City of Squalar! - Bangkok
HOLA CITY OF SQUALAR is probably the greatest quote ever made to best describe this crazy exciting city. I first visited Bangkok 10 years ago with my family, and quite frankly I hated it. My memories of the city were dirty, stinky, loud, busy & crazy. Returning now, being way more mature and open minded, I have fallen for this place and all its craziness! Mind you, when I first visited we only went to shopping malls and didn't actually venture out into the streets to really experience the amazing authentic & diverse culture that is on every corner of this city. There is so much to do and see, AND EAT, you can never be bored. Here is a few tips on what do to, where to stay & what to eat from my personal experiences whilst visiting.
Where to stay...
↣ Better Bed Hostel - located in Sukhmvit, this hostel is quiet, cheap, clean and has really comfy beds. The owner is so sweet she will help you on what to do whilst in the city. Private rooms are super cheap and have really large king size beds. It was just what we needed when recovering from our jetlag.
↣ Bed One Block Hostel - located super close to Siam square this hostel is probably the cutest I have ever stayed in! Its brand new & modern with great facilities. Shower is the best yet and they even have amazing hairdryers for all the girls! The beds are the only downfall as they are super hard. Still slept fine though!
↣ Good Day Hostel - great location can get to sky train in a 5 min walk. Near the park for those wanting to do some daily exercise. Rooms aren't the neatest, but beds are comfy and bathrooms were clean.
TIP: When booking a hostel try to get one with a free breakfast & save your money on a meal out. They usually just serve cereal, toast, fruit, tea and coffee. Which we found perfect :)
Where & what to eat..
↣ On the street! Our favourite way to eat :). Almost every street will have street food on it usually always selling Thai food. Kyle is obsessed with the street fried chicken haha, he says its a must try! Make sure you choose a place that cooks it fresh in front of you. I tend to stick to the stalls that look the busiest :).
↣ China Town. Loads of street stalls to choose from & SO cheap. I think we both ate a meal with a drink for under 150m baht.
↣ Siam Paragon and Siam Centre - head to paragon on the lower level for your choice of any kind of food you like! This place is so amazing, we visited quite a bit. Just buying little random bits of food to try. Siam Centre has a massive food court on the top floor serving really really cheap and fresh cuisines. I would usually order a Papaya salad (no chilli, if you like reallyyy spicy, tongue sweltering food then add the chilli), and Kyle would usually order kimchi chicken from a Korean stall. Make sure you stop and try the little cheese tarts are sold in both malls. You will know what I mean when you see it :)
↣ Madame Musur - just off Khao San Road this little restaurant has great vibes, great food and great cocktails. We went a couple of times!
↣ W District - located in Sukhumvit, this food marketta is a great place to grab some street food and beers and chill in the courtyard with the crowds of people listening to music. Awesome place awesome vibe!
↣ One of my favorite snacks was street side fresh fruit. You will see loads of them around! We first tried when we seen a crowd of people around one this woman's stand buying fruit like there was no tomorrow. Ever since I've been hooked! Also fruit shakes!! My FAV. My usual order was banana & mango no sugar or milk. OR banana & strawberry with coconut milk YUM!! 👅
↣ Don't be afraid to try the coconut rice with sticky rice and beans on top. It was surprisingly amazing! Had me regretting I had only tried on my last day :(
For those Vegetarians there is so much variety! So don't stress you can almost ask for any meal with no meat :)
Where to drink...
↣ Cheap Charlies - small outdoor bar serving cheap spirits. Cool little vibe, just make sure you head there a little earlier to grab a table.
↣ Madame Musur - great cocktails! Try the passionfruit margarita :P
↣ Khao San Road - anywhere along here is a good laugh!
↣ Park Society - little pricier but amazing view over Lumpini park and the city!
What to do...
↣ Obviously visit the temples :) we only visited Wat Pho which was spectacular!
↣ Shop! This place is insane for shopping. We felt a little lost cause there is so many shopping malls and markets. Siam Centre has loads of little boutiques for clothes.
↣ Chatuchak weekend market is a must! Only on Saturday and Sunday (I know name says it all) this market is one of the best I've ever been too! So many cute clothing stands! You can literally get anything you want here. Try out the coconut ice cream with sticky rice and beans on top. Seriously good :P
↣ Take a stroll through Lumpini park or join in with all the fit people exercising around the park. At around 5pm they hold free aerobics classes which apparently can see up to hundreds of people joining in. I bet it would be such a laugh! Little disappointed I never got to try :(. Next time!
↣ Visit and party on Khao San road. We had a night out here & it was hilarious!
↣ Head to a rooftop bar for sunset drinks and incredible views over the city. There are so many around just do a little research :) Lebua State Tower is popular but has expensive drinks. Park society is nice, just cant actually see the sunset. Cheaper cocktails their though!
↣ Take a boat ride down the river. To get there take the sky train to the river where you can get a really cheap ticket for the water taxi which will take you down to most the temples and near Khao san road.
How to get around..
↣ Sky train is cheap and super efficient! You can buy tickets at all stations.
↣ Taxis are also a good way to get around, when its not peak traffic that is! Which seems to be 24/7 in Bangkok haha! But they are really cheap and sometimes just easier than having to wait in line for the sky train. Make sure you grab a taxi that has a metre. Some won't turn theirs on so just avoid those! You can download grab taxi app where you can order one online. Very similar to Uber but just cheaper!
↣ Motorbike taxis are also a good option when there is traffic. Just look for the guys with orange vests on :)
Such a lively bustling city that will always keep you guessing! Try to visit with an open mind because it is not very glamorous & yes it still is stinky! haha :P All in all we love Bangkok & will most certainly be revisiting in the near future.
