🌴🌊🌅 What Thailand Means to Me

Ask almost anyone what Thailand is, and the answers usually sound the same:

Sea and beaches.
White sand.
Warm water all year round.
Islands.
Postcard sunsets.
Palm trees and deep tropics.
Heavy, humid air.
Jungle breathing somewhere behind the hotels.

Bright green landscapes.
That strange feeling of endless summer.

Then comes the cultural vibe.

Buddhist temples.
Golden Buddha statues catching the sun.
Monks in orange robes moving slowly through noisy streets.
The smell of incense.
Moments of quiet right in the middle of a restless city.

And of course, Thai exotic life.

Street markets.
Fruits you can’t even name the first time you see them.
Coconuts.
Mango shakes that taste better than any dessert.
Pad Thai.
Tom Yum.
Seafood cooked right in front of you.
Street food that costs almost nothing.

Spicy, sweet, sour — all at once.

Then the other side of Thailand.

Night life.
Walking Street.
Bars, neon, music until morning.
Thai massage that somehow becomes a “must-do” on every trip.

Tuk-tuks.
Chaotic traffic where everything moves at the same time — and somehow it works.

Smiles from locals.
That crazy contrast: skyscrapers, temples, and jungle almost in one frame.
Bright colors.
Wet tropical light.
Green fighting with concrete.
Real, unfiltered human эмоции everywhere you look.

For me, as someone who grew up surrounded by endless snow, the strongest association has always been simple: palm trees and the sea.

That’s probably why I photograph them everywhere I go.
I’m not exaggerating — I have thousands of those shots by now.

Palm trees still feel slightly unreal to me. Almost alien.

I can’t imagine a beach without palms.
And I honestly can’t imagine palms without the sea nearby.

Before I ever had the chance to travel, I used to sit at home during long, dark winter evenings.
Outside — wind, snow, and −40°C.
Inside — YouTube videos from warm countries.

I remember watching those videos and thinking, one day I’ll be there.

Now I’m here so often it almost feels normal — warm air, tropical light, slow sunsets, the sound of insects at night.

Funny how life flips sometimes.

We’re all different, and our dreams are shaped by what we don’t have.
I’ve met people from hot countries who dream about touching real snow, trying skiing, or just seeing their breath in cold air.

I get that completely.

We always want what feels out of reach.

I actually had a neat way to wrap this thought up while I was writing… and then lost it somewhere between palms and memories.

So I’ll just end it like this:

Sometimes the biggest dream is simply to live inside the picture you once watched on a small screen.

I write my texts myself, correct mistakes and translate via ChatGPT (which is not a violation on Hive)!
All photos were taken by me personally - I am a beginner photographer, so I ask professionals not to judge strictly.

Thank you for sharing these moments with me! Until new stories and new holidays! ✌️.

Camera 📷: Sony Alpha 7 IV full-frame
Lens 🔭: Sony FE 70-200mm F: 2.8 GM OSS II
Lens 🔭: Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
Lens 🔭: Sony FE 20-70 mm F: 4 G
Processed 🛠: Lightroom

photo by openai