my bangkok tour... ( the shopping capital) Sept. 17 - 20, 2010

I'm going back here again!!! Because I only have 2 days tour in this place and I missed a lot of tourist spot there...and our priority that time is shopping... and I accompanied a old woman, kids and pregnant lady so it’s very hard for them to walk and walk and walk….what I normally in my past tour.

We arrived at Subharbhumi Airport @ 11:30 pm 3 hours away from manila with one hour time difference. The taxi fare from airport to Bangkok is 450 Bhat so I said to my colleagues we got to find out another way how to go down town to the city 450 bhat is too expensive I’m the treasurer that time so I’m the one budgeting our money hehehe.

I tried to asked some people around the airport what is the other possible way going to city since it’s too late they all telling to ride at the taxi but I said it’s too expensive and I only have 250 bhat in my hand that time… one local help us to ride in bus for free; I think it’s a private shuttle he talked to driver to letting us to ride but I have no idea that time where we are going to stop so I talked to driver and I found that she will going to dropped us at the bus station. (the driver is pretty & kind)

At the bus station, we wait for a couple of minute for a bus going down to the city. There’s a lot of mosquitoes at the station and until now I had the mark of that mosquito bites. While waiting for the bus one of the van driver offer to us to ride to his van for 40 baht each person. Then we ride again at the taxi who talked by a filthai who we met at the station we did not understand what did he said to driver because their talking in thai language but since he is a half Filipino we trust him. Wow this taxi driver takes us around 5 times within the city before we found out the white palace hotel and he asking for 150 baht for that since we are metered taxi… First I don’t want to give because it’s his fault and I know it just his a trick but he is shouting us and I’m afraid so I gave him all my baht that time which is 120.00…

We Check – in as walk in at the white palace hotel so we did not get a good price for our room.  So for me I advise you guys to have an early booking online to save some money because they did not offer some discount or a little consideration for walk – in.

1^st day

We availed our free buffet breakfast.

Then we proceed to our first destination to Grand palace temple.
A huge temple… we ride in tuktuk to go there for FREE coz the tuk tuk driver asked for our help to have their free gas “I hep you, you hep me” you will just said how much how much you don’t need to buy you will just look and asked how much how much… but for me it just a wasting time we spend almost our half day for his own tour hahaha…

The Grand Palace Temple

the city's most famous landmark

Open: Daily 08:30 - 15:30
Location: Na Phra Lan Road, Old City (Rattanakosin)
Tickets: Tickets sold from 8:30 - 15:30 and cost 350 baht. One ticket includes entry to Vimanmek Palace and Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall. 

Please note that they have a strictly dress code to enter in the palace and you must wear a clothes with sleeve and long skirt or pants or else you must rent a cover up (skirt & polo) for 100 baht in the booth near the gate entrance although it’s returnable but it is hassle and time consuming.

Don’t rent or buy cover ups outside the palace gate… they will not return back your money.

Bangkok Wat Phra Kaew
The Emerald Buddha


Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (officially known as Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram) is regarded as the most important Buddhist temple in Thailand. Located in the historic centre of Bangkok, within the grounds of the Grand Palace, it enshrines Phra Kaew Morakot (the Emerald Buddha), the highly revered Buddha image meticulously carved from a single block of jade. The Emerald Buddha (Phra Putta Maha Mani Ratana Patimakorn) is a Buddha image in the meditating position in the style of the Lanna school of the north, dating from the 15th century AD.
Raised high on a series of platforms, no one is allowed near the Buddha except HM the King. A seasonal cloak, changed three times a year to correspond to the summer, winter, and rainy season covers the statue. A very important ritual, the changing of the robes is performed only by the King to bring good fortune to the country during each season. The temple is beautifully decorated and has a great sense of peace about it.

Wat Pho in Bangkok
Temple of Reclining Buddha

Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha), or Wat Phra Chetuphon, is located behind the splendid Temple of the Emerald Buddha. It's the largest temple in Bangkok and famed for its huge and majestic reclining Buddha measured 46 metres long and covered in gold leaf. The Buddha's feet are 3 metres long and exquisitely decorated in mother-of-pearl illustrations of auspicious 'laksanas' (characteristics) of the Buddha.
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You can also receive a blessing from a monk for a small donation which helps to maintain the 'wat' (temple). The entrance fee is 20 baht.
Open: Daily 08:00 - 17:00  (Massage available until 18:00)
Location: Maharat Road. Close to the river (about a half mile south of the Grand Palace), Old City (Rattanakosin) 



Bangkok Wat Traimit
Temple of Golden Buddha

Located at the end of Chinatown's Yaowarat Road, near Hualampong Railway Station, Wat Traimit houses the world's largest golden seated Buddha measuring nearly five metres in height and weighing five and a half tons. In the past, artisans crafted the Buddhas in gold and disguised them from invading armies by a covering of stucco and plaster.
The Buddha at Wat Traimit was discovered by accident when it was accidentally dropped as it was being moved, revealing, under a casing of plaster, a beautiful solid gold Sukhothai style Buddha. Pieces of the plaster are still kept on display.


Opening Hours: 09:00 - 17:00 
Location: Traimit Road (west of Hua Lampong Station), Chinatown