31 July
2:20pm (Bangkok time) - 11 hours later, we’ve landed in Bangkok. Maybe it’s the exhaustion from traveling but I’m finding these long journeys sitting in one place surprisingly enjoyable and napping, listening to music, and watching a bit of tv is passing the time a lot quicker than I thought it would.
2:45pm - Get off the plane as quickly as possible (no bathroom breaks!) to avoid lines at immigration. As my friend said, it really is quite easy; you fill out a form in the plane, the staff in the foreign passport line check it and your passport and you’re through, simple.
3:20pm - After searching, on the cheap S1 bus (60 baht - $2/€1.78 vs a $16/€14.84 taxi). Check with the other backpack wielding passengers and no-one has bought a ticket yet or knows the departure time. With limited WIFI I was able to do a google search and it seemed like it went every 30m, we’ll see
3:39pm - After a huge family group gets on, we’re off.
4:45pm - The bus stops on Chakrabongse road in the central Phra Nakhon district of Bangkok. It’s adjacent to Khao San road, the “backpackers heaven” with lots of shops, hostels, and restaurants that turn into bars for the throbbing nightlife scene. I have a hostel booked for my stay on Chakrabongse but the job search meant I have booked a hotel on Khao San so I can do my interview. I check in, drop off my hostel towel in my 8-person room, and head to my hotel.
4:57pm - After once again an incorrect google maps location and being approached by many hawkers seeing my suitcase and hoping to capitalize on my tourist confusion, I eventually find my hotel for the night right on Khao San. I get a towel + sweet drink when checking in and my bag is carried up to my 2nd floor room in my elevator-less part of the hotel. For $22/€20, this is a great one-night luxury.
5:18pm - At a nearby restaurant for an “early” dinner (my internal clock is so messed up that it just knows it needs some food)
6:15pm - Pass out for a nap as I have to be up later.
10:30pm - After a good sleep, venture back outside onto the now very busy Khao San road for a snack at the nearby 7-eleven. 7-eleven convenience stores, inexplicably, are all over Asia (I had seen them in Tokyo and would later in Cambodia + Hong Kong) and a good place to get relatively cheap snacks, drinks, etc. I get what looks like Oreos and a 1.5 liter bottle of Coca Cola. I don’t like fizzy drinks but had been told by my mom that drinking soda helps prevent any stomach bugs from eating food you’re not used to. This was news to me, but she had travelled around Asia for months when she was a few years older than me, so I figured I’d listen to her.
1 August
12am - I kick off the new month with a 45-minute Skype interview with San Francisco. It would feel a lot more glamorous if I wasn’t exhausted and doing a test to be employed.
12:52am - The interview finished and (luckily?) only now does the music from Khao San become really loud.
1:15am - I can feel the walls reverberating. I’m ready for bed and put in my heavy-duty wax earplugs (pro-tip: Ohropax - lifesaver!)
1:20am - Even these earplugs aren’t enough for Khao San road. I put on my noise-cancelling headphones playing rain music over the earplugs and finally crash.
11:15am - I had considered going to my hostel free breakfast before it closed at 11am but that did not happen. With a 12pm checkout, I quickly put on my bathing suit, go down to the lobby, and up the hotel elevator to the 6th floor pool. It’s small but has a view of the city and it feels great.
12pm - After a speedy swim, I check out and head to my hostel. The woman at the front desk looks at my suitcase in confusion but I show her my hostel keys and climb the 3 floors to my room.
12:45pm - I quickly put my bags in the under-bunkbed locker and make sure to wear a sleeved t-shirt and the requisite thin long pants for temple hopping in Asia (though not the elephant pants most tourists wear). I venture out from the Khao San area to explore more of the Phra Nakhon “Old Town” district of Bangkok. I cross a very busy roundabout and pass a bunch of large, colourful government buildings.
1:10pm - I get to the tourist entrance of the Grand Palace. Thai nationals have their own, free entrance while tourists pay 500 baht ($16.33/€14.88) for access to the 0.24 square km/0.1 square mile complex (for reference the whole complex is 2.5x the area of the palace of Versailles, not including the gardens). I hadn’t faced this but had been told that nearby tuk tuk drivers might try to convince you that it’s closed and then take you to tourist traps but didn’t see anybody.
1:15pm - After a short queue (August is rainy season in this part of Asia and thus not high tourist season), I get my 4-part ticket with access to the complex, the temple of the emerald buddha, the arts of the kingdom museum, and the “khon” masked dance show.
1:17pm - I realize I spoke too soon about the crowds as I push through the throngs of people to get into the temple section of the complex. There are signs indicating separate lines but no physical barriers so it’s a swarm to get in.
1:20pm - Immediately on walking in, I see beautifully ornate buildings and shrines with lots of shiny colors. There’s a lot to see and after grabbing a map from the many stacks in different languages, I spot a small podium between the piles that said free tours in English 10/10:30am and 1:30/2pm. This seems like a great opportunity, so I put my name down and peruse the map of 35 attractions in the complex, with a description for each.
1:30pm - A tiny but commanding staff member grabs our attention and gives an introduction to the palace using the map for reference. It’s 60 acres/24.4 hectares and has 20,000 visitors every day. It was the official residence where the Kings of Siam/Thailand lived from 1782 until 1925.
1:45pm - Our tour guide took us around a less busy way to see the central Wat Phra Kaew or Royal Chapel of the Emerald Buddha. We take off our shoes to go up the platform and though not allowed to take pictures inside the temple, our tour guide shows up the best place to take a picture from outside of the tiny Buddha on a much higher platform. She explains that the 66cm/2.17 ft Buddha has a gold costume which is changed by the King every season (hot, cold, rainy). He goes up the tall platform to do this change and the newly crowned King had changed the Buddha to its one-shoulder rainy season costume 2 weeks prior. Each golden costume costs a staggering 60M baht/$1.96M/€1.79
2:05pm - Our tour guide points out the large “Yaksha” guardians that ward off evil spirits, in particular the ones that point towards the Emerald Buddha to protect it. Finally, we all get pictures and then a brusque goodbye. A lot of information is in the brochure but I appreciated the free tour, having it available right on arrival and the insider tips. The guide warned against going through the gate to the palace as you are then not allowed to go back to the temple part.
2:40pm - After wandering around the many colorful shrines and tombs, I take a break along the edges with the beautiful golden-lined murals of the Rammakien (Thai version of the Indian epic Ramayana). It’s quiet and there are water fountains which is greatly appreciated in the August heat (though not as bad as expected as it’s cloudy and not terribly hot).
2:50pm - I walk through the gate of no return to the palace section. The main attraction is the Chakra Maha Prasat Hall with beige walls, gold plated roofs, and large ocean blue doors. This was the royal residence for King Rama V in 1877 but is now for state banquets. You can’t go in but you can walk around it and its surrounding smaller shrines and buildings.
3:15pm - I leave the complex and walk down the road along the Chao Phraya river past the Navy buildings and Navy Wives Association Shop to a market/restaurant/tourist shop street to finally eat some food - my jet lag is running rampant.
4:20pm - I go to the nearby Wat Pho temple complex, the second of the top 3 temples in Bangkok. These buildings have white walls vs. the gem-covered walls of those in the Emerald Buddha complex but the roofs are gorgeous, there are many colorful tile chedi (or stupa, bell-like towers), fountains with lush trees, and courtyards lined with large buddha’s.
4:37pm - Go into the central “para ubosot” or ordination hall where there is a large gold-copper buddha. This temple is decidedly less strict and busy than the temple of the emerald buddha; close to the later 6:30pm closing time there is plenty of space to sit, your legs only have to be covered just past your knees, there’s a very friendly man encouraging you to sit as close as you want, and you can take pictures. As I sit, I learn that you have to sit cross-legged or on your knees as your feet shouldn’t face the Buddha.
4:55pm - Wondering around, I realize I’ve missed the main attraction that Wat Pho is known for - the temple of the Reclining Buddha. It’s a huge golden statue that’s 46 meters/151 feet long and 15 meters/49 feet high and the building is just larger than the statue, making it feel even larger. There’s a constant plinking sound which is a bit disorienting.
5:05pm - Coming around the Buddha’s feet, there’s a long chain of 108 bronze bowls where for a fee you can get coins to drop in them for luck.
5:07pm - Outside of the reclining buddha there’s a tent for the Sirivadhanabhakdi foundation with piles of small water bottles. I spot “1 free water” in the fine print on the ticket and enjoy the much-needed free hydration as I leave Wat Pho.
5:30pm - I wonder through the nearby Saranrom park where American/European 2000’s dance pop is playing and many locals are running through the park. It’s nice and green with mini lakes and I then walk along Rop Krung canal back north. There are barely any tourists here and I enjoy the quiet.
6:15pm - I get to the really busy roundabout from this morning and brace myself to cross
6:30pm - There is no pedestrian light and the car light is green forever. The number of people starts to grow and there is a police officer who occasionally directs cars but seems unfazed by people waiting. I guess this is the norm. Eventually, the light turns green and we are allowed to cross.
7:35pm - After chilling in my hotel, I venture to the eastern and modern part of Bangkok. I have quickly learned that public transportation is in development in Bangkok. The airport bus is relatively new and there is the very clean and efficient Skytrain/BTS connecting the eastern district which is useful for tourists but to get around the old town or from one end to other, non-public transportation is the best and an affordable option. Upon the recommendation of my friends, I have downloaded the Grab app. Uber came to Thailand in 2014 but was very quickly declared illegal, they lasted pretty long but transitioned their services to the Singaporean Grab in 2018, which is used over South-East Asia. It’s technically illegal for drivers as they are unlicensed (as I was to vividly find out later - check the entry for 5 August) but it is very widely used and there are ads for it all over the city. It’s highly recommended as it’s easy to use, relatively cheap, and helps you avoid the frequent scams from taxi and tuk tuk drivers. It does require an internet connection which is fine from a hostel/hotel but as I was about to find out, not as easy in public spots.
8pm - At Siam Paragon, one of Bangkok’s many gorgeous and huge shopping malls. This downtown steel and glass metropolis is wildly different from the low, colorful buildings that surrounded me not a half hour ago. It’s also a peek into the income inequality as this is a huge mall with expensive shops and a doorman letting you into the building - and this wasn’t even one of the “luxury” malls. I’m meeting a friend who’s from and lives in Bangkok but I realize that we hadn’t agreed upon a specific location.
8:30pm - After wandering around the mall desperately looking for a functioning WIFI. Unlike most of Bangkok, there were the “free” phone carrier WIFI’s that are only available to people who pay for that carrier and about 20 “free” shop and restaurant WIFI’s but none of them let me connect. After frantic searching desperately clutching my phone, I finally come to a help desk where a staff member gives me a username/password. I find my friend and we head to Laem Charoen, a seafood restaurant upstairs.
9:10pm - We get a plethora of delicious looking dishes that my friend had picked out. They also have a large, flat fried fish speciality but luckily for me, the fish to bone ratio was much better than in Hungary (check entry for 25 July).
10:15pm - Stand with the crowds of people catching a taxi outside the mall. It takes a while so I have time to think about how there’s very obviously a lot of people waiting for this illegal service and wondering about the legality of it.
10:40pm - Driving back to the old town area along the canal and near the democracy monument is a beautiful drive as there’s lots of lights in the trees lining the roads that I’m only used to seeing in winter. There are lots of people out and about and people sitting at bars/restaurants along Maha Chai road which looks really fun.
2 August
10:30am - Grab that free hostel breakfast. There’s not much besides cereal, eggs, and toast but bread and jam+ butter is just what you need in the morning.
12:05pm - I walk west to the Phra Arthit boat terminal stop 13 to take the ferry down the Chao Phraya river, seeing similar sights to the day before. I had done my research and found that there was a cheap local ferry that went to most stops and a tourist ferry that is expensive and goes to the tourist highlights. As a solo traveler on a budget proud of the now 8 new cities under my belt, I was determined to take the local ferry.
12:20pm - This is a lot harder than I thought. I get to the small pier and there’s only the tourist boat ticket booth with nowhere to buy other tickets. Luckily this tourist spot has free WIFI and after some more scrolling at online maps of the “orange” ferry routes and much scrolling of trip advisor reviews, I determine that the boat quickly docks every 20 minutes and I have to get on the boat and pay there. Just as I’m figuring this out, I see an orange flagged boat float away out of the corner of my eye. Well, I’m not giving up now.
12:30pm - The tourist boat arrives and swaths of mostly European families board. I ask the one non-tourist boat staff member where the orange boat is and he points me towards the tourist boat. 10 more minutes till the supposed next boat.
12:38pm - I’m ready waiting and I spot a small orange flagged boat coming from north of the river heading towards us and a group of mostly locals is forming at the below level dock. I forcefully tell the staff member I want to be on that boat and run down the gangplank.
12:40pm - I’m on the boat - I’ve made it! I find a seat towards the front and a ticket seller finds me and I pay the required fee - 15 baht ($0.5/€0.45). One ride with the tourist boat is 50 baht and a day pass is 180 baht. So, you can take the express boat 18 times to more places for the price of a tourist boat day pass!
1:05pm - I get off at stop 10 and walk to the nearby Wat Arun aka Temple of the Dawn. Apparently, the boat occasionally stops on the other side of the river and you have to take a (free) ferry across but I pass this stop multiple times throughout the (fri)day and there was no issue.
1:10pm - I pay the 50-baht entrance fee and walk into the palace complex. Known for being beautiful at “dawn” or sunset, I’m there when it’s cloudy in the afternoon but it’s still beautiful. The complex is even smaller than Wat Pho with one main 3 level tower in the middle and smaller ones around it. However, this might be my favourite of the temples I’ve seen as I love the white tile with many small multicolored details and mirrored jagged corners.
1:25pm - After walking around, I climb up the base level and then the steep stairs to the second level of the central tower. Walking around, I admire the detail and rows upon rows of slightly different carved figures.
1:45pm - I sit around the edge looking at the many details in this temple. I have to wear sunglasses despite the grey sky - I think because of the sheer whiteness of the buildings.
2pm - Wat Arun is the main attraction of this stop but I wander along the water and find two more smaller but beautiful temples - plus they were free!
2:25pm - I make my way back to the pier. Here there is a specific station to buy local tickets and I confidently buy my tickets for the orange ferry.
2:30pm - Back on the ferry chugging along the river.
2:42pm - The boat gets to the N5 Rajchawongse stop and I get out and wander around the streets of Chinatown with lots of stalls selling different knick knacks, toys, clothes, etc.
2:50pm - Get to the main street Yaowarat Rd where there’s more shops and lots of places to eat.
3:40pm - Having sampled a fried dough stick and sesame seed balls (tang yuan) in ginger broth, I head back to the ferry stop.
4pm - This stop has a lot of gangways with no signs in English but someone is selling tickets. Eventually I find the right spot and make the ferry back up to Khao San road just in time.
5:30pm - having dropped off my stuff at the hostel and with some time to before a late dinner, I head to Khao San to a massage place I’d seen that offered a foot/Thai massage deal for 250 baht instead of 150 a piece.
6:30pm - I get a mango smoothie from the best-looking stall all the way down Khao San road (which was also one of the most affordable).
7:30pm - I’m back in the “downtown” with my friend at Isao, a very trendy Japanese restaurant. It’s very busy and we don’t have reservations so we put our names down.
8:15pm - Our names are called and we make it inside. Looking at the menu, they have a lot of great sushi including rolls like the Caterpillar, Crunchy, and Sushi Sandwich.
8:35pm - Our food arrives and it’s delicious.
9:30pm - We walk the 6 minutes to the nearby Em Quartier mall. I’m shocked that this mall has shops like Pierre Hermé and Jamba Juice that I’ve only seen in France or the US.
9:43pm - There is an indoor fountain
9:51pm - We take the many escalators up to the top floor and there are large spiralling staircases, hanging floral arrangements, a water garden, an outside green hangout space, and a rooftop bar. I’m in awe of this place.
3 August
10:50am - I take a Grab car to the Khlong Lad Mayom floating market on the western side of the Chao Phraya river. I’m asked to sit in the front so the police don’t catch us.
11:30am - We arrive at the market parking lot and it’s rows of stalls under a thatched triangular roof. Most stalls are selling produce or snacks but not necessarily full meals.
11:40am - Walking down I find rows of wooden tables along the water. Three women are making food in a boat that’s moored along the side of the market.
11:45am - I eat my beef noodles and enjoy the novelty of eating food made in a boat. Afterwards, I buy some beef skewers and fried banana at nearby stalls.
12:15pm - towards the back of the market is someone selling boat tour tickets.
12:25pm - I’m on the water in a long colorful boat. From this vantage point, I can see the market is a lot bigger than the first part and goes on for a while. A very friendly family offers me some of all of the snacks they’ve bought at the market.
12:40pm - We’re cruising past long grass with the occasional house or shrine.
12:50pm - We stop at a local market which seems made for the tourists from the boat tours. There’s not much there, most things are in English and the Khlong Lad Mayom market is huge and relatively close by.
1:20pm - We’re back on the water going past lush vegetation and palm trees
1:35pm - We’re dropped at an orchid farm for another 20-minute stop. There’s a shop right when you get out but venturing further back, there are rows of colorful orchids under black netting and you walk on wooden planks between the rows above the water.
2:10pm – We’re back at the floating market. I walk through the throngs of people to the fruit section, meat, etc.
2:45pm - I’m back at the parking lot with rows of taxis. It’s a miracle but there’s a free WIFI point - I arrange to meet my friend downtown (the wonders of modern technology), call my grab and head to downtown.
3:20pm - We meet at yet another mall Central Embassy as my friend wants to show me the Bangkok mall culture. It’s the “luxury” mall which is evident due to the small numbers of people and the luxury flagship shops. We stop at Koi Thé (international brand of the Taiwanese 50 LAN) and I get salted caramel milk tea with “golden bubbles” which is incredible .
3:30pm - We realize that both of us actually really want to see the new Lion King and we decide to go back to the Siam Paragon mall as they have a large cinema. This also gives me an opportunity to try the BTS skytrain.
3:40pm - We enter the station and I’m asked to throw away my drink as there is no food/drink allowed in the train.
4:10pm - We get to the cinema and want to get 4:30pm tickets but are quickly told by an attendant as we’re using the computer screens that it’s a kids showing with toys and a very rowdy audience. Upon his advice, we get tickets for the 5:15pm regular time slot and go to the huge food court in the basement to get another boba.
5:30pm - After the ads and before the movie, there’s a pause and a picture of the King of Thailand comes on the screen. My friend explains that you have to stand while a song plays honoring the King. I never thought I’d experience this kind of cultural event at a cinema.
7:30pm - Having thoroughly enjoyed the movie, the rest, and the childhood nostalgia, we head to the food court for dinner. There’s a whole semi-circle of Thai restaurants and lots more international food past that.
8:30pm - We both head back to my hostel as another high school friend with her university friend just came back to Bangkok after a 2-week trip around Thailand.
9pm - we meet the two and get ready to explore the real Khao San road nightlife.
10:30pm - We’re at a street-side table outside one of the many restaurants/bars having literal buckets (handles and all) of drinks.
11:30pm - There don’t seem to be any actual nightclubs but the bars are all playing loud pop western music and people are dancing on the street, it’s definitely the place for a good time.
4 August
3pm - Having had a very relaxed morning/afternoon post the night before, we head back to the decidedly less lively (it is a Sunday after all) Khao San road for lunch
4pm - I take my two non-Thai friends to the Thai massage place as we’re not looking for anything particularly strenuous.
6pm - We meet our friend from Bangkok at Chatuchak/jatujak Weekend Market, a huge market that sells flowers during the week and lots of clothes, food, etc. during the weekend.
7:30pm - It’s our last night in Bangkok and we have a delicious dinner at Kub Kao Kub Pla. We eat emoji buns, noodle dishes, and different fried foods.
9pm - Dinner was delicious but dessert at After You Dessert Cafe was the main event. We have a delicious kakigöri or Japanese shaved ice with strawberries on top and an incredible chocolate toast with challah/French toast like bread covered in chocolate, strawberries, and ice cream. A great way to end the visit to Bangkok!
5 August
7:30am - We have an early start to catch our flight at the smaller Don Mueang airport. We wait at the bus “stop” (there is no sign) a few minutes from the hostel but no bus arrives.
7:45am - It’s getting too late to wait so we call a grab.
7:50am - Right as we’re getting in, a police officer on a motorcycle drives to us and talks to the driver in Thai. After some back and forth the driver takes their license etc. and walks to the police station, which we then realize is right across the street.
8:00am - The driver comes out of the station with a fine in their hand and we’re on our way. I guess grab really is illegal
8:50am - We make it to the airport and rush in as we’re now running a bit late.
9:10am - After checking in our luggage, we go through the foreigners’ passport control and security. The officer asks for my departure card and remembering that I filled this in upon arrival, I dig through my folder of travel documents and find it, phew.
9:20am - Turns out my friends don’t have their departure cards and after being turned around for a while, we find out there’s a station in the back of the area where you can fill it in and it’s all fine.
10:45am - After a slight delay, we say bye to Thailand as our plane takes off.
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