Reviews- Bangkok & Pattaya,Thailand

How did that happen ?- Thailand Tour

I have always been longing to visit Thailand, one of the most fascinating countries and sortafter tourist destination. Its impressive architecture of pagodas to vibrant and colorful markets of Bangkok, by all means Thailand is a paradise for every traveler to explore food, culture, nightlife, beaches, and shopping.

An idea struck my mind one day to travel somewhere abroad, so I browsed through internet to find some great deals on air tickets. Thailand was on the top list of categories.

The day I arrived and the first impression

When I landed at the suvarnabhumi airport the immigration and customs clearances were smooth and fast, being one of the busiest airports in the world. The airport was equipped with all standardized facilities and appeared well organized in rendering services to travelers.

Bangkok city was amazing but bustling like any other Asian city with so much of action in every corner. It was quite impressive to see what a city has built during decades- amazing skyscrapers, shopping malls, amusement parks, and well-preserved heritage. Furthermore, the diversity in food, street lined with food carts overlooked by sophisticated restaurants, smell of sea-food wafting through the air was an overwhelming experience.

Thailand is absolutely a tourist destination and a safer place to travel. People are kind and helpful however language would remain a barrier.

Reviews: Pattaya, Thailand

I landed in Bangkok on April 2017 early morning and found buses with cheapest fares to Pattaya for 120 Baht. The duration of the journey was 2 hours.

Jomtien Beach, Pattaya

One of the popular beaches in Thailand, and most importantly, clean and unpolluted, Jomtien beach has abundance of restro-bars along the way which adds to out excitement and elevates the whole party experience. If you explore furthermore, there is a Jomtien Beach Market known for its irresistible seafood, salads, and flavorsome smoothies and local shopping. Best time to visit is in the evening when the sun descends. Enjoy the night volleyball with yummy smoothies in hand.

Bali Hai Pier, Pattaya

Close to walking street and Easykart, you can avail ferries at Huahin bay to Koh-Larn Island, costing 30-40 THB one way. Steamers would cost you 200 THB. Some of the interesting and scenic views of Bali Hai Pier given as under.

Koh Larn Island, Pattaya

What a place to get lost. A huge island with 20-25 mins drive away from Pattaya City, the ferry comes as a cheapest way to reach there or steamers which might cost over 200 THB. They are easily available from Pattaya City Bay, Popularly known as Bali Hai Pier. You can hire bikes or mini trucks to explore every corner of the Koh-Larn island as beaches are far away from each other. All the beaches have white sand, a little grainy but comfortable walking barefoot. It is recommended to leverage complete one day to explore the most of it.

A beautiful island away from tourist frenzy Pattaya city is safe to visit and heaven for travelers.

Mostly explored 6 beaches are:

Samae Beach
Tawaen Beach
Tien Beach
Nual Beach
Tonglang Beach

Services at the beach:

Beach chairs- 50-100 THB
Toilets- 10 THB
Lockers- 50 THB
Showers- 40-50 THB

Walking Street, Pattaya

Overly crowded during the evenings. From shimmering lights to loud music this place has it all. It is ideal for 1-2 Hrs of visit unless you plan to spend long hours there for intoxicated parties and sex. You will find Indian clubs & bars.

Reviews: Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok Art and Culture Center

Awesome place opposite to the MBK center. You can get acquainted with the history and culture of Bangkok. I didn’t have opportunity to spend much time there but it seemed worth visiting.

MBK Center, Bangkok

The 8 storey mall has 2000 stores offering a wide variety of products to people who are merely not spending time looking at things but intend to do some real shopping. MBK is extremely popular in Bangkok and once credited being the Asia’s biggest mall. It still upholds it prominence until today. You can do shopping right from clothing, cosmetics, electronics, entertainment to mobile accessories.

Visit Boots store, a prominent cosmetic retail company in Thailand selling impeccable, interesting and alluring cosmetic products with good deals. The mall caters to all kind of classes and should be missed to explore while in Bangkok City. Relish some delicious smoothies outside MBK.

Location: It is close to the national stadium and Siam BTS station. Walk 10 minutes west to MBK from the station.

MBK Restaurants, Bangkok

I couldn’t capture the mall in pics because I had no idea whether I would be writing reviews one day, so I just experienced the enormous mall. I remember its food court during my first visit to MBK in Bangkok. It is huge where you can find authentic and delectable Thai cuisines.

Dusit Zoo, Bangkok

If you are an animal lover then you may want to visit the most popular zoo in Bangkok and one of the amazing landmarks, Dusit Zoo. Located at Khao Din Park in Bangkok’s Dusit District next to the Parliament House and Dusit Palace, Dusit is the oldest zoo in Thailand. It is not often visited by tourists but still remains an ideal place to spend some leisurely time. Being there was a great idea to taste the local culture and life, something I could see beyond touristy spots.

Chao Phraya River, Bangkok

Chao Phraya River is one of the most amazing experiences one can have in Bangkok city. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand adding liveliness to the city. The river has a significant contribution in the lives of Thai people and offers some great views to every bystander. You can ride on cruise boats at the waterfront and enjoy the sightseeing preferably in the evenings. Across the river, visit Wat Arun temple and explore the street food and restaurants.

Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho), Bangkok

Located behind the temple of Emerald Buddha, Wat Pho is one of the largest temples, famed for its giant reclining Buddha, 46 meters long, is a mesmerizing experience for every kind of visitor. Only 5 mins of walk from the Grand Palace, this place has a lot of character and reclining Buddha is beautiful beyond imagination. This is also a great place to get a traditional Thai massage.

Ticket price is 100 THB and they provide free complimentary water bottles. The place gets a rating of 5 stars.

Wat Arun Ratchawararam (Temple), Bangkok

What a magnificent architecture. A must-visit place for every traveler exploring Thailand. The temple is massive and has steep steps to climb the pagodas. The ticket cost is 50 THB.

Wat Arun Pier (Pier 1), Bangkok

The Chao Phraya river is spectacular and busy on the shores with abundance of boats and people crossing over. Spend time cruising the river or travel across to visit Wat Arun temple and other local places. The ferry costs 5-10 THB or even free at times if you want to explore the other side of the river. For river tours, Chao Phraya cruise boats are available for 1000 THB.

It is where you will be dazzled in Thai Exquisite Architecture, so be there and have fun.

Grand Palace, Bangkok

The place cannot go without mention. I was completely carried away with the beauty of the palace. It has been an official residence of the Thailand since 17th century. The size of the palace is huge and you would need 2-3 hours to explore it. The palace is divided into four courts:

Outer court: Usually it is very crowded and popular among people to take some incredible pictures. It is where you can find information center of the Grand palace.

2. Temple of the Emerald Buddha: It is incorrectly referred to as a Buddhist temple but in fact it is a chapel. It has all the amenities what a temple should have except living quarters for monks. The temple has 7 gates and Emerald Buddha is kept within the grounds of the temple. This place truly represents the Thai cultural diversity.

3. Middle Court: It has a reception hall in front, ceremonial halls in the middle and residential complexes at the back where kings would have various ceremonies. The place is ideal to take some great photos.

4. Inner court: It has a historical significance and it is the place where kings would keep their minor wives.