Bangkok is the capital of Thailand as well as the gateway to all the wonders of the country.
Whether you go to visit the rurarli beauties of the north or the beautiful islands of the south, passing through Bangkok it is almost a requirement.
Chaotic, polluted and very very hot, Bangkok attracts the same number of visitors each year thanks to the beauty of its temples, its markets (and not floating), of its gigantic shopping centers and much more.
My itinerary included basically five stages:
- Bangkok (4 nights)
- Railay (5 nights)
- Koh Phangan (4 nights)
- Koh Tao (3 nights)
- Koh Samui (2 nights)
Bangkok: August 2015
In Bangkok I was only 4 nights because I had little time, but the city certainly deserved at least one or two days more to be seen better, also because the first day is gone away almost everything for the trip.
I arrived very tired at 10 am at the airport of Suvarnabhumi (Ukraine Airlines flying to / 490 euro) I took the convenient airport link (the equivalent of our Malpensa Express but it only costs 1 euro) and went down to the change by MRT (subway) Makkasan station blue line, where then I went off at Hua Lamphong.
My hotel was right next to the station (although it took me a while 'to get my bearings and find it), was The Krungkasem Srikrung Hotel, a hotel not luxurious but with breakfast included and with the nice big room (on the seventh floor, with balcony and a good view of the city), for the modest sum of 80 € for 4 nights.
Arrived at hotel in time for lunch, we rested a few minutes and then we went straight for the first stage, the Chatuchak Market, where we ate street food.
This weekend market is one of the largest in the world and would not be enough three days to see it all.
Thousands and thousands of stalls scattered here and there ... slogan: bargain!
To get to the market we took the one to call the Bangkok BTS, or the elevated metro, the easiest way to get around the busy Thai capital.
We had bought the rechargeable swipe cards to get around by MRT but it got to the BTS we discovered that she was no good, so we took it from time to time at the ticket machines (which accept only money and so every time we had to change money at the information desk).
After the market we took the subway and went to see the MBK Center, one of the most popular shopping malls in Bangkok.
Also here is the obbiglio bargain, something in which I am not very good, in fact I took a large suitcase to 38 Euros, but I think I could take her home for 20.
By the way, in one of the floors of this mall (if I remember correctly the fourth or fifth) is full of counterfeit stuff: p
Then returning home we ran into a demonstration of Thai Boxing.
Thai boxing is a bit 'the national sport, followed by us as football and this in my opinion, speaks volumes about the temperament of the Thais ... in short, the people smile, but up to a certain point;)
The second day we took two steps on foot and we went to take the boat to visit the old part of Bangkok.
Here we visited the beautiful Wat Pho with its Buddha lying.
But we soon got discouraged in front of the row to be done to visit the royal palace so we skipped the visit (first regret).
We also skipped the Wat Arun, one of the city's landmarks; since it was deck it stuck to photograph the other side of the river.
Dopo il Wat Pho ci siamo fatti una bella passeggiata per vedere il Lak Meuang, il Sao Chingcha e la famosa zona di Khao San road.
By the way, walking through the streets of Bangkok, which in some cases are very reminiscent of the Beijing Hutong, we stumbled on this nice little beast:
The third day in Bangkok we went on a trip to Ayutthaya, the former capital of the country.
From our hotel we crossed the street and went to the station to take the train, which for just 20 Bath (or about 50 euro cents) has brought us to the destination.
Famous for its ruins, Ayutthaya is certainly worth a visit, we have it turned on bikes but it was very tiring :-)
On the way back, as it was still early, we visited two other shopping centers, Central World and Siam Paragon, before retiring to the hotel mid-afternoon, exhausted by fatigue.
At night we heard the news of a bomb attack with dozens of their dead within walking distance of Siam Paragon, where we spent a few hours earlier, a few kilometers from our hotel ... in short, he has disturbed us a bit ', but as they say, the show must go on ...
The last day in Bangkok we had to pass it, or taking a day trip to Lopburi, or visiting one of the wonderful water markets, or recovering lost the visit to the royal palace.
Eventually he won the trip to Lopburi (number two regrets: not to see the floating markets).
Lopburi is a city famous for its ruins, Ayutthaya type, but especially for the monkeys that live there.
Small we shot it all on foot, and we tried a fantastic interactive experience with mischievous monkeys city.
Returning from Lopburi Finally, we visited the Bangkok's Chinatown, within walking distance from our hotel (the choice fits perfectly Krungkasem hotel, close to everything!), Where we ate the delicious Chinese food.
The next day, early morning, we took a train in less than an hour and for only 20 baht (50 cents) has led us directly to the city's second airport, Don Mueang Airport.
From here we took a company Air Asia flight to Krabi (cost of less than 50 euro ticket), from where we left, coach first and then the ferry, for the second half of the trip: Railay.
Below the video playlist that I made in Bangkok:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mELEBvhL85g&list=PLCBrso9WwkFZp3Q3hQ95Sym3bm219sYxA
What about this brief stint in Bangkok?
Surely I liked as a city, it has much to see and offer.
I must say that having already visited many cities in China, the Philippines, Singapore and other cities in Southeast Asia ... is short, these cities are a little like 'all :)
Mind they are all special and different attractions, but people seem to behave the same way, are almost all cities with affluent neighborhoods but surrounded by poverty and dirt (and often the stench) are muggy, rainy and often chaotic and disorderly.
In short, nothing to do with the order and cleanliness that I found in Japan ... ok for a visit, but never, ever to live :-)