In April, I had the incredible experience of spending two weeks in Thailand. I took a tour that started in Bangkok and traveled to Khao Sok, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi and Phuket. It was an absolutely mesmerizing trip and I am still in awe at all the activities that I had the opportunity to experience. On the first day, our group learned about the temples in Bangkok – Our tour guide told us that Thailand is 95% Buddhist, 4% Muslim and 1% other religions. We also participated in a cooking class, where we made Pad Thai, Masaman curry and Tom Kha soup. My boyfriend and I recently tried recreating the pad thai at home! Our first attempt went well but did not compare to what we had made there.

The Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho in Bangkok

After spending some time in the city, we moved to more remote areas and did some island hopping. We spent time in floating bungalows and jungle treehouses in Khao Sok. Then we made our way to beachside bungalows in Koh Phangan. This is where I joined a yoga class! I had been doing a bit of yoga in the hotel rooms, but a full class was very much needed. It took place outdoors on a covered yoga deck, but luckily we had fans surrounding us. It was so hot every day in Thailand, so we knew that a regular class would feel like a hot yoga class. Our teacher, Lena, led us through breathing exercises and sun salutations. She decided that we should practice ‘After lunch stretches’ since it was the hottest part of the day. It was a very relaxing class and it felt great to stretch out and enjoy. When we were lying down towards the end of class, I opened my eyes and saw that a lizard was directly overhead on the ceiling of the deck that we were on. Luckily we had come across many lizards in that area, so I knew that it was just chilling, maybe having a zen moment as well.

A gorgeous sunset in Koh Phangan

I was really excited to participate in a yoga class during the trip. It was the most relaxing day of the tour, combined with time at the pool, an unreal sunset and a Thai massage. We then traveled to Koh Phi Phi and took a boat around to neighboring islands – My thumbnail yoga photo is from Bamboo Island. We spent about 3 minutes taking photos on the beach before running back to a shady spot. We then made our way to Phuket and went to an ethical elephant sanctuary – Definitely a highlight of the trip.

Washing Lotus the elephant at an elephant sanctuary

The whole experience gave me a new perspective on food, culture, and travel. It inspired me to check off more bucket list places and familiarize myself with places that I’ve never known. Thailand has spectacular views, great food and kind people. It is a must try if you have the chance.

The Phi Phi viewpoint

Emily Parsons, Certified Let It Go Yoga teacher.

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