The Chao Phraya River, Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun and Khao San Road (Day 2)

I had just watched a scene in the Thai movie Bangkok Traffic Love Story where the female lead is going home from work, exhausted, but is made to suffer endless traffic.  She goes on switching from different types of transportation from taxis, tuk-tuks  to riding a ferry.  The ferry passes through along a lot of vivid images that stuck into my mind going into this trip.  Now, I got the chance to see them for real.

Literally, this is our first day.  We explore the district of Rattanakosin, the historic center of Bangkok.  This is home to most of the must see sights and should be part of every traveler's itinerary.

We had delicious breakfast at the hotel.  The main meal is set but we could help ourselves with as many breads, fruits, juice and milk as we like.

Breakfast Area

Hainanese Chicken Rice Yum!

We rode the BTS to Saphan Taksin Station then walked to Sathorn (Taksin) pier just below the BTS.  A single journey ferry ticket costs 15 baht and most of the sights are accessible by orange, blue flag boats of the Chao Phraya Express.  DO NOT make the mistake that we made of buying the tourist pass which costs 150 baht!  You won't be able to spend half of that in one day even if you ride multiple times.

The journeys take place at the Chao Phraya River which spreads from Bangkok to the Gulf of Thailand.  It fascinates me that it functions as an important transportation gateway and is a way of life for the locals.  Ferries, cargo ships, small boats, and river taxis regularly pass through these waters.  You will also see students, office workers, monks and a lot of Thais pack the ferries especially during rush hour.  On both sides of the river are beautiful temples, lively markets, riverside hotels and traditional houses which makes for a picturesque experience.

Iconic

Riding Tourist Boat, how embarrassing!

Luxury is waiting here

Our first destination is the Grand Palace complex.  The palace was the former residence of the King of Thailand and the most popular tourist attraction in Bangkok.  Entrance costs 400 baht (Thais can enter for free), and the ticket is also valid for Dusit Palace and Vimanmanek Mansion in the Dusit district.  A strict dress code is implemented where men must wear long pants & T-shirts while women must wear attires that cover the upper arms and legs down to the thigh.  Sarongs can be borrowed at the entrance for free with a 200 baht deposit refundable upon return.  Sights not to miss out include: huge demon temple guards, the retelling of Ramayana on the walls, the Dusit hall, the Chakri hall and the Phra Maha Montien.

Also inside the palace, is the  Wat Phra Kaew which houses the elusive Emerald Buddha.  Carved from a single block of jade, the statue is the most sacred image in Thailand.  The Buddha has had a long and colorful history and is supposed to bring good luck to the country.  You are supposed to take off your shoes before entering the temple, and proper respect must be shown.

The architecture is beautiful throughout the complex but I was really impressed with the attention to detail placed upon each structure.  Every minute detail must have taken a lot of time and made with a delicate touch; and when you consider how many there were made, you have to take your hat off to them!  Lastly, whatever serenity that this place must have exuded in the past is all gone thanks to the hordes of people visiting daily.

To get here, take the Chao Phraya Express ferry to Tha Chang Pier.  You will see the white walls of the Palace immediately on your right, cross the street & walk straight for 2 minutes until you reach the entrance gate.

The Grand Palace seen from the ferry

Ramayana on the walls

The Emerald Buddha

I've seen this pose way too many time, I swear

We left the Palace around noon and headed to Rub Ar Roon Cafe for lunch.  It's a hole-in-the-wall restaurant offering authentic and unassuming traditional Thai food.  Fairly inexpensive, most of the items on the menu are spicy, but I like spciy, and the food we ordered were full of flavors and delicious.

To get here, go back to the road leading to the Tha Chang pier then at the corner, turn left and walk straight for five minutes until you reach the cafe.  It is opposite the entrance to Wat Pho.

Rub Ar Roon Cafe

Delicious!

Before we proceed, I would like to tell you that Bangkok is really hot and humid especially around 10 am to 2 pm. You will get sweaty, sunburned and your body will feel sticky.  You might also get dizzy.  Be prepared.  You've been warned!

Often overshadowed by it's two Wat neighbors, the Wat Pho is a temple of superlatives that is worthy of your time.  This is the largest temple in Bangkok and probably the oldest too.  Inside is the Reclining Buddha, the largest of its kind and it's most famous attraction.  There are also about a thousand Buddhas spread across the compound and numerous Chedis of all shapes and sizes.  Entrance costs 50 baht, and there are volunteer guides available which will show you around for a small donation.

Wat Pho has an ancient feel to it, because you can see that it's worn out, and lacking renovations.  The atmosphere is more peaceful because there are significantly fewer visitors here.  Even when you touch the structures you feel the wear and tear of their long existence.

Another reason for visiting is the Wat Pho Massage School where you can learn how to give a proper, bone-crunching traditional Thai massage or experience one yourself.  The full body massage costs 480 baht an hour or you can try the foot reflexology massage for 360 baht per 45 minutes, like we did.  My feet were already rundown from continuous walking but after the spa, I genuinely felt the tiredness go away.

To get here take the ferry to Tha Thien pier then turn right and cross the street.  It is located next to the Grand Palace, and also opposite Rub Ar Roon Cafe.

Weird "western" temple guards

Psssstt...

Kasing haba ng olympic size pool

Attention to detail

Buddha Factory

Galing magmasahe ni manong!

One of the most awesome experience I had riding the ferry was seeing the Wat Arun for the first time.  Also called the Temple of Dawn, this is the most photographed image in Thailand.  It' also the tallest temple in Thailand, and dare I say, the most beautiful!  Entrance costs 50 baht, and is well worth it for a chance to climb the central prang and see a bird's-eye view of the Chao Phraya, and the rest of Bangkok.  The temple is decorated with broken porcelain pieces and images of celestial beings and Buddhist statues.  There are also four minor prangs surrounding the central which when viewed makes for perfect symmetry.

I really admire its fine craftsmanship and top class architecture.  Also, the perfect location allows for unobstructed views and stunning images.  Of the three adjacent temples, I like this one the most.

Tip: Be sure to see Wat Arun during sunset for a spectacular view.  I won't post an image here so as not to spoil it for you.  See for yourselves!

To get to Wat Arun, take the short cross river ferry from Tha Thien pier to Wat Arun pier for only 5 baht.

Tha Thie Pier

Wat Arun, a sight to behold!

 

View of Historic Bangkok from the top of Wat Arun

Small boat connecting Wat Pho and Wat Arun

For our last stop of the day, we head to the backpacker ghetto called Khao San Road.  The infamous Khao San, is home to cheap guesthouses, budget hotels, cafes, bars, restaurants, travel agencies, massage parlors, fashion stores and food stalls.  It stretches almost a kilometer long and has now spread to Rambuttri street and Phra Arthit road.  The vibe is upbeat, crazy & carefree and one of the best things to do is find some place to sit and go people watching!  The street food is incredibly varied, one of the best anywhere in the world not to mention cheap.  You can choose from pad thai, tom yang kung, satay, roti pancake, kebab, balls on stick, local beers, fresh fruit shakes, exotic bugs to my beloved sticky mango rice among many more.

I really like Khao San Road.  This is the highlight of my trip.  The prices are low, there is always an interesting activity to do, the food is fantastic, the atmosphere is fun and you get a chance to have genuine interactions with the locals.  While admittedly not the safest of areas, as pickpockets and scam artists abound, with a little caution and common sense, you get to see Bangkok unpretentious, and as it really is.

To get here, take the ferry to Phra Arthit pier.  Once you reach the road at Phra Arthit, cross the street and turn left.  Walk until you reach a 7-Eleven store then turn right at the alley which will lead you to Rambuttri street, turn left and walk until you reach the end of the paved street at Chakrabongse road.  Turn right and walk for 3 minutes until you see the signpost across the street indicating the entrance to Khao San Road.

On the way to Khao San from Rambuttri Street

Khao San Road

"Tasty Pad Thai found here"

I would go back to Bangkok just for Sticky Mango Rice!

Map of Rattanakosin