Vang Vieng is a small backpacker town located in the sleepy, land-locked, mountainous, and oft-forgotten on the Southeast-Asia-tourist-trail nation of Laos. This area, and Laos in general, boasts vast rural landscapes of rice fields stretching to all horizons, impressive steep mountainous terrain, and wild rivers cutting through narrow valleys and dense forests.
These natural landscapes have made Vang Vieng a center of outdoor recreation including hiking, climbing, and kayaking. It is also home to the cheapest hot air balloon rides in the world…which can either be a good or bad thing depending on your perspective and risk-tolerance.
I hopped on the early morning balloon ride for $90 dollars and spent the better part of an hour shooting and taking in the awe-inspiring views from 2000 feet high as the golden hues of sunrise spilled across the landscape.
Angkor Wat is a complex of ancient temples located near Siem Reap, Cambodia. Originally built as a Hindu temple towards the end of the 12th century, it was later converted to a Buddhist temple, and is still to this day the largest religious monument in the world.
While over-run with tourists during open hours–resembling an almost Disney-esque experience of waiting in long lines under the hot, humid sun and innocent faces smiling into cameras held up by selfie-sticks–Angkor Wat is nonetheless an impressive sight boasting vast historical and architectural significance.
In order to beat the crowds, plan an early wake-up call and arrive at the temple’s opening while it’s still dark. I was one of the first to arrive when I visited and enjoyed nearly a full hour of exploring the temples in isolation and cool, dry temperatures. Oh, and I also witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime sunrise as the day’s first light rose over the main temple, pouring its golden rays across the grassy grounds and aged stone structures.
This comes from a post I wrote for the ISA Student Blog back when I was studying abroad in Bangkok, Thailand in 2016. Click here for the original post.
While always full of new sights and experiences, the bustling metropolis of Bangkok, Thailand can feel a bit overwhelming at times. Sometimes we just need to escape the smog and noise of the city and relax in nature. Thailand is full of natural beauty, but many of the common postcard-worthy locations are in the north or the southern islands and require multi-day trips. If you are a busy college student and only have a day or two to spare, no need to worry, there are many options to find fresh air and outdoor activities near Bangkok. The following three locations are all within a few hours of the city and provide one-of-a-kind views and unforgettable experiences with wildlife.
Khao Yai National Park
Located north of Bangkok, Khao Yai National Park is the largest national park in Thailand. Upon arriving at the park, you will likely be immediately greeted by large groups of macaques scavenging for food or grooming each other on the side of the road. Look more closely and the park’s other primate species, gibbons, can be seen gracefully swinging between trees and vines. Other wildlife commonly found include elephant, deer, and horn bills. According to our guide, there are only ten Tigers left in the park and you would have to be extraordinarily lucky (or unlucky!) to spot one. A guided day tour in the park will include jungle trekking and visiting several majestic waterfalls. The most famous being Haew Suwat waterfall, immortalized by the film ‘The Beach’ when Leonardo DiCaprio’s character leapt dozens of feet into the pool below. Make sure to bring long pants and proper shoes for Khao Yai, as leaches are common and river crossings are often unavoidable.
Erawan Falls National Park
To the west of Bangkok, near Kanchanaburi, lies another of Thailand’s many national parks. Despite its proximity to Bangkok and Kanchanaburi, Erawan Falls is rarely overcrowded with tourists and can be a nice place to relax and unwind. There is a series of waterfalls along an easily walk-able path that leads to several different emerald green pools where one can escape the heat. Make sure you walk all the way to the top, as there will be less people and you might even have your own private swimming hole!
Elephant Haven Thailand
Also near Kanchanaburi is a quiet elephant sanctuary along the river called Elephant Haven. Elephants are an important symbol for Thailand and it is on almost every travelers bucket list to see one. However, many elephants have been mistreated for popular tourist activities like elephant riding and elephant shows (read why you shouldn’t ride elephants here). All the elephants at this sanctuary have been rescued from these types of events and now enjoy freedom. A day at Elephant Haven involves swimming with the elephants in the river and bathing and feeding them. Expect to completely fall in love with these magnificent creatures and to come away with an epic new profile picture!
Oh, Ko Phi Phi—the crown jewel of Thailand. Where warm turquoise waters meet bleach blonde beaches and wooden longtail boats glide over lively coral reefs and under towering limestone cliffs. A picturesque destination for honeymooners looking for a romantic getaway and young backpackers in search of booze-brimmed beach parties—this island archipelago has a little something for everyone. Unfortunately, what makes this gem so appealing is also what makes it one of the pricier and more over-crowded destinations in Thailand.
After studying in Bangkok for over three months, the Andaman Islands were the final leg of my journey before returning home to the States. At this point in my trip I had exhausted much of my funds and just wanted to squeeze out one last grand adventure before saying goodbye to Thailand. My partner Ashley and I arrived at the pier on Ko Phi Phi Don with little money, some spare clothes, a tent, and a bottle of Hong Thong.
Taking our tight budget into account, we wanted to utilize the tent as much as possible. I had read about a place called Green Beach Camping Resort on the far side of the island that offered camping spots for a few Baht a night. Sticking to our cheap-o no-unnecessary-costs budget travel agenda (read my Thailand budget travel post on the ISA Student Blog here), we deferred to hiking across the island rather than paying for a longtail to ferry us there. According to Google Maps, the hike was only about an hour. How hard could it be, right?
We stopped for directions to the trailhead and the lady we asked thought otherwise.
“Oh no, bad idea. It is very hard for you.”
Maybe we should have taken her advice. Nonetheless, our pride and ignorance proved too great and we continued on. Neither of us was prepared for what would come next.
The next couple hours were spent climbing up to four different viewpoints that overlooked the island, bushwhacking around snake-infested underbrush, and wandering through dense jungle with only Google Maps screenshots for navigation. Eventually we arrived at the new and shiny megaresort Phi Phi Island Village and walked through a quaint village adjacent to Lo Lana Bay, where Green Beach was located. Once more stopping to ask directions to the camping area, we were met with quizzical looks from the locals.
“I wonder if this place actually exists,” Ashley inquired.
As if on cue, the path looped around a corner and appeared a large wooden sign with ‘Green Beach Camping Resort’ lazily painted across it. We followed the trail to what we presumed to be our final destination, drenched in sweat and relieved to at last lay our packs down.
Instead, we found an open grassy area filled with scattered trash and a small deserted open-air structure—which I assumed to be the front desk. The yard was littered with empty Chang bottles, pieces of half-burnt firewood, and various forms of discarded plastic—bags, bottles, boxes, etc. It was obvious no one had been here in months. This is not how TripAdvisor portrayed this place to be.
There weren’t any other cheap accommodations on this side of the island and walking all the way back to the pier was not an option for either of us at this point, so we decided to set up camp in the vacant lot. Not one minute into setting up the tent, an old, wiry local approached us. The man had rough leather-like skin, showing the years of labor under the sweltering Thailand sun, and shaggy gray hair that shot out in all directions. He didn’t speak English but spoke to us as if we could understand everything he was saying. The man’s voice rose and it didn’t take long to realize that we were being kicked out.
Well, shit.
We resorted to the beach to weigh our options. Lo Lana Bay consists of a long stretch of white-sand beach, flanked by rocky shores on either side. A simple sea gypsy village sits along the shore to the left. The inhabitants live in modest wooden homes perched on stilts and spend all day weaving fishing nets and collecting shellfish. It is only possible to reach the village during low tide when the rocks are exposed.
I think it was Ashley who suggested we take one of the abandoned homes for the night.
The sun would soon dip below the horizon and it looked like we were staying on the beach that night, which wasn’t the safest or most legal option, but seemed to be our only one considering the circumstances. As we began to accept our fate, a group of westerners paraded by, joking loudly. They started along the rocky outcrop, towards the sea gypsy village. Just before reaching the village, the group took a sharp left, scrambled up a steep hill, and disappeared into the jungle.
Curious as to where they went—and frankly, just down on our luck—we followed. We reached the hill, where a lone rope tied to the end of a tree at the top was the only source of stability. After reaching the top, we descended through thick jungle until it opened up and revealed the most pristine beach I had ever seen, nestled in this little cove between immense karst cliffs that jutted out of the sea on either side. Here, we found the westerners, a tour group led by their guide, Paul, a jovial Englishman who has been living on the island for the better part of five years.
I looked to Ashley and smiled.
“I think we found our spot.”
We shared drinks and laughs with our new friends and watched the sun expire for the night. Soon the group would make the long trek back to the pier, leaving Ashley and I to our private beach paradise.
The next few days were something out of a dream. We kept to a daily routine of waking up to the crashing of waves on the beach, and going for an early morning swim before lying out to dry under the warm sun. Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort is a luxury resort catered towards couples and families and had all the amenities including beach bungalows, gourmet international restaurants, and an infinity pool with a view of the jade-tinted Andaman Sea. Only a short walk away, we put on our best act as a honeymooning couple and spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool and indulging in all the resort had to offer (like complimentary dumplings served poolside!). No one thought twice of us.
Once the day began to wind down, we made our way back to camp, stopping for supplies in the village first—the essentials of water, Pringles, and rum. We strolled along the beach, made our way over the rocks, gave a modest ‘sawatdee’ to our neighbors in the sea gypsy village, and returned to our beach, just in time to watch the sun set over The Land of Smiles.
