A more updated version of this article can be discovered here: Bangkok travel Guide
I let out a deep, deep sigh of relief as soon as the plane landed at Subarnabhumi Airport. It wasn’t since there had been trouble on the flight or anything like it. I was just stoked that I lastly reached Bangkok, after a long tug-o-war with my poultry change ego.
I quit my full-time task to backpack across Southeast Asia. however the trip became a reality eight months after my last day at work. eight months, people. eight months. quite a long time. What happened in between? Chickening out as well as delaying tactics masked as preparation. It would be my very first time to travel alone, as well as to do it in a foreign country intimidated me a lot. even on my last night in Manila, there was a part of me that wanted to back out.
But it happened. Late, yes, however it did.
And there’s no much better place to have my baptism of fire than in Asia’s City of Smiles — Bangkok.
Wat Arun
Bangkok: Asia’s Backpacking Capital
The tired backpacking route across the Southeast Oriental peninsula is known in the travel world as the Banana Pancake Trail, so called for the many stalls selling banana pancakes that are widely sold in the cities along the trail. This route is popular for a lots things, however its “exotic” cultures as well as low expense of living top the list. complying with it means passing through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, as well as Cambodia. as well as this trail starts as well as ends in Bangkok, the epicenter of backpacking in the region.
The funding of Thailand, Bangkok is the commercial, economic, as well as political center of the country. It is a wild, extremely developed third-world metropolis however is still very much in touch with its past. Bangkok’s history as the Thai funding began in 1782, when King Rama I had the people move south complying with the autumn of Ayutthaya in 1767. Bangkok lies at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, seen as a very strategic military place back then. It was likewise King Rama I who ordered the building of the Grand palace complex as well as many other temples, which remain standing until today.
Their language can be quite daunting to non-native speakers, particularly its lengthy words as well as tongue-twisting pronunciations, however as with every other language, it only intimidates in the beginning. English isn’t widely spoken, however what the locals lack in English fluency, they make up for with their friendly mindset toward tourists.
Boat on Chao Phraya River
Getting around Bangkok
Although it is not as sweat-free as in Hong Kong or Singapore, commuting in Bangkok is quite easy. Vehicular traffic can get crazy during rush hour, however it is nothing compared to what we are forced to endure in Manila. If you’re used to the giant vehicle parking great deal that runs across Manila called EDSA, you’ll be fine in Bangkok (or any type of other Southeast Oriental city for that matter).
Getting around via public transportation means using one or more of these four modes:
Train (BTS Skytrain/MRT). Bangkok’s train system is quick as well as reliable, as well as will take you to many attractions throughout the city. I discovered myself taking the train most of the time during my stay since there was a train station very near my hotel. Also, even during the busiest hours, I never experienced getting almost squished to death. The BTS fare ranges from 15 to 52 baht. as well as you will need 5 or 10 baht coins to get in. most stations have a counter than can break your big bills as well as a ticket machine that accepts bills.
Båd. The two boat services operating in Bangkok are the Chao Phraya reveal Boat, which plies up as well as down the Chao Phraya River as well as is popular among tourists for it stops at many of the city’s most popular landmarks; as well as the Saen Saep reveal Boat, used mostly by locals who commute to work. The Chao Phraya boat is the best option for you if you mean to check out the Grand palace complex (at Tha Chang) as well as Wat Pho (at Tha Tien), as well as the Siriraj medical museum (Wang Lang Station) within one dag!
Onboard a Chao Phraya ferry
Taxa. always my last option. If my destination is too far from a train or boat station, I would just hail a cab. A ride costs more than in Manila however nowhere near the rates in Hong Kong or Singapore. The flagdown is 35 baht as well as the typical ride within the city is probably around 100.
You might encounter cab drivers who take advantage of tourists by not using the meter as well as then overcharging. If the driver refuses to use the meter, just get off the vehicle. understand that all cabs in Bangkok must use the meter. many of these drivers wait for tourist passengers at the popular attractions like temples as well as Khao San Road. I always walked far from them as well as just hail a moving cab.
Tuktuk. I didn’t even bother. They are very expensive, even more costly than cabs, as well as I had tried it in Siem Reap anyway. If you really want to try for the heck of it, just agree on the price first.
Where to Stay
Check rates as well as Availability Here
For budget plan travelers, Khao San road as well as Silom road offer the cheapest accommodations. Khao San is the backpacking center as well as has a very festive vibe with great deals of street food, restaurants, as well as bars. Its popularity among travelers likewise triggered the mushrooming of scams here. There is no train station around.
Silom is the business as well as monetary district of Bangkok. There are malls, shops, as well as night markets in its inner alleys. The famous (or infamous, depending on exactly how you look at it as well as what you mean to do, haha) Pat Pong is likewise located around the corner. the best part is that it has its own train station that links it to rest of the city.
I was able to try two budget plan hotels in Bangkok. The pics below lead you to short reviews of these hotels.
Sunflower place Silom
Nantra Silom
Smile Society
Where to Eat
In the streets, of course! Bangkok is widely known for its inexpensive as well as tasty kerbside cuisine. A stay in the city is never total without sitting at a sidewalk table as well as digging in to a plateful of Pad Thai or Pork Rice. It’s a dining experience that you shouldn’t miss. An order usually costs THB 40-60. right here are some dishes you cannot leave the city without trying!
Tom Yum
Green Curry
Pad Thai
Pork Rice
Grilled poultry as well as Innards
Mango Sticky Rice
Steder at besøge
Temples as well as shrines top the listing of the popular tourist attractions in the city center. You don’t need to join a tour since many of these key places are quickly accessible from the Chao Phraya River. Here’s a quick do-it-yourself walking tour that will take you to the most popular sites in Bangkok: 6 popular Attractions in Bangkok, A walking Tour
Wat Pho
Wat Arun
Siriraj Forensic Museum
Grand Palace
Khao San Road
Bangkok Chinatown
And there are even more impressive structures if you go on a day tour or stay overnight in neighboring Ayutthaya.
Here are some more fascinating destinations:
Goddess Tuptim Penis Shrine
Flydende marked
Siam Square
Platinum fashion Mall
Pat Pong/Silom
My preferred moment in Bangkok was inside the Siriraj Forensic Museum, where I walked through chilling galleries of gore as well as violence. It was a little out of the way, however if you’re into CSI or final Destination, this is your wonderland right here.
Sample Itineraries
Here are a couple of sample itineraries that you may use. I stayed much longer, however if you have only an extended weekend to spend in Bangkok, here’s something to consider.
BANGKOK-AYUTTHAYA 4D2N ITINERARY
Day 1 – Temples as well as Museums
Wat Pho, Wat Arun
Grand palace complex (including the temple of the emerald Buddha)
Siriraj medical Museum
Khao San road or Pat Pong (for nightlife or shopping)
Day 2 – Ayutthaya Day Tour
Wat Yai Chaimongkon
Wat Phra Si Sanphet
Wat Mahathat
Wat Chaiwatthanaram
and more wats!
Day 3 – Food, Shopping, as well as Nightlife
Damnoen Saduak Floating market
Siam Square, Platinum Square
Day 4
Back to Manila
Bangkok is landlocked, so beach bums might get disappointed. however other Southeast Oriental destinations are simple to reach from here. If you have more days, think about heading south to Phuket or Krabi or north to Chiang Mai or Pai. You may likewise cross borders to Vientiane, Laos or Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Many of my pals have done the Bangkok-Siem Reap itinerary. understand that it entails spending a day on the road so make sure your time allows it.
BANGKOK-SIEM REAP 6D5N ITINERARY
Day 1 – Bangkok Temples
Wat Pho, Wat Arun
Grand palace complex (including the temple of the emerald Buddha)
Siriraj medical Museum
Khao San road or Pat Pong (for nightlife or shopping)
Day 2 – Ayutthaya Day Tour
Wat Yai Chaimongkon
Wat Phra Si Sanphet
Wat Mahathat
Wat Chaiwatthanaram
and more wats!
Day 3 – Bangkok Food as well as Shopping
Damnoen Saduak Floating market
Siam Square, Platinum Square
Day 4 – Land travel to Siem Reap
Day 5 – Angkor!
Angkor wat
Bayon (Angkor Thom)
Ta Phrom
Angkor night Market
Pub Street
Day 6 – Tonle Sap Lake or City Tour
Plus Angkor Museum
Late night flight back to Manila
For the above itinerary, the Cebu Pacific 6:30am Manila-Bangkok flight as well as Cebu Pacific 10:30pm Siem Reap-Manila flight are perfect.
Overnight train to Chiang Mai
Budget Breakdown
Below is the listing of the usual prices of things you will need for a comfortable budget plan stay in Bangkok! bear in mind that the figures are in Thai Baht.
Meal (street food) – Pad thai costs around THB40, pork rice THB50, and a big, huge bowl of tom yum noodles THB100.
Accommodations – Dormitory beds from THB100, hostel private room from THB 300, as well as a budget plan hotel room for two from THB800
Grand palace entRanceafgift – THB 500
Wat pho indgangsafgift – thb 100
Wat Arun indgangsafgift – THB 50
Siriraj Medical Museum Charge – THB 200
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market Tour-THB 300-600
Ayutthaya Day Tour-Arrangerede ture fra THB 950, gør det DIY-stil kan udgift omkring THB 700
Taxi – Flagdown -sats er THB 35, sædvanlige ride i byen er omkring THB 100
Togtur-THB 15-52
Vigtige tip
Her er mere info, som du måske vil huske til en problemfri turné omkring Bangkok.
Valutaveksling. Den officielle valuta er baht. Der er mange pengeudskiftere omkring, men de fleste af dem tilbyder meget dårlige priser, især for filippinske pesos. Hvis du har amerikanske dollars, skal du bare medbringe det, i stedet. Du kan ligeledes vælge at bare trække sig direkte fra din ATM -konto.
Sproglige barriere. Engelsk tales ikke bredt, så forbered dig på at lave en smule charades nu så godt som da.
Adressesystem. Thailændere har deres eget adressesystem såvel som allerførste timere i Bangkok kan hurtigt desorienteres. Wikitravel forklarer det virkelig godt: ”Store veje som Silom eller Sukhumvit er Thanon, mens sidegaderne, der forgrenes fra dem, kaldes Soi. SOIS er nummereret med lige tal på den ene side såvel som ulige tal på den anden side. Således betyder en adresse som 25 Sukhumvit Soi 3 hjemme nummer 25 på den 3. Soi af Sukhumvit Road. ”
En advarsel sendt på elevatoren på vores hotel
Svindel. Bangkok er berygtet for svindel, der er målrettet mod turister, så vær altid forsigtig. Nogle er virkelig mere organiserede, end de ser ud. En af de mest udbredte modus operandi involverer mennesker, der loiterer ved indgangen til templer (eller et andet turiststed) samt nærmer sig turister. De er meget venlige, såvel som de normalt præsenterer sig selv som lærere. De forsikring hævder, at det websted, du er ved at tjekke, er lukket, da det er en ferie såvel som at de forstår et mere smukt sted, der ikke er på turistkort. De hagler derefter en tilfældig Tuktuk (som overhovedet ikke er tilfældig for føreren er en del af fidus) samt turnerer dig rundt. Du vil blive ført til en smykkebutik, der sælger for dyre perler såvel som tilbehør. Tuktuk kan ligeledes overopkræve dig på turen.
Bangkok er et fantastisk sted at have en Southeast Asia -backpacking 101. Det tilbyder næsten hvad der gør halvøen unik – en smule urban stemning, en smule sære attraktioner samt en hel del kultur! Plus fantastisk mad, venlige mennesker såvel som billigt alt!
Flere tip til YouTube ⬇
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