New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and if you plan to go to Thailand, then congratulations! This time of the year is the peak of the high season in Thailand meaning there are lots of people celebrating and partying everywhere from the Old City in Chiang Mai to the beaches in the south via the metropolitan of Bangkok. Below are some of the best places to ring in the new year in Thailand.
Phuket is the largest island in Thailand and one of the most popular beach destinations in Southeast Asia with over 8 million visitors last year. Being such a huge tourist destination, known for some crazy things, some people would probably think twice about going to the ‘pearl of the Andaman.’ But you can’t find what Phuket has to offer anywhere else in Thailand, and if you just do some research, you will see that Phuket is so much more than overdeveloped Patong. Below are my top 8 picks on why you should visit Phuket.
Afternoon sun at Surin Beach.
If you’re in Phuket on vacation, I totally understand if you don’t want to get up early visiting a morning wet market, which is a market selling fresh meat, fish, seafood, fruit, and vegetables. However, when my wife and I are in Phuket, we have access to a house and this day we were planning to barbeque and cooking with my wife’s family, which is why we hit the Talad Kaset morning market in Phuket Town after flying drone at Rawai Beach at sunrise. It’s always nice with a touch of local life, and if you enjoy markets like this, I recommend coming here around 07:00 or 08:00.
There are plenty of romantic getaways in Thailand, but one that stands out is Koh Yao Noi in the middle of Phang Nga Bay. This island has managed to stay surprisingly undeveloped considering its closeness to Phuket and Krabi. From golden beaches on the east coast overlooking the breathtaking sea filled with limestone cliffs to a west coast lined with mangroves and rice paddies, this could be your next dream destination.
My wife watching the rising sun.
We have visited Samet Nangshe Viewpoint daytime several times before, and now it was time to stay overnight in a tent to catch the beautiful sunrise. I also hoped to be able to shoot Milky Way at night, but it turned out to be way too cloudy and light polluted. If you decide to go camp here, don’t forget the mosquito spray!
A Thai-Muslim family has run Roti Chaofa on Chao Fa Road in Phuket Town, next to Siam Commercial Bank (where my wife worked before moving to Norway) for over 30 years. This breakfast-and-lunch place is very popular among locals, and when my wife worked at SCB, she often ate here paying less than 50 baht. Below are some Thai dishes that should be prepared by a Muslim.
Monkeys are a lot of fun, and they are so photogenic it’s ridiculous. In Thailand, you will most likely run into a few macaques, so be ready with your camera — they’re such a great subject to photograph. Just don’t get too close them as they can be aggressive, which is why you should use a camera with a bit longer focal length lens. Below are a few shots of macaques I’ve taken in Phuket and Krabi.
