bangkok

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Travel Guide and Tips: Bangkok

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Bangkok is the bustling capital city of Thailand. Filled with temples, floating markets and the popular Khao San Road, it's a crazy city to be in. 

Things to do

Khao San Road

This is the backpacker haven of the city. Head here if you're looking for something gear towards tourists. You can find bars, restaurants, hostels and local stands selling pad thai and insect here. There are tons of souvenir shops selling clothes and trinkets. 

Floating Markets

The area around Bangkok has tons of floating markets. Some will be bigger or more authentic than other. Amphawa Floating Market is a popular one to visit. To get there, you'll need to take the BTS to Victory Memorial. Catch the mini-bus there to get to the market. It costs 160 baht and takes around two hours to get there. From here, you can join a boat tour to see the market. 

The Grand Palace

This if for all you temple junkies. As the previous home to the Kings of Siam, the Grand Palace is now a popular attraction in Bangkok. Spend the day walking around the numerous different sections. 

Entrance fee is 500 baht. Remember to dress respectively (shoulders and knees covered)! 

Sky Bar

For all you wanting to live it high, literally. Made popular by The Hangover, Sky Bar is one of the highest rooftop bars in the world. The drink prices are pretty steep though. You don't need to buy a drink to access it. You can just head up to see the view. 

Siam Square

This is the perfect place for shopaholics. Siam Square has different malls within it. We mostly stuck to MBK Centre, since it has both tourist stalls and shops that locals use. Explore the different floors to find an abundance of clothes, electronics and souvenirs. If you head outside, you can find neat food trucks as well! 

Where to Eat

Soi Rambuttri

This street is parallel to Khao San Road and is filled with street vendors. Head here for slightly cheaper prices. We were just happy to find a place that sells Khao Soi! 

Where to Stay

At Home Guesthouse

Located near Khao San Road, At Home Guesthouse has reasonable prices. For 600 baht, you can get a private double room with A/C, fan and ensuite washroom. It's clean and they offer towels with the room. 

Happy Travelling! 

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Transit Guide: Bangkok to Koh Tao

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After battling the cold temperatures in Nepal, we decided to head to Koh Tao for the last leg of our trip. The small island is known for it's diving and snorkelling! 

This transit guide also gets you to Nang Yuan, Koh Sammui or Koh Phangan. 

How to get there

From Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), we ended up staying a night in Khao San Road, since we knew buses would leave from there. 

    When we went to a travel agency to book the ticket, we learned that they had two prices: 720 or 1100 baht. The 720 baht option leaves at 6:00 pm and you don't get there until the next day. The 1100 baht option leaves at 6:00 am and you get there for 3:00 pm that day. Realizing we wanted the convenience of getting there faster, we opted for the more expensive option. 

    We learned that it's expensive because only one company leaves in the morning: Lomprayah. You need to head to their offices on Soi Rambutti at 5:30 a.m. to check in. You'll get three stickers here: one for your luggage and two for yourself (number and destination). 

    At 6:00 a.m., you'll board the double decker bus and make your way to the pier. It's a non-stop journey, so make sure you pack snacks for the ride. You'll also get some water and a cookie half-way through the ride. 

    At around 1:30 p.m, you'll reach the dock to board the boat. Keep in mind, this is a large speedboat that gets very bumpy. Motion sickness pills are highly recommended. 

    There are four stops for the boat: Nang Yuan, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Koh Sammui. 

    How to get back to Bangkok?

    It's essentially the same way back. You'll need to book a ticket in advance. We booked ours at our guesthouse where we got a deal on the taxi back to the dock. 

    Just note that getting home is a lot more hassle than getting there. Once you reach the dock on the main land, you'll have to wait for your bus. The bus will take you back to Soi Rambutti. There will be one stop along the way for a food break. Unlike the way there, there will be no snacks provided this time. 

    Happy Travelling! 

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    Transit Guide: Koh Chang to Bangkok

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    Bangkok is the capital city of Thailand, and the most popular hub for transit. 

    How to get there

    We ended up booking a ticket from a travel agency for 500 baht, including pick-up and the ferry ticket. It takes around 8-9 hours to get to Bangkok. 

    We were picked up by a mini-van and taken to the dock to board the ferry. The ferry took around 45 minutes to reach the coast. Once we got off, we took the free shuttle to the main land where we waited for our bus. 

    You'll be given an option of taking a mini-bus or a big bus. The mini-bus is more uncomfortable, but you'll get to Bangkok faster than the big bus. Since it arrived earlier, we opted for the mini-bus. Just note that they wait until the bus fills up before it leaves, so we left a little late. 

    About half-way through, we had a short food and washroom break. We got dropped off by Khao San Road. 

    Happy Travelling! 

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    Transit Guide: Bangkok to Chiang Mai

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    From Bangkok's Mo Chit Station to Chiang Mai's Arcade Station, the bus ride takes around 10 hours and is the cheapest mode of transportation. 

    There are three options for the bus:
    -VIP (600-700 baht): adjustable massage seats, A/C, snacks and water, meal, wet towel, TV,  pillow, blanket and washroom. 
    -First Class (500 baht):  adjustable massage seats, A/C, snacks and water, meal, wet towel, TV, blanket and washroom. The difference between VIP and First Class is that you get bigger seats and more leg room in VIP.
    -Second Class (375-400 baht): adjustable seats and A/C.

    We ended up taking the First Class bus because the ride was cheaper and shorter than the train. It wasn't too bad since we had recently gotten off a 12-14 hour flight, with similar conditions. When you purchase your tickets, you can choose your seats. We opted for the front seats on the second level. It offers a section to place your bags in front of you. Plus, you get a better view, which is nice if you get car sick. 

    About halfway through the ride, the bus makes one stop at a restaurant for your free meal. You just have to show them your ticket at the food stand. There are different options you can choose from, but most were a broth-based noodle. As a heads up, the washrooms at the stop are squatting toilets, so be prepared. Also, remember your toilet paper! 

    Once you get to Chiang Mai, it should only cost 40 baht/per person to get to the city centre! 

    Notes:

    • If you take the last bus out of Bangkok, you can save on shelter accommodations for that night. 
    • You can also take the train to Chiang Mai, but it takes 14 hours to get there and costs closer to 900 baht for the second class sleeper. But, the view is much better and you can save on accommodation if you take the sleeper train. I personally got confused about how to purchase a ticket. Some sites explained that you needed to buy tickets in advance in person or online. If you purchase online, you'll have to pay service (200 baht) and PayPal (3.4 % + 11 baht) fees. You could also risk it and buy it when you get there, but it might be sold out. 
    • Flying is the most convenient method, but costs the most. It only takes an hour and 15 minutes to get there. It's a great option if you don't have the time. 

    Happy Travelling! 

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    Day 3: Alone in Bangkok (Cathy)

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    After landing in Bangkok, I realized that Cee wasn't able to meet me at the airport because of the Bike for Dad event. 

    So, I hopped on the Bangkok Transit System (BTS) and made my way over. Unfortunately, the stop I needed to get off was closed because of the event. I ended up getting off a few stops early and tried to hail a taxi, but none would take me because all the major roads were closed for the event. 

    Long story short: I was stranded in Bangkok. 

    Luckily, I met a fellow traveller along the way who let me tag along with him throughout the day. We then proceeded to get scammed by a taxi driver who took us to the wrong place, jumped back onto the BTS and then walked around the city to find his hotel. 

    There, I was able to contact Cee to let her know where I was. Thankfully, the receptionist at the hotel was able to explain to the taxi driver how to get to my hostel. 

     
    Thanks Joe! 

    Thanks Joe!