Hello friends, I am writing this while in quarantine in Bangkok, Thailand! Before arriving, I made a list of items to bring along to ensure that my stay at Furama Silom Hotel would be enjoyable but most importantly, delicious. As a vegan that is gluten-free & sugar-free, I knew I needed to prepare accordingly so here are my tips & tricks – ideal for those on the same diet as me or for anybody looking to get healthy during quarantine:
Contact Your Accommodation
While searching for an Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) Accommodation in Bangkok, I filtered choices by ‘vegan’ as Agoda luckily has that option. If the booking platform you have to use does not provide you with filters then I recommend personally emailing your top three choices. After all, you’re going to be stuck with your accommodation of choice for up to two weeks or more!
For those who will be quaranting in Bangkok, I can vouch for Furama Silom Hotel. The Hotel Manager, Mr. Supat, was nothing but understanding when hearing about my diet and each staff I have encountered has been polite & sweet – or both. The fact that the vegan, GF, & SF food I have been provided with has been genuinely delicious is obviously another major reason why I would recommend this ASQ. Bonus: the WiFi is superb!
Don’t Forget Your Nutrients
The most vital piece of advice: pack your plant-based iron, magnesium, Omega 3, potassium, protein, and whatever else your body needs to thrive! Personally, I packed:
- Dried wakame as a source of iron – seriously easy to consume as you just need to pour boiling water atop the dried wakame, wait, and then add the seaweed to rice or to whatever you’re eating
- Oats as a source of magnesium – you can pack unflavoured or flavoured oats or even ready-made granola; a personal favourite (which I brought along ) would be Amazing Grace Granola (the Hazelnut Blackforest flavour)
- Chia seeds as a source of Omega 3 – combine chia seeds with walnut milk for a delicious & healthy dessert
- Walnut milk as a source of essential fatty acids
- Medjool dates as as source of potassium
- Lentils (for the chef) & an avocado based hummus as a source of protein – opted for lentils and hummus as both are easy to pack
- A bag of mixed nuts to reduce inflammation
Pack Some Treats
Obviously you need to spoil yourself while self-isolating so pack whatever makes your heart sing but try to keep your baggage allowance in mind! An example of treats would be:
- Wheat Free For You (WFFY) bagels – WFFY is a Malaysian bakery selling gluten-free sourdough, bagels, & more; made with zero nasties, btw
- Vio Life cheese just because I wanted something for my WFFY bagels
- Nakd protein bars as my sweet tooth loves how (refined) sugar is not involved during production yet each bar I’ve had the pleasure of tasting is as sweet as can be
Use Delivery Services to Your Advantage
If allowed, use delivery services (like Grab, Food Panda, Uber etc.) to your advantage but know that certain types of food may be prohibited. In Thailand, Som Tum is strictly not allowed and neither is anything with coconut milk or ice. I was told that there was an outbreak at an ice factory hence why ice was banned but am uncertain why Som Tum and coconut milk is off limits…
Just Do You
If you need to quarantine then really take time to find & pack items that will make you happy – physically, mentally, emotionally, & spiritually! I wish you a pleasant journey ahead but if you’re not heading into quarantine then I wish for you to enjoy some fresh air on my behalf 🙂
“If you can’t go outside, go inside.” Unknown Author
Raisa Reviews 