FIRST TIME IN BANGKOK – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Μπανγκόκ - Bangkok

Bangkok is the stunning capital of Thailand, where you’ll find huge buildings, rivers and an entire floating city.

But let’s take it from the beginning. From Greece, the shortest way to travel to Thailand is via Singapore or Doha. The population of Bangkok is about 10 million people, almost as much as all of Greece!

Bangkok is a vibrant city that combines everything. It has skyscrapers, but also small old houses on top of each other, it has smells and street food on every street corner, but also countless restaurants with local and not so local cuisine. In Bangkok one thing is for sure, you will enjoy good food. The choices are endless and the dishes are delicious.

Somewhere here I should note that the weather in Bangkok it’s hot with a lot of humidity and sometimes the atmosphere becomes unbearable. But the walks to the Buddhist temples, Chinatown and the flower market make up for it.

Bangkok for beginners

First time in Bangkok? The list of things to do is long. But let’s summarize the best ones.

You’ll start exploring Bangkok from the Grand Palace, one of the city’s major attractions. The royal palace was built in 1782 and now part of it is open to the public.

On days when the king or a member of the royal family visits the palace, then Grand Palace is closed for public.

You will also enter the Temple of Emerald Buddha, an impressive place but inside which photographs are forbidden.

The ticket costs around 15 euros.

Outside the palace, in a very short distance away you will find the iconic Wat Fo Temple, inside which is a huge Buddha, the third largest in Thailand. And if you’re thinking if it’s worth going, I’ll say yes because it’s something unique. You don’t have everyday the chance to see a 46-metre Buddha statue.

Next to the Chao Praya River you’ll also find the Wat Arun Temple, which is accessible by boat from the river. It won’t take you long to get around it, it’s a relatively small temple, but the building is so impressive. 

Tip: In the afternoon, go and enjoy a cocktail from the rooftop of the Sala Arun Hotel overlooking Wat Arun Temple. The scenery especially at sunset is unique.

Canal tour and Flower Market  

One of the best activities you can do in Bangkok is the canal tour, a ride on the river in their long boats, which are decorated with flowers for good luck.

We passed by houses built by the water, several temples and stopped to feed the fish.

In addition to the river tour, you will definitely take a stroll to Pak Khlong Talat, the bustling flower market. There you will find a wide variety of flowers, fruits and vegetables.

Jim Thompson’s house museum

Known as the “King of Thai Silk”, Jim Thompson was an American who settled in Thailand and built a beautiful wooden house surrounded by many plants. 

On May 26, 1967 Jim Thompson disappeared on a trip to Malaysia and has not been seen since. Now his house is a museum and is open to the public.

You’ll see how carefully he had every detail of his home designed and learn how he lived before he disappeared.

TukTuk Street Food Tour and walk around Chinatown

A must do activity in Bangkok is to take a TukTuk street food tour to get the most out of the pulse of the city.

Our tour lasted about 4 hours and had six stops for food. We started at a shop where the locals eat and saw how they cook the famous papaya salad, among other things. I was impressed by their garlic, which has tiny cloves compared to the one we use in Greece (the Chinese one).

We then boarded our TukTuk and went to the second stop, a fantastic little yellow shop that unfortunately I didn’t remember the name as it was only in their language and was a little fruit paradise.

There we had the most delicious mango with sticky rice (the most famous dessert in the country) and the best baby pineapple. We also tried cool shrimp salad, a fruit like our own grapefruit and peanuts, which balanced out the sweetness of the fruit.

We continued our Street Food Tour to the charming Chinatown, where we ate at two places. Chinatown is definitely a must visit beyond the tour, get lost and become one with the crowd, walk around and try dishes from the countless stands there.

Our next stop was Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai, a Michelin-listed dish shop. It is fried noodles with chicken and egg. We also had fried chicken and won ton with pork. Everything was delicious.

Our last stop was at a rooftop for cocktails with a spectacular view of Wat Arun Temple, before we boarded the TukTuk and were driven back to our hotel.

Accommodation at The Salil Hotel Riverside and massage at the Oasis Spa

If you want to stay in a luxurious hotel with all the amenities in Bangkok, then you’ll want to choose The Salil Hotel Riverside, which is located by the river. 

It’s a huge complex of three buildings, where you’ll find a spa, a large swimming pool, a gym and the therapy pool on the hotel’s rooftop with panoramic views of the city.

The rooms are spacious with an impressive design. In fact, each floor has a different colour scheme, so the rooms are unique. The room I had was pink and had a huge bed for the most comfortable sleeps.

The breakfast had options for the most demanding guests. From eggs, salads, waffles and pancakes, to Thai dishes such as noodles, rice, chicken, sushi and pork. 

Aside from the accommodation, it’s important to relax on your holiday. And what’s the best way to relax in Thailand? Of course, massage, something the country is famous for.

For a massage you’ll head to the Oasis Spa, a place where you’ll already feel calmer as soon as you step foot. A relaxing oasis in the centre of Bangkok. As soon as we arrived we were greeted with tea and a cold towel. After a two-hour relaxing massage, the smiling staff will offer you another tea and you’ll leave feeling refreshed.

Shopping at Chatuchak Weekend Market and Asiatique The Riverfront

If you go to Bangkok, you obviously won’t come back empty-handed. If you’re in the mood for shopping you’ll head to Chatuchak Market, which is only open on Saturdays and Sundays, and Asiatique The Riverfront, a market with 1,500 shops! Make sure to bring cash and be prepared for some solid bargains!

Except for shopping at Asiatique, you’ll find many restaurants, ice cream shops and fresh fruit shops.

From there, you can take one of the boats that take a night cruise, with food, drinks and dancing.

What you need to know before your trip to Thailand

  • Thailand’s currency is the baht, 1 euro is about 36 baht.
  • You’ll need eSIM or local SIM for roaming in Thailand. I bought mine from Airalo app. Use the code ELENI4690 for 3€ discount.
  • To enter the Buddhist temples, and the Grand Palace you must be properly dressed. Have your shoulders and legs covered, do not wear short shorts and skirts.
  • In Thailand, drive on the right side, as in England.
  • The country’s climate is tropical. It can be very hot, but you should always carry an umbrella for a possible rain, especially during the monsoon season.
  • Visa exemption is granted to Greek citizens arriving by air, provided they have proof of onward or return travel within 30 days.

 If you want to see more about my trip in Bangkok, check my Instagram profile.

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