{"id":62170,"date":"2015-05-21T19:13:45","date_gmt":"2015-05-21T17:13:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/?p=62170"},"modified":"2025-05-22T09:11:19","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T07:11:19","slug":"16-days-in-thailand-the-ultimate-beginners-guide-to-backpacking-asia-get-ready-im-coming-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/?p=62170&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"16 Days in Thailand \u2013 the ultimate beginner\u2019s guide to backpacking. Asia, get ready \u2013 I\u2019m coming for you!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mister UniQue back on Tour \u2013 but this time, not to the USA!<\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s right \u2013 instead of heading west, I\u2019m heading east. Far east, to be exact\u2026 to Asia. And more precisely: Thailand<\/strong>. \ud83c\udf0f\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\udded<\/p>\n

For years, I\u2019ve carried this dream with me \u2013 to finally explore Asia. But like so many dreams, I kept postponing it, stamping it with a vague „SOON.“ Now that \u201csoon\u201d has a real date: November 22nd, 2015<\/strong>. Suddenly, everything\u2019s moving faster than expected \u2013 and I couldn\u2019t be more excited!<\/p>\n

Why Thailand?<\/strong>
After chatting with friends and seasoned travelers, they all pointed to one place: Thailand. A perfect gateway for first-timers in Asia. And they were right \u2013 it’s known for its stunning beaches, well-developed infrastructure, and a gentle intro to the wild, raw beauty of the East. No wonder it\u2019s one of the most popular destinations among Western travelers.<\/p>\n

Gone are the outdated clich\u00e9s \u2013 today, Thailand stands for adventure, diversity, and pure tropical vibes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

But here’s the twist:
For the first time ever<\/strong>, I’m traveling solo<\/strong> \u2013 just me and my brand-new trekking backpack. Why? Because I\u2019m curious to test something many solo travelers say:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhen you travel alone, you experience everything more deeply. You notice more, connect more, and you truly immerse yourself in the world around you. Without a companion to rely on, your senses sharpen. You engage more with locals and fellow travelers. You become part of the journey, not just a passenger.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Will that be true for me?
I\u2019m about to find out.<\/p>\n

\"thailand<\/a><\/p>\n

On November 22nd, the journey begins!<\/strong> With Etihad Airlines, I\u2019ll be flying from D\u00fcsseldorf via Abu Dhabi straight into the heart of Thailand \u2014 Bangkok<\/strong>, the city that never sleeps. I\u2019ll spend two wild days soaking up the electric energy of this buzzing metropolis. I’ve received so many tips for Bangkok, I could probably stay for weeks\u2026 but I’ll do my best to squeeze in as much as possible.<\/p>\n

From there, it\u2019s 480 kilometers south by train to Chumphon<\/strong>, where I\u2019ll catch my breath for one night before island life calls. The next morning, well-rested and ready, I\u2019ll hop on a ferry to Koh Tao<\/strong> \u2014 paradise, here I come! I\u2019ll be spending three nights exploring this tropical gem, and a snorkeling trip is already locked in on my bucket list.<\/p>\n

Next stop: the infamous Koh Phangan<\/strong>. After another three nights, the adventure continues to Koh Samui<\/strong>. Sadly, I\u2019ll just miss the legendary Full Moon Party by a few days this time. A real shame \u2014 but hey, you can\u2019t have it all, right?
Maybe next time\u2026 if there\u2019s going to be a next time.<\/em> (sniff<\/em>)<\/p>\n

\"thailand-1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

After a total of 9 nights, I\u2019m leaving the final island on my tour and heading to Phuket \u2013 the buzzing capital of mass tourism. But instead of diving into the chaos, I\u2019ve followed a special tip from a friend and booked myself into a legendary guesthouse in charming Old Town for three days. Let\u2019s see if it lives up to the hype, dear Kathryn\u2026 I\u2019m curious to find out if I\u2019ll fall for it just like you did.<\/p>\n

\"thailand-3\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Last but not least<\/strong>, I\u2019ll be hopping on an Air Asia flight back to Bangkok, where I\u2019ve decided to treat myself to one final night in a 5-star hotel \u2014 because hey, after an epic trip like this, a smooth and stylish landing back into reality is a must before flying home to Germany.<\/p>\n

Believe it or not: I planned this whole trip and booked all the hotels within just one week. And guess what? I locked in 15 nights<\/strong> for a total of just \u20ac690<\/strong>. Not too shabby, right? The photos below give you a little sneak peek of the places I\u2019ll be staying \u2014 and trust me, they\u2019re far from basic.<\/p>\n

That leaves me with plenty of budget left \u2014 for delicious food, some serious shopping, and of course a few unique<\/em> and unforgettable adventures along the way. After all, I\u2019m not just traveling \u2014 I\u2019m collecting stories<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s my itinerary and travel route:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"tourplan-thailand-2015-jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

November 22<\/strong> \u2013 Departure from D\u00fcsseldorf with Etihad Airlines
November 23<\/strong> \u2013 Arrival in Bangkok
November 24<\/strong> \u2013 Bangkok explorations
November 25<\/strong> \u2013 Train ride to Chumphon
November 26<\/strong> \u2013 Ferry to Koh Tao
November 27<\/strong> \u2013 Koh Tao
November 28<\/strong> \u2013 Koh Tao
November 29<\/strong> \u2013 Ferry to Ko Pha Ngan
November 30<\/strong> \u2013 Ko Pha Ngan
December 1<\/strong> \u2013 Ko Pha Ngan
December 2<\/strong> \u2013 Ferry to Ko Samui
December 3<\/strong> \u2013 Ko Samui
December 4<\/strong> \u2013 Ko Samui
December 5<\/strong> \u2013 Flight to Phuket
December 6<\/strong> \u2013 Phuket
December 7<\/strong> \u2013 Phuket
December 8<\/strong> \u2013 Flight back to Bangkok
December 9<\/strong> \u2013 Flight to Germany
December 10<\/strong> \u2013 Arrival in D\u00fcsseldorf<\/p>\n

Of course, I\u2019ll be filming and photographing every step of the way again.
My Thailand road movie will drop just in time for Christmas \u2013 stay tuned.<\/p>\n

But for now, I\u2019m simply excited to dive into this little Thai adventure and all the unexpected moments it may bring. It\u2019s going to be thrilling \u2013 and I live for trips like this.<\/p>\n

See you soon.<\/p>\n

Yours truly, Mister UniQue<\/strong> \ud83c\udf0f\ud83c\udfa5\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\udded<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mister UniQue back on Tour \u2013 but this time, not to the USA! That\u2019s right \u2013 instead of heading west, I\u2019m heading east. Far east, to be exact\u2026 to Asia. And more precisely: Thailand. \ud83c\udf0f\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\udded For years, I\u2019ve carried this dream with me \u2013 to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4593,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1321,1256,1313,1347],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia-en","category-best-stories","category-mister-unique-worldwide","category-thailand-en"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.misterunique.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/thailand-2.jpg?fit=1273%2C666&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6UJkf-gaK","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=62170"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62170\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62171,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62170\/revisions\/62171"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4593"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=62170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=62170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=62170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}