Well, how about two nights in กรุงเทพมหานคร (or Krung Thep Maha Nakhon)… We needed two full days to complete our speedy city visit that we had been programming for the last 6 months! That was not our first time visiting the Big Mango but this time, I had to do it right! two good friends were shadowing us and I wanted to give them the best first time ever at low cost and within a short timeframe.
For convenience (close to transportation network), I elected ถนนอโศกมนตรี (Asoke Montri Road) and ถนนสุขุมวิท (Sukumvit) crossing as our base for these 2 intensive days. The BTS (Skytrain) and the MRT (underground metro) stop there and offer a lot of flexibility. This crossing is well known for Terminal 21 where each floor is decorated based on touristic cities and locations around the world; The Caribbean, Rome, Paris, Tokyo, London, Istanbul, San Francisco, and Hollywood. Top floor happens to host a “street food market” where evening (any time when opened actually!) meals cost less than a Coke in Paris!
Uneventful taxi transfer from Suvarnabhumi Airport (drop the “i” when pronounced!!!) quick diner and full night rest before we start exploring.
Early start by walking Asoke Montri Rd to the closest pier (Asoke) on the Saen Saep klong (canal) in order to catch a boat. As Bangkok transit authority would say : “The Saen Saep Boat Service is a water-based transportation system in Bangkok that operates along the Saen Saep Canal. The service consists of long, narrow boats that are used to ferry passengers through the city’s congested neighbourhoods. The boats offer an affordable and efficient mode of transportation.”
I really wanted my friends to try it before an easy trip to Chatuchak Market by BTS
There are plenty of blogs, videos and articles describing Chatuchak market, I won’t add one but let’s just say it is the world’s largest and most diverse weekend market, with over 200,000 visitors every weekend. (or at least was when Wikipedia article was written!!!)
We retrieve our train tickets for tomorrow night trip to the south at 12GO and roam the alleys of the market while trying out food and drinks from the stalls.
This is honey glazed pork recommended by Mark Wiens in his Chatuchak video
Today is “Market Day”, so we make our way to the closest floating market “Taling Chan” through MRT, Grab and walk!
There are a lot of different food offered here and therefore, we sit for a meal near the canal.
Despite not being a “real” floating market, this one is easy to get to when visiting for a day or two. The bigger ones sitting on water are quite far from the city centre. It gives the image of a floating market, the smell and the taste without the hassle of a long journey to the outskirts of the province.
a Grab car later we are on a pier on the Chao Phraya River a boat will take us to the flower market (Pak Khlong Talat / ปากคลองตลาด)
It’s mid afternoon and the market is empty, easier for us to take few pictures. At dawn activity is intense as all the flowers for hotels, restaurants and religious events are delivered, conditioned and sold here!
Time for our evening event. We chose among dozens of rooftops, one close to our accommodation. It sits at the top of T-one building and called Tichuca… very busy on a Sunday night…
but good night skyline from the 42nd floor
This box is ticked and we can have our evening meal at Terminal 21 since Mark’s restaurant is closing as we arrive!
A good nigh sleep again to get the best of our second day tomorrow…
Two big parks lay south of Sukumvit road, Benchakitty and Lumphini… Let’s replace tarmac and concrete by grass and trees and meet the local fauna (monitor lizards)
After a long stroll through both parks (linked by an elevated walking pathway) we depart for China town and Talat Noi
Today, Talat Noi is a cultural attraction. Locals retain their form of speech, food, and folk beliefs as in the past. Houses and lanes are lathered with graffiti that makes the place popular with teenagers, hipsters, and foreign tourists (that’s us!) who want to experience a traditional Chinese neighbourhood.
We cross the river to check Iconsiam (newest Mall at the time) and despite being packed with tourists, we have a meal in the food court. (overpriced and too busy!).
We will end up (after another boat ride) on the Chao Phraya Sky Park to get the last (for this year) pictures of Krung Thep down the river.
time to catch a night train to Chumphon!