BANGKOK TRAVEL ITINERARY 2015 - JOURNEY FROM BANGKOK-HATYAI- PENANG PARK [PART 8]

CONTINUATION OF BANGKOK TRAVEL ITINERARY PART 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6 AND 7

DAY 9 AND 10 

[FRIDAY/SATURDAY - 19/3/15-20/3/15]

LAST MINUTE SHOPPING AROUND SUTTHISAN MRT STATION AREA. NUMEROUS STALLS SELLING CLOTHINGS ARE REASONABLE PRICES AND ALSO TO ENJOY LOCAL THAI FOOD FROM NUMEROUS FOODS STALLS. YOU CAN ALSO PACK FOOD FOR TEA TIME OR DINNER FROM HERE OR AT CHINATOWN WHICH IS NEARBY HUA LAMPHONG RAILWAY STATION.

CHECK-OUT AFTER LUNCH THEN LEAVE FOR BANGKOK HUA LAMPHONG RAILWAY STATION BY 2.00 PM

TRAIN 35 DEPARTURE AT 2.45 PM ARRIVING HATYAI AT 6.30 AM [21/3/15] OR

TRAIN 37 DEPARTURE AT 3.10 PM ARRIVING HATYAI AT 7.30 AM [21/3/15] – DAY. TAKE VAN AT SB TOURS TO PENANG.  VAN FARE PER TRIP IS 400THB.  THE AGENCY ACCEPTS THAI BAHTS AND MALAYSIAN CURRENCY.

ARRIVED HATYAI ON 20/3/15 AT AROUND 9.00 AM. BOOKED VAN FOR RETURN TRIP TO PENANG. THEN STROLL AROUND HATYAI TOWN AREA FOR FOOD AND LAST MINUTE SHOPPING BEFORE DEPARTING AT 12.00 NOON.
ARRIVING PENANG AROUND 7.00 PM BECAUSE OF DELAYS AT IMMIGRATION CHECK POINTS AT SADAO.

BANGKOK TRAVEL ITINERARY 2015 - KHLONG TOEY MARKET AND BENJAKITTI PARK [PART 7]

CONTINUATION OF BANGKOK TRAVEL ITINERARY PART 1,2, 3, 4, 5 AND 6

DAY 8 [THURSDAY - 19/3/15]

- VISIT - KHLONG TOEY MORNING MARKET

ONE OF THE LOCAL BANGKOK MORNING MARKETS 

[DAILY 6.00 AM – 2.00 PM]

THIS IS A VERY ‘FRESH’ MARKET, OFFERING LOW PRICES ON RAW MEAT, SEAFOOD, FARM PRODUCE, KITCHEN WARE, CLOTHINGS ETC. IT IS AN EXTENSIVE MARKET IN THE CITY AND NEARBY TO RAMA IV ROAD. THERE ARE NUMEROUS FOOD STALLS AROUND THE VICINITY OFFERING LOCAL THAI FOOD. 
HOW TO GET THERE: MRT TO KLONG TOEI STATION, EXIT UP THE ESCALATORS AND THEN WALK EAST ON THANG RAKFAIKO/RAMA IV ROAD FOR 10 MINS UNTIL YOU REACH THE LARGE INTERSECTION OF RAMA IV AND NARONG ROAD. THE MARKET IS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.

- VISIT BENJAKITTI PARK/QUEEN SIRIKIT CONVENTION CENTER

[DAILY 5.00 AM – 10.00 PM]

LOCATION: LAKE RATCHADA, QUEEN SIRIKIT NATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER

OVERLOOKING ONE OF THE MOST PICTURESQUE VIEW OF DOWNTOWN BANGKOK SKYLINE. COVERS A RECTANGULAR AREA OF 208,000 SQ METERS OPPOSITE QUEEN SIRIKIT NATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE 

THE PARK FORMS A NARROW SWATHE OF GREEN WITH DEDICATED BICYCLE AND JOGGING TRACKS ENCIRCLING THE WHOLE PARK. MAJOR FESTIVALS LIKE NEW YEAR’S EVE AND LOY KRATHONG ARE HELD HERE. IF YOU LIKE WALKING AROUND THE LAKE, THE BEST TIME TO VISIT IS EARLY MORNING.

HOW TO GET THERE:  MRT QUEEN SIRIKIT NATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE. WALK TOWARDS ASOK-MONTRI FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES
NOTES: WE VISITED THE MARKET FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF LOCAL FOOD INGREDIENTS IN BANGKOK.  THE PARK IS A GOOD PLACE FOR MORNING OR EVENING EXERCISES.  A GOOD PLACE TO STROLL ALONG THE LAKE IN THE HEART OF BANGKOK CITY.

BANGKOK TRAVEL ITINERARY 2015 - WEST HEAVEN BUDDHA TEMPLE, SARABURI, BANGKOK [PART 6]

CONTINUATION OF BANGKOK TRAVEL ITINERARY PART 1,2, 3, 4 AND 5

DAY 7 [WEDNESDAY - 18/3/15]

- VISIT WEST HEAVEN BUDDHA AT SARABURI. 

 

HERE IS WHERE THEY HAVE THE FOOTPRINT OF BUDDHA. THIS TEMPLE IS ABOUT 140 KM FROM BANGKOK CITY. VISITING THIS TEMPLE PROBABLY TAKES A FULL DAY. UNLESS YOU WISH TO PRAY TO BUDDHA HERE OTHERWISE YOU CAN SKIP VISITING THIS SITE DUE TO THE DISTANCE.

OPPOSITE THE TEMPLE GROUNDS, THERE ARE SOUVENIR STALLS AND A SMALL LOCAL MARKET WITH FOOD STALLS.  FOOD PRICES HERE ARE VERY CHEAP BUT AREA IS NOT WELL MAINTAINED.

IT IS BETTER TO VISIT ANCIENT CITY, BANGKOK WHERE YOU CAN GET TO VIEW THE REPLICA OF THE TEMPLE AND FOOTPRINT.

HOW TO GET THERE: TAKE BTS TO VICTORY MONUMENT. GET DOWN THE STATION TO THE MINIVAN STATION BENEATH THE STATION [SAME PLACE WHERE YOU GET THE MINIVAN TO AYUTTHAYA]. THE FARE IS 100 THB ONE WAY AND RETURNING FARE IS 90 THB. 

YOU MAY HAVE TO CHANGE TO TUK-TUK [15 THB] BEFORE REACHING THE TEMPLE BECAUSE THE VAN DOES NOT DROP YOU OFF AT THE TEMPLE. FOR RETURN TRIP YOU CAN CALL THE DRIVER TO PICK YOU UP AT THE TEMPLE.

NIGHT TIME – FREE AND EASY. DINNER AROUND THE VICINITY OF THE HOTEL. LOTS OF LOCAL FOOD AVAILABLE AT REASONABLE PRICES.

BANGKOK TRAVEL ITINERARY 2015 - GRAND PALACE, BANGKOK [PART 5]

CONTINUATION OF BANGKOK TRAVEL ITINERARY 2015 PART 1,2, 3 AND 4

DAY 6 [TUESDAY - 17/3/15] 

- VISIT GRAND PALACE - WAT PHRA KAEW [TEMPLE OF THE EMERALD BUDDHA]

- LOCATED PHRA NAKHON 

- OPENS DAILY 8.30 AM – 3.30 PM 

- ADMISSION 500 THB 

- PROPER ATTIRE [NO SLEEVELESS SHIRTS OR SHORT PANTS OR SKIRTS. SARONG ARE AVAILABLE FOR RENT 

WAT PHRA KAEW IS WITHIN THE GROUNDS OF THE GRAND PALACE. YOU MAY NEED ABOUT 2 HOURS TO WALK AND COVER THE PALACE GROUNDS. Click here for more photos

HOW TO GET THERE: TAKE MRT TO HUA LAMPHONG STATION THEN TAXI OR TUK-TUK TO GRAND PALACE INSTEAD OF FERRY FROM BTS SAPHAN TAKSIN TO THA TIEN. TUK-TUK FARE IS 150THB WHICH CAN ACCOMMODATE 4 PERSONS. 

NOTES: THE ADMISSION TICKET TO GRAND PALACE CAN BE USED FOR ENTRANCE TO VIMANMEK MANSION [TEAK HOUSE MUSEUM], ANANTA SAMAKHOM THRONE HALL AND AHBISEK HALL. THESE PLACES ARE LOCATED AT THE VICINITY OF DUSIT ZOO AREA. GET THERE BY TAXI.

- VISIT WAT ARUN 

YOU CAN SEE WAT ARUN FROM THA CHANG PIER. 

HOW TO GET THERE: TAKE FERRY ACROSS FROM THA CHANG OR THA TIEN PIER AFTER VISITING GRAND PALACE. PER TRIP IS 3 THB. ENTRANCE TO WAT ARUN IS 50 THB. Click here for more photos.

- VISIT ERAWAN SHRINE 

LOCATED IN FRONT OF GRAND HYATT ERAWAN HOTEL AT RATCHADAMRI ROAD. Click here to see more photos

HOW TO GET THERE: TAKE BTS TO CHIT LOM THEN BY FOOT OR BY TUK-TUK.

- VISIT MBK, SIAM PARAGON, CENTRAL WORLD AND PLATINUM FASHION MALL. 

THESE SHOPPING COMPLEXES ARE ALL WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE WITH EACH OTHER. THEY ARE AROUND PLOEN CHIT ROAD, RATCHAPRASONG ROAD AND PHETCHABURI ROAD. 

OCCASIONALLY, THERE ARE THAI FOOD PROMOTIONS IN THESE AREAS WHICH ARE REASONABLY PRICES AND WORTHY TO TRY.

Click here for more information on shopping in this area

BANGKOK TRAVEL ITINERARY 2015 - ANCIENT CITY, BANGKOK [PART 4]

CONTINUATION OF BANGKOK TRAVEL ITINERARY PART 1,2 AND 3

DAY 5 [MONDAY - 16/3/15]

- VISIT ANCIENT CITY [MUANG BORAN]

 SAMUT PRAKAN, BANGKOK. 

ADMISSION - 700 BAHTS [BUSES AND BICYCLES AVAILABLE TO TOUR THE AREA WHICH IS ABOUT 320 ACRES IN SIZE.

OPENS DAILY - 8.00 AM - 5.00 PM.

THIS PARK IS OUTSIDE BANGKOK, DEDICATED TO PRESERVING THAI CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE FORM OF THE MANY SIGNIFICANT BUIDLINGS AND HISTORICAL PLACES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.  THERE ARE ABOUT 100 MONUMENTS AND REPLICAS SUCH AS THE GRAND PALACE, FOOT PRINT OF  LORD BUDDHA, SARABURI, FLOATING MARKET VILLAGE, THAI JUNK, ROYAL BARGE ETC.  READ MORE>>

 

THIS VISIT MAY TAKE A FULL DAY BUT IT IS A PARK WORTH VISITING.

HOW TO GET THERE: TAKE BTS TO THE LAST STATION AT BEARING.  FROM THERE TAKE A TAXI TO ANCIENT CITY WHICH IS ABOUT 10 KM FROM BTS STATION.  TAXI FARE IS ABOUT 250 BAHTS.  THE PARK PROVIDES FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE TO BTS STATION AFTER YOUR VISIT AT CERTAIN HOURS.  CHECK AT THE TICKETING OFFICE FOR THE SCHEDULE AS IT DIFFERS ON DIFFERENT DAYS OF THE WEEK.

- DINNER AT TERMINAL 21 [PIER 21] 

LOCATED AT SUKHUMVIT BETWEEN SOI 19 AND 21 

AT TERMINAL 21, THE FOOD COURT IS CALLED PIER 21.  IT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST, CLEANEST IN THE CITY.

THE FOOD COURT IS A PLACE WORTH DINING AT AS THERE ARE NUMEROUS STALLS SELLING LOCAL THAI FOOD [PAD THAI/ LAD NA], CHINESE [ROASTED DUCK, FUSION FOOD AND WESTERN FOOD.  FOOD IS GOOD AT VERY, VERY REASONABLE PRICE. 

WE WERE TOLD THAT THE FOOD HERE ARE POPULAR THAI FOOD PREPARE  BY CHEFS WHO HAVE LEARNED TO COOK THEM USING THE BEST RECIPES.  YOU CAN GET TO SAVOUR 3 DIFFERENT KINDS OF FOOD WITH 100 BAHTS AT THIS PLACE.

HOW TO GET THERE:  TAKE MRT TO SUKHUMVIT OR DIRECT ACCESS VIA SKYWALK BTS ASOK.