Vacation Post: March-May
When the new school year started last week, one of the Thai teachers caught me fanning myself with a pile of worksheets. Laughing at my unaccustomed misery, he asked me, "do you know how many seasons Thailand has?"
"Just one, summer?" I guessed.
"Three!" he giggled. "Hot, hotter, and hottest!"
There's some truth to this horrible dad joke; Thailand does indeed have three seasons. There's a cool season from November-February, a hot season from March-May, and a rainy season from June-October. Unlike the west, the Thai summer holidays stretch from March-May, allowing for students to stay at home during the two hottest months of the year, ideally in front of a fan or AC unit. Here in the north, March and April are also burning season, meaning that agricultural burning practices significantly degrade air quality.
So as soon as classes ended, I made my great escape to visit other parts of Thailand and Southeast Asia.
Khao Sok National Park
Fulbright Thailand requires its ETAs to complete 4 weeks of internship experience during the summer months, so I chose to work at Our Jungle Life Camp, a children's nature education camp in Khao Sok National Park, southern Thailand. It is funded by the adjoining eco-resorts, Our Jungle House and Our Jungle Camp, which use their profits to support nature education programs for kids in the local community.
My responsibilities included running family camp activities for foreign families, including shelter-building, nature art, and wildlife scavenger hunts. We also hosted an international school in Phuket and ACME, a primary school for Burmese refugee students, for overnight camps. Every Sunday, local Thai youth come to day camp. They play games, learn English, make crafts or snacks, and go swimming in the river. We also hosted a small English camp at the request of a local mother who was driving her daughters over an hour away to attend lessons during summer holidays. While teaching English is not the main mission of the camp, I believe it to be an important aspect of its general mission, teaching to children love and protect Khao Sok's community, from the trees to the people. When these children grow up, they will be the ones with the responsibility of advocating for their home, and they will be much better equipped to do so with 2 languages.
In my free time, I slept in a lovely bamboo hut, which was elevated to keep out Khao Sok's many critters, pictured below. I ate delicious home-cooked Thai meals, and tried some southern dishes that I haven't seen before in the north. I paddled and swam down the river, hiked trails through the jungle, took a sunset yoga class with sound bowls, and went on 3 night safaris. The wildlife in Khao Sok is absolutely incredible, and living so close to the national park meant I could hear the gibbons howling while I ate breakfast and often had to protect my lunch (and my phone) from the macaques. During the night safaris, I spotted 2 spectacled langurs (mother and baby), bats, sunbirds, hornbills, egrets, spiderhunters, tarantulas, scorpions, praying mantises, stick insects, and butterflies. We also spied a slow loris, tree frogs, a green tree snake, and a few pit vipers, one of which was pregnant. One night, I even heard an elephant knocking down trees in the forest behind the hotel, and the trails were closed temporarily for everyone's safety.
Cheow Lan Lake
The #1 thing to do in Khao Sok is an overnight trip to Cheow Lan Lake, a man-made lake constructed in 1987 with the Rajjaprabha Dam, which generates electricity in Surat Thani and the surrounding provinces. We took a long-tail boat ride to our rafthouse, a zero frills bungalow floating right on the water! After a cave hike and a short jungle trek, we spent our free time swimming and kayaking in the beautiful blue water.
Krabi
Railay Beach
After finishing up my internship at Khao Sok, I took a solo trip to explore Krabi, a province of southern Thailand on the Andaman Sea. It is known for its breathtaking beaches and limestone cliffs, which did not disappoint. On my first day, I went to Railay Beach, which is only accessible by boat and famous for rock climbing opportunities.
Tiger Cave Temple
Wat Tham Suea, or the Tiger Cave Temple, is a unique Buddhist temple in Krabi. To reach it, you have to climb 1,260 steps (309 meters up!). It really wasn't easy, but the massive views and the vibe of this temple were well worth it. The temple is built atop a cave and looks out over the jungles, cliffs, and beaches of Krabi. It got its name from a combination of legends. Some say a tiger once lived in the cave, leaving pawprints still visible today. More recently, a monk claimed to see a vision of a tiger while meditating there. Luckily, I didn't see any tigers, just breathtaking 360 views!
Phi Phi Islands
From Krabi, I took a day trip to the Phi Phi Islands, where I saw the most stunning beaches in the world. I'm convinced I'll never see a more pristine beach, ever. Pictures below are from my stops in Maya Bay, Pileh Bay, Monkey Beach, Phi Phi Don, Viking Cave, and Bamboo Island.
Kayaking Ao Thalane
Ao Thalane is the bay area known for its massive network of mangroves and gorges, perfect for paddling around. Kayaking while avoiding the mangrove roots was definitely a challenge. There were a ton of monkeys and birds, and the views of the ocean were fantastic.
Phuket
Phuket was a special part of my vacation because I met up with my parents, their friends from Australia, and my boyfriend. We spent a week relaxing at a villa near Rawai Beach, venturing out only for food, drinks, and extremely aggressive Thai massages. After traveling and living alone for several months, it was really special to be back in the presence of family and simply enjoy each others' company. It was even more exciting to share Thailand with my family, introducing them to my favorite Thai dishes and watching them suffer through Thailand's photo-obsessed culture. (Cringeworthy evidence below). One highlight was a day trip to Phang Nga Bay, which included a stop a monkey cave/temple, Muslim island Koh Panyi, and the iconic James Bond Island. Also pictured below: Cooking fresh lobster from the seafood market, views from Promthep Cape, Phuket Old Town & Night Market, and Kata Beach.
Phuket Elephant Sanctuary
While in Phuket, I took my parents to visit Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, an retirement park and pioneer of ethical tourism in Thailand. Thailand is home to 15% of the world's Asian elephants, and the gentle giants are significant figures in Buddhism, Hinduism, and Thailand's military history. Many elephants still roam wild, especially in places like Khao Yai National Park, but the majority remain in captivity, exploited in tourism, logging, and other manual labor industries. Particularly in tourism, elephants are chained up, contained, and abused for the trivial amusement of humans. When elephants finally become weak and broken under the abuse, owners have little reason to continue their expensive upkeep. The Phuket Elephant Sanctuary rescues these "retired" elephants and returns them to their 30 acre property, where they can live in their natural state. Money from tourist visits sustainably supports the rescue and care of these elephants.
If you ever visit Thailand, be aware that there are many "elephant sanctuaries" that are not at all ethical, and are actually part of the problem I mentioned before. As in all travel, be sure to do your homework and make sure that your money is being spent in a sustainable and ethical way!
Here are some fun elephant facts:
Asian elephants eat for 14-19 hours per day (150-200 kg).
Asian elephants have really long lifespans, usually living 60-70 years in the wild.
They have the longest gestation period of any animal, around 22 months.
They coat their backs with dirt to protect from sun, insects, and other irritants.
They have personalities. Our guide told us some of the drama between the elephants. Kannika and Cattleya are best friends. They don't let anyone else eat with them. Jan Jao is antisocial. She doesn't have friends.
Our half day visit: feeding the elephants fruit, watching them bathe, taking oh so many pictures, and eating a fabulous vegetarian lunch.
Songkran
My family was very lucky (or unlucky, you'll have to ask them) to be in Thailand for Songkran, traditional Thai New Year. It is a time for honoring ancestors and elders within your family as well as statues and images of the Buddha. The most significant act during Songkran is throwing water on friends, family, and total strangers to symbolize cleansing and renewal. It's also customary to dab din sor pong, a white powder, onto the faces of friends and strangers alike. (I was not about to let anybody touch my face, but I gave in when a 5-year-old girl asked permission. How could I say no to that?)
What started out as a pre-airport farewell lunch quickly became a full-on water fight when we learned that Songkran was not a spectator sport. If you are outside, you are fair game!
Sabah, Malaysia
Next stop: Borneo!
We flew from Phuket to Sandakan, Malaysian Borneo, for a 3 day river safari on the Kinabatangan River with Lamag Wildlife Adventure. We were fully immersed in the jungle, meaning 2 hours of electricity/day, ice-cold bucket showers, and a constant turf war with the insects. But full immersion also meant drinking coffee just feet away from orangutans, crocodiles, civet cats, jungle chickens, macaques, a huge variety of birds, and my personal favorite, the proboscis monkeys (the nosey monkeys). This area is also home to pygmy elephants, which we didn't see. This is not surprising considering that they are critically endangered, as are orangutans and proboscis monkeys. The national park area, however, seemed very clean and well-protected, and our guides were very good about respecting the natural habitat and teaching us about the wildlife we saw.
East Java, Indonesia
Surabaya & Malang
Next, we flew to East Java, Indonesia, a mostly Muslim Island just west of Bali. We spent our 1 day layover in Surabaya enjoying the air conditioning, pool, and amazing restaurant inside our hotel. The heat of Borneo had cooked all the energy out of us, and we wanted to rest before our next big adventure. My favorite dish here was Rawon, a traditional black beef soup.
From there, we took the train to Malang, a city that felt like stepping back in time. From the Dutch colonial architecture to the vintage coffeehouses, to the antique printer that was in use at our hotel, there was a sense of isolation from the rest of the world that I found so charming and relaxing. We spent 2 days there hopping to different coffee shops, trying the famous Javanese coffee. (I'm not really a coffee snob, but even I could tell this was way above average. Mario, on the other hand, was in heaven.) We also visited the Kayutangan neighborhood, the Dutch quarter. This charming neighborhood is built around a small river, and is home to plenty of coffee shops, small eateries, and even an ice cream shop. We also visited Kampung Biru Arema and Jodipan, commonly known as the Blue Village (a tribute to the local football club) and Rainbow Village, respectively. A few years ago, these neighborhoods were technically a slum, with poor living conditions threatening to push out the residents there. However, some local university students transformed the homes there into a massive art project, beautifying the dilapidated homes and bringing more visitors (mostly fellow Indonesians) to the area. They now serve as a bright, colorful, can't-miss symbol of the power of community and its enormous capacity for change. Visitors can support the developing communities by paying the small entrance fee (less than $1 USD), or buying food and drinks from the local vendors.
I'm not exaggerating when I say there were zero tourists, not even from other parts of Asia. In Thailand, this makes me feel very visible, even a bit unsafe. They point, laugh, and take photos of foreigners without a second thought. I honestly thought Java, with its lack of tourism and diversity, would be much worse. However, I was so pleasantly surprised to find Indonesians so lovely and respectful. Don't get me wrong, we stuck out like sore thumbs, so we were definitely noticed. But there was very little dumbfounded staring. We were asked for pictures a few times, but it was never in a way that felt dehumanizing or exploitive, as often happens in Thailand. Kids especially wanted pictures with Mario, who must have seemed like a giant to them. But usually, their parents would politely start a conversation with us first, treating us as human beings, before pulling at the cell phones. Their openness and curiosity made it easier to get to know the culture of Indonesia.
Mount Bromo
We were picked up from our hotel in Malang around 12:30 A.M. (well past my bedtime), to start our journey to Mt. Bromo. 5 of us squeezed into the world's smallest van and we drove for about 2 hours to reach a lookout point of the volcano. The road was crazy, bumpy, and crowded with vehicles. When we finally reached the lookout, it was still pitch black outside and absolutely frigid. I mean, really cold. The guide said it was a few degrees above freezing, which I still refuse to believe. Then again, the lowest temperatures I've experienced in over a year have been the air conditioning in my apartment, so maybe I'm a bit biased. (Second picture: Mario laughing at my misery.)
When the sun finally rose over the volcano and I could finally appreciate the sweeping views across the mountains, it was breathtaking. We then drove to the volcano's base and hiked across the "sea of sand" and 250 steps up to take a peek inside the steaming crater (and get a good whiff of the sulphur). Mt. Bromo gets its name from the Hindu god Brahma, god of creation, pronounced as Gunung Bromo in Javanese. It is considered a sacred place for Hindus and the indigenous Tenggerese people, who throw offerings into the crater annually to ask for prosperity and good fortune.
Ijien
This group of volcanoes was the absolute highlight of my holiday, simply because there is nothing else like it in the world. It's unique beauty was mind-boggling, almost as if it were too magnificent for humans to comprehend. This was another start-at-midnight-hike-till-sunrise situation, for the purpose of seeing the blue flames, which is only visible at nighttime. This little cascade of fire is caused by a combustion of sulfuric gases, hence the very necessary gas masks. As we descended in the dark, the smell of the sulfur steadily grew, but it wasn't until the yellow billows of steam blew directly in my direction that it really grew intolerable. My eyes, nose, and mouth all burned and I felt like I was choking. Luckily, it's not hard to keep your distance and still enjoy the phenomenal views of the crystal blue lake.
Bali
Coffee, chocolate, and vanilla farms
We left Java via ferry and arrived in the famously beautiful island of Bali. Its fame has made it tourist-heavy in recent years, but staying out of the main tourist traps and visiting more off-grid places helped to keep the magic of the island. For example (nerd alert), we visited 3 farms on the island: OKA Agriculture Bali, a coffee plantation, was our first stop. We enjoyed a free tour and tasting of several delicious teas and coffees grown right there on the property. The tasting area overlooks a beautiful jungle landscape, a testament to the property's commitment to sustainability and preserving the natural environment of Bali. The most iconic coffee in Bali is kopi luwak, coffee that is processed from the intact coffee beans found in the feces of civet cats, wild nocturnal mammals native to the area. I did try a cup, but after the liquid gold I tasted in Java, I was sort of unimpressed. What is impressive, though, is the story behind it. How did the Balinese decide to go about harvesting...poop?
During Dutch colonial rule (which didn't end until 1949), the landowners forbid the indigenous Balinese workers from consuming the Arabica beans they were forcibly and exploitatively working to grow. The locals noticed that the civet cats, who eat the coffee cherry beans as a large part of their diet, seemed to pass them without actually digesting the beans inside. They extracted the beans, roasted them, and began brewing their own coffee that is now an international sensation and the world's most expensive coffee. So now, European tourists come to Bali to taste the famous poop coffee, which sort of feels like hilarious colonial kharma.
Cau chocolates was a hidden gem, an organic chocolate farm that gave us tour of the entire chocolate-making process and a ridiculous amount of samples. We even got to break open the cocoa pod and taste the delicious beans inside. While we were there, some visiting farmers from Java were attending a class about the fermentation and production process, hoping to cultivate and sell their own chocolate. In southeast Asia, it's not always easy to know if businesses are run sustainably and ethically, so it was refreshing to see such a positive example of community development.
Lastly, the Organic Vanilla Farm by Putu Catur is a small, family-run farm that grows a little bit of everything, but they are definitely most proud of their fresh, organic vanilla. The family were lovely hosts, even preparing us coconut pancakes and tea upon arrival.
Ubud
We stayed for 1 week in Ubud, a touristy city and cultural center of Bali. With Bali traffic, it's quite far from the beach, so we used it as a base to visit farms, temples, rice terraces, and waterfalls. I ate countless smoothie bowls and soaked in the well-preserved culture of Bali.
Unlike Java, Bali's primary religion is Balinese Hinduism, meaning there are incredible temples located all over the island. I participated in a water purification ceremony at Pura Tirta Empul, where locals and tourists alike were welcomed to set intentions and bow their heads beneath the fountains of a sacred pool, a ritual of purification for the mind, body, and soul.
Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, another Hindu temple, is equally beautiful. It sits on the shores of Lake Beratan and enjoys cooler temperatures from its mountain surroundings. The beautifully designed complex was definitely more for photo ops than Tirta Empul, which had a much more solemn vibe.
Another notable stop was Penglipuran village, a traditional Balinese village that is beautifully preserved. There are several vendors selling food, drinks, and crafts, and it's a very common place for diplomatic visits to Bali. (We witnessed a full police escort and diplomatic visit while eating lunch.) We were lucky to visit during Galungan, a religious festival marking the triumph of good over evil. We witnessed many offerings and ceremonies meant to welcome their ancestors back from the land of the dead. While in Penglipuran, we witnessed the traditional Barong dance, starring the two masked panther-like creatures pictured below. Barong is the king of spirits and represents goodness, while Rangda is the demon queen and represents evil. The dance depicts their battle and Barong's ultimate victory, as well as his visit to each house in the neighborhood, bringing blessings to the household. It's also customary for Indonesian families to visit Penglipuran to take family photos at this time, sometimes in traditional dress.
Other adventures also featured below: Tegallalang Rice Terraces, Ubud Palace, and Tukad Cepung waterfall.
Nusa Penida
We took a day trip from Bali to Nusa Penida, a nearby island known for the pristine waters and snorkeling opportunities. Our snorkeling trip took us to 3 locations, where we spotted sea turtles, manta rays, and a variety of fish. At Kelingking Beach, we also spotted some macaques, including a mother and baby!
Uluwatu
We spent the final week of vacation in Uluwatu, the southern part of Bali, to relax at the beach. Our hotel was near to Thomas Beach and Padang Padang Beach, but Dreamland Beach was the favorite. It was beautiful, big, and had crazy waves.
Ayutthaya
When vacation ended, I flew back to Bangkok for midyear meetings with Fulbright, which sponsored a field trip for our final day! We visited UNESCO Heritage Site Ayutthaya, the second capital of the Siam Kingdom, which flourished from the 14th-18th centuries. It is remarkably well-preserved, thanks in part to the American Embassy Bangkok's funding and involvement in cultural preservation. The structures show the old palace and temples, and even a Buddha head carefully enclosed in the roots of a Bodhi Tree.
Chiang Mai
Thai Cooking Class
After meetings concluded in Bangkok, I returned home to Lamphun to begin the new school year. I can't believe half my grant has already flown by! Since Mario only had a few weeks left in Thailand, we took advantage and spent the weekend in Chiang Mai at a Thai cooking class. I really have to hype up the school, Zabb E Lee Thai Cooking School. Each person chose 4 dishes: an appetizer, a stir fry, a soup, and a curry, including the made-from-scratch curry powder. The school is located on a lovely farm outside the city, and really focuses on the importance of fresh, quality ingredients in Thai cooking.
Our creations: cashew chicken, tom kha (coconut soup with chicken), papaya salad, khao soi (northern-style curry), panang curry, pineapple fried rice, mango sticky rice, and deep-fried spring rolls. I'm looking forward to showing off my new skills when I return to the U.S. this fall.
Mae Kha Canal
Scenic walk through Mae Kha Canal and the surrounding neighborhood, known for quaint homes and lovely flower gardens.
Thanks for reading!
Wishing all who read a lovely summer; I hope it's cooler than mine!
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