Fun DAY stuff to do in Bangkok

So you’re over the whole Khao San and Tani Road scenes, or were never really into that and would love to see BKK during the day.

Here are some FUN day stuff to do:

1)  Hire a tuk-tuk and roam the city for the day.

Costs about THB 400 (~$15). Be spontaneous and explore with no final destination in mind. Be careful with your things though!

Personal HORROR Experience:    I was sitting in the tuk-tuk with my friend in traffic when a couple of men in all-black attire on a motorbike whizzed by and grabbed my bag! Luckily, I had the straps, though loosely, on my arm and I instinctively gave a fight for it as evidenced by bruises later on. It all happened so fast and I was in complete shock! If the bag straps weren’t on me, they surely would’ve gotten away with my life! I say this so, because in my bag I had my passport, cash, and cards!

Definitely would’ve ruined my entire trip!!

Apparently, as explained by the tuk-tuk driver later on, this is a modus operandi by a syndicate where motorists in black (also wearing helmet so no way to identify) target foreigners in tuk-tuks, bikes, or any easy to access transportation to grab their bags or stuff.

Lesson learnt: Never bring all my things with me at one time. Also, keep my cash in various places of me. And, keep my bag near and dear, always.

So yeah, riding a tuk-tuk is still fun. Just watch your belongings!

After we made our way around the malls in the city, we headed over to ride the Bangkok Ferry.

2)    Ride the Sky Train just for the heck of it. Get a day pass and check out the different sights at each stop or just go for a joy ride! It’s fully air-conditioned so, it’s no sweat! 

For Routes and Fares info: Bangkok BTS (Skytrain)                             

3)    Ride the Bangkok Khlong boats (Watertaxis) and merrily go down the Chao Praya River just like the old days.

You may take the train from any point to the pier but since we were at Siam, take the skytrain at Siam Square to Saphan Thanksin, about 6 stations away and costs THB 30 (~$1), then walk a bit to the Sathorn Pier  (Central Pier).







 There are many different kinds of watertaxis or Khlong boats to ride and they mostly run from 6AM to 7PM. I recommend doing this before lunch or late afternoon to avoid the rush hour and the early afternoon glare.

 Me and my friend opted for the Green Flag boat which runs from the pier all the way to Nonthaburi with only a few selected station stops. This is a good choice when you don’t really want to stop at every port on the canal. This takes an hour and we paid about  ~ THB 35 (~$1).

The watertaxi is another great way to see the city and the modern vs old architectures along the canal from both the Thonburi and Bangkok sides. As well as the locally revered temples like the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) and the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun).

If you’re loaded or prefer luxury cruising, you may hire a boat privately too.

For more info on the boats, Thaizer has them.

4)    Cha cha to Cha tu Chak Market. 

Cha tu chak Market is one of the world’s largest market with an area of almost 30 acres divided in 27 sections and contains more than 15,000 booths selling all sorts of goods from every part of Thailand.

Apart from the regular concessionaires, the market showcases different product events every month so it’s good to check what’s on and when it’s on. Would suck when you go there and it’s closed right?

How to get there?

BUSSING it. Ride the bus from Khao San to Cha tu Chak Market.

Although the fastest mode of transportation is the cab of course, Mike and I decided to try the bus this time. From the Burger King near Khao San Road, we were instructed to turn left onto the main thoroughfare, walk a bit past the lottery stuff (that we can’t understand), wait at the bus stop in front of SIAM COMMERCIAL BANK, and take the #42 bus apparently a straight ride to Cha Tu Chak.

There are other buses (non-a/c, a/c, direct or non-direct route). It took about 30 minutes of waiting before the #42 arrived. It was old with the engine sounding like it’s about to explode but at least it’s air-conditioned; a very welcome reprieve in highly humid Bangkok.

It cost us a very cheap THB 15 (~$.50)/ person / one-way.

The trip was quite long, about 40 minutes of constantly looking around thinking maybe we missed our stop. Of course neither the driver nor the conductor could speak English so they would only assure us with a head shake to mean “No, not yet.” Taking the bus is one an adventurous way to get anywhere cheaply and if you have a lot of time to spare.

Finally, we made it to the market where it seems all public transportation converged. We  got down in the middle of the road (it’s normal here too) and walked to the market entrance. We sampled some amazing street food before actually shopping. So yeah, don’t eat before and just splurge on all the amazing cheap Thai food available here!

The market is paradise for all ye heavy shoppers. The goods are simply irresistible and inviting to have! One must practice utmost patience at this place or you’ll be leaving without money to go home!

After about 2 hours getting a few items - including the metal work above, just kidding! (i wonder how much that would cost for overweight?) - and of holding back from seeing everything, unlikely anyway as it’s such a massive place, we decided to head back home by bus again. We took a different bus whose number I forgot but most run through Khao San or near it so, it’s no problem, and cost the same THB 15.

5)    Walk on by.

Another fun way to get to know the city? Walk, walk, and walk. Get lost and see what you discover. Just make sure to wear light, comfortable clothing and shoes as BKK is hot and humid; definitely un-sexy after an hour's walk.

                                                                                           

Public Transportation rundown: 

BTS Sky Train: The above-ground, electric BTS Sky train has two lines that travel above Sukhumvit, Silom, Sathorn, and Phahonyothin roads. The routes connect Bangkok’s leading hotels and major shopping areas such as Siam Square, Silom Road, Ratchaprasong, and Chatuchak Weekend Market. The fare ranges from 15-60 baht according to the distance. The trains run from 6 a.m. to midnight, daily. The BTS Sky Train has transfer points with the MRT Subway at Asoke/Sukhumvit, Sala Daeng/Silom, and Mo Chit/Chatuchak Park. The BTS Sky Train also has a transfer points with the Chao Phraya River Boats at Saphan Thaksin/Sathorn and Bangkok’s Eastern and Northern Bus Terminals at Ekkamai and Mo Chit respectively. 

MRT Subway (Metro): The city’s subway system, or MRT, connects many of the top tourist attractions with various accommodation areas, markets, and business districts. Fares range from 14 to 36 baht. The trains run from 6 a.m. to midnight, daily. The MRT Subway has transfer points with the BTS Sky Train at Sukhumvit/Asoke, Silom/Sala Daeng, and Chatuchak Park/Mo Chit. It also services the Bangkok Train Station, Hua Lumphong. 

Boat: Free from the traffic jams that clog Bangkok’s roads on a daily basis, river taxis service the Chao Phraya River and numerous klongs (canals) around the city. Some are just river crossing ferries, but others service the many landing stages on both banks of the Chao Phraya and cover routes that go up as far as the northern suburb of Nonthaburi.

Taxi: Taxis using the meter charge a minimum of 35 baht for the first 3 kilometers, and approximately 5 baht per kilometer thereafter. All taxis cruising Bangkok city streets are metered and are required by law to use them. If a taxi offers you a fixed-price fare politely ask to use the meter. If not, then flag down another taxi.

Tuk Tuk: These three-wheeled, open-air, motorized taxis are popular for short journeys. Fares must be bargained in advance.

Bus: Public buses are plentiful and cheap, with a minimum fare of 7 baht between most destinations within metropolitan Bangkok. Air-conditioned buses have minimum and maximum fares of 10 and 22 baht, respectively. Air-conditioned micro-buses charge a flat fare of 25 baht for all routes. A bus route map is available at bookshops and the TAT office. 

Source: Tourism Authority Thailand.