From Cruise To Culture: A Cruise Holidayer Takes Thailand

As a usual cruise holiday kind of girl, our Marketing Manager, Jenny, was asked to go to Thailand by her partner Jono. As apprehensive as she was, Jenny did her research and off they went, never had she been so happy to have been proven wrong.

Thailand felt like a fever dream, sand so soft it only felt right to walk almost everywhere bare foot. The wind in your hair as you travel by longtail boats to “just that island over there”. The people who are nothing but kind, generous & also rather hilarious.

It’s fair to say Thailand has caught my heart. And here’s a brief overview of my trip that should hopefully paint the picture as to why.

Firstly, location, location, location. It’s all well and good saying “we want to go to Thailand”, till we realised just HOW big Thailand is - poor knowledge from a travel marketer, right? 

You’ve got the hustle of Bangkok, the beautiful island of Phi Phi and the night life that Phuket is renowned for. And, of course, you don’t just have to stay in one place. Many holiday makers choose to do a multi centre and stay in multiple locations throughout Thailand. But with a limited time of just 8 days… and like I say - a cruiser who isn’t one for constantly packing and unpacking, the “backpacker” holiday type didn’t appeal to me. 

So after hours of research and talking to our in-house Thailand expert Becky at Travel Village, I found a hotel and location that ticked all of my boxes. 

Centara Hotel and Spa, Ao Nang, is right on the beach. Bookended by beautiful restaurants and bars, and surrounded by sea. Behind the hotel you’ll find the infamous Ao Nang Night Markets, a short 5 minute stroll. To the left of the hotel, you may choose to brave the monkey trail, and to the right a 10 minute walk will find you able to catch a long tail boat to local islands for 100TBH each way (£2.31). 

Of course, Krabi and Ao Nang are home to rather busy centres, but we quite like a potter around the shops, and the buzz of a holiday resort strip at night. One thing that sets Krabi aside from other cities and destinations is how very safe it is. We saw travellers leave all their belongings on the beach to go for a dip in the sea, and come back to find them all intact. We never felt worried or stressed regarding our safety which is a huge win. I even felt comfortable to go out at night on my own to a local super market, which as a 20-something woman, is unfortunately a luxury in many locations!

White Sand Beaches, Towering Cliffs & drinking out of coconuts under the Thai sun certainly leaves you in a state of utter relaxation - and how better to enhance that than a Thai massage. All throughout Ao Nang there are traditional Thai massage parlours, where you lay on a mattress by the side of the street and enjoy a 1-hour massage, for just 600thb (£13!)... However, I wanted something a little more private and relaxing, so opted for a traditional Thai massage in the hotel, which was just like a spa in the UK. My full body massage cost just 1300thb which equates to £29. Whilst double the price of the outdoor massages, it was still a steal vs UK spa break prices, and also was a lovely treat for myself and a way to start my holiday. 

When it comes to food and drink in Thailand, there really is nothing better, my favourite was the pineapple rice with king prawns - served in an actual pineapple! The fruit is unbelievable, I’ve never tasted anything like it. Speaking of food… The hotel restaurant “The Sands” took our breath away, nestled in the corner of the beach. With instagramable swings, a fire show at night, live jazz music and a trio of incredible singers each night, it really was the place to be and idyllic at sunset. Whilst a bit more expensive than its neighbouring restaurants, it was still reasonably priced, with a 2 course dinner with drinks throughout for 2 people coming to around £48.

There was the option to hire Paddle boards, kayaks and more from the hotel. You could also book your excursions from a desk in reception and by the pool. Some of the things we opted to do was an ethical elephant experience, a day trip to Railay Beach, a Speed Boat to Phi Phi Islands & Snorkelling. However, there was so much more to explore that we simply didn’t get time to do - Thai Cooking Classes, the Hong Islands, Kayaking through the Jungle, The Tiger Caves, Emerald Pool… The list really does go on!  

I think what my blog is trying to say is that I truly loved this holiday. It surpassed all of my expectations and left me breathless with pinch me moments each and every day! Take this as your sign to not wait any longer, and book yourself the Thailand Trip of your dreams - you won’t regret it.