This post is made possible by Take Me Tour.
Fact: Thailand is by far my favorite country. Call me a cliche, but I literally cannot get enough of the Thai culture, the food, and every beauty the country has to offer. I haven’t seen all its cities, provinces, and islands, but trust me, I’m dying to see them all. Since Bangkok is basically the gateway of Southeast Asia, I’m just not able to resist spending a few days there.
I had three full days in Bangkok after my two-week Myanmar trip. I love Bangkok and there’s always something to discover there, but I knew I wanted to get out of the city for at least one day. And being such a vast country, almost every corner away from Bangkok has something incredible to offer. I’ve been to Pattaya and spent a day beach bumming in Koh Lan island before. I’ve already ran around the temples of Ayutthaya, Thailand’s ancient capital. I’ve also been to the largest floating market, which to be honest, was quite a tourist trap. I wanted something more offbeat, to do something without feeling like a tourist. I wanted to explore like a local as eagerly as possible.
Then I’ve heard of Take Me Tour. Contrary to most tours available to this day, Take Me Tour gives you more of a local experience and takes you to Thailand’s hidden gems away from other tourists like ourselves. Instead of being dragged around by a tour guide with a microphone and brochures, you’re exploring places with a local guide, or local experts as what they’re called, like you’re buddies. You know when you’re visiting a friend in their city and they take you around? It’s like that! So it’s more like having a travel buddy than a tour guide, pretty much.
Booking the tour is easy as you can do it online, but the hardest part was picking which one was the best for me. There are so many amazing day tours available in the outskirts of Bangkok. I wanted to go for a day tour because I felt like anything longer than that would just be too short for my time in Bangkok. That’s what’s so good about day tours though, you don’t need to allot too much time to explore a place. One particular thing that caught my eye was the Maekhlong (Samut Songkhram) cycling tour around the coconut farm. A coconut farm, floating market, a tour around Maekong river, and the Umbrella market, which I haven’t been to yet, sounds like my kind of fun. But there’s only one problem– I don’t know how to ride a bike! Wtf, right? Anyway, that’s not the case. The point is, when I messaged Ann, the local guide offering this tour, she told me it wouldn’t be a problem at all. BAM! So we set a date and a meeting point and that’s was how easy it was to process the booking.
We met at the Victory Monument BTS stop at 7:30 in the morning. I know I’ve been to the province before when I went to Damnoen Saduak floating market, so I knew it was going to be close to two hours to reach our destination. We had breakfast underneath the station, which was delicious as always, because you know, Bangkok. The van terminal was also right under the BTS so it wasn’t too hard to find at all. Ann, my local guide, was just lovely. She spoke good English and she told me what to expect. Turns out, we won’t be cycling anymore, but instead, her friend will be giving us a lift on his jeep.
By the time we left Bangkok, it was so gloomy. I was definitely trying to put out positive energy in the universe because it would have sucked so bad if it rained. And well, the universe (or luck) was on my side because by the time we reached Maekhlong, it was bright and sunny! Our first stop was an ancient temple called Wat Bang Kung, consumed by tree roots reminiscent of Ta Prohm temple in Cambodia, though it’s not nearly as impressive. It looked like it was being renovated, so there wasn’t any wow factor to it. So soon after, we headed out to the coconut farm.
Rows of coconut trees filled the province. Similar to the Philippines, coconuts are practically everywhere here in Thailand. (Yet somehow, it wasn’t until recently that I discovered coconut oil’s magic powers.) We stopped by Ann’s friend’s farm and there they introduced me to the process of making coconut sugar. The coconut sugar tasted familiar, though I’ve never had it before. It tasted sweet, just like candy!
After cruising around and strolling around in the coconut farm, Ann brought me to a floating market. I was afraid she was going to bring me to Damnoen Saduak, but as a local who truly knows what’s up in the area, she took me to a much smaller one called Tha Kha Floating Market. I actually loved this one a lot too. It’s small, but very intimate. There were some tourists, but not as dominant as they are in other floating markets I’ve been to. It’s quite local here, and as we cruised along, it seemed like we had the canal all to ourselves. It was pure serenity as we sat on the boat, as Ann told me stories about where she grew up and how she ended up in Bangkok.
We had lunch right by the river where I had my favorite, Tom Yum soup. Then we found a cafe right by the river as well where we chilled and relaxed for an hour. We hung out there as Ann and I shared stories about our travels. She showed me photos of her previous trip to Pakistan, and I told her about Myanmar. It was wonderful hearing her stories, and being able to learn about Thailand from the eyes of someone who was born and raised there. I’ve been to Thailand a few times, but this is the first time I really had the chance to get to know it with a local.
Before heading to Umbrella market, we stopped by to visit Ann’s friend in Maekhlong Camp, which is similar to a homestay, located right next to the river. We were supposed to cruise around the river that afternoon, but because we were trying to catch the train passing by Umbrella market, we didn’t had enough time. Instead, we dedicated our time to solace and relaxation. This place is so lovely!! I loved the very short time I spent there. The breeze is so inviting especially with the comfortable hammocks right by the river. We ate some fresh guavas as Ann told me more about this place. Ann asked if I wanted to camp there that night and be surrounded by thousands of fireflies. Seriously, I just got invited by locals to stay over and although the sound of huge crabs for dinner almost got to me, I did have plans the next day that required me to be in Bangkok. I already regretted it the instant I declined the offer. Until now, I do.
Finally, we headed out to Umbrella market. If you watch a lot of travel documentaries or some Anthony Bourdain, then you might be familiar with this. Needless to say, this was a pretty popular stop in the province and tourists come to try to catch the train pass by the market. Okay, let me fill you in. Basically, Umbrella market is literally on the train tracks and when the train passes by, the vendors move their stuff away and then set it right back as soon as the train’s gone. It’s like a domino effect, and it was quite something to witness. Though there were lots of tourists waiting around for the train, most of the shoppers in the market are locals that still added a pinch of an authentic vibe. I mean come on though, it’s a market right on the train tracks. What kind of authenticity am I really looking for, right?! It was insane, and the train was literally a foot away from human beings. It was definitely one for the books.
I ended my day with a cup of Thai iced tea as big as my face, and some street food that I ate on our ride home. It was such a spectacular day. Not only did I get to see a piece of Thailand’s local culture, but I also made a friend. This is the best thing about Take Me Tour. You’re not going on a scripted, formally organized tour. You’re going with a local, like a friend, and in a way, you’re kind of winging it. There I was getting invited to even stay the night. That’s not something that happens when you go on other typical tours. You’re getting to know a place with personal stories instead of things you can easily read in a book. You’re learning things that only locals really know about, instead of places that are easily found on a Google search. Most of all, you’re actually connecting with your guide. Just like how you do when you’re traveling with a friend. And you know what, as someone who’s been traveling solo for a couple of weeks already, it’s always a pleasure to have a travel buddy around. With Take Me Tour, you just never know what adventure could happen next.
Do you like traveling like a local too? Or exploring a place with a local travel buddy? How was your experience? Share your thoughts down below!
If you would like to book this tour with Ann, please click here.
Disclaimer: Thank you so much to Take Me Tour for inviting me on a day tour in return of a review. As always, I only write about things and recommendations I know would be great for my readers.
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wow! I’ll be in Thailand for my birthday celebration! Thanks for the tour!
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I love the floating markets in Bangkok, you should try Bangnamphung floating market, all locals and hardly any tourists. Its always good to get a free trip for a review, I did a few last year 🙂
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After reading your post I think I should plan to visit Thailand in next year vacations. Nice and impressive images of Thailand.
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Hi Erica, that market looked a lot of fun, fantastic photos too.
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Thailanders have similar ways and character like the Filipinos, but the there are other unique character for them. Well, if you’re a traveler, I’m sure you want to discover their culture and traditions especially the food. Nice sharing your thoughts. Fernando Lachica
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I think it’s a more immersive experience once you explore a place like a local. It has a lot of similarities to the Philippines and it looks like you really had fun.
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How can you say no to a day of adventure like this! I didn’t know such tours existed, that’s a nice break from the usual tours that we join. I think it’s a great way to experience a city that you’re not familiar with.
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This so fun and so local. Maybe I should book a tour like this when I visit there.
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I haven’t travelled to this part of Thailand yet. Take Me Tour, take me too! This is something so authentic and lovely.
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I haven’t been to Thai yet. I really do wanna go there for its nature & pristine seas..
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Sounds like an amazing tour. A great opportunity to get off the beaten path. Both the coconut sugar farm and the umbrella market sounds like great places to see. Thanks for sharing.
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Thailand has a rich culture. Bookmarking this post!
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The local me tour sounds great! Love the photos too. Next time, try to head up Northern Thailand! I love Thailand too-mostly because of the food!
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I love this concept – it’s such a fabulous way to enjoy a city. I’m so over the scripted, foreign tour guide kind of tours, so this sounds like it’s right up my alley. So fab that it’s the chance to meet and make friends with locals too. Glad to hear you had such a spectacular day!
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Same here. Thailand is one of my favorite countries as I have been here about 8 or more times. Tom Yum Soup is also my fave! I love Thailand’s countryside as well. It makes me feel at home. 🙂
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What a super cool tour! Love that it hit many out of the way places, rather than just a collection of obvious sites and attractions. Getting to hang out with locals too makes it feel a little more special and authentic.
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I did something similar in Malaysia and it was so great! A tour with a local really makes you feel like you were just hanging out with a friend all day! This tour sounds so good! I’d love to do a cycling tour, and it sounds like you covered a lot of ground! The Umbrella Market sounds fascinating! I’ll definitely have to do this when I visit Thailand next.
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Tours are always so much better when they are given by local experts. They care more and always make sure you have a great and authentic experience. And like you said, it feels more like you’re traveling with a friend. Glad you had such a great experience!
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The difference in your tour with Ann and one with a ‘usual’ tour guide is so clear, you do sound like you were meeting and traveling with a friend! Sometimes when I visit a place as lively and as crowded as Bangkok, going on a guided tour helps in finding the best bits (and food!) that can’t be missed. Bookmarked!
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Thank you for recommending Take Me Tours. Will check it out for tour options in BKK, since we visit my brother there and are running out of ideas.
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Great photos Erica! It looks like the perfect day! I’ll definitely be looking up Take Me Tours on our next visit to Bangkok!
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I never heard of Take me tour before, it seems a good idea to mingle with locals and experience the place.
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stunning photos! i would love to visit thailand one day and explore the local places
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