This is short description of a recent tour which me and my family had in first week October, 2017. We had been to Thailand, visiting Bangkok & Phuket. As I write this blog I am also giving details for anyone else who may be interested in visiting these cities.

VISA on arrival

Only thing that you need is as follows

Passports should be valid for 6 months
Couple recent photographs
Fill Visa on arrival form
Fill Arrival form (which you will get from the plane)
20K THB

Check out here

I also used Premium Flight Service (BFS), which hastened my VISA on Arrival process since there will be somebody waiting for you at arrival who will escort you through this whole process as part of BFS.

I used the Bangkok Airport Limousine Service for drop to Hotel which is a prepaid service which costed me 1200 THB.

Stay at Bangkok

We stayed in Radisson Blu Plaza in Bangkok. I booked it through Booking.com. Stay was very comfortable and pleasant. It is centrally located in Sukhumvit Road which is the main shopping district of Bangkok. Good place for shopping enthusiasts.

Spacious Rooms

In front of Lobby - Sid, Aparna's father, Aparna

Sitting in Hotel Lobby

At Twenty Seven Bites Restaurant for breakfast buffet

Sid in Swimming Pool

Nice view from Swimming Pool

At China Gate restaurant for dinner

Restaurants in the hotel were good. We visited Twenty Seven Bites and China Gate. There are several malls near the hotel. We had visited Terminal 21. There are lot of eateries also near the hotel.

Terminal 21

Sid in front of Terminal 21

While shopping in Terminal 21

Visit to Temple in Wat Pho, Bangkok

I had used viator to find some good tours and I chose the following

Private Tour: Bangkok Temples Including Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho

Bangkok's Grand Palace Complex and Wat Phra Kaew Tour

First trip was really good. I could observe influence of Hinduism and Indian culture on Thailand. Right from the way they greet which is like 'Namaste'. We saw Shiva, Ganesha, Vishnu, Devi, Garuda, all being worshipped by Thai. Our tour guide Nui, was very good. He patiently explained about history of these temples and also gave tour of Bangkok city as we moved from one temple to the other. Bangkok is clean and everyone follows traffic rules. Something India should do....

Sadly because of demise of King Bhumibhol Adulyateg second trip did not happen because Grand Palace was closed.

Reclining Buddha - Like Anandashayana

Aparna's father infront of Golden Buddha, made of pure 24 carat Gold

Temple architecture

Sid in front of reclining Buddha

Pagodas

Wall of Grand Palace which we could not visit

With Nui our tour guide

Vishu on Garuda

Phuket Visit

From Bangkok we travelled to Phuket. It is an hour and half flight from Bangkok to Phuket. I had booked airport pick up though viator. It was done by MyPhuketHoliday . Driver Danny who picked us up from Phuket Airport was also a guide. As he drove us to Holiday Inn he told us there are some good places to visit in Phuket like the Tiger Park, Big Buddha, etc and I signed up for a 4 hour tour with him. He also took as to a nice local Thai Restaurant on our way to Big Buddha which had a good view of Phuket and served good food. Would like to thank Danny for the trip for which he charged us 2000 THB.

Tiger in action

Thai Restaurant

Big Buddha

Stay at Phuket

We stayed at Holiday Inn resort. It is located near Patong beach and is an hour and a half from Phuket airport. It was a wonderful stay, from hotel it is a few seconds walk to Patong beach.

I found some times the people were rude to us, I am not sure why. Couple of times I had to ask them "Are'nt you taught how to behave to tourist?"

Holiday Inn

Terrazo Restaurant-Holiday Inn

Trip to Phi Phi Island

I went with this tour by V-Marine Tour, Phuket. It is a morning to evening tour where we will visit 3 islands Maya, Bamboo Island and Phi Phi Don Island. Speed boat trip is comfortable. If you love swimming and snorkeling, please do not forget your swimming suite. It was a very good experience and tour is very professionally organised. Our tour guide Bheem was a nice chap!!! We visited Half Moon Bay which all of us have seen in many movies.