Post-Grad Celebration - Bangkok

Formerly named Baraburi Bed & Breakfast, The Four Inn is a very charming bed & breakfast located conveniently on Samsen Rd, just north of Wat Pho, the Grand Palace, and Khao San Rd. It's location makes it ideal for walking to many of the city's cultural and historical sights, yet it is also far enough away from Khao San to have a quiet, relaxing atmosphere at night. There are many restaurants, pubs, and internet cafes just steps away, as well as conveniently placed bus stop right outside (which we used several times).

We spent four nights at The Four Inn in June 2008, just after it had been rebranded, yet the management remained the same. Everyone there was extremely friendly, helpful, and spoke English- which made planning our days that much easier. After we returned from sightseeing every evening, the front desk would ask us for our breakfast orders, which would be waiting for us each morning in the downstairs cafe at a time we specified. We usually just went with their standard English Breakfast, which consisted of two eggs, sausage, toast (with butter and jam), baked beans, a fruit plate, coffee, and juice. The daily breakfast was free and was a great start to the day. The hotel also provided two free bottles of water every day, which was a nice touch.

The room was nicely decorated and very clean with plenty of room for my girlfriend and I... although I wouldn't go so far as to call it spacious. We paid $26.50 (US) per night for a room on the second floor with a queen-size bed, in-room controlled air conditioning, and a private bathroom & shower with hot water. The staff, cleanliness, and location of this B&B made it an exceptional value for the price we paid. I would definitely stay here again in any possible future travels to Bangkok.

On our first day in Bangkok, my girlfriend and I took a walk to explore the Chinatown section of the city. After about an hour of market-strolling and window shopping at the numerous gold retailers, we started getting hungry. We walked by "Emperor Shark Fin" and decided to stop for lunch. I can safely say that this was the most disturbing meal I've ever eaten in any restaurant.

The restaurant walls are lined with VERY expensive packages of "shark's fin" and "bird's nest", giving it an authentic local feel. There were also a fair amount of locals seated inside, reinforcing our notion that this restaurant was worthy of exploration. My girlfriend ordered the Hong Kong Noodles, I had the Chicken with Rice Noodles, and we split a tall Singha beer. The beer was delicious and refreshing, as was the Chicken with Rice Noodles. The Hong Kong Noodles had a bit of a fishy taste to them, but were otherwise ok (the included octopus tentacles with suckers were not my cup of tea, but to each his own).

The real shocker came towards the end of our meal. While my girlfriend was finishing up her Hong Kong Noodles, I spotted a furry head pocking out between a pallatte of Coke bottles, about 10 feet from our table. Upon extended observation, I noticed that I was staring at a huge rat! The rat dissappeared, then 30 seconds later reappeared- this time with a friend. I watched the two rats scurry between the Coke bottles for a good two minutes, all the while wondering why no one else in the restaurant (customers, employees) was paying any attention to the display in front of us... Needless to say, I was appalled by the thought of rats running rampant, completely unhampered, in an area that sits directly between the kitchen and the dining area.

We left as soon as we could pay our bill and escape. The food was decent and inexpensively priced at about $10 (US), but I would never eat there again, solely based on the fact that our furry friends seemed so at home in the establishment...

First off, I must preface this review by stating that I am not a vegetarian, nor do I feel comfortable dining at locales with absolutely no meat options. That said, Tham-Na is an excellent choice for those who ARE vegetarians or DO enjoy vegetarian (and even vegan) cuisine.

Tham-Na is located just down the street from the B&B we stayed in (The Four Inn, which I can't recommend enough for travelors on a budget). We decided to check it out after a long morning of sightseeing. The restaurant is nice and clean, with a trendy loungy decor, and the menu has TONS of options which, I found, is quite typical in Thailand. When we walked in and sat down, the proprieter of the restaurant came to our table to explain the menu and to steer us in the right direction. When we ordered, she even stepped in to let us know that certain items might be too bitter or otherwise not to our liking. She was extremely helpful and helped create an extremely enjoyable experience for us. We ended up ordering a rice dish and the vegetarian pizzas, both of which were tasty. The prices were a little higher than other comparable Thai restaurants, but that is easily explained by the fact that Tham-Na uses organic ingredients.

If you're into vegetarian food, then you can't go wrong with Tham-Na.

If you're going to watch Muay Thai kickboxing ext door at the Rathchdamnoen Boxing Stadium, then Likhit Kaiyang is a decent choice for a pre-match dinner. Actually, other than the multiple food stands surrounding the stadium entrance, this is your only choice in the area.

The only negative for this restaurant is that its appearance leaves a lot to be desired. We first hesitated before entering because it looks a bit unwelcoming from the outside, and the furniture/decor are not the most attractive or well-maintained. However, everything else was great.

Meal are extremely inexpensive, and the food quality is definitely on-par with any other local restaurant. I ordered the Fried Chicken with Cashews (like the chicken w/ cashews you would get in the US, only breaded) and was amazed not only at how much food I was given but also how good it tasted. The owner greeted us when entered the restaurant and came over again to ask how our meal was. The waitresses were very friendly and always smiling.

We stumbled upon this cool bar after a night of madness on Khao San Road (Khao San Road parallells Rambutri, the street on which Molly Bar resides). It was a welcome respite from the load, in-your-face attitude just one block away... There is a very cool lounge area out front, populated with large wooden couches, chairs, and tables.

We enjoyed a few beers, mixed drinks, and appetizers (spring rolls and chicken w/ veggies) from the menu as we laid back and enjoyed the view, which was fantastic for people-watching. Surprisingly, although the locals were packing themselves inside, the front lounge area outside was populated purely by non-Thai travelers. The appetizers were tasty, and the prices were low. However, our main draw to Molly Bar was the available view of locals and fellow travelers combined with a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere.

First off, the Grand Palace has a dress code that prohibits sandals, flip-flops, tank tops, shorts, and short skirts. All of these guideline are strictly enforces except for the sandals... I actually saw many people walking around in sandals and would choose to wear them if I ever make it back again.

My girlfriend and I walked to the Grand Palace from our B&B (The Four Inn) in about 10-15minutes. As we drew near, we were approached by many people trying to sell us long pants, but we were already prepared (see tip#2 below), thanks to the advice of our guide books. We arrived at 9.30AM on a weekday, and there were quite a lot of people there already. However, it was not overly crowded and we were able to make our way through the complex unhampered. There is a lot to see here, so be prepared to spend at least two hours at the Grand Palace. There are so many distinct buildings, temples, and statues, I feel we could have spent the greater part of a day just walking around had it not been for the hot summer sun beating down on us. The architecture is very detailed and unique, with lots of bright colors (especially gold). Make sure your camera has plenty of memory and battery power, as it will undoubtedly get quite a workout here.

Tips for the Grand Palace:
1) Beware of "tour guides" telling you that the palace is closed. They're only trying to get you to jump on their Tuk Tuk so that they can take you somewhere else for a commission.
2) You must wear long pants or dresses when visiting the Grand Palace. I brought a lightweight pair of pants that allow me to zip off the legs and convert into shorts. These were perfect, as I walked to/from the palace in shorts, then explored inside with the pants.
3) I wore tennis shoes because of Lonely Planet's advice to "dress conservatively", although I saw LOTS of people wearing sandals. I would advise all visiotrs to also wear sandals, as the tennis shoes were extremely hot...
4) Lonely Planet also advises visitors to wear long sleaves, which I did. THIS IS NOT NECESSARY. Short sleaves, and even t-shirts, are fine. Tank tops, however, are a no-no.
5) Go early, as the area fills up rather quickly. Also, the heat is a big concern as you will be outside in the sun for the majority of the time.
6) Bring LOTS of water... although you can buy bottled water at the palace if you're in a pinch.

My girlfriend and I headed to Wat Pho after several hours of already exploring the Grand Palace next door. At mid-day in June, the heat and humidity had already caused us to sweat profusely and we were contemplating just giving in and going back to the hotel. We're glad that we instead decided to stick it out and check out Wat Pho while we were in the area.

Wat Pho is the oldest and largest wat (temple) in Bangkok. It also houses Thailand's largest reclining Buddha image and the largest number of Buddha images in Thailand. The giant gold buddha reclines at 46 meters long by15 meters high. The bottom of the feet are especially cool, as they have an extremely complicated and detailed design. As with the Grand Palace next door, dress conservatively (although the rules definitely seem to be a little more slack at Wat Pho).

There are lots of really cool buildings, statues, and small gardens in the complex, including several temples. Within the walls of Wat Pho are also several schools including a children's school and, more importantly, the Wat Pho Thai Massage School. If you want a really good, authentic Thai massage, make sure to get one here before leaving. A word to the wise, the massages here can be a little TOO hard- and slightly painful if you aren't prepared...

Don't believe what you read... Thai kickboxing is no longer the overly violent, extra bloody sport that you dreamed of seeing. The boxers now wear gloves on their fists and the result is a more subdued, toned-down overall experience. It's still wildly enjoyable and highly recommended, but those expecting to see blood and teeth flying should look elsewhere.

Each match starts out rather slowly, but becomes more aggressive, fast-paced, and violent as time goes on. There will be many quick jabs intermixed with long kicks that sometimes connect, sometimes not. However, the fighters will often just grab each other and start trading knee kicks to their opponent's abdomen. You'll notice the excitement ramp up sharply around the 6th match of the evening, as the better fighters and matchups come last. The fights will have a higher level of contact, as these fighters have more skill and are in much better shape, allowing them to deliver (and recieve) a greater number of blows.

In later matches, the stands are almost as enjoyable to watch as the fights that are going on down below... There is a lot of cheering and gambling among the locals that make this a fantastic place for people watching.

Be sure to find out from a reliable source what time the matches actually start, because there is little to do in the area if you show up too early. You can buy tickets from the ticket counter before the start of the event, well into the first half of the matches (there are about 10 matches each night, which can last for about 5 hours from start to finish). Be prepared to pay double the local prices as a foreigner... Our upper-tier tickets on a Thursday night were $1000 Bhat each (roughly $31US).

If you go to Bangkok, you MUST go see Muay Thai boxing. It is thouroughly enjoyable and well-worth your money. However, remember that the sport is now safer (and thus less violent) than it previously was.