My Thailand Bucket List

I’ve decided to write a bucket list for my return trip to Thailand. There was so much I didn’t get to do last time I was there, and still so much I did do. I’m going for a much longer stretch this time around and there is a lot I want to make sure I do this time. In this post I’m going to give a little info about each thing, and they’ll be a standalone page that I shall tick off as I do them.

So I present... the list! (its just in alphabetical order)

Build and release some lanterns

At new years, heading back home, we passed a group of people who were releasing lanterns. I had seen them before during the festival the second night I was there, but this was the first time I’d seen them since, and just a couple of weeks before I’m due to go home. When I had first seen them I remember thinking that I wanted to build and release some, but as time went on I just forgot about until New Years.

Go canoeing in the sea around Ao-Phang-Nga

I love boats. I love being on the water. I loved the little canoeing and kayaking I’ve done. Ao-Phang-Nga has some amazingly beautiful scenery and apparently the best way to see it is by canoe.

Go scuba-diving

Some of my friends at university did it, and it’s always something I’ve wanted to try. There are a lot of places that offer it, so I don’t mind where I do it.

Go snorkeling

I enjoy swimming, after my transplant I found it was one of the best forms of exercise I could get because it didn’t leave me with muscle cramping. I have never done real snorkeling before and always wanted to give it a try. Like the scuba-diving, I don’t mind where I do it.

Go White-Water Rafting during the rainy season

I went last time, but there was very little ‘rapid’-ness to be honest. When it was, it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it. But I want to go when it’s better and that’s during the rainy season.

Learn enough Thai to haggle

I picked up a lot last time I was there and I didn’t really put any effort into learning it. This time I want to learn a lot. And the benchmark I’m setting myself is haggling, specifically over cab prices. If I can pull that off I’ll be fine!

Learn to ride a motor bike

It’s always been a thing I’ve kind of wanted to do, never enough to really pursue it though. I never learnt to drive, everywhere I’ve lived (except Stratford) has had great public transport and I just haven’t needed to, or been able to afford it. But in Thailand I want to learn to ride so I can have some real freedom out there.

See Pee Ta Khon (if it's on when I'm there)

This is actually a series of festivals held between March and July. The dates vary each year so I will look into it more when I get there. But it looks and sounds like a lot of fun.

Travel around Ang Thong National Marine Park

This archipelago of some 40 islands has some amazing scenery and wildlife. It’s pretty cheap and there is just so much to see. Here I can see crab eating monkeys, dolphins, whales, iguanas, turtles and some series snakes like pythons and cobras. There are also some great beaches and coral reefs I would love to see.

Visit The Grand Palace

I actually missed this last time. It’s high on any list of places to see and the photos of it do look very impressive. In Thailand they are very big on the Royal Family, they are not just highly respected but it is an offense to slur in anyway against the king, or step on money because you are stepping on the kings face. Construction on the palace began more than 300 years ago when King Rama the first moved the capital of country to Bangkok.

Visit the National Museum in Bangkok

This is the main museum of a series of national museums across the country. It’s more than 100 years old and features exhibits some 10-12 thousand years old.

Visit Tiger Temple

This was really high on my list last time, I just didn’t get a chance to go. I won’t miss it this time. The place has an interesting history. I’ve done my research and although there has been criticism laid against the place I personally think that overall it is for a really good cause and well worth it.
Tiger temple isn’t the only place in the country that does this, and to be honest I’d be happy to visit any of them.

Visit Wat Phu Tok

This temple is built in, on and around a sand-stone outcrop. It offers some amazing views because it is an amazing 200 meters up and is a place I really want to experience. Though I will really have to get over my fear of heights because the way up is wobbly, wooden stairs built onto the side of the outcrop.



Other countries and cities

There are a series of other countries and major cities I want to visit while I'm out there. I'll be close and earning and would love to try and get off for long weekends away to the following;

Cambodia

Hong Kong

Laos

Singapore

Vietnam

So there we have it! When my time in Thailand comes to an end I'll return to this and see how much I've managed to tick of, and hopefully we'll have blogs, videos and pictures from each one. If you think I'm missing something, let me know in a comment below!