Thailand
- The Wild Voyage
- Nov 28, 2016
- 6 min read
Updated: Jan 12, 2024
Thailand was part of my backpacking adventure through Asia, a trip that lasted two months. The capital of Thailand is Bangkok. There is a parliamentary monarchy . It’s official currency is the Bath, the official language is Thai, and it gets dark at 6 p.m.
In Thailand it is humid the whole time. The smog is everywhere. Thailand tests your five senses with is dual diversity. It also test your patience and takes it to unsuspected edges. The alphabet is different, in sometimes English is too basic and not enough to fully understand directions. if you go away from the most touristy area no one speaks English, and if you need answers to your questions, that's gonna be tricky to get. So definitely Thailand pushes you out of your comfort zone.
Temples hidden in between narrow streets, stamps with exotic figures and shapes flowers and dragons. Plants that grow in balconies, cracks, and streets as they can. Oriental music, coffee shops that have survived the pass of time. Old people sitting on the park watching other people walk by.
Bangkok
How to Navigate the city of Bangkok?
The metro line is called BTS. On the picture below you will appreciate that there are cancellations very often. It is wise to always have an alternative to the metro.
The metro connects the airport with the city, make sure you understand how it works in advance, it can be really confusing. The airport is usually packed and the lines for customs are incredibly long because there a a lo of forms to fill out in order to ge in the country.
Mourning after the death of the king:
At the moment I was visiting Thailand, it's king has passed and I could witness how all the nation mourned this unfortunate loss. This was a real celebration of life, especially in Bangkok, the home of the king. Hundreds of foods stalls were giving meals for free, and there were incredibly long lines to every single one of them. Everyone wore black for weeks.
What to do in Bangkok?
Khao San Road
The street covered with food carts, umbrellas to shelter you from the heat that overheats even the paviment. The wooden tables of hundreds of bars one next to each other with no rest.
Avis shop men wanting to sell whatever product they have
This street is a whole adventure, during the night people have a party on that very same street, they make a circle, place their belongings in the center, and dance around it. This lasts for hours.
Asiatique River:
Asiatique River:
This is a local fair with a Ferris wheel, games, and food. It is open from 7 p.m to 12a.m
China Town:
It is open until 6 p.m It’s Main Street is Charoen, you can walk from Khao San Road
It is a very interesting place: you can see facial wax, they specify in the largest variety in terms of colors and shapes of a same objects. For instance there was a shop only for eye glasses: glasses with different shapes: hears, stars, and every one in a different color.
There is candy, grains, tea, coffee. And there are temples almost hidden in the alleys.
You can try a lot of dried insects —scorpions, even dipped in candy as lollipops, dried fruits, tea pots.
Grand Palace:
This is where the royal family lives. Exactly where they sleep has no access to the public.
Opens from 8 am to 3 p.m
The grass is perfect green and short. Here you can see the famous emerald Buda and it’s forbidden to take pictures of it. The tickets costs 500 baths.
Loy Kratong:
Every full moon of November the Lou Kratong festival is celebrated. Here you make your own little basket of bamboo, plants, and flowers. Put candles in it and light it up. You are supposed to release this basket in the River, and make a wish before doing it.
It is very common to see children on pajamas going to the festival before bedtime.
In various regions of Thailand the also light up lanterns and let them go, illuminating the sky.
Mercado Flotante Damnoen Saduak:
Floating Market Damnoen Saduak:
Two hours away from Bangkok. I booked it with an agency around the block from Khao San Road who took my there with a van for $250 baths. The same van took as to do…
The Train Market:
This marked extends itself on the side of the train tracks. And pedestrians are supposed to walk on the tracks. Once the train is about to pass pedestrians move and sellers move everything.
They have fresh products, fruit vegetables, fish.
Ayutthaya:
Ruins a few hours away from Bangkok, more accesible on private transport than public. There is a very hard way to get with a combination of two buses, a boat and a bicycle or motorbike to see the ruins. Here is where a lot of scams happen, they promise you to take you there on a private vehicle, stop a few miles away and tell you that you need to pay more or walk. Nowadays since people started recording situations like this with their smartphones is less likely to happen, but it happens.
Chiang Mai:
Located outside Bangkok. A train from the Hua Lampong station takes you to Chiang Mai. The ride lasts several hours. People recommend to pay for the wagon with beds and to spend the ride sleeping. This varies from class to class so make sure you get first class, especially when it comes to sleep on a train. This region of Thailand is considered the land of the temples, instead of seeing temples in the city, these temples are in the jungle. There are waterfalls, hills, beautiful forests.
Chatuchak market:
Opens only during weekends from 8 am to 10 p.m and the. There are other vendors from 10 p.m to 5 a.m they have a huge selection of vintage clothes. There are special discounts. There are also counterfeit products.
From Khao San Road the bus 44 and the 77 go to this market. Always check with the driver and keep yourself updated.
Shoppings:
There are a lot of options when it comes to malls. Siam and Siam Parangon that sell the typical brands (Zara, h&m, Gucci, Armani) next to each other. On the opposite side of the street there is MBK with more affordable options, again counterfeit products, thrift shops, etc.
On the same metro station BTS E4 ASOK there are other malls called Emporium and EmQuartier, and Terminal 21 which is very interesting because every floor is a different city of the world : San Francisco with its typical food and accessories, clothing, decoration. Another floor is Turkey, another is Japan, and we also have Rome.
Lumphini Park:
This is like the Central Park of Bangkok, the lungs of the city. It is crowded because everyone seeks some fresh air. The metro gets you there, the stop is Si lom MRT Station
Templo Wat Arun:
During the night its majestic golden structure stands out in the distance. This temple is on the other side of the Chao Phraya River, you can cross by boat. Or using the blue line metro, and then walk. The metro stop is Itsaraphap. The boats have a schedule, come of them stop working at 7 p.m. The ticket to enter this temple is $50 baths. I recommend to visit before it closes, and if you are lucky to si et illuminated when the sun sets that’s the perfect post card.
Templo Wat Pho:
This temple is very popular since on top of it there is a Buda lying on its side. It is 46 meters long. This temple is behind the Grand Palace.
Golden Mountain:
This is a temple with a golden dome on top of a hill, the acmes is through a steep staircase, surrounded by vegetation and asian ornaments, opens from 8 am through 7 pc.m, ticket is $20 baths. I recommend to go at 6 p.m since it is not that hot outside to walk up hill.
Nana Plaza:
this is Bangkok’s red zone, it is about four blocks. It only functions late at night, 10 p.m in a time where the public transportation stops working. The only way to get there is by tuk-tuk or taxi. Taxi is better because tut tubs charge per person. I didn’t ho, and I am personally not interested, but some people visit out of curiosity.
Below, streets near Chinatown:
Why not to book activities that involve tigers and elephants ?
Simply because it’s not okay to exploit animals for pictures. Animals are supposed to be wild, especially elephants and tigers. Elephants are not that friendly and definitely should not be carrying people but to make them socio they use practices that are very aggressive on them. The tigers are handled by a group of monkeys that put sedatives in their food so people can pet them and take pictures with them. If you actually want to see wild animals you should go in a safari to Africa and visit their natural habitat, instead of feeding a horrible market of exploring them.
All my good wishes for your future trip to Thailand!
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