The Travelling Feet

I’ve always wanted to ride one of those river boats in Bangkok. When I had the chance to roam around the city before we crossed the border back to Siem Reap last March 3rd of this year, I decided to take the opportunity to ride one to visit Wat Arun, The Temple of Dawn. But little did I know that I won’t be seeing that temple yet for my travelling feet brought me to a different temple – the Wat Saket or the Golden Mount.

We were scheduled to leave Bangkok to go back to Siem Reap in the next 2 days. Ever since I travelled to Thailand last 2008, I’ve always wanted to ride Bangkok’s express boats. I also wanted to visit Wat Arun, which is seated across the Chao Phraya River.  So I told Ed I was going out to explore the city after we finished buying some stuff at Pantip Plaza. But someone had to baby sit our friend’s house that afternoon. It was a good thing I told Ed of my plans first, which left him with no choice but to return early to where we were staying.

I honestly had no clue how to get to Wat Arun from Pratunam. I thought of riding a bus to get to Khao San Road. I’m more familiar of the roads there and I’ve seen where I can find a ferry boat to reach the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. But my afternoon stroll along the Pratunam area led me to a small bridge where the Pratunam Pier is stationed.

saw the canal on my right side on my way to Central World after walking from Platinum Fashion Mall

Carrying with me my determination to get to Wat Arun, I walked down the stairs to get to the pier. I saw a canal boat leaving but I didn’t rush to hop on that one. I had to make sure that I’ll take the right boat. Turns out I wasn’t on the right side of the pier.

the boat leaving without me

After carefully explaining to non-English speaking Thais where I want to go and after understanding their hand gestures, I climbed back on those stairs leading to the main road and climbed down again to reach to the other side.

a boat staff collecting fares; on the left side above that bridge is where you’ll find Central World

After I knew I was heading the right direction, I waited for a canal boat to arrive. A boat full of passengers arrived after 10 minutes. All of them started getting out of the boat as soon as it was safely parked on the pier.

Riding the canal boat was not difficult. But it wasn’t easy either. The pier doesn’t have planks to safely hop in and out off the boats. All you have are tires tied on the edge of the pier, which prevents the boats from slamming into the pier. To choose your entry points, you’d have to know where you want to seat before you hop on the boat. There are no aisles on those canal boats. Either you stay in the middle and stand till someone gives up their seat after reaching their destination or you find a vacant seat from those rows and hop in.

It was a  good thing that the boat I rode was empty. I got to choose to sit in the middle part. Passengers started arriving. Some chose to stand in the center while others hurriedly hopped on each rows when they saw vacant seats in between them. Others leaned on a box that housed the boat’s engine. Ropes are conveniently placed on the roof for hand rails.

What’s great about this transportation is that if you don’t want to get splashed by the dirty and smelly canal water, you can simply hold on to a rope which will help roll up a huge plastic that will cover the sides of the boat. Each passenger has to do their share here since the rest of the cover won’t rise if only 1 holds the rope. If you want to see the view of the canal, then you may choose not to pull the rope covering your side but better get ready for a few splashes here and there.

bus conductors wear helmets

You will see 2-3 bus conductors on every boat. Aside from collecting boat fares, they also help in rising the boat covers once the boat roars to life and speeds up to get to the next pier. These conductors also wear protective head covers, usually helmets, for safety reasons as bridges connect the city from the canals that separate them. We passed by a few bridges for vehicles and there were also a few small bridges where only people and bikes can pass through.

view of the canal walkways

It was a pleasant experience riding one of Bangkok’s canal express boats. You will get to see a different side of Bangkok with this trip. The sides of the canals have rails and walkways for Thais living in the area. The boats are good alternatives to riding buses to avoid the traffic in Bangkok. Although the canal is not dirty, the murky water still has that pungent smell of canal waters. The stench is manageable though. The boat stops at every pier to drop off and get more passengers. I thought that this kind of transportation in Bangkok are free for Thais as I saw that only tourists were asked for money so I didn’t pay up. I was trying to pass off as a Thai, you see.

After 30 minutes, we finally reached the end of the line. We arrived at the Panfa Leelard Pier.

our empty canal express boat

I asked the staff where Wat Arun is and they pointed at a huge structure on the other side. I got confused. I know I had to cross a big river to get to that temple. The canal must not be that river, I thought. But I could see a huge temple. When I climbed the stairs leading to the main road, everything looked familiar. I’ve seen the area before every time I go to Khao San Road.

on my way to find Wat Arun

I thought that I was in the right place. But I hesitated. That must not be Wat Arun, The Temple of Dawn. However, I got curious. I thought maybe I’d find the river at the end of that road. So off my feet went.

timber town

I walked towards that sleepy road to find that temple I was seeing from afar. It was my first time passing by this side of Bangkok. It was as if I was in timber town for the whole street were full of lumber stores and wood carvings.

the temple on the hill top

And then suddenly, I found a small gate which led to the temple on the hill top. There were peddlers outside talking to me in gibberish. I didn’t mind them and immediately went inside. The place was full of trees. I looked for the entrance going to the top and I saw red stairs and a few tourists climbing up.

At that moment, I already knew that I stumbled upon a different temple. Without knowing what temple it was, I continued walking to reach the top to find out where my feet carried me. More greeneries greeted me. My eyes feasted on the intricate designs of temple rooftops. When the plight of stairs ended, I saw bells.

took some time ringing all those bells

Seeing the bells made me think how old they must be. They adorned the lower section of the hill. I saw a few Thais who sounded each of the bells as they passed by. Out of curiosity, I also followed them and started sounding them bells.

pretty bells all over

Before proceeding to the next series of stairs, I found a marker plastered on the wall of the temple.

finally discovered where my feet brought me

I then discovered that I accidentally reached the Golden Mount also known as Wat Saket. Honestly, I never knew such place existed. Maybe because there were just too many temples in Bangkok that I failed to list down all of them. I was only bent on seeing the Grand Palace, the Reclining Buddha and the Wat Arun. It never occurred to me to check on other interesting and unique temples in Bangkok. I was very happy that my feet brought me to this place.

more bells to sound

More bells greeted me when I took the next plight of stairs. I also rang each one of those bells. I didn’t know what it meant, to be honest. But touching each one of them and hearing how they sounded seemed the right thing to do. (Upon research, a description on a photo on Flickr suggests that ringing bells could help or protect someone from bad/evil spells)

Once I was done messing up the temple bells, I took a deep breath and started climbing more stairs again.

When I reached the top, strong gusts of wind greeted me as if welcoming my arrival. I finally made it. I’m on top of the world Bangkok! I could see the entire city on top.

Looking down, I saw the red stairs where I came from. Reaching the top was really refreshing. I couldn’t explain what I felt. It was as if the wind was helping me cleanse my troubled soul. And without complaining, I allowed the tempestuous breeze to whisper to my whole being.

When I thought I was ready, I went inside to explore the temple.

I was greeted with gold and emerald buddhas. They came in different shapes and sizes.

The design of the buddhas were so intricate. Then I saw something that looked like an opening leading to the center of the mound. I decided to roam around to find the entrance to that opening.

A smaller version of the reclining Buddha lies on one of the temple’s walls. The buddha looks old but at the same time, there were strips of gold plastered on some parts of its body. It made me wonder if people placed those strips or if they were originally part of the image’s body.

a replica of the Golden Mount; a golden buddha hidden inside

When I found the small steps leading to the center of the temple, I went inside and found an image of the golden Buddha sitting inside a very small place.

the Buddha inside Wat Saket

The pathway leading to the center was so small. It would be difficult for two persons to walk together inside the stuppa. One has to also take off their shoes when getting inside the sacred area. Silence must be observed when you go inside the temple. There are also markers showing the exit as it is difficult to go back where you came from due to the limited space around the circular structure.

When I went out of that sacred place, I tried to look for the door leading to the top most part of the mount. After searching, I found a small spiral staircase and started climbing up.

The gentle wind and the blue sky greeted me. Then I saw the gigantic golden pagoda in front of me. There were a few worshippers praying as I roamed around. The afternoon breeze slowly wafted the scents coming from the burning incense sticks surrounding the pagoda.

the huge stuppa and the small rooster; a bigger version of the bird

The place was very serene. The only sound you could hear were the howling winds and the tiny ringing sounds coming from the small bells hanging on something that looked like a rooster.

the huge golden pagoda on top of the Golden Mount

When you look over the ledges, you will see more of Bangkok.

The alluring King Rama VIII cable bridge can be seen from a distance. When it was time to leave the place, I started going down. I really felt rejuvenated after seeing Wat Saket.

More bells greeted me on my way down. It gave me the opportunity to hear more bells as I got my hands busy ringing each one of them

On my way down, I saw this fascinating coffee shop where locals and tourists can drop by to rest. There’s a koi pond below and the sight of more trees makes the place a perfect hideaway for weary travellers.

There was also a temple that houses a giant Buddha at the grounds of Wat Saket. I also learned that there’s a fee for foreigners visiting the temple. I didn’t see that one since I entered from a different gate. My camera’s battery also died and although I wanted to continue my search for the Temple of Dawn, I thought it best to postpone that trip and started heading back to Pratunam.

I took the same mode of transportation when going back to where I came from to avoid the traffic. This time, I paid 10 baht for the boat fare While still cruising the canal, we suddenly made a quick stop in the middle. I thought we were picking up passengers but no pier was visible in the area. It took some time before I realized what was happening. There was a court nearby and it seemed as if the kids tossed their ball in the canal for I saw the boat conductors trying to retrieve the ball to give it back to those teenagers. Once the ball was fished out of the canal and was returned to the locals, the boat roared to life again and went on its way. Witnessing that act of kindness from the locals of Bangkok renewed my faith in society. It opened my eyes to how wonderful Thais live their life. I guess it’s part of their religion which is why they always try to help anyone in need as they believe in good karma.

My unexpected journey to the Golden Mount rejuvenated my soul and fattened my heart. The feeling was very overwhelming. I realized that life is not bad after all to those who doesn’t complicate it.

As a budget traveller, I also got the chance to save on transportation costs and temple fees. Yeah, I know I ignored some of those fees but I’ll just use the lame excuse “everything happens for a reason”. hehehe. And you know the best part, I got to ride Bangkok’s free bus when going home too. I dropped by the Lotus mall near our place to buy some stuff and because my heart was still bursting with happiness, I decided to treat myself to a yummy dessert to feed my rejoicing spirits

must-try Summer Mango sensation at Swensen’s, yum!

Bangkok is considered to be one of the top tourist destinations around the world. Tourists see Bangkok as their gateway to the rest of the countries in Southeast Asia. In fact, the Suvarnabhumi Airport receives thousands of visitors on a daily basis. But Bangkok is more than a just a gateway for almost any traveller will instantly fall in love with the city of Angels in S.E.A. the minute they set their eyes on it.

In case you are planning to visit Bangkok, be sure to check your accommodations online since there are many cheap hotels in Bangkok that will fit your travel budget. Although you can also be spontaneous and travel to Bangkok without making any hotel/hostel/guesthouse reservations, going through online booking sites proves useful as they offer bigger discounts for your hotel bookings.

The most crucial part of planning a trip to Bangkok would probably have to involve planning your itinerary. Trying to determine the things to do in Bangkok for a day or two can be tiresome especially when you can’t make up your mind on where to go or what to do in Bangkok. So, sit back and relax as I’ll show you how to maximize your time so that you will know the things to do in Bangkok in 1 day.

How to Spend 1 Day in Bangkok

Bangkok is blessed with its strong cultural ties. You won’t run out of things to do in this city. If you are into shopping, knowing where to shop in Bangkok won’t be difficult. If you are into temples and want to immerse yourself with the city’s rich cultural heritage, better head over to the Rattanakosin district for that’s where we’ll start our day tour.

The best thing about staying near the Rattanakosin area is the close proximity of famous tourist spots in Bangkok. All you need to do is bring a map with you and wear your most comfortable shoes since you’ll be walking all day if you’re up to the challenge.

If you are staying near the Pratunam Shopping District, just find the river pier and be sure you hop on the accurate river canal boat. Tell them  you want to go to the Panfa Leelard Pier to see Wat Saket or better yet mention Khao San Road. Otherwise, you can always ride a bus or taxi, never a tuk-tuk.

A Trip to The Golden Mount (Wat Saket)

Once you reach the end line of the canal boat, you will find yourself near Khao San Road. For those who are already in the area, just ride a bus going to Wat Saket or simply refer to your map to start your walking tour. Start looking up to find a temple on a hilltop.

Wat Saket or The Golden Mount is a huge temple which you will find sitting on top of a hill. Once you reach the top, you will have a breathtaking view of the city of Bangkok. On a clear day, the windy atmosphere will help soothe your soul and appreciate the beauty of the city below you.

If you still have energy left at the end of your day trip, you can head back to the Golden Mount since the night view of the temple is a sight to behold.

Check out the Giant Swing

After your trip to Wat Saket, head over to the Giant Swing along Bangkok’s Old District. The Giant Swing is one historical landmark in Bangkok. The Giant Swing, constructed in 1784, is a religious structure in Bangkok. The swing was used in an old Brahmin ceremony (Swing ceremony) where people would use it to grab a flying bag of silver coins. But the act was dangerous as it caused some serious injuries even leading to death putting an end to the fatal tradition.

Across the street is the Wat Suthat Thepwararam, another huge temple situated at the Old District of Bangkok, which was the residential area of the royal goldsmiths before. On the other side is Bangkok’s City Hall and a few meters away is Khao San Road. The Democracy Monument is also nearby. Once you’re done with the sight seeing in this area, you are now ready to see the Grand Palace.

Touring the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew)

The Grand Palace is probably the most visited temple in the city of Bangkok. The impressive structures were used as the residence of the Kings of Thailand till 1925. Just beside it is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The huge grounds are filled with blinding golden temples and beautiful architecture. Foreigners have to pay a certain fee to get inside but if you can pass off as a Thai, you can always sneak around and use the entrance for Thai folks to avoid paying the fee. hehehe. Just be sure you dress properly since they have strict dress codes in there.

If you prefer to just visit the Grand Palace, it is better to take a cab or the bus. Avoid riding tuk-tuks for they will only tell you that the palace is closed so that they can take you to jewelry and textile factories instead to get free gas for bringing tourists to those establishments. Again, avoid tuk-tuks!

Visiting the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)

Once you are done checking out the Grand Palace, you can either check your map or ask for directions to find the Temple of the Reclining Buddha a.k.a. Wat Pho. This is one of the biggest reclining buddhas in the city and one of Bangkok’s largest and oldest temples. The buddha’s so big that it’s difficult to take a full front view photo of the whole image because of the limited space of the temple that houses it.

Enjoying the Night Scene of the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun)

After seeing the Reclining Buddha, you can hop on the river boat express and cross the Chao Phraya River. The Temple of Dawn or the Wat Arun will be waiting for you on the other side. There’s an entrance fee of 50 baht to get inside the temple. Once you are done exploring the place, you can head back to the mainland since the river boats only operate till 6pm. Once you made it back, you can stay at the pier and wait for the sunset to enjoy the night view of the Temple of Dawn. This temple is one of best landmarks representing Thailand. Wat Arun is also best viewed before sunrise since the first light of the morning reflects off the surface of the temple with pearly iridescence.

There are too many temples scattered all over Bangkok. Seeing 2-3 temples should be enough as your eyes will get bored if you see too many in a day, unless you really want to. So, that’s basically the temples that I recommend you check out. There area really more but those mentioned will do for now.

Chao Phraya River Cruise

But before you end your day in Bangkok, you may want to try out experiencing a river cruise down the Chao Phraya river where you can dine with other locals and tourist as the sun sets.

The river cruise includes authentic Thai meals for you to savor while Thais entertain you with their traditional dances as you enjoy a charming scene as the city turns on its night lights.

Party all Night

When you visit Bangkok, experiencing the city’s night life is something you should not miss out too. After your day tour, you can head over to Khao San Road – the backpacking mecca of Bangkok, or the more tamed Soi Rambuttri. You can even go to the highest buildings in Bangkok and party. For those who are seeking a different kind of fun, there’s always Soi Cowboy and Patpong.

Food Trip

Your trip to Bangkok will never be complete if you do not try out the delectable Thai food that’s scattered almost everywhere. From street food to fine dining cuisines, there’s certainly one Thai food that will appease any sensitive palate so be sure to be brave and try them out or you’ll pretty much regret it.

Explore the nearby provinces of Thailand

If it is not your first time visiting Bangkok, or if you still got time, you can also head out to nearby provinces in Thailand to maximize your trip. After seeing all the major tourist destinations in Bangkok, you might want to try following a 1 day D-I-Y trip around Thailand or book one of those day tours from different tour operators in the city. You can choose from adventurous packages where you get to ride trains, go river rafting, visit a war museum and a waterfall or perhaps drown yourself with more temple tours from the nearby province of Ayutthaya, Pattaya and more.

When you travel to Thailand, just remember to take your time and don’t rush everything. Don’t forget to shop too!

Anyway, if you can’t see all of those beautiful tourist destinations, this will give you more reason to keep coming back for more.

When I went on a trip to Bangkok 4 years ago, a friend mentioned that this bustling city in Thailand is considered as the shopping capital of Southeast Asia. It was my first out of the country trip and I didn’t have a clue what to expect from this city. However, the minute I started exploring Bangkok, I realized that there might be some truth to her words for I discovered that aside from the country’s rich cultural heritage and delectable cuisines, cheap shopping malls in Bangkok with their night market counterparts are spread all throughout the city. Bangkok is every shopaholics dream paradise.

What to Shop in Bangkok

When you travel to Bangkok, be sure to bring extra money since you might not resist the temptation from your fabulous finds during your excursion in one of the busiest cities in the world. If you are great chefs or chef-wannabes, Thai spices are among the best items you could bring home.

Do you love clothes? Bangkok is the best place to shop for different varieties of apparel. There are tailored suits available for men and women. Then there are trendy clothes for the hip and fashion conscious. There are even custom-made shirts and jeans, which you can utilize to start up your own clothing business. Want clothing and fashion accessories? Belts, hosieries, undergarments, necklaces, earrings, head wares, bags, sun glasses – just name it! You’ll see numerous shopping places in Bangkok, Thailand that offers all of them.

How about home furniture and home accessories? Bangkok has them too! From wall decors, lamps, plush carpets, pillows, curtains, ceramics, collectibles, even antiques and whatever you can think of – there are always great places for shopping in Bangkok.

Shopping centers in Bangkok also give you the opportunity to shop hard to find items and some weird ones too. What’s amazing is that you can get those items at dirt cheap prices but you might also spend lavishly on expensive finds.

Where to stay in Bangkok for Shopping

The city of Bangkok offers different types of accommodations. If you want to know where to stay in Bangkok for shopping, you can book for cheap accommodations at guesthouses or hostels. Don’t expect too much as you’ll just get your money’s worth. But if you don’t mind splurging for comfort and style, there are 4 or 5-star hotels all over the city.

Travellers or those who prefer to visit the beautiful temples of Bangkok would normally choose to stay at Khao San Road or Soi Rambuttri. But if your main purpose to visit Bangkok is to shop till you drop, I would suggest you look for guest houses or hotels near the Pratunam market. If you have a map of Bangkok with you, stay near the BTS stations especially the Siam to Chit Lom station and Nana to Asok station. That’s where the big malls are.

Where to Shop in Bangkok

There are many famous shopping malls in Bangkok. Here are a couple that stands out due to their strategic locations along with their fame among local and foreign shoppers.

Shopping Malls

One of the things I love in this city is the presence of huge shopping malls in Bangkok. You can find these malls at the heart of the metropolis. A sky train (BTS) conveniently sits beside most of them for ease of access among shoppers.

The MBK Shopping Mall in Bangkok is one of those malls where you can find cheap Bangkok deals. If you are riding the BTS, you have to get off at the Siam station and cross the skywalk to reach the place.

This is also the mall to visit for all your gadget needs. They have a whole floor dedicated for phones, phone accessories and other gadgets.

Across the street are the famous Siam malls – the Siam Discovery Center, the Siam Center and the Siam Paragon, which is home to Siam Ocean World – the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia. Those malls also houses both local and international brands.

A few walks will lead you to Central World. Across it, you’ll see more malls. A few blocks away would lead you to the the newest mall in Bangkok, Terminal 21. And if you walk a little further when you make a right turn going to Central World, you’ll reach one of the best places to shop in Bangkok, the Platinum Fashion Mall.

The Platinum Fashion Mall is a delight for shopping aficionados. The mall sells all sorts of clothing apparel which are locally made. The best thing is that the clothes sold at Platinum Fashion Mall are very affordable and of good quality. You can find the latest trend in fashion there.

For the business minded Thais, they always go to the Pratunam Market to buy the cheapest clothes. Pratunam have counterparts to the apparels sold inside the Platinum Fashion Mall. If you want to save 10-30 baht on your purchase, without minding the heat, you can always head over to Pratunam Market instead. It’s just across the Platinum Fashion Mall.

For all those tech geeks, you will fall in love with Pantip Plaza. It’s dubbed as the IT City of Bangkok, just 2 buildings away from the Platinum Fashion Mall. You will find different shops selling brand new and second hand computers. They also sell computer hardware and software accessories. There are inks, printers, printer papers, mouse, mouse pad, flash drives, memory cards, cameras, monitors, and more. Anything you can think of that is related to computers is available at Pantip Plaza, even counterfeit software.

Chinatown

One shopping district in Bangkok that is famous among the locals is Chinatown. On most occasions, only Thais frequent this place but you can also run into a few tourists in the area. Chinatown has the cheapest goods in the city. A friend even mentioned that the items sold at Chinatown are way cheaper compared to the items sold at the Pratunam Market. There are also food shops in the area where you can savor the convergence of Thai and Chinese cuisines.

Weekend Markets

For those who are working non-stop on weekdays, weekend markets are made available. The Chatuchak weekend market, also known as Jatujak weekend market, is the biggest shopping centre in Bangkok. It sits on roughly 35 acres of land. It’s Thailand’s biggest flee market with over 8,000 booths selling assorted items. Stalls are divided into sections and each sections branch out to sois. First-timers might have a hard time navigating this huge weekend market in Bangkok but nothing to worry as there’s a Cha tu chak market map available to guide you.

The Chatuchak Weekend market is only open on Saturdays and Sundays. It is said that this famous shopping district in Bangkok receives an average of 200,000 visitors each day. Among the things you can find here are new and used clothing, accessories, handicrafts, ceramics, furniture and home decors, books, plants and gardening tools; and antiques and collectibles. There’s also a pet shop in the area. An entire day may not be enough to cover your shopping spree inside Chatuchak. Once you get tired, you can rest at food shops within the market. If you can’t stand the heat, you can hop in at the JJ Mall, which is located beside the flea market. You can also head over to the Chatuchak Park to stretch out those tired feet.

Floating Markets

If you want to experience a different way of shopping in Bangkok, you can visit the floating markets in and outside the city. You will witness Thai’s traditional way of trading items at the river banks.

Many tourists visit the floating market for that one-of-a-kind market shopping experience. At times, the prices of the goods sold there can be a rip off for the tourists but you can always haggle. For a fee, one can ride those boats and get a tour around the area.

Night Markets

If you have no time to shop during the day, you have nothing to worry. Once darkness envelopes the skies of Bangkok, street walkways and alleyways transform into a lively shopping district. You will become witness to Thai’s entrepreneurial skills as they start setting up their stalls and start selling different products, which include food, clothing, home decors; and clothing, pet, fashion and gadget accessories.

One of the famous night markets are the ones you will find in Khao San Road. However, you will also see a couple of them spread all throughout the city. Some of these Bangkok night shopping markets last all night long. So if you are pressed with time on your trip to Bangkok, you won’t go home empty handed for you will surely find affordable things to buy no matter what time of day it is.

Tips on Getting the Best Bangkok Shopping Experience

- Thais love to shop since they love to dress up. You will always see the latest fashion trend in Bangkok. Thais also love to wear layered clothing so expect some of the clothes to be dainty.

- Haggling is not bad but normally you can get discounts when you buy wholesale.

- When you buy a minimum of 3 items from a store, that’s already considered wholesale.

- When you decide to shop in Bangkok, be sure to buy one of those trolleys made from plastic sacks. They’ll come in handy, guaranteed! But I’ve seen a couple of shopaholics bringing with them huge luggages instead!

- For facial, hair and skin products, you can visit the stores along the sidewalk going to Pratunam Market, which is just across the Platinum Fashion Mall. There’s a wide variety of skin, hair and facial products in there.

- Traffic tends to get crazy in this Bangkok shopping district. In fact, this city is considered to have one of the worst traffics in the world. This is why it would be convenient if you find a place to stay near the BTS station. If you’re up for a great ride, you can hire a tuktuk driver. They can find the most bizarre ways of getting out of that traffic jam for a hefty price. Just make sure you hold on to something, brace yourself and avoid getting thrown out of the tuk-tuk, ok? LOL. There are also other modes of transportation in Bangkok to choose from, which includes riding a bus, taxi, express ferry boat, MRT and motorcycle taxi.

- Most Thais are not that good yet when speaking English so make sure to sprinkle some patience on your poker face when haggling or dealing with them.

- Thai baht (THB) is the currency used in Thailand. 1GBP = ~49THB. 1EUR = ~40THB. 1USD = ~30THB. 1THB = ~1.35PHP.

- You can find money changers and banks in the city. No need to worry running out of cash.

- Tourists are granted a value-added tax (VAT) refund from all your purchases in Thailand once you leave the country from an international airport. However, a minimum single receipt transaction of 2,000 baht in a day must be followed. Just make sure you buy from participating shops that display a “VAT Refund for Tourists” signage. Better inform the store about your intent to get a refund so that they can prepare the forms for you or tell you if you can get a VAT refund if you buy from their store. You need to keep receipts and other documents as you need to present them at the VAT Refund Counter at the international airport when you fly out of Thailand.

- There are courier companies beside the Platinum Fashion Mall and near the Pratunam Market. If you are buying clothing apparel in bulk, you can go there to ship your purchases. However, make sure you go to reputable companies to avoid losing your goods. Once shipped, you just have to wait for 3 weeks to a month or so before it gets to its destination.

- If you were to ask me, I’d stay near the Pratunam Market, just across the Ratchathewi BTS station or along the Phetchaburi Rd. as this gives me great access to the cheap goods around the area. But since I don’t travel to Bangkok to shop, I’d prefer accommodations near Soi Rambuttri. Hehe.

- If you want to find the best hotel in Bangkok for shopping, be sure to consult an online map first before you book those cheap hotels in Bangkok. You have to weigh in what’s more important too – shopping or sight-seeing. If you choose shopping, find a place near the shopping centers in Bangkok. If you choose sight-seeing, stay within Khao San Road or Soi Rambuttri as those are just a walking distance from the temples around the area, which includes the Grand Palace and the Reclining Buddha. Then you can just take a bus or taxi when going to those famous shopping malls in Bangkok.

With that all said, enjoy your shopping guys!

a) MBK Shopping Mall b) Siam Paragon c) Centralworld d) Platinum Fashion Mall e) Pantip Plaza f) Pratunam Market g) Chatuchak Weekend Market h) Chinatown i) Khao San Road
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Toilet hopping may be the last thing you’ll probably be doing when you travel to Bangkok unless you happen to have an upset stomach and the public loo you enter is out of order; or perhaps there are a lot of people using the restroom that you decide to look for a different one. I don’t think no one in their right minds would enjoy toilet hopping. Only the crazy ones like me. When you happen to travel to Thailand and you run out of things to do in Bangkok, why not try toilet hopping at Terminal 21, one of my favorite malls in Bangkok, Thailand.

I usually go to Terminal 21 since it offers free wifi access, which I needed badly for my online tasks. One of the best things about this mall is that each floor’s designs are based from key cities worldwide. Terminal 21 can best be compared to major airport terminals in the world where you can enjoy shopping and travelling to new destinations at the same time – in this case, it’s just a floor away. Each level is themed according to the country/city it represents. There’s Caribbean, Rome, Paris, Tokyo, London, Istanbul, San Francisco and Hollywood inspired themes and it’s all up to you to figure out which country (floor level) you enjoy shopping best.

One day, when I got bored surfing the net at Pier 21, I decided to roam around the mall. I thought of checking out the public bathrooms to see if they matched the place it represents and I was not disappointed with what I saw.

Ready to go toilet hopping worldwide?

Shoppers will now have a new outlook when visiting each of the toilets of this mall since a trip to the loo has never been that fun and exciting all thanks to Terminal 21’s theme-based water closet designs.

Want a taste of the Caribbean? Check out the restrooms at the lower ground floor. The public loo in there is screaming with vibrant colors. This level has a beach inspired theme that entices you to jump off to your next island destination.

If you want to feel what it’s like to be in Rome, you can easily hop on to the escalator and view the magnificent pillars that decorate the ground level. If you can’t get enough of the Roman statues and pillars, head off to the restroom for your eyes will feast more in there. The Rome-inspired toilet have mirrors plastered all over. A huge fountain-looking marble lavatory is placed at the center of the room where one can wash hands.

I’m dying to visit Paris and this French-inspired bathroom gives me the good vibes. It’s actually my favorite. If only I could loot all those extravagant-looking fixtures and fit them inside my bag, I would have done so a long time ago. I don’t even mind buying a bean bag just to spend an entire day lounging in this toilette either. From the hanging frames, chandeliers, criss-cross mirrors, transparent sinks and their iron doors, everything’s perfect! It makes me wonder if there are similar designs I could find when buying doors online so that I could recreate this chic and sophisticated look in our own bathroom.

When I reached Tokyo, I didn’t know how to react. You’d be greeted by different female Japanese faces once you enter the toilet. And when you check out the sink, you will see huge faces of girls wearing eyeglasses that act as mirrors. This faucet-less toilet is powered by a motion sensing faucet. Even their soap containers have sensors too.

If you think that pink is too much for you, you can hop on to the next restroom and find this zen-inspired toilet in Tokyo too. You didn’t think that this 9-story mall only has 1 bathroom on each floor, did you? This traditional looking Japanese bathroom is one of my favorites too. I love the minimalist approach in its design and the splash of green color is a refreshing sight when in here.

Can you still keep up with the all the toilet hopping action going on? Are you having fun yet? LOL.

Let’s now travel to London!

This simple-looking loo got me confused, actually. I didn’t understand where I was when I went inside. But after seeing the richness of the red colored toilet doors as well as the layout that looked like a map of London, deep within, I hoped I’d get to see the queen. hehehe.

Another one of my favorites are the toilets I visited in Istanbul. I even had to convince myself that I was in a mall in Thailand and not in a different country. You will really feel the presence of the Mediterranean influence all over the bathroom fixtures, from top to bottom.

I loved those beautiful faucets attached on those mosaic tiles, not to mention the intricate designs on those lovely lamps. The entire Istanbul themed bathroom design is a sight for sore eyes.

When you reach San Francisco, prepare yourself to be mesmerized by different colors as Terminal 21 attempts to bring you inside a giant-looking oven. The red bricks, colorful bowls, pizza boards and matching loo attendants all dressed looking like bakers complete the ensemble. The oven-themed toilet made me wonder though if San Fran’s really famous for their pizza and baked goods. hehehe

On my bathroom hopping adventure, I chanced upon more Caribbean inspired toilets scattered all over the mall. There were designs based from pirate ships and there were those that looked like Spanish carracks like the famous Victoria.

It took me an hour to try this different kind of adventure in Thailand. Who would have imagined I’d have the chance to travel the world right at Terminal 21’s very own toilets? I didn’t. But surprisingly, I enjoyed this one-of-a-kind adventure. Even if I’ve never set foot on any of those countries, after my toilet hopping adventure, I kinda felt I already did. Oh, these are female bathrooms only. It makes me curious how the men’s restrooms look like. I wonder if they look different or just the same. hehehe

Aside from those unique themed toilets, the restrooms in Terminal 21 are also powered by high technology, if that’s the proper way of referring to their state-of-the-art facilities. Aside from those sensor faucets, all of the toilets come with heated covers and bidets too. It gives you more reason to enjoy doing your thing there.

The last floor at Terminal 21 houses the mall’s powerhouse cinema. Wanna guess what’s the theme on that floor? If you guessed Hollywood, you’re spot on! I never got the chance to visit the toilet in that area though (along with the rest of the other restrooms scattered all over the mall). I completely forgot about Terminal 21’s Hollywood themed floor level. And I’ll leave the imagining to you on how the toilets in that region looks like.

So did you enjoy the quick round-the-world tour of toilets in Terminal 21? Check out my travel buddy’s blog too as he shares you with you 5 reasons why he loves Terminal 21 Mall in Bangkok.

One of my favorite mall in Bangkok is Terminal 21 for it has a wide selection of cheap foods. When you are in Bangkok, don’t forget to drop by Pier 21 at the 5th floor. It is the mall’s high-end food court where you can buy different meals. You have to buy a coupon card before you can buy any food. The card is valid for one month. You can also have your money refunded if you will no longer need the card.

One of my favorite food meals is their roasted duck and pork meal. I only paid 40 baht (~$1.30 or Php60.00) for it. You can also help yourself with an unlimited serving of spices too. Take note that small food stalls in the streets also sell a similar meal for the same price so why not have a meal at Terminal 21? Aside from the pollution-free atmosphere, you get to dine in an air-conditioned classy space!