Securing local guides before our trips has been invaluable. We’ve been able to see hidden gems and learn about the culture from someone born and raised there.
We boarded a long tail boat and cruised down the river to the canals. The narrow canals form a roadway (there are even street signs!) throughout neighborhoods. Along the banks, there are many Buddhist temples - over 40,000 in Bangkok alone!
Throughout Bangkok you will find ‘floating markets’ - boats lined up with people selling all kinds of things. We saw colorful straw sun hats, Buddhas and elephants carved from wood, bottles of vitamin D shots and local beer.
There are ports along the canal where you can stop for a bite to eat, see artists painting or feed humongous catfish!
After, we ate lunch at the Royal Thai Navy Club. T was helpful to suggest his local favorites - hot pot soup and a fried pork dish and we had some of our favorites - soft shell crab and pad Thai.
Outside, we stumbled upon a commercial being filmed...
After lunch we walked through street markets and found a Maxwell tuk tuk. The tuk tuks are taxi mopeds that weave in and out of traffic throughout the city. With over 10 million residents in Bangkok, there is a lot of traffic!
We also visited the floral market. Flowers are an essential part of Thai culture, with families sometimes even picking up daily orders from the flower market. The flowers are used as decoration in homes and also used as a sacrifice in temples to Buddha.
Our last stop was a visit to Chinatown. The amount of food vendors lining the streets is unbelievable!
We took a tuk tuk back to our hotel. It was a tight squeeze and the longest two miles of our lives.
T was an amazing guide - very kind and knowledgeable.
We capped the night off with a swim and an incredible view of the city lights with a rooftop cocktail.
Bangkok is beautiful!
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