I got back last night from an amazing and eye opening 3 days in Bangkok, Thailand. It is a bustling city full of cultural vibrancy withĀ something to see and do at every corner. I will be posting pictures and talking more about my experience in Thailand but to get started here are five tips that I think would be useful for anyone planning on visiting Bangkok.
1. Traveling around Bangkok can be a huge hassle unless you understand the BTS and MRT system. The BTS is the sky train while the MRT is the subway system. The reason for this is that the streets in Bangkok are extremely congested. A trip that would typically take about ten minutes on the sky train could take up to an hour by taxi depending on the time and day of the week. I canāt speak for the MRT (we didnāt travel on the subway) but the BTS is very efficient and comes every few minutes. Be ready to get cosy with the other people riding on the train though, as it can be very busy on the trains especially during rush hour. Regardless of traffic issues taxis are also useful especially if you are going somewhere that is off the transit lines. It may take you a bit longer to get there but the taxis are air conditioned and relatively cheap. Little scooters with carriages on the back called Tuk tuks are also a fun way to get around Bangkok. Unlike taxis you can haggle with them to get a good price. Beware however, the Tuk tuk carriages are right at the level of the exhaust from the surrounding traffic and on a hot day it can be particularly suffocating. Ā Local people also get around riding on the back of motorcycles. Motorcyclists who are available for hire wear orange vests so if you are feeling particularly adventurous you might want to try flagging one of those guys down. The locals seem extremely comfortable with it especially the women who ride side saddle on these motorcycles down the busy streets.
2. Sawadi ā Kraup for men and Sawadi-Khah for women is the polite way to say hello and goodbye in Thai. Sawadi means hello/goodbye while Kraup and Kah are words used to give respect (sort of like saying please in English). You will also notice that the Thai people might add Kraup or Khah to the end of their sentence to show their respect for you. These words are paired with placing the hands in a prayer position and bowing the head. It may feel a bitĀ strange at first but many Thai people appreciate it when foreigners make the effort to greet them in their own language. Most of the people I met made an effort to be friendly and speak to me in the language that I understood and I think it is only fitting to do the same (even if it is limited to hello and goodbye).
3. Street food is some of the best food youĀ can getĀ in Thailand and it is dirt cheap.Ā It cost us four Canadian dollars to get three decent size portions of delicious Pad Thai one day for lunch. Street food vendors line the streets of Bangkok selling everything from fresh fruit and vegetables, to satay (grilled meat on sticks) to various noodle dishes. The vendors set up tables for their patrons on the sidewalks and it becomes one big Thai restaurant with the sky train passing above your head and cars passing just inches from where you are sitting. The smells of exotic food cooking with the combination of exhaust from the busy street fill the air as you tuck in to enjoy a plate of traditional Thai cooking. It may not be the most relaxing way to have a meal but if you are looking for an authentic Thai eating experience this is where you are going to get it.
4. In order to enter many of the Buddhist Temples and Thai royal houses you must have your shoulders and knees covered. Sometimes women even have to wear a sarong. It is part of the Thai culture so it is important to be aware of it. Plan to wear a t-shirt and pants when you visit some of the historic and religious places in and around Bangkok, or bring a scarf or shawl with you to cover up so you donāt have to run around trying to find Ā something at the last minute.
5. There are people on the streets of Bangkok who are paid to get tourists to go to the many tourist traps around the city. Many of these people are tuk tuk drivers who will try and convince you that they know the best and cheapest place for authentic Thai shopping. They will be very friendly about it and often they will find some way to relate to you to make you feel more comfortable with the interaction. For example a man stopped my mum and me on a side street and once he heard that we were from Toronto proceeded to tell us that his brother worked at a Thai restaurant near the Eatonās Centre. Then he told to us where to buy the cheapest Thai gold jewellery. I was convinced that his story was genuine until my mum made me realize that it was not (she and my dad had had a similar experience with a tuk tuk driver on a different trip). Regardless of their motives these people are harmless and there is no reason why you shouldnāt stop and talk to them. Just be aware that they most likely have an ulterior sales associated motive.
theneverendinginterview 