Trade your expectation for appreciation and the world can change instantly…
So our time and Bangkok has been short… However I would struggle to say it has all been sweet.
Many will tell you that you will either love or hate Bangkok and for us.. It has been a broad mix of feelings.
It turned out to be an excellent decision to stay at our chosen hotel… Due to the fact we ended up spending a lot of our time there – enjoying the wonderful amenities and jaw dropping views from the pool.
The rumours are true… Bangkok is HOT and VERY humid so walking around too much gets quite tiring and after a while, you do crave a nice cold pool to jump into. Not to mention pretty much all hotels and malls in Bangkok are heavily air-conditioned and they provide sanctuaries for those who are unfamiliar or just not used to such humid conditions.
You can access pretty much anywhere in the city via the ferries and private canal boats available to hire. The private tours should be avoided though as you’ll pay over the odds for a route that can be taken via the local ferries which are MUCH cheaper.
The ferry route even takes you through traditional canal housing although I bet living here would be quite a challenge…
It turns out there isn’t actually a whole lot to Bangkok. Whilst we have enjoyed our 4 night stay here – it’s safe to say that you can pretty much get the gist of the city within an couple of days maximum – after that, you are itching to move on.
The downside that we have established from being in the city is how dirty and polluted much of the areas are. We were previously intrigued and eager to try the abundance of street foods on offer however after a while, the magnitude of smells combined together underneath a blanket of crowded and humid conditions makes for a very unappetising experience.
I will argue however that there are nice areas to grab a slice of traditional Thai cuisine however make sure you do your research and find areas less crowded in a more open area – then you’ll be sure to taste some fantastic food. 
We checked out the famous Chatuchak weekend market where most of Bangkok tends to go during those few days of the week. The market was HUGE – one of the world’s largest (over 27 acres) making it a very easy place to get lost within a sea of goods.
We lost our bearings many times during that morning and even the maps on offer were no help to us. This was a rare concept for Gary who is usually my port of call for any directional assistance. Even he could not fathom the market out!
You could buy pretty much anything you want from here. The prices are so cheap you almost feel how a celebrity would if they were to shop in high fashion stores (the ones we cannot usually afford) – no price checking required here!
A heartbreaking sight was seeing poor little animals of all kinds crammed in small cages ready to be sold. They had little bunny rabbits and puppies subjected to such horrendous conditions. I could not see a single bowl of water for them as they lay exhausted from the heat. I had to walk away quickly before there were tears…
I picked up many goodies including a few souvenirs to take home with me! As previously mentioned though, we skipped lunch due to the array of the warm stench of foods sheltered in a crammed food section… Definitely not an aroma for a weak stomach.
Instead we opted for a fresh fruit smoothie which went down a treat in the blistering heat. Gary had to buy a vest as it was even too warm for a tshirt!
Unfortunately Gary ended up feeling pretty unwell so we cut our day short and headed back to the hotel for some relaxing time. Turns out he picked up some food poisoning along the way (must of been that damm cricket)
On our way back we took ourselves out of the craziness and walked through another famous area of Bangkok – Lumphini park. The park was an absolute haven if you needed to get away from crowded areas and exhaust fumes. Finally we could breathe in the smells of greenery and walk in wide open spaces without the risks of bumping into another person.
The park itself was pleasant and had two lakes where you could rent paddle boats to have a little quiet time. There are countless benches to watch time go by and if you’re lucky (or unlucky depending on how you look at it) you may catch site of the famous monetary lizard lurking in their natural surroundings like we did here…
Aside from places to sit and watch the lakes, there is not really any food or drink carts in the area so bring supplies if you ever want to spend a day here… We perhaps thought the park was more deserted that afternoon due to the market being so close by. It could be more bustling through the week!
Obviously being in Bangkok means you have to try out some roof top drinks and what better place to go than the famous Sky Bar located at the very top of the beautiful Lebua Hotel! Luckily for us this 64th floor gem was situated so close to our hotel. In fact, we had spent the first few days admiring the yellow dome structure from our own hotel room therefore decided to save going until our last evening in the city.
With Gary still feeling poorly we got dressed up as best as we both could (they have a VERY strict dress code) – we actually had to buy adequate shoes for me and jeans for Gary at the market just to be on the safe side.
The bar was sensational! Albeit drinks are an absolute rip off but you really pay for the views, which is 100% worth it. If you are feeling flashy as well, you can dine on the rooftop too and look out over the view of The city. The 360 degree panoramic views were a sight to behold and will definitely be a lasting memory for us both – especially me who is terrified of heights! Luckily a refreshing mojito was on point to cure my nerves.
Overall Bangkok definitely had its highs and lows for us. The highlights really are the jaw dropping views seen from above, the famous Sky bar, the shopping and the food (well most of the food)
Unfortunately, the majority of the city lacks a cultural aspect and you would struggle to fill your time here if you did not have endless money to spend getting lost in the gigantic multitude of malls. There are many run down areas of the city and a lot of it feels quite dirty and unappealing. Navigating around the city is certainly not easy which is another small downside.
Despite this, we made the best of our time (food poisoning and all) and are both now looking forward to exploring the beautiful Thai islands. After all who really can resist a beach!
Thank you for reading and make sure to see how we get on at our first stop of the gulf islands – Koh Samui!
Lots of Love
Xx
