The Cambodian Water Festival starts next week in Phnom Penh, and since that means MILLIONS of people will be descending upon our fair city, I will be getting the eff outta here. Bless Cambodia and their 25 public holidays.

A group of us kids are going to Thailand! Our first stop is Chiang Mai. I have wanted to go for years, and I am so excited. I can’t wait to hike and go white-water rafting and eat gigantic bowls of khao soi until I pass out. I have been scouring Paper Planes for local tips on food and adventure in the area. Written by an expat living in Chiang Mai, there are a ton of great ideas up on the blog. With the best timing ever, she just posted a Last Minute Travel Prep Checklist, which I am using this week. So ready to get my exploring on.

After our time up in the mountains, we are heading south, to the Andaman Sea, where we are renting a sailboat for the week. I have done this a few times before and while I generally like to go to new places every trip, this one is worth returning to. There are few places in the world where I am totally calm, and the abundance of coconut drinks and snorkeling make this spot pretty perfect for chill out time.

If you have any suggestions on what to see/eat/do in either place, I would love to know your thoughts!

Evidence on why I am going back, below.

Oh, and if you lived inside my head, this is what it would sound like.

Photos: The Khmer Times, National Geographic, Cait