Travel Blog | Thailand and Cambodia | Part One
NOTE: Our trip to Thailand and Cambodia took place in November 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. For current guidelines, please click here for Thailand and for Cambodia, click here.
Hi friends! Today on the blog I am sharing my thoughts, tips, and of course photos and videos from our trip to Thailand and Cambodia.
Whether you’ve visited these countries before, or planning a future trip, this blog post will hopefully provide some helpful insight. As there’s quite a bit of info to share, there will be three separate blog posts.
Part One will detail our time spent traveling from Phoenix, Arizona and our stay in Bangkok, Thailand.
Part Two will detail our time spent in Battambang and Siem Reap (Cambodia).
Part Three will detail our time spent in Phuket (Thailand), an extra day in Bangkok, and our return to Phoenix.
As you will see, our vacation is very food-centric, because we love to eat and Asia is a foodie paradise!
THINGS WE DID BEFORE THE TRIP (click on words marked in Bold to visit corresponding websites)
Booked roundtrip airfare via Expedia from Phoenix to Bangkok, Thailand (BKK), our base for the start and end of our trip.
Booked travel insurance with World Nomads (approximately $164 USD for the duration of our trip).
Booked hotel rooms with Centre Point Silom for our stay in Bangkok.
Booked one-way airfare with AirAsia for flight from Bangkok (BKK) to Siem Reap (REP).
Booked private van rental with AirBnb host for travel from Siem Reap to Battambang.
Booked hotel rooms with The Sanctuary Villa for our stay in Battambang, Cambodia.
Booked AirBnB rental with D’Image Angkor for our stay in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Booked one-way airfare with AirAsia from Siem Reap (REP) to Phuket (HKT).
Booked hotel rooms with the DoubleTree by Hilton Phuket Banthai Resort for our stay in Phuket.
Booked tickets for the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Phuket experience.
Booked tickets for the Phang Nga Bay Speedboat tour with Phuket Sail Tours.
Booked one-way airfare with Thai Airways for flight from Phuket (HKT) to Bangkok (BKK).
Booked hotel rooms with At Residence Suvarnabhumi to relax at while waiting for flight back home.
Downloaded movies and shows from Amazon Prime and Netflix to our smart phones and tablets to watch while on the LONG flights to/from Asia.
Applied online for eVisa from the official Kingdom of Cambodia website (https://www.evisa.gov.kh/) (eVisa is good for three months from the date of application.) .
Rented Tep Wireless for our trip dates (pocket-sized personal WiFi hotspot), so we didn’t have to worry about buying SIM cards in Thailand and Cambodia.
TRAVEL BETWEEN THAILAND AND CAMBODIA
We purchased our airfare directly with AirAsia for the trip from Bangkok (DMK) to Siem Reap, and from Siem Reap to Phuket. We booked directly with Thai Airways for the trip from Phuket to Bangkok (BKK).
I highly recommend booking directly with the airline you choose to fly with, especially AirAsia, because they tend to have hidden baggage fees and the cost of seemingly cheap airfare skyrockets to triple the original ticket price. Online travel sites like Expedia or Orbitz are fine too, but just note that even though the ticket price says it includes one carryon and one checked luggage, make sure you check out the actual airline’s rules for checked baggage and carryon items. Click here for AirAsia’s baggage policy and click here for Thai Airways’ policy.
If you’re on a budget and open to other modes of travel, check out https://12go.asia/en, a great site that offers tickets for trains, buses, transfers, and ferries. You can also book airfare via the site.
The two airports in Bangkok are Suvaranabhumi (BKK) and Don Mueang (DMK), both located just outside the city center and costs between a $10-$15 taxi ride.
There are no direct flights from Bangkok to Battambang, so we booked a one-way flight from Suvaranabhumi (BKK) to Siem Reap (REP), and booked a private van via our AirBnB host for the 3.5hr commute from Siem Reap to Battambang. Flying out from Bangkok via Don Mueang is cheaper than from Suvaranabhumi. Our one-way flight to Siem Reap from DMK cost about $83 USD per person, whereas departing from BKK would have cost about $125 USD per person.
The private van rental for the trip from Siem Reap to Battambang was $100 for the one-way trip and can seat up to 10 people. Since we were only a party of four, we had plenty of room to spread out and get comfy. The van rental was arranged by our Siem Reap AirBnb host prior to our arrival, but you can book yours from https://bookmebus.com/, which I used to book the private van for our return trip to Siem Reap.
THINGS WE PACKED
International Power Adapter (Amazon link)
You will definitely need one since your U.S. plugs won’t work in Thailand and Cambodia. The one we purchased also has four USB ports, which was convenient for charging our iPhones at the same time. It’s a good idea to bring more than one adapter so you can have one plugged in the main room and one in the bathroom while getting ready.
Sea-band Wristband and Dramamine for motion sickness (Amazon link)
I always take a pair of Sea-band wristbands with me when I travel since I am prone to motion sickness. I don’t like taking pills, so using only the wristbands has worked wonders for me on past cruises. They definitely came in handy during the Phang Nga Bay speedboat tour in Phuket and the tuk tuk and taxi rides in Thailand and Cambodia. They can be purchased at your local Walgreen’s and CVS stores, or online via Amazon, of course.
Kleenex and Napkins to carry in purse or backpack / Hand sanitizer and Wet Wipes
Many bathrooms do not provide toilet paper and/or tissue, so it’s a good idea to pack them! Also carry antibacterial soap.
Mosquito repellant and sunscreen
You will get bit, so bring extra mosquito repellent, and sunscreen is always a good idea because you will be outside a lot there!
Travel bottles filled with shampoo, conditioner and bodywash
The places we stayed at provided shampoo and conditioner, but I use specific brands and always bring my own.
Toiletries & makeup bag
iPad, Kindle and accessories
I downloaded a lot of movies and TV shows from Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu, but didn’t watch most of them while on the various flights because the airlines offered plenty of movies to kill time. Note: Don’t bother downloading Hulu shows/movies because I tried to watch some of them in Thailand, but Hulu restricted access since I was not in the U.S. (defeats the point of offering a download option).
iPhones, chargers and waterproof cases (Amazon link)
I bought two waterproof cases in 2015 and we’ve used them on all our trips, especially when we’re hanging out at the beach, snorkeling, and jet-skiing. They really are waterproof. I put the iPhone in there, along with a couple of credit cards and some cash. This trip we used them when we were in the pool and during the Phang Nga Bay speedboat tour.
I also bought a battery case for my iPhone (Amazon Link), which worked great because once the iPhone ran out of charge, I turned on the case and was able to continue to use my phone for the numerous photos and videos I took during the trip.
Tep Wireless Router (Website link)
Initially we planned on buying SIM cards in Thailand and Cambodia so that we could use our phones without worrying about roaming charges, but thank goodness I found out about Tep Wireless a week before our trip! I rented Tep for 16 days and the cost was $12.95 a day for Global service, plus $5.95 for return postage. With the 10% discount code applied at checkout, the total cost was about $192 USD. To me the cost of the rental is totally worth not having to worry about buying SIM cards for each of us at each of the four destinations. We had our very own personal and secure hotspot via the Tep router and were able to connect to Wi-fi wherever we were - came in handy for accessing Instagram, internet browsing, and Google Maps, which we used often. I ordered the Tep rental on a Friday and received it the following Wednesday. Visit their website for more info.
Advil, Ibuprofren, Pepto Bismol, First Aid Kit
With the exception of the Pepto Bismol, all the above were used often during the trip. I expected Kevin and his parents to have need of the PB, but surprisingly they didn’t even use it (likely because they didn’t eat funky foods like I did).
Cash (US Dollars)
It’s a good idea to take as much cash as you can bring in order to avoid the ATM fees in Thailand and Cambodia. Although we brought a good chunk of USD, we ran out during the last three days in Phuket and Bangkok, so had to withdraw some Baht from the ATM.
The ATMs we used in Thailand only offered increments of 5000, 10000, and 100000 withdrawals.
USD is king in Cambodia, so no need to worry about exchanging Dollars for the Cambodian Riel. Although Dollars are widely accepted in Cambodia, you will likely get change back in Riel, so it’s a good idea to carry smaller bills such as 20s, 10s, 5s and 1s.
Many of the restaurants in Thailand and Cambodia accept credit cards, but make sure to ask if it’s cash only first in order to avoid the embarrassment of not being able to pay for your tab.
Airplane Footrest (Amazon link) and neck pillow (Amazon link)
* This footrest really helped to alleviate my knee and leg pain during the long flights. Just be cognizant of the person sitting in front of you and not jerk the footrest too much when you adjust your legs.
Clothing suitable for tropical weather / Swimsuits and Coverups
Avoid overpacking if possible. There are TONS of vendors that you can buy cheap clothing from if you run out of clean stuff. I ended up buying a few items since I ran out of clean stuff. Self-service laundry facilities weren’t available at the places we stayed at.
Passports (make copies to carry around and take a photo with your phone)
We left our passports in the safe at each place we stayed at, but brought along copies just in case we needed them (we didn’t).
Pen (to fill out customs forms on the plane)
Hat, Sunglasses, Flip flops, and comfy sneakers
Water shoes, flip flops, and other shoes can be bought for cheap at the many vendor stalls in Siem Reap, Bangkok, and Phuket
Camera, memory cards and accessories
I took my professional camera, but could have left it at home since it was a pain to carry around. To be honest, I mainly used my iPhone to take photos and videos during the trip.
BELOW IS OUR DAILY ITINERARY:
Day 1, Friday (11/15/2019) – Travel Day (Phoenix to Seattle; Seattle to Seoul)
Day 2, Saturday (11/16/2019) – Travel Day (Arrive in Seoul; Seoul to Bangkok; Arrive at hotel)
Day 3, Sunday (11/17/2019) – All day in Bangkok, Thailand
Day 4, Monday (11/18/2019) – All day in Bangkok, Thailand
Day 5, Tuesday (11/19/2019) – Bangkok to Siem Reap by air; Siem Reap to Battambang by private van
Day 6, Wednesday (11/20/2019) – Spend morning and early afternoon in Battambang; Leave for Siem Reap by private van at 3:00PM
Day 7, Thursday (11/21/2019) –All day in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Day 8, Friday (11/22/2019) – All day in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Day 9, Saturday (11/23/2019) – All day in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Day 10, Sunday (11/24/2019) – Siem Reap to Phuket via AirAsia
Day 11, Monday (11/25/2019) – All day in Phuket, Thailand
Day 12, Tuesday (11/26/2019) – All day in Phuket, Thailand
Day 13, Wednesday (11/27/2019) – All day in Phuket, Thailand
Day 14, Thursday (11/28/2019) – All day in Phuket, Thailand
Day 15, Friday (11/29/2019) – Phuket to Bangkok via Thai Airways
Day 16, Saturday (11/30/2019) – Travel Day (Bangkok to Seoul; Seoul to Los Angeles; Los Angeles to Phoenix)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH - TRAVEL DAY
PHOENIX, ARIZONA TO SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
SEATTLE TO SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
This trip Kevin’s parents, Andrew and Jacqueline, are traveling with us. This will be theirs and Kevin’s first visit to Asia, so I was happy to show them around and share with them the culture and language of my birth country (Cambodia).
When we booked with Delta Airlines in August 2019, we chose a departure time of 8:00am; however, we got notification in September that the flight from Phoenix to Seattle was changed to a 6:45am departure time, which meant we had to be up earlier in order to get to the airport by 4:30am for check in. Kevin’s parents picked us up in Gilbert at 3:45am and we arrived at Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) at 4:15am. Andrew dropped us off to check in for the flight and drop off our luggage while he parked the car at a nearby lot ($7/day), and took a shuttle to the terminal.
Overall it was a relatively quick process checking in, dropping off the luggage, going through the TSA line, and boarding the plane.
Phoenix (PHX) to Seattle (SEA), Operated by Delta Airlines: 3 Hours 29 Minutes
Boarding began at 6:05am and since we were part of boarding group MAIN3, were on the plane by 6:20am. The plane departed the terminal on time at 6:45am, and we arrived in Seattle at 9:09am local time (10:09am Phoenix time).
We had to take the train from the domestic concourse to the South Satellite concourse for our connecting flight at Gate S16. Since we had a 2hr layover, we decided on breakfast at the only sit-down restaurant, Dungeness Bay Seafood House. All our breakfast items were served room temperature and tasted bland – totally regret eating here. I hope their lunch and dinner offerings are much better than their mediocre breakfast items.
Seattle (SEA) to Seoul, Korea (ICN), Operated by Delta Airlines: 11 Hours 46 Minutes
Boarding started at 10:35am, and we were on the plane by 11am. Each seat had a blanket, pillow, and slippers, and flight attendants came by to offer complimentary eye masks and earphones.
The plane departed Seattle at 11:30am and within one hour after takeoff, each adult passenger was offered a Peach Bellini, which was refreshing and a nice start to our LONG flight. We were also given a hot towel and bottled water.
The first meal (lunch) and beverage service was offered an hour and a half into our flight (1pm). The full meal consisted of an appetizer (Caprese Salad or Harissa Shrimp Salad), a main entrée (Beef Bulgogi, Chicken Marsala, or Ricotta Ravioli), and a dessert (Ben & Jerry’s Strawberry Ice Cream). We also had access to complimentary soda, juice, sparkling water, tea, coffee, beer, wine, and various liquors such as Cognac, Whiskey, and Vodka. I chose the Caprese Salad, Beef Bulgogi (served with veggies and rice), and gave Kevin my ice cream (cookies and cream). For the beverage, I chose the sparkling wine and was given a small bottle of Zonin Prosecco.
I have a hard time sleeping on planes, so after the meal I ended up watching two movies (The Lion King and Yesterday) and Seth Meyers’ comedy special on Netflix that was previously downloaded to the iPad. On the international flight, we had access to 300 movies, 2500+ songs, TV and games, so there should be plenty to keep you entertained.
The second meal and beverage service was offered about 1.5hrs before arrival in Seoul, South Korea. The meal consisted of an egg and Swiss cheese croissant sandwich, as well as a side of cut fruit.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH – travel day
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA TO BANGKOK, THAILAND
Seoul, Korea (ICN) to Bangkok, Thailand (BKK), Operated by Korean Air: 6 Hours 10 Minutes
Our flight from Seattle (SEA) arrived at the Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul, South Korea at approximately 4:05pm Saturday (12:05am Friday Phoenix time; 11:05 pm Friday Seattle time).
I was worried about making our connecting flight to Bangkok because it was just a one-hour layover in Seoul, but we needn’t have worried. After getting off the plane, we quickly made our way to the transfer desk on the second floor, presented our passport and boarding pass for the Bangkok flight, and were off to go through the security checkpoint. It took about 30 minutes from the time we got off the plane from Seattle to arriving at the boarding gate on Level 3 for the connecting flight to Bangkok.
Flight 7852 from Seoul to Bangkok was operated by Korean Air, and we were able to board around 5:00pm local time. The boarding process was smooth and at each seat was a blanket, slippers, a pair of headphones, and a bottle of water. The plane departed ICN at 5:30pm, and within an hour after takeoff, the attendants came by to offer the meal and beverage service. I chose the Chinese style five spice beef with noodles, which was surprisingly flavorful and delicious! I passed on the offering of free wine. Overall this was a pleasant flight and we arrived in Bangkok around 9:15pm local time.
Suvarnabhumi Airport was still busy when we landed and many of the shops and restaurants were open. After going through immigration and customs, we went to one of the booths near baggage claim to exchange U.S. Dollars for Thai Baht. Since we’re only in Bangkok for two days, Kevin and I took out a total of $500 USD (9,142 Baht) to cover food and miscellaneous items.
If you’re hungry and can’t wait, stop by the 24hr Magic Food Court on the first floor near baggage claim, where food items range between 50-100 Baht ($1.65-$3.30 USD). There’s also a 24hr Magic Mart where you can stock up on items (the equivalent of a 7-11).
Once we picked up our luggage, we ordered a van taxi at one of the kiosks outside the airport, and were given a printout that shows where our assigned taxi was parked. The ride from BKK to our hotel in the Silom area took about 30 minutes and cost 700 Baht, including the toll fee (~$23 USD).
1000 BAHT = $33 USD; 500 BAHT = $16.50 USD; 100 BAHT = $3.30;
20 BAHT = $0.66 USD
The taxi dropped us off at the ‘Centre Point Hotel Silom’ around 11:30pm, and check-in was quick and easy. I chose this hotel because it is situated near the bank of the Chao Phraya River/Sathorn Pier, the Saphan Taksin skytrain station (BTS), as well as the IconSiam shopping center. There’s also a Robinson Bangrak Department Store, supermarket (TopsMarket), pharmacy, and restaurants below the hotel – very convenient! We planned on using the ferries at Sathorn Pier to visit sights such as The Grand Palace, Wat Pho Temple, and Wat Arun.
I booked a couple of Deluxe rooms for us and we were assigned room numbers 1109 and 1112. Each room has a Queen size bed, a microwave, refrigerator, toaster, and safety box, among other features. Each room also received two complimentary bottles of water daily. The combined cost for both rooms for three nights is 19,564 Baht ($636 USD).
Click here to check out the hotel’s website and click here for TripAdvisor reviews of the hotel.
Click here to view a video of room 1109.
We were too pumped to go to sleep, so we walked down the street to find something to eat and chanced upon Café Ice, a cute corner restaurant with twinkling lights that reminds me of a café in Europe. Since it was close to 1am Sunday, the weather at this hour was nice and we opted to sit outside. We weren’t too hungry, so ordered some items to share: Red Duck Curry (375 Baht; $12.38 USD), Chicken Satay (350 Baht; $11.55 USD), Crab Fried Rice (350 Baht; $11.55 USD), and one order of Steamed Rice (50 Baht; $1.65 USD). The food was cooked outside in front of us and tasted authentic and delicious – possibly the best crab fried rice I’ve had to date. Although the cost of the meal is pretty high (tourist prices), it was totally worth it! Word of warning: I ordered the mango smoothie (150 Baht; $4.95 USD), expecting a regular glass, but it came in a ginormous glass that could literally feed four people! Unfortunately, Kevin and his parents aren’t fans of mangoes, so I had to finish it all by myself – yummy in my tummy!
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH
BANGKOK, THAILAND
Since I’ve visited Bangkok before, and we only had two full days here, I focused on the must see sights for Kevin and his parents. The attractions we visited are all easily accessible from our hotel by using the skytrain (BTS), the subway (MRT), and ferry (Chao Phraya River Express Boat).
Today’s focus will be on shopping and eating – two of my favorite things!
Today’s weather: High of 93° and low of 78°, with humidity at 49%. We started the day early, and it was cloudy on and off throughout the day, so it wasn’t too hot today.
BTS & MRT INFO:
The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) is an elevated rapid transit system (Skytrain), and operates daily from 6:30am until midnight. Riding the BTS Skytrain costs 16 Baht (~$0.53) for a single ticket to travel one station and up to 59 Baht (~$1.94) for the whole system. A one-day ticket for unlimited travel costs 140 Baht (~$4.60).
The Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT) is a mass rapid transit system (Subway), and operates daily from 6:00am until midnight. Riding the MRT Subway costs 14 Baht (~$0.46) for a single ticket to travel one station and up to 70 Baht (~$2.30) for the whole system. A one-day ticket for unlimited travel costs 140 Baht (~$4.60).
If you don’t have coins, staff at the ticket booths can provide change. We purchased our tickets at one of the machines with a touch screen, which accepts Baht bills. While the BTS machines dispense paper tickets, the MRT machines dispense black electronic plastic tokens – just touch it to the top surface of the entry gate and drop it into the slot of the exit gate when departing.
MORNING & AFTERNOON (CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET)
Chatuchak Weekend Market (also known as JJ Market) is the biggest market in Thailand and is organized and separated into zones. The market is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday between 6:00am-6:00pm.
At 9:30am we made the 5min walk to the Saphan Taksin BTS (Skytrain) station and purchased one-way tickets to travel from the Skytrain to the MRT Subway. The Skytrain runs every ten minutes and we were able to get on easily. It was a 10min ride on the Silom Line to our stop, Sala Daeng, which is the fourth stop from Saphan Taksin.
Once we got off the Skytrain, it was about an 8min walk via the skywalk to connect to the Subway. We purchased our MRT tokens from one of the machines and waited less than five minutes before the train arrived. It was a long ride since we were getting off at the Kampaengphet stop, which is 14 stops from where we got on (Si Lom). You can also get off at the Chatuchak Park Station, but we chose the Kampaengphet exit because it’s a short walk to the near the middle of the Chatuchak market.
We arrived at the market around 10am, and many vendors were already set up. The market became busier around noon. There are 15,000 vendor stalls at the market, and you can find almost anything – from clothing, to furniture, to artwork.
There is even a Pets section, which I don’t necessarily agree with, but is pretty popular. It broke my heart to see the animals in cages in the hot weather, especially the ones that belonged in the wild (e.g., Fox and Mierkat). We didn’t stay in this section long…too depressing.
There are many stalls selling the same things, but if you come across a unique item, best to buy it and not have to worry about finding the same stall later on – the market is HUGE and you may become lost. Be sure to download their app or grab a map while there.
Part of the fun at the market is going from stall to stall to sample the food and drink items. You can get fresh juice for 15-20 Baht ($0.50-$0.60 USD) and cold bottled water for 10 Baht ($0.33 USD). If you want to escape the heat, there are indoor restaurants too, but expect high prices for the food.
I was SO happy when I saw a stand selling one of my favorite Asian desserts – the Pandan jelly with sweet coconut milk (first item pictured below) for 20 Baht (less than $1 USD). It looks kinda gross, but trust me, it is so good and refreshing! This is one of mine and my mom’s favorite desserts, so I felt some nostalgia while eating it. The couple manning the stall are Cambodian, so naturally I struck up a conversation.
After spending about a couple of hours browsing the market, we bought some food to go and headed to Chatuchak Park to relax and have a small picnic.
The Chatuchak Park is located near the market and was a great way for us to relax and spend a couple of hours. Located within the park is the Butterfly Garden & Insectarium (free admission), which was a good way to escape the heat.
Afterwards we walked to the Chatuchak Park Station to get on the MRT Subway. This station is connected to an indoor mall with various vendor stalls selling all sorts of goodies. Once on the Subway, it was 13 stops until we got off at Si Lom to transfer to the BTS Skytrain at Sala Daeng. Once on the Skytrain, it was four stops to Saphan Taskin.
I like the walk from our hotel to/from the Sathorn Pier/Saphan Taksin Station…there’s always so much going on. We got back to the hotel around 3:30pm.
EVENING - ICONSIAM
We left our hotel around 6:30pm and made the 5min walk to the Sathorn Pier to catch the free shuttle boat to IconSiam. Just follow the signs – there’s one that reads ‘Ferry’, which will lead you to the boarding area. The boat will have ICONSIAM printed on the side and runs at 10min intervals daily from 9:00am to 10:00pm.
IconSiam was opened in November 2018 and is billed as Thailand’s biggest and fanciest shopping mall. Even if you don’t like shopping, go just to check out the eight levels of fashion stores, beauty salons, restaurants, Thailand’s first Apple store, and more! There’s even a cinema/IMAX theater on the top floor.
My favorite part of IconSiam is the indoor floating market called Sook Siam, featuring boats with vendors selling a ton of street food and goods that represents the 77 provinces of Thailand. Sook Siam is located on the G level and is a MUST DO! The prices for the food was not expensive, considering that it’s inside this luxury mall. The pad thai wrapped in thin egg was 80 baht ($2.61 USD) and all dishes ranged between 25-100 baht ($.82-$3.26 USD)! Nothing offered by the boat vendors appealed to my in-laws, so we ended up at Café Chilli, which just opened in October 2019.
Items we ordered (pictured below): Australian Beef Plate (Andrew), Pad Thai wrapped in Omelette with River Prawn (Kevin), Beef Fried Rice (Jacqueline), Stir Fried Morning Glory (me), and Thai Spicy Basil with Pork (me). I am obsessed with morning glory and ate it almost every day we were in Asia! We can’t get this vegetable in Arizona, so I usually only get to eat it when visiting California or Las Vegas.
We chose to sit outside, and am glad we did because we had a good view of the free light show at 8:00pm, which lasted about half an hour.
We really liked the ambiance and food at Cafe Chilli, but the service was sub-par. It took forever for the servers to come get our drink and food orders, and to deliver the food. Also, Andrew ordered an after dinner drink, but after waiting for close to half an hour, we just asked for the check. I guess the lack of expedient service may have something to do with the 10% gratuity already included in the bill (separate from the tax).
Another favorite area is the IconSiam Park that offers stunning views of the Bangkok skyline, which we went to after dinner. This park can be accessed by walking through the Apple store on the second floor.
We finished at IconSiam around 10:00pm and went back to Pier 1 to catch the boat back to Sathorn Pier. The boat from IconSiam back to Sathorn Pier runs at 10min intervals daily from 8:00am to 11.30pm.
Since we had limited time in Bangkok, our visits to the Chatuchak Weekend Market and IconSiam more than met our needs for shopping and a visit to the other mega malls wasn’t necessary (e.g., Siam Paragon).
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH
BANGKOK
Today’s focus will be on visiting the ‘must see’ temples, which are easily accessible from our hotel by using the Chao Phraya River Express Boat. It was HOT today, so wear a hat and sunglasses, and bring bottled water!
CHAO PHRAYA EXPRESS BOAT (FERRY)
The Sathorn Pier (aka Central Pier) is conveniently located below the Saphan Taksin BTS platform. There are five lines available at the pier, but the best options are the boats with the orange flag or blue flag at the back.
The orange flag boats operate daily between 6:00am and 7:00pm, costs 15 Baht ($0.50 USD) for a one-way ride, and comes every 20 minutes until around 3:00pm, after which the frequency changes to every 10-15 minutes.
The blue flag boats (known as the Tourist Boat) operate daily between 9:00am and 5:30pm, costs 40 Baht ($1.50 USD) for a one-way ride, and comes every 30 minutes. A one-day pass for the Tourist Boat can be purchased for 200 Baht ($7.00 USD) and is good for unlimited rides through 5:30pm. There’s also a one-day pass for 300 Baht ($10.00 USD), which gives you unlimited rides through 8:30pm. The Tourist Boat is a good option since it is a hop-on, hop-off service that stops at some of the must-see attractions, including The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, and Chinatown.
Fares can be paid at the kiosk on the pier, or you can wait to pay on the boat (an employee will come by to collect). Click here for more info on the Chao Phraya Express Boat service.
MORNING & AFTERNOON (GRAND PALACE, WAT PHO, WAT ARUN)
We left the hotel at 7:00am and walked to the Sathorn Pier to grab the ferry to Grand Palace. We purchased tickets at the pier and got on the Orange flag boat around 7:20am. Our first stop is to The Grand Palace, which is nine stops to get to the N9/Tha Chang Pier. We got off around 8:00am, made a right and it was a short walk to the entrance of the palace.
NOTE: We didn’t use the Blue flag tourist boat because it runs between 9:30am and 5:30pm and only comes every 30 minutes. We wanted to arrive at the Grand Palace by 8:00am to get in line for the gates to open at 8:30am. We wanted to be one of the first to get in so that we could enjoy the palace before the tour groups arrived and it gets too crowded.
THE GRAND PALACE (TGP) – 8:30am-10am:
Please note that there is a dress code for visits to the temples. Visitors should avoid wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts, so wear a long skirt or pants, and a shirt that covers your arms (t-shirts are ok). Also, make sure to wear closed toed shoes, as flip flops are discouraged. Err on the side of caution folks, because the guards enforce the dress code at TGP.
The Grand Palace is open daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm and is only closed for official visits and state functions. The entrance fee is 500 Baht ($16 USD) per person; it’s free for Thai nationals. Audio guides are available for rent and costs 182 Baht ($6 USD) for two hours of use.
DO NOT FALL for the Tuk Tuk drivers telling you that TGP is closed for the day and then offer to take you to other sites. It’s just a scam to get commissions from shops they have arrangements with.
If this is your first time visiting TGP, I highly recommend hiring a tour guide. You’ll likely encounter them as you walk towards TGP, and they are easily recognizable by the orange flag they hold.
We lucked out by getting Jackie (she asked us to call her by this nickname since her real one is too long) - she approached Andrew as we were walking towards the entrance. She quoted a price of 900 Baht ($30 USD) for 1-2 hours of a guided tour, and said we didn’t have to pay if we weren’t satisfied with her. She did an amazing job, so Andrew tipped her very generously at the end.
Having Jackie with us proved to be very helpful for many reasons. We bypassed the long queue for ticket purchases and had a designated spot to get ours, and were inside TGP fairly quickly. She gave my MIL a shirt to wear over her tank top since the shawl she had on wasn’t acceptable for TGP.
Jackie told us where to go to take good photos, and cleared areas clogged with visitors so that we could get said photos.
Within the complex is Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), which is named as such because it is made entirely out of Jade. You’ll need to take your shoes, hat, and sunglasses off to enter. There is a place to store your shoes, but Jackie had a bag for us to store ours and she held onto them as she waited for us to finish.
We spent about ten minutes inside to view and appreciate the beauty of the Emerald Buddha – there were several monks doing their morning prayers.
Absolutely no photography is allowed inside the temple, but there’s plenty to photograph outside of it.
Jackie was an excellent tour guide, and gave us so much history, insightful, and funny commentary. She’s definitely my type of tour guide - her sense of humor made our experience all the more fun!
The above photo shows a replica of the Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia (where we will be visiting in several days).
Another photo of me and Kevin taken by Jackie.
Guards at The Grand Palace. We passed by some standing guard at various spots within the complex, and although their eyes moved, they stayed sentient.
Jackie had us pose for one last photo before we exited TCP.
The cost of the tour came with free tickets for the Sala Clahermkrung Thai Masked Dance show. However, we were hot and hungry and didn’t want to deal with having to be transported to another area for the show.
For lunch, Jackie recommended the Royal Thai Navy Club 77, which is located across the street from TGP. She said she eats there pretty often.
We said our goodbyes to Jackie and headed to the restaurant, which had air conditioning and a restroom! We spent an hour inside the restaurant to cool down and eat. True to Jackie’s word, the food was delicious!
Items we ordered: Vegetable Pad Thai (Jacqueline), Beef Massaman Curry (Andrew & Kevin), and Thai Spicy Basil with Pork (me). I asked them to make mine Thai spicy and they did - yum! The cost of our lunch, including two large Singha beers, a Thai iced tea, and a Thai iced coffee was 1,130 Baht ($37.40 USD).
There are plenty of street vendors and restaurants nearby if you’re hungry and want to grab a quick bite.
WAT PHO / TEMPLE OF THE RECLINING BUDDHA (11:30pm – 12:30pm)
Once done with lunch we decided to walk to Wat Pho instead of catching the ferry (it’s just one stop away). It was less than a mile from the restaurant to Wat Pho, so it was a short walk (less than 15 minutes).
Wat Pho (also known as Wat Phra Chetuphon) is open daily from 8:30am to 6:30pm, and the entrance fee is 200 Baht ($7 USD) per person; it’s free for children under 41 inches. The same dress code as The Grand Palace applies here.
The highlight of Wat Pho is of course the Reclining Buddha, which measures 150 feet in length and 49 feet in height. You’ll need to take your shoes and hat off to enter. There are green Plastic bags available for you to store your shoes and take in with you. There’s a long line to enter the temple to view the Reclining Buddha, but it moved fairly quickly.
The Wat Pho Thai Traditional Massage and Medical School onsite offers head, foot, and full body massages between 8:00am and 5:00pm, so it’s a good idea to sign up for one as you enter the temple if you’re interested (in case there’s a waitlist). Prices range from 260 Baht ($8.58 USD) for a 30min massage to 420 Baht ($13.86 USD) for a 1hour massage.
The sight of the Reclining Buddha is awe-inspiring, in part because it appears so huge in the ‘tiny’ space it was housed in. We spent about an hour at the Wat Pho complex and felt we saw enough…it was just too crowded.
It’s impossible to get a wide shot of the Reclining Buddha it’s housed in an enclosure barely big enough to hold the statue.
WAT ARUN / TEMPLE OF THE DAWN (1pm-2:30pm)
We left Wat Pho at 12:30pm and walked along Thai Wang Alley towards the Tha Tien Pier (N8). We paid 4 Bhat ($0.15 USD) each person and waited in line for less than 15 minutes before boarding the cross-river ferry from the Tha Tien Pier to the Wat Arun Pier.
Wat Arun is open daily from 8:30am to 6:30pm, and the entrance fee is 50 Baht ($1.70 USD) per person; it’s free for children under 41 inches.
This was my favorite of the three temples we visited today. Although there was a lot of visitors, it didn’t feel as crowded as the other two temples.
Kevin and Andrew climbed the steep stairs to visit the other areas while Jacqueline and I stayed behind to cool down and people watch.
If you are afraid of heights, I don’t recommend climbing the stairs.
Can you spot Kevin and Andrew in the below photo?
Can you spot me and Jacqueline in the below photo?
The large tower and its four smaller sibling towers are beautifully designed and is a blend of Khmer (Cambodian) and Thai styles.
The towers are ornately decorated and is a combination of brick, plaster, Chinese porcelain, and glazed ceramic tiles.
We didn’t want to grab the cross-river ferry from Wat Arun back to Wat Pho and then have to grab the orange flag ferry back to Sathorn Pier, so we bought four single ride tickets (60 Bhat each / $1.98 USD) at the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat booth near the pier. You can also buy the All Day River Pass for unlimited rides for 200 Baht each ($6.62 USD). Click here for more info on the Chao Phraya Tourst Boat.
Jacqueline and Andrew did some shopping while we waited for the boat to arrive.
It was a long boat ride back to Sathorn Pier, but at least it was scenic.
In this video you’ll see what IconSiam looks like in the daytime, as well as get a glimpse of their free shuttle boat, and the Chao Phraya Express Tourist Boat.
We got back to Centre Point Silom around 3:30pm, but stopped by the local food court just behind the hotel to order some stuff to go.
I can tell is where the locals eat because there were barely any tourists and the highest price for food items (that I could see) was 60 Baht ($1.98 USD).
Some items you can find at this food court: many versions of the papaya salad, many versions of the Laarb (Thai meat salad), many types of curries (catfish curry, anyone?), many versions of Fried Rice, and so much more (Rice Porridge, Stir-Fried Morning Glory, Spicy Basil Pork). I love this food court!
We ordered food from this stall, manned by a husband and wife team. The food was cooked to order, which guarantees the freshness. It was fun to watch them at work - they have a good system in place. There was also a window for to go orders, and they were kept pretty busy the short time we were there.
CANCELLED PLANS
So, we had planned on visiting Chinatown (aka Yaowarat) in the evening, but were too exhausted from the temple visits, and instead had dinner, packed, and made it an early night.
I definitely recommend a visit to Chinatown if you have time. You can take the Chao Phraya Express boat from the Sathorn Pier to Chinatown (Rajchawongse), which is just five stops away. Hop off and walk up Ratchawong Road for about a quarter mile (15 minutes) to Yaowarat Road.
When night falls, hundreds of street food vendors come out and the narrow sidewalks/alleys of Yaowarat Road becomes very lively and will be filled with the sights and smells of deliciousness. Most specialize in seafood, and it’s a good sign if you see a packed vendor stall/restaurant. Wandering through the side streets and trying food from the vendors is part of the fun, and a must do if you have the time.
Since the Chao Phraya Express Boat service stops operating by 7:00pm (8:30pm for the Tourist Boat), you can use the Grab app (formerly Uber) to hail a taxi/car back to your hotel.
Items we ordered from the food court: Crab fried rice, Spicy Papaya Salad with Crispy Pork, Chicken Wings, and two side orders of sticky rice. Everything tasted great!