{"id":9011,"date":"2017-01-24T15:00:33","date_gmt":"2017-01-24T20:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/?p=9011"},"modified":"2021-03-02T13:15:36","modified_gmt":"2021-03-02T18:15:36","slug":"trekking-temples-tan-lines-thailand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/blog\/trekking-temples-tan-lines-thailand\/","title":{"rendered":"Trekking, Temples, and Tan Lines in Thailand"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trekking, Temples, and Tan Lines in Thailand<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There’s no doubt that Thailand<\/a> is rapidly becoming more desirable, accessible, and affordable. However, this increasing convenience comes at a price. So if you are looking to find an exotic hot spot before it becomes too crowded, don’t delay – book yourself a ticket today.<\/span><\/p>\n

The best time to visit Thailand is during the winter – not only for a tropical escape from the snow, but also because the heat is not so intense that you can’t stand being outside. You will most likely arrive in Bangkok (BKK), where you must stand in line to await admittance via immigration services. \u00a0Luckily, American citizens can receive a 30-day visa on arrival, making the process less painful than some other countries. Hopefully, this will go a bit faster for you than it did for me, since I was arriving from East Africa and had to undergo additional screening (thank you, proof of vaccines!). Once you receive your visa, you can exit baggage claim and grab a taxi downtown. I recommend spending 3 nights at most in Bangkok. This is enough time to check out the major temples of Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Wat Saket, Wat Traimit, Wat Mahatat, Wat Suthat, Wat Benja, and Way Prayoon. You can also check out some of the local nightlife and grab a drink at Octave, or another rooftop bar, and breathe in the city lights from above. After that, I strongly suggest you get out of Bangkok and really see what Thailand has to offer.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you’re an adventurer like me, you should get a tour guide and spend a few days trekking through the rural parts of this beautiful country. I spent 6 days trekking through the western portion of the city. We camped outside and even stayed in an isolated village where the local people spoke a totally different language from the local Thai. It was tough work hiking through the hilly landscape but, luckily, our guide let us spend some time jumping into the river and exploring a waterfall. There are a number of companies out there that offer this service, so you can do research to figure out which is right for you.<\/span><\/p>\n