Summary of My 6D5N Bangkok, Thailand Travelogue (2013) Version 2.0

Here is the compilation for all the post relating to my trip to Bangkok, Thailand for 6 days and 5 nights. Some of my trips were repeated cause this is the first time my family went to Bangkok.

Day 1: 12th February 2013
Travel To Bangkok With Royal Brunei Airlines


Stay: Centre Point Pratunam Hotel Bangkok


Day 2: 13th February 2013
Wat Pho, The Temple of The Reclining Buddha

How To Get To Wat Pho:

From Tha Tien Pier (N8), walk straight to the main road, Maharaj Road and turn right. The temple is on your left.

Chinatown (Yaowarat)

How To Get To Chinatown:
Take Chao Phraya Tourist Boat and get off at Ratchawongse Pier (N5). Walk along Ratchawongse Road for 500 meters to reach the intersection of Yaowarat Road.

Terminal 21

How To Get To Terminal 21:

BTS Station: Asoke (Exit 1) or;

MRT Station: Sukhumvit (Exit 3)

Nara Thai Cuisine

Branches:

1) Lower Ground Floor of Erawan Bangkok

2) 7th Floor of Central World

Opening Hours for both branches: 10am until 10pm daily.

Day 3: 14th February 2013
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market &
Kanchanaburi Tiger Temple

Initially the day tour was supposed to be Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Bridge on the River Kwai and Kanchanaburi Tiger Temple but our driver was overslept while waiting for us in our hotel early morning, hence we only managed to visit two. The cost of the tour was 600 baht (approx. to RM63) which included pick-up service from hotel, transport, boat ride an lunch but excluded the admission fee to Kanchanaburi Tiger Temple which cost 600 baht per pax. Booked from Mama Travel & Tour, local tour operator.

Khao San Road, Backpacker's Paradise 

How To Get To Khao San Road:

As there is no connection to Khao San Road by Skytrain and metro, the only options are by taking express boats, buses or taxis. Taking meter taxi would be cost less than 100 baht either from Victory Monument, Siam or Silom. As for bus, take the bus numbers 157, 171 and 509 from Victory Monument (Rajavithi Hospital bus stop) pass Ratchadumnoen Road. You can get off at Khok Wua intersection (one stop away from Democracy Monument). Khao San Road is only a short walk from there. For more adventurous like us, we took tuk-tuk but remember to negotiate and fix the price before hopping on. Most likely will cost between 150 baht - 160 baht for one way from Khao San Road to the nearest Skytrain (BTS Siam).

Day 4: 15th February 2013
The Shopping Malls I Visited in Bangkok


Day 5: 16th February 2014
Chatuchak Weekend Market

How To Get To Chatuchak Weekend Market:

BTS Station: Mo Chit (Exit 1) and follow the crowd until see rows of canvas stalls selling clothes and accessories or; 

MRT Station: Chatuchak Park (Exit 1) and follow the crowd as well.

Open on every Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am until 6:00 pm

Day 6: 17th February 2014
Transit in Brunei for 8 Hours Before Flying Back Home (Coming Soon!)

Extra Posts:

• Sneak Peek (2013) Version 2.0
• My Travel Loots & Expenses Version 2.0  

You can even check out Summary of My 5D4N Bangkok Travelogue (2012) Version 1.0.

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My Bangkok Travel Loots & Expenses (2013) Version 2.0

Read My Version 1.0 of Bangkok Travel Loots

I know I just came back from my first visit to Bangkok (less than half year), but it's really hard to stop myself from keep shopping and shopping in one of my favourite shopping spots in the world.

#1: My total damages from Bangkok - 4 dresses, 12 tops, 2 shorts, 4 skirts, 4 bags and accessories. And also pillow case (my current addiction lately)

#2: Hair accessories from Platinum Fashion Mall

#3: Earrings from Platinum Fashion Mall

#4: Long necklaces from Platinum Fashion Mall

#5: Cute USB flash drive - Bought from street stall nearby our hotel

#6: Fridge magnets and most of them I bought from Chatuchak Market

#7: Passport cover and luggage tag from Platinum Fashion Mall

#8: Handmade luggage tags from Platinum Fashion Mall

#9: Last but not least, foods haul - Thailand famous junk food like Lay's (Potato chips), Pocky (Biscuit sticks), Koh-Kee (Peanut snacks) and more. 

As for the amount of expenses I incurred, I unable to share the full and exact details because as you may know, i went with my family and majority were paid by my parents, especially in terms of transportation fees, foods and so on. Even for my shopping loots, some paid by my mom cause the more we bought, more discount were given.

Hereby I share some of the travel expenses I managed to track down throughout my 6 days and 5 nights trip in Bangkok, Thailand:


(The exchange rate by the time I changed; RM10: 10.42 baht )

1. Return airfare with Royal Brunei Airlines from Kota Kinabalu to Bangkok (transit in Bandar Seri Begawan in between)
2. Stayed for 5 nights throughout the trip, which inclusive the breakfast only on the first night stay. For more information about this hotel, click HERE.
3. Included pick-up service from the hotel, transport and boat ride.
4. Not a complete details cause mostly paid by my parents. 
5. Including 100 baht free call plus 7-days unlimited internet
6. Most of my souvenirs and shopping haul are as above photos. Also including postcards and stamps which I bought and sent out earlier.

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Khao San Road, The Backpacker's Paradise

Date Visited: 19th & 20th October 2012

14th February 2013

One of the main reason I went Khao San Road was mainly to book the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market tour and also this was the drop-off spot after back from the eye-opening and exciting tour. Here in Khao San Road, there are many relatively inexpensive travel agents which not only offer tour around Bangkok city, but they also arrange visas as well as transportation to the neighbouring countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Malaysia.

#1: Mama Tours & Travel, one of the local travel agent I would recommend. Click here for more info

For backpackers and budget travellers, Khao San Road is known as "the backpacker's paradise" in their dictionary as there are countless of budget guesthouses to reasonably priced of mid-range hotels. This is the place that draw backpackers from every corner of the world, as it has by far the cheapest place to search for accommodation in all of Bangkok. But bear in mind, if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Although most of the accommodations here are dirt cheap, but literately they are dark, unclean and poorly lit, and if you are unlucky, you might spend your night with bedbugs.

#2: Khao San Road - Backpacker's Paradise Spot

Besides the cheap accommodation, this 1km long road is packed with plenty of bars and clubs, restaurants, internet cafes, cheap massage parlours, travel agents (like I mentioned earlier), bookstores, convenience stores, pharmacies, tattoo shops and much more. Even the global chain of fast foods restaurants like McDonald's, Burger King, Subway and even Starbucks can also be found in the area.

#3: Khao San Road during the day time

#4: Lunch break in McDonald's - Pork Burger which not available in Malaysia #nonhalal

In case you are not planning to stay in this area, why not come and visit Khao San Road during the night time as the road becomes alive and filled with vibrant atmosphere. The streets are lighten up with sprawling neon signboards, hundreds of street vendors appeared along both sides of the road selling almost everything including fried inserts as well as numerous of crowded pubs and bars serving drinks at cheap price.

#5: Khao San Road during the night time

#6: Good place for street shopping as well

Although Khao San Road doesn't have any huge shopping complexes like those other areas, but it is a good place to bargain for cheap shopping along the shopping bazaar on the both sides of the road. Expecting cheap clothes, souvenirs, counterfeit merchandise such as CDs, VCDs or even fake student IDs and graduated certificates are available here. Based on my past experience, besides Phuket, I think the bikinis sold here were freaking cheap. I even bought two sets of bikini for my best friends and how much they cost? 250 baht for a set and if you are buying more, more discount would be given.

#7: Chill out in a cafe while sipping a cold Chang beer. By the way, that's not mine cause I don't drink

How To Get To Khao San Road

As there is no connection to Khao San Road by Skytrain and metro, the only options are by taking express boats, buses or taxis. Taking meter taxi would be cost less than 100 baht either from Victory Monument, Siam or Silom. As for bus, take the bus numbers 157, 171 and 509 from Victory Monument (Rajavithi Hospital bus stop) pass Ratchadumnoen Road. You can get off at Khok Wua intersection (one stop away from Democracy Monument). Khao San Road is only a short walk from there. For more adventurous like us, we took tuk-tuk but remember to negotiate and fix the price before hopping on. Most likely will cost between 150 baht - 160 baht for one way from Khao San Road to the nearest Skytrain (BTS Siam).

[Credit To: Wikipedia, Wikitravel, Bangkok.com]

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Tiger Temple of Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Date Visited: 14th February 2013

When I went Bangkok for second time with my family, I booked a day tour to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Bridge on the River Kwai and Kanchanaburi Tiger Temple. Unfortunately we didn't manage to visit Bridge on the River Kwai because our driver was overslept while waiting for us in our hotel early morning. Time was so limited that we even didn't have more extra time to explore the floating market itself. 

#1: Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

From the floating market, the journey took more than three hours to reach Kanchanaburi Tiger Temple and seriously, our butt were really in pain for sitting in such long hours. In between, we had a short break for lunch which included in our private tour. Before enter into the temple, we were required to sign an undertaking absolving the temple management of responsibility in case of accidents. It's compulsory for every visitor as one is going to encounter the naturally wild animals.

#2: Colourful flower pots decorated as welcome signboard

#3: Daily encounters

#4: Map of Kanchanaburi Tiger Temple

Located in Thailand's Kanchanaburi province, which not far away from Myanmar border, this tiger temple is a Buddhist temple operated for over ten years. Locally known as Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua, this temple sanctuary which not just keep and care tigers, but as well as numerous animals such as several herds of deer, bears, peacocks, water buffalo, cows, goats, and boars. Except for tigers and bears, the rest of the animals were roaming freely around the temple.

#5: A cattle of water buffalo were enjoying themselves soaking in the water

#6: We even got to up close and personal with the deer as well

As this is a temple, visitors are required to dress appropriately whereby sleeveless and shorts are not allowed to enter. Even bright colours attire are not allowed as this will be easily attract the animals to attack the visitors.

#7: The main character of this temple

#8: Visitors were allowed to play with the tigers where they were not being chained. You dare?

#9: The bears were kept in bad condition. See how dirty was the water!

Frankly speaking, I would not recommend anyone to visit this so-called tourist spot cause it was so cruel to see how the tigers and the rest of the animals were mistreated and in pitiable situation mainly for commercial purposes. Initially, my intention is to get up close and personal with the tigers cause I was born on the tiger year (now you can guess how old am I) and I really love to get up close with them but I was absolutely regret after this visit.

Booking Information for Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Bridge on the River Kwai and Kanchanaburi Tiger Temple

I booked this private tour from Mama Travel & Tour, a local travel agent located in Khaosan Road that charge 600 baht for a pax (approximately RM63). This tour fee including pick-up from your lodging, the shuttle service, lunch and and the paddle boat ride, excluded the entrance ticket for Kanchanaburi Tiger Temple which cost 600 baht per person. Just that by the end of the tour, the bus driver dropped us at Khao San Road and we had to make our own way back to our hotel.

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Chinatown Bangkok of Thailand (Yaowarat)

Date Visited: 13th February 2013

After the unbearable heat in Wat Pho, also known as Temple of Reclining Buddha, we then proceeded to our next stop, Chinatown to fulfill our hungry tummy as the time was approaching lunch hour at that moment. And because we bought One Day River Pass of Chao Phraya Tourist Boat where we can have unlimited rides on the tourist boat, therefore we went back to the pier and wait for the boat to our next desired destination.

#1: Get off at Ratchawongse Pier (N5) in order to get to Chinatown

Once we got off at Ratchawongse Pier, we followed the crowd and walked along for 500 meters before reaching the intersection of Yaowarat Road, this is where the home of Bangkok's sizable Chinese community. There are many small streets and alleys filled with variety kind of shops and vendors selling all different types of goods; such as accessories, clothes, bags, shoes, household items and more. Not forgetting, the wide selection of delicious and scrumptious of street foods are available here as well. By the time we were there, it was still Chinese New Year celebration and therefore, the whole street was decorated brightly with red lantern.

#2: A visit to Chinatown is incomplete without spotting the Chinese Arch

#3: Spotted signboard with Chinese characters in the central of Yaowarat Road

Our main intention to visit Chinatown was mainly to fulfill our crave toward Chinese cuisine and searching for a decent Chinese restaurant seems to be so difficult that we almost lose our patient and hope searching for one. Luckily enough, we noticed one but then, we need to wait for almost half an hour as the restaurant was fully occupied.

#4: A decent Chinese restaurant serves relatively affordable and good Chinese cuisines

After waited for almost an hour, we were being served to a table for 10 people. After browsing through the menu given, and these were among the dishes we ordered:

#5: Barbecued pork (Char Siu)

#6: Seafood fried rice. Kinda disappointed with the portion cause we thought can serve up to 4-5 pax

#7: Stir Fry Kailan with Shrimps

#8: Dim sum

#9: Jellyfish cooked with sesame oil and chilli sauce

#10: Mixed vegetables

Conclusion, nothing to shout out for this restaurant and it was merely for our hungry tummy filling. After that, we continued to explore around this vibrant Chinatown before moving on to our next destination, Terminal One as well as to one of the best restaurants for an authentic mouth-watering Thai cuisine in Bangkok, Nara Thai Cuisine afterthen. The path of the central Yaowarat Road, which bisects the area is believed to resemble a dragon's curvy body, making it an auspicious spot for business purposes. From the colourful lights of the gold shops to the healing herbs and spices found in the Chinese medicine stores and the ancient tea shops, there are plentiful glimpses of traditional Thai-Chinese culture.

#11: Lined with many herbs and spices shop as well as gold shops.

#12: Creative artwork spotted in Chinatown

Would I be back for more? Probably nope, cause after visited 6 Chinatown so far (Kuala Lumpur, London, Manchester, Melbourne, Singapore and Bangkok), I would probably think the one in Singapore is way more better than this one.

How To Get To Chinatown 
Take Chao Phraya Tourist Boat and get off at Ratchawongse Pier (N5). Walk along Ratchawongse Road for 500 meters to reach the intersection of Yaowarat Road.

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