Thailand Adventure Secrets

You're standing on a mountain ridge in northern Thailand, watching the sun rise over an ocean of white clouds stretching into neighboring Laos. The mountain peaks look like islands floating in the mist, and for a few magical moments, it feels like you're standing above the world. Welcome to Phu Chi Fa, one of Chiang Rai's most spectacular hidden treasures! In this episode of Thailand Adventure Sec...

Planning your first Thailand vacation and stuck on which island to choose? ...Then this episode will be time well spent. Phuket might be the name everyone knows, but is it the right island for you? In this episode of Thailand Adventure Secrets, Bangkok Bill compares Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Lanta, and Koh Chang to help you choose an island that fits your travel style, budget, and idea of paradise. W...

How do you discover the Thailand beyond the familiar, "group think," itineraries and Instagram hotspots? For Bangkok Bill, it started with a friendship at a Thai restaurant back in the United States, and led to connections that changed his life. In this episode of Thailand Adventure Secrets , Bill Mullen shares how real relationships, shared interests, and a little flexibility can help you discove...

Looking for things to do just beyond Bangkok? Join "Bangkok Bill" as he explores three extraordinary cultural attractions connected by the vision of one man, Khun Lek Viriyaphant: the Sanctuary of Truth in northern Pattaya , the Erawan Museum , and Ancient City, also known as Muang Boran , in Samut Prakan. Discover the intricate wooden carvings and life questions behind the Sanctuary of Truth, ste...

In this episode of Thailand Adventure Secrets , Bangkok Bill shares his firsthand experience of a two-day trekking adventure outside Chiang Mai, and why it earned its place in the Thailand Backpackers Rite of Passage Challenge , connecting Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Koh Chang. Come along for spectacular mountain views beside a golden chedi, the Bangkok-to-Chiang Mai overnight sleeper train, a night...

In this episode of Thailand Adventure Secrets , I sit down with Kneet , a Thai Sikh-Punjabi singer and songwriter who grew up right here in Bangkok. Raised in a strict family with very clear expectations for her future, Kneet eventually made a decision that would change everything. She went against her parents’ wishes and left Bangkok for New York City. But the dream of New York wasn’t always glam...

What’s the best way to travel around Thailand? Sometimes the ride itself makes all the difference. This week, I’m preparing to board an overnight sleeper train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai for the Backpacker’s Rite of Passage Challenge. (more on that in a different episode - stay tuned) But It got me thinking about all the ways I’ve traveled through Thailand - and how different the experience can be...

What does someone who has lived in Bangkok for years actually eat every week? In this episode of the Thailand Adventure Secrets podcast, Bangkok Bill shares six of his favorite Thai dishes - plus one delicious bonus from northern Thailand. From Isaan-style jim jum cooked over charcoal and grab-and-go moo ping to crispy-noodle Lad Na and his all-time favorite Thai coconut soup, these are the dishes...

In this episode of Thailand Adventure Secrets, I’m finally sharing Koh Kood, an island that still feels like the Thailand I imagined 30 years ago. No giant hotel chains dominating the coastline, no crazy nightlife scene, and beaches where you can still wonder, “How does nobody know about this place?” I’ll take you to beautiful Bang Bao Bay and Koh Kood Resort, a place that looks almost exactly lik...

What if the only thing standing between you and the trip you’ve been dreaming about is waiting for someone else to go with you? ...Hey, it happened to me. Don't let it happen to you. In this episode of Thailand Adventure Secrets, I sit down with my friend Paula Barnes, host of the Truly Expat Travel Podcast, to talk about a subject I’m passionate about: traveling solo. I say it all the time on thi...

Over the last few years, I've heard from several parents who backpacked through Thailand in their twenties, usually during university or just after graduation. Now their kids are almost grown, and they want them to experience the same kind of adventure. More than one of those parents called their original Thailand trip a "rite of passage." That phrase stuck with me... So I'm putting it to the test...

In Episode 2 of our behind-the-scenes series, Building the Magic of Thailand: Going Deeper Expedition , the dream starts meeting reality. Last time, we started with the experiences. This time, I'm putting those experiences on the map and trying to figure out how we're actually going to connect them all in just 14 days. The current plan takes us from Bangkok to the jungles of Khao Sok, across to Ko...

What if we've been planning vacations backwards? Most people start by choosing a destination. Then they book a hotel. Then they search for things to do nearby. For my next expedition, I'm doing exactly the opposite. In this first episode of a special Thailand Adventure Secrets series, I'm taking you behind the scenes as I design the new Deeper Into Thailand Expedition from a completely blank sheet...

There’s a big difference between booking a vacation and designing an unforgettable travel experience. In this episode of Thailand Adventure Secrets, I sit down with Eleanor, founder of Elevate Your Escapes, a full-service travel company and blog focused on creating highly personalized, elevated travel experiences. Eleanor has traveled to more than 70 countries, and long before she became a profess...

Planning a trip to Thailand? Before you book your flights or reserve your first hotel, there are six decisions that will shape every part of your vacation. In this episode of Thailand Adventure Secrets, Bill shares the six questions every traveler should answer before leaving home. These aren't packing tips or travel hacks. They're the big-picture decisions that determine whether you come home say...

In this episode, I sit down with my friend Victor Chen - actor, stunt performer, fight choreographer, Muay Thai instructor, and what I like to call the "Martial Arts Yoda." Victor has spent years returning to Thailand to train, learn from Thai masters, and immerse himself in the country's rich martial arts culture. We also talk about his latest independent action film, the philosophy that guides b...

Koh Chang is home to one of Thailand's most spectacular dive sites - the HTMS Chang, the largest intentionally sunk shipwreck in the country. It's also one of the few places where divers occasionally have the unforgettable experience of swimming alongside a whale shark. In this episode of Thailand Adventure Secrets, I sit down with Kristel from BB Divers to hear the stories behind Koh Chang's incr...

This week, we're dropping anchor off the quiet island of Koh Lon in Chalong Bay, just south of Phuket, as the Cruising Guide Expedition continues aboard the Southern Star. While most visitors race past this corner of Phuket, we're taking our time to explore one of the area's best protected anchorages during the southwest monsoon. Along the way, we take in views of the Big Buddha, discover a forgot...

In this episode of Thailand Adventure Secrets - the Cruising Guide Expedition Series - we sail to one of my favorite overnight anchorages in all of Thailand... the peaceful northern cove of Koh Yao Noi. After a quick maintenance stop that got Southern Star back into perfect cruising condition, we drop anchor in a secluded bay surrounded by towering limestone cliffs, emerald water, and swaying coco...

In this episode of the Cruising Guide Expedition Series, what was supposed to be a simple maintenance stop turned into a memorable and pleasant anchorage. After leaving Koh Yang, just south of James Bond Island, we diverted to Koh Chong Lat to replace a temperamental outboard motor and a failed anchor light aboard Southern Star. That unexpected stop led us to a quiet fishing village, a fantastic l...

In this episode of the Cruising Guide Expedition Series, we leave the hidden hong at Koh Phanak and make our way toward one of Thailand's most famous landmarks—James Bond Island. But as often happens on this expedition, the biggest surprise isn't the place everyone comes to see. It's the tiny, uninhabited island nearby that almost everyone sails right past. Join me as I paddle a stand-up paddleboa...

Today marks the third episode of my Cruising Guide Expedition Series, where I'm documenting every anchorage, hidden island, and unforgettable stop as we cruise through Thailand's spectacular Phang Nga Bay and beyond. This stop takes us to Koh Phanak, an uninhabited island of towering limestone cliffs, hidden sea caves, and an anchorage that feels like a secret world just a few hours from Phuket. O...

A second, very quick installment of the "cruising guide expedition" series. We are about to depart from Phuket Yacht Haven for the island of Koh Phanak, in Phang Nga Bay, Thailand. I will be describing each island as we explore it. - so join me every day for the next couple weeks as we find the more of the best of Thailand. If you are dreaming of exploring Thailand, than this podcast series was me...

Day One of the expedition to update Island Spirit's Cruising Guidebook aboard the 48 foot Bavaria Sailboat. The 2.5 hour sail down from Phuket to Ko Nakha Yai and what was supposed to be a tropical paradise resort beach. It was indeed a beautiful beach... but it has been found. Find out what we did instead. Sawasdee, Bill Author of the book "Getting Lost in the Magic of Thailand; Island Hopping Do...

If you think you've seen everything Thailand has to offer, think again. In this episode, I take you to one of the country's most overlooked mountain destinations: Phetchabun Province and the stunning Khao Kho region. This wasn't a destination I found in a guidebook. It all started with an Instagram reel my wife, Pui, showed me. The scenery looked so unbelievable that I was convinced it had been ed...