12 reasons to run away to Thailand in winter

Bangkok that’s lively, always jammed, full of skyscrapers but also shady corners, amazing beaches, backpacker’s North and obviously the FOOD, one of the most liked cuisines in the world, lately in particular in Warsaw, Poland. Thailand has long been a popular destination when it comes to exotic journeys. Also in Poland. We’ve grown tired with Europe, Turkey, Egypt or Tunesia. We got tired of the latter few, popularised in the golden age of tourist offices, all inclusive vacation, and few-star hotels that all look the same. We wanted more and that’s GOOD! Since Thailand is not only a beautiful place that offers tonnes of different attractions, but also a price-friendly and also veeery tourist-friendly location. Even for those travelling with little children.

So if you haven’t been there.. or are wondering right now whether to go to Italy, Spain or Portugal (which are all amazing by the way) or try your luck somewhere else, I suppose you won’t have any doubts after reading this entry. And REMEMBER! You don’t have to wait until summer since the best time to go to Thailand is between November and February. So there’s still time to ask your boss for a few days of and hunt for tickets 🙂

So, why is it worth running away from winter to Thailand ?

 

1) THAI CUISINE

 

 

You understand that I had to start with our love for Thai cuisine, right? What can I say, I fell in love with it before our first trip to Thailand, trying Thai flavours in Warsaw. The trip only reassured me – I love it! It’s diverse, full of different flavours – curry, mango, lemongrass, lime, Thai basil. For meat eaters and for vegetarians. With amazing soups such as tom yum kung or tom ka gai. Perfect for those who love spicy food but don’t like burning themselves inside out. Contrary to popular belief, pad thai, the flagship meal of Thai cuisine, is never spicy on its own. You add dried chilli on your own, adjusting the amount. Same goes for lime and peanuts. It’s also the type of cuisine that has plenty of children-friendly meals to offer. Chicken, fish or pork satay, fried spring rolls, rice noodles, fried rice with vegetables. Little ones surely won’t starve in Thailand!

Culinary adventures in Thailand are available to everyone – you don’t need a fat wallet to try what’s best since you will find fantastic and authentic flavours in the streets. But be reasonable! Don’t go all the way with street food – look for better restaurants since you may be missing a real culinary ecstasy! 😉

 

 

2) BEAUTIFUL BEACHES

 

 

Beaches in Thailand look like taken from a fairytale! If you thought that these white beaches and turquoise water you see in tourist leaflets were just work of a graphic designer, a visit to Thailand will prove you wrong! The beaches, in Krabi for instance, look amazing. You can go to Krabi, Phuket, Koh Samui or many other places. The water is warm, the sand is soft. Just lie down and enjoy doing nothing, order an occasional pad thai from a boat sailing nearby or… a fresh coconut to drink!

 

3) COCONUTS EVERYTWHERE!

 

 

So: COCONUTS! I love them eternally! Coconut water hidden in young coconuts sold in Bangkok and many other places in Thailand, is our favourite drink, especially when it’s so hot that your shirt sticks to your back after a 3-minute walk 🙂 Reportedly, 5-7 months old coconuts are chosen for drinking purposes since the younger ones taste bitter. Coconut water is refreshing and gives you energy. What’s more, it’s packed with loads of the healthy stuff – potassium, vitamins, mineral ingredients. In Thailand, one coconut usually costs 20-30 bahts which is PLN 2-3. Sounds like something better than a can of Coke or a bottle of water. 🙂

 

 

4) LIVELY BANGKOK

 

 

When we first arrived in Bangkok in November 2012 it didn’t look like love from the first sight in our case. We liked Bangkok, but we weren’t amazed by it. We had to go back the next year in order to have a second look.. and fall in love completely. With the intriguing atmosphere made by heavy traffic in the streets and calm life right next to it, tuk tuks squeezing between the cars and street merchants slicing fruits from the early morning or tying up plastic bags with spicy soups. Good restaurants, tall skyscrapers but also snacks sold in the streets. Parks, where Maks can play, amazing Wat Po and Wat Arun temples and narrow streets with lots of stalls in Chinatown. Since autumn 2013, Bangkok has been one of our favourite cities in the World!

 

5) COLOURFUL CHINATOWN THAT’SFULL OF FLAVOURS

 

 

Jeśli Bangkok to Chinatown. Niby jedno zawiera się w drugim, ale Chinatown zachwyca nas tak bardzo, że należy jej się osobny punkt. Gdy w niedzielę podjechaliśmy pod hotel przy Yaowarat Road, głównej ulicy chińskiej dzielnicy nie mogłam powstrzymać uśmiechu. Jest coś niesamowitego w tym miejscu. Pisk tuk-tuków, samochodów i różowych taksówek, masa stoisk z ulicznym jedzeniem, z kokosami, z sokiem z granatów lub z limonki, tu ktoś smaży mięso, tam w wielkim pojemniku pływają kraby lub krewetki i WSZYSCY jedzą! Masz wrażenie, że tuż przy samochodach na małych taborecikach wszędzie siedzą głodomory spragnione chińskiej kuchni. Pięknie jest! My mamy również miejsce, do którego powroty niezmiennie nas cieszą: chińską jadłodajnię Texas Suki. Znajdziecie ją na uliczce odchodzącej od głównego skrzyżowania Yaowarat. Wieczorami w Texasie są tłumy miejscowych, a na każdym stole paruje kocioł sukiyaki, w którym samemu gotujesz warzywa, mięso, ryby, wontony i co dusza zapragnie.

 

 

 

6) STREET FOOD

 

 

Thailand is a place from a dream for all street food lovers. Mobile food stalls can be found anywhere, its offer is so vast that everybody will find something they like. Meat, soups, rice, noodles, juices, just anything! Being a known sweets lover, understandably, I love the desserts the most – freshly fried donuts with coconut sauce and Thailand’s flagship dessert, sticky rice with mango. Sticky rice, with coconut sauce and ripe, soft mango. Heaven on earth. It tastes even better at 1 am in the hotel when your child is suffering from jetlag! 🙂 In Chiang Rai, they serve pad thai with chicken in the markets – at PLN 1-3. Tastes great!

 

 

 

7) FAIRYTALE LIKE TEMPLES

 

 

There’s plenty of magical, amazing temples in Thailand. When in Bangkok, be sure to check out Wat Pho – Temple of the Reclining Buddha with a huge (46 m long and 15 m high) golden statue and Grand Palace with lots of colourful statues that look like taken from One Thousand and One Nights tales. Wat Arun is also worth seeing – it looks best seen from the boat sailing on Chao Phraya river. Outside of Bangkok there’s many temples to see too… Sukhothai is quite amazing, same goes for the temples in the North, for example those in Chiang Mai or Doi Suthep located on a hill.

When it comes to modern Buddhist temples, Wat Rong Khun also known as White Temple is surely worth seeing. It’s located in Chiang Rai and looks like The Snow Queen’s palace! Temples work great as a place to see with children – statues, creatures, dragons and other unidentified beings already fascinated Maks when he was 1.5 years old on our first trip to Thailand.

 

 

 

8) NORTH OF THE COUNTRY

 

If you’re staying in Thailand a while longer, don’t miss Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, the most popular checkpoints in the North. The cities itself aren’t particularly interesting, however you should go and see the Night Market in Chiang Mai. It’s a good opportunity to buy souvenirs. In Chiang Rai which is situated close to the border with Burma and Laos, a local festival is held with more street food and traditional snacks such as fried larvae and bugs. Even kids eat it! The thing we liked the most were the villages inhabited by local tribes. Padaung tribe is definitely the most popular one – it’s known for their women who carry metal rings on their necks. Even though one may have mixed feelings about the visit to the Next Vilage, it’s still worth seeing. Doi Pui, a place inhabited by Hmong tribe is absolutely stunning on the other hand – colourful clothing, beautiful local souvenirs, great views. Recommended!

 

9) FLOATING MARKET

 

Floating market is one of the things you have to see while you’re staying in Bangkok. It’s located in Damnoen Saduak. There’s a few markets like that around Bangkok, but this one is the biggest and the most popular. The trade on the market starts in the morning (8-8.30 am) and lasts until noon. You can buy various Thai gadgets, but most of all you can eat and drink a lot buying tiny shashliks, fruits and young coconuts from different boats. It’s definitely one of the most picturesque places.

 

10) TUK TUKS

 

 

One of Bangkok’s and other big cities landmarks. Perfect way to move around in the heat. Also, fun for kids.

11) CHILDREN-FRIENDLY COUNTRY

 

In our personal ranking, Thailand is one of the most children-friendly countries. Even if you’re travelling with a really little child – first time we’ve been to Thailand, Maks was just 1.5 years old. Lots of attractions for kids, children-friendly food and Thais who love kids and are nice to them on all occasions. Add 7 eleven shops that are everywhere and have everything you need including wet wipes, diapers or milk and you’ll get a perfect place for holidays with children.

 

12) FROM HOTELS TO AMAZING RESORTS

 

 

Thailand is a place for everybody when you look at it from the financial perspective. You can find a cheap flight, stay in hostels and eat in the streets paying pennies. It may even turn out that an exotic trip costs the same (or even less? :)) than a trip to somewhere in Europe. Those who love luxury and beautiful locations with spectacular views won’t be disappointed either. There’s plenty of hotels in Thailand that are considered the best in Asia!

 

Czy można chcieć czegoś więcej? 🙂 Thailand to miejsce idealne na wyjazd zimą. Gdy u nas wokół zimno, szaro i mokro, tu czeka słońce i soczyste owoce. Macie czas do końca lutego.. albo od listopada! Nie pozostaje nic innego jak szukać biletów lotniczych, chociażby Emirates z przesiadką w Dubaju.
What else do you need? 🙂 Thailand is a perfect place for a winter trip. When it’s cold, grey and wet in Poland, here the sun and juicy friends say hello. You’ve got time until the end of February.. or you can go in November! So sit down and look for the plane tickets. Try Emirates with a transfer in Dubai.

 

*the entry was written in cooperation with EMIRATES