Thailand via Kuala Lumpur (page 1 of 3)

Here’s my account of our trip to Thailand with my partner from November 22 to December 5, 2025. First off, I’d like to wish all Voyageforum.com users a very happy 2026, full of happiness and amazing discoveries on your travels! It’s thanks to the tips I gathered on this site that I planned the trip. We traveled with Malaysia Airlines (the flight price was great, but no movies in French, not even subtitled) because we wanted to explore Kuala Lumpur and visit southern Thailand. Our departure from Roissy was delayed because the plane had to go through the robotic de-icing trucks—pretty impressive! After a 12-hour flight, we arrived at the beautiful Kuala Lumpur airport around 7 AM.



Don’t forget to fill out the immigration form requested by Malaysia 3 days before arrival. We left without any issues and took the Klia Ekspress train to KL Sentral station (30 minutes, 10 €). We’d booked accommodation in a tower near the station and had to communicate with the landlord to get the keys. But while we thought there’d be Wi-Fi at the station, there wasn’t—we asked the tourism office, and they said there wasn’t any. We didn’t want to buy a local SIM card since we were leaving the next day. Eventually, we went to a Starbucks to get online, but just as we decided to head to our place, a torrential downpour hit, and we couldn’t find a sidewalk to reach our destination. We went back to the station, took the elevated metro, and finally made it to our landlord and the room on the 45th floor.

After a good nap, we set off to explore the city. We discover very recent and easy-to-use public transport at low prices.



and vendors selling colorful and varied fruits.



The shopping malls are modern, and the Christmas decorations are already up.



It’s really beautiful, and the prices are very affordable. We continue toward the famous Petronas Towers, passing by some beautiful skyscrapers.



But wow, the Petronas Towers really make an impression!



Plus, a musical water fountain show enhances the tower’s beauty.

We eat a traditional Nasi Lemak (special) and head back to our accommodation, where we discover a gorgeous rooftop pool on the 53rd floor.

Tomorrow, we’re off to Krabi!

Nice hotel! Are the prices high?

No, we were in Riviera City and paid 24 €...

This morning we bought pastries at Familysmart and had breakfast in our apartment before heading to the airport where a plane was waiting for us to Thailand: it's raining heavily and in Krabi it's no better... We booked a van through the 12Go app since we're heading to Koh Lanta island: the safety conditions are average because the trunk is too small and the luggage piles up in the central aisle... Luckily, Saint Christopher is with us and we finally arrive at our host's place after 2.5 hours! (Mada Lanta Mai Keaw 160 € for 5 nights). It's pouring rain, and the very kind rental owners offer us a drink and tell us about the floods that have been hitting the region for several days. While eating a good Pad Thai (120 baht with a fruit juice) on the spot, we notice the rain is getting worse.



All night long, the rain pours down on the tin roof, keeping me awake and making us question our presence on the island. Looking online, I see there's a huge depression over the entire region and the forecast is bad for several days... We need to act, so we decide to leave the area and head to Bangkok, which seems to be spared. However, we don't have a van until 2 PM and no affordable flights to Bangkok. We decide to sleep in Krabi and take an early flight to Bangkok. We had paid for 5 nights in Koh Lanta and don't ask for a refund given the weather situation they're the first to suffer from.

In Krabi, we stay in the back room of a tea shop run by a Chinese man who leaves us the keys to the shop before leaving! We discover hot baths near the room, close to the main boulevard of the city.



After grabbing a quick bite, we fall asleep following this disrupted day.

Hi there. Thanks for your good wishes! I’m curious to read your travel journal because I’m on the fence about Thailand—I’m afraid it’s become too touristy... So I’ll be following this with great interest! 😊

Actually, I think every country has different ways to visit it: if you just stick to the most famous sites and go during peak season, you can end up in crowds and not really feel the soul of the place. But by mixing well-known spots with lesser-known ones and sometimes going off the beaten path, I think amazing discoveries are possible everywhere! That’s exactly what we felt in Thailand—so many beautiful discoveries and connecting with such a welcoming, smiling population.

I had the chance to visit Thailand, and I really loved the temples and the landscapes—but most of all, the food, the massages, and the kindness of the Thai people!

Yes, it's really nice when you're far from home!

Today we landed in Bangkok thanks to Lion Air, and a taxi took us to the old part of Bangkok at the Tara Place Hotel. The manager—a real force to be reckoned with—welcomed us and gave us the key to a lovely room set back from the road (53 €/night, hearty breakfast included, plus free tuk-tuk service).

We’re loving the return of sunshine and warmth! (28°C). We set off to explore the neighborhood and discovered some stunning temples without a single tourist (Wat Intharawihan).







The refinement of Buddhist temples fascinates me! We also stumbled upon a market selling live fish.



The little shops show the daily life of Bangkok locals.

Hi there, and thanks for this story.

We need to act, so we decide to leave the area and head to Bangkok, which seems unaffected. However, we don’t have a van until 2 PM, and there are no affordable flights to Bangkok. We decide to sleep in Krabi.

For next time: take the regular public minivan from Lanta to Trang, and from there, if there’s no reasonably priced flight, one of the two overnight trains to Bangkok (no need to book in advance).

But by mixing well-known sites with lesser-known ones and sometimes going off the beaten path, I think beautiful discoveries are possible everywhere!

+1, that’s definitely true.

Good to know, and it's true I didn't even think about overnight trains!

After visiting Wat Intharawihan, we explore Wat Noranat Suntharikarma and the very pretty Wat Devaraj Kunchon, which you can reach by boat or via walkways (access through the city is closed due to construction work).

It's prayer time for the monks.

After these calm and very interesting visits, we discover the restaurants near our hotel and opt for a Japanese restaurant, reminiscing about our recent trip to that country.

Throughout our stay in Bangkok, we really appreciate the warm welcome from all the shopkeepers in this neighborhood—they’re so friendly and full of attention!

After a good English breakfast and fresh orange juice, we're enjoying this sunny new day (it feels great not to feel sticky and humid anymore!). We take the hotel's tuk-tuk to the Royal Palace.

Due to the passing of Queen Mother Sirikit on October 24, 2025, the country is in mourning for a year, and everywhere you see white and black banners on official buildings. At the Royal Palace, a huge crowd comes to pay their respects to the queen, and everything is organized to welcome them properly. The visit to the Royal Palace is therefore under somewhat special conditions.



The entrance fee is 500 baht, and you must be dressed appropriately: pants for men and covered shoulders and knees for women.

The palace is magnificent.





We watch the changing of the guard to the sound of drums and flutes!



We also visit the costume museum created by the Queen Mother (included in the palace entrance fee).



In all the temples and palaces, we admired the flower pots, each more beautiful than the last:



After this visit, we buy souvenirs and postcards and go to the main post office right next door to buy stamps. We stumble upon a small market where you eat in the center of a square surrounded by little restaurants near the Royal Yacht Club.



After this stop, we head back by boat bus: it's the mode of transport we enjoyed the most—exotic, very functional, and with no traffic jams at all!

I’ve heard that criticizing the royal family is forbidden in Thailand. What do you think Thai people think of the king?

I think the monarchy is part of Thailand and helps maintain a certain cohesion in the country, but younger people are more divided on the subject (lifestyle of the royal family...)

When you bring it up with Thais, they change the subject or respond with stock phrases, so it’s not easy to know what they really think...

I remember once on the river, a couple of tourists on a motorized pirogue who had to get off at the dock. The river was rough, and the boat was lower than the dock, so the older woman was petrified and couldn’t get off. It took three people to help her out, and afterward, she was comforted by a Thai employee while her companion didn’t seem to care at all!

It definitely makes you think! I think the new generation realizes the luxury the royal family lives in, which contrasts with the living conditions of the population...

Thanks for this travel journal and for your good wishes. I hope your future trips go well.

It’s tricky to plan a vacation in the southern part of the country, where it rains a lot and often. This can sometimes last until mid-January, while elsewhere in the country the rainy season usually ends from early to mid-November.

In Thailand, lèse-majesté is severely punished—under conditions at least as harsh as those we experienced in the Middle Ages. Remember that at that time, the King of France was a sovereign by divine right, the equivalent of a demigod.

It’s no surprise that expats or long-term travelers don’t dwell on this topic. Incidentally, it’s a reminder that it’s not always wise to meddle in other people’s affairs, especially when there’s so much to fix in our own countries. Anyway, you can find answers to all these questions with a little digging online.

Here are two pretty telling links:

https://www.20minutes.fr/monde/148717-20070329-taguer-portraits-roi-thailande-mene-prison

https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2018/06/18/01003-20180618ARTFIG00262-en-thailande-critiquer-la-chienne-du-roi-est-un-crime-de-lese-majeste.php