Bangkok, Thailand

Bustling Bangkok, a city of ornate temples, tuk tuks, a boat filled river, delicious food, and floating markets just outside of it. A truly intoxicating experience! After flying through the night, and landing early morning Thai time, we checked in at the hotel and headed out to explore this amazing city.

The first stop was Wat Phra Kaew, Temple of The Emerald Buddha, which is considered the most important Buddhist temple in Thailand. It is located in the Grand Palace grounds and enshrines the Emerald Buddha (Phra Kaew Morakot), which is carved entirely from a single block of jade. Everywhere you look is so vibrant, with beautifully intricate detail.

 

Not far from Wat Phra Kaew is Wat Pho, Temple of The Reclining Buddha. The temple houses a 15 metre high and 43 metre long buddha, covered in gold leaf. The Chetawan Traditional Massage School is located just outside, and offers reasonably priced massages for non-students.

 

 

We took a private morning tour, booked through Viator, to explore the colourful Damnoen Saduak floating market outside of Bangkok. The trip allowed us to get a feel for life outside of the chaotic city, travelling by long tail boat across Thai countryside to a different kind of busy – a floating traffic jam along Thailand’s bustling canals. The atmosphere is amazing, with long tail boats piled high with fresh produce, and souvenir stalls lining the canals. We enjoyed some fresh coconut ice cream, and purchased some fresh mango (incredible!) with sticky coconut rice for the ride back. Our guide was brilliant, and as it was just us the tour was tailored to suit us.

 

 

We stayed at the Banyan Tree during our short stop over (we flew to Krabi after a couple of days – blogged here), and we were so impressed. We landed early in the morning, but we were able to check in anyway, and we felt pampered from the moment we arrived. Check in was completely relaxed – no standing at the reception desk,  and we were soon shown to our room after a small wait. I say room, but it was more like a suite! The beds are so ridiculously comfortable that it makes it almost impossible to get out of them in the morning. In fact, they are so comfortable that we were tempted to contact the hotel to ask them what the secret is! The service was exceptional throughout the hotel, with an excellent concierge desk for taxi bookings, sight seeing advice and restaurant recommendations/bookings. The pool was beautiful, with views over the city, and we were offered complimentary back, neck and head massages whilst relaxing on our sun loungers.

 

 

At the top of the Banyan Tree, on the 61st floor, is the Vertigo Rooftop Bar, which is definitely worth a visit for the nighttime views of the city. The bar and restaurant fills the entire rooftop, and it feels a bit like being on a ship in the sky due to the usual shape.