Bangkok - Thailand
Bangkok
Getting to Bangkok is no joke, the 29 hours of traveling will make you not want to get on another plane for a while, until you realize you have to fly back! Haha! If you can somehow swing a business class ticket do so, this is the one time you’ll want to splurge. We flew into Turkey and had an 8 hour layover, we checked into the Turkish Airlines Lounge, if you are flying business with Turkish Airlines this will be included in your fare, if not you can pay to enter the lounge and it might be well worth it. We landed in Turkey at 8PM local time, there wasn’t much to sightsee and we didn’t want to leave the airport so late at night. So staying at the lounge was pretty awesome, it’s a 2 story lounge, with food for an army, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages as well as games. Yes, you heard it, games! In this lounge they have virtual golf, a kids play area for toddlers and an Xbox section. They also have showers, we packed a change of clothes in our carry on and took advantage of a nice shower prior to our next flight. They also have private sleeping rooms where you can reserve to recharge. Upon arriving in Bangkok about 4PM local time, we took a cab to our hotel and stayed up for dinner to try and sleep at a decent local time in order to better adjust from the jetlag.
Day 1:
On our first day we chose to do a Bangkok full day tour with a guide from Tour with Tong (booked online prior to trip) using public transportation. Our guide gave us a city tour through the most well known temples (The Grand Palace & The Royal Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and gave us a history background of each temple and Thai culture. Keep in mind that there is a dress code to enter specific Temples, make sure to research before going, or you can purchase a sarong wrap before entering like I did (ripped jeans aren’t allowed). We also toured the flower market, the canal and through the streets where you can find all sorts of street food. At the end of the tour we asked to be dropped off at the shopping mall where we spent the rest of the day.
The Grand Palace
Mesmerized by such beauty.
That evening we went to Sky Bar at Lebua Hotel, the bar is well known for being the spot where the movie Hangover 2 was filmed. The views are spectacular, the drinks are waaayy overpriced but you will have amazing photos. The employees walk around with a flashlight which will give you some awesome pics for the gram, make sure to take a millions photos!
Sky Bar at Lebua Hotel
Wearing:
Top: Nordstrom Rack; Leggings: Forever 21; Shoes: Steve Madden; Bag: Gucci
Day 2:
The Floating Market is a tourist must, there are many markets of this kind, we went to the most popular called Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. For this trip we took a private car (roundtrip) from our hotel to the market, it’s 1.5 hour drive from Bangkok so a car is definitely needed. When you arrive you have to hop on a longtail boat which will allow you to float through the canal and see the culture of the locals from this area and how the market originated. This is a time where you can also purchase souvenirs and traditional foods (if you’re brave). Make sure to barter prices with all your souvenir purchase, they will drop prices down to less than half! After the visiting the floating market we explored a little of the freestanding market surrounding the canals and drove back to Bangkok. Our driver dropped us off at Terminal 21 a mall that is known for their street style Thai food court but follows all sanitary guidelines. It is a safer environment for you to try local foods without running the chance of getting sick.
Wear your life vests, even if it’s HOT PINK! Haha!
Wearing:
Tee: Lord & Taylor; Shorts: Aeropostale; Sneaks: Converse; Bag: Gifted from Asos
Street foods although delicious, westernized tourists have a higher risk of getting sick either due to sanitary/unclean water used in cooking or ice in drinks. Be careful! At the Terminal 21 food court, the food was delicious, inexpensive and they have to follow sanitary guidelines making it safer.
Hotel: Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queens Park, this hotel was located right in the heart of Bangkok, the rooms were modern, clean and amenities were excellent. The breakfast was something I’ve never seen before, the selection was endless. Also, they have a rooftop bar which has beautiful city views and sunset. It is also walking distance from a shopping mall, which is where we went to grab dinner after our long 27 hours of travelling.
