Bangkok Trip Day 2 Part 2 - Chinatown

Yaowarat Road, which is the Chinatown of Bangkok, is the next location that we explored after a short break at the hotel. We took a taxi and alighted at 1 of the ends of Yaowarat Road.

You can try delicacies like bird nest and shark fins soup at Yaowarat Road, and buy Chinese herbs and dried products like dried mushrooms, dried shrimps etc. I bought a packet of dried longans from 1 of the Chinese medicine halls. Dried longans from Bangkok are known to be very sweet, and can act as a natural sweetener for cooking desserts.

We had our dinner at the highly recommended T&K seafood, but did not find the dishes to be exceptionally remarkable.

1 of the main aim of visiting Yaowarat Road is to patronise the famous Lin Zhen Xiang (林真香) shop which sells mainly "pork snack" products like pork floss, pork paper etc. We bought quite a few packets of different variations, intending to give as gifts to friends and relatives. There are quite a few Lin Zhen Xiang shops along Yaowarat Road, and you can also find their products at Chatuchak Market and certain shops around Bangkok.

After all the eating & shopping, we took a tuk tuk ride to Hua Lamphong MRT station, and took the MRT & BTS to reach Siam BTS station. We wanted to buy some Bangman Candy Crepe back to try after hearing good reviews from relatives. 1 set of the Candy Crepe consist of 1 pack of crepe "skin" & 1 pack of candy floss, and you can make your own crepe by wrapping the "skin" with candy floss. After searching for a while, we found the stall at Siam Square. Do note that this is not a permanent store; if you wish to find them, it is advisable to visit their Facebook to check out their location.

After putting aside our shopping "loots" in the hotel, we walked to the nearby Big C supermarket for a walk, bought some (more) stuffs, then went back to hotel to call it a day.

Up Next: Four Face Buddha, Terminal 21, Platinum Mall, Night Market 

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Bangkok Trip Day 2 Part 1 - Chatuchak Market

We started Day 2 with a nice buffet breakfast at the hotel, and took the BTS to Mo Chit. After alighting from the BTS, we followed the crowd to walk to Chatuchak Market. Chatuchak Market, also known as JJ Market, has always been my favourite place in Bangkok. Although there are people who criticise Chatuchak Market for being "like an oven" or "getting more and more touristy", I still enjoy my trips there to shop for clothes and home decorations.

One of my loots in this trip is this exquisite looking clock, which cost about S$10. There are many other designs and sizes available, and I think it can be used as a practical decoration in a house.

Other than clothes and home decoration, Chatuchak Market is also well known for its street foods like Milk Tea & Coconut Ice Cream.

Due to the layout of the market, it can get very very hot in the afternoon, so it is advisable to reach the market at about 10am, and leave around 1pm.

We went back to the hotel via a taxi thinking that it can be faster and easier, but due to the chaotic traffic condition, it took us longer than travelling via the BTS, and the taxi uncle had to drop us at the nearby Palladium World Shopping Centre. We took the opportunity to explore the Palladium World Shopping Centre, but there isn't too much things around, except for the Zebra brand stainless steel products store. I was told before that this is a good brand for stainless steel products, but since there isn't a need, I did not buy anything from the store.

After packing the Samurai burger meal from the Macdonalds at Platinum Mall, we went back to have our late lunch and rest before our next program.

Up Next: Chinatown

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Bangkok Trip Day 1 Part 2 - Amphawa Floating Market

After some shopping at the Pratunam Market, we head back to the hotel to get our stuffs, and then walk to Chit Lom BTS station to catch the BTS to Victory Monument. Novotel Hotel Pratunam Platinum provides free tuk-tuk service to various BTS stations nearby, but we did not utilise this service in order to ease our guilt for eating too much during the trip

From Exit 2 of Victory Monument BTS station, we saw the taxi-van ticketing office which is next to the Century Movie Plaza. You can take bus to Hua Hin from here too, but our destination of the day is Amphawa Floating Market. Thailand is famous for its Floating Market and I've seen many nice photos of it, so I decided that I've to visit 1 while in Bangkok. I was choosing between Damnoen Saduak and Amphawa, but finally decided on Amphawa as it is supposed to be less touristy.

The ticket to Amphawa costs us 80 baht per person, and we waited for about 40 minutes for the next van. It took us 2 hours to reach the floating market.

The first thing we did was to buy the ticket back to Bangkok. There are a few timings for you to choose; if you are interested in the firefly boat ride, take the last van back. We took the 7pm tickets as we are not interested in the firefly boat ride, meaning that we've about 3 hours to roam around.

To complete the visit, we decided to have our dinner by the river, just like what the locals would do. The food was being cooked on the boat and then serve to you.

Verdict: The fish was especially fresh, but do be prepared to have your dinner with houseflies swamping around you and your food.

After our dinner, the sun starts to set, making Amphawa even more enchanting. 

Its time to make our way back to Bangkok. We skipped the night market at Victory Monument and on our way back from Chit Lom BTS station, we detour to Big C Supermarket to buy 2 big bottles of yoghurt drink (which cannot be found in Singapore). There was also a night market as we walk back to the hotel and we bought the Banana and Egg in Prata to eat as we walk.

Up next: Chatuchak Market

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Bangkok Trip Day 1 Part 1 - Novotel Hotel Pratunam & SabX2 Wanton Noodle

We reach Suvarnabhumi Airport on a Saturday morning, and bought a 3G pre-paid Tourist SIM card with unlimited data plan for S$12 near Door 8 of the Arrival Hall. This SIM card will allow you to make local & overseas call, and surf the net as you go.

Next, we took the escalator down and followed the signboard direction to the Airport Rail Link. The Airport Rail Link is the fastest way to get to the city, bypassing the notorious Bangkok heavy traffic. We alighted at Ratchaprarop Station, and walked towards the direction of Amari Watergate Hotel (which you can see from the train station) to Hotel Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam.

We loved the cosy room, centralised location and helpful staffs of the hotel. After settling down, we walked towards the direction of Shibuya 19 shopping mall for our lunch at SabX2 wanton mee store. Before you reach Shibuya 19 shopping mall, turn into the alley, and you should see the store which opens from 9am to 4pm.

The store is famous for its Wanton noodle and the super soft & tender Braised Pork Trotters. You can order a few variety to try as the portions are quite small. 

Up Next: Dining experience at Amphawa Floating Market

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5 Tips when visiting Prague

Prague is a good 3-4 days stop-over location when you are travelling in Europe as it is tourist friendly and houses spectacular attractions like Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Astronomical Clock, Old Town Hall, Church of Our Lady before Tyn etc etc.

Planning for a trip to Prague? Here are 5 tips for your reference.

1. Visiting Charles Bridge
The Charles Bridge has been identified by many websites as an attraction where you should beware of pick-pockets. It is congested with people most of the time which makes it very difficult to take good photos of the bridge, and also on the bridge. I visited Charles Bridge slightly before 9am, where the crowd hasn't appear, and you can walk along the bridge at ease.

2. Best Bird's Eyes View
There are many Observation Towers in Prague, and in my opinion, if you only have time to climb 1 Observation Tower, it has to be the Old Town Hall Tower. Here, you take take a good picture of the Church of Our Lady before Tyn and also take a look at the back of the Astronomical Clock. The entrance to the Tower is just next to the Astronomical Clock.

3. Money
The currency in Prague is Czech Crown, although some restaurants, hotels and shops take Euro as well. I did not manage to find a money changer with Czech Crown in Singapore, so I bought my Czech Crowns with Euros upon reaching Prague. Money changers can be easier found in Prague, so you can afford to walk around for a while to see which money changer can give you the best rates.

4. Transport
Most attractions are within walking distances to each other, and Prague also has an extensive public transport system and you can buy 1 ticket and use on metros, trams, buses etc as you are limited by the time & not the mode of transport. Such tickets are sold at all metro station or Tobacco shops, and as the time starts counting when you validate the ticket, you might want to consider buying a few tickets base on your plans so that you not need to keep finding places to buy the tickets.

5. Hotel
Most people stayed at the Old Town, New Town or Lesser Town, and I choose to stay at ibis Hotel at Old Town. The hotel is next to Palladium, the largest shopping centre in Prague, and you can walk to most of the attractions in Old Town & New Town. There are also tram stops outside the hotel, where you can take trams to the Lesser Town & Prague Castle. The rooms are small, but clean and comfortable. If you intend to just stop over at Prague for a few days, I would recommend staying there due to its accessibility.

Itinerary for Bangkok Trip

Below is my Bangkok trip itinerary as a reference for those who are planning for a trip there. Stay tune to my blog for the details!

	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday
Morning	Check in Hotel	Chatuchak Market	Four Face Buddha	Pratunam Market	Pratunam Market
Lunch	Wanton Noodle @ SabX2	MacDonalds @ Platinum Mall	MK Restaurant	Royal Thai Navy 77 @ Tha Chang	After You Cafe @ Central World
Early Afternoon	Pratunam Market	Rest in Hotel	Terminal 21	Wat Pho	Central World
Late Afternoon	Amphawa Floating Market	Chinatown	Platinum Mall	Khao San Road	Massage @ Watergate Spa
Dinner	Seafood @ Amphawa Floating Market	Chinese Food @ TK Seafood	Local Restaurant @ Pratunam Soi 19	Once Upon a Time @ Pratunam	Thai Restaurant @ Airport
Night	Night Market along the street of Big C @ Pratunam	Big C Supermarket @ Pratunam	Night Market outside Palladium World Shopping Centre	Packing @ Hotel	Home Sweet Home
Supper	-	-	-	MacDonalds @ Platinum Mall	-

Bangkok - The Land of Thousand Smiles

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.