Why is the Giant Rafflesia so special?

The Giant Rafflesia, which weighs up to 7 kg, boasts the biggest bloom in the world (the world record is 107 cm in diameter, and the average is around 1 m). What makes the flower even more special is that it takes 8-9 months to grow from bud to bloom, and the dark red petals are alive for a few days to a week only. Afterwards they decay to a black mass and you have to wait another year to see the magical spectacle. The Rafflesia is a parasite with no stem, leaves or roots, growing instead on a tropical vine.

Bud

Almost ready

In bloom

Rotten

When does the Rafflesia bloom?

Nobody knows when the flower will bloom, as the season changes from year to year depending on conditions. It’s a good idea to contact a local agency a few days prior to arriving – they can tell you if it’s the right time to see the Rafflesia. December and January seem to be the most likely months, but the bloom could happen any time.

Can you reach the Rafflesia in Khao Sok National Park without a guide?

The trails leading to the Rafflesia are in a way well marked, but the starting points are small, innocuous-looking paths by the roadside, which are kind of hidden on purpose. If you don’t know the starting point, you can’t get any farther.

At first, I was kind of annoyed that you must hire a guide (500-1500 baht for two hours depending on the agency and how big the group is) instead of getting there yourself. I initially thought they arranged it like this as a way of making money from foreigners, but I was proven wrong. The park rangers from Khao Sok take good care of the rare flowers – every bud is numbered and monitored through the year, and your guide makes sure you behave responsibly around the flower. You are not allowed to touch or, god forbid, pick the Rafflesia. If everyone could find the flowers on their own, the beautiful Rafflesia would undoubtedly suffer more damage.

How does the Rafflesia smell?

Before I visited the Rafflesia, I had read on the internet about how dreadful, life-endangering and dead-corpse-like the stench of the rotten flower was. Eager to try this lethal weapon on my own nose, I almost screamed out of excitement when I saw a dead Rafflesia on the way. But what a disappointment! There was nothing! I couldn’t understand why, as our guide spoke only Japanese (which I don’t speak), but after reading many blogs on the topic, I think I might be the first person in the world who has been spared the rotten-meat smell of this incredible plant.

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Here’s the essence of Thailand in a few heart-warming, honest quotes that explain why foreigners adore this country in Southeast Asia.

1. In essence, the Thai people are not materialistic at all. They’re not in the least driven by the kind of ambition that drives us. The more I got to know them, and the more time I spent with them, the more I understood that this was a totally legitimate attitude to life, and why not? – John Burdett

2. Bangkok, like Las Vegas, sounds like a place where you make bad decisions. – Todd Phillips

3. How I love Bangkok! It’s so teeming with everything that should be forbidden. I’m not just talking about the sex trade. I also mean the ways of driving, the ways of putting up buildings, environmental management arrangements, the continual attention of con artists and snatch-thieves, and the quaint local custom of peeing in side-streets. – John Dolan

Read more: 5 best Bangkok temples to visit if you are short of time

4. Bangkok is also safe. If you see anybody wearing camouflage holding a machete, don’t be scared. They sell coconuts. – Bobby Lee

5. Just studying Buddhism, then meditating and going to Buddhist monasteries, talking to Buddhist monks, combined with the Thai people themselves, changed the way I look at the world. – John Burdett

Read more: 10+ best Krabi Town attractions and fun activities (+map)

6. I landed in 1980 in Bangkok, and I stopped to eat ten times between the airport and the hotel. It was all lemongrass and ginger and chilies. – Jean-Georges Vongerichten

7. Bangkok, though, is a rejuvenating tonic; the people seem to have found the magic elixir. Life, a visitor feels, has not been wasted on the Thais. – Bernard Kalb 

Read more: Monk chats: How to find a friendly Buddhist monk to talk to in Thailand

>>> Discover more thematic collections of travel quotes.

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Wet New Year (Thailand) – The Thai New Year, celebrated on 13th April, has turned into great fun for locals and visitors. The Thai people pay reverence to Buddha, clean their houses and pour water over elders as a way to show respect. Over the past years, though, the tradition has become a bit wilder – whether you’re an elder or not, expect water gun shoot-outs in the streets, whole buckets of water to be amicably poured over you or water balloons to be thrown at you.

New Year’s, camping in the desert – Mark the beginning of the new year with Bedouin cuisine, music and dances around the campfire in the middle of the desert. Spend the night in a tent camp among sand dunes and get up at dawn to welcome the first sunrise of a great new year in your life. There are similar tours in Jordan, Dubai, Morocco, India – prices, duration and extras included may vary.

Join the ice-cold New Year’s Dive in the Netherlands  – 1st January in the Netherlands is no time for lying around and sobering up in front of the TV, but for the traditional New Year’s plunge into the icy waters of the sea, lakes and rivers. More than 25,000 Dutch people take part in this refreshing procedure every year. The largest dive is held at the beach of Scheveningen –  a seaside region in the Hague, where about 10,000 people plunge into the sea each year.

A couple more icy ideas: A traditional icy dive is held on Christmas day in Serpentine Lake (Hyde Park, London). In North America there are ‘polar bear’ clubs that organize charity ice dives. In Russia and other Orthodox countries, on the day of the revelation of God (Epiphany, 6th or 19th January) an iron cross is cast into the icy waters of a river. Young men race to retrieve it. It is believed that the first who reaches the cross will be healthy and happy all year long.

And don’t forget that celebrating New Year in your own home, apartment or family house in Sofia (or anywhere in Bulgaria or abroad), is cool and nice option, too 😉

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In search of the strangest places to spend the night, I’ve contacted a few fellow bloggers and friends and asked them to share with us their most adventurous night’s sleep.

On the rim of an active volcano in Ethiopia

A night by an active volcano, Ethiopia | © Trains, Plains and Tuktuks

The strangest place I’ve spent the night is on the rim of Erta Ale, a volcano in Ethiopia. I hiked up the volcano in the dark. When I got to the crater, my guide said the lava had overflowed three days earlier. I asked, “What happens if it spills again?” His answer: “Run.”

We walked across the newly hardened lava. We watched waves of molten rock crash against the rim. Our shoes melted underneath us. We were close enough that the sparks hit our feet.

All night long, we watched the volcano belch out fire under the starriest sky I’ve ever seen.

Carrie from Trains, Plains and Tuktuks (Facebook/Instagram)

Snowcastle in Finland

Snowcastle in Lapland, Finland | © Worldwide Wendy

My most memorable night in a hotel room goes way back to February 2000. My husband and I stayed in the LumiLinna Snowcastle in Kemi (Finnish Lapland). We booked one night in this magnificent castle where everything is made of ice and snow, even the beds. Two hours before you want to go to bed, you have to contact the reception because it takes some time to heat your reindeer-skin sleeping bag. At night a ‘guard’ checks all the bedrooms every hour to make sure everyone is covered well, because you could freeze to death without your sleeping bag.

The hotel offers a snow restaurant, an art gallery, and even a chapel. If you are looking for a special wedding location, this is the place to be.

I can’t say we slept very well, but it was by far the most special place we ever stayed.

Wendy Maes from Worldwide Wendy (Facebook/Instagram)

Treehouse in Thailand

Treehouse in Thailand | © Positive Impact Journey

With AirBnB launching an entire campaign on treehouses around the globe, I found myself vying to spend a night suspended above the ground and intermingled with trees. Luckily Pai in Northern Thailand gave me the prefect launching point to sleeping in a treehouse.

Nestled into the center of the Pai Treehouse Resort was a gigantic tree housing three private rooms. This was a focal attraction, although most guests chose to stay in the more luxurious villas. After making the rocky climb up with backpacks, the villas seemed fairly appealing. But we were here for the experience. And it’s novel.

While I completely recommend it, the novelty wears off after your first night. It’s similar to wanting to stay on the top bunk when you’re a kid, but dreading maundering up once you’re an adult. Eventually the charm of stunning views and enjoying a unique experience succumbs to the hurdles of climbing a small staircase up a tree and using the toilet wedged between a few branches.

Alexandra Black Paulick from Positive Impact Journey (twitter/Facebook)

Homeless in Luxembourg

Homeless in Luxembourg

“This is happening,” I think to myself, looking for a patch of grass that’s both dry and out of sight of passing cars. I’m in the old town of Luxembourg, and I’m about to become the city’s only homeless person.

This shouldn’t be happening. When I asked for a bed at the city’s only hostel, the grumpy bastard at the desk told me to “Go and do the fucking of oneself” in terrible French. I decided instead to go and do the fucking of someone else, confident that I could charm a local lass into taking me home from a bar. How wrong I was…

Now I’m huddled under a tree in a small park, wrapped in all my clothes to protect against the late-September chill. Using my bag is a pillow I lie dead still, feeling as optimistic as a corpse in a morgue. But as the fitful night passes and I flicker in and out of the dream world, my despair turns into an inexplicable thrill. Somehow I feel free.

Finally the sun rises, warming my shivering bones and revealing the spectacular, fog-shrouded castle looming over the valley below. The view is spectacular, and it’s just for me.

Nick Johns-Wickberg from the Tragic Traveller (Facebook)

The Orangutan Stilt House in the jungle of Indonesia

Courtesy of Liya Panayotova

Spending two months on the islands of Indonesia was a real treat. Among all of the unique places that Indonesia harbors, the island of Kalimantan (also known as Borneo) is the most special. Its dense tropical jungle is one of just two places in the world, inhabited by the mighty orangutan, with whom we share 97% of our DNA. Getting to see wild orangutans is a rare and special experience. One that requires you to venture deep into the jungle, travel down narrow rivers and swampy trails. In the village of Pematang Gedung, an organization called International Animal Rescue, offers this opportunity. I got to spend a night in their stilt house, hidden deep in the jungle, as part of my exploration of Borneo.

We did sleep on the floor, but the hosts provided comfy mats, mosquito nets, and even Hello Kitty pillows, to keep us snug. As a tropical rainstorm poured over the jungle, we went to our stilt-home paradise, and found a few local women preparing a traditional feast. As I drifted off to sleep, hundreds of frogs sung me a lullaby. No party hostel, gorgeous campsite, or lavish hotel could ever compare to becoming one with Borneo, even if it’s for a single evening. And so, my one-night stand with the jungle, turned into love for a lifetime. Hopefully, this story will inspire you to live out your own love affair with Indonesia!

Liya Panayotova from Contrabond Blog (Facebook/Instagram)

Floating bungalow in Thailand

Floating bungalows in Khao Sok National Park, Thailand | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Since I heard there were floating bungalows in the middle of the jungle in Thailand, I knew a night there would be the highlight of my trip.

It takes more than an hour by boat to get to the bungalows, and I got this ‘end-of-the-world feeling’ when we finally arrived. The surroundings were bursting with life (birds, monkeys, fish) and the sky at night looked like it had been Photoshopped, with ten times more stars than the usual sky. It was very basic inside – only a mattress, two pillows, and a mosquito net. The bungalow kept floating gently in a soothing way… until all those beautiful creatures started their night activities, jumping into the water, chirping and uttering mating cries all night (according to our guide, every weird beast-like sound was insects mating).

Maria from 203challenges.com

Neolithic house in Bulgaria

Neolithic house in Chavdar village, Bulgaria | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Take a one–hour drive out of the capital, Sofia, and you can travel back 7,000 years in history. The five reconstructed neolithic houses near Chavdar village are not only a museum, but you can actually spend the night in three of them.

They were built with natural materials only (okay, you have one power socket hidden beneath a wooden plank) and you need a ladder to get up to your bed right under the roof. You can mill your own grains in the neolithic installation and you can light a fire in the fireplace, although I didn’t do that because it was a very hot summer night.

Maria from 203challenges.com

Read more: Champing: Sleep in a medieval church in England

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Floating bungalows: hear the sounds of the jungle at night

Kayaking to our floating bungalows in Khao Sok National Park, Thaialand | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

A night in a floating bungalow will easily turn into a highlight of your trip to Thailand. There are popular 2 day/1 night tours in Khao Sok National Park in Southern Thailand, where you’ll explore Cheow Lan Lake and sleep more than an hour by boat from the nearest shore. The bungalows are very basic: essentially just a floating box containing a mattress with a mosquito net over it. During our stay the raft house gently swayed, while the whole jungle orchestra performed a lullaby for us, including monkey calls, insect mating cries, and the roars of indistinguishable beasts. The views at sunset are magical and the night sky makes you believe it’s the first time you’ve really seen the stars.

Tree houses: see how monkeys live

What better place to live like a monkey than in jungle-rich Thailand? In a recent collaboration post, Alexandra Black Paulick from the Positive Impact Journey blog told the story of her stay at Pai Treehouse Resort.

Night trains: watch the sunrise out the window

The night train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

If you’re traveling on a budget (although you don’t really need a lot of money to travel in Thailand) and you’re struggling to find cheap flights to the far-flung destinations on your list, you’re sure to experience Thai night trains at some point. During the high season, tickets for long-haul trains on popular routes such as Bangkok – Chiang Mai and Bangkok – Suratthani sell out very fast, and you’ll have to book your seat/bunk bed a week or two in advance.

The sleeping cars in Thailand come in two varieties – with AC and with fan (cheaper). The fan option was quite bearable despite all the bad reviews we had read about it (and we also met Santa Claus from Australia in that car, but that’s another story to be told some other time). When the sun sets, the attendant unfolds the seats into beds and gives you linen and pillows. When the sun rises, make sure you wake up to see the majestic light and mist show out the window.

Sleep in a riverside hostel tent for as little as €2.50 ($3)

The view from this hostel says it all | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Our $3 riverside camping spot in Mapping Hostel, Chiang Mai felt so much like home that every day we woke up with the irresistible urge to stay for another night, and in the end we prolonged our stay four times. The hot weather in Thailand makes it pleasant to sleep outside at night – a mosquito net is all you need and it’s crazy cheap.

Become part of the family at a family-owned hostel

Family is important in Thailand | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

I got the impression that most hostels in Thailand are family-owned, which means that from day one you are considered a family member and treated as such.

True story: Our first night in Bangkok was a nightmare with a happy ending (not that kind!). We arrived from the airport late in the evening and took a tuk-tuk, handing the address of our booked hostel (Love Hostel) to the driver. But what a sense of adventure overwhelmed me when, already at the desired address, we discovered there was no such hostel here. After 10 minutes of wandering around, we were sure this supposed hostel did not exist anywhere within a radius of 10 streets. I called the hostel’s telephone number and nobody answered. We continued searching in the hope that we’d notice a hidden tiny sign to our hostel, and in the process we accidentally entered a Buddhist monastery, which was fun but not really helpful. In my despair, I called again and this time the owner answered. After 20 minutes of discussions and zigzagging the streets, he finally found us and took us to our refuge for the night.

At first, we thought he and his wife didn’t speak English, but a day later we realized they spoke English with Thai pronunciation, i.e. not pronouncing a single consonant (or so it seemed). Just try to speak this way and get the message across that there’s a leak in the upper-floor bathroom… Anyway, once we started understanding them, we also came to understand that they were constantly joking about us, themselves and everything else around. We loved these people and prolonged our stay with them by two additional days.

Then, two weeks later, we had to stay another night in Bangkok and chose the same hostel. Not only did the owners give us a huge discount on the already cheap room, but they also supplied us with free bananas for our night train ride the next day. From time to time, they still send us photos of their family and cats on Facebook.

With this oversized story, I’m putting an end to this post and wishing you a homey and adventurous stay in Thailand!

Read more: 7 quotes that explain why everyone loves Thailand

See more information about Thailand tours.

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Tips when visiting Buddhist temples in Thailand

In all Buddhist temples, shorts and sleeveless tops are forbidden, dress appropriately by covering your shoulders and knees. You must take off your shoes before entering a temple, although you can wear them in the yard. Women are not allowed to touch monks or novices but can freely speak with them. Most Buddhist temples in Bangkok have a small admission fee for foreigners (usually 40 baht unless there’s a museum or an important relic inside).

Wat Pho – the Temple of the Reclining Buddha

Wat Pho in Bangkok

This huge Buddha statue (46 m/150 feet long) needs a huge complex to house it. Wat Pho is one of the main Bangkok attractions and it’s first on the list of first-rank royal temples in Thailand (only six temples are on the list). It comprises 91 small and 4 large chedis (Thai stupas), a central shrine, and many other buildings. The biggest collection of images of the Buddha in Thailand, more than 1000, is kept here. The Reclining Buddha statue itself is squeezed in one of the smaller temples. We recommend you get a guide or download some history about Wat Pho as there is so much to decipher.

A Thai massage school is situated in Wat Pho, which means that if the day has been too long and tiring, you can spend a little more time in the temple area and spoil yourself with a Thai massage (30 minutes – 260 baht). It’s worth it as Wat Pho temple is considered the birthplace of Thai massage. More information here.

Plan at least an hour to see the complex, 2 hours if you are into Buddhism and Buddhist architecture.

Wat Pho temple opening hours: every day 8:00 – 17:00

Wat Pho temple entrance ticket: 100 baht (the ticket includes 2 free bottles of water)

Wat Pho temple address: 2 Sanamchai Road, Grand Palace, Pranakorn, Bangkok

Wat Phra Kaew – the Temple of the Emerald Buddha

Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok

The Emerald Buddha is a statue that has been around Asia for more than 2000 years and is considered the protective image of Thailand and Thai people. You might be surprised that such an important figurine is only 66 cm (2 feet) tall. It’s made of semi-precious green stone (jasper or jade rather than emerald) and wears gold clothes. Fun fact: the king of Thailand changes the clothes of the Emerald Buddha three times a year (March, August and November).

Legend has it that the Emerald Buddha was crafted in 43 BC in India and moved through the centuries from Sri Lanka to Laos and Thailand. Wat Phra Kaew temple, where the statue can be seen today, is the most sacred and important temple in Thailand.

Wat Phra Kaew temple opening hours: 8:30 – 15:30

Wat Phra Kaew temple entrance ticket: 500 baht (there’s no separate ticket for Wat Phra Kaew, this is a general price to enter the Grand Palace).

Wat Phra Kaew temple address: Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok

Wat Arun – the Temple of Dawn

Wat Arun – the Temple of Dawn, Bangkok | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Although Wat Arun means the Temple of Dawn, for the most amazing views you’d better see it at sunset… and from the other side of the river. Wat Arun is located on the west bank of Chao Phraya river and usually you have to take a boat to get there. Just go to the nearest river pier and take a look at the public boat transportation maps to see what boat number you need to hop on.

If Wat Arun looks familiar to you even before you’ve visited it, that’s because it’s on the back of the 10-baht coin. However, the coin can’t capture the delicate tiny Chinese ceramic pieces that cover the towers of the temple named after the Hindu god Aruna.

Wat Arun opening hours: 8:00 – 17:00

Wat Arun temple entrance ticket: 50 baht

Wat Arun temple address: 34 Arun Amarin Road, Kwang Wat Arun, Khet Bangkok Yai. If you are on the other side of the river, the easiest way to get there is to get a cross-river boat from Tha Thien Pier).

Wat Saket – The Temple of the Golden Mount

Wat Saket – The Temple of the Golden Mount, Bangkok

This glittering temple on top of an artificial hill is one of the best spots to see Bangkok from above without having to pay for expensive beer and cocktails in high-end bars in skyscrapers. Its peculiar story starts in the 18^th century where the first attempt to build a temple was made by king Rama III. The marshy ground couldn’t support a heavy structure, though, and it collapsed before it was finished. Several stories like this were repeated over the years with new attempts to solidify the mound. Today it has a concrete cap on top but the base still consists of bricks. You have 300 spiraling steps to climb but it’s not a strenuous walk and part of it is under the shade of trees. The view from the top is worth it. Wat Saket, also known as Phu Khao Thong or the Golden Mount, is quite far from other attractions in Bangkok and far from convenient public transportation, so you might need to take a taxi. There’s a large temple fair every year in November.

Wat Saket temple opening hours: 9:00 – 17:00

Wat Saket temple entrance ticket: 20 baht

Wat Saket temple address: Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok, Thailand

Wat Traimit – the Temple of the Golden Buddha

Wat Traimit – the Temple of the Golden Buddha in Bangkok

If you have always dreamed of seeing the biggest solid gold seated Buddha statue in the world, today is your lucky day. Head for Bangkok’s Chinatown to meet the 15-foot/5-meter, 5.5-ton figure and hear its amazing story. The Golden Buddha was crafted in the 13^th century and, at some point later, it was covered in plaster, probably to hide it from thieves. Centuries passed and obviously, everyone forgot what was inside the cover until 1955 when the statue was moved to Wat Traimit temple. The workers accidentally dropped it and part of the plaster cracked and revealed the precious content.

Wat Traimit temple opening hours: 8:00 – 17:00

Wat Traimit temple entrance ticket: 40 baht

Wat Traimit temple address: Traimit Road, Bangkok

The post The 5 best Bangkok temples to visit if you’re short of time appeared first on 203Challenges.

This guide will tell you a little about 10 interesting places to visit while you are in the city of Bangkok.

Wat Arun

Also known as the Temple of Dawn, Wat Arun is one of the most iconic temples in Bangkok. It is especially beautiful at night when it is illuminated with light.

A look Back at the History of Wat Arun: It was built in the 17th century by the “enigmatic” King Taksin and is made up of five stories with each story representing a different mountain. The temple gets its name from Arun, the Indian god of dawn.

Grand Palace

The Grand Palace is definitely a must-see when in Bangkok. It was built in 1782 and served as the official residence of the Kings of Siam until 1925. The palace is made up of several buildings, temples, and halls with each one having its own unique architecture.

About its history:  The Grand Palace was built in 1782 by King Rama I after he moved the capital of Thailand from Ayutthaya to Bangkok. It served as the official residence of the Kings of Siam until 1925. The palace is made up of several buildings, temples, and halls with each one having its own unique architecture.

Wat Pho

Wat Pho is another temple that should not be missed when in Bangkok. It is the largest and oldest temple in Thailand and is home to the reclining Buddha, which is over 150 feet long and 50 feet tall.

A little history on Wat Pho: Wat Pho was built in the 16th century by King Rama I. It was originally built as a resting place for the king’s father but later became a temple. The temple is home to over 1,000 Buddha images and is the largest temple in Thailand.

Chinatown

Bangkok’s Chinatown is one of the largest in the world and is definitely worth a visit. It is full of narrow streets and is a great place to find cheap souvenirs and delicious food.

A little bit of history of Bangkok’s Chinatown: It was established in 1782 by King Rama I. The area was originally home to Chinese immigrants who came to work on the construction of the Grand Palace. Today, it is one of the largest Chinatowns in the world and is full of narrow streets and is a great place to find cheap souvenirs and delicious food.

Khao San Road

Khao San Road is a must-visit for any first-time visitor to Bangkok. It is a bustling street full of bars, restaurants, and shops. It is also a great place for people to watch and soak up the chaotic atmosphere of Bangkok.

A little look at the history of Khao San Road: It was established in 1892 by King Rama V. The street was originally a market street but has since become a tourist hub. It is full of bars, restaurants, and shops and is a great place to people watch and soak up the chaotic atmosphere of Bangkok.

Jim Thompson House

The Jim Thompson House is a must-see for any architecture or design lover. It is the former home of American businessman Jim Thompson, who was instrumental in the revival of the Thai silk industry. The house is made up of several traditional Thai buildings that have been renovated and combined to create one unique structure.

A little history on the Jim Thompson House: It was built in 1959 by American businessman Jim Thompson. He was instrumental in the revival of the Thai silk industry and the house is made up of several traditional Thai buildings that have been renovated and combined to create one unique structure.

Bangkok National Museum

The Bangkok National Museum is the largest museum in Thailand and is a great place to learn about the country’s history and culture. The museum is made up of several buildings, each of which houses different exhibits.

A little bit of history of the Bangkok National Museum: It was established in 1874 by King Rama V. It is the largest museum in Thailand and is a great place to learn about the country’s history and culture. The museum is made up of several buildings, each of which houses different exhibits.

Lumpini Park

Lumpini Park is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. It is the city’s largest park and is full of trees, ponds, and walking trails. It is also a popular spot for locals to do yoga, tai chi, and other forms of exercise.

A view back at the history of Lumpini Park: It was established in 1925 by King Rama VI. It is the city’s largest park and is full of trees, ponds, and walking trails. It is also a popular spot for locals to do yoga, tai chi, and other forms of exercise.

Soi Cowboy

Soi Cowboy is a street full of bars that is popular with tourists and locals alike. It is a great place for people to watch and enjoy the lively atmosphere.

A little history on Soi Cowboy: It was established in 1977 by American businessman John Miller. It is a street full of bars that is popular with tourists and locals alike. It is a great place for enjoyment, socializing and relaxation.

Wat Traimit, Temple of the Golden Buddha

Wat Traimit is home to the world’s largest solid gold Buddha statue. The temple is a popular tourist spot and is definitely worth a visit.

A bit of history of Wat Traimit: It was built in 1350 by King Rama III. It is home to the world’s largest solid gold Buddha statue. The temple is a popular tourist spot and is definitely worth a visit.

Conclusion:

Bangkok is a city rich in culture and history. It is a popular tourist destination for its beautiful temples, vibrant nightlife, and delicious food. With so much to offer, it’s no wonder that Bangkok is one of the most visited cities in the world. 

If you’re planning a trip to Bangkok, be sure to add these must-see attractions to your list.

The post Most Interesting Places to Visit in Bangkok appeared first on 203Challenges.

Buddhism is an essential part of what Thailand is and you can’t get to know the country without knowing Buddhism. You can read books or articles on the internet (like this one) but still, the best way is to go to the source.

If you want to talk to a Buddhist monk, you should learn Thai. There is an easier way, though. Just find a friendly English-speaking monk. Here is our guide how to do it.  

Monks chanting in Wat Phra Singh Temple, Chiang Mai © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Monk chats in Chiang Mai and Bangkok

Some temples in Thailand offer foreigners the chance to join monk chats where monks will willingly answer all your questions. Usually, these are young students from a Buddhist school who practice their English while giving you an insight to their life.

One of the most popular places to join a monk chat is in Chiang Mai. Go to Wat Chedi Luang Temple (from 9 to 18) or Wat Suan Dok (from 17 to 19) and look for the benches with monks waiting to talk to foreigners. You can ask them anything – from the basics of Buddhism to general questions about life in Thailand. Your satisfaction from the conversation will depend on the monk’s level of English (and yours, too). Even though monks are not allowed to touch or approach women, gender is not an issue if you want to speak with them. 

As of 2017, there are no monk chats in Bangkok.

Monk chat at Wat Chedi Luang Temple, Chiang Mai © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Friendly monks

Many of the Thai Buddhist monks know a little English (often very basic, though) and most of them will be happy to talk to you.

I saw an elderly Buddhist monk taking photos in the Chiang Mai Wat Pra That Doi Suthep temple (or simply Doi Suthep) and I approached him wanting to show him a beautiful angle to shoot the building. He smiled at me and asked me in broken English where I was from. That’s how we started chatting and he tried to squeeze the essence of Buddhism in three sentences for me. We are calm inside, he said, but distractions coming through our eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and mind sabotage our innate serenity. That’s where suffering comes from. So we should always follow the middle way – neither too much positivity, nor too much negativity.

“But you seem really happy,” my Western mind insisted. “Yes, yes, true. Sometimes it is possible to be happy,” he answered.

In the end, we took a selfie together and he gave me his email address to send him the photo (in case you are curious, he did reply to my email a few weeks later).

As there are no designated monk chats in Bangkok, finding an English-speaking monk at a temple is your only chance to get answers to your questions.

To make it easier, here is a list of the 5 best temples to visit in Bangkok (especially if you are short of time).

Detail from Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Live with monks in a Buddhist temple

One of the main obstacles preventing you from staying at any temple or monastery in Thailand is the language barrier. Not the rules, as Buddhism is open to every religion. Since more and more foreigners are interested in getting a deeper knowledge of Buddhism, there are now some temples that organize retreats and meditation sessions in English. When choosing one make sure it is a temple with monks, not a retreat wellness center so that you have an authentic experience.

Your stay could vary from a few hours (meditation only) to months. A nice two-week stay is offered by Wat Sriboonruang Temple in Chiang Mai (website here).

Read more: Unusual and amazing places to stay in Thailand.

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3 reasons to visit gorgeous Krabi:

1. Krabi Province still manages to preserve its nature and beaches, keeping them as unsullied by human influence as possible (especially compared to other locations like Koh Samui or Pattaya). Most of the Thai people here live a normal life unaffected by the tourism industry, and this is your chance to delve into that Thai lifestyle in its most traditional form.

2. There are some surreal, almost unbelievably beautiful beaches in the area (see below).

3. The nearby bay is home to a species of flying fish. Flying fish!

One thing you may not expect in Krabi

Krabi and the south of Thailand as a whole is home to a large Muslim community that has been living peacefully with the Buddhist majority for more than five centuries. You will see many girls and women with their hair covered by scarves, and you might even hear the muezzin call of local mosques. It may be a bit hard to find pork, too.

BEST ATTRACTIONS IN KRABI TOWN

1. The night market

Like many Thai towns, Krabi has a night market with street food stalls, cheap clothes and plenty of trinkets. With every step, a new whiff tickles your nose and invites you to taste this, and this, and this… Everything is prepared in front of your eyes. In the high season (December–February) you can come across live performances and traditional local festivals. Open: Friday–Sunday.

Special tip: Search for the Krabi fried ice-cream stall, where the very preparation of your dessert is a show in itself.

Thai street food © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

2. Exchange a book

There are a few second-hand bookshops in Krabi Town, although you can also exchange a book at fairly unexpected places, including fast food venues. Just look for a pile of dusty books in the corner of the restaurant; as well as feeding your body, you can feed your treasure hunt spirit as you search for a book in a language you speak.

3. Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Suea)

The Tiger Temple is the historical highlight of Krabi, with its legend of a tiger living in the cave where Buddhist hermits sheltered for years, and the amazing view from its top. Climb the 1000+ steps, try your best to avoid the cheeky monkeys (don’t leave anything on the ground – anything!) and enjoy the fresh wind and the landscape at the top.

How to get to the Tiger Temple: The cave is located a bit out of the city, but it’s easy to get to. You can either take a taxi (500 baht return and the driver will wait for you) or use public transport. Look for the red pick-up vans – songthaew in Thai – that serve as a public shuttle, and take one to get to the temple. Just go to the riverside road, wave one of them down and say you’re going to the Tiger Temple. The rate is 50 baht for foreigners, although locals only pay 20 baht. There’s no need to argue or haggle over the price, as every driver will charge you this amount. Once you get there, the driver might ask you when you plan to return in order to be there and take you back, but you shouldn’t really rely on this promise, as they usually don’t come back. Just take another songthaew home.

The Tiger Temple in Krabi Town

BEST ATTRACTIONS AROUND KRABI TOWN

4. Kayaking among flying fish in a mangrove forest

Tha Lane Bay is an amazing slice of nature that buzzes with life, and there’s no better way to explore it than to grab a kayak and paddle out into the blue. Your camera is another essential piece of equipment, as you’ll want to photograph the many lovely creatures frolicking about in their unspoiled, natural home. Flying fish are hard to capture in a photo, but simply seeing them leap out of the water with fill your heart with joy (as if you’re in a real-life Super Mario game). If you come at sunset, the tide is low and sand islands emerge from the water, leaving the walking fish and starfish exposed and posing for your camera. Monkeys searching for food also join the party, together with monitor lizards and hundreds of birds. The sunset at Tha Lane Bay is one of the most beautiful in Thailand (trust me, I’ve seen many). Kayaking tours are offered at every hotel in Krabi and always include a transfer to the starting point.

Kayaking in Tha Lane Bay near Krabi © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

5. Railay Beach

Now this is a beach that looks perfect even without Photoshop. Come here to admire the cliffs, which look as if they’ve been thrown into the water by a giant, then laze on the white sand and glide through the turquoise water. The beach is quite small and tends to get overcrowded during high season.

How to get to Railay Beach: It’s accessible only by boat due to the towering cliffs that surround it. Take a longtail boat from Krabi (Khong Kha pier) or Ao Nang, around 150 baht one direction. This service is available a few times a day between 9 am and 5 pm.

Railay Beach, Thailand © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

6. Rock climbing at Railay

You can begin your ascent of the coastal cliffs by taking a rock climbing course for beginners (there are several climbing schools, just follow the signs). However, if you’re a bit more experienced, you can embark on an unguided climb that is definitely not for the fainthearted; while at the beach, just look for the miniature red dots that mark out the climbing trails along the cliffs. Bring your own gear or rent some equipment for the day.

7. Ao Nang

Ao Nang is a beach close to Krabi (with a regular bus and songthaew connection between the two towns). It’s a tourist area, full of resorts and bars. The beach is average – nothing like what you’ve seen on Pinterest photos of Thailand – but the area is well-connected as a base for day tours into the surrounding nature.

Kayaking in Tha Lane Bay near Krabi © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

8. Phi Phi Islands

It takes 45 minutes to get to the six Phi Phi Islands by boat. The scenery made famous by the 2000 movie The Beach is truly amazing and protected as part of a marine national park.

Special tip: The beach gets overcrowded, so the only chance you have to see it without scores of tourists is to arrive very early in the morning. Alternatively, you can spend the night there and wake up before the hordes of day-trippers arrive.

9. Hot springs and the Emerald Pool

These natural hot tubs in the rainforest have been carved into soft rocks and are directly fueled by a thermal spring. Enjoy the ~86ºF (30ºC) salt-rich water and finish with a refreshing dip into the nearby cool stream. The hot springs are located 43 mi (70 km) from Krabi Town. The nearby Emerald Pool is another natural spa where you can swim in warm mineral water and enjoy the serenity of the forest.

10. Khao Sok National Park

Khao Sok National Park is a piece of wild jungle with the amazing Cheow Lan Lake – where you can spend the night in a floating bungalow – within its borders. Enough said. Oh, and it’s also home to the Rafflesia – the biggest flower in the world.

How to get to Khao Sok National Park: There are several minibuses every day from Krabi and Ao Nang to Khao Sok. The cost is 300 baht and it takes two hours.

© Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Here is a map of all the activities and destinations mentioned above to give you an idea of scale:

11. What NOT to do: don’t ride the elephants

Riding elephants is a widespread attraction all over Thailand, but the only reason for its existence is the fact that tourists pay for it. Elephant riding was recently forbidden in India for a good reason – the conditions the animals are kept in are often awful and the seats used to make tourists more comfortable hurt their backs. Don’t ride elephants and don’t let your friends do it either; as fewer people become interested in elephant riding, Thai people will switch to other business ideas.

>> Read more: 7 Thailand quotes that explain why everyone loves it

Where to see Rafflesia in Thailand – the biggest flower in the world

Where to find a friendly Buddhist monk to talk to in Thailand

Pin it to your travel board:

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There are cities around the world where you’d love to get lost again and again and again. Control freaks might find the idea unbearable but think twice, how can getting lost do you any harm if you can get a taxi back to your hotel at any time?

In the cities on the list below “getting lost” actually means “finding” – finding people, places and experiences otherwise hidden away from your tourist eyes.

Challenge alternatives:

• If with friends/spouses: get lost separately and try to find each other after 5 hours (if you find a place your friend would love, stay there and wait for him or her to come). Or just get lost separately (a good option for long-time partners who need some fresh time alone!).
• By public transportation: get on a local bus and get off at a random stop.
• Try to get lost in your own hometown – it might be hard but then you should just try harder.

Istanbul, Turkey

The moment you find yourself away from the main tourist areas, you will be able to enjoy genuine Turkish hospitality. Life is good in the City on the Bosphorus while sipping strong and sweet tea and enjoying the sun in a side street cafe.

Unexpected discovery in Istanbul

Venice, Italy

There’s no use of bringing a map with you in Venice, this city just can’t stand maps and will do its best to get you lost. Everything even a street away from Canale Grande is a labyrinth where you can only enter but never get back to your starting point. Feel free to enjoy the colorful, sometimes decrepit buildings along the canals, hunt for passing gondolas and stop for wine at the first bar.

P.S. You know they call the wine “shade” (ombra) in Venice, right?

Chiang Mai, Thailand

It’s not such a big city but if you dare to get lost, you will come across your best discoveries in a Thai city full of expats. An English bookshop? The food stall with the best pad thai? A friendly monk to chat about life?

© Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Atlanta, USA

While many US cities use a quadrant street system with streets heading north-south or east-west, Atlanta can be confusing as many of the streets follow the natural relief. Leave your map in Downtown Atlanta and let the city surprise you (A historic cemetery? A skywalk? A popular eatary?).

Tokyo, Japan 

In Tokyo and other Japanese cities the numbers of the streets and buildings have nothing to do with their location but rather with the time of their construction. Thus, the first building that appears on the street will be #1, while next to it might be #113. You don’t have to do anything special to get lost there.

Perth, Australia 

Perth will invite you to get lost in its maze of creative bars and it might not be so easy to find your way after the third beer… Where were you actually going?

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The best places to get lost in Rio are the art quarters of Santa Teresa and Lapa in the city center. Climb the steep streets but don’t search for the best view – it will reveal itself unexpectedly. Shop around for unique souvenirs by local artists and get lots of water. 

Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro

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