Traveling to
Hotel Booking:
Hotel booking was done via online booking, Precision
Reservation (http://www.precisionreservations.com/). There are thousands or
more online reservations now a days, but I found this website offering the
cheapest. The only thing to be aware is that they are charging you in RM
although the transaction (room rate) is done in USD. The exchange rate is lower
than the market rate. They charged me RM4:USD1, which differ from the market
rate of RM3.80:USD1. However they are willing to make a refund of that
difference if you complain. I’ve made two online reservations with them and the
same thing happened to me. The previous was a trip to
Tips #3: Take a map with you through out the holiday, don't be afraid to look like a tourist, you are going to need it a lot. The one offered FOC in the airport arrival hall is quite good, better than the hotel's.
Wat Traimit - Nothing more than a temple. Someone was having a funeral when I walked in that temple, spend no more than 5 mins there. Later I heard that there's a golden buddha in there, not sure though.
These two photos were taken near Wat Traimit. Bangkok Railway Station is in walking distance. If you think you want to come here, take MRT to Hua Lamphong.
Hua Lam Pong Railway Station, I'll call it Bangkok Railway Station since it's the only railway station in Bangkok city center.
China Town. Walking here from Hua Lamphong MRT is kinda painful. It's about 30 mins walking distance. What you find here are shops selling all those Chinese tradisional stuff: Wedding Bed Sheet, herbal medicine, China fabrics and others. Just like Petaling Street in KL.
You will be surprised that very few of them speak Chinese, at least none of the peope I met there. They speak very little English though. My wife was seraching for "Thailand Agar-agar" but none of the shop keeper knows what we want. And of course we didn't get what we want.
On the way to Floating Market, there were stores selling salt. Just like people selling Durian on road side in Malaysia. Salt is packed is a big bag, I guess it's about 5kg or more.
This is a "salt mountain". According to the taxi driver, this area is very famous of producing salt. I wonder what happen when it rains. The taxi driver couldn't answer my question. It seems he has never thought of that...
The Floating Market - Not to be confused with the one in Bangkok. This Floating Market is about 150km away from Bangkok. Even taking a taxi to here is painful. You can choose to take bus, as stated in a travel guide available in hotel, but I was lucky enough not to choose that way.
Arrangement from hotel to this place will cost you TB2000. I took a taxi from Hua Lam Pong Railway Station, and the taxi driver offered me a return ride, plus a visit to Rose Garden for TB1500. however, I ended up paying him about TB1800 when he demanded more after the trip.
I was brought to a place to rent a motorized boat for TB1000, only later to find out that non-motorized boat at other areas only cost TB500. Damn the taxi driver, he must have earned commision on that.
It was a great experience, where most photos were taken here in this Bangkok trip. Floating Market, as it's named, is a market floating on river. People were selling souveniers, food, coconut, vegetables and fruits on either boats or both river side.
Thai Coconut is cheap at TB20. A snack look like "Apam-Balik", only smaller, is delicious, at TB20. You can even buy soup noodles from river side at TB25. Being a tourist area, food and drink is consider cheap.
Some part of the river is crowded with boats and tourist.
Shirt being sold at river side.
The woman is selling "Look Yau" (Cantonese).
One of the crowded part of the market.
Soup noodles anyone?
Not really tasty. Sugar, salt and some unknown spices are added into the noodle. You can have it dry or wet. Portion is small. I saw a Mat Saleh having 5 bowls stacking in front of him, and he's still eating. Either he loves the taste, or he's really starving.
Another hawker on the boat.
Orchid and other flowers are sold on boat too.
Look what's she doing? Satay on boat? Wow! You will never get this in Kajang.
A child is taking a bath on a boat, using water from the river. This has shown how poor the family is.
Houses were seen along the river. Boat is the major transportation vehicle here.
I visited Rose Garden (TB400/pax - not too remember) after Floating Market, another 30 mins ride. Rose Garden is a culture complex with tradisional show, elephant show, and sourvenier shops. Not really worth the TB400 paid.
Thai traditional umbrella. Quite expensive at TB300. I took photos only, FOC :)
Elephant show. Nothing special. I've seen similar show in Singapore Zoo.
Robinson Shopping Complex. Cloths no cheaper than KL.
OI SHI - I had 3 meals here. Due to running low on cash, I had to use more on credit card. This is a japanese restaurant with less sushi option, but more on Thai dishes. A dish of noodle with prawns and squids only cost TB70. Not expensive.
Local food - Fried kuew tiow with prawns. Packed with a pack of seasoning and vegetable. TB40
Local food - Meat ball, you don't want to taste it, trust me. TB20
Local food - Not really sure if locals are buying. Pick and mix, you have a choice of worm, grass hopper and some unknown insects!
Other places of interest that I've been:
Chatuchak Market - A very big Day Market on weekend, also known as Weekend Market. I'm not sure if it opens on weekday. You can buy Bangkok printed shirt at TB80, Thai candies at TB20, Bola Takraw at TB30 and food.
Ending:
I brought TB6000 and didn't expect facing cash shortage on the third day. The reason was that I didn't expect to spend so much on taxi, boat renting and entrance fee. Due to this reason, I had to skip The Grand Palace, King Power Duty Free, Aquarium (Claim to be the SEA largest), and Safari.
A very important thing to take note is that you have to keep TB500 per person when you exit Thailand. This is the tax you need to pay, and they only accept cash.
I will want to come back to Bangkok someday, to visit those places that I had missed out, but I believe it won't be the near future because there are still many places to visit. The next destination in Thailand shall be Chiang Mai. I'll join a tour then.
"Free and easy is too painful", that's what my wife quoted.