Some people don’t like Bangkok but I enjoyed my time here. There were a good amount of things to see, an abundance of food to eat and shopping for days to keep me busy. I only wished Bangkok was towards the end of my trip so I wouldn’t feel so guilty buying more. 

Day 1 – November 16, 2018

With our delay luggage, we had to hit the shopping malls for some new clothing from shops that provide receipts for reimbursement. The malls were huge with lots to eat. One of the best things I had was this durian sticky rice from a stand in the mall. It was so good. Once we wrapped that up we headed to the Chatuchak Weekend Market! 

This was one of the largest markets in the world with the size of five football fields. Despite high reviews from other travelers, I wasn’t sure what to expect… but to my surprise, there was so much to buy because the quality was fantastic, styles were modern and the prices were very affordable. The market sold everything from home decor and antiques to clothing and accessories. I bought cute shirts for $5, sandals for $3 and a jean jacket for $7. 

There was also much to eat at this Market. The must-have is the coconut ice cream with peanuts and toppings. While it was refreshing, I wasn’t overly impressed. I also had mangos and Thai tea ice cream here.

We met up with Chi’s friends from Toronto and got a cheap foot massage. After that, we headed to Khao San Road and it was pretty tamed and not what I was expecting as the backpacker party area of Bangkok. Chi and Vince enjoyed a scorpion on a stick. They claimed it was crunchy and tasted like soy sauce. 

We visited Tip Samai, a famous pad thai shop and waited in a long line for a seat. It was so hot but luckily the restaurant had an airconditioned area for a fee. Of course, we paid that fee for comfort. The pad thai was good and beautifully wrapped in an egg but it was on par with Toronto’s Pai or Khao San Road.

Day 2 – November 17, 2018

We woke up early to return to the Chatuchak Weekend Market and shop some more. After lunch, we head back to our hotel to wait for our day tour to Maeklong Railway Market & Amphawa Floating Market.

This was a little way out of Bangkok but worth the journey. First, we stopped at the Maeklong railway market. This entire produce and seafood market was on an active railway line! It was quirky and bizarre. We watched shop owners scramble to pull away shops as the train passes and then put back out their goods. 

Amphawa was a picturesque riverside market that mostly offered good dining options and a few cute shops. There was this little shop that definitely made my favorite Thai Iced Tea of the trip. I saw him use a pantyhose strainer and I knew I had to try it. 

Chi and I somewhat regret being lured into this Thai restaurant because of their air conditioning. Yes, it was that hot. We missed out eating by the river where a boat would grill up some fresh seafood. 

I had read reviews to skip the firefly boat tour but thought it would be nice to sit and enjoy river breeze as a relief from the heat. Nope, there was no wind and it was still so hot with nothing to see. What a complete waste of time and it would be been better to sit in an air-conditioned cafe. 

Since we got dropped off at Khao San Road, Chi and I went to the other side of the road and it lived up to its reputation with loud bars, clubs and massages. It was very lively and we naturally treated ourselves with another $3 hour-long massage.  

Day 3 – November 18, 2018

We revisited the shopping mall district and ate my first Japanese soufflé pancake at Gram Cafe & Pancake. It was light and fluffy. 

I don’t use the Line app but the characters are so cute and lovable. After visiting the Line store in Japan, I was interested in seeing the one and only Line Friends, indoor amusement park!

It was a fun place to take cute photos and play around in the interactive exhibits. I felt like a little girl in a big playhouse. This was a highlight of Bangkok. 

We shopped some more until it was time to see the Muay Thai fight. But first, we negotiated and took a tuk-tuk to the Rajadamnern Stadium. It was a fun ride and the fight was interesting to see but got boring quickly.

Finally, we ended our night at Asiatique, this waterfront amusement area. It was kitschy but fun as a tourist nonetheless. There were tons of shops and dining options. And yes, we did get a massage 3 nights in a row… 

Day 4 – November 18, 2018

On our last day in Bangkok, we woke up early to see the most popular sites in Bangkok, Wat Pho and the Grand Palace. We passed through the scammers trying to tell us the Wat Pho temple is closed and was able to see the gigantic golden sleeping Buddha. Oh my Buddha, it was big. 

Since we were early, we had this place to ourselves and the grounds were quite serene with traditional Thai architecture. 

Next, we walked to the Grand Palace which isn’t far but we were melting in the heat. We got so hot on the way, we had to take a cool down break in a cafe with air conditioning and eat ice cream. I even got Chi to try durian ice cream and he claimed it to be “not bad”. While the palace is beautiful… it is the hottest attraction of Bangkok, both temperature-wise and in popularity. It was insanely packed with tourists everywhere. 

In the afternoon, we visited Chinatown with a free walking tour. It no longer felt like I was in Thailand… it felt like I was transported to China or Hong Kong. We didn’t stay too long but walking through the markets was very like a maze.  

We then came backed to Asiatique for a Yod Siam river cruise to see Wat Arun and the riverfront at night. It was better than we expected, perfect to rest our feet, listen to party music and soak in the views. It was still hot though with minimal breeze. 

And to wrap up our time in Bangkok, Chi picked one of the highest spots in Bangkok to have a fancy dinner, Vertigo in Banyan Tree hotel. The view from the 61st-floor was fantastic but the food and the bill were not worth it. It was American fine-dining pricing but the food wasn’t good! It would have been better just to buy a drink at the bar. 

Bangkok was a fun city to explore for a few days. I’d love to come back to eat and shop but the heat is brutal.