Arriving at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok was a low-key affair. The journey had taken longer than expected as our departure was delayed by an hour at the Bali end…par for the course with bookings on the cheaper airlines. Once again, the kids showed us their developing worldliness by fetching trollies at both ends of the trip, helping load the bags and pushing them for us!
Leo and Anna were delighted to be greeted by cleaning robots in the arrivals hall and enjoyed standing in the way to make them go around them. They only got one shot at this before we called them off, explaining that pre-immigration behaviour is very important when you want to be let into the country!
We made our way through immigration, where we got our 30 day visa exemption stamp, after doing our fingerprints and photos. Our baggage was waiting for us on the other side, and after sorting a Thai sim card and getting cashed up, we found a Grab to take us to our accommodation.
By the time we collected the key card for our apartment and reached our home for the next 6 days, we were all pretty shattered. We ate downstairs in one of the building’s restaurants around 9.30pm before collapsing into bed. The food was great!
The following day was a quiet ‘home day’ after the busy travelling day, and we went out exploring the local area for our late breakfast.
In the afternoon, I went to the supermarket and bought a few groceries so we could eat breakfasts at home and do a couple of cheap dinners. On our outing, we discovered loads of street food nearby, and we were very impressed with the quality, value, and standards of hygiene displayed by the vendors. There is also a clear sense of pride in the dishes or goods they are selling.
Seeing the prices made us feel pretty excited to be in one of the street food capitals of the world!
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Feeling fully recovered after a good night’s sleep, we left the house early on Sunday to make our way to Chatuchak Weekend Market, which our friend Clare had recommended for a fun day out. On our way to Surasak BTS, our local Skytrain stop, the kids were complaining about the heat five minutes into the walk when a tuktuk driver pulled over and offered to take us there for a 100 baht. We said we’d walk (with the kids protesting loudly – they really don’t help the bargaining game much! Or maybe they do?) and he dropped the price to 80 baht. We said 70 and it’s a deal…and off we went…you can see from the kids’ faces how pleased they were!
When we reached Surasak station, we paid for our tickets and thoroughly enjoyed the air-conditioned train ride to the stop near the market. We realised that we hadn’t actually caught any trains since Singapore! Taxis and Grab cars were so cheap in Malaysia and Indonesia that we barely needed to use public transport at all.
Disembarking at Saphan Khwai, we walked out to find a street food stall seling yummy looking skewers of chicken and pork for 10 baht each (about NZ 50 cents) and bought a few. The chicken was delicious and Anna devoured it, just as Leo devoured the pork one. We stocked up on water and that travel essential, wet wipes, before walking about 10 minutes to the market.
There was so much on offer there in the way of food, clothing, household items and furnishings…you name it! The array of food was vast, including seafood, meat, veges, fruits, and sweet options, and we spent quite a while taking in the sights here and trying different things. One of the weirdest things we ate were silkworm larvae…Leo and Shaun enjoyed them, Anna and I? Not so much.
Surprisingly, the market never felt too crowded or busy for us, possibly because it’s enormous, although it was pretty warm, and we eagerly sought out fans to stand next to. Anna was most pleased to finally purchase her very own fan for 40 baht of her pocket money.
We spent a good three hours here, filling up on all sorts of yummy treats and taking in the myriad of stalls before making our way back to the train. On our way home, Leo insisted that we stop off at the Siam centre to check out a Disney event. Unfortunately, the tickets were all sold out, but we had a look around the mall anyway.
By the time we got home, it was early evening, and we had a simple dinner of instant noodles at our apartment…all of us were too tired to face going out again and because we had been eating all afternoon at the market we only needed a light meal.
Home School Day
The following day, Leo and Anna did some work on their home school projects in the morning. Shaun was keen for a home day to catch up on admin so the plan had been to stay home, but I had been looking up free things to do in Bangkok and decided to take the kids for an outing to Lumphini Park. It was only a few stops away on the BTS and the kids were up for trying to spot some water monitor lizards in the park.
We were not disappointed! As soon as we began walking around the lake, we spotted the first of many lizards lazing by the water’s edge.
We made our way to the playground so Anna could have a play on it, while Leo headed straight for the outdoor exercise equipment.
After playing about there for a bit, the kids were eager to find out how much it would cost to hire a swan pedalo boat. When we arrived and asked, we were told it was free!
Needless to say, we quickly donned the life jackets handed to us by the cheerful attendants and took advantage of this bonus experience. I was impressed with Leo helping me pedal, rather than letting me do all the work, and Anna enjoyed sitting in the middle.
It was about 33 degrees, so after our swan lake experience, we finished off the rest of the 1.5l bottle of water I had bought from the 7/11 on the way there and went in search of food. The kids had been asking for McDonald’s since Bali, so I made good on the promise and got it for lunch…we had been on $5 for our total daily spend up until that point…the lunch took it to $35…western fast food is pricy here, which is why we try and stick to local food. Saying that, we REALLY enjoyed our Big Macs!
After lunch, we had a fun look around the nearby mall, and found another mall dedicated solely to golf! Of course, a video of this was quickly dispatched to Koro and Uncle Ben, who both would’ve been in their element. I was impressed with the array of women’s golfing polo shirts on offer…something I’ve had trouble finding at home. The only problem was that they were all tiny sizes, so I didn’t get one.
Leo enjoyed looking in this Japanese shop called Dondon: Donki. We first came across this chain in KL. The shop plays its own theme song over and over on repeat and is filled with bright lights and tons of products from Japan – it’s a sensorily overwhelming experience browsing this store! Leo also found himself a bargain next door with his new Yoshi plushie for 50 baht.
By the time we got home, it was around 4pm. After a swim in the pool and some downtime, we went out and found a local pad thai place for dinner, where each dish cost only 60 baht (NZ $2.50).
Our Big Tourist Day in Bangkok
The next morning, we got up early and left the apartment at 9am so we could fit in our planned itinerary for the day: the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun before checking out Asiatique, the riverfront market. We made sure we had the required long pants, smart shirts, and dresses covering our knees for entry into the Grand Palace and temples. I had shorts and a tank top stashed in my bag for later in the day when we were finished at the temples, and Shaun and Leo planned to put on their trousers when we arrived at the Palace as it was hot!
Getting to the Grand Palace
We decided that we would use the river as our main means of transport, and we got a Grab to the Pier near the Madarin Oriental Hotel. When we arrived, we jumped on the first boat we saw, because there was no one there to tell us where to go. It turned out to be a cross-river boat, which ferries people backwards and forwards across the river. We discovered this once we’d reached the other side and paid 20 baht…so back we went to our starting point.
Fortunately, an English speaking ex-pat who had boarded on the other side helped us out with instructions of how to get to the Grand Palace by boat. He suggested that we walk down to Sathorn Pier, which had more frequent boats than the one we were at and catch the orange public ferry from there. Off we went, and the walk took us about 10 minutes, with plenty of interesting city sights along the way, and so many delicious looking street food stalls, which is truly one of the highlights of Bangkok!
When we arrived at Sathorn Pier, there were several ticket counters…we approached the first one that a local guide directed us to when we asked for directions to the public boat. The ladies at the counter told us it would be 900 baht! Having done our research, we knew this was extortionate, so argued the price. The woman said that this was a better ‘express boat’ with no other stops…then offered us a ‘discounted’ price of 800 baht. We said no, we wanted the public boat, so, knowing the game was up, she pointed vaguely to another ticket counter. When we got there, a friendly local showed us where to get tickets for the orange line, and we paid our much more reasonable fare of 16 baht per person to the Grand Palace…that’s 64 baht in total…much cheaper than the rip-off tourist price of 800 baht! We often celebrate little victories like this. Shaun keeps score…..”That’s 1-0 to the experienced traveler today!”
We waited 10 minutes or so for the boat, and we knew straight away when it was about to arrive because the locals snapped into an orderly queue in the blink of an eye. On our way to Tha Chang Pier, we got to sit back and enjoy the breezy journey up the river, taking in the sights along the way.
The Grand Palace
Walking from the Pier to the Grand Palace was a delightful experience compared to the last time we went there about 20 years ago. There was an air-conditioned, underground subway so you could go across the road with ease. The tuk-tuk drivers are not allowed directly in front of the Palace entrance so you can walk peacefully to the entrance, without being hassled about where you are going or being told the Palace is closed (which is what happened last time we were there and we ended up going off on a tuktuk scam journey instead!). Upon entering the gates, there is a guard appraising people’s clothing: “Cover your arms!” “Trousers! No shorts!”. I was just relieved he didn’t have the standard issue, authoritarian whistle to match the commands. (Seriously, the intense whistle blowing around SEA, particularly by security guards in pick up/drop off zones has a piercing intensity that just makes you want to go and pull the thing out of the security guard’s mouth…not that I’d dare!). As I mentioned, we were fully prepared with our trousers and dresses, so the boys whipped into one of the changing cubicles to swap their shorts for trousers.
Anna and Leo enjoyed the water misting fans while Shaun paid for our tickets, and fortunately, yet again, we discovered that “the baby is free” so we didn’t need to pay for Anna. Once inside the first main courtyard, at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which is known to the Thai people as Wat Phra Kaew, we were amazed at the beauty of all the surrounding structures, including the giant golden stupa and towering Yaksha, or Demon Guardians. The temple itself is clad in intricate, glittering glass mosaic tiles, and the roof is covered in orange, green, and blue tiles. Gilt statues adorn the outer walls, and tinkling bells hang from the eves. The overall effect is of wonderment at the staggering beauty and intricacy of this architectural marvel.
Wat Phra Kaew is the main Buddhist temple in Thailand and houses the Emerald Buddha, which is thought to have been carved in the 16th century. Inside, the Emerald Buddha sits high up on a wooden throne in the ordination hall. It is carved from Jasper and is considered the oldest and most sacred Buddha in Thailand. Either side of the Emerald Buddha, two 3 metre high gold Buddha statues stand. Beautiful murals cover all the the surrounding walls and ceiling. Unfortunately we were not permitted to take photos inside the building.
From Wat Phra Kaew, we made our way around the rest of the Grand Palace, taking in the beautiful statues, gardens, and architecture. It is truly one of the most beautiful human-made places that we have visited in the world.
Streetfood Lunch
After a couple of hours walking around the Grand Palace, we were all pretty hungry and needed a wee rest before our afternoon temple visits, so we walked down towards Wat Pho and found this little pad thai place across the road.
At 50 baht (NZ$2.40) per portion, it was very cheap and also very yummy. Feeling nourished, we made our way to the entrance of Wat Pho.
Wat Pho
Wat Pho stands right next door to the Grand Palace and houses the famous Reclining Buddha, which is 46 metres long, and 15 meters high. We paid 200 baht entry each for Shaun, Leo and me. Once again, the baby was free.
The design of Wat Pho is architecturally impressive, with a huge range of chedis (the structures above) around the complex. There are also more than 1000 images of the Buddha throughout Wat Pho.
The Reclining Buddha is a beautiful sight to behold, resting in a temple adorned with intricately decorated walls and pillars.
The feet of the Reclining Buddha are inlaid with exquisite mother of pearl images.
These are just some of the many Buddha images throughout Wat Pho, surrounding the Bot, or Ordination Hall, at the centre of the complex.
Wat Arun
After spending some time in the Ordination Hall at Wat Pho, we crossed the river on the barge to visit Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn. The huge main prang, or spire, of this temple is clearly visible as you pass it on the river, and all of the spires are covered with beautiful, decorative porcelain.
The entry fees throughout the day got cheaper as we went…here we only paid 100 baht each for Shaun and I, and this time, both the babies were free!
Inside this temple, we came across a monk offering blessings. Leo was keen to part with 40 baht of his pocket money as a donation after he, Anna and I were each given a red bracelet with a blessing for happiness from the monk.
After we walked up the steps of the main spire, we made our way to the Pier to catch the boat down to Asiatique, the riverfront market, recommended by my friend Clare.
Asiatique Riverfront Market
The tourist boat down the river cost 120 baht for the four of us, and we all enjoyed the chance to sit down properly and take in the view from the river. Anna enjoyed being on the top deck, right up the front.
As we approached Asiatique, the huge ferris wheel loomed above us. We went to find somewhere to sit down for a cold drink and a bathroom so we could all get changed back into our shorts. While we were sitting at our table in the food court, Leo spotted a ghost train and went to investigate the price. He came back very excited, so once we had all finished our drinks, and gotten changed, Shaun took Leo on the ghost train.
Meanwhile, Anna had seen a group of Chinese tourists’ kids getting the biggest candy floss sticks ever, and suggested that since Leo was getting a treat, perhaps she might too? I figured that Leo could help her out with the sugar consumption if needed, so we lined up. Anna was exceptionally pleased with the result! It was also very light cotton candy, so it disappeared pretty quickly.
As it got dark, we looked around the main market buildings before beginning to feel hungry, so we headed out across the road in search of streetfood stalls. We were not disappointed, finding a wide variety of options. We shared some dumplings from one stall, before finding a roti place further along. Here we each ordered roti; Shaun and I got roti with chicken curry gravy, and the kids got crispy roti. It was reminiscent of the fluffy yet crisp roti we’d enjoyed in Malaysia.
We were still a little peckish after this so found another stall that did chicken, vege and rice stirfry, so that was our next dish.
Feeling pleasantly full, we made our way back up the road where we ordered a Grab to take us back to our apartment. It had been a 16,000 step day, and we all slept very well that night!
Last Day in Bangkok (for now)
We used our last day in the apartment to catch up on washing, do some blogging, home school, and travel admin. The kids really enjoy these ‘home days’, especially after busy tourist adventure days. They are such an important part of doing a big trip like this, and having these days also means we don’t spend as much, helping us stick to our budget. Later in the afternoon, Leo’s Bluetooth headphones broke so off we went to the Big C to find a cheap replacement pair. I quite enjoyed my late afternoon excursion with Leo…he was great company and very pleased to find a bargain pair of headphones!
That evening, we packed up our things, ready to move on to Koh Samet the next day.
Giving Places a Second Chance
At the end of our lovely few days in Bangkok, Shaun and I reflected on our previous impressions and opinions of the city, which were not at all favourable. We remembered it as a seedy, stinky, polluted city where a scam was waiting for you on every second street corner. I’m not sure if this is because the stopover hotels booked by our travel agent years ago were in those kind of areas, or if the city has simply evolved with the times.
This time we found Bangkok more organised. It’s a lot cleaner than we remember and more friendly. Perhaps there’s been a bit of a crack down on tourist scammers too. We weren’t once asked to go to a “cousin’s jewellery store” and every tuk tuk driver we used actually took us exactly where we asked to go!
We’re so pleased that we listened to friends like Clare and gave it another chance. The street food and overall vibe was outstanding. After this stay, we can definitely see and feel the magic!
Off On Our Next Adventure 
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