In July and August 2025, we want to travel to Southeast Asia for three weeks. Which country will we visit? Or will we take a multi-country tour? It's a difficult decision...
According to the internet, Thailand is the ideal country for travelers who have no experience with Southeast Asia: it's easy to travel and very tourist-oriented. Is that something for us? In 2000, as a teenager, I visited Thailand with my parents and my brother. In 2008, I went to Indonesia on honeymoon with my newlywed husband. Does that count as "experience with Southeast Asia"? It was all a long time ago... To be safe, I'll assume we're new Asia travelers. So, THAILAND it will be!
Because we also want to see a bit of the less touristy Asia, we decide to combine travelling through Thailand with a few days in Cambodia.
I've read on several websites that this region isn't such a good idea in our summer, because of the rainy season. We decide not to worry about it. Hopefully, it won't be too bad when we get there. We are, however, buying four rain ponchos.
- Phnom Penh
day 1: Royal Palace – Silver Pagoda
day 2: Tuol Sleng prison – Killing Fields - from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
- Siem Reap: Angkor
- Pak Chong
day 1: Bats
day 2: Khao Yai National Park - Ayutthaya – night train
- Chiang-Mai
day 1: the old city – streetfoodtour
day 2: Sticky Waterfalls
day 3: elephants – flight to Surat Thani - Khao Sok – Cheow Lan Lake
day 1: Cheow Lan Lake
day 2: Cheow Lan Lake – Coral Cave - from Khao Sok to Koh Samui
- Koh Samui
day 1, 2 and 3: Pig Island, snorkling but above all relaxing - Bangkok
day 1: Mahanakhon Building – Lumpini Park – Chinatown
day 2: Grand Palace – Wat Pho – Klong Tour
day 3: Iconsiam shopping mall – back home
CAMBODIA
Phnom Penh
day 1: Royal Palace – Silver Pagoda
Thai Airways offers direct flights from Brussels to Bangkok. From there, we fly another two hours to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. When we arrive, we're all quite tired. We've been traveling for about 18 hours in total and our body clocks are set at 3:00 AM. However, it's 8:00 AM and no one here is thinking about sleeping. It's extremely busy everywhere, especially the traffic.
We take a Grab from the airport to the hotel and immediately notice how friendly the people are. However, we also immediately notice that you can't get anywhere without cash, especially small bills. We had withdrawn money at the airport: US dollars, $50 bills and $100 bills. I had read beforehand that Cambodian riel and US dollar are used interchangeably in Cambodia. "We're good," I thought. Wrong. According to the Grab app, the ride from the airport to the hotel costs us 31,000 riel, which is about $7.50 (or €6.50). The driver who picks us up doesn't speak a word of English. We show him a $50 bill. The man shakes his head. We suspect he can't give back on such a large bill. With a few gestures, we try to make it clear that we don't have anything else on us. Our driver doesn't make a fuss and just starts driving. Along the way, he stops at a bank and gestures for me to follow. At the ATM, he helps me exchange the $50 for smaller bills. Problem solved!
After an hour of slow driving, we arrive at our hotel: Plantation Urban Resort and Spa, an oasis of calm amidst the hustle and bustle. We receive a very warm welcome with a warm towel and a cup of tea. Our room isn't ready yet, but we're welcome to use all the facilities. In the courtyard, there's a pond with koi. There's a bowl of fish food so we can keep ourselves busy for a little while. Then we flop down on a lounge chair by the pool and before we know it, all four of us are in dreamland. We'll have to drag that jet lag along for a while.
After a refreshing nap, we have lunch at the hotel restaurant and then head to our room. A beautiful, spacious room with a terrace overlooking the pool. Wonderful!
The bed looks very tempting, but the best cure for jet lag is to immediately get into the new rhythm. So we head out and visit the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, within walking distance of the hotel. We're impressed by the beautifully decorated buildings and the "Emerald Buddha" that we see. We also take a look at the waterfront. Phnom Penh is located at the confluence of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers.
We enjoy a refreshing dip in the hotel pool. It's been cloudy here all day, yet oppressively warm. The pool is beautifully situated, surrounded by trees. We enjoyed lunch, so we also go to the hotel restaurant for dinner. After that, it's time to catch up on some sleep.
day 2: Tuol Sleng prison – Killing Fields
The hotel arranges a tuk-tuk for us, $18 for the whole day. That's actually quite cheap. And the ride itself is an experience.
First, we visit Tuol Sleng Prison (the Genocide Museum) in downtown Phnom Penh, a former school building used by the Khmer Rouge as an interrogation and torture facility. We see prison cells and torture devices. Numerous information panels display hundreds of photos of innocent victims. It's hard to believe that all of this happened only 50 years ago. It all makes us very, very quiet...
From here, we head to Choeung Ek, the Killing Fields. These are located 14 km south of Phnom Penh, so it's quite a ride in our tuk-tuk. Thousands of people were gruesomely killed and buried at this location. The information we get through our audio guide is often hard to believe. To save bullets, the Khmer Rouge employed a wide range of methods to kill people: babies were thrown against trees, elderly people were beaten to death with bamboo sticks, people were left to bleed to death… Unbelievably sad. Meanwhile, it has started raining heavily, which actually suits the somberness of this place.
To end the day on a happy note, we reserved a table at the Hard Rock Café. There's a live band playing tonight and that always creates a great atmosphere.
from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
For the long drive from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, we arranged a driver in advance through "Cambodia Taxi Driver." After breakfast, we are picked up by Phat Sok, a friendly man who, in addition to being our driver, will also be our guide today. He has planned several interesting stops. The first stop is Skun Village, a small market with all sorts of local delicacies: we taste some unfamiliar fruits and also have the chance to try fried insects and spiders. We try our luck at a tarantula, but pass on the rest.
Then we head to the temples of Sambor Prei Kuk. A young guide leads us into the jungle and in her best English, explains Hinduism in detail. The temples are beautiful, but the surrounding nature is also worth seeing: parasite trees, monkeys, millipedes, termites and water buffalo.
For lunch, we go to a local restaurant. Until now, our meals have been mostly Western. This is our first taste of authentic Cambodian specialties and it is an immediate success. Meat skewers, soup and for the main course, chicken with vegetables cooked in palm leaves. Our driver is clearly eager to let us sample as much as possible: he buys us some fruit and steamed palm cakes along the way.
We make a brief stop at a bridge built in the 12th century by the Khmer regime and then head to Tonlé Sap Lake. Here, people live in stilt houses that are up to 8 meters high. Currently, children play in the streets and people ride around on bicycles and scooters, but towards the end of the rainy season, everyone travels around in boats and the water reaches the top of the stilts. We can't imagine living in such conditions ourselves, but for the people here, it's perfectly normal. Everyone is cheerful, smiling, and waving.
It's already dark when we arrive at our accommodation for the next two nights: Angkor Heart Bungalow. We have our own little house with a private pool. A friendly lady welcomes us and explains the breakfast and excursion options. Since we'll only be here for one full day, we absolutely want to visit Angkor tomorrow. The lady is doing her utmost to arrange that for us at the last minute. The sunrise is reportedly absolutely worth it. For that, we have to get up at 4 a.m. She'll find a tuk-tuk driver and a guide, and she'll provide a packed breakfast. The people here are so kind and helpful.
Siem Reap: Angkor
Getting up early is definitely worth it. The sunrise at Angkor Wat offers stunning views. It's also relatively quiet, one of the advantages of the rainy season.
Our guide first leads us through the large Angkor Wat temple and then visits several other temples in the ancient city of Angkor. We recognize one of those temples, Ta Prohm, from the movie Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie. The guide explains a lot about Buddhism and Hinduism. He also enjoys taking photos of us. We've never had so many family photos. 🙂
Shortly after noon, we conclude our visit. It's gotten really hot now and waking up early is starting to take its toll. Time to use our pool! And in the evening… Hard Rock Café number 2!
THAILAND
Pak Chong
day 1: bats
After a nice breakfast, served on the terrace of our cottage, we take a taxi to Siem Reap's brand-new airport. It's an hour's drive and the driver drives very slowly. We're starting to worry about missing our flight, but it turns out we needn't have to. The airport is practically empt, and we're served immediately everywhere.
Just today, fighting broke out between Cambodia and Thailand, triggered by conflicts in the border region. Several deaths have been reported. All border crossings are closed. We're so glad we changed our original plan a few months ago. We wanted to travel to Thailand overland, but that would have been a long journey with potentially a lot of paperwork at the border. So, we ultimately decided to book a flight. Fortunately, there's no sign of any of the problems by air.
At Bangkok airport, we're picked up by a driver from our next hotel. He takes us on a 2.5-hour drive to Pak Chong, near Khao Yai National Park. We're staying at the Khao Yai Nature Life Resort and have also booked two days of activities through them. We receive a very friendly welcome (again), this time from a woman who uses her best English for us. We don't understand everything she says, but we understand that we can have something to eat before the activity begins.
That activity involves a visit to a bat cave. We board a small van with two other families. With headlamps on our heads, we enter a dark cave. Everywhere our lamps shine, we see bats hanging. It's warm in the cave and smells musty. It's interesting to see, but it shouldn't last too long. The fresh air afterwards is a welcome relief.
We then drive a little further to a field from which we have a view of the cave entrance. As dusk falls, a few bats fly out, more and more until a virtual swarm of thousands of creatures circles in the sky. We keep taking photos. It's very impressive.
day 2: Khao Yai National Park
Our hotel room last night was a bit basic: the mattress was like a board and the shower head (which you had to hold by hand) only produced a meager trickle of lukewarm water. Plus, there was a lizard in our room. Now, we love animals, but the idea of a small reptile crawling across your face while you sleep isn't conducive to a good night's sleep. We're not that adventurous after all 😉
Still, we all show up for breakfast full of enthusiasm. A day of natural beauty is on the agenda. We take a jeep for an hour to the park entrance. From the very first moment, we see monkeys and soon after, an elephant. It's striking that things are done very differently here than what we saw in South Africa. There, everything was very strictly regulated. The vehicles had to drive at walking pace and keep their distance from the animals. The parks gave us a sense of tranquility. Here, the vehicles race down the roads as soon as an elephant is reported over the radio. Everyone rushes to the same spot. When we arrive near the elephant, we see a mass of cars gathered together. People climb onto their vehicles to get a better view. A police car escorts the elephant onto the road, keeping people at a distance until the animal decides to retreat back into the overgrown verge. What a crowd!
We take a three-hour trek through the jungle, accompanied by a guide. He first gives us special socks to protect us from leeches and ticks. During the walk, he points out special insects, giant spiders, and brightly colored birds. He's clearly well-trained, because he notices many things that would have simply passed us by.
After lunch, we visit a waterfall. This park is home to the waterfall where the movie "The Beach" was filmed, but it's inaccessible due to fallen trees. Fortunately, there's another waterfall that's just as worth a visit. (And it provides a good workout, as we have to climb quite a few stairs.)
We drive around the park for a while longer, seeing lots of animals and driving up to a viewpoint. We arrive back at the hotel just as it's getting dark.
Ayutthaya – night train
As we leave Pak Chong, we see tanks being transported to the Cambodian border. We're glad we're now traveling west, further away from all the danger.
We arranged a driver through the hotel to take us to Ayutthaya train station, a journey of about three hours. From there, we'll take the train to Chiang Mai in the north tonight. There are plenty of tuk-tuks parked at the station. One of the drivers approaches us and immediately offers his services. He shows us the luggage storage area where we can store our suitcases, books us a table for tonight at the station restaurant and shows us a brochure listing all the sights in the city. We indicate what we'd like to visit and agree on a price.
The tuk-tuk takes us from one temple to the next. Along the way, we also make a short stop at the Million Toy Museum. Not a must-see, but nice for a change. After four hours, we've had enough. We're dropped off back at the station. Across the street is a Seven Eleven where we stock up on cookies and chips, as well as some water, a "survival kit" for the night train. Afterward, we eat at the station. The food is delicious and it's also convenient that we can stay seated without any problem until the train departs. The people here don't mind us taking up a table.
At 7:40 PM, the train pulls into the station. Everything is perfectly organized. There's plenty of staff to show us where to stand on the platform, so we can board the right car straight away. I'd expected it to be very crowded, but it wasn't that bad. The beds on the train are already folded out and the restroom is very clean. I have read beforehand that "train 9" is the best option, and that turns out to be absolutely correct.
Chiang Mai
day 1: the old city – streetfoodtour
After a wonderful night's sleep on the train, we're already on the platform in Chiang Mai at 7 a.m. At the station exit a large group of taxi drivers are jostling to offer their services. The woman who finally takes us to our hotel also makes plenty of suggestions for the days ahead. She can take us wherever we want. We promise to think about it and she gives us her phone number so we can contact her if we'd like to go on a trip with her.
It's still early, so of course our room isn't ready yet at the Thai Akara Lanna Boutique Hotel. It's a beautiful hotel, but the welcome is a bit more reserved than we've been used to these past few days. We can leave our luggage in the lobby and then look for a place to have breakfast. With a little help from Tripadvisor, we find the "Fern Forest Café": cozy decor, good coffee and delicious pastries.That's all we need!
Afterwards, we take a stroll through the old town and visit several temples. There are supposedly over 100 in this part of town, so we are spoiled for choice. In the afternoon, it's time for some rest in our room and a dip in the beautiful pool.
We've booked a Street Food Tour for tonight. We like to play it safe when it comes to food and we were worried we wouldn't dare to try Thai food for the entire trip. This way, we have to step out of our comfort zone a bit. Our guide, Goal, takes us, along with another family, to various markets. We go from stall to stall, sampling all sorts of Thai specialties. Some dishes are more appealing than others, but by the end of the evening, our bellies are well and truly full.
day 2: Sticky Waterfalls
We contacted the taxi lady last night to arrange a program for today and tomorrow.
After breakfast, we're picked up to drive to the Bua Thong Waterfalls, better known as the "Sticky Waterfalls." Along the way, we first stop at a butterfly and orchid farm. Then we stop at the "Longnecks," a hill tribe where the women wear rings around their necks. We have an uneasy feeling about this visit. It feels like we're participating in disaster tourism. But the people here seem to find it perfectly normal for tourists to come and have a look. They try to sell some homemade items and the children even ask to have their pictures taken. Finally... the highlight of the day: the Sticky Waterfalls. Due to a certain substance in the rock, the rocks are rough. You can walk right up, even though water is flowing down and the ground seems very slippery. We make the climb twice. Super cool!
In the afternoon, we take another dip in the hotel pool and then it's time for... a Hard Rock Café! We have a habit of visiting every Hard Rock Café we encounter while traveling and taking home a pin each time. On this trip, there are no fewer than four (!) pins to collect.
day 3: elephants – flight to Surat Thani
In the Chiang Mai region, all sorts of elephant activities can be booked. We absolutely don't want to contribute to animal-unfriendly practices, so we first did some research online. The organization we're being taken to today is said to treat the animals very respectfully. The elephants have been rescued from miserable conditions. They are free to roam the area and are not chained. Of course, they know where to get food. We're taken by jeep to a hut in the mountains. There, we're allowed to cut fruit for the elephants and make "vitamin balls." The elephants wait impatiently for us to finish and feed them. After their meal, we go to a river where the elephants are bathing. It's not entirely clear who was washed more thoroughly: us or the elephants.
We're offered a delicious Thai lunch by the river. Our driver sits down with us and chats away. Afterward, he takes us safely to the airport. Our flight to Surat Thani leaves with a slight delay. We'll be staying at the Aiem-Wilae guesthouse, a very simple place with very friendly owners. The guesthouse is a fifteen-minute drive from the airport, and the driver will pick us up. It's already dark and there's not much to do in the area. Luckily, we've already had a hearty meal this afternoon and still have some cookies in our suitcase. That should see us through until tomorrow morning.
Khao Sok – Cheow Lan Lake
day 1: Cheow Lan Lake
We're picked up early by a driver, arranged by our next accommodation. He takes us to Khao Sok National Park, specifically to a reservoir, Cheow Lan Lake. We stop at a busy spot by the water: lots of cars, people with suitcases, shops... Luckily, the driver knows exactly where we need to go. He takes us to a bar where our guide is already waiting for us. We'll be spending the next few days in a hotel on the water, a little paradise. All meals are included, as are some activities. We opted for a private boat and a private guide. The price difference was very reasonable and we don't like being in large crowds.
I was a bit worried about our suitcases beforehand. The plan is to travel to the resort by longtail boat, a very narrow boat. Getting on board elegantly without luggage isn't easy. So I wonder how that will work with suitcases. Clearly I was worrying for nothing! The boat driver and our guide easily carry our suitcases on board and later back to the dock. We don't have to do a thing.
Around noon, we're settled into our cottage. There's a small terrace with a few chairs and a hammock. From here, we can dive right into the refreshing water. Wonderful! We'll first have a delicious lunch and then enjoy the peace and quiet. A boat trip is planned for the evening between the towering limestone cliffs. The weather changes very quickly here. We set off under gray clouds, then get caught in a heavy downpour, only to be able to enjoy the sun and sunset again five minutes later.
After dinner we head to our room. The resort is even more beautiful when the lights are on.
day 2: Cheow Lan Lake – Coral Cave
Na een ochtendlijk boottochtje en een ontbijtbuffet, bezoeken we een grot in de buurt van het meer. Eigenlijk stond deze uitstap gisteren gepland, maar er waren olifanten gesignaleerd en dan kan de uitstap niet doorgaan. We moeten namelijk eerst een eindje stappen door de jungle en dat is niet veilig als er olifanten in de buurt zijn. We kunnen goed zien waar de olifanten gisteren voorbij gekomen zijn. We zien pootafdrukken, uitwerpselen en een heleboel vernielde planten. Die dieren richten behoorlijk wat schade aan tijdens hun doortocht. Een bamboevlot zet ons over naar de grot. Stralend zonnetje op de weg er naartoe, stortregen op de terugweg. Zei ik al dat het weer hier snel kan omslaan?
Onze gids (een jonge twintiger) is erg in de weer voor onze tienerdochters. Hij brengt hen een paraplu op het bamboevlot. Wij mogen in de regen blijven zitten 😉
In the cave we are once again impressed by everything that nature can create: beautiful stalagmites and stalactites, in which our guide recognizes all kinds of figures.
In the afternoon there is time for swimming, reading, playing games… We also use the kayaks that the hotel provides free of charge.
The meals here are delicious. Breakfast is buffet-style and has a more Western feel. Lunch and dinner are Thai. Several bowls and dishes are placed on the table: soup, meat, fish, vegetables… You take whatever you like and can ask for more. Dessert is always included.
from Khao Sok to Koh Samui
After another boat trip on the lake, it's time to say goodbye to our local guide. We take another look at the dam on the lake and then a driver takes us to the ferry. A two-hour drive, followed by an hour and a half by boat. Fortunately, everything goes very smoothly. We arrive at the harbor early and are allowed to take an earlier ferry. On Koh Samui, we immediately grab a taxi. By 3 p.m., we're already at our next destination.
Prana Resort Nandana is a sprawling hotel with several swimming pools, right on the beach. We are warmly welcomed with a drink and then shown to our room. This time, there are two connecting rooms. So, we have two bathrooms and two balconies. It is nice to have more space for the next few days.
Aside from some snacks on the boat, we didn't have lunch this afternoon. After testing one of the pools, we decide to eat right away. A taxi takes us to Ficherman's Village in five minutes. There are restaurants lined up next to each other, so there is plenty to choose from. We finally end up at an Italian restaurant with a beautiful view of the water and delicious pizzas.
Koh Samui
day 1, 2 and 3: Pig Island, snorkling but above all relaxing
After the hustle and bustle of the past few days and all the traveling back and forth, we're mainly relaxing on Koh Samui. We enjoy a generous breakfast buffet at the hotel every day. We spend a lot of time by the pool. One pool is enclosed by the hotel. The other is across the street, near the beach. A hotel employee stands on the street, ensuring everyone can cross safely. Spaces by the pool are rather limited. We always manage to find a spot, but it sometimes takes a while for the four of us to lie down together. The first afternoon, we arrange a Thai massage at the hotel's wellness center. The second day, we take a morning excursion. We visit "Pig Island," an island full of (very social) pigs and we go snorkeling. We usually eat at the hotel. The poolside restaurant has an extensive menu and everything we order is delicious.
Bangkok
day 1: Mahanakhon Building – Lumpini Park – Chinatown
At 4:45 a.m. we leave for the airport on Koh Samui. The airport is completely open air. Check-in, waiting areas, gates… Everything is outside. Crazy!
In Bangkok, we're immediately confronted with the hellish traffic. The 30 km journey takes us almost an hour and a half. Our hotel is peacefully situated on the river. We get a huge room on the 23rd floor with a beautiful view of the Chao Phraya River. It feels like an apartment, with a living room, a kitchen, two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
After a half-hour rest, we set off. We take a taxi to the Mahanakhon Building, which has an observation deck on the 78th floor, 314 meters high. There's also a glass platform you can stand on, which is quite a thrill.
On the 4th floor, there's a kind of hall of mirrors with all sorts of light effects. It's included in our entrance ticket, so we decide to take it in.
Then we take the BTS (a metro line that runs high above the streets) to Lumpini Park, Bangkok's "Central Park." There are many monitor lizards roaming around, some of them quite large.
We finish in Chinatown. We brave the crowds and stroll past all sorts of stalls. Plenty of choice for those who want to try Chinese street food. We play it safe and finish at… I almost don't dare to write it… An Italian restaurant…
day 2: Grand Palace – Wat Pho – Klong Tour
The boat from our hotel takes us to Sathorn Pier in 5 minutes. From there, we take an express boat ('yellow flag') upriver to the Grand Palace: many richly decorated buildings close together. Some decorations are truly beautiful and detailed, others are rather bombastic. In one building, we see an emerald Buddha statue. We're not allowed to wear shorts or bare shoulders in the palace. At times, the heat is truly brutal. It's also quite sunny, which doesn't help.
Next stop: Wat Pho, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. It's an impressive, golden statue. We also make an offering to a monk at this temple (rice sold on-site). This allows us to participate in a Sai Sin ceremony: a blessing administered by a monk. We are sprinkled with holy water and given a red wristband. Afterward, we visit the Buddha himself. He's enormous, made of gold, very tall and has large feet.
Enough temples for this trip! We take a boat trip through the Klongs, the so-called "old town," but actually mostly shabby houses with the occasional beautiful temple or Buddha. Monitor lizards live here too. They swim between the houses and we can imagine the residents occasionally encounter one in their homes. Brrr…
Time for a dip in the pool. We have a reservation at 7 p.m. at the Hard Rock Café, the fourth and last one of this trip. The restaurant is located 7 km from our hotel. We take a Grab at 6:15 p.m. and reach our destination at 7:30 p.m. The traffic here is unbearable. Fortunately, the restaurant is still practically empty. People eat later here and Hard Rock Cafés are definitely less popular than in Western countries. Still, there's plenty of ambiance! There's another band playing well-known songs and you can make requests. A very nice ending to a wonderful trip.
day 3: Iconsiam shopping mall – back home
The hotel boat takes us in 10 minutes to Iconsiam, a huge eight-story shopping mall. We can easily spend half a day here. We paid a little extra for a late checkout and don't have to leave our hotel room until 6 p.m. Our flight doesn't leave until around midnight, otherwise it would have been a really long day. Now we can calmly pack all our suitcases and even take a shower. We take a taxi to the airport. There we eat McDonald's (our first one this trip!!) and try to keep our eyes open until it's time to board. We have a direct flight from Bangkok to Brussels with Thai Airways. Very convenient! The return flight goes smoothly; we even get some sleep and land in Brussels right on time, 7 a.m. local time.
Plan yourself?
Itching to get out and about? All the practical tips about transportation, accommodations and activities can be found in the "Practical" section. You'll also find transparent information about the costs there:
Cambodia and Thailand practical