Bustling Bangkok |Part 1| Arrival and Plan

On our vacation, we allocated 7 days to Bangkok, giving ourselves enough time to explore the city’s lifestyle, transportation, and shopping. We had our own bucket list to fulfill in Bangkok, such as taking Pinterest-inspired photos, exploring shopping malls, trying out all possible local transportation methods, enjoying a Thai massage, and of course shopping.

How We Planned the Stay

The first two days in Bangkok, including airport transfers and hotel bookings, were handled by Flyport, the travel agent we chose. They booked us at the "Season Siam Hotel," which is very popular among South Asian travelers. For the remaining 5 days, we stayed at "Hotel De Bangkok," which we reserved ourselves via booking.com. We picked Hotel De Bangkok because it was within walking distance of Pratunam Market and Platinum Mall. Before reserving, we researched reviews and also checked how convenient it would be to reach bus stations, BTS stations, and nearby food options.

This area is called Ratchathewi, where you can even find Sri Lankan food. If I were asked to recommend which hotel is better, I would definitely say Hotel De Bangkok. The only issue was the huge construction near its main road entrance, so we had to drive all the way around to reach the hotel. Thankfully, on our last day, the main entrance was opened.

How We Planned the Itinerary

The first two days of the itinerary were arranged by the travel agent. The rest of the places we selected after thorough online research. We also allocated two full days just for shopping. When selecting locations, we considered how close they were to each other and the possible modes of transportation. We maintained the full itinerary in an Excel sheet and kept it with us at all times.

Each night we planned the next day’s activities and transport options. As the days went by, it became much easier for us to understand the city’s pattern and get around.

How We Planned Shopping

Shopping was one of our main goals for this trip. We set aside a separate budget for it and, after watching hundreds of videos, had a clear idea of where to go for each item and what the price ranges would be. We planned to visit 5 markets (I’ll share details later). We also planned to buy checked luggage from Bangkok, which was a smart decision because suitcase prices were very reasonable. Even though we initially planned to buy only two, we ended up purchasing three because we had the weight allowance but our bags were already full.

Arrival

We arrived at DMK Airport from Phuket around 10:45 a.m., having had our in-flight meal on the way. Our cab picked us up, but honestly, my first impression of Bangkok wasn’t that exciting. I had just left the laid-back island vibes of Phuket, and arriving in Bangkok felt like stepping into a totally different world. busy streets, heavy traffic, fast drivers, ongoing construction everywhere, scorching sun, and even the sound of rail gates that felt like a disaster warning! It took me a few hours to adjust to the fast-paced life of Bangkok. But by the second day, I had already started to love it.

Finding Food

As soon as we checked into the hotel, we walked around the area to explore food options. There was a 7-Eleven nearby, so we tried the famous toasts and some pre-cooked basil chicken rice, and realized we had a backup option if we couldn’t find a proper restaurant. Unlike Phuket, we skipped some street food stalls. At Hotel De Bangkok, most of our meals came from either the hotel itself or the nearby 7-Eleven.

Stay tuned for our memorable destinations in Bangkok!