Shino's Travelogue


 
Bangkok Trip 2006
 
LCC terminal's lobby with stores and some restaurants
 
The only platforms hall in LCC terminal
 
Our flight to Bangkok
 
Flying on top of Ayuthaya's padi field
 
Bangkok International Airport arriving hall
 
Siam Paragon food court - Hot plate seafood sukiyaki
 
Siam Paragon food court -Fried noodle with pork
 
Siam Paragon food court - Thai ice tea
 
Siam Paragon food court - Bangkok OL
 
Siam Paragon food court - Crispy crab omelette with rice
 
Siam Paragon - Lamborghini
 
Siam Paragon at night - it's a very big shopping complex
 
BTS - Siam station
 
Sawasdee Sukhumit Inn
 
Novus restaurant - Tom Yam Kuey Teow Soup
 
Novus restaurant -Thai fried rice
 
Novus restaurant -Fried thai noodle with thai sauce
 
Bang Pa-In Palace - Ho Hem Monthian Thewarat
 
Bang Pa-In Palace
 
Bang Pa-In Palace - Mangoes
 
Bang Pa-In Palace - Krajome Trae, you can feed the fish at here
 
Bang Pa-In Palace
 
Phra Thinang Aisawan Thiphta-art - bronze statue of King Chulalongkorn
 
Bang Pa-In Palace - Phra Thinang Warophat Phiman , a mansion built by King Chulalongkorn as his residence and throne hall
 
Bang Pa-In Palace - Elephant family
 
Bang Pa-In Palace - Phra Thinang Uthayan Phumisathian
 
Bang Pa-In Palace - Ho Withun Thasana, an observatory for viewing surrounding countryside
 
Bang Pa-In Palace - Phra Thinang Wehart Chamrun, chinese style mansion
 
Wat Phrachao Phananchoeng - 19 meters high Buddha
 
Wat Phrachao Phananchoeng - list of budhha's statue
 
Wat Phra Mahathat, the famous tree buddha
 
Wat Phra Mahathat
 
Wat Phra Mahathat
 
Wat Phra Mahathat
 
Wat Phra Mahathat
 
Wat Phra Mahathat
 
Wat Phra Mahathat
 
An elephant is on training
 
Elephant riding near Wat Phra Sri San Phet
 
Elephant riding pass by Wat Phra Ram
 
The elephant's name that we ride is called Chommanard
 
Elephants are having lunch
 
Wat Phra Sri San Phet
 
Wat Phra Sri San Phet - the largest temple in Ayutthaya
 
Wat Phra Sri San Phet
 
Wat Phra Mongkhon Baphit
 
Bah Khun Mae restaurant, a lot of tourist come here to try Thai food
 
Young coconut and Tom Yam Kung
 
Bah Khun Mae Set I
 
Bah Khun Mae Set II
 
Calypso Cabaret, a must go show in Bangkok
 
Nice stage
 
Lisa is the most beautiful lady boy among all dancers
 
Part of the dancers
 
After the show, you can have photos with them
 
In a river taxi
 
Wat Phra Kaew
 
Wat Phra Kaew
 
Wat Phra Kaew - Ceramic art
 
Wat Phra Kaew
 
Wat Phra Kaew - Angkor Wat model
 
Wat Phra Kaew
 
Wat Phra Kaew - ash grave of previous king
 
Wat Phra Kaew
 
Wat Phra Kaew - Long corridor of story board
 
An artitist is adding the colour on the picture on the wall
 
Grand Palace
 
Chakri Maha Prasat Hall, beautiful blend of European and Thai architecture.
 
Wat Pho
 
Wat Pho
 
Wat Pho - pray for your wish
 
Wat Pho
 
Wat Pho - Thai traditional massage center
 
Far view of Wat Arun
 
Hot afternoon at China Town
 
Shark Fin soup
 
Abalone rice
 
Hong Kong style mee
 
Happenning night at China Town
 
Some hawker stalls at China Town
 
China Town - Kuey Teow soup
 
This is not a temple, it is a hospital at China Town
 
Metro subway station
 
Suan Lum Night Bazaar
 
Spicy Ka Long Jin
 
Ka Long Jin with fish ball
 
Tasty fried chicken
 
Seafood glass noodle
 
Siam Square
 
Tuk tuk
 
Chao Phraya river at night
 
Chao Phraya river night scene at Shangrila hotel
 
Asoke "meat" market
 
Small elephant at Asoke
 
My accomodation's night view
 
Checking in
 
Quiet waiting hall
 
My Air Asia return flight
 
Viewing KL from up above :)
 

Lat's comic characters on my return flight

 
 
5th Apr. 2006
     
8.50am : Take off from Low Cost Courier Terminal Malaysia
     
10.40am : Arrived at Bangkok International Airport
     
11.45am : Taking airport bus A1 route with 100bt
     
12noon :

Visit the Erawan Shrine and then walk to Siam Paragon. We have lunch at the Siam Paragon's food court, it is a new and biggest shopping center in Bangkok.

We have ordered Hot Plate Seafood Sukiyaki (55bt) - not nice as the squid is not well done, Fried Noodle with Pork (45bt), Crispy Crab Omelette with rice (55bt) and a regular Thai Ice Tea (45bt).

There are a lot of universities student having meal or meeting up at the food court, they have standard colour of university uniform - white shirt and black dress/pants. The only way to differeciate which university are they from are thru a pin label that they wear on the shirt.

     
1pm : After the lunch, we walk around the big Siam Paragon.
   
2pm : Take BTS to Thong Lo station for Sawasdee Sukhumit Inn. Paid 1000bt for two room's deposit. After check in, we took rest for a while.
   
4.50pm : Take BTS to Chong Nongsi station in attempt to look for Surawong road which is "mentioned" has a lot of food hawkers stall for dinner, but we are unable to find any road that has a lot of hawker stalls and was told there's no more such stalls at that particular road anymore.
   
5.30pm :

We then take BTS to Sala Daeng for dinner. We walk around Patpong Market, there's nothing much to see. Most of the stalls selling popular brands' imitation bags, clothing, watch...almost similar with Petaling Street here. There's also staff in the pole dancing clubs stand by the street to look for customers.

At the end, we took dinner at Novus restaurant nearby Patpong market. We've ordered Singha beer (70bt), Thai fried rice (150bt), Fried Thai noodle with Thai sauce (140bt).

   
7.30pm : After the dinner, we walk around places near Patpong market.
   
8.30pm : From a tourist forum, some recommend to walk around SUK 11 at night. Hence, we take BTS to Nana station. There are some nice atmosphere of restaurants and pubs, but that's all to see. At here, this is the first time we saw a person riding on an elephant and the other person looking for people who wants to buy a pack of food to feed the elephant. It was a young elephant.
   
9pm : As we are going to join a tour to Ayuthaya, we went to 7-11 to buy some food for breakfast tomorrow. 7-11 shops are everywhere in Bangkok.
   
10pm : Take BTS back to hotel and rest.
   
 
   
6th Apr. 2006
   
6am : Wake up and have breakfast.
   
6.30am :

Depart to Ayuthaya from hotel. The one day tour cost 1200bt pax. It's usually 10 persons in a group. But fortunately (to us), there's no one signing up tour package to Ayuthaya today, hehe...so there's only three of us going there. We can "occupied" the tour guide :D.

A van pick us up, we passed by Khao San road to drop off two tourists for a different trip. Khao San road has a lot of budget accomodation for backpackers. But I can't believe there are people already start drinking in the early morning. May be they never stop drinking from last night.

Our tour guide, Wasana is a freelance tour guide. She is very friendly and nice. She told us a lot about Bangkok and Thailand stories along the way to Ayuthaya. The journey is about two hours drive.

   
8am :

The first destination we will visit is the Bang Pa In Summer Palace that was built in the 17th century. It is a beautiful palace mixture of oriental and western architecture styles surrounded by the beautiful royal botanical garden.

There are a lot of mango trees in the garden. The garden is maintained very well.

   
9.30am : Arrived at Wat Phrachao Phananchoeng, the temple of a 19 metres high golden Buddha.
   
10am : Visit Wat Phra Mahathat, the temple of famous tree Buddha. You can take picture of the tree Buddha, but you must not stand and take the picture. You have to kneel down and take the pictures, this is to show respect to their religion
   
11am :

We took early lunch today before going to the last places attraction in this Ayutthaya trip.It's a restaurant by the river.

   
12noon :

After the lunch, we go for elephant riding. It cost about 400bt for about 20 minutes ride.

After the ride, we go to Wat Phra Sri San Phet, the largest temple in Ayutthaya. It was built in the 14th century. The main temple hall is rebuilt nearby and it was called Wat Phra Mongkhon Baphit. It has the largest bronze Buddha in Thailand.

   
2pm : The Ayutthaya trip is finished and go back to Bangkok.
   
3pm : The last places of attraction offered by the tour, it's to visit the Gems gallery. The red stone gem is worth to buy, but we did not buy any of them.
   
5pm : Back to hotel and take a rest.
   
6.10pm :

Take BTS to Siam station and have dinner at Bah Khun Mae, a nice Thai restaurant. Atmosphere and food is good. Spent 1122bt for the meal.

It took us some time to look for the restaurant. This is because the details from brochure/book is wrong again.

   
8pm

After the dinner, we proceed to Asia hotel via BTS for a superb lady boy show at Calypso Cabaret. The theather is in the Asia hotel itself. As it is a good show, the tickets are selling fast. It's best to ask tour agency to book for you or you may reserve the ticket online - http://www.calypsocabaret.com. We got our ticket at 700bt pax. The ticket provided a free drink too.

   
8.30pm : The shows start. At the end of the show, you may take pictures with the lady boys. You may give them tips if you want to. The show is good and superb. It's a must watch show if you go to Bangkok.
   
10pm : Go back to hotel and rest.
   
 
   
7th Apr. 2006
   
7am : Wake up and have breakfast.
   
8am :

We need to go to Grand Palace, so we take BTS to Saphan Taksin. There's a river taxi service at there.

You may buy tickets when you get on board or you may buy one day pass ticket at the ticket counter. I bought a one day pass ticket (100bt) comes with a free travel guide book and a small bottle of mineral water.

   
9.50am : We arrived at the Maharaj Pier. We follow where other people goes, trying to find the entrance of Wat Phra Kaew. There are a lot of tuk-tuk driving around, telling you the palace is closed bla bla bla and recommend to take you to somewhere interesting. Better not to believe them.
   
10am :

Finally we have found the entrance. The entrance ticket for Wat Phra Kaew and Grand Palace cost 250bt per person. We starts travelling from Wat Phra Kaew.

Their architecture is amazing. The sculpture art on the building is cool too! Every statue or pieces on the wall maintains well. There are a lot of tourist groups. You can listen the stories told by the tour guide from a certain distance. But better don't let them discover you are listening. :D

The Grand Palace is just next to the Wat Phra Kaew. They are connected. The most significant building in Grand Palace would be the Chakri Maha Prasat Hall. It was built by King Chulalongkorn. The architecture presents mixture of European and Thai style.

   
12noon :

As we are not sure which way we should go to Wat Pho, we ask the staff stand by the door. We can't believe he actually told us that Wat Pho is now closed for lunch time and suggested we go to some other places. How can a tourist attraction closed for lunch time? We later seek advice from other staff which are girls. Their information is correct.

At last we found the place and bought the ticket cost 50bt for entrance.

   
12.45pm : We also come to Wat Pho to try the Thai traditional massage. Wat Pho has its massage school. Three of us try body massage for 1.5 hours (300bt).
   
2pm :

After the massage, we buy fruits and ice-cream as our lunch. The weather is so hot.

The next destination is China town. We took river taxi to Ratchawongse Pier.

   
3pm :

Walk around China town. China town is very happening, there are a lot of wholesale outlets at here, especially women accessories and toys.

林真香 is very famous in Bangkok China town. Especially pork floss biscuit. The boss know how to speak Cantonese.

Some people in China town knows how to communicate little bit of Mandarin, most of them are Cheow Chao.

   
5pm : Got to try shark fins dishes at China town too. We go to DACO restaurant to have our dinner. We've ordered abalone rice (500bt), shark fin soup (500bt), bird nest soup (100bt) and Hong Kong style fried mee (150bt).
   
6pm : It's almost night time at China town. We tried to local food along the food stalls: wantan mee (60bt), bbq meat ball (10), curly kuey teow soup (20bt) and dessert.
   
9pm : Walk to nearest MRT station Hua Lamphong to Lumphini station, going to Suan Lum Night Bazaar.
   
9.30pm :

Walking around Suan Lum Night Bazaar. If comparing it with Chatuchak market, Suan Lum's stuff are more expensive.

The weather doesn't really in good mood, going to rain. Hence, we have to go back to our hotel.

   
10pm : When we reached near our hotel, it's does not seem like going to rain. So we have supper at a restaurant nearby, tried Tom Yam Gong (85bt) It's nice and spicy.
   
10.30pm : Go back to the hotel and rest.
   
 
   
8th Apr. 2006
   
8am : Wake up and have breakfast.
   
9.30am :

Depart to Mo Chit station, heading to Chatuchak market.

A lot of tourist going there, you can see a lot of foreigners in the BTS Mo Chit line. In fact, it's a big weekend market that everyone likes.

   
10am :

Arrive at Chatuchak market. A lot of people are earlier than us. But some stalls are just start setting up.

There are seriously a lot of stalls in the market, it would be easier if you obtain a Chatuchak market map when you arrived. We also tried the local food there, such as Thailand ice-cream (3bt), Ka Long Jin (30bt), fried chicken, seafood glass noodle, Thai noodle (126bt). By the way, Thailand orange juice is very nice too.

   
4.15pm :

The market is so huge, we are tired, can't walk all the stalls. Furthermore, more stalls are setting up when we are leaving, those are stalls opening at night. It's becoming pact and difficult to move.

As we are going to the BTS station, we saw more people are walking towards the Chatuchak market.

I miss the Thai ice tea at Siam Paragon food court. So we take BTS to Siam station.

   
6pm : Dinner at MK restaurant. Their green color mee is nice. MK restaurant can be found in most shopping malls.
   
8pm : Walking around at Siam Square, which is opposite the Siam Paragon.
   
9pm : Tired, have not tried foot massage yet. So, we go for foot massage cost 300bt.
   
10pm :

We bought one day BTS pass this morning. As tonight it's the last night in this Bangkok trip. So we decided to enjoy Bangkok night by dropping at some stations.

First, we go to Saphan Taksin station, the Chao Phraya River station. We step into Shangrila hotel, there's no one in there except staff. It is so quiet. We took some pictures and then go to Asok station. We saw a happening street not far away from Asok station. So we go there and explore, but find out it's a "meat" market. Lots of pubs or dancing pole clubs and foreigners looking for girls. We actually wish to walk further, but worried there's isn't enough time to take BTS back to our hotel. Next station we are going to is Phrom Phong, nothing much to see there. So we head to Thong Lo station and go for supper at the same restaurant again.

   
12.30am : Back to hotel, pack our stuff nicely and rest.
   
 
   
9th Apr. 2006
   
9.30am : Wake up and take breakfast. Last day of the trip.
   
11.30am :

Check out and go to airport to catch our flight by taxi.

We passed by Ekkamai station, missed to see things around at this station last night.

   
12.40pm : The Air Asia counter is not opened yet, lining up and wait.
   
1.15pm : Got ourselves check in and then go to take lunch at Burger King. We was thinking to take KFC, but KFC there is just a take away counter in the airport. I think there will be more restaurants in the new Bangkok airport that is opening soon.
   
2pm : A lot of stores to shop in the Bangkok airport.
   
3.15pm : Get on board.
   
6.30pm : Arrive at Malaysia. End of Bangkok trip.