Thailand — Pack for Anywhere

we were here

The trip that changed everything.

We landed in Bangkok at 6am, humidity hitting us like warm soup before we'd even reached passport control. James had been up the whole flight watching films. Tom had actually slept — the one time in recorded history where the sleep PAC prototype earned its price before we'd even launched it.

Three days in Bangkok — the Grand Palace, a cooking class in a rooftop kitchen near Ari, one very memorable night on Khao San Road — and then we flew south to Krabi. Took a longtail boat out to Railay Beach at low tide, waded through warm turquoise water with our bags held above our heads, and sat on the sand eating papaya salad from a polystyrene box.

"The longtail captain's name was Nong. He charged us 120 baht, told us not to come back for three hours, and went off to sleep under a palm tree. We had the whole beach to ourselves."

We went back four days later and tipped him 400 baht. He didn't remember us but seemed pleased anyway. That's Thailand — warm, funny, impossibly beautiful, and better every time.

📍 Base camp

Bangkok for 3 nights, then Krabi and Koh Lanta. Perfect split — city then islands.

🍜 The food

Pat see ew from a wok on Yaowarat Road at midnight. ฿50. Still the best thing any of us have ever eaten.

🚤 The moment

Longtail to Railay Beach at low tide. Wade in. Sit on the sand. Don't check your phone.

🛕 The temples

Wat Pho at 8am — arrive before the tour groups, sit with the monks, listen to the chanting.

✈️ The lesson

Pack light, go slow, eat everything.

things to do

Fill every hour.

Thailand rewards the curious. Street food tours, cooking classes, island hops and temple dawns.

⛵

Island Hopping, Krabi

Book a four-island longtail tour for around ฿700 per person, or hire your own for the day and set your own agenda. Chicken Island, Tub Island, Poda Island — take your pick.

🍳

Thai Cooking Class

Half-day classes in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Krabi all start with a market tour. You'll make four dishes, eat everything, and spend the rest of the holiday trying to recreate it. Can't be done. Go back.

🐘

Ethical Elephant Sanctuary

Only visit sanctuaries where elephants roam free — look for Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai. Spend a day feeding, bathing and walking alongside them. No riding. Pure magic.

🛶

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

An hour south of Bangkok, boats laden with fruit and noodle dishes converge at dawn. Touristy yes, but genuinely extraordinary. Get there early, hire a private longtail and go deep into the canals.

things to see

Open your eyes wide.

01

Phi Phi Islands

Maya Bay (yes, that one from The Beach) reopened in 2022. Come at dawn by speedboat, before the crowds. The water really is that colour. We checked — it's real.

02

Wat Phratahat Doi Suthep

Chiang Mai's golden hilltop temple at sunset, looking over the whole valley as it turns amber. Climb the 306-step Naga staircase. The effort is non-negotiable; the view is worth it.

03

James Bond Island, Phang Nga Bay

The limestone pinnacle from The Man with the Golden Gun. Kayak through sea caves at low tide, then sit in a longtail and watch the karst towers rise from the bay as the light changes.

04

Chatuchak Weekend Market

Bangkok's 35-acre weekend market sells absolutely everything. Bring a tote, wear comfortable shoes, and budget at least four hours. Mango sticky rice from stall 27 is not optional.

what to pack