11 Days, 3 Countries – Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore Travel Story with Countless Queues, Chaos and lots of fun

Here comes the much awaited post – my 11 Days 3 Countries-Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore travel story that was filled with Countless Queues, Chaos and lots of fun.

Honestly, it took me way longer than expected to sit down and write this because traveling completely disrupted my routine in a way I did not anticipate, before the trip I was fully invested in planning every little thing, then during the trip I was fully present and enjoying every moment, and after coming back I was stuck somewhere in between trying to get back to normal life while also holding on to the memories.

Even though I kept posting on Instagram and YouTube, the consistency definitely dropped, and now almost a month later I am finally sitting down to write this, literally setting a Pomodoro timer every day to make sure I actually finish this because this trip deserves to be written properly.

Be prepared, this is going to be long, like really long, and if you are someone who cannot read everything in one go, which honestly even I wouldn’t, I would say read it in parts, today some, tomorrow some, because this is not just a summary, this is the whole experience.

Let’s start from the planning, because that itself felt like a mini journey.

The Planning Phase

At first we decided to plan everything on our own, we did all the calculations, compared flights, hotels, internal transport, and it looked like we could save money, which sounds great on paper, but then we started factoring in all the things that do not show up in neat calculations.

We thought about local buses, taxis, figuring out where to eat lunch and dinner every single day in completely unknown places, understanding what is okay to do and what is not, managing timings for everything we wanted to cover, and most importantly the fact that we had limited time because of office and school schedules, so we could not stretch this into a long flexible trip….

Slowly it became clear that those extra money tours took were not just extra cost, they were the price of convenience, structure, and peace of mind, which honestly felt worth it.

After a lot of research, like a lot, comparing customized tours and group tours, checking itineraries again and again, we finally found Kesari Tours based in Mumbai which pretty much checked all our boxes in terms of budget and places covered.

Then came the complication of traveling from Gujarat to Mumbai because they would include connecting flights but no one takes responsibility for delays, and missing an international flight is not a risk anyone wants to take, especially when there is a tight layover ahead, so since we have relatives in Mumbai we decided to go a day early and play it safe.

The Journey Begins

Our train from Gujarat to Mumbai was at 12:45 AM on 11th which basically meant we left our house at 11:15 PM on 10th night, already tired before the trip even properly began, we reached Mumbai around 9 in the morning, took another hour to reach our relatives’ place, had breakfast and then crashed till 4 PM.

We left for the airport at 6 PM since reporting time was 8 PM where we were to collect our passports from the tour guide. Honestly having them manage visas and everything was such a relief because not having to worry about carrying passports from home and constantly checking if we packed them reduces a very specific kind of anxiety that only travelers understand.

After collecting passports and listening to all instructions about immigration, baggage, where to go and what to do, we boarded the flight to Singapore and from there had a short layover before Bangkok.

We were warned in advance that it was the beginning of Chinese New Year so there would be heavy rush at immigration and we should not wander off because the whole group would stay together and if someone got lost the guide would not come looking.

It sounded strict but once we reached there and saw the crowd we understood why, it was chaos everywhere, people everywhere, lines everywhere, but somehow we managed immigration in about 30 to 40 minutes and were on our coach in time to leave for Pattaya, stopping on the way for a quick lunch and then finally beginning Day 1.

Day 1 – Pattaya Begins

Itinerary:
Pattaya Tower
Alcazar Show

We had Pattaya Tower planned first, but Chinese New Year had already started showing its effect because traffic was insane and by the time we reached the Pattaya Tower area it was already 3:30 for a 3 PM slot, and our tour guide, who honestly set the standard very high for the rest of the trip, had already checked the situation and informed us that there were around 100 people waiting there and if we stayed we would not be done before 5 which would mess up the rest of the schedule.

she had already rescheduled our slot to Day 3 without any chaos, and instead we checked into the hotel around 4 PM which actually turned out to be a blessing because we had not slept properly for two nights and desperately needed rest.

By evening we went for the Alcazar show and it was beautiful, a full hour of performances by transgender artists with stunning costumes, lights and music, and every performer looked and performed beautifully.

My kid enjoyed the show but was also tired and a little cranky because it was dinner time, but once she ate she was back to normal, and after returning to the hotel I realized I had made my first mistake of the trip!

I haven’t packed slippers! Because next day we had Coral Island and slippers were necessary, so yes, first purchase of the trip was slippers, and second purchase was body lotion because despite being told by my husband that hotels would provide it, they absolutely did not, and thank god for the 7/11 stores everywhere because they made buying anything, from essentials to snacks, ridiculously convenient.

Day 2 of Pattaya – Water, Gardens, and Realizations

Itinerary:
Coral Island
Nongnooch Garden
Thai Massage

This was the day we realized that morning routines were going to change because waking up early enough to bathe and get ready before breakfast at 6:20 and leaving by 7 was just not sustainable when we were returning to the hotel around 10 every night completely exhausted, so we shifted to bathing at night which actually worked better.

Coral Island was the highlight, we were initially unsure about spending on water activities, especially for our kid, but once she tried parasailing, even though she cried before going, she came back smiling so wide that we immediately decided to go for more, she skipped the undersea walk but loved everything else, and honestly just playing on the beach making a slightly wobbly sandcastle was her favorite part.

Nongnooch Garden in the afternoon was beautiful, huge, green, and surprisingly comfortable despite the heat because of the way plants were arranged even above us like a canopy, we had lunch, explored for a bit, watched cultural and elephant shows, and those elephants were so lively and expressive that when they stretched their trunks asking for tips it was impossible not to smile and empty the pockets (we did not empty our pockets).

By evening we went for Thai massage which felt like something we should have done on Day 1 itself, and later at night we visited Walking Street where I stayed outside with my kid while my husband went inside just to see what it was like and came out almost immediately, which tells you everything you need to know.

Day 3 – Pattaya to Bangkok

Itinerary:
Pattaya Tower
Leave for Bangkok after lunch
Golden Buddha Temple
Marble Buddha Temple
Shopping

We finally did Pattaya Tower in the morning with no rush this time, chose between ziplining, elevator drop and cable car, I went for ziplining while my husband accompanied our kid in the cable car, the thrill was mild but the view was lovely.

We then left for Bangkok, , slightly stressed thanks to traffic and the ticking clock. Somehow, we managed to visit both Golden Buddha and then Marble Buddha temples,  reaching literally five minutes before closing which felt like a small victory against traffic. We offer prayers and even explore the museum without feeling rushed.

Then came a quick shopping break. Picked up souvenirs for family and finally gave in to the famous elephant print pants that every other tourist seemed to be wearing. Honestly, zero regrets, they are ridiculously comfortable. Ended the day with dinner and hotel check in in Bangkok. Of course, things couldn’t end smoothly. Bathtub drainage issues kept us up till midnight because apparently vacations also come with tiny plot twists.

Day 4 Bangkok – Safari and a Perfect Ending to Thailand

Itinerary:
Safari world from morning till evening
Night Boat ride on river and dinner on boat

Last day in Thailand and easily one of the best, Safari World was long, hot, crowded, but still so enjoyable. After amazing experience with Safari ride, we watched multiple shows – orangutan show, Sea lion show, Spy war and Dolphin show with lunch break in between. The dolphin show was easily the favorite, the guide kept warning everyone to avoid front rows unless they wanted to get drenched and some people still chose front seats and instantly regretted it.

We faced lots of rush and there was long line for entry for each show, some had to sit on stairs too and heat didn’t help. There were mist sprinklers throughout the walkways and waiting areas and also seating areas which gave a little relief but it was not enough.

I can’t imagine what would have happened if we decided to take trip in March and god forbid in April!! So, yes if you’re planning your vacation to these places from March to April… don’t. Best season would be December and January.

After stopping at hotel to freshen up by evening we were ready for a river cruise dinner which felt calm and beautiful after such a long day, and it was the perfect way to say goodbye to Thailand before preparing for an early morning flight.

And this is where things started getting… interesting. For the first time we were going to realize how important a good tour guide is.

Day 5 – Welcome to Malaysia (and chaos)

Itinerary
K L Tower
King’s palace
Batu caves

We woke up at 4 AM, left by 5, reached airport by 6, everything went smoothly until it didn’t, because the flight got delayed, boarding started late and then we were just sitting inside the plane for almost one and a half hours doing absolutely nothing, and I remember thinking this is the worst part of travel, the waiting with no control over anything.

We finally landed in Malaysia, already behind schedule, and then came the next issue, no tour guide in sight, we waited, looked around, waited some more, and after around 10 minutes he finally found us, then another 5 minutes to get the bus, and by then the energy had already dipped.

One unexpected thing we found was rain. First day and we all decided we would need raincoat as tour manager said there is rain prediction all remaining five days of the trip.

As we were already running late and reached around lunch time, the KL Tower from our itinerary had to be skipped, and instead we were taken to Merdeka Square, the National Mosque, the High Court Building, and the King’s Palace, but all of these turned out to be quick photo stops where we were given barely five minutes at each place, and in case of the court and the field we did not even get down because of the rain and were just shown everything from inside the bus.

The only place we actually stepped out properly was the Palace and even there it started raining within three minutes of us getting down, and then we moved on towards Batu Caves while the guide gave us information about the places and about Malaysia in general, though most of it felt like it was coming only after repeated nudges from our tour manager rather than naturally from the guide himself.

When one person from the group asked a question that was basically a repeat of what tour guide had just explained, the guide literally said, “I just told you that, didn’t I? Pay attention, it feels like you all are sleeping, I will repeat myself once again but I am not going to say the same thing a third time,” and I was standing there trying not to laugh out loud because inside my head I was already thinking, wow, we are definitely going to have a great time with this one.

By the time we reached Batu Caves around 4 in the evening, it had already started to show how incompetent the guide was, and all of us could feel the difference after coming from such a professional, warm, efficient, and genuinely passionate tour guide in Thailand, because here there was not even a basic heads-up about clothing restrictions at Batu Caves, and even though it was meant to be just a photo stop.

Once we got down everyone naturally wanted to go up to the temple, and that is when it hit me that I only had shorts for the entire trip, and in Bangkok our guide had specifically told us to carry a dupatta every day to cover our legs if needed, which I actually did throughout Thailand, but since neither the Malaysia guide nor the manager mentioned anything here, I had left it in the bus.

By the time we grabbed coconut water and tea and then found out from the lady standing at the staircase of the temple about the dress code, the bus was already locked and the driver was nowhere to be found, and that just pushed my irritation to another level, especially when the only option was to rent a dupatta for 15 Ringgit, which felt unnecessary and avoidable.

Yes, I was genuinely upset that I could not go up and see the caves properly and experience it fully, but my husband just told me to let it go, saying everyone is tired, maybe the manager is also exhausted since we have all been up since 4 in the morning with barely any rest, so I tried to calm down and move on.

After the caves, we had dinner and then checked into the hotel, carrying a mix of tiredness, mild frustration, and just hoping the next day would go a little smoother.

Day 6 – Genting Highlands Drama

Itinerary
KL tower
Genting Highlands – Skytropolis Indoor Park & casino

We left again as early as 8:30 and reached KL Tower by 9, and thankfully there wasn’t much rush this time, so we could actually take in the experience properly, and the view from the observatory was absolutely gorgeous because of the rainy weather and low clouds that covered almost half of the high-rise buildings, giving the whole city this soft, slightly misty, almost dreamy look which honestly made it even better than a clear sky view.

After lunch we headed towards Genting Highlands, and this is where another layer of the guide’s shortcomings started to show, because while he was technically doing his job, there was clearly a lack of planning and presence of mind, as we had already been told that there would be heavy rush and we might have to wait for around one and a half to two hours for the cable car, and that we would decide whether to take the express option only after checking the actual waiting time once we reached there, which sounded perfectly reasonable, but instead of doing that, the guide went straight to get the regular tickets without checking anything or even asking us what we preferred.

We reached around 2 PM at the entrance of queue for cable car and were told we had to finish all activities by 6, which already felt tight, but then came the real frustration because we ended up waiting for almost two hours just for the cable car, and by the time we finally reached the top it was already around 4:30, and all of us were honestly quite irritated because it was clearly not enough time to explore the indoor park properly when every ride itself had a waiting time of 15 to 30 minutes, and it just did not make sense how we were expected to cover everything in less than two hours.

At that point the entire group insisted that we should be given more time because this situation was a direct result of poor decision making, and after some back and forth it was decided that we would take the express option while coming down so that we could get at least one extra hour, which still felt rushed but was definitely better than nothing.

Despite all that, we managed to do most of the rides, and my kid once again surprised us by going on so many of them and actually enjoying it, which made the experience even more fun.

At one point my husband went off to check out the casino just to see what it was like, and that somehow turned into us getting completely separated and unable to find each other until the last one hour, and he actually had to take help from security to locate me, which was equal parts funny and frustrating.

Once we finally found each other, we took turns going on the faster rides since our kid was not allowed due to height restrictions and also because they were honestly too fast and intense for her age, and while we wished we had more time because there were still a couple of rides we would have loved to try, overall it still turned out to be a thrilling experience.

After coming back down to ground level, we had dinner and returned to the hotel, and since it was our last day in Malaysia, we stepped out again to explore a nearby market within walking distance, where I picked up some souvenirs and nothing more, just keeping it simple before wrapping up the day.

Day 7 – Singapore and a New Level of Guide Energy

Itinerary
Gardens by the bay
Flower Dome
Cloud Forest – Jurassic World
Garden Rhapsody Show

We left early in the morning from Malaysia to Singapore by bus, which was a long 5–6 hour ride with just one stop in between for refreshments, and honestly by the time we reached the border we were already tired, but the Singapore immigration process was surprisingly smooth and quick, completely digitalized with no unnecessary questioning or delays, which was genuinely impressive and a refreshing change, and just like that, our first day in Singapore began.

We reached the hotel, dropped our bags quickly, and left for the day’s activities with 1 hr to rest.

At Gardens by the bay, We did not get to do the observatory deck or Flower Fantasy, and in the limited time we had we could only cover what I already mentioned (flower dome and cloud forest), and the whole time it felt like we were constantly running on a tight schedule with barely any breathing space and of course, a lot of rush everywhere, which by now you already know I am not going to stop mentioning because it really was a constant theme throughout the trip.

We genuinely thought we could not get a worse tour guide than the one we had in Malaysia, but clearly our luck with guides was on a downward spiral because Singapore proved us wrong in a very unexpected way.

If the Malaysian guide was a passionless professional, then our Singapore guide was the exact opposite kind of exhausting, overly pompous and constantly bragging, with statements like, “I have a lot of money, I am doing this only for my love for Singapore, you Indians pay very little for this tour so you should be thankful, but since you are contributing to the economy I will still guide you”!

The best part was whenever anyone asked a question about going anywhere on their own about timing of metro or area we should go to or something his standard response was, “Google it yourself,” and at that point we all just looked at each other like, did he really just say that, because yes, he did, and after that we actually stopped asking him anything and just relied on our own phones if we needed information.

We even started calling him “feku” (a Hindi word for Braggadocio) behind his back because every conversation somehow came back to money, numbers in millions and billions, and how great everything was according to him, which honestly became more amusing than annoying after a point.

Another thing that didn’t sit right with us was when he took us to a back bridge to watch the Garden Rhapsody show, even though we had reached before time, and just because there was a crowd he chose a spot that blocked the view of the base of those beautiful tree structures, and even our tour manager later mentioned that it was not really the ideal viewpoint to enjoy the show properly, and when someone from our group casually said it was just okayish, he made it very clear through his expression that he did not appreciate that comment at all.

Still, despite everything, Garden Rhapsody show (video shared after the pics) itself was beautiful and I made sure to record it because some moments are worth keeping regardless of the surrounding chaos.

At that point we had already mentally prepared ourselves to just enjoy the last three days on our own terms and not depend much on the guide, and honestly that shift in mindset helped.

Dinner wrapped up the day and we checked into the hotel which, thankfully, was really good and surprisingly spacious compared to the usual Singapore hotel standards, and after such a long and slightly frustrating day, that comfort was very much needed.

Day 8 – Universal Studios Madness

Itinerary
Universal Studio

Since morning we were at Universal Studios, but before that we explored the Oceanarium, which itself took around one and a half hours or a little more, and by 11:30 we all gathered at the entrance of Universal Studios where we were handed our tickets and badges, and given a rough layout of the park along with basic instructions about where everything was, where we could eat, and where the tour manager would be in case anyone needed help.

And once again, there was a lot of rush, like genuinely exhausting levels of crowd, where we ended up waiting more than an hour for almost every ride, and even though we had planned to finish all the major rides first and then have lunch later, we still could not cover the entire park or all the activities we wanted to do.

We had the right mind to leave our belongings with the tour guide where he was stationed, because the lockers near the rides were only free for about 30 (or maybe 60) minutes, I don’t remember the exact time now, but it was definitely less than the waiting time for most of the rides, and if we collected our things late we would have had to pay extra, which just didn’t make sense given how long the queues were, so before getting into those long lines we handed over our phones and purses to the guide and then stood there waiting for our turn without constantly worrying about locker timing or extra charges.

We started with the Transformers ride which everyone absolutely loved, and then moved on to the biggest attractions, Human and Cyclone, and surprisingly my kid met the height criteria, and not only did she go for it, she actually enjoyed the Human ride which is fast but without loops, and we even got the front row, just the two of us, and it was such a thrilling experience, but just as the ride began it started pouring, so by the time we got off we were completely drenched.

At that point we just decided that since we were already soaked, we might as well go all in and do Cyclone next before lunch, but of course nothing was that simple because just when we were finally nearing our turn after standing in a long queue, the ride got paused due to lightning, and honestly it felt like wow, what terrible luck, but we still chose to wait it out, and after another half an hour the ride resumed. After 2 hrs. of wait we finally got chance to enjoy the ride!

Yes, it took a lot of time and patience, but it was absolutely worth it, because Cyclone turned out to be even more intense with five loop-the-loops and higher speed, and my kid surprised us the most by not just going on it but actually loving it, and both of us were screaming and laughing the entire time, having what easily felt like the best two minutes of our lives.

We finally had lunch at around 4 PM, which honestly tells you everything about how packed the day was, and after catching one more show it was time to leave for the Night Safari, which was a really good experience in itself, but because it was night and lights were dim where animals were, we could not get clear pictures, and I could only click photos of animals on my side of the tram, and to make it slightly more annoying there were people in our group talking loudly the whole time, which clearly scared some animals away and just took away from the experience.

By then I was cold, wet, and already irritated, with no change of clothes, and to make things worse the driver did not even bother to lower the AC in the bus, so the whole ride back just made it worse, and by the time we finished dinner and reached the hotel I was literally shivering and already knew I was going to fall sick, and even though I took medicine, I also knew at that point it was not really going to stop the cold from hitting.

Day 9 – Sick but Still Going

Itinerary
Singapore flyer
Sentosa island

I had caught a cold by then, and while it was annoying, I was honestly just grateful that I rarely get a fever with it, so I still had enough energy to push through the day and enjoy everything that was planned, starting with the Singapore Flyer, which gave us a beautiful, calm view of the city, followed by lunch, and then the cable car ride to Sentosa Island which was easily one of the highlights because of how scenic and relaxing it felt despite everything.

Our first stop there was Madame Tussauds, and we went all in, clicking pictures with almost every wax statue we could find, fully leaning into the tourist mode and genuinely having a lot of fun with it, and after that we had our evening tea and snacks before heading to Scentopia, which was essentially a perfume store experience, and even though we didn’t buy anything, I personally loved it because I enjoy fragrances, although my already suffering nose from the cold was definitely not thrilled after smelling so many scents back to back.

We then spent about an hour at the beach, just unwinding a bit, before heading to watch the Wings of Time show, which was absolutely amazing and honestly one of the most well-done shows of the trip, and I even recorded a full video of it which I is being uploaded on YouTube (will share link in a while).

After dinner we headed back to the hotel, tired but still trying to soak in the last few moments of the trip.

Day 10 – Goodbye Singapore

Last day in Singapore, and departure.

The morning started with a city tour which, to be honest, wasn’t anything too special, just a quick round of the usual spots, and after lunch we were given about an hour to shop at Mustafa Centre, but by then we had already bought most of our souvenirs from another shop we were taken to earlier, which in hindsight turned out to be a bit expensive, like we paid 10 Singapore Dollars for three magnets while the same kind were available outside Mustafa for just 1 Dollar each, and the only thought running through my head was why did no one warn us earlier, but well, no point regretting it now.

After that we left for Changi Airport, and this part actually turned out to be really enjoyable because we had plenty of time to explore, and we made sure not to miss the iconic waterfall at Jewel, which was absolutely stunning in person and completely worth the hype.

At one point my husband forgot one of the bags somewhere, which led to a bit of chaos as we got separated, so I asked the tour manager and another mother from the group to take my kid along with them while we went looking for it, and that moment really highlighted one good thing about group travel because everyone looked out for each other, especially the kids, and I didn’t have to constantly worry about her safety.

While we were gone, my kid ended up exploring the butterfly garden with her friend and her friend’s mother, and we all reunited later at the immigration gate, slightly stressed but also relieved that everything worked out fine.

After some shopping at the airport, where we picked up a Lego set for my kid and I got myself some Muji pens, we finally boarded our flight to Mumbai, stayed the night at the same relative’s place, and then the next day took a train back home, stopping at my mom’s place for dinner before finally reaching our own house, completely exhausted but also carrying a lot of great memories from the past 11 days.

And just like that, it was back to reality, waking up at 6 AM the next morning and slowly getting back into the regular routine, which, not going to lie, took more time than expected (I’m still not posting regularly).

Ending Thoughts

So here it is, my travel post, finally written more than a month after coming back, and if you are still here reading this till the end, and that too in one go, I genuinely salute you because that means I managed to hold your attention through all the chaos, fun, and mini rants.

Have you visited these places?
Let me know what day or part you enjoyed reading about the most in this post.

Just in case you missed,,,

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