Bangkok, the gateway to South-East Asia, is well known for its modernity and shopping heaven with international luxury brands and local domestic products. It really takes time for the visitors to discover Bangkok city’s inner charm. Additionally, from Bangkok, there are many day trip options to see the nature, wildlife and history of Thailand. What are different experiences that I have between two time visiting Bangkok?

1. Staying in different places in Bangkok offering really different observations

Like the majority of travelers, I chose a hotel in Khao San Road or the Western Street of Bangkok for the conveniences in controlling the sightseeing plan. With the first time, there is a fear of unexpected situations such as traffic congestion, fail in getting to the Bangkok city attractions, no good place to eat and so on. Khao San Road is an ideal place to stay for the visitors. Beside, China Town is preferred too for the easy exploration. There are many choices of accommodations with moderate budgets.

On the second go, I arranged a hotel in city center which is closed to the citizen areas. Out of any anticipation, I stayed in the area of jewelry traders. Along the street, except for dining restaurants and office buildings, almost the rest stores earn the business with jewelries and jades. Some do wholesales only, some go with both wholesales and retails. This is explained easily as there is a big communities of Chinese in Bangkok. Strolling to the neighborhoods, we found authentic streets and local people, watched the traffic and saw Thai people moving with their daily life like school, work, excercises, talks, etc. It was so exciting to gain such entirety difference interactions.

2. Dozens of things to do in Bangkok

After two times experiencing the city, I found it’s difficult to get bored in Bangkok.

Bangkok Main Attractions to visit:

For a glance of Bangkok, every ones tend to look for the most highlighted attractions like The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Khao San Road, China Town, Wat Tiramit, weekend market and floating market.

Plus, look for the chances to try Thailand famous food like mango sticky rice, tom yum, etc. Or if strolling around the China Town, get the seafood at renown restaurant. Or call by shopping centers to buy so many stuffs and enjoy Thai food at food courts.

In my second trip to Bangkok 3 days 2 nights, I didn’t feel rush to have the visits to must to see places in Bangkok. On the first day morning, I took a leisure walk around the Jewelry streets and stop at local venders and eat the local breakfast of variable choices like sticky rice, grilled chicken, fish, pork, Thai salad cooked in local styles, etc. Then keep walking and stop for an Amazon coffee before arriving at China Town (45mins slow walking). In China town, beside the main streets of Gold stores and good restaurants, I came across many alleys where local people, mainly Chinese origin do business of many goods like shoes, clothes, souvenirs, bags, decorative items, nuts, fresh food, etc. It’s such an heaven for shopping and having snacks. After awhile, I stopped at a local restaurant for a soup bowl. The first doubt was that this soup is weird and seems not healthy. After the serve, the soup has been so impressively delicious as it’s the crab soup.

Finish the China Town which is said the backbone if Bangkok is the dragon, I move to Wat Pho or known as the Pagoda of reclining Buddha with dozens if colorful and giant stupas. This place is also renown as the first massage school in Thailand; and the school still teach as well as provide massage services for visitors these days. Last but not least, one of the value that visitors will enjoy when entering the pagoda is that daily the respectable monk gives the chants at 9am. I did last time in the morning and sit together with locals to hear from him who sit separately and higher than local residents. Local people can sit either inside the main hall of the pagoda nearby the monk or outside with a focused and deferential mind.

Again, I came back to another pagoda that I do enjoy in Bangkok which is Arun Temple or Wat Arun mean the temple of dawn. Just a short walk from the back exit of Wat Pho, I find the familiar ferry pier where I can buy the ticket to cross the Chao Phraya River where there are so many big fish dancing on then water surface which is rarely seen in Hanoi.

Shopping in Bangkok

There are many places to do shopping in Bangkok from local markets to shopping malls. The first time, I visited a couple and spend the second time to see some others. All the shopping areas in Bangkok look similar with bunches of goods; however the product varieties and the dining experiences are different. It’s just your own needs and interest; Bangkok never disappoints the visitors in term of shopping places.
The most famous markets could be named including:

Local markets in Bangkok

Chatuchak weekend market: This market is opened during weekend only. It’s a large market divided into 4 mains blocks A,B,C,D with diverse goods of clothes, shoes, leathers, pets, household amenities, furnitures, souvenirs, books, second-hand clothes, etc. To discover all the stuffs, it might take nearly a day. Then, decide on specific type of goods that you are interested to design suitable walking route.
Pratunam Market: This is a famous market for clothes with very reasonable costs. The prices even come lower if the quantity to buy is from 3 pieces.
China Town market: The area is popular and convenient to do shopping during the tour.
Patpong night market: Located on Patpong street at the intersection between Silom and Surawong streets, this market is not impressively large but there are many bars in the areas for those want to chill-out.

Shopping Malls in Bangkok

Shopping malls with air-conditioners and well distributed stalls are good choices too. Especially, a part from shopping, there are courts with food and drinks to get refilled after walking for so long.

Terminal 21: located on Sukhumvit street, Terminal 21 is outstanding itself with each floor is designed and decorated like a big city in the word like Roma, Tokyo, Paris, London, etc. The products are at different ranges from local to international brands, of many categories to shopping. The foodcourt and restaurants in Terminal 21 are also highly recommended.
Plantinum Shopping mall: A mall with clothes at moderate costs. You’ll feel overwhelmed by the stalls of clothes, accessaries, and pretty items attached closely to each other.
Mega Banga: This shopping mall is not located in Bangkok city center; however it’s ideal for shopping lover with over 200 clothes stores, 100 cafes, over 30 cometic stores, Ikea furniture stores and other hundreds stores adapting clients’ daily needs.
Siam Square: A complex including Siam Paragon, Siam Center and Siam Discovery where are displayed with so many stores from moderate to high-end and international brands goods.
Others centers: IconSiam, MBK, Central World, Asiatique, Gaysorn, etc.

3. Sightseeing extensions from Bangkok

With 2 nights in Bangkok, it might be only enough to see around the city and feel local ambience. When return the second time, I could reach some provinces located around 60 -85km from Bangkok which could reach by 1 hour to 1.5 hour car transfer or local train. The recommendations are Ayuthaya ancient capital, Damnoen Saduak floating market, Kanchanaburi and Khao Yai. Of course I couldn’t visit all of those places in the second return, but will consider to come in my next trip.

Ayuthaya Ancient city:

Ayuthaya is located around 76km to the North of Bangkok City taking around 01 hour drive by car and 1.5 hour travel by local train. It was the glorious island capital of Siam till 1767 when being sacked by the Burmese. The place is beloved by the enigmatic temple ruins, peaceful countryside landscape and lovely restaurants on river banks.
Among so many temples, you can see below main temples in Ayuthaya with nicest remain and significances:  

• Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit  
  • Wat Phra Si Sanphet   
  • Wat Mahathat   
  • Wat Yai Chaimongkol   
  • Wat Ratchburana   
  • Wat Lokayasutharam   
  • Bang Pa-In Summer Palace  

Damnoen Saduak floating market

This is an exciting popular floating market in Thailand to learn of a bygone way of life – floating life in Thailand. It also.offers chances for photo taking, taste great local food enjoy and the busy atmosphere of a floating market.
Car is the suggested transportation to travel from Bangkok to Damneon Saduak Floating market. It takes over 1 hour to travel in between. En route, there are chances to stop to pay a visit to fruit orchards, salt farm and enjoy the luxuriant countryside landscape.
Upon the arrival at the floating market, there will be some long-tail boats for the visitors to board on and sail along the river for roughly 20 minutes to delve into this hectic life.
This activities might take half day to discover the market. To save the long driving distance, you can combine with the elephant farm nearby in Kanchanaburi.

Kanchanaburi

Kanchanaburi firstly know as the gateway to the wild nature in the west of Thailand with alluring national park and the lush riverside resorts. This province is also reminded with the harrowing history during the Second World War. So this province will work for those are interested in the war history.

Things to do in Kanchanaburi:

Visit the Elephant World: Built in 2008 for the sick, disable and abused elephants. The visitors can join gathering food, feeding and bathing for the elephants.
Death Railway Bridge: a 300m bridge constructed by the imprisoned Allied POW were ordered by Japanese forces to connect Burma and Thailand. It was bombarded since 1945. The visitors can come and see the relics, and also visit the Death Railway Museum.
Half day visit to Erawan National Park: A national park with emerald green, dense jungle and thundering waterfalls. Beside hiking through the jungle, you can bath your self into the crystal clear water.
Other historical places: Hell Fire Pass Memorial Museum, War Cementary, Bamboo Rafting on Kwai River, etc.

Khao Yai

Khao Yai is around 140km (2.5 hour drive from Bangkok) to the north east of Thailand with Khao Yai National Park, a UNESCO Heritage Site and also the third largest national park of Thailand.

Things to do in Khao Yai:

Exploring the national park: This is a large national park of over 2000 sqm including rain forests and grassland. The national park is opened from 6am to 6pm for the visitors to delve into the jungle and observe great wildlife habitants.
Night Safari in the jungle: In the evening, there are jungle trucks taking visitor into the jungle to explore the night safari with mysterious sound of the night and see nocturnal animals like slow loris, civets, deers, elephants and so on.
Pay a visit to hilly Gran Monte winery where is with moderate climate, grape plantations. You can taste the prime wine of Thailand while doing the vineyard tour.

No matter it’s the first time or the second time, there are many things to do in Bangkok for your considerations. Just pick-out the suitable ones best match your interests. It’s excited to arrive in and pleasant when leaving the place!