Archive for the ‘Thailand’ Category

Bangkok not only to Bang Cock

Many of my friends when mentioned that I’m going to Bangkok for a holiday, the first thing that comes in their mind is that I’m going there to screw a few thai babes or “rent” them for a day. But instead I want to prove them wrong. There is tons more to do in Bangkok instead of adding on to their sex statistics.

On the 12th June 2010, we arrived at Bangkok from Pattaya. We checked into our hotel at around 3pm. We stayed at the Grand Tower Inn, I would rate the hotel as average. Not bad, but not too good either. Since it was the weekend, we wanted to visit the weekend market which was about 20 minutes tuk tuk away. For those who didn’t know, tuk tuk is one of the cheapest mode of tansportation in Bangkok. Upon arrriving at the market area, they had plenty of things to see and buy. It’s like a heaven for shoppers. You can even buy breaded dogs there at a very low price.

That night itself, we went to town to get some junks to eat at the hotel at night. We went around looking for Central World, no knowing that it was burned down. We also visited the shrines that were around that area, including a hindu one which is Lord Ganesha. Buddhism and hinduism seems to have something in common.

The next morning we went straight to the tourist spots where the Emerald Buddha, Standing Buddha, and many more were located. Many people there are trying to trick you into trying their boat service, prices up to 700 bath per person. So for those going there do be careful. From leaflets that I check later on, the boats cost only a few baths. We paid 600 bath each, not realising that it was too much. We expected the floating market and so on, but there were only one or two sampan selling stuffs at that moment. I don’t recommend the boat ride at all. Alternatively, do go for the floating market which is about 80kms away from Bangkok. That is where the concept of floating market all started and you should be able to see alot more. The tour agent mentioned that it would cost about 700 bath per person.

Weekend Market - Bizzare Food

Weekend Market - Bizzare Food

Weekend Market - Puppies for sale

Weekend Market - Puppies for sale

Weekend Market

Weekend Market

Standing Buddha

Standing Buddha

Emerald Buddha Temple

Emerald Buddha Temple

Emerald Buddha Temple

Emerald Buddha Temple

Palace

Palace

Emerald Buddha Temple

Emerald Buddha Temple

Emerald Buddha Temple - Angkor Wat

Emerald Buddha Temple - Angkor Wat

Emerald Buddha Temple

Emerald Buddha Temple

Palace Guard

Palace Guard

Floating Market

Floating Market

Boat Ride

Boat Ride

Boat Ride

Boat Ride

 

Pattaya, Thailand

On our final day in Pattaya on our Thailand Expedition and 80 minutes around the world, we wanted to explore in a different way. Instead of taking the taxis and tuk tuks, we decided that we will walk around Pattaya. It’s about 2kms to the beach from our hotel. It took us roughly 20 minutes to reach it. Since it was down hill so it was all good.

When we got to the beach area, the view was beautiful. Eventhough they said that Pattaya is one of the best beach around, I still think that our Langkawi beaches are alot better. Pattaya beach is not as white as I expected it to be. And the sea was full of waves making it nearly impossible to swim. Probably good for those who wants to surf.

We walked along the beach side through the shopping areas and shopping malls. One of the malls, namely Central Festival. The Central Festival mall is also Asia’s pioneer in Malls by the beach side. They also host performance at night time.

We then carried on walking, targetting to reach the Big Buddha Temple which was about 4kms away. When we got to the Big Buddha Temple, I was exhausted of all that walking. Expecially when it was freaking hot. The temple was a great experience, you can feel the peace in that area.

After the Big Buddha Wat, I suggested that we take a taxi back. But my sister challenged me that we take a walk all the way to the hotel. To my surprise, we did make it all the way back. We went through hills, parks, dusty roads, all of a sudden heavy rain, soaking wet. But we made it. My shoes was soaking with water. What a crazy experience we went through.

Pattaya Beach

Pattaya Beach

Pattaya Beach

Pattaya Beach

Pattaya Beach

Pattaya Beach

Art Shop

Art Shop

McDonalds

McDonalds

Big Buddha Wat

Big Buddha Wat

Big Buddha Wat

Big Buddha Wat

Bell at Big Buddha Temple

Bell at Big Buddha Temple

Confucious say, dont be so confused

Confucious say, dont be so confused

Big Buddha Temple

Big Buddha Temple

Big Buddha Temple

Big Buddha Temple

Louis Tussaud's Wax Works

Louis Tussaud's Wax Works

Mango with Glutinous Rice

Mango with Glutinous Rice

Soya Bean Drink

Soya Bean Drink

Walking Street Pattaya

Walking Street Pattaya

Central Festival Bazaar

Central Festival Bazaar

Pattaya Beach at night

Pattaya Beach at night

Pattaya Beach at night

Pattaya Beach at night

Pattaya Beach Area at night

Pattaya Beach Area at night

 

Around the World in 80 Minutes

Too good to be true? Check out the write up.

On the 2nd day of our Thailand trip, we were at Pattaya. At night we headed to a place called the Mini Siam where you get to see miniature of all the wonders of the world and more. This place was beautiful. We got to see the Leaning tower of Pisa, Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, Tower Bridge of London, and many more. They also had a huge section for all the beautiful place you can visit in Thailand, including all the Wats (Temple).

We had to pay 200 bath for the taxi, both ways and 300 bath each for the Entrance to Mini Siam. I’ll let the photos continue the journey around the world in 80 minutes.

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

Mini Siam Pattaya

 

My first trip to Asia - Pattaya, Thailand

This is the first Asian country that I’ve been to other than the one that I’m living at, Malaysia. The flight tickets were purchased way ahead and we were lucky that the incident in Bangkok was all settled.

AirAsia LCCT Kuala Lumpur

AirAsia LCCT Kuala Lumpur

AirAsia LCCT Kuala Lumpur

AirAsia LCCT Kuala Lumpur

We took the AirAsia flight to Bangkok, which was a comfortable 2 hours journey. Bangkok timing is 1 hour different to Malaysia. We arrived at the Bangkok Airport which is named as Suvarnabhumi Airport. Our Thai trip was from the 9th till the 15th of June, but we only made hotel bookings at Bangkok for 12th till the 15th because they were fully booked. So we decided to head towards Pattaya instead.

Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok

Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok

Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok

Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok

We took the bus to Pattaya which cost 124 Bath each (Farily cheap). Our bus was leaving only at 7pm. We arrived somewhere in the central of Pattaya around 8.30pm. Not knowing what to do when we arrived there, we were approached by 2 motorcycle dudes. They are one sort of transportation in thai, they wanted to charge us 80 bath each, which we thought was too much for a short distant.

We decided to carry our bags and walk towards the beach to find a Backpackers area to put up the night. After about 20 minutes walk, we saw a hotel namely Town in Town Hotel, they’re rates are fairly cheap. We paid 1000 bath for the night, inclusive of breakfast for 2. After freshening up, we headed to walk towards the beach area, not knowing at that point that it was about 3KM away. On the way, we found a cheaper accommodation at Pattaya Hotel, which charged only 500 bath per night. This is where we stayed on the 2nd and 3rd night.

Town in Town Hotel Pattaya

Town in Town Hotel Pattaya

Town in Town Hotel Pattaya

Town in Town Hotel Pattaya

Our First Dinner Out

Our First Dinner Out

Dinner Time

Dinner Time

We woke up around 8am the next day. After breakfast the hotel staff recommended that we checked out the Botanical garden namely Nong Nooch Village which was about 30 minutes drive away. We had to pay 600 bath each for the transportation and entrance to the garden which also featured a Thai show and Elephant show. I found this quite reasonable. The driver first took us to a Gem Factory. Every driver of the Tuk Tuk will do this as well, they will get some commission of we purchase something at the Gem factory. As an advice, if you’re not interested in purchasing any Gems, tell them ahead before climbing into the transport. We were taken to so many Gem factories that were were really sick of it. Infact my sister mentioned that soon she’s gonna be an expert in explaining what those Gems are and how they are produced.

Breakfast at Hotel

Breakfast at Hotel

Breakfast at Hotel

Breakfast at Hotel

World Gems Collection Museum

World Gems Collection Museum

World Gems Collection Museum

World Gems Collection Museum

After the Gem factory, we went back to the Town in Town hotel to check out and check in at Pattaya Hotel. The driver was kind enough to help us check into the new accommodation. He then picked us up again at around 1.30pm. We headed straight to Nong Nooch Village, about 30kms to the sounth of Pattaya. When we got there, I was amazed at how huge this place is. They have many things there that you can take photographs of. Infact I didnt have enough time to cover the whole area. They had a ant farm, Elephant farm, turtle farm, bird farm, a tiger that was trying to sleep, goat farm, and many more. At 3pm was the Thai show which presented 8 types of dances and activities that Thai people do. My favourite was the Muay Thai boxing. Eventhough they were acting, it was very real. After the Thai show, they took us to another area that had the Elephant show. I was shocked at the things the Elephant could do. They played football, threw darts at balloons, played basketball, bowling, and entertained the crowd. This is one of the things that you should not miss if you’re visiting Pattaya. We then paid 50 bath for one of the Elephants to carry my sister, she was freaked out but braved to finally do it. I was afraid that the Elephant couldnt carry me, so instead I took a photo with a Gibbon.

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

Nong Nooch Village Pattaya

After the Nong Nooch Village, we headed towards the Mini Siam which featured all the famous structures around the world.

 

I’m Going To Bangkok No Matter What

I booked AirAsia flight to Bangkok for me and my sister last November, that’s like 7 months ahead so managed to get it for a good price. The return tickets were only RM220 per person.

Few months back, because if the incident that happened in Bangkok with all the protestors and their badly behavious caused the Bangkok tourist to either flee back or cancel their trips. I at that point refused to make any cancellation for my flights and rooms thinking that everything will be ok by then. Thank God my instincts were good, things are getting better, businesses are back in action, tourist areas are back and running. I would have wasted alot of money if I cancelled.

A colleague of mine also booked for her holiday in May, she had to cancel and change her flight dates to September. Frankly AirAsia wasn’t too helpful towards her change of flights. Firstly AirAsia mentioned that those who were flying to Bangkok till the 24th May 2010 are allowed to change flights to a future date and that they need not pay the difference, this is what I saw in the papers. But when she tried to call the helpline, it took ages to get someone on the phone. And when someone was available, they put you on hold for a very long period. This is not a toll-free call, we are paying for this calls. Finally when she checked with them to change the flights to September, there were an extra surcharge of RM800 that she had to come up with. True or not, I’m just happy that I did not make any changes to my flight and now continuing my Bangkok Trip. My sister is very eager to go there and have a blast too.

Now that the protestors have burned down the 2nd biggest shopping centre in Bangkok, below is a list of the places that I wish to visit during my trip to bangkok. We will be there from the 9th June till the 15th. So there are alot of things that we can cover within that time.

Spas: I heard that Thailand has some of the best spas in the world. You can get any type of massage and treatmends at a very affordable price. So this is what we will be doing on the last day of our trip when we are exhausted with the trip.

Spas in Bangkok

Spas in Bangkok

Cinemas: I didnt believe it when I read that Thailand has been internationally recognised as having some of the best cinemas in the world. I also checked that the prices are quite cheap for the cinema, so we might catch a movie or two when we have nothing better to do at Bangkok.

Shopping: I know I’m not a girl, but this is actually the main reason I’m going to Bangkok. I’m going to shop for clothes, shoes and any other things that I can afford. My parents been there before and they said that the leather are of very good quality and prices are very cheap, usually 70-80% off what you can get here in Malaysia. So I’m really looking forward to shopping in Bangkok.

Shopping in Bangkok

Shopping in Bangkok

Night Life: Bangkok is famous around the world for its entertainment and night life. We are not sure yet on whether we will be going for this in Bangkok, maybe for just a casual drink. We would probably enjoy this more when there’s a bigger group. Who know’s we might meet a friend or two at Bangkok.

Restaurants: Mark this, I’m 130kgs now. I bet I will weigh at least 5 kgs more when I return from Bangkok. I remember my dad gained a huge amount when he was based in bangkok. Thailand is a culinary delight, and as the food is now becoming more and more popular around the world, many already have an idea of what to expect. There are thousands of restaurants in Bangkok, but knowing which are good and which mediocre is as difficult in a foreign land as it is in your home town. I’m going to try whatever I see in Bangkok, however disgusting it maybe.

Restaurant & Nightlife in Bangkok

Restaurant & Nightlife in Bangkok

Grand Palace: I head that this is an absolute must visit area as it is an outstanding architectural achievement, that also houses the infamous Emerald Buddha, which is the most revered Buddha image in Thailand.

Grand Palace Bangkok

Grand Palace Bangkok

Snake Farm: Officially called the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, is definitely worth a visit. The snake farm is one of the largest producers of anti-venom Serum in Asia.

Crocodile Farm: I heard that this is about 30 kilometres away from Bangkok, and that we can pretty much devote a whole day to it with transport etc included. It is very close to the Rose Garden so we might as well do them both at the same time.  It is an enormous place with over 60,000 fresh and seawater crocodiles to see. They have feeding where you can buy chicken to throw to the crocs, and they also have a show every hour, where a brave or perhaps crazy guy puts his head inside the crocs head etc. The farm also houses other creatures such as snakes, gibbons, lions, and trained elephants. They even have a small dinosaur museum, where life size dinosaurs and their skeletons are on display. Wow, can’t wait for this.

Crocodile Farm Bangkok

Crocodile Farm Bangkok

Floating Market: The most famous floating market is some 80 Kilometres outside of Bangkok. We willl probably take the organised tour. Everyday, hundreds of vendors boats crowd the market area early morning until around noon.

Floating Market Bangkok

Floating Market Bangkok

National Museum: This museum which is within walking distance from the Grand Palace is one of the largest in Southeast Asia. The museum was once used as a palace and consists of several old yet beautiful buildings of colour. The museum also houses many artifacts found from all parts of the country.

National Gallery Museum: Opposite the National Museum mentioned above, on Chao Fa Road, and exhibits traditional and contemporary works of art created by Thai artists. Wow, I bet I will have a whole blog on this later.

Wha Mahathat: This is an old temple which was built during the reign of King Rama I. Will have to visit it for more information.

Wat Pho: Yeah, now we’re talking. Neighbouring the Grand Palace the Wat Pho is found along Thai Wang Road and houses the very impressive gigantic gold plated reclining Buddha which is some 46 metres long and 15 metres high.

Wat Pho Bangkok

Wat Pho Bangkok

Wat Ratchanatdaram: This temple was built during the reign of King Rama III, in 1846 and is found along Mahachai Road. Loha Prasat is the temples main attraction, and stands 36 metres high with 37 surrounding spires, it is the only one of its kind in the world. Next to the temple is a statue of King Rama III. Ancient and something I would really like to check out. I’ll try to take some Tomb Raider photography here :)

Vimanmek Mansion Museum: Is definitely a great day out. The mansion is the worlds largest golden teak building. The 3 storey Royal mansion contains 81 rooms, halls and ante-chambers containing Royal memorabilia. I guess the Malaysia version of this would be the Kellie’s Castle

Wat Trai Mit: Is located on Yaowarat Road in China Town, near the Hulamphong train Station. This temple houses a very impressive solid gold Buddha which weighs  5 and a half tonnes and is three metres in height. This seated Buddha image was built in the Sukhothai period. Now anyone wanna plan a robery?

Philatelic Museum: If stamps are your thing you may be interested in the stamp museum located on the 1st floor of the Metropolitan Postal Bureau, behind the Sam Sen Nai Post office. I have a collection of many stamps all around the world. I should check this place out too and probably purchase a few quality stamps.

Ancient City: The largest outdoor museum in the world, or so it claims, consists of gigantic sized replicas of famous buildings, monuments and temples that can be found all through Thailand. The area the museum covers is some staggering 280 acres, and is built into a shape that resembles the actual shape of Thailand.

Ancient City Bangkok

Ancient City Bangkok

Thai Boxing (Muay Thai): I got interested in this because of the movie Ong Bak. Thai Boxing or Muay Thai is becoming very well known around the world. I was told to check with my hotel about getting tickets for Muay Thai.

Muay Thai Bangkok

Muay Thai Bangkok