whole world, and if you ever have the chance to go, take it.

It's not over; we also visited Angkor Thom, another outstanding Cambodian temple, this one having faces carved in it. Pictures from both temples below:

Still not over! We also went to see the APOPO Visitor Center, home of the African rats trained to detect landmines, and yes, you read that correctly. Then, finally, we had to go into town and walk the famous Pub Street, since it was all decorated for the special day that this day took place on, Christmas Day!

Day 7: After a crazy Christmas, the 26th was still super eventful, but maybe not quite to the same degree. We visited more temples, I know, but this time we got to them by Vespa! Some stops included Bayon Temple and Preah Khan, and Neak Poan Temple. Then, to close out our time in Cambodia, we took a boat out at sunset. We had a beautiful night, and it was a great last memory of the country.

Day 8: Back to Thailand, but this time to Chiang Mai in the very northern part of the country! Being that this was another two-flight day, it took up most of it. After arriving at the resort, we explored the many acres of gorgeous property in the rice paddies.

Day 9: Elephant day!! After getting up early in the morning, we headed to the Patara Elephant Conservation for a full 5-hour experience of feeding, washing, riding, and, of course, posing with ethically-treated elephants. The mahouts, or elephant guardians, were so skilled and nice to talk to, and the elephants were completely adorable. If you're considering going to a Chiang Mai elephant conservatory other than this one, please research its ethicality first!

Day 10: Due to yesterday's very eventful day, my family and I planned a pretty relaxing day to come afterwards. Reading by the pool, swimming in the pool, and a rice planting class in the afternoon. It turns out rice planting is not at all my strong suit, and it got quite messy, but I'd still recommend it as a good Thai cultural experience to try.

Day 11: Our transfer day to Krabi Island, Thailand—our southernmost, and unfortunately, final stop on this trip.

Day 12: Happy New Year's Eve and island excursion day! From Krabi to Phi Phi, we explored the crystal clear, blue waters from a beautiful boat (and of course some snorkeling). After hours of getting tan and taking photos, both above and underwater, it was time for the resort's New Year's Eve Gala! All guests were invited to dress up for dinner and shows all night to bring in 2025. Of course, the night ended with a fireworks show on the beach, a brand new month, and year!

Day 13: We woke up very tired from our all-nighter, so we spent the majority of this day chilling at the pool and in our room. It was a nice change of pace, not doing any crazy activities, but still spending time in the amazing weather. We got really lucky, not just by how amazing this whole trip went, but also by the fact that on our last night at the resort, we got to watch a beautiful sunset over the beach. Orange, yellow, nostalgically beautiful, and something that made it very hard to leave...

Day 14: Last day surprise! Before heading on our very long trek home, we stopped in Seoul, South Korea, for a few hours, yes, a few hours only. Since we had limited time, we chose to visit the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, and Myeondong shopping street. This group of activities gives a wide range of traditional Korean life mixed with famous, more mainstream shops like Olive Young, Innisfree, Zara, and amazing street food.

With that, we went back to the airport to fly 14 hours home to New York. I highly recommend Thailand and Cambodia for a truly Southeast Asian experience, and South Korea is, of course, amazing in its own right. Thanks again for reading and following along on my journey!

Photo Dump