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Bangkok Travel Guide: Things To Do In Bangkok For First Time Travelers

Meghy — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 10:17:09 +0000

Amazing Thailand – I couldn’t agree more with Thailand’s tourism slogan as I personally see how beautiful their country is for the first time. Its capital city, Bangkok, is one of the most visited city not just in Southeast Asia but also in the world as it offers so many things any tourist couldn’t resist to enjoy. From their thousands of temple that shows how rich their culture and heritage is, to their vibrant streets that holds parties everyone would surely enjoy, up to their gastronomies that are rich in flavor any tourist would definitely crave for. There are so many things to do and experience here that one couldn’t help but to keep coming back for more. Here are some of the must things to do in Bangkok and discover yourself why Thailand is amazing in the eyes of so many people.

1. Temple Hopping

Over 40,000 temples can be found in Thailand, and your Thailand trip wouldn’t be complete without visiting any of them. Having Buddhism as the dominant religion in the country, these temples or what they call “wat” are part of every day lives of the most Thais and plays an important role in the Thailand’s rich heritage. Don’t miss the chance visiting the Temple of Emerald Buddha that can be found inside the Grand Palace Complex, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha and Wat Arun. These temples are located somehow near to each other so visiting these temples can cover half of your day. For more details about these temples, you can read more about it here.

2. See the Bangkok Skyline by Visiting Mahanakhon Skywalk

Mahanakhon Skywalk is known to be the highest observatory deck in Thailand standing 314 meters above ground level that offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the vibrant Bangkok skyline. It is located on the top of the King Power Mahanakhon Tower located in Bangkok’s Central Business District – Silom. You’ll definitely see yourself allured on this tower from outside as its architectural design will rise among other buildings surrounding it. The highlight of this attraction is their glass tray experience on 78^th floor! A perfect experience for everyone who seeks thrill and adventure. For more details about Mahanakhon Skywalk, you can read more about here.

3. Try Michelin-starred restaurants/food stalls

Bangkok offers a lot of food selection and it is a must try once you visit the city. It is not a secret on how good their foods are, that a lot of restaurants and even food stalls that can be seen on the street are awarded with the Michelin Bib Gourmand – an award given to friendly establishments that offers good food at moderate prices. Many of these can be found on the streets of Bangkok serving quality food choices everyone would surely love. Some of these famous restaurants are Jay Fai, Go-ang Pratunam Chicken and Thipsamai.

4. Go Shopping

Bangkok is also a haven for all shopaholics! It might get overwhelming as the city has so many shopping centers and choices you could visit. You can shop ‘til you drop from their biggest malls up to their local markets depending on your budget. They offer a large selection of fashion choices from clothes, accessories and even souvenirs that you could bring home for your love ones. They sell every kind of cute, hip and up to date designs that every people would love to wear. I’ll recommend visiting Platinum Mall, Pratunam Market and Chatukchak Weekend Market if you want cheaper yet fashionable items. Also, you might opt to visit Iconsiam, Siam Paragon, Central World and Siam Square if you wish to visit high-end malls and shops.

5. Visit Ancient City

Ancient City (Muang Boran) is considered to be the world’s largest outdoor museum that occupies 200 acres in the shape of Thailand. It is about an hour away from the center of Bangkok but definitely a must-see attraction you should add on your Bangkok bucket list. The park is so huge that you have to ride a bike or a golf cart to go around it. It is such an amazing experience to go around this outdoor museum that highlights replicas of Thailand’s famous temples. They are not just miniature temples but real sized temples! Entrance fee is 700 Baht per pax (foreigner adult) and 350 Baht (foreigner children age 6-14 years old). On the other hand, golf rental costs 350 Baht good for 2-4 pax and 500 Baht for 6 pax.

6. Party at Khaosan Road

A more than 400-meter-long street found in the center of Bangkok famous for their parties and exotic street foods. It is also a backpacker haven for many of the foreign tourists as you can see a lot of cheap accommodations here. It is a must place for those who wants to experience Bangkok’s vibrant nightlife and get along with other tourists coming from all over the world. Just sit along its bars and clubs, for sure you’ll find yourself dancing and partying the night out. Take note that if you wish to stay here on your next Bangkok trip, you might consider that accommodations found here though relatively cheap, it could give you a lot of noise during the night because of all the happy parties on the street.

7. Have a food crawl at Chinatown – Yaowarat

Bangkok’s Chinatown main street can be found in the Yaowarat Road and considered to be one of the largest Chinatown in the world. It is one of my personal favorite part of this trip because aside from all the food we had, the street scenes are insane, colorful and beautifully chaotic especially during the night! Many would say, it is the best Chinatown to visit in the world. There’s a lot of famous food stalls here that you shouldn’t missed, from stalls with Michelin Bib Gourmand up to those who don’t have but definitely offers one of the best cuisines you could try.

8. Visit a rooftop bar

Bangkok is famous for their rooftop bars where you can spend your afternoon and night and be enthralled with Bangkok’s famous colorful sunset and skyline. One of its famous rooftop bars is Tichuca Rooftop Bar located at the top of T-One building in Sukhumvit area. It is a jungle themed bar famed for its tree powered by lights that became a famous photo ops spot for any of its visitor. There’s also a lot of other rooftop bars that can be spot on Bangkok’s party scenes, just search in the internet and see which bar will work for you.

9. Watch sunset along the Chao Phraya River

I would say, the sunset in Bangkok is one of the loveliests I’ve ever seen. There’s a lot of restaurants and cafes along the famous Chao Phraya River that you can visit to witness this scene but if you’re in a budget, you can also go to Iconsiam terrace for free. We settled on their terrace found on the 7^th floor just beside their biggest Starbucks, the Starbucks Reserve Chao Phraya Riverfront. You’ll see the boats coming different ways down below and be allured by the tall buildings right in front of you while the sun slowly sets for the day.

10. Ride a boat in the Floating Market

Aside from its temples, Bangkok is also known for their floating markets. There are few floating markets you can visit near Bangkok and one of the largest and popular floating market to visit for foreigners is Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. It is located in the Ratchaburi Province which is about an hour and a half ride south of Bangkok City. Damnoen Saduak Canal is a 32 km long canal that was constructed to connect Maeklong and Ta Chin Rivers for more than hundred years ago. It is a very touristy place, lively and full of boats just how it is being presented in a tourist’s books. Goods are overpriced but still a good experience to at least try once your lifetime. It is not usual on many of our days, we’ll see vendors selling foods, fruits, goods and souvenirs on a boat or by the side of the canal. Some of the other floating markets you can visit are Amphawa Floating Market and Taling Chan Floating Market.

11. Visit the Maeklong Railway Market

Maeklong Railway Market is considered to be the most dangerous market in the world as the market lies at the heart of the Maeklong Railway tracks. It is such a different market experience based near the Maeklong Railway station. It is dubbed as the most dangerous market as the vendors needs to move back their tables and shop fronts every time a train approaches and bring it back on the tracks once the train has passed to continue selling. When you visit this place, make sure to get there on time and get a good spot to see the train as it approaches. I noticed that a lot of fresh seafoods are being sold here and souvenirs are cheaper compare to what we saw in the floating market and Chatukchak weekend market. We also got a chance to go inside the train and take many photos from it while the train waits for its next scheduled departure.

12. End your trip with a dinner cruise along Chao Phraya River

We booked for the Chao Phraya Princess River Cruise on our last night to conclude our trip and it is the best decision we had for this trip. Basically, you’ll be roving around along Chao Phraya River on a boat while eating a sumptuous meal in a buffet style. While eating, you’ll also be serenaded by their in-house performer and make you dance out all night. You can choose to take the lower deck or the upper deck of the boat but for the best experience, I suggest you to take the upper deck so better reserve it as soon as you can. While moving along the river, you’ll see Bangkok’s alluring scenes, from the grand hotels, the Ferris wheel of Asiatique mall, up to the Wat Arun beautifully lit at night. We opted to book our tickets on Chao Phraya Princess River Cruise office directly located in Iconsiam so we could choose our desired seats. The food choices are not that many, but the happy experience you’ll get after the night of socials is definitely worth every penny.

Overall, Bangkok is a must visit city where you can experience culture, socials and the modern city. What are you waiting for? Book those tickets now and be amazed by what Bangkok has to offer!

The post Bangkok Travel Guide: Things To Do In Bangkok For First Time Travelers appeared first on Meghy Was Here.

Bangkok Travel Guide: DIY Half-Day Temple Tour (Fees + Sample Itinerary)

Meghy — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 06:19:11 +0000

Over 40,000 temples can be found in Thailand, and your Thailand trip wouldn’t be complete without visiting any of them. Having Buddhism as the dominant religion in the country, these temples or what they call “wat” are part of every day lives of the most Thais and plays an important role in the Thailand’s rich heritage. Its unique structures are one of the reasons why many tourists pay a visit on these temples so on our recent Thailand trip, we didn’t miss the chance to see few of their known temples in Bangkok. Here are the temples you can visit in Bangkok if you wish to have a day or even a half day spent for a temple hopping:

Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of The Emerald Buddha)

Probably the most famous and major Thai Buddhist temple located in a complex known to be “The Grand Palace”. Grand Palace is a vast complex of buildings and structures established in the year of 1782 and has been the official residence of the King of Thailand. Aside from being the King’s residence, Grand Palace also houses royal halls and government offices.

The temple of the Emerald Buddha was established by King Rama I in 1782. The Emerald Buddha was housed on the building called Phra Ubosot or The Chapel of the Emerald Buddha. It is an ordination hall with distinct Thai architecture decorated with golden garudas, gold leaves and colored glasses. The main sacred image is an image of Buddha in a lotus position made of jade and 66 cm in tall. When entering the Ubosot, you have to get off your shoes and taking pictures are not allowed.

Grand Palace is open daily from 8:30 AM until 3:30 PM and entrance fee costs 500 Baht that you may book online or walk-in. There are instances that the Palace is close due to events so better check their official website for closure schedules.

Location: Na Phra Lan Road, Phranakorn (Rattanakosin)

Wat Pho

Wat Pho, also known as the Temple of Reclining Buddha, is one of the oldest wat in Thailand located just about a 10-minute walk south of Grand Palace. It is known for the 15m high and 46m long golden reclining Buddha that represents the entry of Buddha into Nirvana. There are also 108 bronze bowls behind the reclining Buddha structure that represents the 108 auspicious characters of Buddha where visitors can drop coins for good fortune.

Wat Pho is open daily from 8:00 AM until 6:30 PM and entrance fee costs 200 Baht.

Location: 2 Sanam Chai Rd, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand

Wat Arun

Perhaps, my personal favorite among the temples we visited. Wat Arun, also known as The Temple of Dawn, is one of the famous landmark in Bangkok that stands in the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. Its name derived from the Hindi God, Aruna, often personified as the radiations of the rising sun.

It is said built in a Khmer architectural style having a central prang covered with colorful porcelain pieces as its main hallmark. The prangs (spire) are decorated with shells and porcelains which had been used as ballasts by boats coming from China.

I was personally in awe when I saw this temple during the daylight. The temple’s beauty also illuminates during the night when its lights are turned on (got to see it from our Chao Phraya River cruise dinner). What a stunner to sight from the iconic Chao Phraya River! There are also a lot of stores outside Wat Arun that offers traditional Thai costumes for rent that ranges from 100 to 200 Baht. Wearing a traditional Thai costume could elevate your travel photos and experience.

Wat Arun is open from 8:00 AM until 6:00 PM and entrance fee costs 100 Baht that already includes a bottle of water.

Location: 158 Thanon Wang Doem, Wat Arun, Bangkok Yai, Bangkok 10600, Thailand

How to go to these temples?

There are no near train stations on these temples so we booked a grab from our hotel going to The Grand Palace (You may opt to ride tuktuk or metered taxi). From Grand Palace, you can either walk for about 10 minutes going to Wat Pho but if you don’t want to walk, you may opt to ride a tuktuk for your convenience. In our case, we chartered a tuktuk from Grand Palace going to Wat Pho for 100 Baht good for 3-4 pax. From Wat Pho, we had an 8-minute walk going to the ferry terminal that will take you to Wat Arun on the other side of the Chao Phraya River. Ferry ride costs as 5 Baht each.

Sample half day itinerary of this temple visit:

8:30 AM – 10:15 AM Grand Palace

10:15 AM – 10: 25 AM Walk to Wat Pho from Grand Palace

10: 25 AM – 11: 00 AM Wat Pho

11: 00 AM – 11: 15 AM Walk/Ferry to Wat Arun

11:15 AM – 12: 00 PM Wat Arun

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Mahanakhon Skywalk: A Visit on Bangkok’s Highest Observation Deck

Meghy — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 05:35:05 +0000

After a four-year hiatus due to pandemic, I was able to set foot again outside the Philippines. I visited the lively city of Bangkok early this June and it is such a five-day full of fun, first time experiences and a whole lot of core memories to be cherished for a lifetime. Bangkok is the capital city of Thailand known for their rich heritage, historical temples, full of life streets, good food and many more. Bangkok would not be one of the most visited city in the world for no reason and I can’t wait to share all my experiences I had on this trip. I’ll kick off this Bangkok series by sharing a Mahanakhon Skywalk guide – one of the most popular landmark now in modern Bangkok.

Knowing Mahanakhon Skywalk

Mahanakhon Skywalk is known to be the highest observatory deck in Thailand standing 314 meters above ground level that offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the vibrant Bangkok skyline. It is located on the top of the King Power Mahanakhon Tower located in Bangkok’s Central Business District – Silom. You’ll definitely see yourself allured on this tower from outside as its architectural design will rise among other buildings surrounding it. The tower is shaped as a square prism consists of glass blocks then has missing block pieces that swirls around the building. The structure appears to be pixelated from afar that I would like to compare it to a rubics cube or a jenga with missing blocks. It has both indoor and outdoor area for panoramic viewing of the city and a perfect place for thrill seekers as they highlight their glass floor experience on the 78^th floor!

Ticket Purchase

We booked our tickets for the Mahanakhon Skywalk through Klook but you can also purchase online tickets on their official website here or simply do a walk-in (but they limit the number of guests they receive each day so tickets are subject for availability). Mahanakhon Skywalk is open Monday to Sunday and admission for daytime ticket is from 10:00 AM until 3:30 PM while admission of sunset ticket is from 4:00 PM until 6:30 PM. We got our day pass tickets for 1,492 PHP (Mahanakhon Skywalk Indoor + Rooftop Ticket + Soft Drink) through Klook.

Here’s the current price of their ticket packages as of June 2023:

Note: Prices may change without prior notice. For most updated prices, visit their official website here

Indoor Observation Deck, Glass Tray and The Peak

Right after checking-in in our hotel, we made our way to Chong Nonsi Station (Silom Line) and walked for about 200 meters to reach our destination. We presented our booking confirmation and they gave us our printed tickets. One has to board their video themed elevator considered to be one of the fastest elevator also in Thailand. Don’t missed the chance to take a photo or video of the video animation that will be played on the walls of the elevator that will take you on the 74^th floor for just about 50 seconds.

The 74^th floor houses their indoor observation deck. You can take as many photos as you can on its glass window with the beautiful skyscrapers at your back. To reach the rooftop (considered to be the 78^th floor), you may take the elevator or the stairs. We take the stairs going up then elevator going down to experience both. We went there on about 3:30 in the afternoon and it’s really hot but the scorching heat didn’t take away the beauty of the Bangkok from above.

And for the most exhilarating part of this experience is to step our foot in the famous glass tray. We had to wear foot socks first then have our photos taken from the designated photo spot. You can’t bring your phone on the glass itself so you must have to ask someone to take a photo of you from the area where cameras and phones are allowed. For someone who has a fear of heights, I don’t know how much courage I gathered to be able to step on the glass. You’ll really see the ground from there and it definitely gave me those shivers and weak knees but who am I to miss the chance of getting photos from this spectacular view? I’m sure you’ll also don’t miss the chance if you’re already there.

Climb the staircase just across the glass tray and you’ll reach “The Peak” which gives you the 360-degree view of the whole Bangkok where the 314 meter mark is located. The place leaves us on awe in the afternoon and for sure, it will give another kind of awe when someone visited it during sunset. It is such a perfect place to watch sunset and the Bangkok city lights. But also, take consider that a lot more tourists come here during sunset compare to morning and afternoon.

You may also want to take a look on the highest rooftop bar in Bangkok now called ‘Sky Beach’ if you want to chill and drink few bottles of beers and liquor while being allured by the Bangkok skyscrapers. The bar is open from 10:00 AM until 12:00 AM.

Aside from the temple runs and party nights in the streets of Bangkok, this is a refreshing activity that should be added on your Bangkok itinerary. Don’t miss the fun and book your tickets to Mahanakhon Skywalk!

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