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Thailand travel expertise | Est. 2008

The Koh Samui Guide
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29 Ways to Bring Thailand to You

  • October 2, 2021
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2020 stats: I watched I don’t know how many seasons of Below Deck. Kept my New Year’s Resolution to get better at swimming. Definitely gained the COVID-19. Did the stay-cations, the barbeques-with-your-bubble and continue demolish the global supply of Thai cookbooks.

If you’re sick of Netflix (or horrified at what your algorithm has become), below, find 29 Thailand-inspired activities to do at home. From food and flavours you’ve never heard of, to books you’ve never read – here’s hoping it gives you a month’s worth of sunshine.

Links below may include affiliates. I use affiliate links to recommended products and services. I receive a small commission on any resulting purchases at no cost to the customer. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. It keeps The Koh Samui Guide ad-free, never sponsored and 100% independent.

29 Thailand-inspired activities to do at home

1. Try freeze-dried durian

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Try freeze-dried durian

Make your strangest Amazon Prime order yet: add jackfruit, durian and mangosteen to cart and discover your new favourite Thai fruit.

2. Elephant yoga (in your living room)

Thailand activities to do at home

Practice yoga … with elephants. Featured as one of nine easy ways to help Koh Samui (without leaving your couch), you can download two twenty-minute yoga and guided meditation videos filmed at Samui Elephant Haven in partnership with a Koh Samui yoga studio. (By donation).

3. Read this Bangkok murder-mystery (x6)

Thailand activities to do at home Thailand activities to do at home

Read the entire Bangkok 8 series and emerge when winter’s over.

4. CIA conspiracy theories

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Jim Thompson and CIA conspiracy theories

Love a good mystery? Even more so if it involves -cough- the CIA -cough- and remains unsolved over fifty years later? See what you think happened to Jim Thompson (and window-shop for Thai silk while you’re at it).

5. James Bond vs Thailand

Thailand activities to do at home Thailand activities to do at home

Fix yourself something shaken, not stirred and enjoy two James Bond movies set (or filmed) in Thailand: The Man with the Golden Gun and Tomorrow Never Dies.

6. Add a Thailand map

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Add a Thailand map

Treat yourself to this detailed map of Thailand stamped in gold foil. Choose from framed or unframed. Want to run with this theme? See 12 more ideas for some beautiful tropical artwork.

7. Just add rum

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: How to make a coconut shake

You versus the Vitamix: Here’s how to make a coconut shake, exactly like in Thailand.

8. Make lemongrass towels

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Make lemongrass towels

Rehydrate both skin and soul: discover the restorative magic in a cold lemongrass towel (especially post-Peloton).

9. Just add jungle

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Add a tropical wall mural

Add a tropical wall mural to any corner that needs it – even inside a closet. Peels off easily and is available in two sizes to suit your ceiling height.

10. Below Deck: Phuket

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Below Deck: Phuket

Binge Below Deck season 7 – filmed in Phuket and Railay. (In truth – because I’m an expert now – this was my least favourite season. So start at Season 1 and you can claw your way to season 7 … probably by next week).

11. Save a (baby) shark…

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Sharks and shark fin soup in Thailand

Learn just a little bit about sharks and shark fin soup in Thailand – even lodged in the very back of your brain you’ll be a better-informed traveller for the future. (P.S. sharks eat sea snakes. Go sharks! Team shark!)

12. Butterly Peas Please

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Butterfly Pea Flower tea

Try Butterfly Pea Flower tea – the bright blue colour is completely natural and can be used in drinks or to bake – bright blue icing with no additives!?

13. Choose sugar or spice?

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Spicy Thai banana chips

Make an emotional break from banana bread – and just skip to the good bit. By a zillion, million miles – THIS is my new favourite snack.

14. Sketch your travels memories

Thailand activities to do at home: Sketch Your Travels: Skyrocket Watercolor Techniques with 6 Fun Projects of Thailand.

Try a Skillshare class – completely online instruction for beginner’s watercolour techniques, filmed in Thailand: Sketch Your Travels: Skyrocket Watercolor Techniques with 6 Fun Projects of Thailand.

15. Zoom with elephants

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Zoom with elephantsZoom call the elephant herd at Samui Elephant Sanctuary. A US$50 donation comes with a 30-minute live tour and introduction to the herd. Tours are available in English or French.

16. Phang Nga Puzzle

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Phuket Jigsaw Puzzle

Rainy days ahead? That’s no time for a 500 or 1,000 piece puzzle. Break out the big guns: Three thousand pieces; a panorama puzzle of James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay near Phuket.

17. Buy Donald yourself a mask

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Tropical face mask

Unleash some COVID-19 bitterness with a truly ironic, slightly rageful, tropical mask. Will you choose “the fresh watermelon shake I didn’t drink” mask, or the “beautiful Thai beach I didn’t see” mask?

18. #$@&%*! (in Thai)

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Thai slang

Need to exercise full creative expression, even in languages you don’t speak? Pick up some Thai slang and practice on unsuspecting family members.

19. Get the measure of Bangkok

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Bangkok map print

Visual learner? Get to know Bangkok a little at a time, and brighten up your walls while you’re at it. This Bangkok map print comes in five sizes, from 8″x10″ up to 28″x36″.

20. Perfect your pad Thai

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: The best Thai cookbooks

Get cooking! If you need a break from takeout but can’t part with Thai food – it’s time to cook it yourself. I’m a few weeks into “DIY pad Thai” and am pretty proud of the results. (Top tip? Order six bottles of fish sauce with every new Thai cookbook). Find 33 superb Thai cookbooks for all skill levels, including 4 German-language books, plus niche options and, fine, vegetarians, too.

21. Phuket’s pretty

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Phuket art print

Phuket-Inspired – From the artist: “This art print is based on an original mixed media painting inspired by the vast, tropical beaches of Phuket”. Why do I love it? That perfect shade of blue.

22. Play Human Guinea Pig

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: best toiletries for Thailand

I did. If you avoid chemicals and favour cruelty-free products, you might discover a new favourite sunscreen, face wash or hair product in my round-up of the best toiletries for Thailand.

23. Good Morning, Vietnaaaaaam Thailaaaaand

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Good Morning, Vietnam

Did you know that Good Morning, Vietnam was actually filmed in Thailand? See if you can figure out which locations were used where. (Hint: Many of the extras are actually students from International School Bangkok (ISB).

24. Podcast Party

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: 14 podcasts for Thailand

Pandemic rules state that listening to podcasts totally counts as human contact. From snakes to elephants, coral reefs and jellyfish, to what it’s like being in blind in Bangkok, discover 14 fascinating podcasts and some wonderful audiobooks about Thailand.

25. Super spicy

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Sriracha and Thai sweet chilli banana chips

By now you know that I chickened out on my spicy Thai banana chips. Want way more heat (and probably more crunch?) Switch to the experts and choose between Sriracha and Thai sweet chilli banana chips.

26. Get even more adventurous

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: larb or green curry banana chips

Tried Sriracha banana chips and ready for more? Try some totally Thai flavours: larb or green curry banana chips. These special edition flavours were developed with Thai street food expert Mark Wiens and the result is so popular that fans have uploaded unboxing videos. As a limited edition these might not last long.

27. Plan ahead!

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: 2022 Thailand travel guides

All the big kids in travel books are planning major releases for 2022, including Lonely Planet and DK Eyewitness. Pre-order a few now and delight your future self at your forethought and organisation. (A feeling I’ve never experienced but imagine would be highly satisfactory).

28. Watercolour Jungle

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Watercolour Jungle

I spotted this book on Amazon at the start of lockdown and recommended it to a relative who has always wanted to learn to paint but ‘never had the time’. This book’s been an incredible resource for a beginner and has ignited what will be a lifelong hobby. (The results I get sent on WhatsApp are mighty impressive, too). Sick of YouTube and want to do something with your hands? This is a high-praise recommendation-by-proxy for  DIY Watercolour Jungle.

29. Head to the hills

Thailand Activities to Do at Home: Northern Thailand art print

One last suggestion for adding some jungle colours to your walls. I love this Northern Thailand print – all my favourite shades of green and blue. As with everything from Society6, it’s available in a variety of sizes (from 8″x8″ up to 28″x28″).

Want more Thailand activities to do at home?

I don’t blame you. Luckily, it’s easy to transport some of Thailand’s tastiest snacks and nicest smells straight to your home.

  • Part two: 29 MORE ways to bring Thailand to you at home
  • My favourites: Thailand-themed books, games and puzzles
  • Post-Peloton: How to make lemongrass towels (exactly like a Thai spa)

P.S. You can find every suggestion for Thailand activities to do at home in the archive, or subscribe by email and get all the details straight to your inbox. Enjoy!

    • At Home (For Now)
29 MORE Ways to Bring Thailand to You at Home
  • Alex Hammond
  • July 23, 2021
Tropical Artwork: 13 Ways to Add Tropical Colour + Sunshine to Your Walls
    • At Home (For Now)
Tropical Colour? Bright Sunshine? I Want It on My Walls.
  • Alex Hammond
  • October 17, 2020
Lemongrass Towels: Easy Instructions to Make Lemongrass Towels
    • At Home (For Now)
How to Make Lemongrass Towels (Exactly Like a Thai Spa)
  • Alex Hammond
  • August 14, 2020
29 Ways to Bring Thailand to You29 Ways to Bring Thailand to You
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