If You Like Piña Coladas (Part II)

What's it like to visit the beautiful islands of Thailand? Close your eyes and ignore the seasickness that's been harassing you since you stepped foot on the boat. It will be impossible, but try. Now, open your eyes and look ahead. Feel something incredible - it's what the explorers must have felt upon discovering a new land, something beautiful and seemingly virgin unlike anything they've ever seen before. The boat will dock on the blindingly white sand and you will step off onto it, feeling a softness reminiscent of innocence. Of course the tons of tourists around you will weigh that feeling down, but still you recognize true beauty not just in the sand but also in the giant rock formations that have been kissed by a natural, green beauty. Wade into the warm, lightly-tinted water and feel paradise. This is Thailand.

Of course, the warm, gorgeous waters of Koh Phi Phi and the surrounding islands made a fantastic setting for my first snorkeling experience. I have never in my life had so much fun in the water.

We also had the opportunity to see some big, gorgeous elephants whilst in Thailand. Unfortunately, Thailand does have huge animal imprisonment problems because of the tourist industry. Knowing this, I did a lot of research before picking an elephant sanctuary to visit. We went to Kok Chang Safari, where the elephants seemed healthy and well-treated. We got to take a bumpy ride on the back of an elephant named Yellow, and the mahout even let me sit behind her head. I had no idea that elephants were so hairy! But it was an extremely enjoyable ride, and again, part of the amazing Thailand experience. My suggestion would just be to do some research on the sanctuary you want to visit to make sure they are kind to those beautiful animals.

In Rawai, we checked in to an absolutely gorgeous hotel called Serenity. The hotel is situated on a calm stretch of beach alongside several other hotels. After Bali, I realized that once you go beachfront, you can't go back! There's something so relaxing about being able to see and hear the ocean as you take a dip in the pool or have a cocktail. It was such a great change from our previous, unimpressive hotel in Nai Thon. The service at Serenity was fantastic, especially on the part of the bartenders. Possibly the best thing about staying here was discovering (time and time again) a delicious cocktail called the Chilli Moon. It is lemon-y and refreshing and it leaves a spicy little tingle on your lips. Phenomenal. Serenity was a truly enjoyable oasis that I'd love to go back to someday.

After we checked out of our hotel the last night (it was with a lingering sadness that I left this gorgeous place), we asked our cab driver to take us to Phromthep Cape, a popular scenic outlook at the southernmost part of Thailand. Here, we joined the hundreds of locals and tourists in watching the gorgeous sunset. It was a perfect way to say goodbye to the beauty that is Thailand. 

Of course, every time I say goodbye to a gorgeous place like Thailand, I hope that it will not be "goodbye" but rather, "see you later." So I suppose I have to say bye, but only until I have the incredible fortune to visit you again, Thailand. Your places and your people were amazing to me.

If You Like Piña Coladas (Part I)

And getting caught in the rain - go to Thailand during off-season (aka monsoon season). You'll get more of the piña coladas and less rain than you think, and the best part is that the beaches won't be inundated with tourists. Crowded maybe, but not inundated. Last week, Daniel and I went on another visa run and visited this gorgeous country. I picked Phuket as our destination because I've read that the beaches are to die for. I was a little wary of visiting Thailand because of its current state of martial law, but Phuket has no military presence on the streets and honestly, if it weren't all over the news, you would never know that they are under martial law from visiting this beautiful country.

During the first days of our stay, we visited Nai Thon in the north of Phuket, just fifteen minutes from the airport. The only things we really did in Nai Thon were hang out at the beach, relax at the pool and visit a waterfall in Bang Pae. It was nice, but quiet. A little too quiet for my taste, which is actually saying something because I prefer quiet. Although we were unimpressed by the hotel where we stayed, the beach of Nai Thon was pleasant and the restaurants along the sand were a great place to have food and enjoy a cocktail. Since it's monsoon season, you really can't swim in any beaches in Phuket except for off the islands, so we just hung out on the beach chairs and absorbed some much-missed vitamin D.

Visiting the Bang Pae waterfall was good exercise. We had to trek through extremely humid jungle teeming with mosquitoes who, of course, attacked me and not Daniel (every time!). It was a great nature date.

After spending a few really low-key days in Nai Thon, we moved on to Rawai, in the south of Phuket and I must say - this is where the beauty of Thailand lies. From the southern part of the island, you can catch boats to the nearby islands, which are simply gorgeous. The south of Phuket is also where most of the touristy areas are, so there is much more to do.

The first night we spent in Rawai, the hotel informed us of a weekend night market that takes place in Phuket Town.There was no shortage of things to buy at this market! It was divided into two sections: clothing and food. The clothing stalls were great for buying souvenirs. The food section was jam-packed with all sorts of Thai treats. There was sushi, pad thai, ice cream and my personal favorite: mango with sticky rice. Mango with sticky rice is a very popular Thai dessert that is just as it sounds: fresh, sweet mangoes atop sticky rice all coated with a sweet coconut sauce. Yum! The night market was a great experience, albeit a very hot and humid one.

So this was Thailand for the first three days. Slow, but incredibly relaxing. The last two days of our vacation were chock full of fun - but I'll chronicle those in my next blog post! And I promise I won't take two months to write it, either.

Beautiful, Beachfront Candidasa

Okay, I got a little sidetracked with life and consequently forgot to finish my Bali blog posts! But I've remembered now, so all is right again. Candidasa. How can I describe you? Let me just say this- it is a happy, happy place. And so peaceful. It's where I go in my mind when the world starts to get too loud. It's nothing short of a paradise.

After we left our lovely hotel in Ubud, we ventured out to the eastern coast of the island, where Candidasa is located. We checked into our lovely, beachfront hotel (Rama Candidasa) and spent the evening relaxing by the pool. The hotel had a range of free activities and that day, there was a Balinese local demonstrating the art of drawing on palm leaves. It is a lot trickier than it looks! The man teaching the class was really nice and had truly amazing talent. We bought several souvenirs from him.

Like I said, the hotel in which we stayed was nothing short of amazing. Beautiful pool, beautiful beachfront views, delicious cocktails and great food.

Because we really didn't have much time in Bali, the only activity we really did in Candidasa was visit Padangbai, a gorgeous, secluded white-sand beach. Bali is not really famous for its beaches, as many of them are really rocky or have dark sand due to the volcanoes on the island, but we managed to find this small gem. We had a fantastic time spending time in the sun and swimming in the Indian ocean. We befriended one of the local shop owners, Oka, and he was very friendly and kept the Bintangs (Bali beer) coming. I also got a massage on the beach! It was probably the most relaxed I've ever felt. The seafood that we got for lunch at Oka's restaurant was also fantastic. It was the kind of day that you put in your pocket and save for a rainy one.

The next day we had to leave gorgeous Bali. Bali, with its beautiful sunsets, beautiful scenery and beautiful people. Nowhere in the world have I met nicer people than the Balinese, who smile so gracefully and kindly and are extraordinary helpful. We left Bali with heavy suitcases and feather-light hearts. I left inspired, my mind bubbly with the reminder that the world can be beautiful. I hope that one day, I am fortunate enough to visit this gorgeous island again. Bali, you will always, always have a special place in my heart.