Bangkok Travelogue

Just returned from a 4D3N trip to Bangkok with my friend, and despite wishing the trip was longer, I am super exhausted from the weather/walking etc. I lived in Bangkok for four years, but it’s been three years since I moved back to Singapore, so I was really excited to see how much Bangkok has changed! Furthermore, I never really lived the “tourist” life or experienced things as a tourist in Thailand, so I guess it was a new experience for me as well!

Accommodation: Lemon Tea Hotel

At first, my friend and I wanted to find accommodations through Airbnb, and we managed to shortlist a few apartments when we stumbled onto some affordable budget hotels! The hotel we stayed in was close to two BTS stations, Ratchathewi and Phaya Thai station, but some walking was needed. Our place was also walking distance to Pratunam Market as well as Platinum Mall, so overall quite accessible! The hotel is really minimalistic, yet has all the basic necessities a hotel will have, and I would definitely recommend it if you’re looking for cheaper accommodation without any frills. 

Day 1:

True Love Cafe

It is relatively hard to find this cafe, but it was worth it because of the huskies!!! I suggest walking/cabbing from Ari BTS, but the navigation is quite tough, so make sure to do research beforehand! The cafe has certain timings/shifts, (12:30, 3:30) and it costs 350 baht per person, which includes a drink and dessert! Being a huge dog lover, this place was paradise - the huskies were adorable, and for me, nothing can beat being surrounded by these furry wonders!

Rod Fai Market

A relatively new night market located near Cultural Center MRT! We lost our way finding the market, but basically it’s located behind Esplanade mall! The market had everything - you name it, food, clothes, accessories, knick knacks etc. Plus, most of the stuff were hipster-ish and suitable for youngsters! The clothes here were quite cheap too.

Day 2:

Pratunam Market/Platinum Mall/Siam Square

We spent the day shopping - and the weather was relentless. Nevertheless, we managed to get cheap and good shopping! For cheap clothes, Pratunam is a must. There are many styles to choose from as well, the only drawback being the need to buy in bulk (normally 3 pieces) to be able to enjoy wholesale prices! If you and your friend share similar styles/body builds, that is a plus point. However, you can also get basic pieces in numerous colours for yourself too!

Platinum Mall has increased their prices ever since the tourism sector in Thailand started booming, but we managed to find a few minimalistic + trendy clothes stores! These stores have 200 baht signs plastered on their walls, and you must check them out! Managed to get some work appropriate clothes too! On the other hand, shoes etc. here aren’t really cheap/good, so give those a miss.

Siam Square has stalls littered along the streets at night, selling quite affordable clothing/bags etc. that are super pretty! Not as cheap as pratunam though, but managed to get affordable drawstring bags/totes etc. here.

After You Cafe

Popped by Central World to try out this cafe that gained popularity over the years, and now, FINALLY, I realise why. My friend and I were relatively full, so we only ordered one dish, the Shibuya Toast - and it was heavenly. Just the perfect mix of salty and sweet, the ice cream and cream adding just the right final touch! The free flow tea offered was a really good palette cleanser, and refreshing as well! A must try if you’re in Bangkok!

Day 3:

The Commons

For the third day, we decided to explore the Thong Lo area, which is famous for it’s artsy cafes, and overall, being a hipster hangout location! The Commons houses a few cafes, and has numerous locations for insta-worthy shots! It’s quite the walk from the BTS though, but it’s a straight path! It is an open air concept mall, with picturesque architecture.

Roast

We settled down in a cafe called Roast for brunch and got the lunch set for 320 baht. I got the Truffle pasta (super good) and my friend got the Bacon and garlic pasta that was equally as good. Each set came with a salad and choice of drink! Both of us had the caffe latte, which was refreshing for the hot day out. Lovely cafe, lovely vibes, good food.

Hands and Heart

This cafe wasn’t on our list, but we saw photos of this cafe on instagram, and just had to go down to check it our ourselves. The cafe was really small, and thankfully it wasn’t packed. The interior of the cafe was mostly black and whites, paired with marble! Lots of quirky drinks and creations, and we basically just chilled here and took photos to hide from the heat.

Central World - Market

Outside Central World, there is a temporary market being set up, and despite finding the clothes a bit meh, there was a lot of traditional Thai food! we settled for dinner here, with some authentic Thai Wanton Mee, which was both cheap and good.

Day 4:

EmQuartier

We decided to have a chill day on our last day in Bangkok by eating and walking around the area around Phrom Pong BTS! Emquartier is a new luxury mall, with beautiful areas to chill in, such as a small nature park in the mall itself! Loads of interesting food and a variety of cuisines to choose from here too!

Artbox EmDistrict

Popped by Artbox EmDistrict after lunch, and got some really cool drinks and food! Super affordable and pretty sodas to quench our thirsts as we hung around the seating area with our delicious cheesy fries. Managed to spot Mario (thai celebrity) having a mini event for the cup noodles he was sponsoring as well!

Shoutout to my awesome travel buddy:

Super thankful for this girl, who embarked on this slightly impromptu short trip with me - i know how hard it is to tolerate someone like me and i’m eternally grateful for this small yet deadly taurus girl who always has my back. We are so alike yet different in so many ways, and am always amazed by how we manage to match and fit together so well! thank you for everything my twin, you’re truly a blessing in my life. Would do this all again with you in a heartbeat. ♡