Six Weeks in Bali and Thailand: Waterfalls, Nusa Penida, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi and Ko Lanta

In November 2024 we flew to the other side of the world for six weeks: three in Bali and three in Thailand. Waterfalls, jungle pools, manta rays, scooters, longtail boats, the best noodles of our lives, and a sunset every single night on Ko Lanta.

Route: Singapore → Bali and Nusa Penida → Bangkok → Chiang Mai → Krabi → Ko Lanta → Singapore
How long: 6 weeks
Who came: Just Colin and me
Getting around: Drivers and scooters in Bali, short flights in Thailand, longtail boats in Krabi
Best for: Beaches, food, and a big adventure on a reasonable budget

Bali: waterfalls, jungle pools and rice terraces

We spent about three weeks in Bali, and the waterfalls alone were worth the flight. There’s a tall single drop in the jungle, a tiered cascade, and a lot of standing in the spray. We also found a jungle infinity pool, sunset beaches, watermelon cocktails and a lot of fresh coconut.

Colin and Angela kissing in front of a tall waterfall in the jungle — Waterfall kisses in Bali

Tall thin waterfall plunging into a pool surrounded by green jungle, with a swimmer below

Infinity pool edge overlooking palm trees and green terraces

Woman walking down a path through rice terraces and tall palm trees

Pink watermelon cocktail garnished with a watermelon slice, held up against tropical greenery

Nusa Penida and manta rays

A day trip to Nusa Penida is a must. Kelingking’s T-rex shaped cliff is unreal in person, and the coastline is all sea stacks and turquoise water. We also snorkeled with manta rays, which was one of the coolest experiences of our lives.

Kelingking's T-rex shaped cliff above a curved white-sand beach and turquoise water — Kelingking, Nusa Penida

Swimming with manta rays.

Rocky sea stacks and cliffs above a deep blue bay

Colin and Angela taking a selfie at a cliff-top viewpoint with green hills and sea

Glass of white wine held up over a turquoise sea with a boat in the distance

Bangkok

Bangkok was rooftops at sunset, the skyline at night, and the food: beef noodles, noodle soup and dinners with friends.

Legs stretched out at a rooftop pool overlooking Bangkok skyscrapers

Plate of stir-fried noodles topped with sliced grilled beef and herbs

Bowl of noodle soup with a halved soft-boiled egg and toppings

Chiang Mai

In Chiang Mai we rented a scooter and rode the mountain loop through Mae Rim and Samoeng, with hills, views and little stops along the way. We also spent a day at an elephant sanctuary, feeding them in straw hats. If you visit elephants, choose an ethical sanctuary that doesn’t offer riding.

Elephant standing on dirt ground near a wooden structure and trees — Gentle giants

Colin and Angela in helmets and sunglasses taking a selfie with mountains behind

Colin and Angela in wide straw sun hats taking a selfie

Green hills and valley seen from a cafe garden with a red phone booth

Krabi and island hopping

Krabi is the Thailand of postcards: longtail boats with garlands on their bows, turquoise water and huge limestone cliffs. A longtail island-hopping day is the thing to do here.

Bow of a longtail boat wrapped in colorful garlands, heading toward limestone cliffs — Longtail boat island hopping

Wooden longtail boats tied up at a floating dock below green limestone hills

Bay full of boats seen through palm fronds with karst islands behind

Massive limestone cliff rising above green jungle

Ko Lanta

We ended with almost a week on Ko Lanta, the calm, laid-back island. Most evenings we watched the sunset on the beach, sometimes with a fresh coconut. We also wandered the old town with its red-railed pier.

Red sun setting over calm sea under layered orange clouds — Ko Lanta sunsets never disappoint

Long wooden pier with red railings leading to a Chinese-style pavilion under blue sky

Hand holding a fresh coconut with a straw and pink flower on the beach

People silhouetted on the beach at dusk under a pastel sky

Bali and Thailand tips

Get an eSIM before you land. It makes drivers, maps and booking easy.
Travel insurance is a must for scooters and adventure days.
Fly between regions in Thailand. Domestic flights are cheap and save long travel days.
Slow down at the end. A week on Ko Lanta was the perfect way to finish.