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Published: November 12th 2005
Bangkok 2005
MBK - shopping and our favorite food court heheGETTING THERE
1. We took the Philippine Airlines Swingaround package and it was pretty neat. I spent P17,324 for a 5n-6d trip, inclusive of travel tax (P1620) and terminal fee (P550). The convenience of free daily breakfast, private transfers to and from the airport and the half-day tour more than made it worthwhile.
2. Pack light because only 20 kilos of baggage are allowed. For handcarry, maximum of 6 kilos. Don't bother bringing home anything live or fresh (fruits, flowers, etc.) because they will not be allowed in by NAIA.
3. Bangkok is stiflingly hot (as in! I was popping Dolfenal like crazy!) so make sure to bring light clothes. Note though that you have to dress appropriately to enter temples. No sleeveless shirts and shorts allowed. In the Royal Palace, closed shoes and pants only. A very good pair of walking shoes / slippers is a must (my Havaianas gave up!).
4. I was ill-advised by a friend to change my money at the airport because the rates there are uniform regardless of bank. Well, for one, the currency exchange machines don't take $100 bills so I had to line up at the manned counters. Second,
Bangkok 2005
Small shrines tucked in every corner of the city I lost out on money because it turned out that the exchange rate there is at least .50 Bht lower. One thing that amazed me in BKK is the e-currency counters which are always beside ATM machines. They're everywhere! Choose the ones affiliated with banks (indicated in the neon sign) because the private ones have very, very low rates.
5. For those part of tour groups, the pick-up area is on the left end after you go down from the luggage carousel area. Just look for your or your companions' names in the placards. They will not list down all the names (like they only listed down my bf's surname) so make sure you look around well.
6. To survive in BKK, GET A MAP in the airport. Get the 2005 special edition because that's the most complete (yes, I picked up all the map versions I saw and compared them all and realized that some are putol). Note that except for BTS/MRT guards and the hotel staff, locals you would meet in the street wouldn't understand English. Inquiries can be very frustrating, even with cab drivers. Even if you write it down, remember that they have a
Bangkok 2005
Here's another different alphabet so they wouldn't be able to read it also.
ACCOMMODATIONS
1. The rooms in Baiyoke Suite were big but it was musty and old, with dirty carpeting and windows that were locked. And because it works on a decentralized system (where you slot your keychain to activate electricity), the heat can be overwhelming especially when you've just turned on the aircon. I would literally sweat buckets before the aircon starts to work.
On the upside, the bath tub works, hot water is consistent, there's a ref, cable TV (even if I can only understand CNN and Discovery), free coffee / tea / mineral water everyday. Towels are thick and clean, so are the sheets.
Breakfast sucks but it's free so...
One thing I don't like about this hotel is that they don't have a service elevator so you would have the food carts and the luggage carts crowding with you and the other passengers in the elevators. Malas pa talaga if mga kasama mo yucky ang amoy tapos siksik to the max kayo! Ewww!
I was at first pretty excited that it's in the middle of the Pratunam market (as in Divi!)
Bangkok 2005
View from Baiyoke Suite restaurant (a smoggy morning) but got tired of it soon. No peace for the Baiyoke guest. It's dirty, magulo, maingay. It's in the same area as Baiyoke Sky, First House and Indra Regent so steer clear of these hotels if you want a "proper" hotel.
2. If you really want to stay in the Pratunam area, Amari Watergate seems a saner choice (albeit more expensive). First Hotel is ok but it's a 10-15 minute walk from the Pratunam market already.
3. However, given that I've checked out all the hotel clusters in the area, my top choice if and when I visit again would be Intercontinental Bangkok or Holiday Inn. It's a hop from the BTS, across you have Central World/Isetan, further ahead you have MBK/Siam Center/Discovery all accessible via BTS or walkway, to the right you have BigC, etc. and Pratunam.
4. I've seen the posh hotels at the Riverside also but somehow I don't find the location attractive especially if you're going shopping. By the river you have Mandarin, Peninsula, Shangri-la, etc. Yung Peninsula you have to cross the river pa just to get anywhere.
GETTING AROUND
1. I love the MRT! It's so sosyal and high-tech!
Bangkok 2005
The Golden Buddha My bf said it's so much better than other Asian countries' train system, even the subways in the US. Anyway, medyo mahal siya and not included in the one-day ride-all-you-can pass of MRT pero love ko pa rin siya! Plus, the guards were very helpful, British accent pa hahaha
The BTS is also amazing! What's great about the BTS is that 1) it interconnects with the MRT 2) the Silom and Sukhumvit lines interconnect at points 3) it punches through most malls 4) it interconnects with walkways 5) it interconnects with the Sathorn river pier! You can literally travel end to end without your feet touching the sidewalk! Basta ang galing!
In fact, the day before we left, we bought a Bht100 one-day pass, studied the map, and went to all the malls na may katabing BTS station! From Emporium to the Silom area malls, even Pat Pong... Last stop namin is the station connecting to the Sathorn pier where we went cruising down the Chao Phraya on our own!
2. The Chao Phraya River Express is a must. Don't go on tours anymore, masyado mahal. Just study the map and decide which station is nearest your
Bangkok 2005
The Golden Buddha was originally covered in cement to avoid confiscation. point of interest. We wanted to see Temple of Dawn so we said Station 8. For Bht12, there's no better way to go From Station 8, you can also go to Wat Po and the Royal Palace (which was unfortunately closed when we went there as it was a Monday) and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
One-day ride-all-you-can pass is Bht75.
3. The canal (klong) boats are also exciting but this one is challenging. Para siyang jeep na nasa ledge ka pa lang, umaandar na ulit! The first time we road one, we took the wrong one so we ended up at Klongton Bridge which was the last station in the map -- in the wrong end! The upside was that I discovered The Mall which was very nice and cozy, it's actually become my favorite mall in BKK. It's not even on the maps anymore! If you want to find it, ride the klong boat at Pratunam station and go down at Klongton station.
4. Taxis are ok but the traffic is sooo bad it could get expensive. Red/blue ones are privately-owned, green/yellow ones are government-owned.
5. Buses are a cheap way to go
around too, if only you could find someone who will run you down which bus numbers go where. Our tour guide was a real cheapie -- if we asked her about a place, she would give the bus number to look for, give us the fares and recommend we ride on the non-aircon one (Bht2-4 lang ang diff) hehe. We went to Chatuchak via bus definitely no English for bus drivers and conductors.
6. Stay away from tuktuks and motorcycles (as in parang habal-habal sa probinsiya)! They're expensive and they drive like madmen!
FOOD
We took your advices to heart and didn't stop searching until we get to eat the following:
1. Gateaux Pastries (MBK) -- The eclairs are soooo good! The chocolate bread is also yummy but the custard cream bread is not so good Didn't get to try the other stuff though. It's BreadTalk style but cheaper.
2. Swensen's Ice Cream (they're everywhere) -- My bf said his flavor was good. Mine was ewwk. Whatever you do, stay away from the sherbets.
3. S&P restaurant (Pantip Plaza) -- Very good Pad Thai but at Bht75, relatively expensive already. Three-flavored fried noodles was
Bangkok 2005
I love Thai coconuts! yucky.
Our discoveries:
4. Indra Plaza foodcourt -- Cheapest Sticky Rice with Mango at Bht60 (mahirap pala hanapin to ha... hindi siya ganun ka-popular maybe because mango is expensive), good Bagoong Fried Rice and Noodles with Barbecued Pork.
5. Watergate Regent hotel serves good Chicken Tikka at Bht120, good for two puro bumbay nga lang kasama mo sa resto kaya medyo kakatakot.
6. Prayyathai Seafood -- Darned taxi driver said he will bring us to "cheap seafood" but brought us here! The pandudugas cost us Bht800 for a meal of green chicken curry and fried rice! 2 lang kami! But the curry was the best I've tasted anywhere hands-down. We were eating it morning noon and night in our room kasi sobrang dami (at para makatipid dahil grabe yung Bht800 na yun no!).
7. The best value though is MBK food court. The two of us could eat here with less than a hundred baht and the food is good too. Malinis pa and airconditioned and lots of seats. Must try is Tom Yum soup (Bht70), Pad Thai (Bht35), Noodles with Braised Pork (Bht35), Bagoong Fried Rice (Bht40) and the Thai halo-halo (mix your own
Bangkok 2005
Modern monks -- check out the monk with the cellphone :) -- Bht20 for 3 kinds -- love the water chestnuts!). The stalls are laid out in a row with neon signs indicating the specialty of each stall -- in English. So if you feel like Indian food, go to C25, ganun...
8. COCONUTS! We just loved their coconuts! It's different from ours, para siyang niyog ang itsura. Super sarap talaga! They serve it cold, with straw (as they do most drinks here, kahit sa grocery bili ka mineral water or green tea bibigyan ka ng straw), costs Bht10 each (in touristy areas, it's Bht15, dugas hmmp). I've never drank so much coconut juice in my entire life! The best talaga!
SHOPPING
1. My first two days were kinda disappointing because the stuff in the markets are pang-Divi talaga. Even the stuff sold in MBK are the same. More of the same everywhere you go. Even Chatuchak was a let-down because if you're buying 1 pc. lang, the prices would turn out to be more expensive than Divisoria. You'll get the best bargains if you buy wholesale (check how many pcs ang wholesale nila -- for most it's 3 pcs up). For example, long-sleeves for girls would retail
Bangkok 2005
That's a huge golden chicken! at Bht250 but if you buy three biglang magiging Bht150 na lang. What I ended up buying are the one-of-a-kind oriental/exotic outfits you don't normally find here.
2. Best deals in shopping were:
- Wacoal undies (bras start at Bht250+, panties at Bht90 only!)
- Naturalizer (I got two super-comfy walking shoes for only Bht850 each! I saw them here and they were selling for P3500 each!)
- Speedo (one-piece suits on sale sell at Bht500 and two-piece suits sell at Bht800+ -- whereas here they would sell top & bottom separately at P1000+ each)
- Pseudo-leather bags at Bht199
- Sampaloc at Bht90/kilo at Big C
- Retro polos for men at Bht100 (if you buy 3 up)
- Beaded clutches at Bht250 (if you buy 3 up) but these are small (as in cellphone lang malalagay mo sa loob) I didn't buy one anymore. I just know that it's a good buy because these fully-beaded stuff sell like gold here!
- Gems! Kahit masama loob ko sa "sapilitan" pagbili sa Gems factory, I was happy with what I bought: real Ruby studs for Bht1600 and real Emerald studs for Bht900 for my mom. Ganda niya When
you go there, just go straight to the counter at the left near the bags and crafts area. Nandun lang ang mga mura.
SIGHT-SEEING
1. The Golden Buddha was pretty amazing. So is the Reclining Buddha. I do think though that you would appreciate the temples better if you have a tour guide because they have all the info. Like, without the guide, I wouldn't have known that those pagodas are actually tombs. And that Rama IV's pagoda is different because it's the only one with a reflection room. And that the Buddhas have 7 depictions/positions, one for each day of the week. And that the white in Buddha eyes is mother-of-pearl. Stuff like that.
2. The Temple of Dawn was breathtaking.
3. Believe it or not, the Gems factory was a pretty good sight-seeing spot. The jewelry pieces are beautiful! Nakakaloka ang mga gems, such colors and shine! Basta ang gaganda!
4. The Hindu gods you find in plazas, etc. are a curious watch. Wala lang, nice to observe how the locals worship and what offerings each god gets (they differ per god).
5. Forget the Leather factory. It pangit plus it's super
Bangkok 2005
The Reclining Buddha expensive. Our Fino is so much better.
6. We never were able to see Patpong at night (remember the taxi driver who brought us to that ridiculously expensive resto? well, he refused to take us to Patpong -- too early pa daw, it was 7:30pm -- he practically kidnapped us!) but we saw it during the day. Looked very sleazy even during the day so unless you're really hankering for some of THAT kind of action, stay away. By the way, it's the only place in Bangkok where you find signs saying "Beware of pickpockets.". That about sums up the place right?
OTHERS
1. Must-try: famous Thai massage. It's dry massage and well uhm, highly participative. Not the kind where you can sleep through the entire thing. In our excitement to experience it, we went to this "spa" that looked ok in front. Price was Bht300 for whole body massage, 1 hour. Mahal pala yun kasi ang normal price pala is Bht149 per hour lang. Anyway, this place looked decent so we went through it. Until we were led upstairs. Sus, sleazy ang place. Going up, we pass through a kitchen and dirty linen and clothes of
Bangkok 2005
The Reclining Buddha the staff were strewn everywhere... kadiri. We were led to a hall -- in the right, there are "private" rooms. The left wing is a long room with mattresses on the floor and curtain dividers. Yun na yun, game na.
Anyway, I survived the massage (masarap naman siya in fairness, di masakit sa katawan the day after) even if our two masahistas were chatting like crazy the entire time. Ubo pa ng ubo yung sa bf ko kadiri. What's irritating was that 2 seconds after the massage, they both said "Tip". She hostaged my clothes! Didn't hand me my clothes until we gave them tips. Bad girls tsk tsk.
2. Churches: There are more Christian churches in BKK than Catholic churches. Found my congregation's church in BKK in a quiet residential area. We went looking for the Don Bosco church but unfortunately, they had no English mass there. Only Thai and Korean.
The only church which has English service is the Holy Redeemer. English mass is at 11am.
3. 7-11 stores abound so no problem if you need toiletries, drinks, etc. in a jiffy. Buy your mineral water at the bigger supermarkets -- the 1L bottle
Bangkok 2005
Pagodas of Ramas I - IV only costs Bht10 whereas vendors and restos would sell the really small ones at Bht15.
4. Very few pharmacies so bring your own emergency medicine if possible.
5. Lastly, I never got used to traffic being on the left side of the street. Practice this: when crossing, look to the right first before the left! Beware of motorcycles -- sa lahat ng sasakyan sa BKK, sila ang mga pinaka-walang pakundangan! Talagang hindi ka hihintuan!
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Rene Montalbo
non-member comment
Very helpful indeed
Ur guide is great Che! especially coming from a pinay...finally a pinay's point of view! thanks a lot for this...me and my family are going to bkk at the end of oct and we will surely take ur suggestions with us :)