There were a multitude of attractions to digest in just one sitting at the Bang Pa In Summer Palace.  The Thai kingdom obviously knew how to properly preserve their country’s royal properties.  Even if we have not fully explored the entire grounds of the summer palace, we had no choice but leave for our next stop as we only had one day to explore Ayutthaya.

From the Bang Pa-In Summer Place, we travelled for less than an hour to reach the Wat Phananchoeng Worawihan.   We were greeted by a disheartening site when we reached the second stop in our itinerary.  There were a lot of buses at the parking lot and there was a long queue of eager visitors at the entrance.  We asked the locals and inquired if there was an excursion and we were informed that a huge group of students arrived to learn more about the giant Buddha image and take part in several cultural traditions.  We were left with no choice but to simply fall in line.  Fortunately, we were ushered to a shorter line that was intended for tourists.  In less than ten minutes, we found ourselves within the temple grounds and about to enter the hall of the giant Buddha image.

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Posted in Attractions, Thailand |

The travel time from Bangkok to Ayutthaya took close to two hours. It was a great thing that we decided to hire a private taxi for our trip. We were only charged THB2000 including all toll fees for the Ayutthaya tour. Needless to say, it was an enjoyable and comfortable ride given that we were able to take quick snacks and naps on the road.

In no time at all, we found ourselves being “delivered” by our taxi to the entrance of the Bang Pa-In. This particular attraction was the first stop in our Ayutthaya tour itinerary. The Bang Pa-In, which was located about sixty kilometers of forty miles North of Bangkok, is also called the Summer Palace of the kings of Thailand. It is also situated along the banks of the Chao Phraya River.

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Posted in Attractions, China, Thailand |

It was an exhilarating experience visiting the different shopping malls and interesting attractions in the colorful city of Bangkok. One must remember, though, that the beauty of Thailand is not only limited to Bangkok. To have a taste of Thailand’s amazing history, one must make time to visit Ayutthaya.

The splendid and olden city of Ayutthaya, together with its different historical towns, was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List in 1991. It is situated on the main North – South railway that links Bangkok to the province of Chiang Mai. Furthermore, it is also described as the city that can be found at the crossing of the Chao Phraya, Lopburi and the Pa Sak rivers.

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Posted in Attractions, Thailand |

In my previous article, I enumerated some of the attractions that one can visit while touring Bangkok like Pantip Plaza and the Chatuchak Weekend Market.  Of course, the list does not stop here.

MAHBOONKRONG or MBK CENTER – This mall carries the tagline, “The Most Visited Mall in Bangkok.”  Come to think of it, no trip to Bangkok will ever be complete without a visit to this famous shopping stop.  There are loads of fun stuff to buy here from clothes, to shoes, bags, electronics, and souvenirs among others.

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Posted in Attractions, Thailand |

It was a great thing that my partner and I decided to sleep early the night before, as we woke up fully charged and very enthusiastic about our day’s activities. Before heading out for our big Bangkok city tour, we took advantage of the free buffet breakfast that was included in our hotel package. We enjoyed our sunny side up eggs, fried rice, bacon, ham, and sliced fruits. Usually, breakfast is included in the package rates that are offered by the different hotels in Thailand. You can try booking a room at the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok.

When we were full, we left the hotel with our Bangkok maps on hand.

PANTIP PLAZA – My partner and I are both into photography. A lot of our friends told us that we should check out the camera shops in Bangkok as the prices are really affordable. One of the best places to go to for some electronic shopping is Pantip Plaza. This shopping centre can be reached by taking tuk tuks, taxi cabs, bus number 511 or by taking the Bangkok Mass Transit System or the BTS.

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Posted in Attractions, Thailand |

After visiting the Royal Palace, I asked our tuk tuk driver if I can have a souvenir photo taken while riding his tuk tuk.  He chuckled but gamely allowed me to give it a try.

Then in a few minutes, Giva, our tuk tuk driver immediate drove us back to our hotel to help us collect our bags from the concierge.  In less than ten minutes, we found ourselves on the road again and on the way to the international airport of Phnom Penh.  We were in a bit of a hurry as we were left with only two hours before our estimated departure time from Phnom Penh.

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Posted in Cambodia, Thailand, Things to do |

In a previous article, I shared some of the different attractions that the vibrant capital city of Phnom Penh has to offer.  Visitors can visit the Central Market and the Russian Market to do a bit of shopping.  Those who would like to extend some help to the less fortunate children can head to any of the orphanages located within the city and bring donations like rice or noodles.  These children will surely charm their way to anyone’s heart.  But these are not the only places that are worth visiting while touring Phnom Penh.  One can go down memory lane and explore a varied list of historical sites.

The different historical sites are very accessible within the city.  The best mode of transportation would have to be the airy tuk tuk that can be found anywhere in Phnom Penh.  Anyone can get a tuk tuk near hotels like the Himawari Hotel Apartment Phnom Penh.
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Posted in Attractions, Cambodia |

A lot of visitors of Cambodia make it a point to visit both the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek and the Tuol Sleng Genocidal Museum. These places are the closest anyone will ever get in understanding the countries and in turn appreciate what it is today. In addition to these two interesting sites, there are still quite a number of rousing attractions to see in Phnom Penh.

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Posted in Attractions, Cambodia |

In a previous article, I relayed our experiences when we visited the Killing Fields. We shared photos of the mass graves, the monument that held thousands of skulls, the land markings detailing the different sections of the land, and the harrowing story behind the reign of Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge soldiers.

One land marking that was mentioned in that article was about the Truck Stop. The sign stated that:

“Here, was the place where a trucks transporting victims to be exterminated from Tuol Sleng Prison and other places in the country stopped. Trucks would arrive 2 or 3 times a month or every 3 weeks. Each truck held 20 to 30 frightened, blindfolded and silent prisoners.

When the trucks arrived, the victims were led directly to be executed at the ditches and pits or were sent to be detained in the darken and gloomy prison nearby.

After January 7, 1979, one truck remained but it was since been taken away.”

Yes, Tuol Sleng is another story altogether.

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Posted in Attractions, Cambodia |

THE KILLING FIELDS (CAMBODIA) – Sometime in the 1980s during one of the scheduled video presentations in school, I got to watch a disturbing movie that really left a mark in my heart. I’m referring to The Killing Fields, a 1984 British film, which was produced to share the drama about the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. The movie was about the lives of three journalists namely Dith Pran (Cambodian), Sydney Schanberg (American), and John Swain (British). This film tells the story of Dith Pran and his dramatic journey to escape the death camps which he referred to as the killing fields. The film received a lot of recognition and even won a total of three Academy Awards.

I had no idea that someday I will find myself at the Killing Fields.

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Posted in Attractions, Cambodia |