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 |

The people of Thailand normally eat small portions of food several times in one day; thus, street food is thriving in Bangkok and other Thai cities.  Food vendors will tend to specialize in one dish, but as they are bunched up together along the streets, you can pick and choose from a variety of simple and affordable dishes.

Here are 10 Thai street food you must try in your visit to Thailand:

Grilled Coconut Pancake (Kanom Krok): A mixture of flour batter and coconut cream cooked in a dimpled cast-iron pan over a charcoal fire. After the flour mix is cooked, a sweet coconut milk topping is added, resulting in a treat that’s crispy on the outside yet soft in the middle.
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Posted in Food, Thailand |

Hua Hin, the oldest beach resort town in Thailand, is one of the most incredible beach resort destinations in the country. Located not much more than 200 kilometers (about 125 miles) from Bangkok, this beautiful fishing village is convenient for those who need to commute regularly but far enough away from the city to be a luxurious and relaxing vacation destination choice.

Image credit: batrax

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Posted in Thailand |

SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT, BANGKOK, THAILAND - I will be embarking on a BIG adventure!  My partner and I thought that it would be difficult to go on a trip this year because of the global financial crisis.  It did not help that there have been cases of pandemics and other viruses that seem to be circulating the globe.  But if traveling is really your passion then I guess nothing can stop you from seeing the world.

So for this year, my partner and I decided to book a trip that will take us to three different countries in one week.  Thanks to budget airlines and not so expensive hotels, we felt that we can fit everything in what little budget that we have set for the trip.  About three months ago, we came across airline ticket promotions from one local airline in the Philippines.  We got excited as we were able to book a trip from Manila (Philippines) to Bangkok (Thailand) for only about US$ 100.  After booking our tickets, we figured that if we have ten days to spare on this trip then we might as well cross over to other countries and start ticking off items in our bucket list.

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Posted in Malaysia, Thailand, Things to do |

One of the things you should definitely do while hanging out in Bangkok is get seats to a Muay Thai tournament. This sport, popularized in the movie  Ong-Bak and its excellent lead actor Tony Jaa, is a brutal martial arts that utilizes not just fists and shins, but elbows and knees, as well. These multiple contact points gives Muay Thai its title the Art of Eight Limbs. Muay contests have become integral to local festivals and celebrations, held inside temples, and even used to entertain kings.

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Posted in Events, Thailand |