Oh what a place! For those of you that have never been to Bangkok, it is a city like no other. We landed here after our three and a half hour plane ride from Bali, Indonesia. Wheels touched down around 10:00 at night and after immigration, baggage and a taxi ride we were dropped off on the fringe of Khaosan Rd by 11:30pm. I have been in and out of Bangkok multiple times over the last 20 some odd years but this was a first for Shannon and especially the girls. Both girls had fallen asleep in the taxi so we were stuck trying to figure out how to juggle two mammoth 120L duffle bags, two 40L backpacks and two sleeping four year olds. I put one duffle on my back and a backpack on my front while Shannon donned her pack, held Lidija and then also picked up Bexley. We then each took a handle from the second duffle and started walking. The girls woke up by this time with the loud music and crowds. Their eyes were like saucers. A lovely couple saw our struggles and took a bag from each of us and walked us the final 100m to our hotel. Khaosan Rd has been the backpacking hub of Bangkok for well over 30 year now and has evolved and expanded to all the neighbouring streets.

After checking into our room we all ventured back to the walking street for a quick tour and to gather some street stall food for dinner. Shannon had been longing for some Pad Thai since Indonesia and now she had the perfect opportunity for the real deal. After a white styrofoam plate of flavoured noodles, a plastic fruit cup of pineapples and mangos, along with a small handful of meat sticks we casually found our way back to our hotel room. The girls were in a bit of shock with all the commotion and not overly pleased with the noise level outside. There were literally thousands of tourists walking the streets, shopping the stalls and partying in the clubs. You could barely move two meters without bumping shoulders with a passer-byer. Khaosan Rd is not for the faint of heart however. The street stall aromas waft flavours of amazing food and some not so familiar scents. Buttered corn on the cob, Pad Thai, kebabs, spring rolls and tropical fruit are the most common. You will however stumble across cricket and grub worm venders along side roasted crocodile, tarantula and black scorpion. It also comes with a bit of caution as drinking and drug use can get carried away as hours seem to slip by. Marijuana displayed on collapsible tables lines the streets, hashish hooka pipes rest between friends and laughing gas filled balloons griped in hands of laid back travellers looking to keep themselves smiling. This is what you see just walking down the streets in the open. You can only imaging what happens behind closed doors.

We fell asleep to the sound of music thumping and we woke to near silence. Reappeared in the street it was like we were relocated entirely to a new location. The black paving stone street was being swept clean by workers. Garbage trucks had cleared the grime, storefronts were closed tight behind metal gates while cars and tuk-tuk drivers waited for business opportunities to surface. Just a block away the locals stalls were open for business. With every turn of a corner you can find anything you want, and I mean anything. Department stores with everything from business clothes to pyjamas, sporting goods to kids toys. There are produce stalls, and bed sheets nestled together under canvas awnings in the streets. We found our favourite breakfast location of fresh baked waffles (20 Baht) and fruit smoothies (30 Baht) located between the fitted mens dress shirts and knock off backpacks.

One of our first sights was the famous Grand Palace along the Chao Phraya river bank. This is also a within walking distance from our hotel. However we were all feeling lazy and the thermometer was topping out with a humid 35 degrees so we hired a tuk-tuk to drive us instead. After the 500 Baht entrance per adult and a 200 Baht purchase of pants, as I did not have any, we eventually crossed through the gates. Once inside it seemed like all the hustle and bustle of Bangkok just slowed down. The city smog seemed to not exist and the general noise was also eliminated. This walled rectangle enclosed over 2.3 million square feet of Thai history and is one of Thailands most popular tourist attractions. We spent the next couple hours touring through and around the numerous golden structures that once housed the King of Siam and all the government dealings. Its carefully manicured flower beds are not to be missed. Once back outside it was quick and easy to arrange any sort of transportation you would like to take you to your next location. There is also a river boat dock if you care for a water taxi. Be sure to check the timetables and dress code before you head out.

The floating markets are always a must in Bangkok. Some of the more famous ones like the most popular Damnoen Saduak or Amphawa Floating Market can be a fair distance away and have been catering to tourists over the years with the same souvenirs as you can find in the city centre. There are still some traditional boats floating around with local market products and breathtaking opportunities to take photos. Us however, we opted for the more convenient and quieter Taling Chan Floating Market. This was located just over the river and fairly small but still had some of its local Bangkok flare. It is rather difficult to tell what is floating or what is on land so if it is the boats loaded full of vegetables and sizzling woks of food you are after you may want to try somewhere else. After enjoying some lunch and a smoothie we boarded one of the river boats and went for a tour through the channel system for 99 Baht. This quiet behind the scene look had us gazing upon some of the less traditional sights of this amazing city. We spotted one meter long monitor lizards, rickety old houses that seemed unfit to live in and made a stop at a quant temple for a short walk around and an opportunity to feed the unexpected and over abundance of fish that lurked below the surface.

Although Bangkok has a rich history it also holds loads of modern touches as well. Towering glass skyscraper and multi-story malls are in abundance in the downtown core as well. We took the river taxi just back from Khaosan Rd. for 30 Baht to the Iconsiam. This recently constructed mall has a unique outdoor feel once you pass through the entrance fountains and into the food court. The indoor structures are set up to simulate being in a floating market and the 100+ food options are limitless. Prices can be found cheaper elsewhere but the atmosphere is like no other. This 6 floor goliath boasts over 7000 shops and is topped with a jaw dropping indoor water fountain that always puts on a show.

A second shopping outing took us to MBK Center. Slightly dated now however its 8 floors of shopping is filled with electronics, fashion, food and souvenirs. The near by streets are lined with various stores and for the Canadian coffee lovers out there, a Tim Horton’s can be found near the elevated intersection walkways.

We teamed up the MBK outing with a visit to the tranquil Lumphini Park. This 142 acre inner city green space is surrounding a pond and has walking trails and park benches to sit back and relax. The waters edge is lined with those large monitor lizards, but be sure not to waste all your phone’s memory on the first one you see as we were getting bored and nearly tripping over them by the time we left.

Whether you’re shopping street stalls, a die hard temple tourist or visiting Bangkok for the malls and nightlife you will not be left bored in this city. The traffic can be challenging and the heat and humidity relentless but these memories will only add to the reasons why we all love Thailand as much as we do.

Have a look at our previous location on INDONESIA

Or continue on down south to PHUKET