FORGET TOURIST THAILAND

(Loei is loeiing good)

Honestly, when you think of Thailand, images of the full moon parties at Koh Phi Phi, the pristine white beaches, and the tuk-tuks probably come to mind. But what if I told you that there is a completely different Thailand that you probably don't know at all? Where the chance of spotting a Dutch person is about eh, -100? Where you can witness the real untouched nature along the Mekong River at six in the morning, which can be part of spiritual rituals with monks (yup, I can check that off too) AND you can admire the most beautiful temples without a hundred holidaymakers ruining your perfect Instashot?

‘I have fallen in love with
Thai culture’

Yes, that paradise exists. And it's called Loei (pronounced like a sort of Loooooi). From Bangkok, you can get there with a domestic flight in about an hour. When I received an invitation from the Thai Tourism Authority to explore this northern province of the country, my travel tail wagged fifteen times, you get that. Now, I had never been to Thailand at all (you too? Read this just a moment), so I didn't really know what to expect. But honestly: Loei exceeded all expectations. The landscape is completely untouched, the people are so sweet that you want to hug them all, and they have the tastiest Pad Thai and sticky rice with mango (or sticky liiiiice, as it's pronounced) that exists.

My entire week was all about doing cool things. I ate dishes I had never heard of but turned out to be incredibly delicious, witnessed the most beautiful sunset of my life by the Mekong River, slept in the coolest resorts and boutique hotels by the water, harvested rice myself, sent lucky boats onto the water, enjoyed nature and the bizarrely beautiful temples, danced with the Thai people, made friends, barely slept but had an absolutely fantastic time.

Is Thailand still high on your list? I get it. And if you do want to travel around, I suggest you also take a quick trip to Loei. And of course, call me (duh), then I'll pack my ridiculously large suitcase again like a madman. Because I have fallen in love with Thai culture and Loei has carved out a special place in my travel heart. And you know what? Everything has been filmed. Stay tuned, my friends.