Stopover Series: Bangkok
Snapshot
Jessica travelled with her partner on this custom-made adventure in February 2020 (right before COVID struck!), first visiting Bangkok and then going onwards to explore Southern Thailand’s islands and beaches.
On this city-centric trip, Jessica stayed in Bangkok, Thailand for 4 nights total
Highlights
Visiting the stilted khlongs of the Chao Phraya River
Eating our way through the city’s best street food with a local foodie
Private meditation lesson with a Buddhist monk in a temple courtyard
Swimming in a rooftop infinity pool among the tallest skyscrapers
Private tour of the Grand Palace with a local expert on Thai history & legends
“Below I’ll share with you my tips for visiting Bangkok, where to save and where to splurge, and how to make the most of a short amount of time here. But if you have more than a few days to spend in this awesome city, check out my recommendations at the end for more things to do & see. ”
Tips for Getting to & from Thailand
We booked our flights on Korean Air, whom I would highly recommend flying with. They’re great because their seats have the most legroom in economy class of any airline; when travelling with a partner who is 6’2”, this consideration made it a very comfortable flight.
Korean Air also upholds a reputation for fantastic service, above-par food, and they often have great flight routes (i.e. few, short stopovers and reasonable flight times) - they were slightly more expensive, but it was well worth it.
Another tip: book as early as possible! By booking our flights about 9 months in advance, we were able to choose our seats (for free) and were lucky enough to select one of the only 2-seaters on the plane - located at the very back. This set-up offered a bit of extra space and privacy, and neither of us was stuck with the dreaded middle seat.
There are no direct routes to Thailand from Canada (at least in February 2020), so we did a stopover in Seoul, South Korea in both directions.
Friendly Seoul airport robot
The stopover was 2 hours, so we didn’t feel rushed. It is a calm, clean and efficient airport, with helpful robots to help you find your way (pictured).
And the airport Bibimbap is surprisingly delicious!
Bangkok
We arrived at the Bangkok airport in the evening, after a smooth and pleasant flight.
We had arranged private transportation to pick us up at the airport and take us to our hotel, and I was very glad we did. Private transport is not very expensive in Thailand, so this is one area where you can treat yourself to an upgrade, without spending a lot.
The driver found us immediately, helped us with our bags, and then whisked us away into the Bangkok traffic in a clean, air-conditioned car with cold waters waiting for us, and free wifi. Lovely.
Hotel Muse Bangkok Langsuan
We arrived at our hotel, which was the Hotel Muse Bangkok Langsuan a part of the MGallery Collection hotel group. I chose it for its style (1920’s speakeasy glam), its location, its rooftop infinity pool, and its multiple nice restaurants/bars within the same building. Plus the price was fairly reasonable, considering all my requirements.
They greeted us with fresh fruit juice and a cold, scented hand towel while they checked us in. We showered, ordered room service, and relaxed for the evening.
Our room was gorgeous - very spacious (which is rare for Bangkok), and full of luxe touches like plush velvet chairs, moody damask wallpaper, a marble-clad bathroom with a clawfoot soaker tub, and a king-sized bed with the most luscious sheets.
Boat Ride on the Chao Phraya River
The next day, we took a boat ride along the Chao Phraya River, the major river that runs through Bangkok.
For this we just took a taxi to the pier at one end of the river, and chartered a boat on our own fairly easily.
The driver took us bouncing along the river (just the two of us), past houses, apartment buildings, temples, and the Grand Palace complex.
Such a nice intorduction to the city!
We went onwards through some smaller riverways along the Thonburi side, onwards to the khlongs.
The khlongs are, more or less, shanty houses and structures that are held above the water on stilts (pictured).
You can find a group of them along the west side of the river; some may not enjoy visiting the khlongs, but I found it to be an authentic glimpse at the poor side of Bangkok that is many locals’ reality. It’s not all palaces and fancy rooftop bars.
It was still early morning (thanks jetlag…), so there was only one friendly hawker who paddled up and wanted to sell us some trinkets. We bought a few - because a small purchase for us can mean a lot to them - and also a beer for the driver, which he happily accepted and drank immediately.
Yes, in the morning.
Wat Arun
On the return journey back along the river, we asked to be dropped off at Wat Arun, or the ‘Temple of Dawn’ (pictured). We walked around this gorgeous white temple complex for a while, taking photos and trying to find some shade from the searing heat. Up close, the details are incredible and so colourful!
It is very photogenic, but you must pay extra to actually get closeup to the main temple (which we didn’t do, but I wish we had). However the temple complex overall is fairly large, and there is enough to see without paying - plus, there’s many more temples to come!
We hopped on the cross-river ferry back to our side, and then walked around a bit in the area nearby the Grand Palace. There were several small, local places to buy souvenirs or have lunch, so we ducked into one with AC (it was 34 degrees with 80% humidity!) and had a very cheap but tasty meal of crab fried rice and chicken green curry.
Walking around, we also stumbled on this beautiful temple with two massive gold budha’s (pictured). Apologies I’m not sure what it is called, because I got yelled at and chased off for taking this photo! Oops.
Food & Culture Tour
We were very eager to try more local Thai food, but having had issues in the past with foreign foods (especially street food), we were honestly a bit scared to explore on our own and risk getting sick. What do I know about Thai street food, anyway?!
Instead, I booked us on Urban Adventures’ Lonely Planet Experience tour of Bangkok’s hidden history, food and culture.
I am so glad we did - I cannot speak highly enough of this tour!
We met our local guide, Mon, at the designated spot that afternoon and then were chauffeured around the busy streets of Bangkok by a tuk-tuk driver (pictured).
Tuk-tuk rides are such a fun, authentic way to get around!
It is definitely a MUST DO activity when visiting Bangkok, even for a short trip.
Jessica & Erik enjoying local street food
We started in Bangkok’s Chinatown, one of the city's most authentic and vibrant neighborhoods. We learned that it is also known to be the largest Chinatown in the world!
Mon brought us to one street food spot after another, through bustling markets and down hidden lanes, tasting food the way the locals do – from street carts, old-time cafes and market stalls.
The food was a delicious blend of Chinese and Thai, mostly in the form of small bite-size snacks. We tasted dumplings, pork satay’s, cucumber & vinegar salad (in a plastic bag), and mini pancake things stuffed with coconut and other mysterious fillings.
There may have been other nibbles that I’m forgetting too… so much food!
Then we went to a history museum of Siam that had several interactive exhibits. It didn’t take long to go through the whole thing.
On our tuktuk rides from place to place, Mon would fill our ears with stories and facts about Bangkok - having been born & raised in the city, he knew a lot about it from a personal perspective. It was a nice, more casual contrast to our our ‘formal’ museum visit.
Mon then took us to Wat Pho’s monk residence section - this is not the temple section, but instead where the monks live.
We met with a local monk, and sat with him in a sunny open courtyard with tress, flowers, and birds around us. He gave us a private lesson on mindfulness, Buddhism, and meditation for about half an hour. It may have been the lovely setting or the calming presence of the monk, but it was such a special and memorable moment unlike anything I’ve ever done before. (Pictures felt inappropriate).
Next, time for dessert.
Mon brought us to a bakery of sorts that’s very popular with the locals - it was packed inside, with a small lineup outside (and we were the only non-Thai’s there!).
We tried their specialty (pictured): thick slices of white toast, cut up and covered with different flavoured sweet sauces on top. It was honestly a bit strange, but 2 out of the 3 were good.
He brought us to our last stop of the tour at dusk, a hidden little bar off an alley. Again it felt very local, with cute décor inside and fantastic cocktails. Mon recommended two for us, one sweet and one sour, which were great.
The tour wrapped up there, and the tuktuk driver brought us back to our hotel.
Rooftop Drinks
This evening we explored our hotel (the Hotel Muse Bangkok Langsuan - MGallery), having booked it knowing of their fantastic restaurants and bars.
Right on theme, the rooftop bar is called ‘The Speakeasy’. It was dark and our photos didn’t turn out, but this is exactly what it looked like (pictured). So stunning and intimate, with a sexy sleek vibe.
The views were exceptional, thanks to a clear evening sky. It was also a weeknight, so the place was fairly empty. We ordered some delicious gin & tonics and snacks, and listened to the smooth jazz playing, watched the city lights twinkling.
There are so many fantastic rooftop bars in Bangkok, but many of the most well known or Instagram-famous ones are very expensive. Often you need to book many weeks or even months in advance, and some require a cover or purchase in advance of a prixe-fixe menu, and almost always with a strict time frame for your visit.
We decided not to bother with those, because we loved the laid-back atmosphere, views, and great cocktails available right upstairs!
SECRET TIP: There is also a second, even more hidden ‘speakeasy’ bar at this hotel, which we discovered a bit too late. It has completely different views of the city. This hotel is full of surprises.
Private City Tour
The next day - which was only or 2nd full day - we started by enjoying a fantastic breakfast at our hotel, with views overlooking the city and Langsuan park.
We had booked a private city & temples tour for the day, which included a driver and a local guide, who turned out to be a Thai historian (even though he was ethnically Chinese).
*There are literally hundreds of temples in Bangkok, so I highly recommended doing a private half or full day tour to visit several of them. You learn so much more this way, and all the logistics of tickets and transportation are taken care of.
First stop: Wat Traimit (pictured, above). This pretty temple is the hole of a solid-gold Buddha statue (pictured, below).
The story of this Buddha is fascinating. For hundreds of years, it was covered in plaster and paint, and kept underground in Sukothai (the ancient capital of Thailand before Bangkok). It was forgotten and uncared for.
Then, when it was relocated to Bangkok, and the accidentally broke it - only to find that within the plaster was a solid-gold Buddha statue!
So to honour it, they built it Wat Traimit, its very own temple, right by the entrance to Chinatown.
Then we drove through the city a bit, listening to our guide tell us more about the history of the city, and Thailand. We saw several different neighborhoods and important buildings on our way.
The Grand Palace
Our next stop on the tour was the incredible Grand Palace, which is definitely a MUST SEE when visiting Bangkok. It is a very large complex with many buildings, statues, and pagodas, all beautifully decorated with colourful tiles. The detail and scope of beauty on display is breathtaking. More than just a pretty face, this temple is very important to Thai history and culture.
This palace complex in a word: incredible.
The level of detail and intricacy throughout the whole complex is unbelievable.
We took our time exploring, taking everything in. Our guide knew so much, and would tell us facts and stories as we moved through this magical place, really bringing it to life. A private guide made a huge difference, and we could ask him endless questions.
It was great having such a knowledgeable guide take us through the huge palace grounds (and be our photographer).
TIP: While exploring the outdoor areas of the Grand Palace complex, make sure to stop by the small indoor museum that is dedicated to the history of repairing and maintaining the extensive palace and grounds. Most people skip it, but it’s quite interesting and doesn’t take long.
Wat Pho
Next, we moved on to Wat Pho - this is the place where the practices of Thai massage and traditional Thai medicine began. It is another temple complex that is beautifully decorated and filled with multiple pagodas and buildings to explore.
Pagodas of Wat Pho
Gold Buddha statues on display at Wat Pho
There are several beautiful gold buddha’s within the buildings, as well as the Emerlad Buddha (which is solid emerald and clothed in gold, and fairly small).
We next visited the giant Reclining Buddha within the temple complex, which is 46 meters long and covered in gold leaf.
Experiencing its hugeness up close was pretty impressive.
As visitors walk along its reclined length, they drop ceremonial coins into small metal pots, so the temple is filled with the gentle plinking sound of coins at all times. It’s quite meditative.
“The most important thing to remember when exploring these beautiful and historic places: be present, slow down, appreciate where you are.”
The tourists that rush through everything, just snapping photos are my biggest pet peeve! Especially when travelling, it is important to be mindful and appreciative. You won’t have the same moment again, so savour it.
Floating Market
Our last full day in Bangkok.
We visited a floating market, something I had always wanted to do. There are several you can choose from in and around Bangkok, but we went to Taling Chan floating market (pictured).
We again had a private tour guide and driver to help us navigate, as it was pretty hectic and quite a sensory overload! He paddled us along as we watched locals haggle and shop for food, clothes, houseware, everything really… We picked up few souvenirs and some bites to eat at some of the ‘paddle-by shops’ of vendors, there was a great selection of food to try.
Make sure to go early, as it gets very busy!
Jessica on the edge of a rooftop pool in Bangkok
Floating in a Rooftop Pool
After so much activity and sightseeing, we were pretty exhausted.
So, for the rest of the day we lounged next to the hotel’s beautiful rooftop pool. Being elevated from the busy city streets was a refreshing change, and the skyscraper views seemed to go on forever in every direction.
We were able to order cold drinks and snacks, and there was light techno music playing for just the right amount of ambiance.
It was such a chic and relaxing way to end our stay in Bangkok.
Where to next?
After Bangkok, my partner and I flew to Koh Samui, and from there started our exploration of Southern Thailand (another itinerary coming soon!)