THE HEART OF THAILAND
February 21, 2018
Flying to Thailand is one of my greatest accomplishment knowing that it’s a country of beauty, perfection and full of hidden gems. I arrived at Bangkok around midnight and the city was asleep but still amazed by how colorful the place was. As we all know, Bangkok is the heart of Thailand. You can see a lot of tourists everywhere. Palaces, temples and pagodas, tuktuks (their local vehicle), bars and everything that you can imagine about a developing country has. The following are the places that you can see in the heart of Thaialnd, make you amazed and learn the Thai culture.
Trip Highlights
Day 1
National museum of Bangkok
Known to be the largest museum in Southeast Asia. It features exhibits of Thai art and history.
The museum was established and opened in 1874 by King Rama V to exhibit relics from the rule of King Rama IV's rule. Today the galleries contain exhibits covering Thai History back to Neolithic times.
Grand palace and temple of emerald buddha
The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam (and later Thailand) since 1782. The Grand Palace is still used for official events. Several royal ceremonies and state functions are held within the walls of the palace every year. The palace is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand. -popular as we haven't had a chance to get close to the palace because of the extreme number of people who are there.
The Grand Palace is made up of numerous buildings, halls, pavilions set around open lawns, gardens and ofcourse overlooking temples.
The most famous Wat Phra Kaew, commonly known in English as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and officially as Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple (wat) in Thailand. The Emerald Buddha housed in the temple is a potent religio-political symbol and the palladium (protective image) of Thai society.
Wat Pho
Wat Pho is one of Bangkok's oldest temples. It also houses the Reclining Buddha statue. The figure is 15 m high and 46 m long, and it is one of the largest Buddha statues in Thailand.
Wat Arun
Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan known as the "Temple of Dawn" because of having the first light of the morning reflects off the surface and it gives a perfect pearly iridescence.
Wat Arun can be easily accessed through the Chao Phraya River, and ferries travel across the river towards the Maharaj pier.
I ended my first busy day in Bangkok by going through the busy places during night time which they call the Khaosan Road. There I glimpsed to the other side of Bangkok and saw many bars, party clubs, small shopping shops, eateries/cafés as well as street foods and more.
You can see a lot of foreigners bargaining for the prices
To buy or to pay a tip? 😆
Fried flies
Scorpions
Who cares? I'm going to eat this anyway.
Looks may be deceiving but the taste? ...Like a fried crab 🦀
My second day of journey in Bangkok started in a not so hectic schedule seems I used all of my energy on my previous schedule. Maybe it was so hot on that day and I feel so dehydrated. So if you ever plan to visit Thailand, make sure that you have enough supply of water with you. Anyway, let's start our second day in Bangkok!
Day 2
The Giant swing
Day 2
The Giant swing
A religious structure in Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Thailand. There were some ceremonies held there during the reign of King Rama I but t'was discontinued due to the extreme damage brought by lightning. There's a nearby temple beside it named the Wat Suthat.
Wat Suthat
You can see a lot of buddha statues upon entering the temple that are maybe donated by some religious devotees.
This temple contains the Buddha image Phra Sri Sakyamuni. At the lower terrace of the base, there are 28 Chinese pagodas which mean the 28 Buddhas born on this earth.
The Golden mount
Phu Khao Thong or the “Golden Mountain” is a steep artificial hill inside the Wat Saket compound.
You can see the history on how dead people's body being buried. The bodies were being thrown or left into the forest or jungle and served as foods for the wild animals especially for the crows.
Selling wholesale or for individual prices. You can see various of foods, plants, clothes, accessories, antiques and many more. The prices were so affordable and somehow still negotiable for some so no wonder why there are a lot of people buying stuffs there.
In front of this market was the Little India of Bangkok. You can also see how Indian people sell their own products and try their delicious delicacies.
After that, I headed to Jim Thompson’s house museum.
Day 3
Enough of the temples, buddhist culture and other religious stuffs first. Let's have time for ourselves for now and reminisce your childhood. I continued my journey the next day in a not so stressful itinerary 😆. Nowadays, we can see many kinds of museums or galleries around us as well as the trick-eye-museum or having 3D effects when you too a picture on it. So I’ve decided to go to a place they called Art In Paradise.
Art in Paradise is located on the 5th floor of Esplanade Mall
Having it’s name you can see a paradise ofcourse! Kidding aside, but seriously it was fun acting weird there just to have a good caption and outcome. It is located in Esplanade Ratchadapisek.
Here, have a glimpse of the pictures taken inside the paradise! look
Here, have a glimpse of the pictures taken inside the paradise! look
You can really enjoy the 3D pictures there. You may act weird, funny and will be an actor/actress for a day but I assure you, your stay there will have lots of fun.
I had a good timing for the Chatuchak weekend market right after having an exciting time in the 3D art museum. Chatuchak market consists of almost 15,000 stalls.
Selling wholesale or for individual prices. You can see various of foods, plants, clothes, accessories, antiques and many more. The prices were so affordable and somehow still negotiable for some so no wonder why there are a lot of people buying stuffs there.
Before heading back to my hostel, I visited another night market called The New Rot Fai Market.
It is bringing the same convivial night bazaar feel, antiques curios, and street food snacks and treats from its original location.
Day 4
Here comes the fourth day in Thailand! 🇹🇭
Is literally a floating market located about 100 kilometers southwest of Bangkok, Thailand. It was established to gain foreigners and serves as a tourist destination as well as an attraction which offers locally made products and gives an experience of the country’s cuisine by hopping on a rowing boat.
Is a small elephant village where you can hangout with the elephants by riding on them or taking a bath with them. The staffs were so busy and not so accommodating at the time I visited there but right after I’m done riding on the elephant (as an experience) they appeared beside me and started offering some frames with my pictures that they captured during my moment with the elephant. But of course I refused because why not, right?
We were also offered to buy ivory by the mahout but we refused as we know that it's illegal to bring or carry it in some countries.
The Amphawa Floating Market is 50 kilometers long. The Amphawa canal is on the Mae Klong river. I cruised the Mae Klong river by boat for 50baht but you have to join with other locals or tourists too. ***It was a not-so-fun trip but I get a chance to see how people do for their living and what kind of living they are doing to trespass everyday's struggles.
It was an hour cruise in where I saw some temples, resorts and local houses of the people who are living along the river. Some tourist enjoy and stay there until in the evening to watch the fireflies glowing. It was a long day for me so I decided to go back to Bangkok.
Damnoen Saduak Floating market
Is literally a floating market located about 100 kilometers southwest of Bangkok, Thailand. It was established to gain foreigners and serves as a tourist destination as well as an attraction which offers locally made products and gives an experience of the country’s cuisine by hopping on a rowing boat.
I didn’t buy anything at the stores but I did buy mango with sticky rice (delicious!!!) in one of the boat where I passed by.
Chang Puak Camp Damnoensaduak
Is a small elephant village where you can hangout with the elephants by riding on them or taking a bath with them. The staffs were so busy and not so accommodating at the time I visited there but right after I’m done riding on the elephant (as an experience) they appeared beside me and started offering some frames with my pictures that they captured during my moment with the elephant. But of course I refused because why not, right?
Amphawa Floating Market
The Amphawa Floating Market is 50 kilometers long. The Amphawa canal is on the Mae Klong river. I cruised the Mae Klong river by boat for 50baht but you have to join with other locals or tourists too. ***It was a not-so-fun trip but I get a chance to see how people do for their living and what kind of living they are doing to trespass everyday's struggles.
Wat Bang Ka Pom
It was an hour cruise in where I saw some temples, resorts and local houses of the people who are living along the river. Some tourist enjoy and stay there until in the evening to watch the fireflies glowing. It was a long day for me so I decided to go back to Bangkok.
How to get to the three places:
- First, for Damnoen Saduak floating market, go to Sai Tai Gao or the Old Southern Bus Terminal and ride the V-hire or van. You won't get lost because there will be many conductors who will haggle for passengers at the terminal.
- Once at Damnoen Saduak, you can find a lot of floating market signs and some of them will cost you a lot. In order for you not to get scammed, you should stay away from those places like:
- The most legit way to experience a scam-free trip is to go to the market right beside this place.
- You can also see a floating market sign there inside the market with parking lot.
- Once you are there, you can see this view like the picture that follows:
- We just paid 500baht and it's 70% cheaper than other floating market rides
- (2nd) There's no other way to get to Chang Puak Camp but to wait for a tuktuk. Yes, it is quite expensive but it was so fun!
- Good thing! After our elephant ride, we found out that the tuktuk driver waited for us outside the camp and haggled us to get to Amphawa Floating market. Because we don't have any choice, we took the opportunity that he waited for us.
- From Amphawa Floating market, you can go back to Bangkok by V-hire. You can go to the main road and you can see some bus/van stops that are selling tickets. You can book ahead of time especially if you're planning to go back after sunset.
- Overall, we forgot how much the total cost of our ride but sure thing is you will really enjoy your trip. 😆
Day 5
Time flies so fast then I realized that I’ve been staying in Thailand for 5 days. But as a traveler and a time saver, I won’t let everything pass. For this day, I’ve decided not to stress myself as there will be an exciting trip ahead.
I went to Bangkok’s Chinatown and saw various of cheap items in their market from imitated clothes to chinese-thai cuisines.
The busy streets of Chinatown Bangkok
In front of this market was the Little India of Bangkok. You can also see how Indian people sell their own products and try their delicious delicacies.
A woman selling fresh strawberries 🍓
Tuktuk (public transportation vehicle)
Waiting for passengers on the street
Jim Thompson House Museum
The entrance to the museum
Outside view of Jim Thompson's house
The art collection of American businessman and architect Jim Thompson, the museum designer and former owner. Built in 1959 and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand; sporting vibrant jungle foliage in the heart of the city.
As you enter, you will be entertained by these beautiful ladies featuring Thai traditional dance.
They also show how to weave silks
*I can't share any picture on what you can see inside Jim Thompson's house for taking pictures inside the house is prohibited 🚫.
Central World Mall is the nearest mall from Jim Thompson's house. It's the perfect place to cool yourself down from the hot weather and the oozing traffic in the city.
It is the tenth largest shopping complex in the world. (Well, Philippines still have the record for having the most number of malls in Asia 😂)
CentralWorld was expanded to 550,000 square metres of shopping mall and 1,024,000 square metres of complex, topping nearby rival Siam Paragon in terms of size.
CentralWorld was expanded to 550,000 square metres of shopping mall and 1,024,000 square metres of complex, topping nearby rival Siam Paragon in terms of size.
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