Matt Dudley & Chandra Osborn

Matt & Chandra

October 11, 2009

Matt Dudley & Chandra Osborn

Matt & Chandra

October 11, 2009

Welcome to our honeymoon registry! If you've never seen a honeymoon registry before, it works just like a regular registry; you can choose to give us parts of our honeymoon in Thailand.

Why Thailand? We agreed from the beginning that our perfect honeymoon would involve equal parts relaxation, adventure, pampering, beaches, culture and cuisine. Thailand has them all. From the gorgeous beaches of southern Thailand, to the bustling metropolis of Bangkok, to the mountainous jungles of the Chiang Mai Province, Thailand is, in many ways, an ideal destination for our honeymoon.

What really sold us on Thailand, however, was the unlikely place that Thai cuisine holds in our relationship.

Chandra: "It's our fourth date, and Matt invites me to the Berkshires for a home cooked meal. The menu: Tofu & Shrimp w/Curry and Mangos (from a Thai cookbook, of course). Being the west coast Mexican-food junkie that I was, I had never laid eyes on nor tasted Thai food before that night. It was my first experience, and I fell head over heels in love; with the chef, first and foremost, but also the food. To this day, some of my fondest memories of Matt involve two wine glasses, and tofu squares dipped in peanut sauce. Whether it was in Western Massachusetts by a wood burning stove, at a BYOB restaurant in Chicago, or in the comfort of our kitchen in Nashville, the Thai experiences with Matt will always be among my favorites. Going to Thailand takes it to a whole new level."

Matt: "I really wanted our honeymoon to be exotic and once-in-a-lifetime, but I also wanted it to reflect who we are as a couple. We came up with a list of fantastic locations on six continents (sorry, Antarctica), and Thailand kept rising to the top. The flawless beaches remind me of our 2006 trip to Curacao. The mountainous landscape surrounding Chiang Mai reminds me of our visit to Mendoza, Argentina, where I decided to propose. And, of course, the cuisine will remind me of some of our happiest times together in Massachusetts, Chicago and Nashville. I'm so freakin' excited. When do we leave? I'm gonna go pack."

Of course, choosing how to spend our time in Thailand has been no easy feat! We've explored dozens of regions, flights (we'll be on ten airplanes), timetables (we leave on December 18), and options for maximizing our visit, and we've settled on an itinerary that takes us to three areas of Thailand.

We'll start our honeymoon by relaxing, and indulging in the pleasures of Koh Samui, a tropical island located off the country's eastern seaboard, in the Gulf of Thailand. An 80-minute flight from Bangkok, Koh Samui is home to some of Thailand's most beautiful beaches.

From Koh Samui, we'll fly north to Chiang Mai, Thailand's "second capital". A dynamic and peaceful city, Chiang Mai successfully combines its rich history and culture with increasingly chic and modern touches. We'll be staying 20 minutes outside the city, at a boutique Thai cooking resort.

Our trip will come to a close with three nights in Bangkok, Thailand's capital of eight million people. We'll celebrate our last night in Thailand amidst the country's renowned New Year's Eve celebration, before returning to the United States on New Year's Day.

Our Registry

We'll begin on the peaceful island of Koh Samui...
... then north, to the city of Chiang Mai ...
... and a visit to Thailand's capital, Bangkok.
Show All
  • $0-$50
  • $50-$100
  • $100-$150
  • $150+
  • All
Help us enjoy five nights at our trip's most luxurious accommodation, the boutique Bo Phut Resort, will enable us to overcome our jet-lag and settle into our new surroundings with the ideal combination of beachfront-relaxation and top-notch pampering.
$10000
9/15
$100
Giving Portions
Give This Gift
Sunblock. SPF 50. Mostly for Matt.
Gift Fulfilled
Bug spray. With DEET. Mostly for Chandra.
Gift Fulfilled
Comprised of 40 small islands, idyllic Ang Thong Marine National Park is located 31km from Koh Samui. We'll take a one-hour boat trip to the archipelago, and then jump in a kayak to explore the limestone cliffs, white-sand beaches and hidden lagoons.
Gift Fulfilled
A brief tour of the island, from a parachute. If you've ever wanted to sponsor us being dragged behind a boat, this is your chance.
Gift Fulfilled
Located in Na Tian, on the southern shore, the Samui Butterfly Garden showcases 25 of Thailand's native butterfly species, as well as bees, beetles, and butterflies from Malaysia & Indonesia. An unusual break from the sun-drenched beach, for sure.
Gift Fulfilled
What happens when a wine-lover from California gets trapped on a tropical island? She finds the nearest wine cellar, of course! Treat Chandra to a bottle of her favorite bubbly from Sala Samui, the island's only beachfront wine-cellar.
Gift Fulfilled
Thailand is known for its cheap massages, but it also has some of the world's best spas. Treat us to the latter; we'll enjoy 1.5 hours in the steam pools of the Tamarind Forest Spa, followed by a 2.5 hour Thai massage for two. Ahhh.
$8000
2/4
$100
Giving Portions
Give This Gift
Pad thai. No bean sprouts. Side of peanut sauce.
Gift Fulfilled
Living in Nashville, it's impossible to have dinner on the beach. We'll dine one night at an intimate beachfront alcove, with sweeping views of neighboring islands and the entertainment of traditional Thai dance.
Gift Fulfilled
More pampering. For Matt: A men's facial specifically designed to cleanse and refresh, accompanied by hand and arms massage. For Chandra: A Dead Sea Thermal Mud Wrap, to soften and refresh using the healing and detoxifying properties of minerals. Ahhh.
Gift Fulfilled
Drinks on the beach. Complete with little umbrellas.
Gift Fulfilled
Located 12 km north of Chiang Mai, at the fringe of Borsang village, we'll spend four nights at the beautiful and serene Secret Garden bungalow resort. The owners offer cooking courses, and encourage guests to focus on wellness and relaxation.
Gift Fulfilled
Picture us on a tour of 18 platforms and lowering stations, connecting 2km of zip lines, through different layers of a 1500-year-old rainforest canopy. Got it? If we survive, we'll celebrate with a hike, lunch in the jungle, and a waterfall swim.
Gift Fulfilled
Treat us to local food (on a stick!) and souvenirs from the Sunday Night Street Market. Running through the heart of Chiang Mai's Old City, the weekly gathering of locals and tourists is a showcase of the art and craftsmanship of Northern Thailand.
Gift Fulfilled
What's that you say? Twenty-four hour scooter rental for $6? Yes, please.
Gift Fulfilled
On a visit to a local elephant farm, we'll learn to feed, bathe and train Thailand's sacred and endangered animal, before taking a long bare-back elephant ride to a jungle waterfall, where we'll swim with our new elephant friend.
Gift Fulfilled
Treat us to an evening course at the Thai Orchid Cooking School, where we'll shop at local Thai markets before learning to make Hot and Sour Prawn Soup, Spring Rolls, Green Curry with Chicken, Pad Thai and Thai Pancakes. Drooling yet? We are.
Gift Fulfilled
Entrance fee to one of Chiang Mai's most impressive temples. Wat Phra Singh was built in the period of Phra Chao Maha Proma (1345-1400), and is home to Phra Buddha Sihing, Chiang Mai's most important and sacred Buddha image.
Gift Fulfilled
We've always wanted to go white-water rafting together. We'll tackle the class 3 and class 4 rapids of the Mae Taeng River, which snakes past quaint rural tribal villages, through the untouched wilderness of Northern Thailand.
Gift Fulfilled
Treat us to a private five-course dinner under shimmering moonlight by the rice paddies and lake of the Four Seasons resort. We'll end our perfect last night in Chiang Mai by releasing a Khom Loy, a traditional Thai paper lantern, into the night sky.
Gift Fulfilled
Three nights in Bangkok, and the world's our oyster. (Sorry, had to do that.) We'll spend three nights in Bangkok's Siam Square neighborhood. Siam Square happens to be the name of our favorite Thai restaurant in Massachusetts. Coincidence? Not a chance.
Gift Fulfilled
Matt: "Let's take a bike tour of Bangkok to get our bearings!" Chandra: "No way, remember that harrowing bike tour of Buenos Aires???" Matt: "Good call, let's do it on a Segway instead!"
Gift Fulfilled
Give us Bangkok Belly! Street-side food stalls in Bangkok are actually hygienic and delicious, but a personal intolerance to certain ingredients leaves most tourists feeling a bit queasy. That's not gonna stop us, though! Bring it on!
Gift Fulfilled
Often considered the holiest site in Thailand, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) encompasses more than 100 buildings on 94.5 hectares, centered around the highly-revered, if highly diminutive (75cm!), Emerald Buddha.
Gift Fulfilled
Penang Curry. With shrimp. Pint of Singha.
Gift Fulfilled
Following a hot night out on the town, we'll need to take a tuk tuk back to our hotel. We'll try not to get ripped off by the driver, but no promises.
Gift Fulfilled
Day passes to the Chao Phraya Express, a boat that travels up and down the Chao Phraya river, snaking through the center of the city.
Gift Fulfilled
One last spa treatment... this time at the Mandarin Oriental Spa, ranked by Forbes magazine as one of the best spas in the world.
$12500
2/2
$100
Giving Portions
Give This Gift
Drinks in Bed... a Bangkok restaurant where customers are served on giant beds.
Gift Fulfilled
Breakfast in bed... no, seriously. Like, room service. In our hotel.
Gift Fulfilled
For our last night, we'll indulge at Vertigo, a rooftop restaurant 72 floors above the bustle of Bangkok. At midnight, as New Year's Eve fireworks surround us in all directions, we'll toast all those who helped make our trip possible.
Gift Fulfilled
$000
Continue to Checkout