A little while ago I mentioned the options we expats have when Chuseok comes around. This Chuseok (September 26th-28th) I decided to try traveling abroad! I've never traveled abroad for this holiday or for such a short amount of time before but I was positive this was going to be a marvelous adventure.
My friend Ayla and I decided to visit some mutual friends of ours in Bangkok, Thailand! Kris and Pedro were more than happy to play hosts/tour guides and started planning our visit right away.
Ayla and I planned on staying 2 nights and 2 days, which meant we had to maximize on our visit and get as much stuff done as possible! Let me give you the awesome run-down of stuff we did and things I highly recommend doing while on a short trip in Bangkok, Thailand:
- Khao San Road is well-known in Bangkok (if not worldwide) for attracting backpacking foreigners. The road is lined with bars, restaurants, food vendors, clothing vendors, outdoor massage shops, souvenir vendors, hostels, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but you get the idea. There was so much to take in, my senses were on complete overload! I think my favorite parts were having nice long chats with friends over refreshments and getting Thai foot massages while sitting in lawn chairs outside.
- Chatuchak Market is a maze of vendors with items ranging anywhere between plastic fruit to pets. The market has pretty close quarters with each of the vendors and gives you the feeling of being lost in a long colorful closet. There are also art vendors who have beautiful paintings and sculptures, so even if you don't buy anything, you can still treat the market as you would an art gallery. Word to the wise when visiting this place, if you see something you like, you either get it right there and then, or come to terms with the fact that once you leave that vendor, you will never see that same item ever again. I'm still kicking myself for not getting a purse that I took a fancy to, thinking I would find something better along the way...and I never did.
- Get a massage! Thai massages are amazing! I've gotten used to the deep tissue Korean massages here, so getting a luxurious Thai massage was completely relaxing and exactly what I needed. I got two different types, one was a foot massage (120 Baht) I got on Khao San Road, and then another was a head/shoulder/back massage (400 Baht). Both were soothing and SO CHEAP!
- Dining by or on the river. The Chao Phraya is a large river that weaves its way through the heart of Bangkok, so it shouldn't be difficult to find a restaurant on the river front. The other option is to book a river cruise that also includes a dinner menu. My friends and I did the first option and had a magical dining experience at the Shangri-la Hotel. During the dinner, we were treated to a couple of traditional dances near our table and we could watch the river cruises float past with beautiful lights adorning them.
- The Grand Palace! This place is a MUST while you are in Bangkok. The architecture and the intricate designs on the buildings are absolutely breath-taking. If it's a sunny day you will be treated to an even more dazzling sight as the tiles on the buildings shine and glitter in the sun. The large compound doesn't just house a royal palace but also has a temple for the Emerald Buddha. Because this is such an important landmark they have a strict dress code that everyone must adhere to. Women can wear dresses that are below the knee or longer and men must wear pants, no short pants or shorts. Women can also wear pants but you must remember pants cannot be tight like skinny jeans or leggings. Everyone must have their shoulders covered, no tank tops are allowed and no shawls will suffice. Shoes must be close-toed. Even if you don't arrive with the right kind of outfit on, you can rent clothes pretty cheaply just outside the Grand Palace.
- Visit a temple also called a "wat." Wats are everywhere in Bangkok and there are several that are very popular for tourists. The wat we chose was Wat Pho, located near the Grand Palace this wat houses the gigantic statue of the famous Reclining Buddha. They usually have the same dress code as the Grand Palace, but the admission prices are much less.
- Shopping Malls! Bangkok has no lack of shopping malls all over the city. They usually have several floors with everything from name brand stores to eclectic local brands. I was pleasantly surprised that all the brands were surprisingly affordable given the prices I'm used to seeing at the Korean malls and department stores! I definitely recommend giving it a look if no other reason then to enjoy the air conditioning while you hide from the sun.
I know there is so much more to do in Bangkok, so if you have any other recommendations feel free to leave a comment below!
