Rand-friendly Destination

2 weeks in Thailand: we've planned the perfect holiday for you

Want to explore Southeast Asia with all of the fun and none of the fuss? Lee Cobaj has done all the work for you, and planned a detailed 14-day itinerary that blends adventure and bliss

22 April 2018 - 00:00 By Lee Cojab
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Phang Nga Bay is arguably one of the most beautiful spots in all of Thailand, if not Asia.
Phang Nga Bay is arguably one of the most beautiful spots in all of Thailand, if not Asia.
Image: 123RF/merydolla

Skyscrapers shaped like giant Jenga sets, 1,000-year-old temples studded with jewels, wild elephants roaming through ancient rainforests, seas glowing with bioluminescent plankton, rippling mountains, psychedelic corals, screaming tuk-tuks, animist villages, limestone islands, rooftop bars, night markets, mega-malls, beach shacks, spas .

Thailand can be whatever you want it to be - and so much more.

The past few years haven't been easy for The Land of Smiles. Street protests in 2014 were followed by a military coup, and then the death of the country's beloved King Bhumibol in 2016.

But it ain't called Teflon Thailand for nothing. One of the things I most admire about the country is its people, with their unrelenting ability to bounce back. Tourist numbers continue to grow and new hotels are springing up everywhere from the heart of the capital to far-flung southern islands and the northern wilds.

And yet it's still possible to feel a sense of adventure, land on a beach where the only footprints are yours, and truly immerse yourself in nature.

When it comes to getting around, Thailand boasts a well-developed infrastructure, but by far the quickest and easiest way to travel is by air. There are plenty of regional low-cost airlines, including Nok Air, AirAsia and Thai Smile.

I have designed this itinerary as if I were planning a trip for a friend, packing in the big attractions while also allowing ample time to relax and savour the little moments - waking to the sound of hornbills, watching monks receive alms, listening to the sound of the gently lapping sea, and laughing with the locals.

DAY 1

The quickest flight from SA is on Singapore Airlines (from around R8,500 in August) with a connection to Bangkok. For cheaper options check out Emirates, Air Mauritius and Ethiopian Airlines.

DAY 2

Drop your bags at Sala Rattanakosin, a pared-back boutique hotel on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Slip around the corner to the Watpo and Chetawan Traditional Medicine and Massage School for a jet-lag-easing massage (R180 for one hour), before enjoying a fiery sunset on Sala's restaurant deck overlooking the magnificent ceramic-clad spires of Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn.

Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, in Bangkok, Thailand.
Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, in Bangkok, Thailand.
Image: 123RF/coward_lion

DAY 3

In the morning, take a whirl on a traditional wooden long-tail boat around the charming Thonburi klongs (canals) - all wonky wooden houses, fields of water spinach and giant monitor lizards. Spend the afternoon staring in wonder at the bejewelled Grand Palace and Wat Po Temple, two of the most important historic sites in Thailand. In the evening, meander upriver to the Asiatique night market.

DAY 4

Fly north to artsy, temple-studded Chiang Mai and check in to one of the 30 elegant, colonial-era-inspired suites at 137 Pillars House. Overlooking the city from its mountain perch is the glittering 14th-century Doi Suthep temple. Most visitors head up for sunrise, but go for sundown, when the views are equally beautiful but can be enjoyed with a far smaller crowd.

DAY 5

Get up with the larks for a visit to Worarot, Chiang Mai's liveliest morning market, crammed with everything from fresh fruit to fried insects to fisherman pants - perfect for photography buffs.

Later, tick off some of the ancient city's must-see Buddhist temples, the two most revered of which are Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang. Then there's the silver temple Wat Sri Supha, and Wat Umong, a small but atmospheric cave temple complex, as well Wat Benchamabot, the famous marble temple.

DAY 6

Drive through the bucolic northern Thai countryside in your very own tuk-tuk. The newly launched Tuk Tuk Club offers lessons followed by a one-day tour driving past glistening rice paddies, tiny villages and secret jungle temples, with detours into the rolling mountains for an al fresco Thai lunch, a visit to a small elephant sanctuary and some river rafting.

In the evening, stuff yourself with street food at one of Chiang Mai's many night markets - local specialities you won't want to miss include khao soi (a coconut-y egg noodle curry), kai yang (spit-roasted chicken) and sai ua (a delicious spicy lemongrass-tinted sausage).

DAY 7

Fly south to Phuket airport then drive two-and-a-half hours north into the wilds of Khao Sok National Park, one of the world's oldest rainforests, predating both the Amazon and the Congo. Stay at the Elephant Hills, a tented camp deep in the forest. Spend the afternoon interacting in an ethical manner with endangered Asian elephants, observing, feeding and bathing them in their natural habitat. Magical.

DAY 8

Leave first thing the next morning for Elephant Hills's sister property, the floating Rainforest Camp, a collection of 20 luxury safari tents in the centre of super-sized Cheow Lan Lake. Relax on the deck of your tent, admiring a wondrous array of bird life. Or strike out on a hike or kayak around the lake on the lookout for macaque and langur monkeys, gibbons, barking deer and - if you're very lucky - a sun bear.

DAY 9

It's finally time to loll on Phuket's phenomenal beaches, so journey back down south for a couple of nights at The Slate, situated smack bang on Nai Yang Beach.

Spend the rest of the day flitting between the beach, one of The Slate's three swimming pools and its jungle-shrouded Coqoon Spa - try the muscle-melting Thai herbal compress massage.

DAY 10

Rise and shine at 8am for a half-day culinary journey with the Blue Elephant Cooking School, housed in a magnificent, 100-year-old Sino-Portuguese mansion in Phuket Old Town. The tour starts at the town's lively morning market, where you'll pick up ingredients such as lemon grass, galangal, and seafood plucked fresh from the water.

Mouthwatering Phad Thai noodles.
Mouthwatering Phad Thai noodles.
Image: 123RF/aeyzrio

Afterwards, a trained chef will teach you how to whip up classic Thai dishes such as papaya salad, pad thai noodles and mango sticky rice, which you can then enjoy for lunch. The tour gets you back to the hotel in the afternoon, allowing plenty of time to laze on the beach.

DAY 11

With its glowing jade-green waters scattered with hundreds of dramatic limestone islands, Phang Nga Bay is arguably one of the most beautiful spots in all of Thailand, if not Asia. Sail 45 minutes to the wonderful Six Senses Yao Noi resort, an island retreat with thatched luxe villas, organic kitchens, a world-beating spa and more activities than you can shake a bamboo pole at. Try morning yoga, Muay Thai boxing, rock-climbing, kayaking, cycling, yachting ... or you could just lie beside your private pool gawping at the incredible view.

DAY 12

Set your alarm for 6am and watch the sunrise over Phang Nga Bay, turning the sea from midnight blue to molten bronze to teal and Listerine-green. Following a leisurely breakfast, hop on a speedboat to Phi Phi Island, the dreamy "M"-shaped isle made famous as the backdrop in Leonardo DiCaprio's movie The Beach. Snorkel across purple corals with clown fish, lion fish and clouds of glass fish. (Note that Maya Bay will be closed to tourists from June 1 until September 30).

DAY 13

Fly back to the capital and spend your last night at the cool new Park Hyatt hotel, a vision of calm in the heart of the city. From here, you can walk to Siam Square, the city's main shopping hub. Hit up the Platinum mall for cut-price fashion and accessories and the MBK mall for gadgets, gizmos and electronics - it also has a hugely popular food hall on the top floor.

Top off the night with a few cocktails at the new Cru Champagne Bar, positioned like an eagle's nest atop the 58th floor of the CentralWorld mall.

DAY 14

Back to reality. Fly home to SA.


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