I'm going to split this travelogue into 2 parts because otherwise I don't think anyone will have the patience to finish reading the entire post.
And also because I only managed to edit half the photos even though I was on Photoshop for a good 2 hours.
Bwahaha.
Anyway, my Formspring is back up if you have any questions for me.
But if you have any questions on my trip, please please PLEASE finish reading my blog post before asking.
Just in case I've already blogged about what you wanted to ask.
:)
I went to Bangkok quite a few times (I think 5?!!) but this is the first time I'm doing a detailed post on where I went...
So I think it will be a very long post!
I went to Bangkok quite a few times (I think 5?!!) but this is the first time I'm doing a detailed post on where I went...
So I think it will be a very long post!
All the photos in this post are taken using Samsung EX2F.
And it is a very awesome camera!
OH HAI BANGKOK!
:D
Okay, travel tip of the day:
Do not buy brown luggages!
While waiting for the luggages from the conveyor belt,
we spotted a million other brown luggages.
And guess what?
Thom's luggage happens to be one of them.
So we waited and waited and I kept pointing out different brown luggages to him because I obviously cannot recognise his.
In the end, his was the one which already passed us thrice on the belt.
And I was the one who finally recognised that it was his.
He didn't recognise his own luggage either!
HAHAHAH.
Super fail please.
If you want to buy SIM cards for your phone, you can buy it from the airport.
We didn't get any because our hotel has free wifi.
If you stay in the main city area,
the ride should take about 40 minutes to an hour.
During which I was so hungry and kept going 'Are we there yet?' a hundred times.
Oh, and note that most cabbies drive like maniacs.
Not for the faint hearted.
We picked Grand Diamond because it is located right beside Platinum Mall.
And also because I refuse to stay in any lao pok hotel.
If I'm not wrong, its about $100 plus per night!
Comes with a living area, bedroom area and a very clean toilet inclusive of a bath tub.
If you have a tighter budget and don't mind staying further away (and not as fussy as me),
you should be able to find decent hotels under $50 per day too.
And also because I refuse to stay in any lao pok hotel.
If I'm not wrong, its about $100 plus per night!
Comes with a living area, bedroom area and a very clean toilet inclusive of a bath tub.
If you have a tighter budget and don't mind staying further away (and not as fussy as me),
you should be able to find decent hotels under $50 per day too.
:)
We stayed at My Hotel and Citin Pratunam Hotel and they were not bad too,
although you need to either walk a distance to the main road or take a tuktuk out.
We stayed at My Hotel and Citin Pratunam Hotel and they were not bad too,
although you need to either walk a distance to the main road or take a tuktuk out.
Grand Diamond Hotel
888 Petchburi Road, Rajthevi, Pratunam, Bangkok, Thailand
Went to the Platinum Mall food court first!
Well, obviously you can tell, we were DAMN HUNGRY.
Hahaha.
My favourites are the claypot beef ball noodles and the wanton mee!
Must eat every time I'm in Bangkok.
And by the way, Platinum Mall is a wholesale mall with lots and lots of clothes.
They can be quite cheap if you buy a lot I guess.
But I think they jacked up the prices quite high in recent years because so many tourists go there.
Still, cheaper than in Singapore!
Don't expect too much from the clothes there though,
the quality can be quite mediocre.
If you're someone who loves a good bargain and don't mind quality as much,
I think you'll have a good time there!
We took a short nap after lunch and headed out refreshed!
One of the things I love about Bangkok,
their streets are always so lively and bustling with people.
And by the way, Platinum Mall is a wholesale mall with lots and lots of clothes.
They can be quite cheap if you buy a lot I guess.
But I think they jacked up the prices quite high in recent years because so many tourists go there.
Still, cheaper than in Singapore!
Don't expect too much from the clothes there though,
the quality can be quite mediocre.
If you're someone who loves a good bargain and don't mind quality as much,
I think you'll have a good time there!
Platinum Mall
222 (Pratunum) Petchaburi Rd, Ratchathevee, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
We took a short nap after lunch and headed out refreshed!
One of the things I love about Bangkok,
their streets are always so lively and bustling with people.
Street stalls with cheap bargains.
This is just outside of our hotel!
This is just outside of our hotel!
Thai people are super amazing,
the stalls weren't there in the afternoon but they all popped out from nowhere when we stepped out in the evening!
Walked from our hotel to Central World for dinner.
The best thing about our hotel is that it is super centrally located!
Quite easy to walk to places like Central World and Siam.
If you're there for the first time, maybe a cab would be a better idea until you figure your way around.
:)
Passed by a messy junkyard with lots of graffiti on our way to the BTS (Thailand's version of MRT) and made Thom take my OOTD for me.
Keeping it up with the OOTD shots even though I'm away on holiday, hahaha.
I deserve a pat on my back, right?
;p
Thom was like 'Hurry up, damn smelly here!!'
Of course I took my own sweet time, hahahaha.
The BTS station nearest to our hotel (still gotta walk for around 10 minutes though!) is the Ratchathewi station.
Their train system is really easy to figure out.
Just see how much it costs to get to the station you want,
and get the tickets!
Chatuchak is at Mochit station and it costs us about a dollar each to get there via BTS.
It's honestly faster (and a lot cheaper) than cabbing because it's only around 4-5 stops away and takes 15 minutes by train.
The previous times we took a cab, it took us about 30-40 minutes.
Or maybe because the cabbie wanted to cheat our money la, I don't know?!
We took the BTS quite a lot this trip and I prefer it than cabbing.
(HAHA so rare coming out from me!)
But sometimes you just get quite sick of cabbies trying to quote you ridiculous prices when the place is quite near.
Plus, the traffic in BKK is horrible.
Traffic jams all the time!
First things to do when you reach Chatuchak,
go to the information centre (it's just some way down the road when you exit the BTS) and get yourself a map of Chatuchak.
And some drinks because it's so sweltering hot there, it's crazy.
Get the map so that you'll know where to go,
Chatuchak is freaking huge and not all sections are worth going.
Some sections have pets (which I didn't get to go this time, damn), trees and plants, furniture, clothes, biking and hiking tools.
There're like 27 sections in all (wtf) and impossible to walk the entire place even if you're there till it closes.
I didn't really end up buying a whole lot of stuff like I thought I would,
hahaha.
Bought a couple of blouses, a few tops, a crochet bag and a pretty floral hat!
I think Thom bought more than me, lol.
And then finally we had to stop for food.
Ate at some random food stall and ordered fried chicken and thai salad.
I don't know why but all the fried chicken I've tried in Thailand tastes so damn good!
Why ah?!
I miss it so much.
:(
I LOVE COKE!!!
Drank it everyday when I was in BKK because the weather there is so freaking warm.
And just right after our meal, we saw this stall filled with so many people and I just had to have whatever they were eating.
Hahaha.
Turns out it was noodle soup with chicken!
AND SUPER AWESOMEEEEE.
The broth tastes a little herbal and is a mix of savoury and sweet.
Couldn't get enough of it!
We only had one bowl to share because we were already quite full, regretfully.
If I can only pick one out of all the food I've had in BKK,
THIS WOULD BE IT.
Only $2 for this bowl of awesomeness!!!
This place should be quite easy to spot...
It's along the main 'street' of Chatuchak,
where all the food is!
Go eat this when you're there,
I will be so jealous of you!
My cute nautical bracelet from Sensibar!
Specially brought it along this trip to match with my navy overalls, hehe.
YAY WE CONQUERED CHATUCHAK!
:D :D
Ended our time at Chatuchak with some fresh strawberries sprinkled with sweet plum powder!
Went back to the hotel for a quick shower before we headed out again!
This time to Asiatique, a night market.
Changed out of my tee top and paired the overalls with one of the blouses I bought at Chatuchak.
:)
Took the BTS again, this time to Saphan Thaksin station.
There's a free boat shuttle service outside of the station at Sathorn Pier to bring you across the river to Asiatique.
:)
Just take exit 2 once you've reached the station and follow the directions to the pier.
We had to queue (and the queue was damn long I guess because it's free) for about 30 minutes before we got the board the boat.
So try to head there earlier if you plan to visit!
We thought that the things at Asiatique would be overpriced since it's a new night market and obviously meant for the tourists,
but they were surprisingly okay!
We didn't buy anything much other than some souvenirs though.
Dinner was at a random seafood place which was just average.
Food didn't really leave an impression on me and the bill was about $50 for both of us.
Randomly went into a cafe for desserts just before we leave Asiatique.
So pretty and Victorian, the place!
Love that it's brightly lit yet cosy.
Didn't have many pictures because my camera died after the coconut cake came.
We ordered tea and coffee as well,
but the killer was the cake.
Never tasted a cake as fluffy and light and moist at the same time!
There were chunks of coconut flesh and the cream was damn light.
Not cloyingly sweet but you can still taste the mild sweetness of the coconut.
Almost wanted to take away another of the cake back to the hotel,
now I'm regretting that I didn't!
:(
I guess I won't be heading back to Asiatique the next time I'm in BKK.
For the time and effort needed to get there,
it wasn't all that fantastic.
Or maybe I will,
just for the coconut cake.
Will do up part 2 of my travelogue tomorrow!
Just spent the past 2 hours doing up this post and I'm kinda brain dead right nao.
the stalls weren't there in the afternoon but they all popped out from nowhere when we stepped out in the evening!
Walked from our hotel to Central World for dinner.
The best thing about our hotel is that it is super centrally located!
Quite easy to walk to places like Central World and Siam.
If you're there for the first time, maybe a cab would be a better idea until you figure your way around.
:)
Wandered into this quirky furniture store.
Everything inside is so pretty!
Had the best dinner at this BBQ place which Aloy recommended us on our previous BKK trip.
It's called Joom Zap Hut (hahaha cute right the name!) but I forgot which level it's on!
We ordered the economy pork set, a pitcher of coke, fried chicken with garlic, golden mushrooms, extra lettuce and pork belly meat.
Totaled up to about $20 for both of us.
Super worth!!
SLURPS.
Cabbed down to Khaosan Night Market because we weren't ready to call it a night after roaming around Central World.
Had some really delicious coconut ice cream drizzled with condensed milk and sprinkled with peanuts (why isn't there anyone selling this in Singapore!!),
and sat down along one of the pubs for a drink before heading back to the hotel.
There're lots of stalls at the night market selling all kinds of different things from street food, accessories, clothes, fried insects, random knick knacks to fake IDs.
Never too early for root beer float.
:D
Had a hearty breakfast at A&W before heading to Chatuchak.
They had this waffle/pizza thingy and it tastes quite awesome although I've never seen anything like it before.
You can find A&W at Pantip Plaza,
which is also a walkable distance from our hotel!
Told you it's awesome.
Pantip Plaza is like this IT mall,
the equivalent but more run down version of Singapore's Sim Lim Square.
We've never been around the mall though,
because what if we bought their gadgets and the functions are all in Thai?
Hahaha.
Everything inside is so pretty!
Had the best dinner at this BBQ place which Aloy recommended us on our previous BKK trip.
It's called Joom Zap Hut (hahaha cute right the name!) but I forgot which level it's on!
We ordered the economy pork set, a pitcher of coke, fried chicken with garlic, golden mushrooms, extra lettuce and pork belly meat.
Totaled up to about $20 for both of us.
Super worth!!
SLURPS.
Central World
Ratchadamri Rd. Thailand
Cabbed down to Khaosan Night Market because we weren't ready to call it a night after roaming around Central World.
Had some really delicious coconut ice cream drizzled with condensed milk and sprinkled with peanuts (why isn't there anyone selling this in Singapore!!),
and sat down along one of the pubs for a drink before heading back to the hotel.
There're lots of stalls at the night market selling all kinds of different things from street food, accessories, clothes, fried insects, random knick knacks to fake IDs.
Khaosan Night Market
Khao San Road, Phranakorn Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Never too early for root beer float.
:D
Had a hearty breakfast at A&W before heading to Chatuchak.
They had this waffle/pizza thingy and it tastes quite awesome although I've never seen anything like it before.
You can find A&W at Pantip Plaza,
which is also a walkable distance from our hotel!
Told you it's awesome.
Pantip Plaza is like this IT mall,
the equivalent but more run down version of Singapore's Sim Lim Square.
We've never been around the mall though,
because what if we bought their gadgets and the functions are all in Thai?
Hahaha.
Pantip Plaza
New Phetchaburi Road Bangkok, Thailand
Passed by a messy junkyard with lots of graffiti on our way to the BTS (Thailand's version of MRT) and made Thom take my OOTD for me.
Keeping it up with the OOTD shots even though I'm away on holiday, hahaha.
I deserve a pat on my back, right?
;p
Thom was like 'Hurry up, damn smelly here!!'
Of course I took my own sweet time, hahahaha.
The BTS station nearest to our hotel (still gotta walk for around 10 minutes though!) is the Ratchathewi station.
Their train system is really easy to figure out.
Just see how much it costs to get to the station you want,
and get the tickets!
Chatuchak is at Mochit station and it costs us about a dollar each to get there via BTS.
It's honestly faster (and a lot cheaper) than cabbing because it's only around 4-5 stops away and takes 15 minutes by train.
The previous times we took a cab, it took us about 30-40 minutes.
Or maybe because the cabbie wanted to cheat our money la, I don't know?!
We took the BTS quite a lot this trip and I prefer it than cabbing.
(HAHA so rare coming out from me!)
But sometimes you just get quite sick of cabbies trying to quote you ridiculous prices when the place is quite near.
Plus, the traffic in BKK is horrible.
Traffic jams all the time!
First things to do when you reach Chatuchak,
go to the information centre (it's just some way down the road when you exit the BTS) and get yourself a map of Chatuchak.
And some drinks because it's so sweltering hot there, it's crazy.
Get the map so that you'll know where to go,
Chatuchak is freaking huge and not all sections are worth going.
Some sections have pets (which I didn't get to go this time, damn), trees and plants, furniture, clothes, biking and hiking tools.
There're like 27 sections in all (wtf) and impossible to walk the entire place even if you're there till it closes.
I didn't really end up buying a whole lot of stuff like I thought I would,
hahaha.
Bought a couple of blouses, a few tops, a crochet bag and a pretty floral hat!
I think Thom bought more than me, lol.
And then finally we had to stop for food.
Ate at some random food stall and ordered fried chicken and thai salad.
I don't know why but all the fried chicken I've tried in Thailand tastes so damn good!
Why ah?!
I miss it so much.
:(
I LOVE COKE!!!
Drank it everyday when I was in BKK because the weather there is so freaking warm.
And just right after our meal, we saw this stall filled with so many people and I just had to have whatever they were eating.
Hahaha.
Turns out it was noodle soup with chicken!
AND SUPER AWESOMEEEEE.
The broth tastes a little herbal and is a mix of savoury and sweet.
Couldn't get enough of it!
We only had one bowl to share because we were already quite full, regretfully.
If I can only pick one out of all the food I've had in BKK,
THIS WOULD BE IT.
Only $2 for this bowl of awesomeness!!!
This place should be quite easy to spot...
It's along the main 'street' of Chatuchak,
where all the food is!
Go eat this when you're there,
I will be so jealous of you!
My cute nautical bracelet from Sensibar!
Specially brought it along this trip to match with my navy overalls, hehe.
YAY WE CONQUERED CHATUCHAK!
:D :D
Ended our time at Chatuchak with some fresh strawberries sprinkled with sweet plum powder!
Chatuchak Weekend Market (Sat/Sun)
BTS Mochit Station
Went back to the hotel for a quick shower before we headed out again!
This time to Asiatique, a night market.
Changed out of my tee top and paired the overalls with one of the blouses I bought at Chatuchak.
:)
Took the BTS again, this time to Saphan Thaksin station.
There's a free boat shuttle service outside of the station at Sathorn Pier to bring you across the river to Asiatique.
:)
Just take exit 2 once you've reached the station and follow the directions to the pier.
We had to queue (and the queue was damn long I guess because it's free) for about 30 minutes before we got the board the boat.
So try to head there earlier if you plan to visit!
We thought that the things at Asiatique would be overpriced since it's a new night market and obviously meant for the tourists,
but they were surprisingly okay!
We didn't buy anything much other than some souvenirs though.
Dinner was at a random seafood place which was just average.
Food didn't really leave an impression on me and the bill was about $50 for both of us.
Randomly went into a cafe for desserts just before we leave Asiatique.
So pretty and Victorian, the place!
Love that it's brightly lit yet cosy.
Didn't have many pictures because my camera died after the coconut cake came.
We ordered tea and coffee as well,
but the killer was the cake.
Never tasted a cake as fluffy and light and moist at the same time!
There were chunks of coconut flesh and the cream was damn light.
Not cloyingly sweet but you can still taste the mild sweetness of the coconut.
Almost wanted to take away another of the cake back to the hotel,
now I'm regretting that I didn't!
:(
I guess I won't be heading back to Asiatique the next time I'm in BKK.
For the time and effort needed to get there,
it wasn't all that fantastic.
Or maybe I will,
just for the coconut cake.
Asiatique Night Market
BTS: Saphan Thaksin station, exit 2 to Sathorn Pier for free boat shuttle
Will do up part 2 of my travelogue tomorrow!
Just spent the past 2 hours doing up this post and I'm kinda brain dead right nao.
