Whenever the question of which destination we like best arises, Thailand or Indonesia, we need a bit of time to think. We recognize that it is not easy for us to choose between one or the other.
Distances
First of all, we must bear in mind that Indonesia is composed of some 17,000 islands and the distances between its islands are great. When you plan a trip to Indonesia you have that inevitable feeling of “we will have to leave so many things unseen by the time we depart”. On the other hand, Thailand is a much more encompassable and grateful destination. It is a relatively small country compared to Indonesia.
A 15-20 day trip to Indonesia involves focusing on a small area, for example Bali, the Gili Islands & the island of Java, which already take about fifteen days. You can also make an extension to Borneo, Komodo or the Celebes (Sulawesi), which are extraordinary, but it is necessary to have more days.
In Thailand, as it happened in New Zealand or Costa Rica, the feeling of being traveling through a large part of the country, seeing its contrasts from end to end, comforted us and at the same time made the journey very comfortable. There are practically no days when you hardly see anything until you reach your destination. This fact also makes the preparation of the trip infinitely easier. So, in this sense, this is a positive point for Thailand. But as it usually happens, everything has its positive and negative side. Although short distances often facilitate routes, they also make it more difficult to find remote places without a single tourist. In this sense, Indonesia offers more possibilities of fleeing from the masses and gives us the feeling that in Thailand it is increasingly difficult.
Accommodation
The truth is there are plenty of gorgeous accommodation options in both countries for all types of people and budgets. What’s very popular are retreats and villas which do not only offer all the amenities one can imagine in a South Asian setting but they are also very affordable compared to the same services in other countries. Most notable are the villa retreats in Thailand and the villas in Bali. When it comes to where to stay, both countries boast for their hospitality and luxury, so it’s hard to pick which is better.
Variety of Tourist Attractions
Thailand and Indonesia coincide in the great variety of attractions to visit: beaches, temples, culture, exquisite gastronomy, contact with nature and more. In Thailand we soaked up their culture with every step we took. From Bangkok to Chiang Mai and its street market and Chiang Rai from where we visited the beautiful White Temple. Also we went to the north, on the Golden Triangle route and we also wanted to go to Mae Hong Song in a circular circuit going through Mae Suring and returning in the north through Pai, stopping along the way to see the field of sunflowers, the gigantic caves of Pai, etc.
In the case of Indonesia, the variety of attractions and the contrast of landscapes is amazing. From our point of view, it is essential to fly to Java to visit the temples of Borobudur and Prambanan. The temples of Bali are beautiful but quite similar between them, so it is essential to fly to the neighboring island of Java to see two of the most spectacular temples we have ever visited. We returned in love with what we saw in Indonesia.
Beaches
Regarding the beaches without a doubt, the beaches of Thailand that we saw in the surroundings of Krabi or the famous Phang Nga bay of Phi Phi, with their limestone mountains, associated with the Andaman Sea, far surpass those we saw in Bali and even those of Gili. In this sense we must be clear that this natural beauty is flooded with many tourists, boats and it can be hard to find corners where to enjoy them in solitude. Scuba-loving travellers should try Similan Islands of Thailand or the beaches of Koh Tao. There are about 9 turquoise islands considered among the 10 best diving areas in the world and it is ideal to visit them in excursions from Phuket or Khao Lak.
Conclusion
Those of you who have visited these two beautiful destinations will have already deduced that it is impossible to pick only one of the two trips. Because both offer a combination of attractions to visit and contrasts of landscapes, together with the rich gastronomy and beautiful beaches that make it very difficult to opt for one or another.
