Bangkok, the largest city in Thailand, is one of the most traveller friendly country in Asia, and one of the favourite short getaway destination for Singaporean.
Why do tourists visit Bangkok? Here are the 15 reasons:
1. Dinner at a floating market
Floating markets can only be found in some parts of Thailand, Vietnam & Indonesia, and although they are getting more touristy, it is still a good experience to visit at least 1 floating market to see what it is all about. We went to Amphawa Floating Market, which is about a 2 hours drive from Bangkok, and we sat next to the river to have our dinner. Don't think about where the fishes and prawns came from; go ahead & indulge in the fresh seafood while sitting next to a stunning sunset view along the river. There are also firefly river rides in the evening.
Warning: Only for those with strong stomach!
Direction: Go to Victory Monument via BTS and exit via Exit 2. You'll find the van ticketing office next to the Century Movie Plaza. One way ticket cost 80baht per person (as of July 2015), and if you intend to take the van back to Bangkok, it is recommended that you buy the return ticket back at the street across Amphawa Floating Market.
2. Milk Tea
Thai milk tea can be found in every market and shopping centre in Bangkok. This carefully blended drink has a rich milk taste and you'll be itching for more after 1 cup. The one we had at the basement of Terminal 21 (from a shop next to the supermarket) is highly recommended.
3. Street Food
You might be tempted to fill up your stomach with delicious Traditional Thai food like Phad Thai, Tom Yum soup etc, but do leave some spaces for street food like Mango Stick Rice, Coconut Ice Creams, Banana and Egg in Prata, fried chicken etc etc.
4. Traditional Thai food
We went to "Once upon a Time" @ Pratunam Soi 17 at the recommendation of an extremely friendly hotel staff. The price is equivalent to the price of eating Thai Express in Singapore, but with (much) better quality. Take a seat inside the building to avoid the mozzies, and walk around the restaurant to take a look at the antique Thai style wooden house after your meal.
Direction: If you come from the direction of Amari Water Gate hotel, turn into the alley just after passing Shibuya 19. The restaurant is situated in the middle of the alley.
5. Wanton noodle
If you visit Pratunam area, do look out for SabX2 Wanton mee store at Soi 19. The store opens at 9am, but the queue starts before 9am. This speaks a lot about the quality of the food served. The portion of the Wanton mee is relatively small, and do include the braised pork in your order list.
Direction: If you come from the direction of Amari Water Gate hotel, turn into the alley just before you reach Shibuya 19.
6. MacDonald Pork Burger
Tired of choosing between MacSpicy, MacChicken or Fillet-O-Fish? Here comes their distant cousin, Samurai Pork Burger. Combine with special sauce and juicy meat, the Pork Burger is the best comfort food you can find in Bangkok.
7. Candy Crepe
Have you tried making your own crepe by wrapping the crepe "skin" with candy floss? Bangmad Candy Crepe is the latest craze in Bangkok with endorsement from many celebrities. However, there is no fixed retail store, so visit Bangmad Candy Crepe's Facebook to find out where you can buy this innovative food.
8. After You Dessert Cafe
There are many cafes in Bangkok, but my personal favourite is After You Dessert Cafe. Do not leave the shop without eating its Shibuya Honey Toast. The toast is soft and fluffy, and taste heavenly when coupled with ice cream and honey.
9. Cheap massage/spa
Nothing beats having a nice massage to relax your muscles after a long day of walking. With foot massage, Thai body massage, fish spa, body scrub at extremely affordable prices, it is no wonder that many people go for massage sessions everyday when travelling in Bangkok. We went to Watergate Spa at Pratunam area. With clean and modern facilities & skilled therapist, do visit them if you are around Pratunam area.
Direction: Watergate Spa is next to (not inside) Amari Watergate hotel
10. Bargain, bargain & more bargain
Chatuchak Market is my personal favourite shopping location in Bangkok. Other than the food and clothes zone, do go deep into the market to check out the furniture and decoration zone. Other shopping locations where you can get cheap clothes includes Pratunam morning and night market, Khao San Road, Victory Monument night market and Artbox. Practise your bargaining skills at these places, start from low then talk your way upwards to your target price!
Direction:
Chatuchak - Take BTS to Mo Chit, Exit 1
Khao San Road - Take BTS to Saphan Taksin, Exit 1, go to Chao Phraya Express Boat Central Pier, and take the Express Boat to Pier 13 - Phra Arthit. Walk 5-10mins or take Tuk Tuk.
Pratunam area - Take BTS to Chit Lom, walk 10-15mins or take Tuk Tuk.
Artbox - Take Airport Link to Makkasan station
11. Terminal 21
Out of so many shopping centres in Bangkok, Terminal 21 stood out due to its remarkable interior design, to the extend that we visited the toilets at each floor just to view the design. Each level features landmarks and icons of Rome, Japan, England, San Francisco, Turkey etc.
Direction: Take BTS to Asok Station
12. Chinatown
Most people visit Chinatown for the bird nest soup, shark fins soup, seafood (@ TK restaurant), and Chinese snacks like pork floss from Lin Zheng Xiang. Do buy a few packs of dried longan back as well; these longan can be easily found in any 1 of the medicine halls along the street, and are cheap and healthy sweeteners for your home cooked desserts.
Direction: Take BTS to Saphan Taksin, Exit 1, go to Chao Phraya Express Boat Central Pier, and take the Express Boat to Pier 5 - Rajawong. Take Tuk Tuk to Chinatown. Alternative, take MRT to Hua Lamphong station, and take Tuk Tuk to Chinatown.
13. Places visited by Running Man
In Episode 50 of Running Man, the members visited various places of interest in Bangkok, and as an avid Running Man fan, how can I not go to these places! For fellow Running Man fans, do include Khao San Road, where the members played to Speed Movie Quiz, and Tha Chang, where the member ordered 3 Thai dishes, in your itinerary for your next trip to Bangkok!
Direction:
Take BTS to Saphan Taksin, Exit 1, go to Chao Phraya Express Boat Central Pier, and take the Express Boat (the members took the long tail boat which you can also consider).
To Khao San Road, take the boat to Pier 13 - Phra Arthit. Walk 5-10mins or take Tuk Tuk.
To Tha Chang, take the boat to Pier 9 - Tha Chang
14. Temples
The main religion of Thailand is Buddhism, and many tourists, regardless of their religions, are impressed by the magnificent architecture of Wat Pho (Sleeping Buddha) and Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). These 2 temples are close to the Grand Palace; do stop by during the evening to view the sun setting along the Chao Phraya River with Wat Arun as the backdrop.
Direction:
Wat Pho - Take BTS to Saphan Taksin, Exit 1, go to Chao Phraya Express Boat Central Pier, and take the Express Boat to Pier 8 - Ta Tien
Wat Arun - Cross river at Ta Tien Pier
Four Face Buddha - Take BTS to Chit Lom
15. Transportation
Bangkok has an extensive BTS/MRT network which is reliable and cheap. In case you are lost or tired of walking after a long day of shopping, taking a Tuk Tuk ride or taxi will take you to your destination at a pretty low price, but do be prepared to face the traffic condition. From the airport, taking the Airport Link is the fastest to get to the heart of Bangkok. Taking the Khlong Saen Saep Express Boat from Pratunam (Pratunam Pier) to Khao San Road (Phanfa Leelard Pier) or vice versa is also an exciting experience, and the Chao Phraya Express Boat can also bring you to many places of interest.
Why do tourists visit Bangkok? Here are the 15 reasons:
1. Dinner at a floating market
Floating markets can only be found in some parts of Thailand, Vietnam & Indonesia, and although they are getting more touristy, it is still a good experience to visit at least 1 floating market to see what it is all about. We went to Amphawa Floating Market, which is about a 2 hours drive from Bangkok, and we sat next to the river to have our dinner. Don't think about where the fishes and prawns came from; go ahead & indulge in the fresh seafood while sitting next to a stunning sunset view along the river. There are also firefly river rides in the evening.
Warning: Only for those with strong stomach!
Direction: Go to Victory Monument via BTS and exit via Exit 2. You'll find the van ticketing office next to the Century Movie Plaza. One way ticket cost 80baht per person (as of July 2015), and if you intend to take the van back to Bangkok, it is recommended that you buy the return ticket back at the street across Amphawa Floating Market.
2. Milk Tea
3. Street Food
You might be tempted to fill up your stomach with delicious Traditional Thai food like Phad Thai, Tom Yum soup etc, but do leave some spaces for street food like Mango Stick Rice, Coconut Ice Creams, Banana and Egg in Prata, fried chicken etc etc.
We went to "Once upon a Time" @ Pratunam Soi 17 at the recommendation of an extremely friendly hotel staff. The price is equivalent to the price of eating Thai Express in Singapore, but with (much) better quality. Take a seat inside the building to avoid the mozzies, and walk around the restaurant to take a look at the antique Thai style wooden house after your meal.
Direction: If you come from the direction of Amari Water Gate hotel, turn into the alley just after passing Shibuya 19. The restaurant is situated in the middle of the alley.
5. Wanton noodle
If you visit Pratunam area, do look out for SabX2 Wanton mee store at Soi 19. The store opens at 9am, but the queue starts before 9am. This speaks a lot about the quality of the food served. The portion of the Wanton mee is relatively small, and do include the braised pork in your order list.
Direction: If you come from the direction of Amari Water Gate hotel, turn into the alley just before you reach Shibuya 19.
6. MacDonald Pork Burger
Tired of choosing between MacSpicy, MacChicken or Fillet-O-Fish? Here comes their distant cousin, Samurai Pork Burger. Combine with special sauce and juicy meat, the Pork Burger is the best comfort food you can find in Bangkok.
7. Candy Crepe
Have you tried making your own crepe by wrapping the crepe "skin" with candy floss? Bangmad Candy Crepe is the latest craze in Bangkok with endorsement from many celebrities. However, there is no fixed retail store, so visit Bangmad Candy Crepe's Facebook to find out where you can buy this innovative food.
8. After You Dessert Cafe
There are many cafes in Bangkok, but my personal favourite is After You Dessert Cafe. Do not leave the shop without eating its Shibuya Honey Toast. The toast is soft and fluffy, and taste heavenly when coupled with ice cream and honey.
9. Cheap massage/spa
Nothing beats having a nice massage to relax your muscles after a long day of walking. With foot massage, Thai body massage, fish spa, body scrub at extremely affordable prices, it is no wonder that many people go for massage sessions everyday when travelling in Bangkok. We went to Watergate Spa at Pratunam area. With clean and modern facilities & skilled therapist, do visit them if you are around Pratunam area.
Direction: Watergate Spa is next to (not inside) Amari Watergate hotel
10. Bargain, bargain & more bargain
Chatuchak Market is my personal favourite shopping location in Bangkok. Other than the food and clothes zone, do go deep into the market to check out the furniture and decoration zone. Other shopping locations where you can get cheap clothes includes Pratunam morning and night market, Khao San Road, Victory Monument night market and Artbox. Practise your bargaining skills at these places, start from low then talk your way upwards to your target price!
Direction:
Chatuchak - Take BTS to Mo Chit, Exit 1
Khao San Road - Take BTS to Saphan Taksin, Exit 1, go to Chao Phraya Express Boat Central Pier, and take the Express Boat to Pier 13 - Phra Arthit. Walk 5-10mins or take Tuk Tuk.
Pratunam area - Take BTS to Chit Lom, walk 10-15mins or take Tuk Tuk.
Artbox - Take Airport Link to Makkasan station
Out of so many shopping centres in Bangkok, Terminal 21 stood out due to its remarkable interior design, to the extend that we visited the toilets at each floor just to view the design. Each level features landmarks and icons of Rome, Japan, England, San Francisco, Turkey etc.
Direction: Take BTS to Asok Station
12. Chinatown
Most people visit Chinatown for the bird nest soup, shark fins soup, seafood (@ TK restaurant), and Chinese snacks like pork floss from Lin Zheng Xiang. Do buy a few packs of dried longan back as well; these longan can be easily found in any 1 of the medicine halls along the street, and are cheap and healthy sweeteners for your home cooked desserts.
Direction: Take BTS to Saphan Taksin, Exit 1, go to Chao Phraya Express Boat Central Pier, and take the Express Boat to Pier 5 - Rajawong. Take Tuk Tuk to Chinatown. Alternative, take MRT to Hua Lamphong station, and take Tuk Tuk to Chinatown.
13. Places visited by Running Man
In Episode 50 of Running Man, the members visited various places of interest in Bangkok, and as an avid Running Man fan, how can I not go to these places! For fellow Running Man fans, do include Khao San Road, where the members played to Speed Movie Quiz, and Tha Chang, where the member ordered 3 Thai dishes, in your itinerary for your next trip to Bangkok!
Direction:
Take BTS to Saphan Taksin, Exit 1, go to Chao Phraya Express Boat Central Pier, and take the Express Boat (the members took the long tail boat which you can also consider).
To Khao San Road, take the boat to Pier 13 - Phra Arthit. Walk 5-10mins or take Tuk Tuk.
To Tha Chang, take the boat to Pier 9 - Tha Chang
14. Temples
The main religion of Thailand is Buddhism, and many tourists, regardless of their religions, are impressed by the magnificent architecture of Wat Pho (Sleeping Buddha) and Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). These 2 temples are close to the Grand Palace; do stop by during the evening to view the sun setting along the Chao Phraya River with Wat Arun as the backdrop.
Direction:
Wat Pho - Take BTS to Saphan Taksin, Exit 1, go to Chao Phraya Express Boat Central Pier, and take the Express Boat to Pier 8 - Ta Tien
Wat Arun - Cross river at Ta Tien Pier
Four Face Buddha - Take BTS to Chit Lom
15. Transportation
Bangkok has an extensive BTS/MRT network which is reliable and cheap. In case you are lost or tired of walking after a long day of shopping, taking a Tuk Tuk ride or taxi will take you to your destination at a pretty low price, but do be prepared to face the traffic condition. From the airport, taking the Airport Link is the fastest to get to the heart of Bangkok. Taking the Khlong Saen Saep Express Boat from Pratunam (Pratunam Pier) to Khao San Road (Phanfa Leelard Pier) or vice versa is also an exciting experience, and the Chao Phraya Express Boat can also bring you to many places of interest.
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