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Alianne's Adventures in Thailand
by Alianne

A couple of years ago I traveled to Thailand with my sister.  We went to Chang Mai and Phuket Island staying for about a week in each location.  Chang Mai is in Northern Thailand, while Phuket is southern Thailand.

Personally, we enjoyed Chang Mai better then Phuket.  The weather was ideal with temperatures in the mid to high 20's making sleeping and exploring comfortable. We stayed in a bed and breakfast attached to nicer hotel.  The location was beautiful with the lobby open like a courtyard with gardens and water features.  There were many great attractions and excursions available at reasonable prices.  The staff at the bed and breakfast were very helpful in assisting us in visiting the attractions and signing up for excursions.  They had a tour company that they worked with called "the red truck" service.  Through this service we met Pim who became our tour guide for the rest of the week.  Pim first took us to a temple that was very important in Chang Mai.  The view was spectacular as the temple was at the top of a mountain.  Pim assisted us in signing up for a few excursions.  We went on a day trip that started with a visit to an orchid farm then continued on to trekking through the jungle to go on a short elephant trek.  My sister and I sat on the same elephant in a carrier, however, my sister asked to move to sit on the elephants neck.  She said that the elephant's ears actually held her in place making her feel safer then in the carrier.  We had a lunch of vegetable and rice at the elephant camp then continued on to a swimming hole.  Finally, we went white water rafting and bamboo rafting through the jungle.  The next day we went zip-lining through the jungle.  I was absolutely terrified, however, zip lining ended up being the best experience I have had to date.  Pim our tour guide took us the next day on a tour of some of the local highlights of the area. Our favorite part of the trip was one of the places Pim took us which was tiger world in which we got to get up close and personal with baby tigers and full grown tigers.   We were concerned about the treatment of the animals so we asked and were told that the tigers were never drugged that they are night creatures and are therefore tired and drowsy during the day.  On our last day and night in Chang Mai we enjoyed a fish spa and some shopping. 

On Phuket Island we stayed at Patong Beach in a really nice hotel for a fairly good rate.  Attached to the hotel was a really good Italian restaurant which is where we ate a few of our meals.  The first day there we spent relaxing on the beach where we got extremely sun burnt.  That night we attended a cabaret show that we okay but not fabulous.   On our second day we went on a sea kayaking expedition.  It was one of the coolest experience.  In the kayaks you have a Thai guide that pointed out all the features and took you into the caves.  We had a lunch of banana soup that sounds weird but was actually really good.  We also  had a dinner of seafood and fish that was amazing.  For most the rest of the week we relaxed at the beach.  On one night we went to a dinner and show that include a variety of acrobatic performers and some really great food.  Finally, on our last day we attended a cook class.  We learned how to make spring rolls, hot and sour soup, pad thai, and sweet mango sticky rice. 

Overall, we had a great trip and would go back in a heart beat.   We had some great experiences, good food and a lot of much needed pampering.  I would highly recommend for people to go to Thailand.