The Best Place To Stay In Bangkok

Posted on September 13, 2013 by koomatzu

On Holiday In Bangkok

The best place to stay in Bangkok is really dependent on each individual; whether you want to go sightseeing in the Thai temples, hang out in the trendy malls, shop in the local markets, wine and dine, or party hard with the backpackers… Typically for tourists visiting on holiday, the best place to stay in Bangkok is the Old City of Bangkok. Silom, Sukhumvit or around the Victory Monument area are also popular areas to stay in Bangkok.

Some travellers tend to catch taxis everywhere while on holiday in Bangkok; this is fine, taxis are super cheap and easy to catch around the city after all. However, if you’re on a budget, you may prefer to stay on holiday in an area of Bangkok located along the BTS, MRT and airport link routes (the green, blue and red lines shown on the map below). The BTS skytrain is particularly impressive and worth a ride at least once anyway.

It can be difficult trying to find where to stay in Bangkok without knowing exactly where the districts, attractions or main areas of Bangkok are.

Best place to stay in Bangkok

Siam (Pathum Wan district)

Siam is the trendy city centre of Bangkok and also perhaps the most expensive area to stay in Bangkok. With dozens of gigantic shopping malls full of world famous restaurants and fast food chains, it’s a shopper’s paradise. Shopping in Siam is actually more expensive than shopping in the West and it seems to be an area of Bangkok for people who like to flash their cash for the sake of it.

If you love a fashionable, cosmopolitan city scene with plenty of designer shopping and fine dining though, then Siam is for you. Siam is quite a spectacular sight – some of the streets and malls have some awesome decorations and you’ll find the ‘hi-so’ Bangkokians hanging around, very glamourously dressed, bumping into each other like moles while taking selfies on their iPhones. It’s a definite contrast to the rest of Bangkok and you won’t find the standard tourist stereotype in their Chang beer vests around Siam.

Ploenchit, Chitlom and the National Stadium area can all be included as a part of Siam, Pathum Wan. A convenient skywalk runs through part of Siam, connecting Chitlom BTS station and the Bangkok shopping malls together so you don’t even need to stray too far from the luxury of air conditioned, cooling goodness.

Christmas lights at Amarin Plaza in Siam

Holiday budget in Siam: $$$$$

SIghtseeing in Siam: Siam Centre, Central World, Siam Square, Phallic Shrine, Erawan Shrine

Where to stay in Siam: Budget – Lub d, Mid range – Siam @ Siam Design Hotel & Spa, Five star – Hansar, Centara Grand

Old City (Rattanakosin):

The Old City is pretty much the polar opposite of Siam – it is extremely touristy and predominantly bohemian. Rattanakosin is the main tourist hub of the city and is the best place to stay in Bangkok for a holiday if you have any interest in history and sightseeing around the beautiful grand temples of Thailand.

There are many cheap backpacker hostels or luxurious hotels to choose from. Entertainment-wise, there is the famous market hangout, Khaosan Road, which has many crazy backpacker bars… perhaps making it the best place to stay in Bangkok to have fun mingling with other like-minded travellers.

best place to stay on holiday in bangkok

Grand Palace in the Old City

However, for people with an interest in more modern city life, fashion and the Bangkok nightlife; it can be a distance away from the main centre of activity and apart from buses and ferries, Rattanakosin is not a part of the sky train and subway system. Although taxis should not cost much more than 100 baht (£2 or $3) to travel to the other main areas of Bangkok, this can leave you a little stranded in rush hour times, for example between 3pm and 7pm, when many taxi drivers will likely refuse your fare to avoid getting stuck in the crazy Bangkok traffic.

Holiday budget in the Old City: $

Attractions in the Old City: Grand Palace, Wat Arun, Khaosan Road

Where to stay in the Old City: On a budget – NapPark Hostel , Mid range – Lamphu Treehouse, Luxury – Baan Noppawong

Victory Monument (Phayathai):

Centrally located in Bangkok only stops away from Siam, MBK, Silom and Chatuchak weekend market on the BTS, Victory monument is one of the most ideally located areas of Bangkok for both travellers and expats. Not only is there the Suvarnabhumi airport link at Phayathai, but it is also one of the main transport hubs for the buses and minibuses for any day trips around or out of Bangkok.

In the evenings, the streets come alive with Thai street stalls squeezed on the sidewalks selling food and clothing. There is wee bit of nightlife around, particularly along Rang nam Road but it is mainly aimed at Thai clientele. Phayathai is a great change from the perhaps overly touristy Old City, yet still lively and interesting enough to stay in Bangkok for a holiday.

Holiday budget at the Victory Monument: $$$

Nightlife at the Victory Monument: Saxophone Pub, Raintree Pub, Rock Pub

Where to stay at the Victory Monument: Asia Hotel Bangkok

Silom (Bang Rak):

Silom could arguably be one of best places to stay in Bangkok. Attracting quite a few tourists and expats alike, it is particularly busy and lively with plenty going on 24 hours a day; everything you need is right at your doorstep. Abundant in bars and cafes, shopping boutiques, luxury apartments and palm tree lined roads, it is maybe one of the most attractive areas of Bangkok.

If visiting Thailand on holiday, the Silom area can provide an ideal place to stay in Bangkok to explore the city, for both the popular tourist attractions of the old city by taxi or ferry, as well as the more sophisticated, modern city life. Located in close proximity to the Bangkok city centre and along the main BTS sky train route, Silom is definitely a place of convenience, but there are two very different sides to Silom that some may want to be aware of.

The western side of Silom, towards the river, is relatively quiet and subdued whereas the eastern end near Sala deng BTS station (AKA Patpong) can be looked upon as a slightly seedy tourist trap if you’re not prepared for it. The Patpong area is a particularly popular area of Bangkok for the girls and the gogo bars.

Thaniya Road, AKA ‘Japan Street’

Don’t let this put you off staying in the Eastern area of Silom though; the bustling streetwalks full of fairy-lit night stalls, cute cafes, sophisticated restaurants, modern shopping complexes and vibrant local backstreets still make it an appealing and charming area of Bangkok… So despite it’s impressively copious amount of massage parlours and brothels that come alive at night, both gay and straight, it’s still an interesting area to stay in Bangkok for other non-sex tourists!

Patpong’s ‘Japanese Street’, kind of like Bangkok’s ‘Little Japan’ filled with Tokyo style Neon signs and Japanese restaurants, is worth a visit. During the night, you will be hounded by Madams and Tuk Tuk drivers but it is still worth a look at least – It can be surprisingly entertaining to sit and eat some local Thai noodles from a street stall while watching the people go by.

Holiday budget in Silom: $$$

Where to go in Silom: Roadhouse, Sky Bar, Japan Street, Patpong Night Market, Maggie Chu’s, Hindu Temple

Where to stay in Silom: Budget – Lub d, Luxury – Hangover 2 Hotel!

Sathorn (Bang Rak)

Sathorn is slightly more quiet than some of the other touristy areas of Bangkok, the business district of Bangkok if you will. It is chilled out yet busy enough to be a happy medium between the bustling centre and unexciting Bangkok outskirts. For travellers who want the best of both worlds – to be in convenient, easy reach to all the points of interest but also have a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the tourist traps of Bangkok – Sathorn has it all; local life in the everyday backstreet, smokey sois as well as modern cafes, students and office workers going about business on the main street.

Towards the eastern Lumpini end of Sathorn, you can find the fancier restaurants and hotels to stay in Bangkok. The western side of Sathorn road has plenty of cheap, local places to eat and can be the best place to stay in Bangkok for people on a budget, in search of a little more peace. The western end of Sathorn is within easy walking distance to Surasak BTS to keep you connected to any other upcoming area of Bangkok. The central ferry pier is close by for access to the Old City and lively Silom is only a 10 minute walk away.

Holiday budget in Sathorn: $$ – $$$

What to do in Sathorn: Follow Me Bicycle Tours, Chinese Cemetery, Secret Garden, Lebua at State Tower

Where to stay in Sathorn: Budget – Saphaipae, Average – Heritage Hotel, luxury – Eastin Grand

Nana and Asoke (Sukhumvit)

The main road between Nana and Asoke is largely multicultural. It’s an odd mixture of both expats and holidaymakers; The sidewalks are teaming with street vendors selling dresses, DVDs, bags and sex toys, while the side street’s prostitutes cater to some of the sex tourists. On the other hand, you’ll find some more elegant rooftop bars, restaurants and shopping centres to keep other tastes entertained.

Some parts of the area, particularly the renowned Soi 11, are somewhat a bit of a tourist trap. Tuk tuk drivers will follow you around as if you’re a walking dollar sign and taxis will try to extort whoever they can. Although Nana and Asoke attract a mixture of types, the area is mainly appealing and more suited to the male tourists and expats. In particular, for the go go bars in Bangkok, ‘Soi Cowboy’ is one of the most famous red light district areas in Thailand for it’s choice and sheer volume of go go bars.

Soi Cowboy

Soi Cowboy can be a pretty grisly affair for many mind! Go go bars aside, some travellers may still appreciate the huge volume of souvenir selling street vendors and suit tailors lining the hectic streets of Nana. However, if you find this sort of thing just plain irritating, then maybe this is not the area of Bangkok for you. I would not really recommend Nana as a place to stay in Bangkok for younger couples, and especially not for family holidays.

As for the location, Nana and Asoke are conveniently close to the centre of Bangkok activity and within easy reach of the main BTS route. Holiday makers can enjoy shopping at Terminal 21 and party at the huge choice of modern nightclubs, rooftop bars (read more about Soi 11 nightlife here), pubs and restaurants (including the huge American style diner, ‘Angel Diner’). Soi 11 in particular is absolutely crammed full of choice in nightlife for the average person.

Holiday budget in Nana: $$$$

Where to go in Nana: Terminal 21, Benjakiti park, Cheap Charlies, The Nest, Angel Diner

Where to stay in Nana: Budget – Asoke Montri Hostel, Mid/high – Park Plaza Bangkok, Five star – Ariyasomvilla Hotel

Thonglor and Ekkamai (Sukhumvit)

Thonglor, Phrom Phong and Ekkamai are the reputed ‘hi-so’ areas of Bangkok located a couple of stops past Nana and Asoke from central Siam on the BTS. This area of Bangkok is far from touristy and is home mainly to professional expats and wealthy Thais. It may be a suitable place to stay in Bangkok for business travellers more than holiday makers.

There are not many attractions for tourists and travellers per se, but Thonglor, Ekkamai and Phrom Phong may prove appealing as a good place to stay in Bangkok for food connoisseurs, people who like to wine and dine, or those who like to search out cool, laid back trendy places off the beaten track. Again, this is the complete opposite to the bohemian back packer areas of Bangkok and much more suited to travellers looking for a little more sophistication and normality.

This area of Bangkok, is Thailand’s capital city at it’s finest and most modern. There are plenty of expensive, international restaurants and pubs to more quirky, cool Thai hangouts and bars. You definitely won’t be short on places to eat, however bars and restaurants are rather spread around the area so it’s best to know your way around.

Holiday budget in Thonglor: $$$$$

Where to go in Thonglor: Tuba Bar, Banrie Coffee, Witches Tavern, Iron Fairies

Where to stay in Thonglor: Low – DS67 Suites Hotel, medium/ high – Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor, luxury – Bangkok Marriott Hotel

On Nut

On Nut is located another few stops further past Ekkamai from central Bangkok. Although it is a little further out of the centre, travellers can still easy catch the BTS to get around the city.

Many people who have a connecting flight in Bangkok and need somewhere to stay for the night decide to stay in On Nut – it’s convenient as it’s closer to the outskirts in the direction of Suvarnabhumi yet still well connected with the rest of the city to make the most of a short stay there.

On Nut Night Market & Beer Garden

Accommodation comes pretty cheaply due to On Nut’s slightly out of the way location and it manages to escape the tourist trap feel that other areas of Bangkok sometimes suffer. The atmosphere in On Nut is quite laid back and mainly home to western expats and locals.

Holiday budget in On Nut: $$

Where to go in On Nut: On Nut Night Market, Erawan Shrine (via BTS or taxi)

Where to stay in On Nut: Low – Imm Fusion Hotel

Wongwian Yai to Talat Phlu (Thonburi)

Thonburi is located a distance away from the centre of Bangkok, across the river that cuts through the city. However it is still in easy reach of the main sights of Bangkok if you stay in Wongwian Yai or Talat Phlu, near the BTS. Saphan Taksin main pier is only a couple of stops away on the BTS. These areas have only recently been integrated into the BTS system, so are relatively untouched by tourism compared to the rest of Bangkok.

There aren’t many foreigners around Thonburi at all. In fact, as a foreigner, you may get a few more stares and giggles from the locals around these areas. English isn’t as commonly spoken and the landscape is less built up and much more subdued, especially so at the further out Talat Plu at least.

If you want more a more authentic holiday in Thailand and less of the tourist trap games, Thonburi is where to stay in Bangkok. Accommodation, shopping and food costs are cheaper here, however atmosphere and entertainment is still a little lacking. In my opinion, Thonburi misses out on the vibrant energy and craziness (good crazy, mind) of central Bangkok.

Holiday budget in Thonburi: $

Where to go in Thonburi: Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market, The Beach bar, The Mall Thapra, King Taksin Monument

Where to stay in Thonburi: Mid – Bangkok Loft Inn

How To Order Thai Street Food

Posted on May 24, 2013 by koomatzu

Thai Street food

The language can be a bit of a barrier when ordering street food in Thailand – there are not usually english menus and the sellers speak little english if any. It’s not a problem though, a lot of them can still speak very basic english to help you out. Street food in Thailand is so cheap and tasty that I highly recommend giving it a try – especially if you love to try real, authentic food.

I have given some useful phrases for ordering Thai street food below, but when attempting to speak Thai, make sure to add krap for men, or ka for women, on the end of sentences to make it more polite.

‘Issan style’ tray restaurants

Occasionally you may come across street food stalls in Thailand that have their food already made and laid out in a selection of trays. They usually sell curry and sauce dishes to go with plain rice. It’s often easier to judge if you will like Thai street food by seeing it first anyway. The best way to order Thai food at the tray places is to just point, it’s pretty easy. You could also say the Thai phrases…

an ni – this one an nan – that one
You could also say ao – I’d like: ao an ni krap/ka – I’d like this one please

Tray Style! Foods a bit cold, but hey I’m still alive

They will simply dish your chosen Thai meal onto a plate and you will pay upfront, usually around 30 baht ($1). They also have polystyrene boxes for takeaway if it looks a little cramped for you to sit down.

gin tii nii – To eat in sai glawng/ sai toong – To take away (box/ bag)
tan nii – To eat in glap baan – To take away (lit. back home)

The first Thai phrase that street food vendors will often ask you is tan nii rue glap baan, or tan nii rue sai glawng – are you eating in or taking away?

laew… (duay) – and… (as well) kai – egg
moo – pork gai – chicken

Cook on the spot

Sometimes you might come across a Thai street vendor cooking at a small, mobile trolley with a glass cabinet full of different ingredients. These vendors prepare dishes in front of you – usually noodle soup dishes or som tam (papaya salad).

They can be the most awkward places to order Thai street food because they often don’t have english menus, or anything written anywhere for that matter, and don’t have anything you can get away with just pointing to. These are probably the healthiest places to eat though (glass noodles are the healthiest option, being made of mung beans: woonsen) and food costs from 25 baht a serving. Some useful Thai phrases for when you don’t know what the hell the street vendor is selling are:

ao neung tuuay/jahn – I’d like one bowl/ plate
arai aroi tiisut – What is most delicious?
mee maynoo mai – Do you have a menu?
mee maynoo arai – What food do you have?
mee maynoo nehnam arai – What dish do you recommend?
Ao – I’ll have it
Arai gor dai – Whatever will do
Baep nai gor dai – Which ever will do
Moo – Pork   Gai – Chicken
Bah mee – Egg noodle   Sen nai – What kind of noodle
(Sen) lek – Small (noodle) (Sen) yai – Big (noodle)
Pet – Spicy   Mai pet – Not spicy

Take a seat, and they will bring your food to you when it’s ready. At these places, you can help yourself to drinks from the fridge. When you have finished, they will add up the total from your table, you can just grab their attention with your money out and they’ll get the idea. Or a casual gep dtang ka/krap (Can I get the bill please)

Thai Street Meat

Some of the tastiest and most popular street meat in Thailand is Moo ping, also known as Moo yang – grilled pork. These are sticks of pork grilled with a barbeque sauce marinade and usually cost 10 baht a stick. There are also street vendors which sell various meatballs and cubes on skewers – reconstituted types of meat served in a plastic bag with chilli sauce. You can sometimes get sticky rice (pronounced ‘Cow Neo’) to compliment it.

Other Thai street food vendors sell deepfried chicken and sausages – again you can buy this with sticky rice and chilli sauce. A piece of chicken will typically cost around 20 baht depending on the size and type. With these guys you can just point and nod but it’s always better to speak Thai. With the skewers, you can just pick out the ones you want and put them in a pile to the side and they’ll heat them up for you.

Ao neun/sawng/sam mai krap/ka – I’d like one/two/three skewers please
Ao neung/sawng/sam chin krap/ka – I’d like one/two/three pieces please
ao cow neo duay krap/ka– Can I have sticky rice too
ao cow neo neung toong duay krap/ka – can I have one bag of sticky rice too

Fruit men

Another kind of street vendor to look out for are the fruit men. I love Fruit men. These guys wheel around a glass cabinet full of mangoes, pineapples, melon and sometimes rose apples and other fruits. Then, like a freakin ninja, they’ll chop your chosen fruit up for you and whack it in a carrier bag.

You can have a bag of sugar to go with it – a kind of salty tasting, sweet sugar. A little too much sweetness for my liking. An ordinary sized bag of fruit costs 10 baht.

Sa-ba-rot – pineapple Daeng-mo – melon Ma-muang – Mango
Ao (sa-ba-rot) neung/song chin krap/ka – I’d like one/two pieces of (pineapple)
Ao (ma-muang) neung/song luuk krap/ka – I’d like one/two whole (mangoes)

You use the word chin when asking for a piece of fruit or food, and luuk for any whole, round food item such as a whole mango or a steamed bun

I think she likes me

Mall canteens

Mall canteens, usually on the top floor of all the malls and department stores, should not be forgotten as an authentic, cheap source of food in Thailand. If you’re on a budget, they are useful as most meals only cost around 30 – 50 baht and they have practically every meal you can possibly order in Thailand under one roof. The canteen at the top of Terminal 21 in Bangkok is particularly good.

Head up to the coupon kiosk, hand over 100 baht and then they will give you a card, use the card to pay at whichever food kiosk you fancy, take the card back to the kiosk and the person will give you back the balance. Easy.

You can just point to the pictures or a lot of the staff speak basic english anyway. Or, you can just say ‘tii +number krap/ka‘ to specify which number meal you want. (See the Thai numbers below)

1 neung 4 See 7 Jet
2 sawng 5 Hah 8 Bpaet
3 Saam 6 Hok 9 Gao

Eating cheap in Thailand

As food is one of my biggest weaknesses and ends up burning the biggest hole in my pocket of all living in Thailand, I figured it was the most controllable of my outgoings and so I made it my mission for the last month to eat on as small a budget as possible. Without starving myself to death however and whilst eating reasonably healthily.

Anyway, I managed to squeeze my budget down to 120 baht a day simply by eating mainly Thai street food. In fact, I’ve managed to live in Thailand off of just 15000 baht a month lately. Thats about £330 or $500 – 5000 baht for my rent and 10000 on everything else.

So there you have it – it is indeed very possible to live in Thailand Bangkok on only 15000 baht a month. But eat lots of street food.

Still not satisfied? Eager to learn more useful phrases for ordering Thai food? Curious to know more about Thai street food? You might be interested in the Eating Thai Food Guide below – 100 pages of Thai food tastiness…

Buy the Eating Thai Food Guide eBook for only $7

Where To Live In Bangkok

Posted on January 22, 2013 by koomatzu

Areas Of Bangkok

The best place to live in Bangkok mainly depends on each expat’s priorities and commitments they will have while living in Bangkok. There are the ‘Hi-so’ areas of Bangkok for those with good job prospects and finer tastes, and there are places to live more suited to a local Thai style for those on a budget.

Understandably, apartment rent in Bangkok typically costs much more when located closer to a BTS or MRT station. For many, once they have become a seasoned Bangkok expat they tend to grow a distaste for walking more than two minutes in the sweaty Thailand heat! Therefore, renting near a BTS station can be well worth the extra cost…

You can find the BTS, MRT and airport link routes and their areas on the map below (the green, blue and red lines respectively). Although you may want to bear in mind that some condos in Bangkok offer a free shuttle service to the nearest station.

If you plan on driving or don’t mind commuting by bus, songtaew and motorbike taxi, then you will find much cheaper condos and even more flexibility of where to live in Bangkok. Areas of Bangkok such as Bangkok Noi, Pinklao, Ratchada Thapra (both located to the west across the Chao Praya river), Lat Prao and Lak si further past Chatuchak, all provide great value accommodation.

It can be difficult to decide where to live in Bangkok without knowing exactly where the different districts, transport links and essentials are located.

Best place to live in Bangkok

Pathum Wan district – Central Bangkok

BTS: Siam, Chit Lom, Ploenchit, National Stadium

Pathum Wan stands as the central area of Bangkok and is home to a huge chunk of the mega expensive and fashionable malls of the city. For both human traffic and transport traffic, it is perhaps the busiest and liveliest area you could live in Bangkok. If you stick to the main streets of Siam you’ll find the glamorous hi-so socialites and fashionable business folk of Bangkok, yet veer off slightly to the side streets and you’ll find bustling local streets exploding with cheap stalls and food carts.

The centre of Bangkok has everything you could possibly need: Live music, yoga classes, pole dance classes, gyms, restaurant brands from around the world and even a giant Blade Runner stylee technology market, Pantip Plaza – get bored and there will probably be something going on or some kind of activity you can take up in this Bangkok centre.

The centre of Bangkok will be particularly appealing to the shoppers and expat fashionistas. Conveniently, a skywalk even runs through a large part of Siam, connecting all the big Bangkok shopping malls with Chitlom BTS stations. You’re never too far from the luxury of air con here – people in the centre really don’t like to sweat too much…

The Bangkokians in Siam tend to be very glamourous and fashionably dressed. Let’s just say walking around the shopping malls here… I feel like kind of a pauper scruffbag. If you search for apartments near the National Stadium side of Pathum Wan though, you can still find some affordable places to live and still be in a great Bangkok location.

Cost of Living in Pathum Wan: $$$$ – $$$$$

Points of interest in Pathum Wan: Siam Centre, Paragon, Central World, Siam Square

Where to live in Bangkok Pathum Wan: Budget apartments near National Stadium – 74 Mansion, Patumwan Oasis

Rattanakosin

Ferry Pier: Phra Athit

Rattanakosin is located away from the subway and skytrain systems, perhaps to preserve it’s historic roots as the Old City of Bangkok. The area is great for tourists but not so great as a place to live for expats in Bangkok. Getting around can be difficult as traffic is terrible and taxis often refuse fares and are reluctant to take passengers far.

Options are limited between taxi and ferries on the main canal and the Chao Phraya river. The district of Rattanakosin is also a little less modern than other areas of Bangkok, lacking in amenities due to the lack of expats living there. There are still expats living in Bangkok who enjoy renting in this area though, mainly those who work there or others who peacefully stick to the hidden away hippy communities.

Cost of Living in Rattanakosin: $$

Points of interest in Rattanakosin: Khaosan Road

Phayathai

BTS: Victory Monument, Phayathai, Rachathewi, Sanam Pao

The Phayathai district is ideally located in central Bangkok within very close distance to Siam centre. The BTS system allows easy travel between all the main areas of Bangkok such as Siam, MBK, Silom and Chatuchak weekend market which are all within just a couple of stop’s reach.

Phayathai is perhaps the best location in the city for public transport. The traffic is terribly busy in the area, but expats in Phayathai have access to Bangkok’s airport rail link and city link, the BTS system and the mini bus hub. Yet despite it’s convenient, central location and fantastic transport links, you can actually find some good value condos for rent in the area.

The area around the Victory Monument and Rangnam Road offers plenty of entertainment such as shopping, restaurants and Thai nightlife, plus some great bars with live music such as the Rock Pub and Saxophone Pub. Phayathai is not overly touristy so you can rest assured that you won’t get hassled too much by Tuk Tuk drivers like in Nana, Silom or Rattanoskin, but it is still an extremely busy and lively area to live in Bangkok.

In the evenings, the streets become heaving with crowds and street stalls selling food and clothing. For some expats, it can be a little overwhelming and hectic to live amongst this after a while. Nonetheless, if you love a bit of classic hustle and bustle, you can rent surprisingly cheap apartments for such a central area of Bangkok… plus it’s definitely a hard area to beat for convenience and entertainment – Thai-style!

Cost of Living: $$$

Where to live in Bangkok Phayathai: Budget – 21 Living Place, 507 Residence

Bang Rak Silom

BTS: Sala Daeng, Chong Nonsi / MRT: Silom

Silom offers pretty much everything you could possibly need while living in Bangkok and provides a lively atmosphere 24 hours a day, everyday. Silom boasts a wealth of multi-national bars, irish pubs, pizzerias, sushi restaurants, markets, malls, useful shops and supermarkets ideal for expats in need of some home luxuries. On the other hand, there are plenty of cheap, local places to eat for those living on a budget in Bangkok as well.

The Silom area of the Bang Rak district is conveniently located in close distance just stops away from the main centre via both BTS and MRT. It’s both a convenient and entertaining place to live, however this does come at a cost. Apartments are hard to find for less than 15000 baht per month minimum. By all means though, if you can afford to live in this area of Bangkok it may well be worth paying the extra money.

It’s useful to know that there are two sides to Silom that are extremely different in atmosphere. The attractive, palm tree lined western end of Silom, nearest the Chao Phraya river, is considerably more subdued and less lively during evenings, whereas the eastern end, that surrounds BTS Sala daeng and borders Lumpini Park, is quite the opposite. On the main Silom road here, as dusk falls and the highstreet shops start to close, the streetwalks begin to quickly fill up with vibrant, fairy light-covered night stalls, where you can buy shoes, bags, dresses and trinkets throughout the whole night.

The red light district area in Sala Daeng, known as Patpong, may be seen as rather seedy and unappealing to some. It is pretty harmless and easy to avoid once you know the roads though.

The whole of Silom is a popular area in bangkok to stay for tourists. This means you might get some of the usual tourist trap shouts by tuk tuk drivers and restaurant workers like ‘Oi you! Where you going? You want Thai food? Ping pong show?’. This may get annoying for some people. Not only is the Silom area of Bangkok a hotspot for locals, expats and tourists, it is particularly popular with Japanese expats, hence you will find the famous ‘Japanese Street’, or Thaniya Road, brimming with Tokyo style neon signs and Japanese restaurants.

Cost of Living in Silom: $$$$

Points of interest in Silom: Roadhouse Pub, Central Silom Complex, Patpong night market, Lumpini Park, Thaniya Road

Where to live in Bangkok Silom: Luxury – The Legend Apartments

Bang Rak Sathorn

BTS: Saphan Taksin, Surasak / MRT: Lumphini

Sathorn is somewhat more of a business district area of Bangkok and hence has a slightly more subdued atmosphere than some of the other central areas of Bangkok. Weekends are eerily quiet but the weekdays provide a balanced, lively crowd of bustling locals and business workers.

Sathorn makes a good place to live in Bangkok for an atmosphere that sits between the busy, hectic tourist centres of the city and the perhaps less interesting, outer areas of Bangkok. It makes for quite a pleasant, hidden escape from some of the craziness you might find in Phayathai, Nana and Silom, for example.

Location-wise, Sathorn is ideally situated on the BTS route just a few stops away from the centre of Bangkok, still close to all the main activity of the main city. The western end is a little more quiet than the eastern side with quaint backstreets offering plenty of local activity and cheap Thai cooking. It provides easy access to BTS Surasak as well as easy walking distance to the western side of Silom.

Just one stop away on the BTS, you can find the central pier which will grant you access to all the areas along the Chao Phraya river. For those on a budget living in Bangkok, you can find some relatively cheap apartments for rent towards the western end of Sathorn; studios start from as little as 5000 baht per month and provide a convenient base to commute or travel around the city.

The eastern end of Sathorn, towards Lumpini Park and Lumpini MRT station, offers slightly more sophisticated and professional surroundings: you’ll find the Life Center shopping mall elegant restaurants and five star hotels dotted along the main road.

Cost of Living: $$$

Points of interest in Sathorn: Jameson’s Irish Pub, Launch Pad Co-work Space, Chinese Cemetery & Park, The Life Center, Lumpini Park

Where to live in Bangkok Sathorn: On a budget – Sathorn Saint View (Review here), Baan Sathorn, Purita Apartments, Medium – Littlest Guesthouse, Thai CC Residence, Luxury – Sathorn Gallery Residences

Sukhumvit 9 – 27

BTS: Nana, Asoke / MRT: Sukhumvit

Sukhumvit is the extremely long, main road that runs through Bangkok city and connects all the areas by numerically ordered numbered sois. When you live in Bangkok, you’ll find that people use the Sukhumvit Soi numbers to explain locations to people – the smaller the number, the closer to central Siam.

The Nana and Asoke area of Sukhumvit is a hugely multicultural area teaming with expats and holiday makers from around the world. Nana in particular is a very lively and busy area of Bangkok. On the main Sukhumwit Road through Nana, it’s actually difficult to walk on the paths without being hassled in one way or another; being persuaded to buy a suit or hounded by the street stall owners along the way.

Personally, I find Nana busy in a bad way rather than a good way, and I find it a chore to make it through the hectic way of the sidewalks – this may be all fine and dandy for tourists who might actually be interested in the souvenirs for sale and the prospect of tailor made suits, but for expats it’s just a plain pain in the ass.

Location wise, Nana and Asoke make a convenient place to live in Bangkok, being only three stops away from the centre station at Siam and just a 5 or 10 minute walk to the cool shopping mall, Terminal 21. And to top that off, the area has some of the best and most renowned nightlife Bangkok has to offer. For all the modern nightclubs (many especially popular amongst expats), rooftop bars, pubs and huge range of restaurants, soi 11 is absolutely crammed full of choice in nightlife for the average person.

For the go go bars in Bangkok, ‘Soi Cowboy’ is one of the most famous ‘red light district ‘areas in Thailand for it’s choice and sheer volume of bars. Some may find the atmosphere of this area a little seedy and distasteful because of this though. Personally, other than the bars on soi 11, I’m not much of a fan of this area and think it is perhaps not ideal, or 100% safe, for couples or females living in Bangkok.

Cost of Living: $$$$

Points of interest on Sukhumvit: Terminal 21, Benjakiti park, Soi 11 nightlife, Soi Cowboy red light district

Where to live in Bangkok Sukhumvit: K-House

Sukhumvit (Soi 29 – 65)

BTS: Phrom Phong, Thonglor, Ekkamai

Phrom Phong, Thonglor and Ekkamai are known to be the posh areas of Bangkok, the hi-so place to live in Bangkok if you will. Phrom Phong in particular is recognised as where to live in Bangkok for high flying expats with professional jobs. Conveniently, you’ll find many good restaurants, hair salons, western pubs and shops catering for expats with English signs outside.

A 20 minute BTS ride about 5 stops away from Siam centre, this part of Sukhumvit manages to evade the pushy hustle and bustle of tourist trap tuk tuks and other tack that you mind find in other areas of Bangkok. It offers a little more sophistication in the form of fashionable complexes, trendy bars and clubs, and fine dining restaurants.

You can still find some charming, hidden away Thai gems such as cool bars, cute beer gardens and casual outdoor Thai buffets. Thonglor and Phrom Phong tend to be especially expensive to live in Bangkok and mainly appeal to expats with well paying transfer jobs. Ekkamai offers equally pleasant scenery and amenities though, as well as better value apartments for rent. Typically, you can find a one bedroom apartment in Ekkamai from around 15000 baht per month (£300 or $470).

Cost of Living: $$$$-$$$$$

Points of interest in Sukhumvit: Emporium Mall, SD BBQ, Banrie, Tuba Bar, Iron Fairies, Witches Tavern, Roast, Soi 55 and 63 nightlife

Where to live in Bangkok Sukhumvit: Low/medium – The Hive, Luxury – Ivy Thonglor

Wongwian Yai & Talat Plu (Thonburi)

BTS: Wongwian Yai, Po Nimit, Talat Plu, Krung Thonburi

Thonburi is located a little further out of the city centre, across the Chao Phraya river that cuts through Bangkok. In recent months, the BTS route has been expanded to include Po Nimit and Talat Plu stations, and continues to build further on.

This means that despite Thonburi’s distance out of the city centre, it is still well connected to all the main areas of Bangkok via the newly built BTS stations. It also means that apartment rent is currently very cheap in this area as it doesn’t seem to have built up and caught up with the rest of Bangkok yet. There are a many new apartment buildings popping up in the Thonburi district near the BTS stations very quickly, and they all seem to offer great value condos for the money.

Where there are advantages though, there are usually drawbacks as well. The main areas near the BTS route in Thonburi, particularly Talat Phlu, tend to have rather unsightly overpasses and carriageways running through them. There are also ongoing building works of the extending BTS route. Therefore, as the area is currently being modernised and built up, many parts are suffering a rather ugly in-between stage.

There are not many expats and tourists in Thonburi at all and you will find locals speaking a lot less English than they do in the centre. People tend to notice foreigners more and respond with more stares and giggles than other areas of Bangkok. Due to the lack of foreign influence though, the cost of living such as food and shopping prices are much cheaper.

Cost of Living: $

Points of interest in Thonburi: The Mall Thapra

Where to live in Bangkok Thonburi: Budget – Lumpini Place, Medium – Casa Condo, Parkland, Metro Park

Big Mountain Music Festival, Khao Yai

Posted on July 26, 2014 by koomatzu

The Glastonbury Festival of Thailand?

The Big Mountain Music Festival takes place in December every year at the Bonanza venue in Khao Yai, just a couple of hours drive outside of Bangkok.

Big Mountain Music Festival 5

As of now, the Big Mountain Music Festival is still only 5 years old, so it’s still a relatively new event. It’s particularly popular with under 30s and teens, and has less of a diversity of ages than other western music festivals. Also, as you can tell from the use of primarily Thai language on their website and in their promotions, the Big Mountain Music Festival is not overly famous among foreigners either.

The Big Mountain Music Festival is open to roughly 40,000 festival-goers with tickets going on sale around September time for 1500 baht. You’ll need to buy your tickets from one of the Thai Ticket Major offices – one of the easiest to reach and most central Thai Ticket Major shops in Bangkok is in Zen, Central World.

Music at BMMF

There are a total of roughly half a dozen stages scattered around the grounds of the Big Mountain Music Festival at Bonanza, all with an amazing Thai mountain backdrop. Most of the bands are Thai, however there are a couple of not-so-famous foreign bands too.

In the typical, creative Thai style, the Big Mountain Music Festival has plenty of loveable and quirky details throughout that make it a completely unique festival experience. The gates open at 3pm so you can witness the sun set over the awesome landscape and decorations too.

At Big Mountain Music Festival 5, the stages had different themes and characteristics, the most prominent stages being the Cow Stage, with a giant swinging cow head and crazy spinning eyes; the Sticky Rice Stage, with an oversized sticky rice basket for the DJs to perform from; the Sperm stage, with lots of floating sperms lining the tent; and – my personal favourite – the Ferris Wheel Stage, with dozens of neon, colourful ferris wheels spinning away behind the stage.

One awesome bonus, was that you could ride the ferris wheels for a behind the scenes view of the stage for just 40 baht. Watching the BMMF Superband playing while the crowd bounced around pumping their fists during sunset was well worth the money!

As for the atmosphere at the Big Mountain Music Festival, it’s much more mellow and well behaved than your standard music festivals. Looking around, there were never many other people drinking alcohol – despite the multitude of Chang beer tents scattered around the place – and many people seemed to opt to sit down at many of the stages. It has quite a contrastingly pleasant atmosphere, however if you prefer a little more excitement, just make sure to head to the main stage. There were plenty of drunken and excitable festival goers to dance around with when I visited, it was awesome!

Dress warm!

One word of advice if you’re heading to the Big Mountain Music Festival: Bring a hoodie or a jacket, it’s seriously cold!!! Just be prepared that, even if it is hot everywhere else in Thailand, BMMF is located in the mountains and the temperatures drop massively once the sun sets. Most of the Thais use it as a good excuse to wear their woolley hats, scarves and jackets to the Big Mountain Music Festival.

Where to stay

The Big Mountain Music Festival lasts 2 days – you can either stay two nights in a nearby hotel or you can camp. For campers, there are two major areas in Bonanza for tents: external and internal. If you’re planning on staying out and watching music until late then it’s a good idea to sleep inside the grounds, if you actually want some sleep then you might want to camp outside instead. You can either hire a ready-pitched tent or bring you own tent.

If camping outside, for a 3x3m pitch for your own tent it costs 450 baht. For an already-pitched 2 person tent, it costs 900 baht. You can check in the day before the festival starts and head to the pre party if camping externally.

Alternatively, if camping internally, it costs 1200 baht to rent an already-pitched tent. You can only check in on the day of the festival rather than the night before if camping inside. You also need to bring your own sleeping bag (highly recommended). You can book tents via Thai Ticket Major when buying your Big Mountain Music Festival tickets.

All of the local hotels are located quite a few kilometres away from Bonanza. However, this isn’t a problem as there are plenty of motorcycle taxis kicking around outside the festival grounds during all hours. The earlier you book the better, as hotels book up very quickly in the run up to Big Mountain Music Festival. I stayed in a hotel called Eco Valley Lodge – this was a really nice hotel located about 10km away. It may be worth getting hotel staff to write directions in Thai for you to give to the drivers though.

Getting around

If staying in a hotel in Khao Yai, hotel staff should be able to arrange a songtaew for you to get to the festival. Depending on how far away your hotel is, this will cost a few hundred baht. Getting back from the festival, there won’t be any songtaews so you’ll have no choice but to take a motorcycle taxi. They’re not too cheap, you’ll likely be charged between 200 and 400 baht per person.

How to get to Khao Yai

You can get a minivan from around 3200 baht from Bangkok to Khao Yai, hotels can arrange this. Alternatively, you can catch the shuttle bus from Bangkok to Big Mountain Festival on the Saturday morning and back on the Monday morning. Of course this may be subject to change in upcoming festivals, but prices generally cost around 550 baht each way. If there’s a group of you travelling together, it may be worth hiring your own minivan – Oriental Escape have minivans for hire for 3500 baht from Bangkok to Khao Yai.

Top 5 Fun Things To Do In Bangkok

Posted on July 16, 2014 by koomatzu

Not into sightseeing around temples? Looking for somewhere fun to take the kids? If you look hard enough, there are plenty of fun things to do in Bangkok other than shopping and sightseeing, both for adults and children.

Fun Things To Do In Bangkok

1: Thai Wake Park

Apparently one of the top wakeboard parks in the world, the Thai Wake Park is great for an extreme day out or, alternatively, for a longer overnight stay at the on-site RIDE n’ Lazy Hotel. The park is particularly useful for people of all abilities, especially for the more advanced, as it has a whole load of obstacles and ramps to navigate. The park is open all day every day until the late hours of the night, just be careful of the mosquitoes if you are heading there after dark. It’s about an hour’s drive outside of Bangkok centre – around a 500 baht cab ride. For 2 hours use of the cables, prices start from 1100 baht with equipment rental included. If you’re willing to brave the mosquitoes at night time though, the price is just 100 baht per hour…

2 Flow House Bangkok

With an easy, central location in Bangkok city, the Flow House makes a more convenient alternative to the Thai Wake Park. With cool tunes, good food and regular evening events, it makes a cool place to simply hang out (useful if you have lazier friends tagging along!). The flow house is suitable for people of all ages and seems to be particularly popular for kids parties – it even has a plunge pool for kids too. A one hour session with an instructor on the Flow Rider costs 750 back per person. Depending on what time you go (weekends are the busiest), you may have to share with up to 8 other people. Useful for something to do after a tiring ride on the flow Rider, there also happens to be a shopping village, K-Village, nearby with some nice restaurants and fast food places.

3 Follow Me Bike Tours

A bike tour is a great, fun way to explore the city, see all the famous sights and catch a glimpse of local life in the back street sois. Follow Me Bike Tours, in my opinion, is the best bike tour company of many in Bangkok that do this. They have a couple of routes for you to choose from where you can witness Bangkok’s temples, jungles, river boats, China Town and even it’s cuisine on with a food/ bike tour combo… All of the tour guides at Follow Me Bike Tours are English speaking and super friendly, making their tours all the more relaxing. With regular breaks throughout, tours are suitable for cyclists of all abilities, including children and the not-so-fit people. Prices start from 1100 baht for 4 – 5 hour bike rides, but if you’d rather go it alone, why not hire a Pun Pun bike instead?

4 Mansion 7 Haunted House

Mansion 7 makes for a unique, live haunted house experience, complete with ghoulish actors to chase you around. On sites, there are bars and games such as pool and billiards, all in a quirky haunted setting. The actual haunted house experience cost 320 back each and is actually relatively short for the money – perhaps around 20 minutes? (The time goes terrifyingly slow while you are inside though!) You get to choose from a selection of 3 scenarios with creepy background stories. You are then left to find your way through a dark ghost house while being crept up on, screamed at and chased by the Mansion 7 staff. Definitely not recommended for kids…

5 Fantasia Lagoon Water Park

Bangkok is home to a multitude of waterparks, however the Fantasia Lagoon Water Park is one of it’s lesser known, hidden gems. Hidden away on the top of a mall rooftop on the edge of the city, Fantasia Lagoon boasts amazing views over the surrounding cityscape – speeding down a water slide is all the more scary/ awesome when you have dramatic rooftop views to go with it. It’s not so great for adults, but perfect if you’re entertaining kids in Bangkok as there’s loads of cool little kid’s areas: a giant mushroom wonderland, pirate ships, water guns and – not to mention – an awesome amusement park attached to it as well. Another great benefit of Fantasia Lagoon Water Park, is that it’s super cheap at just 100 baht per person…

6 The Escape Hunt

The Escape Hunt is a puzzle-solving, live escape game with a good ol’ London detective theme. This is a great way to escape the heat of Bangkok while exercising your brain with challenging puzzles. You will be locked inside a themed door and left to examine the surroundings and objects in order to escape. The game lasts 60 minutes, after which, you can relax with a drink in the lounge, or dress up in detective attire for a classic photo opportunity. You can go in groups of between 2 and 5; prices start from 600 baht per person for an hour of mystery solving.

Know any other fun things to do in Bangkok? Leave a comment below!

Averages Costs In Thailand

Posted on June 25, 2014 by koomatzu

How much does an average holiday cost in Thailand? Food, drink and shopping is all very cheap in Thailand so you don’t need to worry about breaking the bank while enjoying your travels…

You tend to get much better value for money in mainland cities such as Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi or Bangkok, than you do at beach resorts. The Thai islands are particularly expensive – I’ve found that, although you may pay double the price for a restaurant meal on an island as you do on the mainland, the food is usually not so good quality either. Anyway:

How much does food cost in Thailand?

If eating locally at the street stalls, you can buy a meal from just 25 baht – that’s well under $1 or 50p. If you are travelling on a budget, or just want to sample some authentic, local Thai food, then street food is a must.

However, if you’re staying in tourist areas and eating near popular sightseeing attractions, expect costs to be a little higher (but still super cheap!). A standard meal in a restaurant in Thailand will cost between 100 baht and 350 baht on average – this works out to about $3 to $10.

As a general rule of thumb, usually, if you’re spending 250 baht or more for a meal, it should be a pretty nice place. When on holiday, eating out at the nicer establishments is very affordable and easily within the average person’s budget.

How much does a beer cost in Thailand?

At a cheap and casual bar, beers can cost from 60 baht (£1.50 or $2.50) for a large bottle of Tiger, Chang or Singha beer. A drink at one of the western style pubs in the city will cost up to 250 for a pint of Guiness or a bottle of cider like Magners. Cocktails tend to start from around 150 or 200 baht. Cheaper clubs and bars may sell cocktail buckets for around 300 baht.

How much does a T-shirt cost in Thailand?

You can get some really cheap clothing and shoes in the markets of Thailand. T-shirts typically cost around 200 baht, flip flops from 40 baht, women’s denim shorts from 80 baht and sarongs for around 100 baht.

How much does an average hotel cost in Thailand?

There are some nice, modern and clean hostels in Thailand available from 200 baht a night in most areas. In Bangkok, Khaosan Road is home to many of the more cheaper, backpacker hotels. While you’re staying in a country with such a low cost of living though, you might want to make the most of it and upgrade to a more luxurious hotel. From only 1500 baht ($45) per room, you can find some amazing hotels. For a guide on where to stay and the top hotels for different budgets, check my Bangkok guide here.

To avoid getting ripped off by greedy stallholders, I recommend checking my shopping price guide and street food guide for more prices before you go. You might also want to check out a more detailed account of the costs of living in Thailand here.

Best Time To Visit Thailand

Posted on June 14, 2014 by koomatzu

Thailand Seasons

The most comfortable time to visit Thailand is between October and March time. At this time of year, Thailand is at it’s coolest temperature with the least rainfall and humidity. During this time, temperatures tend to stay in the low 30 degrees.

Conversely, April and May are the hottest months to visit, with temperatures often hitting almost 40 degrees. However, tourist prices and hotel costs can be cheaper because it is low season. For some, the hot temperatures can be unbearable in the middle of the day and make it very difficult to do any kind of strenuous sporty activities such as bike tours.

From June to August is the rainy season in Thailand. It’s cooler than the hot season but still warmer than Christmas season. Most days, there is not actually that much rain and it’s quite consistent, usually either rainy storms during the night or heavy rain for an hour during the daytime. However, if you are unlucky, you might experience a fortnight long storm of miserable weather; it’s a bit of a gamble.

Cool Festivals In Thailand

Here is a small list of some of the most fun and interesting festivals and events held throughout Thailand. Most festival dates differ year by year – you may want to check exact dates if you are planning a trip specially around a Thai festival!

Chinese New Year – Late January/ February
Silver Lake Music Fest – Early March
Wat Bang Phra Tattoo Festival – March
Songkran Water Festival – Mid April (13th – 15th)
Hua Hin Jazz Festival – June
Vegetarian Festival – October
Loy Krathong – November (Full Moon)
Big Mountain Music Festival – Early December
Thai Father’s Day (King’s Birthday) – 5th December

Big Mountain Music Festival

Top 5 Vegetarian Restaurants In Bangkok

Posted on June 3, 2014 by koomatzu

With such overuse of fishy-based key Thai ingredients, finding pure vegetarian food in Bangkok can be a difficult task. If you search hard enough though, you can find some real vegetarian restaurant gems around the city…

Unfortunately, most of the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Bangkok tend to be clustered around the Old City near Khaosan Road. Perhaps good news for tourists in the area, but not so much for central-living expats in Bangkok. Anyway, here are my top 5 vegetarian restaurants I’ve found so far – please drop us a comment if you can suggest any others!

Best Vegetarian Restaurants In Bangkok

1: Bonita Cafe – Cosy Vegan International Cuisine

If you’re staying in the Sathorn or Silom area of Bangkok, be sure to check out the homey little vegan restaurant, Bonita, within just a couple of minutes walking distance to the BTS Surasak station. Bonita has an international menu of vegan burgers, pizzas, pastas and all-day breakfasts ranging from around 150 baht to 300 baht. The atmosphere is lovely and cozy inside, plus the owners obviously put a lot of care into the quality of their dishes.

2 May Kaidee – Traditional Thai Casual

With standard key ingredients such as fish sauce and shrimp paste, it can be particularly hard to find proper vegetarian and vegan authentic Thai food in Bangkok. However, you can rest assured that the ingredients used at Thai restaurant May Kaidee cater purely for vegetarians and vegans. May Kaidee is a successful little chain of restaurants scattered around Bangkok with a total of 3 locations, 2 of which are in the old city of Bangkok near Khaosan Road – perfect if you are staying in the tourist area on holiday.

The Bangkok vegetarian restaurant serves up a range of juices and smoothies, as well as rice, noodle, vegetable, curry and tofu dishes for under 100 baht. The interior of the restaurants is nothing fancy, but casual and informal for a cheap and tasty bite to eat.

3 Ethos Vegetarian Restaurant – A Hippy Vibe With Delicious Smoothies

Located pretty much right next door to the neighbouring May Kaidee near Khaosan Road, Ethos offers a cosy ethnic atmosphere with an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu. With inviting floor seating and colourful lamps, the restaurant has an exotic vibe with welcoming little touches such as a mini library. Thai dishes cost between 80 and 200 baht, while international dishes vary between 150 and 250 baht.

There is a huge menu of quality dishes with a good range of Moroccan food and pastas. However, for myself, it’s smoothies are it’s biggest highlight. They’re particularly delicious with a great variety of special detox drinks and fruity mixes.

4 Chomp – Cocktails, Burgers and… Yoga?

This family friendly restaurant (again near Khaosan Road) offers more than just tasty vegetarian cuisine in Bangkok – it’s second-floor acts as a community hub for social events such as poetry readings, art exhibitions, comedy nights, yoga classes and jujitsu classes. In an authentic old teak house, the restaurant offers an industrial interior theme with red brick walls and modern furniture.

Chomp is open from the early hours till late night. Despite not being a strictly vegetarian restaurant, it offers a good range of great tasting international dishes including vegetarian burgers and pumpkin sandwiches, offering home-made breads, jams and pastas. Prices range from 200 to 400 baht per dish, and you can even enjoy a delicious cocktail from the extensive menu.

5 Rasayana Raw Café – A Raw Vegetarian Detox in Central Bangkok

With a peaceful patio garden just off Sukhumvit 39 in Phrom Pong, this raw vegetarian cafe is great for a lunchtime visit. The cafe serves up a choice of organic detox drinks such as vegetable juices, smoothies, wheatgrass juices and tonics. A typical meal costs from 170 baht per person and is quite a bargain for the quality of the food. The menu includes raw pizzas and pastas made with dehydrated vegetable bases; a range of salads such as pomelo and caesar (some of the tastiest you’ll find in Bangkok); taco cups and gazpacho soups; and a choice of lovely desserts such as lemon parks and key lime pie.

Do you have a favourite vegetarian or vegan restaurant in Bangkok? Let us know and leave us a comment!

Top 5 Markets In Bangkok

Posted on May 10, 2014 by koomatzu

One of the most popular reasons that people come to Bangkok, is for the shopping! Bangkok has some amazing markets, famous for their variety of Street food, cheap knockoffs and pretty ethnic souvenirs.

My best markets in Bangkok offer a great variety of shopping and different atmospheres. If you only have limited time in Bangkok, check out my list:

Best Markets In Bangkok

1: Chatuchak Weekend Market – Bangkok’s Biggest Outdoor Market

Chatuchak Market is by far Bangkok’s most popular market with both tourists and locals – the huge crowds you’ll find flocking to the market on weekends is the perfect proof of it’s greatness as the best market in Bangkok! The market is huge and offers something for everybody: from puppy dog pets and authentic Thai furniture, to the newest Asian trends and bohemian clothes.

The market is made up of both indoor and outdoor sections and it’s easy to get lost for hours within the labyrinth of street stalls – not a popular market with expat men in Bangkok! Despite its popularity with tourists though, the market still manages to keep fair and cheap prices, making it a great place to pick up some fantastic bargains. Be warned though, this crowded, sun-trapped market gets super hot!

2 Asiatique – Riverfront Shopping Village

Reachable via free shuttle boat along the Chao Phraya River, Asiatique is a lovely riverfront market to enjoy an evening of fine dining, boutique shopping and cabaret entertainment. Designed in a modern shopping village layout, this beautiful Bangkok market is strewn with quirky decorations, fairy lights and unique little shops selling handmade jewellery and cheap clothing. You can also enjoy a Ferris wheel ride which gives you a great opportunity to see the Chao Phraya river and the rest of Bangkok city from above.

3 Talad Rod Fai – Vintage ‘Train Market’

Talad Rod Fai is one of Bangkok’s lesser-known markets, mainly popular with young Thais and hipsters of Bangkok. The market has a prominent vintage theme throughout with a nice dose of camper van boot bars and old skool Beetle cocktail hangouts. Shopping is cheap at Talad Rod Fai, however the market also makes a great simple hangout without having to buy anything at all.

Merely enjoying the music at one of the bars, or taking in the antique sights is entertainment enough. This is by far one of Bangkok’s best, most interesting and laid-back markets to check out.

4 Khlong Lat Mayom – Weekend Floating Market

In my opinion, Khlong Lat Mayom is the best market to visit in Bangkok if you are looking to sample all the local delicacies and treats of Thailand. One of the quieter floating markets located on the outskirts of Bangkok, Khlong Lat Mayom offers peaceful boat rides along the canal, charming little trinket shops and, best of all, an abundance of fresh seafood and authentic Thai dishes.

This floating market has a much more subdued and mellow atmosphere compared to other ones, and because of its lack of tourist visitors, items tends to be price tagged and more fairly priced. You can buy anything here from embroidered cushions and handmade crafts, to girly accessories and cheap clothing.

5 On Nut Night Market – Bangkok Beer Garden

One of Bangkok’s smaller night markets, On Nut Market makes for a much more relaxed shopping experience. It even has a little beer garden area where you can enjoy a beer and some cheap food while listening to one of the Thai cover bands. By Bangkok standards, there aren’t many stalls in the market overall, however there is still a great selection of super cheap T-shirts, accessories and knockoff items.

If you’d rather shop at a more quiet market in Bangkok, On-Nut is the best market for you – there is a great choice of food to snack on as well, Thai and international alike!

Where’s your best market in Bangkok? Share your thoughts and drop us a line.

Top 5 Parks in Bangkok

Posted on May 3, 2014 by koomatzu

Bangkok is great for exploring botanical gardens and natural parks. Many of the parks in Bangkok are very well maintained and clean – a great way to cool off and break up a day of sightseeing. Just don’t get freaked out by the monitor lizards while you’re relaxing on the grass!

Here are a couple of the top parks in Bangkok that I’ve found so far:

Best Parks In Bangkok

1: Lumpini Park – Bangkok’s most popular park

This may be too predictable to some, and for that I apologise – but Lumpini Park is THE park that comes to mind when people think of Bangkok. It’s where locals, tourists and expats alike come to chill out and cool off under the shady tropical canopy, right in the centre of Bangkok. Lumpini Park is located right next to Silom, making it a great break from exploring all of the busy shops and sights of the area such as Japanese street.

Although not the largest, Lumpini Park is one of Bangkok’s biggest parks and has pretty much everything in one place: a lake with pedalos, bikes for hire, outdoor gym, indoor fitness centre and a host of different maintained gardens. Lumpini is always bustling with joggers, cyclists, inquisitive tourists and locals lazing on picnic mats, it’s fantastic for people watching.

2 Benjakiti Park – Man-made and perfectly maintained

Benjakiti Park is my personal best park, completely underrated as one of Bangkok’s most beautiful parks. It lacks the more rugged and natural beauty of parks such as Lumpini, however it’s ruthlessly maintained grounds offer a delightful, contrastingly ‘neat’ beauty, with open panoramic views of the Bangkok cityscape across it’s lake.

The Bangkok Park is often lined with purple flower beds as far as the eye can see, with perfect colour themes and maintained flower displays always immaculately kept. During the daytime, Benjakiti Park offers an unbelievably tranquil and peaceful atmosphere for a capital city, completely free of people during the work hours. However it also offers a wonderful contrast of a vibrant atmosphere during the evenings when it is buzzing with runners, students, and newlyweds and graduates having photo sessions. It’s totally enjoyable at either time of day, evenings being a great time for people watching by the lakeside.

Although it’s not as huge as its gigantic sister parks of Bangkok, Benjakiti Park makes an easy detour from shopping at Terminal 21, or visiting an expo at the convention centre next door.

3 King Rama IX – Flowers Galore

The King Rama IX Park boasts the title of Bangkok’s largest pack at a massive 200 acres in size. It costs 20 baht in entrance fees (50p or 80 cents), however this is a bargain considering how long you could potentially spend exploring the park. There are absolutely loads of different nurseries and themed gardens to explore, plus a museum dedicated to King Rama IX.

If you love flower displays, be sure to visit King Rama IX park during December, when the whole park is covered in elaborate flower displays to commemorate the King’s birthday. You’ll find everything from simple colour patterns in the flower beds,to charming displays of flowerpot men and elaborate flower houses.

4 Tae Chio Cemetery & Park – Off the beaten track ruggedness

If you’d rather explore off the beaten track and away from the tourist scene of Bangkok, the Tae Chio Cemetery offers a contrastingly hidden and rugged change of scenery. You won’t find impressive flower displays and neatly maintained lawns here, however you will get a glimpse into the everyday lives of Thai locals.

Strolling through the shaded park path, you might come across elderly men playing board games; people working out in the outdoor gym; youths enjoying a game of the acrobatic version of football known as Takraw; and hidden shrines and Chinese temples. It feels refreshing to be able to discover – without mention in the guidebooks – some of the hidden gems around Tae Chio Cemetery.

5 Wachira Benthat Butterfly Park – Cycling in Bangkok

Wachira Benthat is Bangkok’s 2nd biggest park at 150 acres big. It also boasts close proximity to the neighbouring Queen Sirikit Park, Chatuchak Park and the hugely popular Chatuchak Market. Wachira Benthat offers a more natural landscape in comparison to Bangkok’s other parks, there aren’t really any flower displays and landmarks as such, however the grounds are flat and extensive – ideal for a bike ride. 99% of the visitors to this Park will be on bike and it’s worth hiring one for a nice shady bike ride in Bangkok.

Top 5 Rooftop Bars In Bangkok

Posted on April 26, 2014 by koomatzu

One of my favourite things about Bangkok is that I can actually afford to hang out at cool rooftop bars! And, not to mention, there are a great deal to choose from as well – cheap ones, wow-factor ones, quirky ones… The list goes on!

Of course, if you’re only on holiday in Bangkok for a short amount of time, you can only visit so many rooftop bars during your stay. So here are some of my best rooftop bars in Bangkok for you to choose from…

Top Rooftop Bars In Bangkok

1: Sky Bar – Bangkok’s most famous rooftop bar

I’m sure you’ve probably seen the rooftop bar scene in Hangover 2 – where they meet with an undercover cop at the posh restaurant with unbelievably amazing views over Bangkok city… Well, that’s the Sky Bar! If you are looking for impressive rooftop views, then I highly recommend the Sky Bar, it is the best rooftop bar in Bangkok for the best view.

The Sky Bar isn’t cheap, and it’s not really a place to chill out with a couple of laid-back drinks. I would categorise the Sky Bar more as an attraction, just to admire the amazing view and atmosphere of the second tallest building in Bangkok. It’s a little bit of a rip-off by Bangkok standards, but well worth a visit!

2 The Nest Rooftop Bar – Sophisticated quirkiness with cityscape views

The Sky Bar is a cosy and chilled out rooftop bar, best for couples and groups of friends. My favourite aspect of it has to be the comfortable bed chairs and sandpit floors (much more sophisticated than I am making it sound right now!). With the dark, ambiently lit atmosphere, you could easily spend a romantic date there, cosying up on the pillows in your own private dome chair.

Alternatively, there are also normal tables and chairs with live music and pumping chillout tunes throughout the night – great for enjoying some affordable food, cocktails and beers with friends. The music can be a little too loud to chat, but it still makes for a cool and trendy hangout in Bangkok – although the view is one of the least impressive of all the rooftop bars.

3 Above Eleven – Relaxed & Affordable Rooftop Bar

With it’s quirky interior furnishings of grass patches and tree-shaped pillars, Above Eleven reminds me a little bit of The Nest rooftop bar. It has the creative finishing touches but, in comparison to The Nest, it boasts more impressive cityscape views and an even more casual atmosphere. The background music is a little less disruptive for chatting, so it makes for a more relaxed hangout among friends. And best of all, this sleek Bangkok rooftop bar is highly affordable for both food and drink.

4 Balco Bar – Cheap & Cheerful Riverside Views

The Balco Bar is probably the least tall rooftop bar in Bangkok on my top 5 list here. However it is located right on the Chao Praya River, so you can easily entertain yourself watching the boats go by throughout the night.

The Balco Bar offers the most casual atmosphere of all the rooftop bars and it’s cheap prices attract many local Thais. If you want to experience an authentic Thai evening out, be sure to try the popular Thai style barbecue. The waiter will set up your very own barbecue grill and you will be able to fry your own meat and vegetables – Thai style!

5 The Speakeasy At Hotel Muse – Jazz and vintage goodness

For all vintage lovers and jazz fans, the Speakeasy combines spectacular urban rooftop views with a unique 1920s theme. The great range and quality of cocktails is where this rooftop bar shines though – the expert staff can mix you all kinds of cocktails from old school mixings to custom combinations. The outer rooftop bar itself is set out like a vintage lawn, complete with fake grass, cosy floor lamps and comfortable sofas. Jamjar cocktail glasses and jazz tunes in the background add all the finishing touches to make this a unique and special rooftop bar.

Which is your best rooftop bar in Bangkok? We’d love to hear – drop a comment below to let us know your top rooftop bar!

Top 5 Quirky Things To Do In Bangkok

Posted on April 15, 2014 by koomatzu

Bangkok offers so many quirky, creative and unique places to see. Whether it’s a slightly mental cat themed pub, a disturbing Forensic Museum of murder victims, or a cringingly inappropriate shrine of penises – Bangkok has it all!

So, yeah… Welcome to Bangkok! Here are some of my favourite finds I’ve come across while living in Bangkok, most of which are pretty off the beaten track…

Top 5 Off The Beaten Track Sights In Bangkok

1: Penis Shrine – Bangkok’s little secret

Also known as the Chao Mae Tuptim Shrine, this modest little shrine is not exactly advertised openly by the people of Bangkok. It seems to be treated more like a dirty little secret, hidden by overgrown vegetation at the back of a swanky hotel parking lot in central Bangkok. It really is small – literally the size of somebody’s back garden – however, they’ve really managed to pack a whole lot of penises into this small space!

If you are interested to check out this quirky fertility shrine, or simply take some unconventional holiday snaps, off the beaten track of Bangkok, you could easily mix it with some high street shopping in Siam centre.

2 The Artist’s House – A quirky canal-side cafe

The Artists House is a local arts studio-come-cafe, hidden down a maze of backstreets in suburban Bangkok. Finding the place is a challenge, however it seems to make a visit there all the more sweet when you finally discover this quirky, secret cafe way off the beaten track in Bangkok.

The ancient teak-wood cafe has a tranquil ambience, set right on a canal side amongst Bangkok locals going about their day-to-day business. You can take a gander around the small art studio upstairs, watch a Thai puppet performance in the showroom, buy arty souvenirs from the gift shop, or enjoy simply sitting on the peaceful canalside with a 20 baht cup of coffee.

3 Cat Cafe – Not for the cat haters

There are actually a couple of Cat Cafes scattered around Bangkok, the most popular one being located in Thonglor. Whether you just want to spend an afternoon playing with cute lil’ kitties, sniggering at crazy cat lovers or both, this place should be perfect for you! It’s worth visiting just for the sheer weirdness of the place – it’s strange rules, OTT hygiene demands and overall treatment of the cats almost as if they were hairy royalty… It’s an odd experience.

4 Siriraj Forensic Museum – The darkside of Bangkok

This one is definitely not for the squeamish: The Forensic Museum is located within hospital grounds just across the Chao Phraya River – it can be easily visited while ferry hopping along the riverside temples of Bangkok. It’s a pretty grim place though, with it’s pickled foetuses, mummified murder rapists, horrific photographs of murder victims and disturbingly detailed accounts from the tragic tsunami disaster. I’ve always thought of myself to have a pretty strong stomach when it comes to gorey sights, however I think I nearly passed out during my visit here! It’s an interesting place to visit for any medical nerds out there though…

5 Talat Rot Fai – Vintage Train Market

If you’re not a fan of shopping or markets, don’t write off the Talat Rot Fai Train Market just yet. A little more off the beaten track than the other markets of the city, this quirky Bangkok bazaar is packed with vintage sights, retro market stalls and cool Volkswagen camper van bars. You’ll find collectable toys and memorabilia from years gone past, as well as a decent selection of bars with good music. There is an interesting scattering of vintage vehicles and antiques throughout as well, just to make things a little more interesting.

Live Music In Bangkok

Posted on April 5, 2014 by koomatzu

After living in Thailand for a while, you might discover that live music in Bangkok is slightly lacking in variety. There’s plenty of Thai pop music and mediocre cover bands to see, but it takes a little extra effort to search out other live music genres in Bangkok. Don’t get me wrong, a bit of chilled out Thai pop music can be quite nice, but sometimes you just want to mix it up a bit with other varieties of live music.

Here are a couple of the best live music venues I’ve found in Bangkok – I’ve tried to cover a range of different music genres for different tastes.

Best Live Music In Bangkok

1: The Rock Pub – Rock tunes and alternative music

You can find some really good live bands at the Rock Pub. Furnished in the style of a rock-style Castle, this Bangkok venue has some great resident bands such as the Green Day cover band St Jimmy. The best bands that play at the Rock Pub seem to be the most under-appreciated in Bangkok though, and it’s the not-so-rockin’ bands that seem to draw in the bigger Thai crowds. Sometimes I wonder if the pumped up crowds headbanging to some of the soppy so-called rock bands are actually taking the piss or not. The pub is still definitely worth a visit for fans of punk, grunge and heavy metal… most of the time anyway.

2 The Saxophone Pub – Laid-back jazz

The casual Saxophone Pub is a highly popular live music jazz pub frequented by both expats and Thai locals of all ages. This buzzing live music venue is nearly always busy, with lively atmosphere. The Saxophone Pub tends to play primarily energetic swing jazz and blues, and has a cozy, traditional pub atmosphere – a casual pub to simply enjoy good music.

3 The Iron Fairies – Jazz wine bar

Another jazz bar in Bangkok, the Iron Fairies is a less casual and more dressed up alternative to the Saxophone Pub. It’s a little more expensive compared to the Saxophone Pub and has a more quirky, unique atmosphere. Again, you’ll find cover bands of swing jazz playing at the Iron Fairies on an interesting stage which is separated on it’s own floor; singers energetically perform from the gothic-industrial spiral staircase that connects it to the bar floor. If you’d prefer a jazz bar with a younger crowd and more sophisticated ‘wine bar’-edge, then check out the Iron Fairies live music venue in Bangkok.

4 The Raintree – Authentic Thai folk music

The Raintree is a lesser-known Bangkok live music venue, popular with Thai locals of all ages. If you are keen to listen to some authentic Thai folk and country music then this is the place to go. The Raintree Pub has a rustic atmosphere reflective of its country style, complete with buffalo horns and driftwood furnishings. Not to mention that it has cheap beer on tap…

5 Tawandeng German Brewery – Popular Thai pop performances

Tawandeng is another lesser-known Bangkok live music venue, highly popular with both local Thais and expats in the know. In fact, despite it’s huge size, Tawandeng Brewery is so popular that you often need to book ahead for a table. With a massive stage and gigantic seating area, this music venue seems to be a place for special nights out and celebrations. A visit to Tawandeng Brewery provides an authentic insight into modern Thai entertainment of cabaret style shows, magic acts and pop performances.

6 The Overtone – Live Indie music for the younger crowd

Apparently the Overtone has recently been renamed to Mello Yello and has taken on a main jazz theme since my last visit. However whenever I have been to watch live music in the past, the Overtone has mainly played live popular acoustic Indie music and modern spins on classic hit cover songs. The venue is situated along the RCA, a popular nightlife road among young Thais and students, so the bar is ideal for those looking for a younger atmosphere. It may be worth checking out the Mello Yello Facebook page to see exactly what bands are playing, as I think they cover a wide range of live music genres.

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