WHAT TO DO WITH 24 HOURS IN BANGKOK, THAILAND

After taking a much needed mini-hiatus from the blog this past week, I am feeling refreshed and re-energized. Sometimes you just need to disconnect to connect, am I right? You can read more about social media detoxing, and why it’s important, in my latest post here. Moving on, let’s dive on in to Southeast Asia, shall we? 

I began my journey to Southeast Asia just a few weeks ago, and returned in a completely different head space than before I had left. Maybe it was due to the fact I hadn’t left Korea for six months, but being ‘on the road’ {so to speak} again provided me with a breath of fresh air. I decided to tackle three countries within 13 days, and did it solo {successfully I may add}.

I thought it would be logical to start the blog posts where the adventure physically began: Thailand. Therefore, I have provided you with a break down of how I spent my first 24 hours in the vibrant city of Bangkok.

I arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport around 10:00 PM on a Saturday night. I immediately hired a taxi and was checking in to my hostel approximately 35 minutes later. After two flights and a five hour layover in Shanghai, all I could think about was laying my head down on my crisp, {hopefully clean} pillow. I got a full night of sleep, and woke up the next morning around 7:00 AM for free breakfast at my hostel. After a quick bite {hard boiled egg and toast with peanut butter and jelly – not gluten free}, I was ready to explore.

8:30 AM – Wat Pho

A ‘Wat’ {for anyone wondering} is a Buddhist monastery or temple. Personally, I had more interest in witnessing Wat Pho and Wat Arun, over the famous Grand Palace in Bangkok. Therefore, I prioritized my time and arrived at Wat Pho {known for its ginormous reclining Buddha}, when it opened at 8:30 AM. For the most part, I had the entire temple to myself until about 9:00 AM. While the reclining Buddha was impressive {and no picture will ever do it justice}, the rest of the grounds were equally as fascinating.

Address: 2 ถนน สนามไชย แขวงพระบรมมหาราชวัง เขต พระนคร กรุงเทพมหานคร 10200 {MAP}

Hours: 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM

Price: ฿100 {approx. $3 USD}

10:30 aM – Wat Arun

Upon leaving Wat Phra, I made my way to the second temple of the day: Wat Arun Ratchawaram Ratchaworamawihan. Quite the mouthful, right? Despite it’s massive name, Wat Arun is actually one of the smaller temples in Bangkok. That being said, what it lacks in size, Wat Arun makes up for in design and intricacy. I simply couldn’t get enough of this temple, and made sure to photograph every angle of it.

To get there from Wat Pho, walk two minutes towards the river where you will inevitably see a queue of people in front of a small, wooden building. This is the ferry terminal. The only way to get to Wat Arun is via ferry {฿4}, so hop on board and enjoy the 30 second ride across the Chao Phraya River.

Address: 158 ถนน วังเดิม แขวง วัดอรุณ เขต บางกอกใหญ่ กรุงเทพมหานคร 10600 {MAP}

Hours: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM

Price: ฿50 {approx. $1.50 USD}

12:00 PM – The Grand Palace {Optional}

As I mentioned before, the Grand Palace in Bangkok wasn’t at the top of my list. And I must confess – I never went. However, it wasn’t for lack of trying. The guards were not impressed with my attire, and I was not about to fall into the trap of purchasing clothing from the pushy, on-site vendors.

I mention this more in the upcoming vlog, but there were a lot of inconsistencies with who they allowed into the temple that afternoon. I stuck around for a bit in order to take notice, and found myself frustrated. Some people were dressed similarly to me {legs and shoulders covered}, and walked right on through. Others had significantly more of their body covered, but found themselves denied. Until they bought a piece of clothing from the street vendors, of course…

Regardless, I left the premises that day without much regret. If I had an additional day to see the palace, I would probably have returned the following afternoon. That being said, if you do want to visit the palace, it’s within walking distance from Wat Pho, so it makes sense to include it at this point in the day.

Address: 1 ถนน หน้าพระลาน แขวงพระบรมมหาราชวัง เขต พระนคร กรุงเทพมหานคร 10200 {MAP}

Hours: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Price: ฿500 {approx. $15 USD}

1:30 Pm – Hop On Board a Water Taxi

Traveling by water taxi was actually something I stumbled upon, but now highly recommend as a form of transportation when in Bangkok. Although great in terms of distance to the Grand Palace and the old city, my hostel was somewhat lacking when it came to location. Therefore the only way to get to a metro line {without taking a taxi}, was via canal.

On my way to Sukhumvit, I boarded a water taxi at Phanfa Bridge which took me on a 10 minute ride through a narrow waterway. It was a chance to witness Bangkok from a drastically different point of view. For more information about this form of travel, you can visit the Khlong Sean Express website, here.

Address: แขวง บ้านบาตร เขต ป้อมปราบศัตรูพ่าย กรุงเทพมหานคร 10100 {MAP} – This is where I personally boarded, though you can find more locations, here.

Hours: Weekdays 5:30 AM – 8:30 PM, Weekends 5:30 AM – 7:00 PM

Price: Between ฿10-20 {under $1 USD} depending on where you are going

2:15 PM – Lunch at BROCCOLI REVOLUTION

Long before I ever touched down in Bangkok, I decided I needed to visit BROCCOLI REVOLUTION. It’s one of those places that hits every mark: healthy, allergy conscious, and Instagrammable. And I must say, after all the smoothie bowls I consumed in Thailand {trust me, there were many}, this one was the best. Located in Sukhumvit, BROCCOLI REVOLUTION provides a tranquil environment to escape the heat. Seriously though, the air conditioner had me shivering by the time I left.

Address: 899 ถนน สุขุมวิท แขวง คลองตันเหนือ เขต วัฒนา กรุงเทพมหานคร 10110 {MAP}

Hours: Weekdays 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM, Weekends 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Price:  ฿150 – 290 per item {approx. $5-9 USD}

3:15 PM – Coffee at Fill in the Blank

 

As always, I craved something sweet upon finishing lunch. So, what better way to spoil a good healthy meal, than with an unhealthy, sugarytreat? Only about a 15 minute walk from BROCCOLI REVOLUTION, Fill in the Blank is a hidden gem. No, really, I could barely find it. I opted for their signature drink which arrived equipped with whip cream, blonde brownies, and caramel syrup {if you pronounce the ‘a’ in ‘caramel’ I’m not sure we can be friends – but I also think that is technically how you pronounce the word so good on you}. This decadent dessert was one of the finest I’ve ever tasted.

Address: 28/10 ซอย สุขุมวิท 61 แขวง คลองตันเหนือ เขต วัฒนา กรุงเทพมหานคร 10110 {MAP}

Hours: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM {closed on Monday}

4:30 PM – Loha Prasart & Wat Thepthidaram Worawihan

By this point in the afternoon, it was nearing sunset. Time had slipped away so quickly, I could hardly believe it. I felt it best to head in the direction of my hostel via water taxi once again. Luckily, Once Again Hostel was located close to a lesser known temples: Loha Prasart and Wat Thepthidaram. The place was so deserted that I questioned whether or not it was open to the public before entering. To the best of my knowledge, it was {let’s just say I didn’t get told off at any point}.

They were beautiful, as most temples are in Bangkok. My fingers clutched my camera, and my eye rarely left the viewfinder. The highlight though, came once the light began to fade from the sky. In front of the temples are pristine, manicured gardens which house twinkling lights that illuminate the entire property. I stopped to admire them for a bit, until I noticed something more enticing…

Address: 2 ถนน มหาไชย แขวงบวรนิเวศ เขต พระนคร กรุงเทพมหานคร 10200 {MAP}

Hours: 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Price: Free

5:30 PM – Climb the Golden Mount {Wat Sakat} at Sunset

Online, the opening hours for the Golden Mount vary depending on which website you visit. Even so, the latest I read the Mount stayed open, was 5:30 PM. I’m here to tell you I was misinformed. As I was exiting Wat Thepthidaram, I noticed tiny little figures atop the Golden Mount – and it was nearly 6:00 PM. Private tour? Could be, but there were too many tiny humans up there to be sure.

I made the executive decision to walk my happy {read: hopeful} ass up to the entrance of the Golden Mount. To my surprise, there were people entering and exiting – {and the best part} all for FREE! I slowly made my way to the top of the temple, quite satisfied with myself. From there, I watched the sun set over the vibrant city that I had the pleasure of exploring all afternoon.

Address: 344 ถนน บริพัตร แขวง บ้านบาตร เขต ป้อมปราบศัตรูพ่าย กรุงเทพมหานคร 10100 {MAP}

Hours: 8:00 AM – Sunset

Price: ฿50 {$1.50 USD} – or free if you arrive around sunset apparently

7:00 PM – Dinner on Maha Chai Road

And finally, if you only have one day in Bangkok, you should end it with dinner along Maha Chai Road. My hostel was only a few minutes walk  from this famous street {so about me complaining about my location earlier…}, leaving me in the perfect spot to indulge in local Thai food. There are many places to choose from along the road, however I’ll share a couple fan favorites.

First, Raan Jay Fai is an inconspicuous, hole-in-the-wall street hawker. You wouldn’t assume just by looking at it that it’s a Michelin Star restaurant, but indeed it is. The place is run by an elderly woman by the name of ‘Sister Mole’ {hence the name}. There is always a wait and prices range from from ฿400-1000 {approx. $12 – 31 USD}.

Secondly, we have Leung Pha Pad Thai, which many claim has the best Pad Thai in Bangkok. You’ll easily notice it by the many eager customers queuing outside, and you should prepare to wait around 10 minutes for your meal. Most dishes cost around ฿40-80 {approx. less than $2 USD}. Whatever choice you make, I can guarantee you’ll be satisfied.

10:00 PM – Khao San Road {optional}

I have to be honest, I didn’t actually participate in nightlife while I was in Bangkok. After such a full day, following a full day of travel the day before, I was knackered by the time I finished dinner. That being said, Khao San Road is supposed to be the destination if you want to experience Bangkok after dark. Therefore, if you manage to muster up enough energy, follow a group of young backpackers and your sure to find it eventually.