Bangkok, Thailand
I stepped off the plane beyond messed up by jet lag, but anxious to dive into the unknown! After going through the COVID process and showing my numerous forms and visas I was allowed to get into a cab and head to my hotel. Day 1 of quarantine was full of Thai food delivery and naps. The next day I was finally allowed to leave my room and started my adventure. My first week in Thailand was a whirlwind of experiences that I will never forget!
I was kind of lost in life, to be honest still feel like I am at times. Going through what I’m sure most people in their 20’s are going through; worrying about the future. Having that urge to find yourself but not knowing how, and the anxiety that follows. In the past few years I really wanted to get more into traveling. Especially after the global lockdown… just days staring at my phone and binging every show on Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube wishing something would change. Less than a year before COVID happened I discovered Yes Theory on Youtube. I was immediately hooked. These guys started off being nervous and timid, but they decided to get out of their comfort zone and challenge themselves and others to do the same. Over the years they created a community of Seekers who challenge themselves mentally, physically, and emotionally to truly chase their dreams and that constant need we all have to find purpose in this crazy world we call home. It motivated me to do the unthinkable, leave my job, and chase happiness. Within 2 years of the world shutting down I was in Southeast Asia training to be an English Teacher. I didn’t know what I was expecting to happen during my year in Thailand, but I hoped it would give me motivation and clarity to find out what I really want to do in the future. What happened was exactly that. As I write this I’ve only been here 6 of the 12 months and I’ve learned so much. I currently live in Bangkok, a teacher to some truly incredible students, and am motivated to keep seeking discomfort. Whether thats climbing mountains in Krabi, exploring the ruins of Ayutthaya, or partying it up on Khaosan Road with backpackers from all over the world, Bangkok is where my journey began, and it’s just the beginning of what’s to come.
When most people think of Bangkok they think of Hangover 2, lady boys, endless binge drinking, street food, and muggy never ending heat. Now even though those are all true, Bangkok has so much more to offer! This megacity is home to some of the most breathtaking temples I’ve ever seen. My personal favorite was Wat Arun. So quiet and tranquil, which was a big change from the craziness of the city. This Temple was right on the river and is probably the most well known temple in Bangkok. I recommend you take the MRT (subway) and get off at the Sanam Chi station. It’s a short walk to the ferry, Tah Tian, and it costs next to nothing to take the boat across to the temple. Be sure when you visit temples in Thailand that you have your knees and shoulders covered! No booty shorts or tank tops! Also have some shoes you can quickly slide off and back on because you can’t wear any shoes inside the temple buildings. You’ll notice the shoes left at the doorway so don’t worry. Another suggestion is to be respectful while at the temple. Take all the pictures you’d like, but remember they’re all active places of worship!
The next temple that is a must see is Wat Phra (Wat Pho) just right across the street from the ferry. This is where you’ll find the beautiful leaning Buddha along with several spires or “prangs”. All of these are super unique and stunning to look at and touch. They offer tours at this temple, but honestly it’s nice to walk around and admire it for yourself. If you do the tour don’t forget to haggle price!
The Grand Palace is down the road and is home to the Emerald Buddha, one of the most revered artifacts in Thai history. I honestly haven’t visited yet but I hope to soon so I’ll be sure to give an update when I can!
The neighborhood these temples are at is also a great place to check out some shops and street art! I got some awesome hand drawn pictures of the temples for a few hundred baht, less than $10. Even had the artist sign them too! If you want to grab lunch while you’re over in this part of town I recommend Tang Heng Kee for some delicious authentic Thai food and the best Thai tea I’ve ever had.
There’s a lot of markets in Bangkok, literally dozens to choose from. I’m going to talk about my two favorite markets I’ve been to, one being a floating market and the other being the giant weekend market in the center of Bangkok. Let’s start with the Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market. It was so much fun to see all the different kinds of food and wares the shopkeepers were selling. It was this trip my first week in Bangkok where I picked up my very own iconic straw hat and let me tell you, the locals loved it! We also did a boat tour and I highly recommend it! As soon as you enter the market there will be guys asking you about a tour. It’s pretty cheap, especially if you’re in a group like we were. The tour takes you through the local canals and makes two stops. The first is at another small market and temple right on the water. This temple is very laid back so don’t worry if you’re wearing shorts and a tank top. I met a super nice monk there who to my amazement showed off his tattoos to me and said he really liked mine! Caught me completely by surprise, but is a memory I’ll never forget. Afterwards we continued down the river past many homes and agricultural fields to a beautiful orchid nursery! This was a great place to take pictures and enjoy some peace and quiet. When we got back to the market we checked out a little more on the opposite side of the road and then headed back into town. Overall a super fun day to explore and experience how the locals live. This market is a little far from downtown so there wasn’t a lot westerners, but the Thai people as always were super welcoming and made the trip well worth it!
My favorite market in Bangkok is hands down the Chatuchak Weekend Market! My first time there I was overwhelmed by the shops and endless corridors. Literally anything you want in life can be found at this market. Amazing food, live animals, art pieces, artifacts and trinkets of all kinds, and so many custom made and retro clothes! It’s also a great place to find any name brand designer bag or shoes for $10 instead of $300. My biggest tip is to haggle! Just be sure to be respectful and dont get mad at them, remember most of them don’t speak English! Speak slow and wear a smile on your face and it’ll go a long ways. Always greet them with “Sawa Dee Krap” if you’re a guy or “Sawa Dee Ka” if you’re a girl. This means hello. Then say “Kap Kun Krap” if you’re a guy or “Kap Kun Ka” if you’re a girl. This means thank you! The market itself is so big and confusing I can’t even recommend what part to explore, just be sure to give yourself plenty of time to see it all!
There are a thousands of places to stay in Bangkok, but for the best location, price, and customer service I’d recommend Red Planet Asoke. This hotel is right next to the BTS and MRT station which are basically subways. By far the best and most affordable way to get around the city! It’s also across the street from Terminal 21 which is my favorite mall in the city. 6 floors of amazing shopping topped with a food court cafeteria that is super affordable and has some food for everyone! It’s also walking distance from the infamous Soi Cowboy which is known for their Go-Go Bars. It’s a fun place to experience for yourself, just be smart about it 😉😂 This hotel is also 20 minuets away from Khaosan Road which the a crazy street full of clubs and bars! This street is what Bangkok is known for and I’ll definitely talk about it more down below.
Basically anywhere has amazing food in Bangkok. Street food is the cheapest option and there are side streets and markets everywhere to choose from. Terminal 21 has a great food court at the top, and theCommons is a cool place to try all sorts of craft food. I recommend Fowlmouth if you’re itching for a taste of western food! CRAFT is also a good option to try some craft beer and even eat some delicious tacos! Just remember western food will be much more expensive than local cuisine.
Ok, let's get to the fun stuff! Bangkok has more than just bars and clubs, but a lot of people do want to come here for that and let me tell you they are pretty awesome! Soi Cowboy is a line of colorful Go-Go Bars known for their dance clubs and cheap drinks. A fun time with the boys but not the place to go with the wife or girlfriend. Right past that street is Whisgars which is an awesome jazz bar with a huge walk in cigar humidor. So far the only place I’ve found cigars in Thailand. Little expensive but the live music is incredible.
Another cool street to check out is Silom 4. This small road of bars is super lively and is a great place to go if you’re in the LGBT community. I went there for a friends birthday and it was a lot of fun, good spot to see other westerners too. We celebrated his party at Hugs Bar and it was a lot of fun. Great live music too! The two women who sing there are amazing and the drink prices and beer towers are very reasonable.
The most famous place to drink in Bangkok is definitely Khaosan Road. Khaosan is a cazy place to drink, dance, eat scorpions and street food, get a tattoo, and party all night long! The whole street is full of loud music and tourists from all over the world. One of my favorite bars is Sky 999 right towards the beginning of Khaosan on the left. The music is great and it isn’t so loud that you can’t hear what your friends are saying, which is definitely a problem with a lot of bars on the street. Hippie De Bar is a chill place to hangout for drinks and music too down one of the side alleys off the main road. Raggae Bar is a really cool hidden local spot down another alley, and if you keep going to next road over there’s another bar called Kalanbatu Reggae Bar that has some great live music! To be honest you can’t go wrong anywhere on Khaosan Road. The entire street if so much fun to check out and is a must do for adults of all ages! Just be sure to pace yourself because to buckets pack a punch!
I always like to talk about some adventurous things you can do off the beaten path and theres quite a few in Bangkok. You can get a 360 degree view of the entire city from the top of King Power Mahanakhon. The view is incredible and they just reopened their rooftop bar with a glass floor you can walk out on. This is one of the tallest buildings in the entire city and the view is definitely worth the trip!
You could also check out Chinatown in Bangkok! Little tricky to give directions but if you take the MRT to Wat Mangkon station you’ll be in the right spot. Google Maps is your friend in Thailand! Endless markets full of literally everything you can think of. I made the joke that it’s the place where every Dollar Tree in America gets its inventory from. I’ve never seen so much random plastic stuff in my life, but it’s cool to experience and it’s not all garbage! They got some great street food out there too!
Super close to Chinatown is a place called Talat Noi. This is a quiet neighborhood covered in street art and hidden cafes! It’s a photographers dream, and is the perfect spot for any Instagram model. I’m gonna share some of my favorite photos of it below, and thats only some of it! One of the coolest places I’ve been in Bangkok by far.
If you’re really up for an adventure you could travel an hour south of Bangkok to the The Maeklong Railway Market. This market is still recovering from Covid but is a really cool place to wonder and get some great photos! There’s a lot of food vendors, art, and cafes along the rail to explore. If you don’t want to take a taxi or Grab you can book a minibus from any of the main hubs in the city, or take a couple days to explore the area and see how the locals really live.
Nearby is the Amphawa Floating Market, which was really cool to explore. We hopped on a longtail boat and took a beautiful tour of the river at sunset and saw all these cool places to stay on the river. This wasn’t a far trip from where I was living on the west side of Bangkok, about 30 minuets, and I really wish I spent a long weekend exploring the area more. Eccentric shops, awesome bars, great local food, and incredible views made this spontaneous weekend trip worth while. I feel like this is a big hidden gem outside of Bangkok worthy of exploration! Be mindful that because it’s so rural it is not easy to get back to Bangkok! We stayed until dark and only got home because a local helped drive us to a min bus station! No taxis, Grab, or trains back after sunset! Keep this in mind and plan accordingly!
I’ve officially moved home from Bangkok, but I will never forget the time I spent in Thailand. The city was so much fun to explore and I know there’s thing I still need to discover! I eagerly await my next trip back to the land of smiles. As always have fun, be safe, and be sure to eat a scorpion on Khaosan!
