Why I went back to Thailand..

For those of you who may not have known, I've already gone to Thailand in 2011. 

I actually have this rule not to go back to places I've been to.

But rules do come with exceptions too! Haha. 

So, I'm listing here the 10 REASONS I DID GO BACK to the first foreign country I've been to.

1. Floating Market

Located in Ratchaburi province of Thailand, is a unique-and-still-very-useful attraction you just have to see, the Damnoen Saduak floating market.  A 2-hour drive from Bangkok would give you the chance to see a place Thailand is also known for. The 2-hour travel is not as boring as it seems since you get to have a glimpse of the rural life in Thailand, in contrast to the bustling city of Bangkok. You’ll be amazed as traffic lights still exist on the way.

great sight on the way!

We actually boarded Bus No. 78 from the Bangkok South Terminal. The bus left on schedule even if we’re only 5 on it.  Actually, only 2 of us left when the bus stopped at this Pier. Read my review here in TripAvisor to avoid being victim to their overpriced motor bancas.

finally here!

you should not miss this for the world!

experiencing it ourselves!

2  2. Elephants

It was during this trip that I got to see an elephant in Thailand, much more, riding on it! Elephant Village is also located in Damnoen Saduak. Though not really walking distance with the Floating Market, there are a lot of motorbike drivers willing to take you there. Since we both fear riding a motorbike, the driver instead took his pick-up vehicle and transported us.

here I come!  

It costs 600 baht per person to crash out this must-experience attraction from your bucket list. 

ticket for 2!

      But even if not in your bucket list, this is something you should not really miss in Thailand if you don’t want to regret later.

the elephant

      The elephant toured us around the area. It went through uneven land masses and dip into the river! The elephant driver (I just don’t know the term) was also very supportive in taking pictures. Later, he showed us accessories for sale. There was even one type made of elephant tusks which were lucky, according to him. The tour lasted for 20 minutes.  It was really enjoyable and truly unforgettable.

a dream-come-true

     3. New Temple

     Of course, I went back to the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. It was still the same jaw-dropping figure; my mom couldn’t comprehend it at first.

awed

mom's Wat Po experience

      Then, for the first time I was able to enter the Grand Palace. Enter the gate but up to the guards only since we were not allowed to enter since my mom’s wearing a blouse with slits that could not cover her shoulders.

Grand, indeed!

can you see the people behind mom?

      However, though we were up to the guards only, we were still able to see the vastness of this attraction. If not for the scorching heat, it would have been really fun going through the various palaces and posing for some souvenirs. But the sun was really up that time that if we really entered, I would not have really enjoyed it.

a glimpse is really okay with me  

      The new temple I was talking about is Wat Saket or Golden Mount. It’s actually one of the biggest temples I’ve been to and one of the biggest Buddhas as well. A Thai also said that we’re lucky as the temple seldom opens but we were able to witness this rare moment.

Big Golden Buddha

various small Buddhas

      4. On Nut Night Market

This market is located adjacent to the On Nut BTS station, the next station after our hotel. I’ve never been able to shop in an outdoor night market before, so this was something I looked forward to.

As I was not able to take a pic, here's what it's like..

from www.globaltravelmate.com

My mom has experienced the hassle of the Chatuchak Market that when she saw this Night Market, she really appreciated it so much. The place was not hot as when going through the narrow passages of Chatuchak. Though this is much smaller, it was better according to her, since her only goal is to shop for apparels which are mainly the reason the Night Market was opened.

There was also a lot of food stalls near the area but my mom opted for McDo just opposite the market.

5.    5. MBK and Gateway

Okay, I’ve been to platinum mall before. And until now, I still don’t know why we chose a kinda far place (away from the BTS) when there is this mall connected to the BTS itself. Maybe it was recommended but in my own opinion, MBK was so much hassle-free. The mall is made of 8 floors. You can really buy a lot here - shirts, shorts, shoes, dress, souvenirs!  

soccer shirts for my bro

taking a break in one of the restaurants inside MBK

we just have to take this!

Gateway, on the other hand, is a Japanese mall. I went there alone to change my dollars. Restaurants were       
      all over and I only have this very nice souvenir of the mall.

colorful lanterns

      6. Siam Paragon

I never really thought I would enjoy this place. We just passed by this area last 2011 and never really expected that there are lots of things you can see here. This is one of the busiest stations in Bangkok. They say, this is the place of the rich. Maybe, designer brands are just everywhere!

it's the siam paragon behind us!

dancing fountain

it's the brand

Prada!!!!

There was a band playing in one of its open spaces. I could spend whole day here just sitting near the fountain, watching people of various ethnicities hurry through their plans and observe the place as it slowly unfolds its beauty come evening.

the lights!

7.   7. Riding the tourist ferry

When we went to the various temples last 2011, we boarded a van. Now, we tried a tourist ferry located in Central Pier or the last station of the Silom Line.

the ticket and the guide!

Upon receipt of your ticket, you are also given a guide. The ferry would traverse through the Chao Phraya River and has several piers for stop-over. 

with the other tourists!

You can disembark in one of the piers and start your tour of the place and then go back to the pier again, board a ferry to the next pier depending on your interest. The guide actually lists the famous attractions if you go to a certain pier.

interesting places you see on board the ferry

the pier going to the Grand Palace

Though I’ve been to this river before, it was a dinner cruise. My first time to travel during the day and see more of Bangkok with various tourists as well.

8.   8. Riding Thailand’s tuk-tuk

For the first time, we rode Thailand’s Tuk-tuk. I was only able to experience as the service vehicle of our hotel in 2011. Now, we really used it to tour around some parts of Bangkok. Though kinda afraid since they seem to run fast, I was glad as I felt just like a local.

tuk-tuk!

The tuk-tuk brought us to the Wat Saket, lapidary, silk store where we bought a necktie for our town mayor and the reclining Buddha!

precious gems here..

on-board the tuk-tuk

mom enjoying the ride

it's the Ministry of Defense

9.    9. Hotel

We stayed in a very unique hotel, DS67. Compared to our hotel in 2011, this establishment is just few steps away from the BTS Station; you can actually see the train through your windows if you happen to be situated in a room opposite the station.

the room

the coffee shop

breakfast is included in the price

reception

The interiors may not be as grand as my previous hotel but its design is worth praising. Plus a token! So thoughtful!!!

1     10.   Mom

Of course, I won’t be visiting this place again if not for my mom! This was my first time to travel abroad with my mother. I am just happy she shares the same passion with me - to see the world!

So, breaking my rule was not bad after all. There's just too much this world can offer. And I'm glad I got to experience some of them. 'Til next time! :)

bangkok experience

I'm planning to blog about my whole bangkok experience last July 2011 as far as I can really remember.. I've actually started it out.. You may see the "Bangkok Invasion" page..

Bangkok Invasion

My first ever international travel was to the "Land of the Free", the Kingdom of THAILAND!

Yes, Land of the Free since according to wikipedia, this is the only country in South East Asia not colonized by European power.

                                                        photo from mapofthailand.org

July 1, 2011 was our departure date for Bangkok via the first and oldest commercial airline in Asia, the Philippine Airlines. The service from this air carrier was superb and it was by far, the largest airbus I've ever rode into (300+ seater). (We paid around P11,000 though for the rountrip airfare.) Below is our flight itinerary:

However, due to some reasons, our flight was postponed to 12:00 nn.. So while waiting, we took some pictures at NAIA Terminal 2 - the terminal exclusive for PAL only.

Okay, so now, we've boarded the plane.. The estimated time of arrival is 2:30 pm, BKK time. It is to be noted as well that Bangkok is behind by 1 hour compared to Manila. So, a 3-and-a-half flight it is..

So after 3 hours of movies, games and radio in the plane, I glimpsed at the window. And there I saw, a very vast area.. Mind you, I've never seen such a flat place.. I could not see any elevated area there (unlike in going to Manila). I can already see lots of temples.. And a river.. Yes, that river WAS very visible.. And later did I find out that it was Chao Phraya River or known as the River of Kings. Here is an aerial view of the same (photo from 123rf.com):

And while we have 30 minutes more before landing, might as well give you some fun facts about our destination.

1. The Kingdom of Thailand is the world's 51st largest country in terms of area
2. It is the 20th most populous country
2. It is a consitutional monarchy and headed by King Rama IX since 1946, which makes him the world's longest-serving head of state
3. The capital city is Bangkok
4. Around 95% of the population practices Buddhism, Thailand's primary religion.
5. The country's currency is Thai Baht

I think that was a good start already.. So, by now., we would have landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport. There are actually 2 airports in Bangkok namely the Don Mueang International Airport and Suvarnabhumi. The former currently caters domestic flights only while the latter for both domestic and international as well. Suvarnabhumi actually means "The Golden Land". I actually love the design of the airport. Something new to me (photo from farm1.staticflickr.com)..

The Suvarnabhumi is 13th in global ranking of airports as of April, 2012, and one of Asia's  most congested airports.

Upon arrival, we proceeded to the immigration. There was a "Welcome to Thailand" sign but we were immediately reprimanded when we tried to take picture with it. After passing through immigration, we took our baggages rode to various walkalators. And after going changing some of our dollars to baht, we managed to pose for some souvenir shots:

As we walk towards the exit, we passed by a travel agency which provides a city tour for 300 baht each. We thought it would be great and agreed to take the tour on July 3, a Sunday. We then proceeded to the exit and took a cab (the driver's at the right.. so don't make the same mistake as that of my friend.. haha) to Aspen Suites where we booked to stay. It was a 40-minute ride to our hotel and I loved it. I was introduced to Bangkok architecture and living for a few minutes. I totally enjoyed the ride. Due to the vast road, there seems to be no traffic from the airport.. They do not even use their breaks that often!

We arrived at Aspen Suite. I forgot how much we paid the taxi but thankfully, we arrived there safely. My stay at Aspen Suite was, as the title to my  tripadvisor review, "More than I have Expected".

After settling our things, we started our journey immediately!

Our first stop, is at the Platinum Mall, one of Thailand's fashion malls. The hotel's service vehicle dropped us at the intersection. I was amazed how they value their culture much since they use not a car but a Tuktuk, Thailand's primary mode of transportation, in bringing their guests.

Tuk-tuk service

So, we actually just walked to the nearest train station and bought our tickets!

Then, we stepped off in one of the next stations. The Platinum mall was, of course, as you should expect it, full of clothes, bags, shoes, etc.. I was not in the mood for shopping since I've always thought this should be the last part of our trip.. Anyway, I bought some items though.. We finished early and managed for a pic..

After walking fast against the rain and stepping off to an unfamiliar location, we managed to go back to Aspen Suites. It was a good start. Tomorrow's going to be a shopping day.

Well, after a very great sleep, we had buffet breakfast in the hotel..

and went to the world's largest weekend market, the Chatuchak Market! Imagine strolling in a 35-acre property with various goods your mind can ever think of! Here's my review "One day is not enough" in Trip advisor.

Thai street foods are like mushrooms in Bangkok. You see them anywhere you go. So, for a more authentic thai experience, we had one for lunch! This is still inside the market.

After a very long day of walking through narrow paths, trying and buying various stuff, we headed back to the hotel. Tonight's event will be far more relaxing - a dinner cruise! :)

Through our hotel, we were able to book a dinner cruise with Grand Pearl Cruise. A vehicle fetched us from the hotel going to the River City Shopping Complex which serves as the waiting area . We will be plying the route of the Chao Phraya river while enjoying the view and buffet!

The cruiser behind us

Inside the cruiser

Wat Arun behind me

It was a sumptuous dinner. And the view was really unforgettable! After about an hour, we went back to the complex. We managed to get a pic of some sort of exhibit.

It was again a very memorable day. Tomorrow, we will finally experience Bangkok's most-loved temples! Another day of sight-seeing!!!

 Okay! Here's one of the most interesting parts of our trip. Seeing those massive palaces!!!!

Wat Traimit (Temple of the Golden Buddha)

Inside Wat Traimit

Wat Pho (Temple of Reclining Buddha)

Outside Wat Pho

The Grand Palace

Wat Benchamabophit (The Marble Temple)

Inside the Marble Temple

Inside Royal Lapidary

So, that was our day tour in Bangkok. For the last night in this vibrant city, we opted to go to Red Sky, a rooftop bar and restaurant in Bangkok! It offers a really great view of the City!

OMG! This will be our last night.. How fast... We have to catch an afternoon flight tomorrow!!!

Our last day.. But before leaving, we had a pic with Aspen Suite's amazing staff!

'Til we meet again!!! :)