Ever since the devaluation of the Egyptian pound, life as we know it ceased to exist, especially when it comes to traveling. Naturally, humans of Egypt have scoured the lands and seas to find a place that they can roam freely without worrying about such things; you know, like visa procedures and not having to sell one of your kidneys to afford traveling — thus, the option of Thailand came to be.
On paper, traveling to Thailand seemed like a superb choice, mostly because of how-budget friendly it is. However, all of that fades to nothing when we realize the following things: a) we’ve never been there before. b) they speak many foreign languages. c) real life is not an Eat, Pray, Love movie and we’re going to need some serious help; which is where Travco Holidays comes into place.
After contacting them, we soon found out that the travel agency were on a mission to promote tourism in Thailand. We, of course, were on board because not only were the travel giants joining forces with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, they were also taking care of everything; from visa assistance to booking air tickets, accommodation, transportation and much more.
After embarking on this ever-so beautiful journey with Travco Holidays that further proved how important it is to travel with a trustworthy agency, we’ve returned with a listicle — a very important one — of things to do when visiting Thailand.
Street food is a must
Okay so, you may have had Thai green curry before and it may have been the best thing you’ve ever tasted — but you still need to try Thai street food. Not only is it incredibly cheap, but it’s delicious. We’re more of adventurous foodies so we braved up and eaten stuff such as raw crab salads, and fried insects (which tasted like chicken).
If you aren’t, you’ll still enjoy the much safer options such as pad see eiw (the equivalent of spaghetti and meatballs of Thai cuisine), kai jeow (omelette served over rice) and sai ooah (sausages cooked with Thai spices). Meals usually cost around 40-90 Thai bahts, which is around 21-49 Egyptian pounds.
Immersing yourself in a new culture
Buddhism in Thailand is largely of the Theravada school, which is followed by 93.6% of the population. Immersing myself in this religion was a one of a kind experience. From the the spectacular temples (Grand Palace and Wat Pho) to its monks, it was truly something.
Our favorite Buddhist-related experience, however, was taking part in one Dana, of their ancient customs. Every morning, Most Thai people — if not all — give something away to the monks or leave it in front of a temple. It could be something as small as a juice box or a cigarette. The main point is that the thing you’re giving away has never been consumed or used in any way, and being part of this tradition that embodies giving back to those in need in its simplest form was amazing.
The friendly locals
They’re always happy, always smiling, and always helpful. They’ll assist you if you’re in trouble and help translate for you if you can’t speak Thai, and when that doesn’t work out, Travco Holidays will always be right there with you — making sure nothing was needed from your end.
We also picked up on “mai pen rai,” which is a common used phrase that means “it’s okay” and “don’t worry.” We loved how much they used it an how reassuring it made us feel.
Visit Phuket
Phuket is basically the largest island in Thailand. A quarter of a million people call it their home, and we were glad that we were able to do so as well, even if it was for a short time.
You’ll find great beaches that look like they were made for Instagram, and amazing activities such as taking cooking classes and learning how to make hearty Thai food, exploring the island on a motorbike, and getting sun-kissed at Patong Beach (the most popular at Phuket). Needless to say, the good guys from Travco Holidays sorted out transportation (and everything else that needed sorting out).
We would also recommend visiting Wat Chalong, which happens to be one of the most visited Buddhist temples in the country; as well as Funtasea, a fun far with shops and traditional Thai street performers.
The Sky Bar from The Hangover ll
Yes, bits of The Hangover ll was filmed here but this isn’t particularly while you need to visit it. Upon entering the venue, you’ll feel like you’re on top of Thailand — the panoramic view is out of this world, and the bar shuts at 1:00 am which guarantees a good night.
Food may have not been the best, but the drinks are to die for, especially the Hangovertini; a drink that was made for The Hangover movie. Drinks cost around 300-800 Thai bahts, which is around 161-429 Egyptian pounds — a bit costly, yes, but worth every penny. Do not forget, however, about the dress code which happens to be smart casual.