Nina and Jimena magazine

travel times
THAILAND EDITION
EDITION N° 7
MAY 31, 2020
what to do
during your
stay in thailand
+ useful tips

THE AUTHORS
NINA RAIGOSA
EDITOR
JIMENA GONZALEZ
PUBLISHER
PAGE 1

INDEX
Cities to visit
Landmarks
Food and Dining
Activities
Tips
PAGE 2

CITIES TO VISIT
KRABI
A small city in the Malay peninsula,
Krabi Town is an authentic and
cheap place for you to get to know
the local Thai culture. Whether it is
wandering around the local night
markets or getting a soothing Thai
massage; Krabi Town is a nice place
to spend a couple of days.
PHUKET
Phuket is the island for
the beach bums and party
people, well-known for its
high life, party scenes, and
relaxation
CHIANG RAI
Chiang Rai is located in the far north
of the country and is most famous
for the jaw-droppingly beautiful
White Temple that shines so brightly
in the midday sun. Incredible to
behold, the temple really needs to be
seen to be believed with its unique
features and dazzling architecture.
PAGE 3

Bangkok’s Old Town Offers
Art, Culture, Shopping,
and Plenty of Great Food.
By: Ashley Niedringhaus
Nang Loeng Market is a must-visit in Bang
kok — but the immediate sois (that’s Thai for
streets) surrounding the market are dotted
with unremarkable government buildings, so
venture further afield once you’ve had your fill.
Many of the city’s first roads were built in this
part of the city, known as Old Town, which
most locals recognize as real Bangkok. Head
southwest on these original roads (the pocked
and busted sidewalks are a testament to
their age) where Thai-Chinese temples, early
20th-century shophouses and lotus vendors
chatting with young monks are common snapshots.
The city’s art scene makes for a fantastic day of
gallery hopping. One of the best in this part of
town is the Queen’s Gallery, which showcases
rising Thai talents and more established names
within a striking five-story, Brutalist-style
structure. In addition to promoting bimonthly
gallery nights, a passionate group of locals is
pushing for more awareness of Thai and Asian
artists. Their self-guided gallery tour kicks off
in the creative district, which is a ten-minute
taxi ride from the market.
Climbing the 300-plus steps up Wat Saket,
known as the Golden Mount, is ambitious in
the Bangkok heat, but the payoff is sweeping
views of the Grand Palace and Chinatown.
Those who prefer paying tribute to
the gods of commercialism rather
than Buddhism will delight in the
quality and craftsmanship of the
master jewelers and gemologists
at S.J. International; keep an eye
out for pieces by Kavant & Sharart
which have a more contemporary
aesthetic.
By this point, anyone following the
frenetic eating schedule of the locals
will be ready for another meal. Enter
Krua Apsorn on Sam Sen Road,
where stir-fried mussels with basil
(hoi malang pad chaa) delight and
the crab omelette outpaces nearby
Jay Fai of Michelin and Netflix
fame.
Alternatively, grab a colorful taxi
to Lebua at State Tower. Skip the
crowds and selfies at SkyBar and
beeline for the bubbles and views
at Pink Bar, home to the city’s largest
collection of champagne by the
glass and Perrier-Jouët’s first-ever
private label.
Next door is Chef ’s Table, the new
home of Michelin-lauded chef
Vincent Thierry, who left the threestar
Caprice in Hong Kong in 2018.
In a sleek setting with expert wine
pairings, Thierry combines Europe’s
best imports with regional gems,
like butter from Khao Yai.
PAGE 4

LANDMARKS
GRAND PALACE AND
WAT PHRA KAEW,
BANGKOK
Best time to visit: November-April
WAT ARUN, BANGKOK
Best time to visit: November-April
WAT PRAHAT DOI
SUTHEP, CHIANG MAI
Best time to visit: Year-round
PAGE 5

WAT RONG KHUN,
CHIANG RAI
Best time to visit: December-February
MAYA BAY
Best time to visit: November-April
If you can only choose one... We recommend Maya Bay
Maya Bay is a stunningly beautiful bay that’s sheltered by 100-meter
high cliffs on three sides. Inside the bay there are several beaches, most
are small and some only exist at low tide. The main one is around 200
meters long with silky soft white sand, underwater colorful coral and exotic
fish in exceptionally clear water; the whole bay is one big reef.
Maya Bay has become the main tourist attraction of Phi Phi since The
Beach was filmed here in 1999. It was always very popular before the
film but now people around the world who haven’t even heard of Phi
Phi have certainly heard of Maya Bay.
PAGE 6

2
1
food and
dining
4
3
5
PAGE 7

1 2
Khao Niew Mamuang
Best served in: Kor Panich, Bangkok
End your meals on a sweet note with this
lovely treat! Indulge in juicy mango slices
and a sticky rice drenched in coconut
cream or condensed milk — just thinking
about this Thai food dessert makes me
crave for it instantly. When you get to
taste it, you’ll surely understand what I
mean!
Tom Kha Gai
Best served in: Nalin Kitchen, Bangkok
This sweet and tangy soup dish is another
safe bet for travelers! If you’re
curious, this Thai food dish is made
of chicken strips, chili, galangal, lemongrass,
shallots, and lime that are
cooked in coconut milk for a tasty
meal.
Pad Thai
Best served in: Pad Thai Thip Samai,
Bangkok
These rice noodles are stir-fried with
tofu, bean sprouts, eggs, and either
shrimp or chicken followed by some other
seasonings like chili, fish sauce, ground
peanuts, and sugar. If I may add a tip,
add a dash of lime juice before digging
in!
3
Gaeng Keow Wan Gai
Best served in: Sanguan Sri Restaurant,
Bangkok
For the spiciest curry you can get, look
no further than the gaeng keow wan gai!
Slices of chicken, Thai eggplant, bamboo
shoots, coriander, and basil is combined
with the flavourful green curry paste
that’s a combination of coconut milk,
green chili, kaffir lime, galangal, shrimp
paste, cilantro, lemongrass, and other
5
spices.
PAGE
4
Yum Pla Duk Foo
Best served in: Krok Restaurant, Bangkok
Here’s another play on contrasting
textures and flavors when it comes to
Thai Food! So make sure to snack on
this crunchy and fluffy deep-fried catfish
together with tangy green mango
salad. It would surely make for a great
appetizer to have when visiting Thailand.
8

VISIT A FLOATING MARKET
CHIANG MAI NIGHT SAFARI
ELEPHANT NATURE PARK
PAGE 9

You Can Sleep With Elephants
You Can Sleep With Elephants
Under the the Stars Stars in in a ‘Jungle a ‘Jungle Bub-
Bubble’ in Thailand
ble’ in Thailand
BY STACEY LEASCA
The Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant
Camp & Resort in northern Thailand is
giving the term “close to nature” a whole
new meaning.
The stunning resort is gaining major
buzz, thanks to its transparent luxury
bubble suites, called Jungle Bubbles,
which happen to be located in an area
heavily trafficked by local elephants. That
means guests will likely wake up each
morning with a curious pachyderm or
two staring them down.
According to the property, the unique
236-square-foot bubbles were designed
by Eye in the Sky and constructed with
high-tech polyester fabric to ensure their
integrity over time.
Inside, the bubbles are air-conditioned
to maximize comfort, and feature a large
bedroom with a king bed and living
space with a seating area. And don’t worry
about having to go to the bathroom in
the middle of the night and accidentally
running into an elephant, as there is a
full en-suite (and nontransparent) bathroom
as well.
In fact, guests never have to leave the
transparent dome, as staff will bring
along a dinner basket, so visitors can
watch the sun go down while animals
cruise by.
Oh, and by the way, these aren’t just any
elephants. According to the property,
the 22 elephants living on the grounds
have been rescued from Thailand’s city
streets and now get to live out their days
in total peace.
Guests can get even more insight into
their animal neighbors during one of
the property’s Walking With Giants
tours. On the tour, guests will take part
in a walk accompanied by either a vet
or biologist to learn about “how these
intelligent creatures think and behave,”
Etienne De Villiers, Anantara’s cluster
director of public relations, explained to
Apartment Therapy. De Villiers added,
“Guests can observe the elephants’
social interaction in their native habitat.
The fun of either a river bath or mud
playtime demonstrates just how cheeky
these graceful animals can be.”
Book a stay at the resort, adding a night
in a bubble suite for $585/night for two
people.
PAGE 10

ESSENTIAL TRAVELING TIPS
Thailand is very much a cashbased
society. There’s certainly
little point heading to a market,
for example, with a credit card.
WEAR COMFORTABLE
FOOTWEAR
WEAR APPROPIATE
ATTIRE
Wearing shoes that are easy
to slip on and off can be really
convenient for days of cultural
sightseeing.
Many cultural sites won’t allow
people inside if they are seen as
being improperly dressed.
ANTICIPATE LANGUAGE
BARRIERS
There are some common scams
and tricks that abound in Thailand’s
tourist areas.
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