19:45 – Our time of arrival in Suvarnabhumi Airport from Penang International Airport. I and my travel buddy had a long day in Georgetown City, we were both enervated and so, we decided to just go straight to our booked hostel in Bangkok. Being in a City with such high reputation of all-sort-of-fun nightlife; that was ultimately the hardest decision we made in our first seven days of traveling. We took the bus from the airport to our drop off point in Khao San. We had a hard time in finding the hostel, a blessing in disguise as we experienced life in Khao San Road in the process. We have tried some of its delicious street food and been offered “human flesh” in a menu of photos varying from pretty girls, 3-legged sexy ladies to men with abs! The pimps were aggressive, three NOs and they are still following you!

After more than an hour of relentless walking, we finally arrived in our hostel. True enough, it is just roughly five minutes’ walk from Khao San. Maybe we were just too destructed with its vibrant nightlife that we lost our sense of direction.

Zee Thai Hostel

The hostel was clean and cozy. And the lady in the reception area was very warm and friendly, and she is cute too... definitely not a lady boy! Thailand is not so good with English language but in regards to the receptionist, she really did her best to be conversant with me and all the other foreign guests.

06:00 – I set my alarm early morning the next day. Technically, we only had 28 hours and 15 minutes in The Land of Smiles, thus we really had to maximize our stay by exploring as many places as possible.

With just a city map as our guide, we headed to our first destination in Bangkok – The Grand palace. I was so excited to witness and document in photo its grandeur! But to my disappointment, it was closed as part of their beloved Kings’ Funeral arrangements.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Thai people really love their deceased King. Even after a year of his death, everywhere in Bangkok you can see an altar with a photo of their King decorated with fresh flowers.

Died October 13, 2016

Next on my itinerary was to go on temple hopping in three most popular and astounding modern temples in Bangkok. These temples showcase beautiful architectures. In photos, these temples are really colorful and elegant.

WAT PHO: The Temple of the Reclining Buddha

Can hardly fit to a frame.

This temple complex is located directly south of The Grand Palace. You just have to cross the street and you will be in this temple. Its official name is Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn. And it is name after a monastery in India where Buddha is believe to have lived. This temple is the home of a 15 meters high, 43 meters long reclining Buddha.

Buddhas seated in Lotus position.

Another notable representation of this Temple are the more than 400 Buddhas seated in a Lotus position in its alleys. The Buddhas are perfectly arranged in such a way that it looks perfect in photos.

Wat Pho is first on the list of six temples in Thailand classed as the highest grade of the first-class royal temples. The temple is considered as the earliest center of public education in Thailand, and the marble illustrations and inscriptions placed in the temple for public instructions has been recognized by UNESCO in its Memory of the World Programme. Also, this temple is regarded as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage.

For good luck, purchase a bowl of coins and drop it at 108 bronze bowls lined surrounding the Reclining Buddha. A lot of kids were doing this when I was there. I wanted to try it but I since I do not know anything about the rituals, I decided to just observe and take photos instead.

May you grow full of blessings.

Entrance Fee to Wat Pho is only 100 Baht. And with that, you can already have a free 500 ml water. Just perfect as sometimes the scorching heat of the sun and the crowd will really drain your energy.

WAT PHRA KAEW: The Temple of the Emerald Buddha

Also located within the grounds of The Grand Place, this temple is where the Emerald Buddha is currently situated. It is the most visited temple in Bangkok. I can testify to that. In fact, I did not get inside to see the Emerald Buddha because there were so much crowd queuing and so much people inside.

To give you a brief overview why this is so popular, The Emerald Buddha is a potent religio-political symbol and the palladium of Thai society. The Emerald Buddha is prophesized to bring prosperity and pre-eminence in each country in which it resides. Thus, Thailand being a Buddhist country gives importance to the Emerald Buddha that much.

If you're too sexy!

When visiting this temple, strict dress code applies. Shorts and sleeveless are not allowed inside. Entrance Fee is also 100 Baht.

WAT ARUN: The Temple of Dawn

Located on the Thonburi side of Bangkok, Wat Arun can be accessed through a ferry crossing the Chao Phraya River. This is for me, the most beautiful temple that I have seen. Its design is very unique. Right at the middle is a tall temple called Central Prang (Khmer-style tower). And it is surrounded by four smaller towers in a symmetrical location. The Central Prang is coated with colorful porcelain designs while the surrounding prangs with porcelains and seashells.

Intricate carvings and designs.

The top of the Central Prang gives a perfect view of Chao Phraya River and the Grand Palace across the river. Unfortunately during my visit, they have closed the steps going to the top of the Prang for safety purposes.

Within the vicinity of Wat Arun you will find many figures of ancient Chinese soldiers and animals. You will also find rooms and galleries basically used for praying by Buddhists devotees.

Next to the Prang is the Ordination Hall. An Ordination Hall is a Buddhist building specifically designated for the performance of Buddhist ordination rituals and other Buddhist ceremonies.

Certainly the most iconic temple of Bangkok and is my favourite amongst all the modern temples that I have visited. Entrance fee to this beautiful place is only 50 Baht and the ferry ride will cost you 3 Baht.

Other Landmarks

Aside from temple hopping, you may also visit some other landmarks in the city of Bangkok. Bangkok is not much of a big city. You can explore its splendor by foot, like what I did.

The Giant Swing, a religious structure located in front of Wat Suthat.

The Democracy Monument located in the center of Bangkok.

We have also experience the Long Tail Boat cruise along the Klongs (waterways in suburban Bangkok) but honestly I won’t recommend it. It's not worth the price. It will cost you 1000 Baht for just for basically nothing interesting.

The Long Tail Boat cruising along Bangkok's Klongs.

For tourist, Tuktuk is the most common mode of getting a tour around the city. But it is actually expensive especially if you are traveling on a tight budget.

Tuktuk Taxi

TIPS TO CONSIDER:

• Where To Stay:

  • Zee Thai Hostel - Located just 5 minutes walk from Khao San Road. Daily rate is around 6 USD.

• Transportation:

  • Getting around the city, the best way is still by foot. But if you have a lot of budget, Tuktuk and Taxi are everywhere in the city.

• Budget:

  • I spent approximately 60 USD including the 1 night accommodation.

This is all for now friends. Please continue to upvote and resteem my posts. I hope you all enjoyed reading this.

Regards,

@jhezontheroad