5 nights in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster…
After an amazing flight from Kathmandu courtesy of Thai Airways we arrived in Bangkok ready to explore and ready to get back into city life. Living in the ‘Big Smoke’ for nearly 10 years has clearly permeated my veins as I was eager to experience the hustle and bustle of a city again, squeezing on public transport, window shopping in the malls and taking our pick from endless rows of bars and restaurants. We had an amazing..and very hectic few days squeezing in as much of the city as we could before we headed to Hua Hin for our TEFL Teaching Orientation. Here’s a round up of our adventures and some reccomendations for things to do and see….
Khao San Road
A must do on any backpackers itinerary and a great night out for those that really like to party. This never-ending street is an absolute overdose for the senses…Gangnam Style and other psychodelic pop tunes blasting from each bar, weird and frankly slightly revolting smells circling from the hundred or so street food vendors selling everything from banana pancakes and fruit platters to chicken skewers, deep fried spiders and scorpion kebabs! And that’s not to mention the sight of thousands of tourists dancing on tables, being lured into ‘sport’ related shows(!) and sharing/throwing up after buckets of hangover-inducing cocktails! The ko san is an experience…but weirdly addictive and chances are if you’ve survived one night there you’ll be up for more…. as soon as the hangover subsides!
Taking to the water
To escape from the mid-afternoon heat we jumped on a passenger boat and took a cruise up the Chao Phraya River, which is great for spotting some of the incredible temples and taking many an Instagram worthy photo!
BKK by foot
We try not to use the Lonely Planet guide too much as I feel it stops you being spontaneous and discovering new places for yourself. However, the section on Bangkok has a great walking tour which is really easy to follow and guides you round the main sights on Old Bangkok. We spent the morning enjoying some of the incredible temples, monuments and parks in the old part of the city and we also caught a glimpse of the Grand Palace and Wat Pho Temple. We’ll definitely be making a trip inside them both when we next return to BKK.
Nightlife in Patpong
Another night to remember was had in the Patapong area, with some delicious street food and more than a few cocktails in some very lively bars. There are so many bars and eating places to choose from here and there’s also a great Night Market selling clothes and souveniers.
Chinatown
We had a great afternoon strolling through the Chinatown district and gawping at the thousand of things on sale at the street markets.
Home-comforts in Siam
After quite a few months on the road it was nice to enjoy some ‘Western’ home comforts like KFC and Starbucks and shop among my favourites such as Mango, Zara and yes, Topshop(!) in the Siam Square malls. And with the release of the 2nd Hunger Games what better way to spend an afternoon, escaping the heat and relaxing in front of the big screen. The cinema’s in Thailand are incredibly cheap… with entrance prices around £1 each and all the snacks you could ever want at around 50p – £1. If only the London Odeon’s would take note!
Chatuchak weekend market
Actually the biggest market I’ve ever been to, selling everything from clothes and jewellery to delicious street food and souveniers. Amazing day here but defo bring some cool clothes and suncream…it gets swelteringly hot!
Sky Bars at Altitude
If you do one thing in Bangkok it certainly should be to enjoy a drink at altitude! Bangkok has an incredible skyline and its a great experience checking out one of the Sky Bars and nursing your vertigo with a strong cocktail. We dug out our finest, traded in our flip flops and got ourselves suitably glammed up for a night at the Hilton Rooftop Lounge. Now, as we are ‘travelling’ and as such are on a ‘budget’ our evening was spent nursing ‘just 1′ drink and even then Phil looked slightly peaky when the bill was presented. However, it was great fun doing something a little more sophisticated and having a chilled out evening taking in the views. We will definitely be back….just maybe when we’ve robbed a bank!
Lub D Hostel, Silom
I’ve already recommended this hostel to quite a few friends as it really is a gem of a place. Its a really modern hostel with comfy beds, great Wifi, amazingly powerful and hot showers and incredibly friendly and helpful Staff. They also have a funky common area, movie room and of course an indoor and outdoor bar where you can DYO booze if you’re watching the pennies! After staying in a few less than sanitary hostels and hotels this one amazed me by how spotlessly clean it was – and also the attention to detail…free toiletries, hair-driers, torch in the dorm and the option to leave your luggage with them for up to 2 months. Perfect for us as we had to make a short visa run to Laos. Although a little pricer than some hostels on the KSR its definitely worth the money. We met some incredible people whilst enjoying a Singha in the roadside bar and had some lively and certainly memorable nights out!
The Pad Thai Wars
As Thailand’s most infamous dish it would be rude not to test out as many different versions as possible in search of the best! We don’t want to speak too soon but we may have found the winner….a tiny pavement cafe on Decho Road (near Lub D Hostel)….and a close 2nd being another street vendor further up Silom Road. As Thai Food Culture dictates its all about the perfect mix of spicy, sweet, salty and sour…..so we will continue our mission to crown the winner!