The Far East is as exotic as it is made out to be in our text books. But Thailand is an eclectic mix of all that is traditional with a heady mix of everything contemporary. As maroon-robed Buddhist monks peeped out of our travel brochure, cell-phones to their ears, my husband and I decided to choose Thailand as a destination for our honeymoon.
An apt choice for the avid traveller in him and an insatiable shopper in me. We adopted Google as our Bible and set off.
To gain access to the country, Bangkok is probably the most ideal location to serve as a landing platform. It has one of the world’s largest international airports choc-o-block with stores retailing the biggest global brands. However resist filling your bags straightaway since in the course of further travel, you will realise that traveling light is the best advice that a first-time visitor to Thailand can receive. The view of the city at night is astounding with taxi-cabs in myriad colours dotting the streets lit so bright that it can put the blazing sun to shame.
Out and about
From the royal palace to ornate temples paying homage to the legendary traveller Marco Polo, Bangkok is a visual treat for a visitor’s eyes. The city is rich in oriental culture and heritage which the Thai natives have adopted as their biggest asset. One cannot miss the assortment of seafood available on the mainland with shrimps, squids and crabs dominating the local man’s diet. The best of this is found in the most unassuming of places, tiny shacks lined up against street pavements, wrinkled Thai faces pouring out magic concoctions into your serving bowl.
When it comes to natural beauty and roads less travelled, Krabi on the coast of Andaman Sea stands unrivalled with its virgin white beaches and pristine marine life. Krabi is the most favoured location used as a getway to the famed Phi Phi and Maya Island, where Leonardo DiCaprio shot for Beach. It’s a paradise for water babies as it provides excellent prospects for snorkeling and deep sea diving.
For adventure junkies like us, there was a lot to choose from. We parasailed over the ocean, a great expanse of melting silk beneath us and bungee jumped from 200 feet competing with seagulls swooping into the sea for the day’s catch. It is the land of rock ’n roll, pubs and bars crowding every street, local bands belting out popular numbers from the ’50s and ’60s. Hear closely, and you might just spot a
budding Elvis!
Shopper’s stop
Our last stop was Phuket that was a wonderland in itself. It tops the chart in authentic Thai food, the most happening nightlife in the country along with a big market for fashion label rip offs which would otherwise be well beyond the reach of common mortals like me. There is plenty of ‘almost original’ Bottegas, Diors and Louboutins that veteran eyes can also miss telling apart.
The eight day vacation in Thailand was almost picture perfect. I came back with a kitty full of engaging images – the rosy, wrinkled faces, resounding metal gongs in quaint temples, undulating stretch of virgin white beaches and pristine blue sea all ingredients for a perfect holiday.