Thailand First Stop Bangkok
- First to the Airport link train into Bangkok CBD:
As we travelled on the train into Bangkok Penny who was last
here in 1970 and 1971 can't believe the development as there were no
trains, no high rises and no industry and commerce here when she last
visited. We now stuffed up. Should have studied the
stations where the overhead rail and the Metro meet. Got off at
the wrong station. Confusion as we try to find a Metro and
descend to the street surrounded by Tuk Tuk drivers offering a ride in
a cramped open Tuk Tuk in scorching heat and humidity. 200
Baht for a ride reduced to 150 Baht?? No room for legs or cases.
Try to hail a taxi one comes eventually and the guy speaks good
English, air conditioned as well. Drops us at the Quarter
Hualangphong Hotel front door in the Chinese Quarter, Central Bangkok
for only 75 Baht. Careful of the Tuk Tuk drivers!!!
- Our first night:
Beware of getting lost. Bangkok is a teaming city,
relatively clean but doesn't seem quite orderly as we believe it's
grown so fast to around 11 million people and counting. We
eventually found a good street side bar and restaurant but got lost the
third time we tried to visit, much to Penny's consternation.
- Second day in Bangkok: We visited the weekend market at Chatuchak,
follow this link. Listed as the biggest weekend market in the
world most of it undercover which is good considering the heat.
Possibly everything your heart desires. Jewellery, lots of
clothes, shoes, handbags, maybe computer stuff and phones etc. and lots
of food stalls. You can easily spend a whole day there. We
also had a great foot massage there and some lunch.
- Third day at The Reclining Buddha and The Grand Palace:
Travel there by Metro. You'll find the nearest station
through map apps etc. You can either walk to them, ferry to them
or use taxi or Tuk Tuk. Magnificent Gold Buddha and numerous
temples and palaces in the complexes, allow at least a full day.
Both places in reasonable walking distance of each other.
The Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles [well worth a visit] is
within the Grand Palace Complex. Both places dress is long pants
and covered shoulders. Buy at shops for around 100 Baht.
- Fourth day:
A visit to the Chinese Market. Again check it on map apps
for the nearest Metro. Another very large market with lots to buy
and mostly undercover. A lot of stalls are wholesale and have
different prices for one piece and multiple pieces. Fairly good
prices and lots of jewellery, clothing, shoes, bags, all kinds of stuff.
- Fifth day:
We walked from our hotel along the river to Ratchawong
Jetty [near the Chinese Market] and travelled up the river to The
Royal Barges Museum. Well worth the visit as these magnificent
barges have some very rich history of their use over several centuries
of the royal rule and their uses. Use your map apps to get there
independently as there are many small roads and passages to walk
through from Phra Pinklao Bridge. There is no public jetty there
only a tour boat jetty.
- Sixth day:
If you're interested in enormous shopping centers visit the
Iconsiam on the Chao Praya River. If your hotel is on the China
town side there is a free ferry ride across to it and back. Magnificent
shopping centre with all the major world brands and even cars for sale.
The position gives a panoramic view across the river to most of
Bangkok with a great photo opportunity. Also a good hairdressing and beauty salon in Sukhumvit is The Dee Salon. Penny went there for a haircut and back there for a facial. Great price and good hairstyling and facial.
- Seventh day:
We returned to The Grand Palace to see The Queen Sirikit Museum
of Textiles. As mentioned before a wonderful wander through the
history and photographs of The Queen's personal promotion of Thai silk
to the world. Returned underground, away from the heat, to the
jetty and about two stops to another jetty close to the Metro.
- Next place Ayutthaya:
Former capital of Thailand. Travel by train from the
original train station at Hualangphong. Very slow train, no air
conditioning but a great view of the country along the way.
- Arrive Ayutthaya:
No buses.trains or metro. Either taxi ute or tuk tuk.
Travel to the old island city should be 100 Baht. Somewhat
disappointing and uncared for but walking around the old temples was
worth the visit. Mostly ruins now but well documented on the
various sites. Walk to the sites or use the taxi or tuk tuk but
checkout the price. Founded in 1350 and eventually seceded
by Bangkok in the late 18th century. Have to mention the hotel we
stayed at on the island. P.U. Resort run by owner Pu and her
daughter. Spotlessly clean and a pool to cool down. Great.
Markets a little disappointing with some good selections of food
and other stuff. Restaurants and Cafes you need to research and
walk to or use transport.
- Next place Chiang Mai by train:
Book early as trains seem to be booked out regularly. We
eventually managed to get air conditioned beds on the night train
because of a cancellation. Arrived in Chiang Mai at 5am.
- Chiang Mai:
Very different place again, the old city is on an island with
several of the original walls in part sections all around, as we walked
the whole island. Also we managed to get a hotel in the old city.
Beautifully decorated bridges all along the river and still quite
a number of old buildings or their facades still there. Lots and
lots of temples wherever you walk including the silver temple complex
which contains other temples and buildings. Also some lovely
parks including the Nong Buak, which is a great place for kids with
lots of cartoon characters. Markets and night markets are very
extensive and prices we found at times were dearer than some shops.
Just haggle and see how you go.
- Day Trips from Chiang Mai:
These are small group trips in a mini-bus. First one a day
trip to Thailand highest point and a few stops along the way with Wendy Tours with a great guide and driver, Koon and Aye.
First stop Wachirathan Waterfall. Magnificent and quite
daunting. Onto the Doi Inthanon National Park {check out the link to their website}. Holy Pagoda,
some interesting history, beautiful landscape and gardens also great
views on a clear day, which unfortunately we didn't get. From
there up a little higher to the actual highest point 2,565 mtrs.
Included a very good lunch in a mountain village complex. Next one was to The Elephant Nature Park
{check out the link to their website}. Quite expensive at around
AUD$100 per person includes transport and lunch for a full day.
No personal contact with the elephants but a good stroll around
the sanctuary with a guide and good running commentary on the place
itself. Not only elephants but also rescue dogs, cats, buffalo,
horses and possibly other animals as well.
- Last day in Chiang Mai: We just had a wander around the whole of the old city island past the old city walls in every corner.
- Bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai: Not
too hard to book as they are fairly regular. Check the times
online. Travel to bus station terminal 3 and book at the station.
- Arrive Chiang Rai: We decided to walk
to our hotel as Google Maps said it was only about 10 to 15 minutes
walk. Accurate, but we should have studied it a little better as
the small road we needed was a little hard to find. Study Google
Maps well! Baan Soontree Resort.
Great hotel like a small resort. Good for a short or long
stay.
We had a good wander around the city but not a lot to see apart
from the Golden Clock Tower if you're walking. Only had a look in the
day time but apparently good to see lit up at night. Quite an
industrial and commercial place with big warehouses, but in the middle
of the city a very good night market partly set up at and near the bus
station. Good food and lots of different stalls. The
position of Chiang Rai is perfect for a tour to several other places
within the city and to The Golden Triangle. We booked with a
small group and had a very full day with lunch vis: Black Dragon Tours
with a great driver and tour guide Poffy {pronunciation not spelling?}
8 different places check out the aforementioned Facebook page. A
really good look at the northern parts of Thailand and The Opium Museum, plus for us and
another couple a boat ride on the Mekong River. We managed to book the
bus to Lampang online with the help of the hotel staff. Regular
service but fairly well booked out.
- Arrive Lampang:
From memory I think we travelled to the hotel by taxi and back.
Also booked the next leg to Tak at the bus station before we left
Previously
a major logging city with warehouses along the river mostly converted
to bars, restaurants and sometimes residential and commercial as well.
Several good museums there giving you a candid history of the
city and the province. We took a ride in a traditional horse
drawn carriage giving a good tour around the city and arriving at The
Bhumi Lakhon Museum. Then a fairly easy walk back to the river
and a bar and the hotel seeing more of the city along the way.
There's also a good night market along the river front with all
kinds of clothes, nik naks, jewellery, a few second hand goods, lots
of food and so forth.
- Arrive Tak:
Again we booked the bus to Bangkok on arrival. Here we
booked into the Viang Tak Riverside Hotel, very good breakfast. Good position on the
river but a little out of the way from the CBD. No taxis at the
bus station only very small Tuk Tuks. A mini bus driver took pity
on us and for a fee drove us to the hotel. Not much happening
here and nowhere to eat but the hotel or pizza takeaway and some street
food we weren't too sure of. Interesting market stalls
around. A good walk around and over a very shaky suspension
bridge.
- Arrive back into Bangkok by bus:
Staying again at The Quarter again. Easy way to get there,
by public bus to the Metro. Suggestion: The Quarter, if
staying for a long period book a city view suite and pay the extra.
The other rooms only have a small window and look out at an
enclosed car park or wall.
- Last days in Bangkok:
We'd promised ourselves that we'd visit the Golden Mount Temple.
Various websites but aforementioned gives some photos and good
information. Probably one of the best views of Bangkok and easily
reached by
Metro and a short walk. Built in 1467 during the Ayutthaya period
the monument is a climb of 344 stairs but well worth the effort to see
the Golden Chedi and everything else along the way plus the panoramic
view as well. So glad we made the effort. We spent a little
time at some markets and shopping centres again. Also on the last
day a jump on and jump off boat ride along the river for a very
reasonable price, again from the Ratchawong Jetty and back. Get
off and on as much as you like for the whole day.
- Fly out: Again,
if you're going to the airport via the metro make sure you get off at a
station that can easily access the overhead airport line.
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