After 15 hours on the plane, I'm finally here! Spain here I come! 

As a solo female traveler - and on budget - I decided to choose to stay at Hostal Oriente located right next to Opera Metro Station. I never stayed at a hostel before, but this one definitely surpassed my expectations! It's more like a boutique hotel, really. The room was so beautiful and cozy it reminded me of home.

There was a private bathroom too. I paid 140 Euros for my 3-night stay, I have never been happier with my hotel choices! I definitely will keep a more open mind when choosing lodging for my next destination!

Hostels are great!

I took a quick walk from the hostel to Plaza de Sol, very lively with lots of shops and restaurants.

Spanish people are very friendly. I asked them for directions all the time, and even though they didn't speak English, somehow we managed to communicate through sign language and lots of smiles!

One time, I asked a guy and he didn't know where the place was; he literally stopped a police car that was driving past, and asked them for me! When the policemen didn't know it either, they opened a map to figure it out. Like an actual folded paper map, not one on the smartphone. I was so grateful and overwhelmed by their kindness!

Is Spain safe? As a solo female traveler, I was worried too before I embarked on this trip to Spain. But being here, I felt very safe. 

And I was falling in love with Spanish people and the city by the minute!

Toledo
As I was exploring the city, I was handed out a brochure of a tour company close to Plaza Oriente. I decided to show up at their office at 8.30 am in the morning and see if any tours were available. I ended up buying a full-day trip to Toledo. Looking back, it was a bit impulsive, and booking in advance might be a better option as I'd have more time to check the reviews and see if the schedules suit me. 

Toledo represented so well the integration of many religious beliefs. There are Christian cathedrals, Muslim mosques, and Jewish synagogues - all in the same city! Some stones were 1000 years old. Can't believe I actually walked on them!

There were about fifteen people on the tour, which was nice because we all got to talk to one another. There was a couple from New Mexico celebrating their 30th anniversary whose daughter is a dancer for Madonna. The wife was so happy, lively and fun you couldn't tell she was in her sixties.

There were a few solo travelers just like myself from Germany and Puerto Rico. The German guy was in Spain to learn Spanish because he planned to travel to South America by himself next year. I thought that was very brave to be travelling alone to a place you don't speak the language! It was so interesting to hear stories and experiences of people whom you would never have met otherwise. 

​When you're all by yourself, travelling the world, it actually makes you realize that - outside the fierce meeting rooms - there is so much love, joy and kindness in this world. Friendships formed within hours: laughter and storytelling just went around as though we were old friends reunited. Before the tour was over, we even exchanged hugs! Isn't it amazing? That concludes my "solo" trip for today! ​

​Avila and Segovia
Before I went on the trip, I already booked a full-day tour to Avila and Segovia online through Viators.com. I was very happy to find out that the point of meeting was actually 5 minute walking from the hostel. By the way, when you buy tours in Spain, there are rarely hotel pickups; you have to meet them at their tourist offices. Oh, I forgot to mention: after my Toledo trip the day before, I finally got myself a SIM card. It cost only 15 Euros (be careful though, at the airport, there was a booth that sold the exact same SIM card for 90 Euros! Don't buy it there! ) It was very helpful for someone who has no sense of directions such as myself. I simply let Google Maps guide me. I never had to ask for directions again in the remaining days in Spain :)

The tour was organized by Julia Travel. It must be quite well-known because there were like a hundred people on this tour. The guide was amazing. She has a degree in art history, and could speak four languages! And best of all, she made history come to life!

The first stop was Avila. I loved how the city was walled. But, really, after you had been to Toledo, it's hard to find a place that can match its astounding beauty. We went to the Catedral of Avila.  It was amazing to finally visit the place where St. Teresa had once lived in  - after having read her book in college. The weather was quite chilly today, about 2 degree Celsius.

On the way back to the tour bus, as I was looking at the Cathedral in awe, one of the guys in the tour asked if I would like a picture with the place. I said sure, and the conversation started from there. He was from Mexico but worked in the States. It was quite cool that he was travelling alone as well and was basically in Spain only for a soccer match! I would never travel so far just for a sport event - or for a concert or anything whatsoever. But we had some very interesting conversations and exchanged Linkedin contacts. Another friendship formed :)
 
Then we went to Segovia. This city is breathtakingly beautiful. I loved every minute of it! There were many shops and restaurants. I could easily spend the whole day here. But since I was with a tour, I had only a few hours to rush through places. The best part was the Roman Aqueduct, 2000 years old. The majestic formation of this architecture just makes you feel so small as you stand underneath it, looking up. 

Retiro Park, Museum de Prado, Palacio de Cibeles, Temple of Debod

​Yesterday I switched to another hotel about 20 minutes from the center of Madrid. The place is called Hesperia Madrid, a five-star hotel. I booked it based on the many great reviews on many websites. It really was comfortable and luxurious. 
 
Well, I could only try so hard to blend in with the locals... I don't speak Spanish and basically I am an Asian... in a bus of 30 passengers, I was the only one with dark brown hair.

I spent 6 years in New York, and had never felt this self-conscious before.

Anyways, the metro system in Madrid is very efficient and simple. It costs 1.5 euros for each ride.

There's a screen at the platform telling you precisely how many minutes until the next train arrives and the destinations. It's the same system for bus stops as well.

​With such a friendly system, even I managed to get around the city by public transportation quite easily, and did not get lost even once.

My first stop today was Retiro Park. I got there by metro and the park is right in front of me.

This was one of the most beautiful parks I have ever seen! There was a big lake with a small plaza of its own. The best part was the Crystal Palace; kind of like a green house with no plants in it.

​It was so ethereal that the word Paradise came into my mind as I looked at it.

​Then I walked to Museum de Prado. Quite a painful trip! It was 40 minutes of walking from the Crystal Palace while the temperature was 5 degree Celsius. Maybe there was an easier way, and Google Maps took me through detours; but with my sense of directions - i.e. non-existent - I'd rather follow the Maps like a religion...

Looking back, I could've saved myself the time and energy by getting on one of those hop-on-hop-off buses, and also enjoyed the view of the beautiful city, but oh well.... 

The Museum was worth the pain though! I had no pictures of it as it was a bunch of paintings, and no photos allowed inside (also, no selfie sticks). I visited an exhibition of portraits by Jorge Ingles, a Spanish painter from 15th century. I had always loved arts; but his works took my passion to a new level!

He was commissioned by many high status clients. His portraits were... alive... you look at their countenance and expressions, then suddenly, you are transported back in time; suddenly it was as though you were an invisible observer watching them in their unguarded moments. You could feel their characters.

It was a surreal experience. I spent hours just in this exhibition alone. Thanks to my Art Humanities class in college, my experience was tremendously enriched!

The next destination was Palacio de Cibeles.

Inside, there was a rooftop restaurant. Other floors were something that looked like libraries with cozy reading corners. Anyways, this is where you can see the view of Madrid. It costs 2 euros to go up to the rooftop; it was so worth it!
 ​

​If you have a long layover in Bangkok, you might want to consider a day trip into the city. Or if you have a few days in the country, and would like to spend one day visiting main attractions in Bangkok, this is for you as well. As a local, let me guide you to some of the places worth visiting so you get as much out of your one-day trip as possible!

How to get into the city center:
Once you manage to get out of immigration, the fastest and cheapest way is by taking the Airport Link . There is only one line and I’d recommend you get off at the very last station: Phayathai station. The station is connected to the BTS (Skytrain) which will branch out and you can go to many touristy places.

Bangkok traffic can be very unpredictable, so if you’d like to be able to budget your time, taking the Airport Link is a great option. It should take you less than an hour to get there. If you’d like to take a taxi, it should take around 40 minutes and up to 3 hours of travel time (not joking!) when the traffic is very heavy and it’s raining.

If you’re pressed for time, at least on your way back to the airport, please do consider taking the Airport Link.

Places to visit
Most of the cultural places are, unfortunately, not along the BTS lines. So, the best way to get there from the Phayathai station is to take a taxi. You can use Grab taxi, Line taxi, or hail a taxi from the street. I have found the metered taxi hailed from the street to be quite cheaper than getting one from an app, BUT you need to make sure they turn on the meter, or they could charge a ridiculous amount for travelers!

To be safe and preventing the language barrier, using an app could be a great option.  If you’re more into shopping, I have written about shopping malls in Bangkok along the BTS lines.
 
Taking a tour is also another great option! When I travel solo, I often buy tours to save myself the headache of organizing everything myself. I often meet interesting people and hear their stories in many of these tours as well.
 

​The Grand Palace 
A must for all travelers visiting Bangkok! The palace is rich with history, and is Bangkok’s number one attraction. In the past, the palace used to be home to the King. But nowadays, it was mainly used for royal ceremonies. Because of its sacred status, visitors are not allowed to wear shorts or tight jeans. If you happen to wear shorts, they have long pants for rent, but the line can be long and you don’t want to waste your precious visit time. You can check out their website for dress codes in detail.
 
Also, the palace is located near the Chaopraya River, with the gorgeous view of Wat Arun. There are along the river area for you to enjoy the delicious food and the nice views. It’s a perfect place for evening chill-out both for locals and travelers alike!
 
Address: Na Phra Lan Rd, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, 10200, Thailand
Admission: 500 Baht
Opening Hours: Daily 8:30am-3:30pm
Website : https://www.royalgrandpalace.th/en/home

Wat Phra Kaeo / the Emerald Buddha Temple 
It’s literally a 2 minute walk from the Grand Palace, so it’s super easy to visit.  The Buddha is made of jade, dates back to the 1400’s and is housed in the main prayer hall. You can watch and worship from the distance. It can be crowded so it’s not quite an ideal place if you look for quiet meditation as there will be tourists walking in and out. 
 
Address: Na Phra Lan Rd, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, 10200, Thailand
Admission: 400 Baht
Opening Hours: Daily 8:30am-3:30pm

Wat Pho 
Also in a very close proximity to Wat Phra Kaeo, Wat Pho is a very short trip away with less than 10 minutes’ walk. Wat Pho is also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.  The reclining Buddha is a 46 meter long gold plated figure and is 15 meters high. The statute represents the Buddha passing into Nirvana. This place is also known for its massage school!
 
Address: Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra
Nakhon, Bangkok 10200
Admission: 100 Baht
Opening Hours: 8am-5pm
 

Wat Arun 
Wat Arun, also known as the Temple of Dawn, is located on the other side of the river from the Grand Palace. So, you need to take a ferry to cross. The pier is a short trip of around 5-minutes’ walk from the Grand Palace. If you do have the time into the night, I totally recommend having dinner on the other side of the river to enjoy the full view of the temple at night; it’s absolutely breathtaking, so it’s a spot you definitely should not miss in your short travel in Bangkok!
Address: Bangkok Yai, Bangkok
Admission: 50 Baht
Opening Hours: 8.30 am-5.30 pm
 
This should keep you busy for your one-day trip with lots of photo taking opportunities. Feel free to leave a comment below and let us know what you think. Enjoy Bangkok!
​​​

Khao Yai National Park is one of the most-visited national parks in Thailand. It's also one of the most popular weekend getaways from Bangkok for locals. But quite underrated among tourists and travelers. There are many activities and fun things to do at the park and around the area - from enjoying the beautiful nature to hiking along the trails. There are many hotel choices for travelers to choose from - many of which are highly instagram-worthy!

Here are some of the best instagrammable hotels in Khao Yai. 

​You can click on the resort name to book your vacation.

U Khao Yai

U Khao Yai is a dream come true. You will feel like you have been transported to another world - one where the view is incredibly breathtaking and you're living in a castle. 

Everything about this hotel is gorgeous: from the minute you step inside the lobby, the rooms, the restaurant and, of course, the hotel grounds! 

The rooms have large balcony where you can take in the fresh air and the view of the lake during sun rise or sunset. The hotel offers spa and massages, so you can pamper yourself with a relaxing massage to end your perfect day at  U Khao Yai.  

It just doesn't get better than this!

Thailand 

Thailand is also known as the Land of Smiles, and it should be on top of solo travels' list! It's affordable, especially if you're coming in from Europe or America. You can buy a meal for just 1-2 dollars! So, you can comfortably live here for a while on a minimal budget. 
 
The country also offers wide ranges of lifestyle suited for everyone. From staying on budget at a hostel to living a 5-star hotel lifestyle. From having delicious local street food to dining on the rooftop savoring the view of the city. Whether you're a college student taking a gap year, solo traveler, retiree, yoga junkie (like I am!) or traveling with friends, Thailand has it all for you! 

Looking for solo vacation?
​Check out list of weekend getaway destinations from Bangkok here

Not to mention the variety of experiences you can have here: city, nightlife, beaches, mountains, waterfalls, yoga retreats... the options are just endless. 

Whether you're a traveler based in Bangkok, here for a business trip, or an expat living in Bangkok, there are many weekend getaway options that are quite close to the city.

Here are the best destinations - both for travelers and locals alike!

While you can get to these places with public transportation, having a car to drive around can be very convenient. Buses run on schedule and in some region, it's not that frequent. 

I'd recommend renting one. Check out your car rental options here

Pattaya 

One of the favorite getaway destination for locals and very popular among tourists visiting Bangkok! Pattaya offers a wonderful beach vacation experience only 2 hours away from Bangkok. 

There are plenty of activities and things to do in Pattaya - from swimming in the sea, sunbathing in the beach, to visiting a zoo! There are lots of seafood restaurants that offer fresh seafood. In fact, as you walk along the beach, there'll be people selling fresh seafood for you too!  Pattaya is no doubt my number one getaway from Bangkok! 

If you're looking for a place to stay, there are many fantastic hotels and resorts at various price range. For solo travelers who'd like to keep the budget under $100 a night, you can see some great hotel choices here. 

If you travel to Bangkok,  spending a day or two in Pattaya is a great option. It's a short drive from Bangkok, and there are plenty of public transportation to take you straight from Bangkok to Pattaya.

Here are the activities that you might wanna check out for your next trip to Pattaya.

Nongnooch Tropical Botanical Garden 

This is a huge garden with lots of Instagrammable photo opportunities! Nong Nooch Garden offers a variety of activities with its beautiful landscape, flowers and trees stretching to the horizon. 

It's a great place to spend the day. There are cultural shows like Thai dance performances, elephant shows which are so cute and adorable!

If you're hungry, they have restaurants which also serve delicious lunch buffets for visitors as well. Save your money and book your ticket at a discounted price here.   

Pattaya is one of the most popular travel destinations in Thailand! It's a beach vacation. It's only a 2 hours drive from Bangkok. And there are plenty of shops, tourist attractions, and fresh seafood restaurants.

I visit Pattaya several times a year. Each time, I'd try different hotels from super cheap to mid-price range. And here are my list of the best hotels in Pattaya for your perfect vacation, whether you're travelling solo, couple, or with family! 

Wondering what to do in Pattaya? Check out things to do in Pattaya here where you can also find discounted tickets!

For your convenience, you can click on the hotel name to book your next vacation. 

 U Jomtien Pattaya

Wouldn't you just love to wake up to the view of the tranquil ocean, the sound of the gentle waves, and the smell of the sea breeze? I cannot recommend this hotel enough. Read my review here 


U Jomtien offers all rooms with a sea view! The rooftop bar is amazing and very relaxing, with the open view of the ocean.

​It's literally steps away from the beach where you can soak up the sun. This is totally my top choice when I travel to Pattaya.

Rooms tend to get fully booked fast, so make sure to reserve early

Staycation is the trend in 2020 now. Even if you cannot get away from Bangkok, spending a few nights at a nice hotel can be very refreshing. It's actually quite nice to have the vacation without much travel, and relaxation is only a short trip away! 

​U Sukhumvit Hotel 

This hotel is in a very nice area of the vibrant Sukhumvit neighborhood. The service was amazing. I loved their 24 hour stay policy - if you check in at 6 pm, you have till 6 pm the next day to check out!

The breakfast is amazing. Some of the best I've had at any hotel in Bangkok. Who'd serve proper egg benedict at breakfast buffet? The selection was just absolutely amazing, and the food incredibly delicious! What's not to love? 

The location was very convenient.  The hotel has free Tuk-tuk shuttle service to Terminal 21, where the food court is both cheap and amazing! And it's near the BTS, so you can travel anywhere easily. I totally recommend U Sukhumvit for your next travel in Bangkokl!