Buddhas, Boats, Bubbles and Bond

Southeast Asia – Part Two

Our plan to visit Thailand blossomed from a misguided thought that it is close to California, well closer than it is to North Carolina anyway.  Stressful meetings on the west coast inspired us to recover from intense wine blending sessions in a warmer, more relaxing locale.  But what we envisioned as a single flight to Bangkok, became a seven-day journey through parts of Vietnam and Cambodia (Southeast Asia – Part One), before landing in our final destination, Thailand. 

To help create our Thailand itinerary, we watched every movie we could find that was set in the Southeast Asia country.  From “The Man with the Golden Gun,” to “Raiders of the Last Ark,” “The Beach,” and even “The Hangover Part II;” each film highlighted different areas of the nation, all equally as interesting and beautiful.  After much research, we designed an extensive program, beginning in the city of Bangkok, moving north to the jungle and into the countryside, concluding the adventure at the stunning beaches in Thailand’s south. 

Originally known as Siam, the country was renamed in the 1930s following a military coup which transformed the absolute monarchy onto a constitutional one.  The new name Thailand, meaning “Land of the Free”, symbolized the move to independence and self-governance.  Today, Thailand is a vibrant, modern culture infused with history and tradition. 

We had preset notions of Bangkok and were not surprised, or disappointed.  It is the huge, bustling, traffic-ridden metropolis we envisioned, known for ornate shrines, pulsating street life, markets, markets, and more markets.  Built along the Chao Phraya River (which is as frenetic with boat traffic as the streets are with vehicles), Bangkok has an extensive network of canals with buildings on stilts, which led to it being dubbed “the Venice of the East.”  It is Thailand’s capital city, trading center, and the country’s heartbeat. 

We took the same approach to touring in Thailand as we did in Vietnam and Cambodia; we hit the ground running, up early, out late, to experience as much as possible.  To that end, we didn’t waste a minute when arriving in Bangkok, jumping into a Tuk Tuk for a street food tour before even unpacking our bags.  The many bites and dishes were delicious, and unique.  While we have always thought that we are very open in our culinary tastes, we had to draw the line at bugs. 

The Grand Palace is considered the most famous landmark in Bangkok. It was built in 1782 and for 150 years was the home of the Thai King, the Royal court and the administrative seat of government. It was a stunning sight at night, and impressive during the day when we joined thousands of other travelers to visit the striking Palace structures.

Adjacent to the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, is one of the largest temple complexes in Thailand, and home to the Reclining Buddha.  At nearly 50 feet tall, more than 150 feet long, sporting 16-foot feet inlaid with mother of pearl, the gold-leafed Reclining Buddha was truly amazing.  But even more incredible was that unbeknownst to us, some good cruising friends were also in Bangkok, at the Reclining Buddha, just hours after us.  It really is a small world, and one where our sailing experiences continue to add to our land lives.  Sadly, our fellow sailors had already left the city on a ship bound for Cambodia, so a reunion was not possible.

We spent several more days in, and on the outskirts, of the city, traveling in longtail boats through the canals, visiting the Maeklong Railway Market and Damnoen Saduak, the largest and most famous floating market in Thailand, dining on scrumptious Thai delicacies, and trying to determine which taxi drivers could be trusted to take us to our desired destination rather than whatever direction they wanted to go.  Bangkok was a wild, eye-opening experience. 

In stark contrast to the city energy, our transition to the jungle was a fitting ride in a longtail boat on the muddy waters of the Mekong River through the Golden Triangle, the area where the countries of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet.  Known as one of the main hubs of opium production in the mid-20^th century, today the infamous locale is a tourist destination for many, and the site of massive development on the banks of the river in Laos.  Locals describe it as a Las Vegas style project with a criminal element. 

After a speedy cruise past the eyesores on the shore, we arrived at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp, a beautiful mountain sanctuary enclosed by bamboo on a ridge in Northern Thailand.  The elephant, a national treasure in Thailand, is a sacred symbol of the country. The gentle giants serve as Thailand’s official animal and play a very important role in Thai people’s life and culture. They are magnificent animals, but their function in the country’s tourism industry has been widely criticized. In an effort to change that, Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp has put elephant welfare at the forefront of their business model.  Over the years, the sanctuary has rescued dozens of elephants from abuse, and has created ethical ways for guests to learn about, and interact with, the amazing mammals.

Upon our arrival at the elephant camp, we were greeted by two gentle giants who were happy to eat the bananas and coconuts we offered. 

Over the next few days, we walked with elephants (they were surprising quiet), prepared their food, observed them from afar, even stayed a night in a Jungle Bubble where we could understand more about their nocturnal habits, which included lying down on the ground to sleep.  We would have liked to see them get back on their feet.

Between our elephant encounters, we visited the local market, dipped our fingers into the art of Thai cooking, and saw the historic horrors of the Opium crisis at The Hall of Opium. 

After a few days, we said farewell to our ginormous new friends and moved from the jungle of Chiang Rai to the mountainous countryside of Chiang Mai.  Along the way, we visited two of the Thailand’s most iconic temples, The Blue Temple and The White Temple.

Wat Rong Suea Ten, The Blue Temple, is a vision covered in a brilliant shade of sapphire, odd in a country where most temples are covered in gold.  The color is allied with wisdom, and the lack of materialism that the Buddhists desire. 

Wat Rong Khun, The White Temple, is one of the most unique temples in Thailand, although it is technically not a temple. Built in Gaudi-style architecture emulating a Buddhist temple, Wat Rong Khun is considered an art gallery.  It presents an all-white color scheme to signify the purity of the Buddha, and glass mirrors surrounding the structure represent the wisdom of the Buddha.

Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thailand.  It is a cultural and religious center where historic Buddhist temples are the main attraction.  There are some 40,000 temples (also called wats) in Thailand, 300 of which are in, and around, Chiang Mai.  While we couldn’t visit all the Chiang Mai temples, we did take in some interesting sanctuaries where they were preparing for Big Buddha Day (Makha Bucha Day), commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha.

Between temple visits, we explored the walled Old City, learned more about monks and Thai cuisine, and indulged in an elegant outdoor picnic atop the mountains outside the city.  It was a wonderful experience, but there was a moment of concern when, what we thought was a five-minute drive to the picnic site took 45 minutes, two vehicle changes, with drivers that didn’t speak English.  We wondered if anyone would pay the ransom. 

Finally ready for some time to relax, we headed south to Krabi and the paradise of Rayavadee.  It was like stepping into a Thai village, with exotic gardens, coconut groves and beautiful beaches.  But dipping our toes in the water would have to wait, as we hopped on a speedboat to see the famous Phi Phi Islands. 

The Phi Phi islands are an archipelago of six islands just 45 minutes from the mainland.  As we waded out to our boat, we noticed large jelly fish on the beach and in the water.  Plans for swimming were abandoned but we looked forward to being out on the ocean again.  The crossing to the Phi Phis was reminiscent of moving Berkeley East from Sardinia to the Maddalenas; it was a chaotic mess of boats rushing to be the first to make landfall.   The sea was rough, and it seemed as if it was our boat driver’s first time behind the wheel, as he did not know how to traverse the waves, pounding was his only skill.  So much for relaxation. 

We were still excited to see the famous Phi Phi Islands and Maya Beach, a pristine stretch of sand showcased in Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie “The Beach.”  But our visions of seclusion were dashed by the massive number of people doing the same thing we were.  While the islands were beautiful from the water, the crowds made the shore unappealing. 

Luckily, we had a quiet haven to escape to, and we spent the next couple of days swimming (in our private pool), reading, sleeping, and eating before boarding another boat for our final stop of Koh Yao Noi and Phang Nga Bay. 

We knew we could not go all the way to Thailand without seeing Phang Nga Bay, one of the world’s most spectacular national parks.  There was a time when we dreamed of sailing Berkeley East around James Bond Island, the iconic landmark there featured in the movie, “The Man with the Golden Gun.”  Since that idea was not possible, we chartered a longtail boat and set out to see what we had missed.

Phang Nga Bay is comprised of more than 100 islands, some of which are just unusual rock formations, with sheer limestone cliffs, that jut vertically out of emerald-green water.  The bay is a protected marina preserve, so boats are not allowed to get too close to the islands and landings are permitted in just a few locations. While having Berkeley East there would have been exciting, enjoying the stunning views while sipping champagne as the longtail boat’s captain navigated us through the islands was the next best thing.