Post-Grad Celebration - Bangkok - IgoUgo Bangkok Journal

The Four Inn

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Hotel | "The Four Inn - Great Staff, Excellent Value!"

The Four Inn - Bathroom Photo - The Four Inn, Bangkok, Thailand

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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, help...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 9, 2008

The Four Inn
75-77 Samsen Rd.
Bangkok 10200

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Emperor Shark's Fin

Restaurant | "Swim Far Away from Emperor Shark Fin Restaurant"

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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 Chick...Read More

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... Read Less

Member Rating 1 out of 5 on July 8, 2008

Emperor Shark's Fin
169/90 Ratchadapisek Rd.
Bangkok
+66 02 274 9911-2

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Tham-Na

Restaurant | "Great Restaurant for Veggie Lovers"

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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 o...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 10, 2008

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Likhit Kaiyang Restaurant

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Restaurant | "Likhit Kaiyang - Decent Place to Dine Before Thai Boxing"

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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 C...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on July 10, 2008

Likhit Kaiyang Restaurant
74/1 Ratchadamnoen Nok Road
Bangkok
+66 2 281-1094

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Molly Bar

Attraction | "Molly Bar - A Relaxing Bar Just Off Khao San"

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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 pric...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 8, 2008

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Grand Palace

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Attraction | "Grand Palace - A Must-See in Bangkok!"

Grand Palace 1 Photo - Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand

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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 an...Read More

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. Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on July 9, 2008

Grand Palace
Na Phra Lan Road Ko Rattanakosin District
Bangkok, Thailand 10500
+66 (2) 694 1222

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Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)

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Attraction | "Wat Pho - Cool Architecture, Giant Buddha, & Great Massage"

Wat Pho 1 Photo - Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho), Bangkok, Thailand

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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....Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 9, 2008

Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)
Rattanakosin District Adjacent To Grand Palace
Bangkok, Thailand 10200
+66 02 222 5910; 226

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Ratchadamnern Boxing Stadium

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Attraction | "Thai Boxing - An Enjoyable Evening of Mild Violence"

Thai Kickboxing 1 Photo - Ratchadamnern Boxing Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand

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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 excite...Read More

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. Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on July 10, 2008

Ratchadamnern Boxing Stadium
Ratchadamnern Nok Road
Bangkok, Thailand 10200
+66 2 281 4205

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Post-Grad Celebration - Bangkok

The Four Inn

Emperor Shark's Fin

Tham-Na

Likhit Kaiyang Restaurant

Molly Bar

Grand Palace

Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)

Ratchadamnern Boxing Stadium

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