Island Hopping in Thailand: Koh Chang – Koh Wai – Koh Mak – Koh Rayang Nai – Koh Kham

It was 2,5 years since my last adventure in Thailand so I thought that it was about time to return and do some island hopping in my favourite country. I really love Thailand as it is a country of great natural beauty, pristine white sandy beaches, smiley people, tropical climate with plenty of sunshine, still a relatively inexpensive destination and a safe place for solo female travellers.

Having already explored many Thai islands on my earlier travels (Koh Samet, Phuket, Koh Racha Yai, Koh Tao, Koh Samui, Koh Phi-Phi, Koh Lanta, Koh Mook, Koh Kradan and Koh Lipe) this time I decided to head to the far northeastern part of the Gulf of Thailand to Trat archipelago close to Cambodian border.

From Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport I took a Bangkok Airways flight to Trat and continued to Koh Chang by a minivan and ferry. Flying to Trat is definitely the quickest and most convenient way to travel to Koh Chang, Koh Mak and other islands in Trat archipelago.

Further reading:

• Transport: How to Get from Bangkok to Koh Chang
• Exploring the Best of Southeast Asia in 2 Months

Top Things to Do and See in Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok – also known as Venice of the East and City of Angels – is a fascinating blend of east and west, old and new. The capital of Thailand with nearly 9 million inhabitants is a city of drastic contrasts, a metropolis where ancient and modern meet.  Luxury shopping centres, fancy rooftop cocktail lounges, chic upscale restaurants. Historical temples, street food, street markets. Red-lights district, large slum communities. Bangkok is hot, dynamic, hectic, chaotic and polluted. Traffic everywhere, people everywhere.Bangkok thrives with energy and offers a vast array of sightseeing, shopping, eating and drinking opportunities. There is so much to do and see in Bangkok that most definitely you will not get bored. Having visited Bangkok 4 times now, I must say that

Exploring the Best of Southeast Asia in 2 Months

This is what I had been dreaming of! This is what I had been waiting for! Finally I had the chance to take 2 months off work and do some serious travelling! I had already been travelling in Southeast Asia many times, mostly island hopping in Thailand so this time I wanted to travel around a lot more. I did not have any specific plans made in advance but I knew that in addition to Thailand I also wanted to explore Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore, and visit friends along the way.

Bangkok, Thailand

My first destination was Bangkok. During my previous visits to Bangkok I had already explored most of the must-see sights of Bangkok so this time just decided to take it easy, chill out at the hotel rooftop swimming pool as well as concentrate on the entertainment and shopping scene of the city. I went on a shopping spree around the world at Terminal 21 and found local treasures at Chatuchak Weekend Market. At Asiatique I was entertained by a ladyboy cabaret show after which I headed up to Octave Rooftop Lounge and Bar on the 47th floor of the Marriot Hotel Sukhumvit to admire the sun set over Bangkok while enjoying some cold drinks.

• Further reading: Top Things to Do and See in Bangkok

Siem Reap & Angkor, Cambodia

From Bangkok I flew Air Asia to Siem Reap in Cambodia. Siem Reap is the gateway to the historical Unesco World Heritage site of Angkor, the largest religious complex in the world and one of the most important archaeological sites of Southeast Asia.