NYE in Thailand with EF Ultimate Break
- Samantha Emily
- Feb 23, 2020
- 15 min read
Updated: Dec 16, 2021
If you know one thing about me at all, it should be the fact that I swear by the company EF Ultimate Break. This trip, NYE in Thailand, was my fourth trip with this company. For more information on what EF Ultimate Break is and everything they have to offer, check out this blog post by clicking the EF logo below -
But for now, let's talk all things T H A I L A N D !
Itinerary:
Day One/Two - December 28th & 29th - Travel Day(s)
Any flight leaving from the United States headed towards Asia is going to be a long one. I knew I just had to sit tight, close my eyes, and I would eventually (30+ hours later) wake up in Bangkok.
Day Three - December 30th - Arrived in Bangkok
Finally! Good morning from the land of smiles. I arrived late last night to the Narai Silom Hotel and had an early start to the morning... but the lack of sleep was all worth it because of what was to come.
We started our morning with a visit to two amazing temples. Our first stop of the day was to The Grand Palace. The Grand Palace is located in the heart of Bangkok and is undoubtedly one of the most famous landmarks. We spent our time here exploring and taking in all the beauty. It really is insane to think that this place was all built by hand!
After some time spent at The Grand Palace we took a short boat ride across the Chao Phraya river where we headed over to the Wat Arun Temple. The Wat Arun is also known as the Temple of Dawn. The architecture at the temple was absolutely stunning. Out of all the temples we visited in Thailand, the Wat Arun was definitely my favorite.
After exploring the Temple of Dawn, we took a longer boat ride down the Chao Phraya River. We saw and waved to many locals, got to see some interesting buildings, and spent some time feeding stale bread to the thousands of cat fish that call the Chao Phraya River home.
In the late afternoon, we headed back to the hotel. We all hung out by the hotel pool until it was time to attend the welcome mixer. The welcome mixer is organized by EF Ultimate Break. The welcome mixer is a great way to meet the other travelers in your group over light finger food and drinks. This group consisted of 32 beautiful, unique, and awesome travelers.
Dessert time! If anyone knows me, you should know that I am 110% completely obsessed with gelato from Europe. When I walked past the Ghignoni Gelato shop in Bangkok, I knew I had to get some. I wasn't expecting European gelato, but it did look really good. Well let me just say this... my expectations were blown away. The gelato that I had from this shop was hands down the best gelato I have ever had in my LIFE. It easily surpassed the gelato that I have had in Greece, Italy, and my once favorite places to get it, Austria. I know, I know... the best gelato being from Bangkok sounds crazy. But seriously do not doubt it until you try it (specifically the Nutella flavor).
Day Four - December 31st - NYE in Bangkok
The day we have all been waiting for... New Year's Eve!
I spent my last day of 2019 exploring a coconut farm, visiting the floating markets, exploring another temple, the Wat Phra Pathom Chedi, and of course, partying my way into 2020!
The coconut farm was so interesting. We got to learn all about the coconut industry and how coconuts play a big part in the economy in Thailand. I tried a sample of a coconut sugar cube which was delicious! But this "farm" wasn't just all coconuts... they had squirrels as pets that they kept in cages, chickens, monkeys, and even a python. I paid 50 baht to take a photo holding the python... totally worth it.
When I think of Bangkok, I instantly think of the floating markets. I don't know what it is, but to me the floating markets are an iconic spot in Thailand... a must visit!
We visited the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market where we were able to practice our negotiation skills. There were so many souvenirs to choose from which made it a lot of fun to wander around and look. I also tried some samples of fried banana, coconut soft serve ice cream, and coconut pancakes. Aside from the shopping, this place was legit INSANE! Just thinking back on the amount of boats that were crammed into one space makes me feel claustrophobic. Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun at the floating markets and it was definitely an experience I'll never forget. My favorite part was the boat ride itself.
The next stop of the day was to Nakhon Pathom where the Wat Phra Pathom Chedi temple is located. Nakhon Pathom is right outside of Bangkok and this temple was yet again another beautiful sight. I couldn't get over all of the Buddhas and the amazing gold architecture!
Spending New Year's abroad has been on my bucket list for so long and it finally happened... New Year's Eve 2019 was spent in Bangkok, Thailand!
Prior to the nights festivities we all went to the Silom Village and ate at a traditional Thai restaurant. We got an abundant amount of Thai food and it was all absolutely delicious. My favorite plate was the spring rolls. During dinner, we got to watch a traditional Thai dance.
After dinner, we headed to the Central World Plaza via sky rail where we found a pop up bar right outside of the Intercontinental Hotel with a great DJ. We all rang in 2020 laughing, dancing, drinking, and watching fireworks (kind of...lol) all the while in Thailand.
Day Five - January 1st - Transport to Phitsanulok
Phitsanulok is one of the oldest cities in Thailand and its midway between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. We woke up early in the morning to leave Bangkok and start our bus ride to our over night stop in Phitsanulok.
On our way to Phitsanulok we stopped to explore the ancient city of Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya used to be the formal capital of Thailand before Bangkok took over that roll. The ruins here were absolutely breathtaking. I am not joking when I say everywhere you look there is a statue of Buddha! There is even a Buddha head entangled in tree roots and it is considered a highly sacred sight by the locals. If one wants to take a picture with or in front of this Buddha head they must sit, as they can not have their head higher then Buddha's.
For lunch, we stopped at the Uthai River Lake Resort for a buffet style meal. After some much needed food, our bus breaking down, and another temple (I didn't really take any pictures or any notes as the jet lag was real...whoops) we finally made it to The Imperial Hotel in Phitsanulok for the night.
A lot of people from our group participated in the rickshaw ride and night market excursion that was offered. They all said it was a lot of fun and they are glad they did it! I opted out of the extra excursion and stayed back at the hotel pool and played animals... LOL if you know what this game is.
Day Six - January 2nd - Transport to Chiang Mai
After a short stop in Phitsanulok, we were headed towards northern Thailand. On our way to Chiang Mai, we visited the Sukhothai National Park.
The Sukhothai National Park contains ruins from the Sukhothai Kingdom. Some of these ruins date back to the 13th century which is surprising because some where very well preserved. We took in the beauty of the ruins, trees, ponds, and lakes from our bikes as we rode around and got lost!
Once we arrived in Chiang Mai and checked into our hotel, The Empress Hotel, we all headed straight to the night markets. I was so excited to come here as my expectations were high. Beforehand, I had heard so many good things about the night markets. My expectations were definitely met. This place was AWESOME! It was so much fun to wander around and work on my bargaining skills (which probably still aren't the best). Although I am not big on souvenirs, I did get some patches for my backpack. I also loved trying all the new foods... or bugs. While at the night markers I went from gelato, to spring rolls, to ostrich meat, to a silk worm, to shots of rum, to mango sticky rice... My taste buds were getting it all!
Day Seven - January 3rd - Chiang Mai
Surprise, surprise, another early wake up call... but yet again, totally worth it as today was such a moving day. I got to meet and chat with a monk as well as get my fortune read at the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.
Chatting/meeting a monk, AKA my favorite experience EVER. We had the opportunity, thanks to EF, to sit down in front of a monk and ask him anything we wanted. He was very patient with us and he answered all of our questions. During this time, I learned so much about Buddhism. One lesson that really stuck with me was the importance of living in the present. Buddhist people find it very important that one does not dwell on the past or focus too much on the future, but instead one should enjoy each moment as they come. The monk reminded us that the present moment is all we have as the past is gone and the future is unknown.
After a very emotional time spent with the monk, we headed over to the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. This temple is very beautiful and it is considered very sacred to many Thai people. While here, I was able to get my fortune read. The process of this was actually really neat. I had to give my offering to the Buddha in front of me, "speak" to the Buddha with my mind, and then draw a number. What ever number I chose, that is the fortune I received. Its only right that I don't tell of what I said... but just know that it felt right.
I also had the opportunity to be blessed with holy water by a monk. After the blessing, the monk gave each of us a string. The monk himself could tie the string around the males wrist while the females had to tie it themselves. This string is supposed to represent good luck. It has been almost two months and I still have my string around my wrist. #wristcheck
Another interesting place I visited was The Museum of Jade. Here we learned all about jade and the jade business. Jade is an ornamental rock. We got to watch jade being hand carved into an elephant. Every single fine line and detail was perfect. This process is amazing and I give all the credit in the world to the people who do this. Your art work is beautiful! Speaking of beautiful... This R I N G ! I completely fell in love with it but not the fact that it was almost $1000. One day I will go back for this.
Time to relax... After a busy, yet amazing afternoon, I decided to rest up by the pool for a little bit as I knew the night was still young.
When the sun went down, the dance moves, the drinks, the music... they all started to come out. All I am going to say about that is - Zoe in Yellow... The. Best. Bar. In. Chiang. Mai.
Day Seven - January 4th - Chiang Mai
Rise and shine... it's Elephant Nature Park time!
The Elephant Nature Park is an elephant rescue and rehabilitation center. While at the park, we learned all about how badly these elephants were once mistreated. These elephants were here after being rescued from the tourism and logging industries. Some of the elephants were dealing with broken hips and one even had a bomb explode under them. It breaks my heart to know that these animals once lived a horrible life but it is reassuring to know that they are now getting the care they deserve. If I could tell a tip to someone visiting Chiang Mai who wanted to interact with elephants it would be this - make sure the place you are going to is ethical and simply DO NOT ride the elephants. The tour companies that offer elephant riding are the same places where these elephants are being rescued from! Elephants are simply gentle giants that should be showered with nothing but love and respect.
After a morning well spent with some elephants, it was time to go off the beaten path a little bit. When we got back from the Elephant Nature Park, we hit the trails. We headed to the Huay Keaw Waterfall.
The waterfall itself was very accessible with it only being a short hike from the main road. While it might look like a small waterfall, don't let that fool you because there was an uphill hike that eventually lead us to cliff jumping spots and natural waterslides. I love hiking and I love cliff jumping. Put those two together and you get one happy girl. This was one of my favorite memories from this trip because we followed this trail without knowing where it would lead. Fortunately, it turned out out to be a lot of fun! I believe it is important to not be afraid to take an unfamiliar path because sometimes they are the ones that take you to the best places.
After an afternoon full of adventurous activities, it was time for some food. Some other people from the trip and I went to an Italian restaurant called Giorgio. This place had the absolute best bruschetta I have ever had in my life. It may come as a surprise but here we are yet again with Thailand for the food win!
For our last night in Chiang Mai, we decided to hit the night markets one last time. This time, I was offered a cricket for free. I can't pass up free or a dare so yes, I willingly ate another bug. After I (barely) got down the creepy crawler, I rewarded myself with some rolled ice cream. Ice cream fixes everything... and by that I mean it helps clear the cricket legs stuck in your throat.
Day Eight - January 5th - Fly to Phuket
It was time to say goodbye to Chiang Mai. We headed to the airport around mid-morning to catch our flight to Phuket. The flight time was about two and a half hours but after arriving at the airport, getting our luggage, and transporting to the Phuket Ramada Patong Hotel, it was night time. After checking in to our hotel, we explored what was close by. We settled on The Tiger Kingdom for dinner. I decided on an early night as I knew tomorrow was going to be a busy, busy day.
Day Nine - January 6th - Phi Phi Islands
Ahhhh - The Phi Phi Islands!
To be honest, this day was the #1 reason I booked this trip. I know so many of us have seen so many beautiful pictures, videos, and even heard stories of this place. I am here to tell you, it's all true. The Phi Phi Islands are unreal. Everywhere you look is mesmerizing. The color of the water, the long boats, the soaring cliffs, the monkeys. The Phi Phi Islands should be on everyone's bucket list.
We woke up early to head to the marina to catch our boat. The boat ride from Phuket to the Phi Phi Islands was about an hour. Once we got there, we spent all day island hopping. We visited Bamboo Island where we got to go swimming and explore the beach. We then headed to the island of Phi Phi Don where we got to go snorkeling. We all worked up an appetite at the perfect time because after snorkeling, lunch was buffet style at the Phi Phi Natural Resort. After lunch, we headed to Dragon Key Bay, followed by watching the monkeys at Monkey Bay, and then visiting the famous Maya Bay. We ended the day at the Blue Lagoon where we spent some time jumping off the boat and swimming.
Day Ten - January 7th - Similan Islands
The Similan Islands are home to some of the world's finest beaches and are famous for their unique rock formations. I knew I wanted to visit these islands when I saw the color of the water. It did take a while to get there, but it was all totally worth it.
P.S - The islands that form the Similan Islands are all named with a number so it was hard to keep track of which island was which. :(
A couple people from my group decided to go to the Similan Islands with the tour company Sea Star. This company picked us up from our hotel at 6:00 am. We then had to drive 2 hours to the port. When we arrived to the port, a light breakfast was served. Here was where I got bit by a puppy because I have no self control when it comes to dogs... but all is good as I did not get rabies. After cleaning out my battle wound, we then headed towards the boat. The boat was not the biggest which was a little hectic because there were so many tourist but it worked out fine as we got from point A to point B. After about a one hour boat ride, we arrived to the Similan Islands. Our first couple stops were to snorkel around some of the different islands that make up the Similan Islands. I have snorkeled a lot of places, from Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Belize, but this place was my favorite. I was able to put my free diving skills to the test as there were underwater bridges. The rock formations were just as cool underwater as they were above.
We also stopped at one of the islands for some exploring and an included lunch. The lunch included spaghetti, fruit, chicken wings, and rice. A little bit of a strange combination but it was still good!
Our last stop of the day was to the famous Similan Island where Sail Rock is. Sail Rock is literally a huge rock at the top of an uphill trail that overlooks the Andaman Sea. It is crazy to look at the size of this rock and wonder how it is staying in place. There is nothing holding it up. I actually stood right under the pathway of the rock if it were to fall. At that moment, I was very thankful for gravity!
My day was for sure a 10/10. It was filled with hiking, swimming, jumping off boats, and snorkeling. After the long journey back to our hotel, it was time for a night out on the town.
We started at Nauti Nurrys where we got pitchers of mojitos and all shared tapas for dinner. After filling our stomachs, we ended up at Bangla Road. Bangla Road is a strip of bars, clubs, and restaurants with people everywhere! This strip reminded me so much of Nashville as everyone was dancing on the streets, the music was loud, and the drinks were strong. The night started late and ended even later. We bar hopped, danced like no one was watching, and ended up at a ping pong show... look it up, or don't. Come 4:00 am, we caught a tuk tuk back to the hotel, basically lost all hearing in our ears, and ended the night.
Day Eleven - January 8th - Phuket
Guess who can stay out until 4:00 am and still somehow wake up naturally at 8:00 am? This girl.
Although I might have been hung over and only running on a couple hours of sleep, I still made the most of my last full day in the islands. After eating breakfast, my friend Sophie and I headed towards Patong Beach. After some much needed morning relaxation of sleeping in the shade, we took a long boat ride to Freedom Beach. Here we spent the afternoon just laying under the sun. We didn't last very long as it was so hot.
When we got back to Patong Beach we ate lunch at Pots, Pints, and Tikis where I spent $16 USD on a burger. Expensive, but worth it. After lunch it was time for a nap.
At night, we went to the Phuket Simon Cabaret show. I really didn't know what to expect for this show I just know I still don't believe all of the performers were males... no possible way! After the show, there was an opportunity to take photos with the performers. I didn't see the sign that said you had to pay so when Sophie and I tried to walk away after the photo the two performers were very aggressive and grabbed both of us by the wrist. This show was definitely an experience to say the least but I don't think I would ever go again.
Day Twelve - January 9th - Fly to Bangkok
In the morning, we headed to the airport to go back to Bangkok. The flight was about 2 hours. After checking back into the Narai Silom Hotel, we all hung out by the pool for one last time.
Later that evening, it was time for our farewell dinner. I have been to four farewell dinners with EF but this one was hands down the best. For this farewell dinner we headed to the Chao Phraya River where we boarded the Wonderful Pearl Cruise. While aboard the boat we were treated with a buffet style dinner and two free drinks. The food was absolutely amazing but thats not the best part... when you head to the top of the boat you are greeted with amazing views of Bangkok as you cruise down the river and listen to live music. We went past the Wat Arun temple which was lit up and completely stunning. Me, being my carefree self, decided to take part in some karaoke in front of probably one hundred people. We ended the night with an epic kongo line!
Day Thirteen - January 10th - Fly home
Fly home...or fly to Bali? Stay tuned.
Thank you EF Ultimate Break for another amazing experience. I seriously cannot say enough good things about this company. They make travel so easy as they cover flights, hotels, tour directors, transportation, excursions, and more. If you want to check out the trip I went on click here. And don't forget code BASAMANTHA100 saves you money when you book a trip with EF Ultimate Break!
Check out all of the other trips EF Ultimate break has to offer by clicking here.
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Thanks for reading!
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