Try These Long-Distance Relationship Activities

#1: Go on a street food crawl.

The Thai capital is a melting pot of cuisines. One stall might be selling Western food, like smash burgers. But a nearby one could be selling butter chicken.

Take a virtual street food tour to get a glimpse of Bangkok’s diverse culinary scene. This should give you an idea of what to expect on your future trip (more on this later).

You can subscribe to a local’s live stream. Or, open Google Maps and search for spots that catch your interest. Ask your partner questions about what certain street food tastes like or how you can replicate it at home. You can also share your review of the dishes you've already tried.

#2: Order Thai food for a dinner date.

If a virtual food crawl isn’t feasible, go for the next best thing: order Thai food and have a nice dinner date.

Thai cuisine is among the world’s most recognized. It draws influences from its neighbors: Malaysia, Cambodia, and Laos. Most dishes are stir-fried and have a balance of sweet, salty, savory, spicy, and bitter flavors.

If you’re new to Thai food, try dishes with simple taste profiles, such as Pad Thai (stir-fried noodles), Khao Pad (fried rice), and Pad See Ew (stir-fried noodles with soy sauce).

#3: Take a Thai cooking class.

If you and your partner share a love for cooking, turn that passion into a fun date night. You get to have a shared experience and enhance your teamwork as a couple. It’s the closest thing to a physical reunion.

Enroll in a Thai cooking class to master your favorite Thai dishes. Many platforms offer them, such as Thaifoodmaster and My Thai Cooking. You can reserve a group slot or sign up for a private session.

Online course marketplaces like Udemy also offer cooking video tutorials.

#4: Visit tourist spots via FaceTime.

Bangkok has no shortage of tourist attractions. Iconic spots include the Grand Palace, the Wat Arun Temple, and its Chinatown.

You and your partner might not be physically together to enjoy the sights of the city. But you can make each other feel like you’re side-by-side through FaceTime. Conversations will feel more personal and engaging as they happen in real-time.

But here’s a friendly reminder: keep your volume low. Wear earphones and speak closely to your phone’s microphone. This way, you can avoid disturbing other tourists or disrespecting the sanctity of a place.

#5: Tour a temple.

Bangkok has over 400 Buddhist temples. Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun are among the most famous ones.

Nowadays, these temples (and more) offer virtual tours.

Platforms like P4Panorama and Visual Web360 provide a full street view. Meanwhile, CyArk offers a more interactive tour with audio explanations of a temple’s history and scenes.

Most virtual temple tours are free. But others require a payment for the full experience. If you’re on a budget, you can always watch walking tour videos together on YouTube.

#6: Have a Thai movie watch party.

A watch party is one of the most common long-distance relationship activities. It’s a close substitute for a traditional movie date night. The only downside is that you won’t get to share a bucket of popcorn.

Since you’re dating a woman from Bangkok, we recommend diving into Thai cinema. Pee Mak and How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies are some of the best films to date.

Make your movie experience even better with Netflix Party. It syncs your screens and has a convenient chat sidebar for reactions and conversations.

#7: Plan a Bangkok trip.

Say you want to visit your partner in Bangkok. Let her know and craft a plan for your reunion.

You’ll have handy guidance from someone who knows the ins and outs of the city and will inject some excitement into your relationship.

#1: Prepare your devices and connections.

A weak Wi-Fi signal, a laggy device, and a faulty microphone can disrupt your date. Instead of enjoying your quality time together, technical difficulties will only cause frustration. Worse, they can put an unexpected end to your date.

Prevent interruptions by checking your devices and connections beforehand. Charge your phones and laptops, test your microphones and cameras, and prepare backups.

#2: Recognize your limits.

According to Whittier College social psychology professor Chuck Hill, a huge percentage of nonverbal communication happens through the face. It’s in the smiles, the eyes, and the eyebrows.

Pay attention to each other so you don't miss the subtleties.

#3: Appreciate the silver linings.

Hill says getting to know someone via video is a more reliable and multifaceted way of connecting with them. While you can’t see their little gestures on your screen, the fact that you’re still communicating is something you won’t take for granted.

Instead of dwelling on what you don’t have or can’t do together, make the most of your resources and appreciate the present.