Bangkok, I supposed 90% of Singaporean visited as it is barely 2hr 15min flying time away. Therefore I hope this blog could reach out more to the westerner readers.
Frankly speaking, personally I had made numerous trips to Bangkok and I had already lost count!
I can only remembered I ever made 7 visits in 12 months before. A lot of my photos are lost...
Nevertheless, Bangkok is my all time favourite place therefore this blog is always be updated whenever I visit the Land of Smiles.
Bangkok is always among the world’s top tourist destinations. The city is a true tourist paradise, proved by the growing number of travellers coming each year.
There are a great variety of tourist places in Bangkok, mostly historical attractions and temples with elaborate architecture and art. Famous temples,, palaces, museums, parks, and a big array of shopping places, from luxury malls to flea and street markets like Chatuchak Weekend Market, Sampeng Market etc.
Bangkok nightlife is another highlight that has attracted many of tourists from all over the world. Bangkok definitely has what it takes to entertain visitors from all origins, either first time or return travelers. Whilst Taxi fares are very reasonable, most of the sightseeing can comfortably be reached by Skytrain (BTS) or Underground train (MRT). Aside of the sightseeing and shopping, Bangkok has developed into a magnet for food lovers of all origins.
In terms of wellness and relaxation – Bangkok has recently seen a huge development of city Spas and Wellness centres, in addition to the long established Thai massage centres.
Like I had mentioned earlier, most of my peeps had already visited Bangkok and there are a lot of blogs featuring on Bangkok, I do not see the need to duplicate with other blogs.
Thus, this blog is not for shopping tips, more on my rest and relax side...
Let's start here with chilling in cafes first :
Blue Whale Café
The full name is Blue Whale Maharaj-Wat Pho.
Address :
We reached here about 11am and there was a short queue.
The staff will write down our names while we wait outside.
About 15 minutes, we were ushered into the café. We were told to order our drinks upon enter the café and staff will serve us the drink later at our table. It was table number 1..
This is a 3 storey café but it is consider small, every corners of this café is worth taking a photo.
At first i feel uneasy due to limited space from the entry and when i go upstair, the environment changed my feeling. The blue scale wall, the blue drinks, dessert make my afternoon tea wonderful
Into The Woods
Address : 55/37 Phaya Thai Rd., Bangkok, Thailand
Located very near to Pratunam area, we walk about 20mins from Pratunam market to this place.
If you take BTS, it is merely 2 minutes from Phaya Thai station.
This is very fairy tale feel café, such instagrammable place.
Address : B-Story Café, Room A1, Coco Walk, 89/70 Phaya Thai Rd., Bangkok, Thailand
I already spotted this café on my last visit but I had no time to visit.
This round, this place is on my list. B-Story situates itself a skytrain station away from Siam and offers a more quiet ambiance; a hidden gem located right next to the Ratchathewi BTS station and not far from Pratunam market.
This café is full of rustic garden setting, one of the prettiest café in Bangkok.
If you’re seeking a neighborhood hang out spot or regular dining venue where you can enjoy a quiet afternoon or evening then B-Story is definitely a must-try.
Audrey's Café
Address : Soi Thong Lo 11, Watthana Bangkok 10110, Thailand,
15 minutes walk from Thonglor BTS
There are several outlets scatter all over Bangkok but we choose this one in Thonglor for it main shop(bigger) and for the French vintage inspired garden ambience.
Hello Kitty Café
Address : Siam Square One Building, Room FSLG001,FS1001 and FS2001, LG,
1st and 2nd Floor,Rama 1 Road, Patmwan, Bangkok 10330
BTS : Siam Station
Must come for all Hello Kitty's lover. I am not a fan of this cute mouth-less cat captures the hearts of millions throughout the world, but I still visited this place, taking paying tribute to Hello Kitty, who was part of growing up years.
Everything is so pink here, I was transported back to my childhood immediately...
There is a take-away station which is just next to the main door. Order here and wait for your Q number to be called. If you have the time to chill, it is worth to spend to half and hour here to soak yourself in the atmosphere.
After You Dessert Café
Address : 1st Floor, Terminal 21
88 Soi Sukhumvit 19, Khwaeng Khlong Toei Nuea, Khet Watthana
Bangkok 10110
At the point of writing, there are 30 outlets all over.
We choose the one at Terminal 21 instead.
Who does not love dessert but now the dessert that After You offers is a totally different dimension!
If you are a sweeth-tooth like me then this is the right place!
I do not want to elaborate much on this café as the photos will speaks itself!
Glad that we are quite a big group this round and managed to order different dessert to share share..
Kelly By Audrey Café
Address : G Floor, Esplanade Ratchadapisek Shopping Mall
99 Ratchadaphisek Road, Din Daeng, Bangkok
MRT station : Thai Culture Center MRT Station
This is a sister café of Audrey's ... Similar like Audrey, the setting is base on French vintage inspired garden ambience
Located at Esplanade Mall where Train Market Ratchada (night market) is located at the back door of the mall.
The topic of food start from here !
Rung Reung(泰榮)Pork Noodle
Address :
Back to the topic of this pork noodle.
Personally, I had visited this place twice, both times I met with long queue.
Lucky the turnaround is not long, the waiting time is about 15 minutes, of course during dining hours the waiting time is much longer.
Most of the people here are locals, though there is a small handful of tourist including my group. hahahha...
If you take a closer look of below photo, you will see 2 shops right next to each other. This is because when the original owner passed away, his 2 sons took over and expanded the business. Soon the brothers got into a dispute and a wall was built in the middle of the place resulting the 2 shops today. Therefore both shops are the same origin recipe til today it is still family-run.
The noodles are served with fish balls, ground pork and offal, which is what makes the soup so rich and flavorful. You will find a piece of intestine or a slice of liver along with your noodles too.
While waiting for our food, this boss below will cook a big pack of minced pork every 10 minutes. We were seated right next to the operation line and saw him cooked twice.
MK Restaurant
Address : Siam Square Soi 5, Rama 1, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
I always will settle one of my meals in this restaurant especially in Siam Square.
After days of heavy food, it is good to have something lighter. Steamboat is the best choice especially MK... I love the variety of the food here, the price is cheap, the soup is nice, the service is good and outlets scattered all over... what else to ask for ?
G Seafood Buffet
Address : 6, Soi Chula 9, Rama 4 Rd. Wang Mai, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
( Samyan market level 2 )
THB300 - EAT - ALL - YOU - CAN
Go-Ang Kaomunkai Pratunam Chicken Rice
Address : 960-962 Phetchaburi Rd., Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Opposite of Palladium Mall of Pratunam.
Along this stretch, there are several yummy food to choose from.
There are 2 very famous chicken rice here : Go-Ang Kaomunkai & Kuang Heng.
We choose the latter as when we passed by Kuang Heng, the shop was totally empty with 3 male staff chit chatting away.
We were glad to come to Go-Ang Kaomunkai, it was still very crowded at 1130pm. I believed the crowd speaks for everything.
Bangkok Street Seafood
Address : Inside Neon Night Market
Volcano Seafood Grill
Address : Inside Neon Night Market
Food Hunting in Yaowarat
Mung Korn Khao Noodle
The Stall infront of So Seng Heng Goldsmith Shop
Food from various stalls here
More food collection from various locations in Bangkok
I forgotten since when I had developed this habit to fish in local supermarket no matter which city I go :
Holland - Albert Heijn
Denmark - Bilka
Korea - Lotte Mart
Japan - Ito Yokado
Taiwan - Carrefour
Malaysia - Giant / Top
Thailand - Big C
Here are my loots from Big C supermarket :
Let's talk about massage and spa now...
Since the first visit, visiting a massage salon is a must. The trip is never complete without Traditional Thai Massage. I do not have any preferred massage salon here. Whenever I passed by one, whenever I think I need it.. as long I am comfortable with salon, I will just go.
However this ritual of salon jumping changed after I visited a real one-stop Massage & Spa saloon.
HAPA SPA
Address : 20/4 Sukhumvit Soi 3, Klong Toey Nua, Bangkok
Hapa Spa makes me feel at home from the moment I walk through the unique circle shaped door. Upon entering the premises, we were being warmly welcomed by the staff. Hapa is not only an ordinary spa, it is a full range of pamper service from massage to spa, from hairdo to nails.
Health Land Asoke
Address: 55/5 Sukhumvit 21 Rd. (Asoke), Khlongtoeinuea, Wattana, Bangkok 10110
BTS : Asoke Station
This is a chain Massage & Spa.. It is the Spa Mafia in Bangkok.
All the outlets are on a private plot of land with its own private car park. The design of the place is like an European private villa with elevator serve you til 7th level. The interior boasts a big waiting area with very comfortable sofa. It is very thoughtful of them to serve customers ice water from the hot weather outside.
The first step is register and pay at the reception and wait for your name to be called.
Once your name is called, your masseur will bring you to the inner hall to change into inhouse slipper then will bring you to you room.
So far, I made ample visits to this place. Usually I come the one at Asoke as it is within walking distance from Terminal 21 and BTS Asoke station.
A perfect 2hr traditional Thai massage at THB500, but now it is already THB600
Health Land Sathorn
Address: 120 North Sathorn Rd. Silom, Bangrak Bangkok 10500
BTS : Chong Nongsi - quite a walking distance
As the weather was too much for us to bear, we decided to check in to Health Land to hide from the cruel sun. This round we choose a 3hr Ayurvedic & Shidor massage and this is my first try.
Our masseurs are local Thai ladies who learned this art from an Indian teacher.
We were being served in a couple room for the massage.
They do not have couple room for Shidora so we were given single room next to each other.
The treatment bed comes with a basin & drainage system. The masseur will heat the oil and pour into the oil bowl where it will drip down to the forehead and surrounding til the lower back of the head and being drain down to the collection bowl. Massuer will collect the oil and repeat all steps for 45 minutes. I slept and snored while doing it... So relax and comforting.
Getting out of the Bangkok Town ...
Maeklong Railway Market
This is a very interesting market... why ? Because it has a train running through the middle of it several times a day. These stalls operates along the railway track which sells fruits, veggies, meats, seafood, as well as sweet snacks, clothing, and flowers.
When a train is approaching, a warning bell will goes off over the speaker. Within a few minutes after receiving the warning, vendors pull back their specially designed umbrella shelters before the train comes, sometimes only moments before. That’s why the market is locally known as the Talat Rom Hoop which translates into “Market Umbrella Close."
The coolest thing about this market is that all the vendors will adjusts their stall perfectly to allow the train to roll through. The umbrella shelters are pulled back only as far as necessary. The baskets of fruits and vegetables are shifted right behind of the track just enough not to be sliced by the trains wheels.
Once the train passed, the vendors immediately, put back umbrella shleters back into their original places. Everyone went back to normal as if nothing extraordinary had ever happened and it’s hard to believe that tons of metal just rumbled its way through.
The Maeklong Railway Market is about 60 kilometers away from Bangkok, around 1.5hr drive away.
As we were about 10 of us, we book a van from a local tour company to bring us here.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
We are a group of 8 thus, booking a van is ideal for us as this place is located 100 km from downtown Bangkok. Heading towards Samut Songkram Province, this tour makes it easy for anyone to see this unforgettable sight for themselves.
We will hop onto a decorated long-tail boat and glide down the narrow canals hunting for exotic fruit and vegetable deals. Peek at the small houses on stilts that line the shore and discover Thailand's traditional peaceful lifestyle contrasted to the hectic buzz of the river market.
Chocolate Ville
Address : Soi Nawamin 74, Yak 3-8, Kaset-Nawamin Road, Klong Kum Subdistrict, Bueng Kum District 10230 Bangkok, Thailand
We took a 30 minutes cab to this place from Pratunam as it will take us 2hrs if we come by train.
This is an unique place that you MUST VISIT!
Look at the photos below!! Nobody believes this is in THAILAND!! Nothing about Thai here except the food! The buildings, gardens, bridge, lake and everything was just so perfect and beautiful.
A big restaurant built in spacious land with concept of “Dining inbetween the rivers and park” in an European Village.
This village will be very crowded during weekend so you don't get the chance to choose where you want to sit. We were lucky that we came on a weekday where we can choose to a table anywhere we like. No matter where you seated, a same menu will be serve to you, saving you a lot of time to choose what to eat, wow .. this is a good concept.
Eventually we chose a lakeside table, overlooking the lighthouse. It's open to public and we did climb up to take a panoramic view of the village.
The night view is enchanting too !
Calypso Cabaret Show
Address : Asiatique Riverfront
Showtimes : 2015hrs / 2145hrs
Ticket Price: THB900 - THB1500
Calypso Bangkok Has Moved to Asiatique.
It has been the number cabaret show in Bangkok for 25 years!
Calypso Cabaret Show Bangkok at Asiatique gives you one of the warmest welcomes you can find in the land of smiles and does so in many different languages. Thailand is well known for ladyboys and Calypso showcases them doing what they love the most: dressing up to the nines and miming to Cher. Some of these ‘ladies’ have features that would make women jealous but this is an attractive illusion; they were all born men. The performers are keen to entertain and put on a good show and the best way to enjoy it is to don your imaginary feather boa and embrace their world of glitz, glamour and over-the-top drama.
Well, it is the topic on temples now....
These are the only 3 temples here in Bangkok where I will surely visit whenever I come.
Erawan Shrine - 4 Faces Buddha
Address : 494 Ratchadamri Road. | Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
BTS : Chidlom Station
If you take a taxi, just tell the driver Erawan Shrine or Grand Hyatt Hotel Erawan,
The Erawan Shrine is a Hindu shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, that houses a statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of the Hindu creation god Brahma. A popular tourist attraction, it often features performances by resident Thai dance troupes, who are hired by worshippers in return for seeing their prayers at the shrine answered. The Erawan Shrine was built in 1956 to appease the supposed evil forces that were taking the lives of construction workers and causing other calamities in the construction what is now the Grand Hyatt Erawan.
Visitors make ceremonial offerings from floral garlands, fruits to teak wood elephants in the hope that their wishes will be fulfilled. Judging from the flowing multitude of believers, for many those wishes were indeed granted.
The area is crowded with worshippers day and night and always wafting with incense smoke. It is also common to see people bowing as they pass by bus, taxi or above by skytrain.
To feel the aura of reverence while watching the joyful celebration of a graceful Thai Classical Dance troupe or a lively Chinese Lion Dance is an experience to be added to your many memories of exotic Bangkok.
Update : Erawan Shrine is now a smoke free place. Devotees will offer unburned joss stick & candles.
Temple Mae Nak
Address : Soi 77 off Sukhumvit Road (On Nut Road).
BTS : On Nut station and cab over or 20 minutes walk
Mae Nak Phra Khanong or simply Mae Nak or Nang Nak is a well-known Thai female ghost. According to local folklore the story is based on events that took place during the reign of King Rama IV - King Mongkut.
The story is about a beautiful young woman named Nak, who lived on the banks of the Phra Khanong Canal, and her undying love for her husband, Mak.
With Nak pregnant, Mak is conscripted and sent to war, where he is seriously wounded. While he is being nursed back to health in central Bangkok, Nak and their child both die during a difficult childbirth. When Mak returns home, however, he finds his loving wife and child waiting for him. Neighbors who try to warn him that he is living with a ghost are all killed.
One day, as Nak is preparing a local spicy sauce, she drops a lime off the porch. In her haste to retrieve it, she stretches her arm to pick it up from the ground below. Mak sees it and at last realizes his wife is a ghost. Terrified, he tries to find a way to flee without alarming her.
That night, Mak says he has to go to the toilet downstairs. He then runs away into the night.
Discovering her husband has fled, Nak pursues him. Mak then runs to Wat Mahabut temple, which a ghost cannot enter, as it is holy ground.
In her grief, Nak terrorizes the people of Phra Khanong, furious at them for causing Mak to leave her. However, Nak's ghost is captured by a powerful exorcist. Confining her in an earthen jar, he throws it into the canal.
An old couple new to Phra Khanong finds the jar while fishing, Nak is freed when they opened it.
Nak is conquered again by the venerable monk Somdet Phra Phutthachan. The learned monk confines her spirit in the bone of her forehead and binds it in his waistband.
Legend says the waistband is currently in the possession of the royal family. Admiral Aphakonkiattiwong, the Prince of Chumphon, also claimed to have had the relic. The learned monk assured Nak that in a future life she would be reunited with her beloved husband, and thus she voluntarily departed for the afterlife.
A shrine dedicated to Mae Nak is at Wat Mahabut, a large temple down Soi 77 off Sukhumvit Road (On Nut Road). The shrine is a low building under large trees with a roof that encompasses the tree trunks. The main shrine has several minor shrines around it.
A statue of Mae Nak and her infant form the centerpiece of the shrine. Devotees often make offerings, accompanied by a request for help, generally by women seeking for a child, an easy childbirth, for their husband to be exempt from military conscription and seeking love. You may wish to bring along your beau or spouse when you visit her to seek her blessings.
Ruamkatanyu Foundation
Address : 728, Phra Ram 4 Road, Sri Phraya, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500
MRT : Samyan Station exit 1
I forgotten since when it started, whenever I step my foot into Bangkok , I will arrange a time to visit this place. This place is always crowded as people are here for donation. Coffin donation to be precise.
The purpose of this foundation is to provide coffins for :
- people who are poor to buy a coffin for their dead relatives.
- unclaimed or unidentified dead bodies.
Upon entering the foundation, you will see a long reception tables with a lot of chair.
Visitors will do their registration here by telling the staff the amount of money that they want to donate.
A coffin cost THB500, but it is up to you donate any amount visitor wish to even if it is THB100.
Your name will be written on a pink paper and a certificate bearing your name will be given to you.
Once you got hold of both papers, proceed to the Chinese temple next door. Once you are done with the prayers, sound the 3 bells and drum at each 3 times, and burn the certificate in a bowl there.
Next, proceed to the inner hall of the foundation where there are few coffins laying there.
Glue the pink paper on the coffin and say some prayers. All done, all procedure completed!
Frankly speaking, personally I had made numerous trips to Bangkok and I had already lost count!
I can only remembered I ever made 7 visits in 12 months before. A lot of my photos are lost...
Nevertheless, Bangkok is my all time favourite place therefore this blog is always be updated whenever I visit the Land of Smiles.
Bangkok is always among the world’s top tourist destinations. The city is a true tourist paradise, proved by the growing number of travellers coming each year.
There are a great variety of tourist places in Bangkok, mostly historical attractions and temples with elaborate architecture and art. Famous temples,, palaces, museums, parks, and a big array of shopping places, from luxury malls to flea and street markets like Chatuchak Weekend Market, Sampeng Market etc.
Bangkok nightlife is another highlight that has attracted many of tourists from all over the world. Bangkok definitely has what it takes to entertain visitors from all origins, either first time or return travelers. Whilst Taxi fares are very reasonable, most of the sightseeing can comfortably be reached by Skytrain (BTS) or Underground train (MRT). Aside of the sightseeing and shopping, Bangkok has developed into a magnet for food lovers of all origins.
In terms of wellness and relaxation – Bangkok has recently seen a huge development of city Spas and Wellness centres, in addition to the long established Thai massage centres.
Like I had mentioned earlier, most of my peeps had already visited Bangkok and there are a lot of blogs featuring on Bangkok, I do not see the need to duplicate with other blogs.
Thus, this blog is not for shopping tips, more on my rest and relax side...
Let's start here with chilling in cafes first :
Blue Whale Café
The full name is Blue Whale Maharaj-Wat Pho.
Address :
392/37 Maha Rat Rd Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Khet Phra Nakhon
Bangkok, Thailand
Most taxi driver do not know about this place, so we told the driver to drop us at Wat Pho and walk over which is about 5 minutes.We reached here about 11am and there was a short queue.
The staff will write down our names while we wait outside.
About 15 minutes, we were ushered into the café. We were told to order our drinks upon enter the café and staff will serve us the drink later at our table. It was table number 1..
This is a 3 storey café but it is consider small, every corners of this café is worth taking a photo.
At first i feel uneasy due to limited space from the entry and when i go upstair, the environment changed my feeling. The blue scale wall, the blue drinks, dessert make my afternoon tea wonderful
 |
| It is because of this butterfly pea flower that makes the food blue. |
 |
| Love this photo over the scale wall. |
Into The Woods
Address : 55/37 Phaya Thai Rd., Bangkok, Thailand
Located very near to Pratunam area, we walk about 20mins from Pratunam market to this place.
If you take BTS, it is merely 2 minutes from Phaya Thai station.
This is very fairy tale feel café, such instagrammable place.
Into the Woods is an oasis of tranquility and civility in the middle of the bustling old city. The decor and ambiance make you feel like you are walking into a storybook. The meticulous decorations create an unparalleled charm.
Here is the direction to a fairy tale toilet.
B - Story Café
Here is the direction to a fairy tale toilet.
The owner of this café really puts in a lot effort.
There are so many locks which will guard you away from the big bad wolf.
Address : B-Story Café, Room A1, Coco Walk, 89/70 Phaya Thai Rd., Bangkok, Thailand
I already spotted this café on my last visit but I had no time to visit.
This round, this place is on my list. B-Story situates itself a skytrain station away from Siam and offers a more quiet ambiance; a hidden gem located right next to the Ratchathewi BTS station and not far from Pratunam market.
This café is full of rustic garden setting, one of the prettiest café in Bangkok.
 |
| The Gothic-style brick! |
If you’re seeking a neighborhood hang out spot or regular dining venue where you can enjoy a quiet afternoon or evening then B-Story is definitely a must-try.
Audrey's Café
Address : Soi Thong Lo 11, Watthana Bangkok 10110, Thailand,
15 minutes walk from Thonglor BTS
There are several outlets scatter all over Bangkok but we choose this one in Thonglor for it main shop(bigger) and for the French vintage inspired garden ambience.
Hello Kitty Café
Address : Siam Square One Building, Room FSLG001,FS1001 and FS2001, LG,
1st and 2nd Floor,Rama 1 Road, Patmwan, Bangkok 10330
BTS : Siam Station
Must come for all Hello Kitty's lover. I am not a fan of this cute mouth-less cat captures the hearts of millions throughout the world, but I still visited this place, taking paying tribute to Hello Kitty, who was part of growing up years.
Everything is so pink here, I was transported back to my childhood immediately...
There is a take-away station which is just next to the main door. Order here and wait for your Q number to be called. If you have the time to chill, it is worth to spend to half and hour here to soak yourself in the atmosphere.
After You Dessert Café
Address : 1st Floor, Terminal 21
88 Soi Sukhumvit 19, Khwaeng Khlong Toei Nuea, Khet Watthana
Bangkok 10110
At the point of writing, there are 30 outlets all over.
We choose the one at Terminal 21 instead.
Who does not love dessert but now the dessert that After You offers is a totally different dimension!
If you are a sweeth-tooth like me then this is the right place!
I do not want to elaborate much on this café as the photos will speaks itself!
Glad that we are quite a big group this round and managed to order different dessert to share share..
 |
| It's Kelvin birthday, and the staff created this for us |
Kelly By Audrey Café
Address : G Floor, Esplanade Ratchadapisek Shopping Mall
99 Ratchadaphisek Road, Din Daeng, Bangkok
MRT station : Thai Culture Center MRT Station
This is a sister café of Audrey's ... Similar like Audrey, the setting is base on French vintage inspired garden ambience
Located at Esplanade Mall where Train Market Ratchada (night market) is located at the back door of the mall.
The topic of food start from here !
Rung Reung(泰榮)Pork Noodle
Address :
Back to the topic of this pork noodle.
Personally, I had visited this place twice, both times I met with long queue.
Lucky the turnaround is not long, the waiting time is about 15 minutes, of course during dining hours the waiting time is much longer.
Most of the people here are locals, though there is a small handful of tourist including my group. hahahha...
If you take a closer look of below photo, you will see 2 shops right next to each other. This is because when the original owner passed away, his 2 sons took over and expanded the business. Soon the brothers got into a dispute and a wall was built in the middle of the place resulting the 2 shops today. Therefore both shops are the same origin recipe til today it is still family-run.
The noodles are served with fish balls, ground pork and offal, which is what makes the soup so rich and flavorful. You will find a piece of intestine or a slice of liver along with your noodles too.
While waiting for our food, this boss below will cook a big pack of minced pork every 10 minutes. We were seated right next to the operation line and saw him cooked twice.
MK Restaurant
Address : Siam Square Soi 5, Rama 1, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
I always will settle one of my meals in this restaurant especially in Siam Square.
After days of heavy food, it is good to have something lighter. Steamboat is the best choice especially MK... I love the variety of the food here, the price is cheap, the soup is nice, the service is good and outlets scattered all over... what else to ask for ?
G Seafood Buffet
Address : 6, Soi Chula 9, Rama 4 Rd. Wang Mai, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
( Samyan market level 2 )
Go-Ang Kaomunkai Pratunam Chicken Rice
Address : 960-962 Phetchaburi Rd., Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Opposite of Palladium Mall of Pratunam.
Along this stretch, there are several yummy food to choose from.
There are 2 very famous chicken rice here : Go-Ang Kaomunkai & Kuang Heng.
We choose the latter as when we passed by Kuang Heng, the shop was totally empty with 3 male staff chit chatting away.
We were glad to come to Go-Ang Kaomunkai, it was still very crowded at 1130pm. I believed the crowd speaks for everything.
Bangkok Street Seafood
Address : Inside Neon Night Market
Volcano Seafood Grill
Address : Inside Neon Night Market
Food Hunting in Yaowarat
Mung Korn Khao Noodle
I forgotten since when I had developed this habit to fish in local supermarket no matter which city I go :
Holland - Albert Heijn
Denmark - Bilka
Korea - Lotte Mart
Japan - Ito Yokado
Taiwan - Carrefour
Malaysia - Giant / Top
Thailand - Big C
Here are my loots from Big C supermarket :
Let's talk about massage and spa now...
Since the first visit, visiting a massage salon is a must. The trip is never complete without Traditional Thai Massage. I do not have any preferred massage salon here. Whenever I passed by one, whenever I think I need it.. as long I am comfortable with salon, I will just go.
However this ritual of salon jumping changed after I visited a real one-stop Massage & Spa saloon.
HAPA SPA
Address : 20/4 Sukhumvit Soi 3, Klong Toey Nua, Bangkok
Hapa Spa makes me feel at home from the moment I walk through the unique circle shaped door. Upon entering the premises, we were being warmly welcomed by the staff. Hapa is not only an ordinary spa, it is a full range of pamper service from massage to spa, from hairdo to nails.
Health Land Asoke
Address: 55/5 Sukhumvit 21 Rd. (Asoke), Khlongtoeinuea, Wattana, Bangkok 10110
BTS : Asoke Station
This is a chain Massage & Spa.. It is the Spa Mafia in Bangkok.
All the outlets are on a private plot of land with its own private car park. The design of the place is like an European private villa with elevator serve you til 7th level. The interior boasts a big waiting area with very comfortable sofa. It is very thoughtful of them to serve customers ice water from the hot weather outside.
The first step is register and pay at the reception and wait for your name to be called.
Once your name is called, your masseur will bring you to the inner hall to change into inhouse slipper then will bring you to you room.
So far, I made ample visits to this place. Usually I come the one at Asoke as it is within walking distance from Terminal 21 and BTS Asoke station.
A perfect 2hr traditional Thai massage at THB500, but now it is already THB600
Health Land Sathorn
Address: 120 North Sathorn Rd. Silom, Bangrak Bangkok 10500
BTS : Chong Nongsi - quite a walking distance
As the weather was too much for us to bear, we decided to check in to Health Land to hide from the cruel sun. This round we choose a 3hr Ayurvedic & Shidor massage and this is my first try.
We were being served in a couple room for the massage.
They do not have couple room for Shidora so we were given single room next to each other.
The treatment bed comes with a basin & drainage system. The masseur will heat the oil and pour into the oil bowl where it will drip down to the forehead and surrounding til the lower back of the head and being drain down to the collection bowl. Massuer will collect the oil and repeat all steps for 45 minutes. I slept and snored while doing it... So relax and comforting.
Maeklong Railway Market
This is a very interesting market... why ? Because it has a train running through the middle of it several times a day. These stalls operates along the railway track which sells fruits, veggies, meats, seafood, as well as sweet snacks, clothing, and flowers.
When a train is approaching, a warning bell will goes off over the speaker. Within a few minutes after receiving the warning, vendors pull back their specially designed umbrella shelters before the train comes, sometimes only moments before. That’s why the market is locally known as the Talat Rom Hoop which translates into “Market Umbrella Close."
The coolest thing about this market is that all the vendors will adjusts their stall perfectly to allow the train to roll through. The umbrella shelters are pulled back only as far as necessary. The baskets of fruits and vegetables are shifted right behind of the track just enough not to be sliced by the trains wheels.
Once the train passed, the vendors immediately, put back umbrella shleters back into their original places. Everyone went back to normal as if nothing extraordinary had ever happened and it’s hard to believe that tons of metal just rumbled its way through.
The Maeklong Railway Market is about 60 kilometers away from Bangkok, around 1.5hr drive away.
As we were about 10 of us, we book a van from a local tour company to bring us here.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
We are a group of 8 thus, booking a van is ideal for us as this place is located 100 km from downtown Bangkok. Heading towards Samut Songkram Province, this tour makes it easy for anyone to see this unforgettable sight for themselves.
We will hop onto a decorated long-tail boat and glide down the narrow canals hunting for exotic fruit and vegetable deals. Peek at the small houses on stilts that line the shore and discover Thailand's traditional peaceful lifestyle contrasted to the hectic buzz of the river market.
Chocolate Ville
Address : Soi Nawamin 74, Yak 3-8, Kaset-Nawamin Road, Klong Kum Subdistrict, Bueng Kum District 10230 Bangkok, Thailand
We took a 30 minutes cab to this place from Pratunam as it will take us 2hrs if we come by train.
This is an unique place that you MUST VISIT!
Look at the photos below!! Nobody believes this is in THAILAND!! Nothing about Thai here except the food! The buildings, gardens, bridge, lake and everything was just so perfect and beautiful.
A big restaurant built in spacious land with concept of “Dining inbetween the rivers and park” in an European Village.
This village will be very crowded during weekend so you don't get the chance to choose where you want to sit. We were lucky that we came on a weekday where we can choose to a table anywhere we like. No matter where you seated, a same menu will be serve to you, saving you a lot of time to choose what to eat, wow .. this is a good concept.
Eventually we chose a lakeside table, overlooking the lighthouse. It's open to public and we did climb up to take a panoramic view of the village.
The night view is enchanting too !
Chao Praya River Cruise with Dinner
This round with my elder folks around, we book this tour with a local tour agent.
2.5-hour dinner cruise along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.
View the main attractions — including the Grand Palace and Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) — illuminated at night.
During your Chao Phraya River dinner cruise, feast on a buffet of authentic Thai dishes while watching the lit-up city skyline pass by. Relax as the live band inside or enjoy the breeze outside.
Calypso Cabaret Show
Address : Asiatique Riverfront
Showtimes : 2015hrs / 2145hrs
Ticket Price: THB900 - THB1500
Calypso Bangkok Has Moved to Asiatique.
It has been the number cabaret show in Bangkok for 25 years!
Calypso Cabaret Show Bangkok at Asiatique gives you one of the warmest welcomes you can find in the land of smiles and does so in many different languages. Thailand is well known for ladyboys and Calypso showcases them doing what they love the most: dressing up to the nines and miming to Cher. Some of these ‘ladies’ have features that would make women jealous but this is an attractive illusion; they were all born men. The performers are keen to entertain and put on a good show and the best way to enjoy it is to don your imaginary feather boa and embrace their world of glitz, glamour and over-the-top drama.
Well, it is the topic on temples now....
These are the only 3 temples here in Bangkok where I will surely visit whenever I come.
Erawan Shrine - 4 Faces Buddha
Address : 494 Ratchadamri Road. | Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
BTS : Chidlom Station
If you take a taxi, just tell the driver Erawan Shrine or Grand Hyatt Hotel Erawan,
The Erawan Shrine is a Hindu shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, that houses a statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of the Hindu creation god Brahma. A popular tourist attraction, it often features performances by resident Thai dance troupes, who are hired by worshippers in return for seeing their prayers at the shrine answered. The Erawan Shrine was built in 1956 to appease the supposed evil forces that were taking the lives of construction workers and causing other calamities in the construction what is now the Grand Hyatt Erawan.
Visitors make ceremonial offerings from floral garlands, fruits to teak wood elephants in the hope that their wishes will be fulfilled. Judging from the flowing multitude of believers, for many those wishes were indeed granted.
The area is crowded with worshippers day and night and always wafting with incense smoke. It is also common to see people bowing as they pass by bus, taxi or above by skytrain.
To feel the aura of reverence while watching the joyful celebration of a graceful Thai Classical Dance troupe or a lively Chinese Lion Dance is an experience to be added to your many memories of exotic Bangkok.
Temple Mae Nak
Address : Soi 77 off Sukhumvit Road (On Nut Road).
BTS : On Nut station and cab over or 20 minutes walk
Mae Nak Phra Khanong or simply Mae Nak or Nang Nak is a well-known Thai female ghost. According to local folklore the story is based on events that took place during the reign of King Rama IV - King Mongkut.
The story is about a beautiful young woman named Nak, who lived on the banks of the Phra Khanong Canal, and her undying love for her husband, Mak.
With Nak pregnant, Mak is conscripted and sent to war, where he is seriously wounded. While he is being nursed back to health in central Bangkok, Nak and their child both die during a difficult childbirth. When Mak returns home, however, he finds his loving wife and child waiting for him. Neighbors who try to warn him that he is living with a ghost are all killed.
One day, as Nak is preparing a local spicy sauce, she drops a lime off the porch. In her haste to retrieve it, she stretches her arm to pick it up from the ground below. Mak sees it and at last realizes his wife is a ghost. Terrified, he tries to find a way to flee without alarming her.
That night, Mak says he has to go to the toilet downstairs. He then runs away into the night.
Discovering her husband has fled, Nak pursues him. Mak then runs to Wat Mahabut temple, which a ghost cannot enter, as it is holy ground.
In her grief, Nak terrorizes the people of Phra Khanong, furious at them for causing Mak to leave her. However, Nak's ghost is captured by a powerful exorcist. Confining her in an earthen jar, he throws it into the canal.
An old couple new to Phra Khanong finds the jar while fishing, Nak is freed when they opened it.
Nak is conquered again by the venerable monk Somdet Phra Phutthachan. The learned monk confines her spirit in the bone of her forehead and binds it in his waistband.
Legend says the waistband is currently in the possession of the royal family. Admiral Aphakonkiattiwong, the Prince of Chumphon, also claimed to have had the relic. The learned monk assured Nak that in a future life she would be reunited with her beloved husband, and thus she voluntarily departed for the afterlife.
A shrine dedicated to Mae Nak is at Wat Mahabut, a large temple down Soi 77 off Sukhumvit Road (On Nut Road). The shrine is a low building under large trees with a roof that encompasses the tree trunks. The main shrine has several minor shrines around it.
A statue of Mae Nak and her infant form the centerpiece of the shrine. Devotees often make offerings, accompanied by a request for help, generally by women seeking for a child, an easy childbirth, for their husband to be exempt from military conscription and seeking love. You may wish to bring along your beau or spouse when you visit her to seek her blessings.
Ruamkatanyu Foundation
Address : 728, Phra Ram 4 Road, Sri Phraya, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500
MRT : Samyan Station exit 1
I forgotten since when it started, whenever I step my foot into Bangkok , I will arrange a time to visit this place. This place is always crowded as people are here for donation. Coffin donation to be precise.
The purpose of this foundation is to provide coffins for :
- people who are poor to buy a coffin for their dead relatives.
- unclaimed or unidentified dead bodies.
Upon entering the foundation, you will see a long reception tables with a lot of chair.
Visitors will do their registration here by telling the staff the amount of money that they want to donate.
Your name will be written on a pink paper and a certificate bearing your name will be given to you.
Once you got hold of both papers, proceed to the Chinese temple next door. Once you are done with the prayers, sound the 3 bells and drum at each 3 times, and burn the certificate in a bowl there.
Next, proceed to the inner hall of the foundation where there are few coffins laying there.
Glue the pink paper on the coffin and say some prayers. All done, all procedure completed!
To be continue on other new blogs.... there is never an ending for this Bangkok.
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Creating lovely memories from travel will expand our wings further, we will be going to Japan Yamanashi The Mount Fuji, Korea Soulfully Seoul , France Paris, Netherlands Amsterdam Repeat , Belgium Bedazzling Bruges, Switzerland Magnificent Matterhorn, Denmark Exploring Copenhagen, Norway and so on....
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Thank you and Good Luck.
