Hot Hot Hot Bangkok

Bangkok was the first stop on our 3.5 week SE Asia post-graduation adventure! We saw many different facets of the city, from the historic to the ultra modern – all in just four days. As recent MBA grads, we were on a budget (as we hadn’t worked in 2 years with lots of debt!), but we also didn’t want to travel like 21 year old backpackers. For lodging, we required the following: private bathroom with hot water, 24 hour front desk, air conditioning, walking distance to attractions, and good reviews on travel sites. Some good advice from a friend – SE Asia is HOT and SWEATY!! Drink lots of water and make sure we don’t cram too much stuff in a day so we’re not too tired out to enjoy what we’re seeing.

Quick Tips:

HAVE CASH ON HAND: Many establishments do not take credit card, including sports arenas, guesthouses/smaller hotels, and restaurants. At our bed and breakfast, we had to pay the bill (four nights + beverages) with cash – luckily, they were very nice about letting us pay when we picked up our luggage rather than at checkout. ATMs are plentiful, and your money will go a long way.

MAPS: Bangkok is a maze of different streets, and often times, street signs are in Thai. Tourist maps offered at information kiosks are not drawn to scale or accurately, so it can be difficult to find your way. Plus, many locals know no English, and will not be able to read a map with English translation of street names (so don’t point to a location on your map when asking for directions!). Be patient and have fun exploring, even if it feels like you’re walking in circles. People will try to be helpful, but they may not be.

THE INFAMOUS THAI MASSAGE: Do not be wary of Thai massage establishments, offering massages for USD! Almost all are reputable, and offer good service. We got a massage almost every day, since it was so hot, and it offered some cool refuge and relaxation after a morning of sightseeing.

TRAVELING WITH ASIAN WOMEN: If you are a Caucasian male traveling with an Asian female (girlfriend, friend, wife, mother, or other), guesthouses/hotels will be wary and assume that you paid for her "services". Make sure she is registered as a guest of the hotel and let the staff know that the two of you are traveling together. Sex tourism is very prevalent in Thailand and very apparent once you get there.

VISITING TEMPLES: Bangkok has many palaces and temples that are worth visiting! However, you must be dressed conservatively – long pants, shirts with sleeves, and closed toed shoes. If you are not dressed appropriately, you can purchase pants or sarongs at various souvenir stands around the attractions, or you won’t be let in.

Best Way To Get Around:

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: The buses are a VERY economical way to get around the city. It can be intimidating because there are so many different buses, in different colors, going in different directions. The 53 bus will take you to the train station, Khao San Road, Wat Pho and the Royal Palace and Chinatown. The 16 bus will take you to Siam Square. The cost per person is 7 Baht (approx 20 cents USD in 2008) in a non-airconditioned bus, and 14 Baht for an airconditioned bus. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to figure out when A/C and non-A/C buses come, so you should just get on whatever comes by first. Ask your hotel for buses to take and where to take them.

In Siam Square and vicinity, the Skytrain is also a great and easy way to travel. It’s very modern, fast, and economical as well.

TAXIS: Taxis are also quite economical – starting at 30 Baht ( USD). However, some taxis will try to inflate the price and push you to pay a flat fee rather than using the meter. Once, we were traveling to the train station, and a taxi driver claimed there was too much traffic going there and that he would take us there for 100 Baht. We said no, and waved down another taxi, who used his meter. There was no traffic, and the fare was just 45 Baht.

TRAIN TRAVEL TO OTHER PARTS OF THAILAND: Train travel is very slow to other parts of the country. However, we took a 1st class overnight train to Chiang Mai, and it worked out very well (2 beds in one room with a sink for about per person).

This is a cute little guesthouse that has just four rooms. We secured the superior room (king bed) for just $25/night. We checked in about 1am, and while it may seem like a deserted street, it’s quite busy during the day, and walking distance to Khao San Road and the other attractions. There is also a bus stop right outside the B&B that takes you to many of the tourist attractions.

Our room was a decent size with a window facing the street. The king sized bed came with 2 pillows and 2 lightweight blankets. The room had a high ceiling so it made it look more spacious that it actually was, but it was very nice! There was a dresser as well as a bedside table, air conditioning and towels. There was no television, which was a bit of a bummer, but not necessary for this leg of the trip. The bathroom was small, but very clean.

Every morning, we were served breakfast downstairs in the café, which consisted of 2 eggs sunnyside up, some meat (sometimes it was ham, other times, little hot dogs), a grilled tomato, toast, and baked beans. We were also offered juice, coffee (espresso!) or tea, and sometimes fruit. It was quite a hearty breakfast, and usually the staff would ask us what time we wanted to be served the night before.

What we liked best about the hotel was the convenience to tourist attractions – walking distance and to public transportation, restaurants, internet cafes, and Khao San Road. However, it was far enough away that it was a little bit quieter, and not always in the middle of the touristy area. The service was also amazing – the women were extremely helpful, they did whatever they could to make us feel comfortable (brought us waters, made phone calls when pay phones didn’t work, helped us with directions, and made recommendations whenever asked). They were extremely pleasant and so willing to help us.

It’s not a 5 star hotel, but for budget accommodations, it was great value and service! This place is NOT for you, if you're used to chain hotels like the Holiday Inn or Marriott. It’s basic, but comfortable, and I highly recommend it.

There is Muay Thai Boxing many nights of the week. We went on a Thursday night at Ratchadamnoen arena. Get ready for 5 hours and 10 matches of Muay Thai!! It is actually pretty exciting because it’s a contact sport, and it’s almost impossible to get a bad seat. The first 7 matches are supposed to be more amateur, and the headliners are the last 3 matches.

Doors open at 6:30pm, although many people do not arrive until 8pm or later for the better matches. 10 matches typically take 5 hours. If it is a close match, the audience will take sides and shout whenever a blow is made (which is pretty often!). Those who sit ringside are very passionate cheerleaders – sometimes it’s more interesting to watch them than the boxers!! Some shouting matches will break out, typically due to gambling rings, but they don’t really affect match – it’s just amusing. Some matches are boring, but all the boxers are very skinny!

There are 3 different seats – ringside, mezzanine, and balcony. We opted for balcony seats, since tickets are pretty expensive – 1000 Baht/seat (approx $30USD). The staff outside speaks English, and they will tell you that you are allowed to bring food into the arena, but not drinks. Drinks (including beer) can be purchased in the arena. Outside the arena are tons of street vendors selling fruit, various meats, and more. There is also a casual, and kind of grimy restaurant next door claiming that it has the best fried chicken in Bangkok. We opted for the restaurant and it was actually quite good, attentive service and very inexpensive.

If you are a fan of alternative sports, definitely make time for Muay Thai boxing!

We were not that excited to go to Jim Thompson’s house, but we felt like we should make a stop since we were planning to go to Siam Square. We didn’t really know who he was, and we weren’t sure how interesting his house would be. It was, surprisingly, a very cool museum!!

You are required to go through the house with a tour guide. They’ll put you in groups according to language. The English language tour is quite popular, so there were about 12 people in our group. The tour takes about 30 minutes, and we walk through his garden, living area, bedroom, and more. We’re also given some history of the art that he collected (which is quite antique) and some of the unusual aspects of the house. Then we have some freedom after the tour to wander through two other teak houses, the gardens, and of course, the gift shops and restaurants. There is an upscale restaurant on the premises that was not open in the morning, and its décor, wine list, and menu rivaled any upscale restaurant in New York!

There is also an area for various art exhibitions. At the time of our visit, there was an exhibition featuring various contemporary Thai and Japanese artists who have traveled, lived, studied in both countries. There was a hilarious interactive video game installation, a pillow mountain to climb and slide down, and other paintings and photographs. It’s not a huge area, but it was a fun exhibition to go through (AND there was A/C!)

Next door, there is an art seller who claims that she is deaf, and will communicate to you via notes. The art is actually worth looking at, and very affordable. Although she is deaf, she has a sense of humor and it was fun to interact with her. She also puts on the hard sell, so don’t be afraid to walk away. I recommend stopping by, if only to look!

Chatuchak Market is the Saturday (and ONLY Saturday) market that sells everything under the sun. It is easy to spend an entire day wandering the hundreds of aisles, selling everything from clothing to pets, housewares to food. You can get there by taking the AirTrain and there are signs directing you to the market. OR, follow the crowd!

The only downfall to Chatuchak is that it can get extremely hot – the aisles are very narrow, it is outdoors (so no fans or AC), and there are tons of people. A Thai friend of mine said that he went once and he almost fainted from the heat. At the start, it can feel like a total maze, and it was easy to get frustrated, because we couldn’t find the aisles we wanted. We were walking through aisles of what looked like junk (like plastic bins, wrapping paper, slippers, cheesy Thai souvenirs, etc). Plus, we were sweating like crazy and drinking many bottles of water. However, once we figured out the map, it is a shoppers paradise!

I believe in the past, there used to be several aisles dedicated to livestock, snakes, and other animals, however, according to the map that we picked up there, they are no longer sold there. Instead, there is a "Pet and Supplies" section, where adorable puppies and kittens are dressed up in tiaras and bowties in hopes of finding a home. We walked by a kiosk where 20 bunnies in a box were looking for homes!! No snakes, however, which were supposed to be the highlight.

There are tons of tshirt vendors, but the best find, for me, were the independent designers. There were tons of young designers showcasing their wares and it was like shopping in the hippest boutique lined street in San Francisco or New York. The clothing was very affordable (I bought a reconstructed tshirt dress for just 150 Baht) and very funky! You can’t try on anything, but most of the stuff is one size, or S/M/L – if you’re of average height and size, it should fit. There are also several aisles dedicated to local artists, and walking through is like a gallery walk in Chelsea!

Other notable aisles include pottery, various local handicrafts, rugs, and silk. There are also quite a few ATMs and UPS stores to help you ship what you bought home! We also walked by some very bustling in business outdoor restaurants serving amazing ice cold glasses of iced tea and huge platters of noodles and other yummy thai dishes.

This is a must see tourist attraction in Bangkok. Despite the crowds of people and tour buses, it really took my breath away when I walked in. All the monuments, statues, and architecture were very well kept and displayed in vibrant colors – gold and oranges. The sheer size of the monuments was extremely impressive.

It can take a couple of hours to walk around the Palace and see all the intricate details in the architecture, as well as dodge the tour groups! There is a huge mural that documents life during the time which the palace was constructed. There are lots of deities and other Buddha like relics on display (and are great photo ops!). It’s also interesting to see the visiting monks look at everything and take photos.

It does get very warm, so make sure you bring water, as it is not sold inside the palace. They do sell cold towels for 15 baht, which are totally worth it. The dress code is conservative – you must wear pants and a shirt with sleeves. You can purchase a sarong or long pants outside the temple from any of the souvenir stands (lots of hustlers trying to make a buck!!). The entrance fee is 250 baht/person.

Wat (Thai for temple) Pho is right next to the Grand Palace. It’s the home for the gigantic reclining Buddha, and it is really an awesome sight! Surprisingly, there weren’t many crowds at Wat Pho, so we could wander around at our leisure. The Buddha is really gigantic, but offers a great photo op.

On the grounds, there also seems to be a primary school of some sort, and as we were wandering the premises, there were boys playing soccer. One of the boys kicked the ball and it smacked me right on the shoulder! I feigned pain, and he genuinely looked upset, but I laughed it off. We found some smaller figures and other areas of prayer.

We had given up on finding the Wat Pho Massage school, when we saw it near the exit. We were very hot and tired, and the AC was very welcome!! We each got a half hour massage for 260 Baht each. It was very good (although quite hard, so if you like a softer massage, this may not be the one for you). I heard and read that the wait might be long, but at 2pm in the afternoon, there was no wait at all.

I believe the entrance fee was 50 Baht.

Khao San Road is Bangkok’s backpacker alley. We decided to check it out our first evening there because we knew we would see a lot of travelers. While there are some older travelers, it is definitely Eurotrip 1996!! We felt a little bit old walking through, as we are in our early 30s.

The neighborhood is crammed with 21 year old backpackers from all around the world, drinking (usually neon drinks or kamikaze shots) to their hearts content and making new friends. You can find tee-shirts, drug paraphernalia, hair braiding services, pad thai and spring roll vendors, and souvenir stores up and down the street. It’s pretty typical of any other backpacker area in any other metro city. There are some decent restaurants, and we stopped at one with a nice outdoor seating area for a few beers and snacks.

An unusual observation was that there are lots of little makeshift bars up and down the street. Enterprising entrepreneurs can set up a folding table, a couple of stools, a few bottles of liquor and call it a bar. It’s cooler in the evening so sitting outdoors is a must and great for people watching.

Khao San Road is a very convenient area to find a cold beer, a snack, or someone who speaks your language.

Siam Square is a complete 180 from the Khao San Road area. It is totally modern and commercial with several mega department stores surrounded by smaller boutiques and markets. The department stores with names like Paragon, MBK, and more are filled with shopping (even a Ferrari dealership), restaurants (both high end and fast food), movie theaters, and other attractions like Ocean World – an acquarium! Watching the throngs of young Thais fill the streets and the shopping centers is an experience in itself. Often there are promotional events happening that cause crowds and commotion. The area is a look into young, chic and trendy life in Bangkok.

I didn’t do much shopping there, but we did take in the scene and take a break in the GIGANTIC Paragon food court, with tons of Asian and western eateries. We were there during "Sticky Rice Month" and were able to purchase some samples of sticky rice varieties in different colors. We also met a local friend in the area for dinner and he took us to a casual eatery (the name escapes me!) where young Thais line up starting at 5pm for dinner.