Solo Backpacking across SEA Part 2

This is Part 2 of my 3-part SEA backpacking series, in continuation of Part 1.

This leg mostly covers my next country, Thailand - from Phuket and Phi Phi to Chiang Mai, Pai, and a short Bangkok stop. Like Part 1, I have kept this in a simple diary format with itinerary notes and practical recommendations, so it helps me remember the trip properly and also helps anyone planning a similar route.

Route overview

• Phuket: 7th Nov to 10th Nov
• Phi Phi Don: 10th Nov to 12th Nov
• Phuket airport area / Nai Yang: 12th Nov
• Chiang Mai: 13th Nov to 15th Nov
• Pai: 15th Nov to 19th Nov
• Bangkok: 20th Nov

Phuket - 7th Nov to 10th Nov

I reached Phuket on 7th Nov in the evening and left on 10th Nov in the morning by ferry. The ferry to Phi Phi cost 600 THB and included hotel pickup.

Where I stayed

I stayed at Bear Packers Hostel. The location was very good. It is right next to Bangla Street, close to the beach, and there are many shops and markets nearby.

If your main plan is nightlife and being in the middle of everything, this is a good place to stay. If you want a quiet stay, avoid this area.

7th Nov

After checking in, I had shawarma at Niyo’s Kebab. It was very tasty. I also had pork ribs at the Bangla Street food market.

At night I went to Bangla Street. It was my first proper experience of adult nightlife. The street was wild. People were drunk everywhere, there was loud music, and I saw foreigners pole dancing. It was a lot to take in on the first night itself.

I also went to a ping pong show just to see what it was like. I saw some weird things there. Drinks were first quoted at 900 THB, but later came down to 500 THB per drink per person.

8th Nov

This day was more relaxed. I stayed around the hostel, had breakfast, and drank beer.

Later I went to a club where ladies in police uniforms were dancing. Two ladies came with us, started flirting, and wanted us to buy them drinks costing 550 THB. This is something to be careful about in Phuket nightlife areas.

For dinner I went to Chino Market on Patong Beach Road, near Coco Copper Bistro & Beach Bar, Pa Tong, Kathu District, Phuket. The food was above average, but not the best meal I had in Thailand.

9th Nov

Breakfast was at Roxane Cafe. I really liked this place. The burger and sandwich were excellent. The fruit bowls were okay.

For dinner I went to Sultan’s Turkish and Indian Restaurant.

Phuket recommendations

Food

• Niyo’s Kebab - good shawarma
• Bangla Street food market - good for trying random street food
• Roxane Cafe - one of my better breakfasts in Phuket
• Sultan’s Turkish and Indian Restaurant - good dinner option
• Chino Market - decent, but not a must-do

Area notes

• Stay near Bangla Street only if you want nightlife.
• It is crowded, noisy, and built for party tourism.
• Ask drink prices clearly before ordering in clubs or shows.

Transport

• My ferry to Phi Phi cost 600 THB with hotel pickup.
• I booked it one day before.

Phi Phi Don - 10th Nov to 12th Nov

I left Phuket around 7:30 AM on 10th Nov. I had booked the ferry a day before. The rooftop view on the ferry was the best part of the ride.

I reached Phi Phi Don (Ao Ton Sai Pier) around 1:30 PM.

Where I stayed

I stayed at Swee Dee Hostel. It was one of my favorite stays on the trip.

• very calm and quiet
• sea facing
• very good facilities
• best hosts I have seen in a hostel

I would highly recommend it if you want a calm stay.

Other hostel options I found:

1. Ibiza House - they have pool parties every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Probably the most famous party hostel there.
2. Blanco Party Hostel - beach facing, pub inside, known for parties.
3. Hangover Hostel - at the end of the strait, not beach facing.

10th Nov night

At night I watched a fire show on the beach at Slinky. There are a few fire shows on Phi Phi, but Slinky felt like the best one.

After that I partied at Slinky. The party was too wild to handle. People were even riding the mechanical bull naked for free.

At around 4 AM, I had a burger from a place called Fast Food, which was the only shop open at that time. Google Maps link

11th Nov

I slept around 5 and woke up at 9. I went to the market and booked a Phi Phi island tour with Arisa Tour company for 1500 THB per person.

Tour timing: 10:30 AM to 6 PM

The tour included lunch, water, cold drinks, fruits, and visits to:

• Monkey Beach
• Vikings Cave
• Pileh Lagoon - included swimming in the sea
• Maya Bay
• Snorkeling near Maya Bay
• Bamboo Island
• Plankton view with snorkeling dive

Our boat mostly had Indians and mostly couples, but I noticed other Arisa boats had a younger and more party-type crowd. So if that matters to you, it is worth checking before booking.

Best food places in Phi Phi

• Madame Restro
• Calamaro Restaurant
• crepes with ice cream
• cheap cocktail buckets

My view on Phi Phi

Phi Phi felt much cheaper than Phuket. The vibe was better, the food was better, the crowd was better, and the beaches were much nicer. I really liked Phi Phi.

Seeing Maya Bay and the surrounding views also reminded me of The Beach (Leonardo DiCaprio). Being there in person made that whole film vibe feel very real, and I could completely relate to those scenes.

One thing I still wish I had done is go to Nui Beach on Phi Phi Don.

Phi Phi recommendations

Stay

• Swee Dee Hostel if you want peace and a clean stay
• Ibiza House or Blanco if your main focus is party

Nightlife

• Slinky for the best fire show and beach party

Food

• Madame Restro
• Calamaro Restaurant
• late-night burger from Fast Food if you are out very late

Things to know

• Phi Phi is cheaper than Phuket
• book your island tour after checking the crowd/vibe if that matters to you
• rooftop seats on the ferry are worth it

Phuket airport area / Nai Yang - 12th Nov

On 12th Nov I left Phi Phi and went back to Phuket. I had booked the ferry on 11th Nov. It cost 600 THB per person including airport transfer.

I stayed at The Luna Hostel near the airport. The hostel was good, the bed was comfortable, and the facilities were nice. I would recommend it if you need to stay near the airport before or after a flight.

I met an English girl, Georgia, who was also going to Chiang Mai.

Later I went to Nai Yang Beach. It felt calm and family-oriented, with many beach shacks. I mostly saw Russian tourists with families and kids there.

I tried green curry for the first time at Phen’s Restaurant Bar & Coffee and it was very delicious.

Recommendations for this stop

• The Luna Hostel for an airport stay
• Phen’s Restaurant Bar & Coffee for green curry
• Nai Yang Beach if you want a calm beach area instead of party energy

Chiang Mai - 13th Nov to 15th Nov

13th Nov

I stayed at Bodega Hostel. Grab and Bolt were cheap in Chiang Mai. I paid 100 THB from the airport to Bodega.

Bodega was average. It was decent for the price, but it looked much more like a party hostel on the internet than it actually was.

I met Camila and Luca through Georgia. We went to the night market and had sushi, smoothies, and mango sticky rice at Coconut Shell restaurant.

The pool at Bodega was small and dirty. Music closed at 11 PM. Most people went to Zoey and Yellow to party, and after that closed they went to Spicies. We did the same.

14th Nov

I worked from the hostel during the day and had lunch with Camila.

For dinner I went to Turkish Kebab Zone. I had a kebab wrap, chilli cheese steak, and falafel. The food was good. Right next to it there was also a night food market, and the food there looked good as well.

15th Nov

I left for Pai and booked the Prem Pracha bus a day before.

It is not that easy to get tickets between Chiang Mai and Pai because there are only a limited number of vans and Prem Pracha is the main operator.

• ticket from bus stand: 150 THB
• ticket from website: 200 THB

The road is very curvy and a motion sickness tablet might be needed. The ride takes around 3 to 4 hours.

Chiang Mai recommendations

Stay

• Bodega Hostel is okay if you want a budget stay
• not as much of a party hostel as it looks online

Food

• Coconut Shell for night market food and mango sticky rice
• Turkish Kebab Zone for a good filling meal
• the nearby night market beside Turkish Kebab Zone also looked worth trying

Party

• Zoey and Yellow
• Spicies after Zoey and Yellow closes

Transport

• Grab and Bolt were cheap
• book Prem Pracha in advance if you are going to Pai

Pai - 15th Nov to 19th Nov

16th Nov

I stayed at Pai Circus Hostel in a 20-bed mixed dorm with only 4 toilets.

It is a proper party hostel. It has a pool and a good open area. The facilities were not very good, but it was cheap and good for parties.

The shop run by Aunty had good food. I liked the beef burger and the BBQ chicken steak.

At night I had Grunge Burger. We tried the Chicken Avocado and Beef Avocado burgers. Both were very good.

Later I went to Jungle Party. The ticket was 200 THB per person. I had heard it was a rave party, but it did not really feel like one. Still, the place and setup were good.

I met some Israelis there. People usually stand outside Gypsy while going to the venue. Return transport is not included, and it cost 50 THB per person extra.

17th Nov

I shifted to Revolution Pai. It had better facilities, was cleaner, and felt more modern than Pai Circus Hostel.

I had Khao Soi at Aunty’s Dang Thai Restaurant. It was the best and cheapest food I had in Pai. Easily one of my favorite meals of the whole trip.

I also gave clothes for laundry at 40 THB per kg.

Then I rented a bike for 400 THB per person. Make sure to click photos of the bike before taking it, otherwise they may try to charge you later for scratches.

With the bike I went to:

• White Buddha
• Bamboo Bridge
• a lake near Bamboo Bridge with a small detour
• Pai Canyon for sunset

On the way I stopped at a random Thai restaurant. It had very cheap food and was one of my best meals in Pai. There was also a cute dog with eyebrow-like markings.

Later I met Luca, went to Sunset Bar, and tried a shrooms shake. After that I watched the fire show at Paradise Bar. It was the best fire show I saw on the whole trip.

Then I came back, sat near the riverfront, had a burger, and went to sleep.

18th Nov

In the morning I again had Khao Soi at Aunty’s Dang Restaurant.

I returned the bike and booked tickets for Chiang Mai.

Later I had pizza during happy hour at Pai Siam Bar & Bistro. It was a very good deal: 18-inch pizza for 295 THB.

I went again to see sunset near Bamboo Bridge.

At night I had cocktails at Massaman Queen @ Music Bros Bar. I would not recommend it. Worst bar, never go.

I also had street falafel and soju. Later at 7/11 I met Master Poo and the fire show girl.

19th Nov

I caught an early bus while still half in hangover mode and reached Chiang Mai.

I went to McDonald’s near the bus stand and later took a bus by Transport Co from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. The bus was good.

• departure: around 7:00 PM
• pit stop: around 12:30 AM
• arrival in Bangkok: around 5:00 AM next morning

If possible, try to book Sombat Tour in advance. I heard it has much better service.

Pai recommendations

Stay

• Pai Circus Hostel if you want a proper party hostel and do not care much about comfort
• Revolution Pai if you want a cleaner and better stay

Food

• Aunty’s Dang Thai Restaurant - best Khao Soi, very cheap
• Aunty’s shop at Pai Circus - good beef burger and BBQ chicken steak
• Grunge Burger - both burgers were good
• Pai Siam Bar & Bistro - great pizza deal during happy hour

Laundry

• I paid 40 THB per kg in Pai

Places to explore

• White Buddha
• Bamboo Bridge
• lake near Bamboo Bridge
• Pai Canyon for sunset

Party / nightlife

• Jungle Party
• Sunset Bar
• Paradise Bar for fire show

Things to know

• always take photos of your rental bike before leaving
• the road from Chiang Mai to Pai is very curvy
• return transport from Jungle Party is extra

Bangkok - 20th Nov

I reached Bangkok around 5:00 AM.

I checked in at Back Home Backpackers Hostel and met a Hindi-speaking host from Burma.

I had a good and cheap breakfast at a nearby place called Snooze.

Bangkok note

This was a short stop for me, but both Back Home Backpackers and Snooze were good for a simple arrival morning.

General Thailand notes

• It is better to exchange cash beforehand through BookMyForex in your home country if you can.
• You can lose a lot of money while exchanging money in Thailand if you do not compare rates.
• Some exchange booths offer very good rates and some offer very bad ones. Check 5 to 6 booths before exchanging.
• Booths outside expensive tourist areas may give better rates.
• At ATMs, be careful with the conversion option.
• Some ATMs charge directly in baht. Some ask if you want to be charged in INR. If you choose INR, the ATM bank's conversion rate is used instead of your own bank's rate.
• There is also usually a 220 THB withdrawal fee.
• Cards are not accepted everywhere.
• Even where cards are accepted, some places charge an extra 5% surcharge.

If I had to summarize this Thailand stretch simply: Phuket was for nightlife, Phi Phi was my favorite island stop, Chiang Mai was easy and social, Pai was fun and relaxed, and Bangkok was just a short ending stop before the next part of the trip.