I finally got outta town recently and into the heart of the 'Land of a Thousand Smiles' with a BKK regular, SS..
We stayed @ the Baiyoke Boutique Hotel (BBH) which is actually 'hidden' behind the towering Baiyoke Sky which several cab drivers were unaware of. So if you wish to stay at this affordable and funky-looking hotel, be sure to either direct the driver to drive to the back of Baiyoke Sky or alight at Baiyoke Sky itself and walk over by foot, 3mins away :)
I considered this trip fulfilling as I've managed to achieve 80% of my objectives. The only unfulfilled one being to watch a Muay-Thai fight as we both found the cost rather exorbitant and the atmosphere not being really fantastic. It cost 1500baht for a standing ticket and 2000baht for a ring-side seat alone!! We ended up visiting the next door Suan Lam Night Bazzar instead.
SS brought me to Paul's Fashion located at level 2 of the Amari Watergate Hotel (abt 15mins walk from BBH) to tailor-made some clothes. The guys there are very friendly and helpful. Most importantly, they spoke English!! I made a French-cuff shirt, a normal shirt and a pair of pants all for 3100baht. Considering the number of friends recommending them, I guess they must have built up quite a good reputation for their superb worksmanship if not for their very reasonable price :) They'd even gotten my name embroidered on the left sleeve of both shirts!!
We also visited Kanchanaburi for its famous 'Death Railway', built during the 2nd World War by Allied POWs and forced labourers. Checking the various tours itinaries offered online as well as those locally, the rate of such a tour cost typically around 2000baht. We decided to make the trip by ourselves via public transport and the entire trip from our hotel to Kanchanaburi and back to our hotel cost ONLY about 800baht each!!! Of course, if you ain't the adventurous sort, I'd strongly recommend that you stick to the tour. As mentioned earlier, SS's a BKK regular and that's why we're daring enough to go on our own...Some friends of mine who had visited the place prefer to go by tour, some even private tour. Its all a matter of preference. If you prefer convenience and fuss-free, stick to the tours. If you prefer to self-explore/save cost, then do it like the way I do....
We visited the JEATH (Japan, England, Australia, Thailand and Holland) War Museum, the Kanchanaburi War Cementary, the Thailand - Burma Railway Museum and the famous 'Bridge over River Kwai' by an open tailboard, pick-up look-alike taxi which charges us 300baht per pax. This cost only marginally more compared to a trishaw asking for 100baht lesser. I chose the taxi for the comfort and speed of getting to our destination. You do your own math. :)
The deal with the taxi is such that it would bring us to the various stated places above and wait for us while we explore the places. The driver gets paid only at the end of the entire trip, so you need not be afraid that the driver will disappear after dropping you off. I especially enjoyed train ride (20baht, 15mins ride) across the bridge spanning the River Kwai. You may also walk on the bridge along the rails across the river if you do not wish to take the train ride. However, do be careful with your steps as there isn't and safety railings or netting to prevent things from falling straight into the water.
We had one of the better shark's fin in a Chinese restaurant sited along the main street in Chinatown called Nam Sing. One rather filling pot of fins meant for one cost 300baht! If this ain't cheap enough, I don't know what is... There's also a shop selling Thai specialties opposite Nam Sing which we dropped by after the filling dinner. Chinatown's basically all about food after dark as one can see from the numerous push-cart stalls that came alive only at night, according to SS.
My 'tour guide' also brought me to several other places such as the Hyatt 4-Faced Buddha, Platinium Shopping Mall, MBK, Siam Discovery and others... I've not bought so many items during a trip. SS DOES indeed knows BKK like the back of her hands. I'm very impressed!
PS : if you needed more info regarding my trip, just drop me a comment herein :)
Kanchanaburi War Cemetary
Bridge spanning River Kwai
The railway tracks of the 'Death Railway'
Aerial view of BKK's criss-crossing highways from Baiyoke Sky Observation Deck
We stayed @ the Baiyoke Boutique Hotel (BBH) which is actually 'hidden' behind the towering Baiyoke Sky which several cab drivers were unaware of. So if you wish to stay at this affordable and funky-looking hotel, be sure to either direct the driver to drive to the back of Baiyoke Sky or alight at Baiyoke Sky itself and walk over by foot, 3mins away :)
I considered this trip fulfilling as I've managed to achieve 80% of my objectives. The only unfulfilled one being to watch a Muay-Thai fight as we both found the cost rather exorbitant and the atmosphere not being really fantastic. It cost 1500baht for a standing ticket and 2000baht for a ring-side seat alone!! We ended up visiting the next door Suan Lam Night Bazzar instead.
SS brought me to Paul's Fashion located at level 2 of the Amari Watergate Hotel (abt 15mins walk from BBH) to tailor-made some clothes. The guys there are very friendly and helpful. Most importantly, they spoke English!! I made a French-cuff shirt, a normal shirt and a pair of pants all for 3100baht. Considering the number of friends recommending them, I guess they must have built up quite a good reputation for their superb worksmanship if not for their very reasonable price :) They'd even gotten my name embroidered on the left sleeve of both shirts!!
We also visited Kanchanaburi for its famous 'Death Railway', built during the 2nd World War by Allied POWs and forced labourers. Checking the various tours itinaries offered online as well as those locally, the rate of such a tour cost typically around 2000baht. We decided to make the trip by ourselves via public transport and the entire trip from our hotel to Kanchanaburi and back to our hotel cost ONLY about 800baht each!!! Of course, if you ain't the adventurous sort, I'd strongly recommend that you stick to the tour. As mentioned earlier, SS's a BKK regular and that's why we're daring enough to go on our own...Some friends of mine who had visited the place prefer to go by tour, some even private tour. Its all a matter of preference. If you prefer convenience and fuss-free, stick to the tours. If you prefer to self-explore/save cost, then do it like the way I do....
We visited the JEATH (Japan, England, Australia, Thailand and Holland) War Museum, the Kanchanaburi War Cementary, the Thailand - Burma Railway Museum and the famous 'Bridge over River Kwai' by an open tailboard, pick-up look-alike taxi which charges us 300baht per pax. This cost only marginally more compared to a trishaw asking for 100baht lesser. I chose the taxi for the comfort and speed of getting to our destination. You do your own math. :)
The deal with the taxi is such that it would bring us to the various stated places above and wait for us while we explore the places. The driver gets paid only at the end of the entire trip, so you need not be afraid that the driver will disappear after dropping you off. I especially enjoyed train ride (20baht, 15mins ride) across the bridge spanning the River Kwai. You may also walk on the bridge along the rails across the river if you do not wish to take the train ride. However, do be careful with your steps as there isn't and safety railings or netting to prevent things from falling straight into the water.
We had one of the better shark's fin in a Chinese restaurant sited along the main street in Chinatown called Nam Sing. One rather filling pot of fins meant for one cost 300baht! If this ain't cheap enough, I don't know what is... There's also a shop selling Thai specialties opposite Nam Sing which we dropped by after the filling dinner. Chinatown's basically all about food after dark as one can see from the numerous push-cart stalls that came alive only at night, according to SS.
My 'tour guide' also brought me to several other places such as the Hyatt 4-Faced Buddha, Platinium Shopping Mall, MBK, Siam Discovery and others... I've not bought so many items during a trip. SS DOES indeed knows BKK like the back of her hands. I'm very impressed!
PS : if you needed more info regarding my trip, just drop me a comment herein :)
Kanchanaburi War Cemetary
Bridge spanning River Kwai
The railway tracks of the 'Death Railway'
Aerial view of BKK's criss-crossing highways from Baiyoke Sky Observation Deck
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