We booked a very last-minute trip to Thailand (thanks to a ‘I Know The Pilot’ special deal!) and our first stop was Bangkok.
We arrived in Bangkok after 8pm on Sunday, 15th September and stayed in a little AirBnB apartment in a central location close to most of the attractions.
The very first day sightseeing in the city we fell for a, what we soon realised is a very common, trick. While we were looking for a Tuk-Tuk, a local guy came up to us and started chatting – asking us where we’re from and what we’re planning on doing that day. He then went on to tell us about an excellent Buddha Festival that started that day and advised us not to go to Soi Rambuttri Road & Khao San Road just yet (according to him the restaurants only opened after 5pm). Instead, he called a Tuk-Tuk driver over, who just happened to be close by and ready to go, negotiated with him to take us to a very special temple, the Happy Buddha Temple, the Big Buddha and then to this amazing festival – all for 100 Thai Bhat.
The driver agreed and off we went … only to realise that the caretaker at the Happy Buddha Temple was in on the deal. He took us into the very small temple, took some awkward photos of us and also told us about this festival. The Tuk-Tuk driver then took us to private tailor to just have a ‘look’ – just so that he can get a kick-back of some sorts.
After he tried to take us to a few more places to just ‘have a look’, we asked him to drop us off at the festival. He then left us at a random building and told us that the festival was just around the corner – only to find out that there was never a Buddha festival at all!
Later that afternoon we had a nice dinner in Soi Rambuttri Road and finished the day off with a chocolate Roti pancake.
On Tuesday we ventured on to the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat and made a couple of stops for some shopping in the local markets. That evening we went back to Soi Rambuttri alley for dinner.
Wednesday we spent some time visiting the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha): Bangkok’s most iconic site, showcasing the royal and spiritual history of Thailand. Included in our entry ticket was a traditional Thai concert and it was great! Back to the Soi Rambuttri area for dinner again.
Thursday was our last day in Bangkok, and we had a lazy morning and after a late breakfast we made our way to the airport for our flight to Chiang Mai.
0 Comments