Author: koomatzu

Thailand Island Hopping

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thailand island hopping

Island hopping in Thailand

For those interested in island hopping from Bangkok, here is a rough guide on how to get to Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan as well as some ideas of what to do on the islands in Thailand. Phuket is located the opposite side of the mainland and in my opinion, the beaches are more attractive with soft, fine white sand. However these three islands are a little less built up than Phuket and ideal for island hopping in Thailand.

Personally, I get bored staying too long on a beach, even if trying my hand at some of the watersports and chilling out in the bars on the shore. However, getting to these particular islands from Bangkok can take a long time if you’re not flying, so you kind of need to spend more than just a few days island hopping in Thailand just to make your time travelling there worthwhile. However, a flight to Koh Samui costs from around 3000 baht each way.

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Koh Samui

How do you get to Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangnan from Bangkok

You can catch a joint ferry + sleeper train from Hualumpong train station in Bangkok to get to any of the islands in Thailand. An ideal time to catch this train is around 19.30 as this way you can get a decent night’s sleep rather than waste day time – the ferry arrives on each of the islands late morning the next day. If you book the joint ferry ticket you will be taken to a shuttle bus to connect you to the Don Sak ferry port from Surat Thani to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, respectively.

I recommend booking the train in advance for island hopping in Thailand though – it can get booked up at times, leaving you prime pickings for a stitching up by the tourist info people booking the buses. You can read my article on why you should book train tickets in advance in Thailand here. Trains to Surat Thani cost around 1300 baht each way (depending on the class).

Alternatively, for island hopping in Thailand you can also catch a bus straight from Bangkok to Surat Thani or Chumpon. From here you can take the ferry to Koh Samui etc. The bus to the Thai islands from Bangkok is slightly quicker and cheaper than the train but not as comfortable; it’s a pretty grueling journey being stuck on a bus for over 8 hours though. A joint bus + ferry ticket costs around 1000 baht if you book with Lomphraya – prices vary from company to company though. You can book tickets at any tourist office in Bangkok, it’s best to do in advance to avoid paying more or being stuck on the slower ferries and coaches.

 

Koh Samui

Koh Samui is the largest of the three islands and more built up too. Koh Samui has plenty of places to eat, bars on the beach and five star resorts. For those visiting Samui for the nightlife, Chaweng is the busiest and liveliest area of Samui to stay. Ark Bar Beach Resort costs around 1500 baht per night and is ideal for the younger tourists to stay in Koh Samui. Bophut is quieter but still packed with plenty of restaurants and pubs on the seafront as well as other day time activities available. This makes it ideal for couples, families or more chilled out groups of friends staying in Koh Samui. Smile House is a very good hotel to stay in Bophut costing from 1200 baht per night. 

  • How to get to Koh Samui: You can book a ferry at any travel agents or directly at the main ferry ports such as Tong Sala on Koh Phangan or Surat Thani on the mainland. Island hopping on the ferry to Koh Samui takes roughly 1.5 hours from the mainland. Taxis generally charge around 600 – 900 baht to transfer you to your hotel from the ferry port on Koh Samui, there are some minibuses around though – one company called Travel Hut seems pretty reasonable. They have an office located around the port and charge 150 baht per person to drop you to your hotel. Alternatively, you can hire motorcycles for 250 to 400 baht per day (dependant on the engine size). It can be a fun way to explore Koh Samui island and it’s beaches, although the islands in Thailand are quite famous for their particularly dangerous roads so take care.
thailand island hopping

Walking Street, Fisherman’s Villaage

  • What to do in Koh Samui: If staying in Bophut, it can be a good idea to make sure you are staying in Koh Samui on a Friday. In Bophut fisherman’s village there is very lively ‘Walking Street’ every friday night, complete with fire poi shows, traditional thai performances and many stalls selling silks, clothing, handmade coconut beauty products, artwork and authentic Thai snacks. During the daytime, chill out on the beach or try your hand at windsurfing for 360 baht per hour. The conditions in Koh Samui are apparently the best in the world for windsurfing so it’s not a bad place to try it out if you’re interested. As well as windsurfing in Koh Samui, you can also rent kayaks for 250 baht.
thailand island hopping

Bophut

Koh Phangan

Koh Phangan is primarily known for it’s famous Full moon parties and Jungle parties. The best place to stay for groups of friends and good nightlife on Koh Phangan is Hat Rin. V2 Seagate Hip Hotel is situated right in the middle of the nightlife in Hat Rin at a reasonable price too. For families and couples though, a good place to stay on Koh Phangan is perhaps Than Sadet. Mai Pen Rai bungalows on Than Sadet beach are very cheap at around 500 baht. They are located off the beaten track with their own peaceful, secluded beach.

  • How to get to Koh Phangan: A ferry to Thong Sala from the other islands costs around 400 baht and it is worth booking in advance with one of the tour offices during the full moon party time. You can also catch a slightly cheaper long tail boat from Maenam beach pier on Koh Samui but you cannot book this one in advance. Again, you can hire a motorcycle once in Koh Phangan but I would only recommend this for very confident drivers as the roads can be very steep and.. jungly.
  • What to do in Koh Phangan: There are other beach parties throughout the month in Koh Phangan as well as the full moon party, you can check the dates here to plan when to go. You can hire snorkels for 100 baht per day and kayaks for as little as 100 baht per hour. For fans of the tv shows Takeshi’s castle and Wipeout, you must visit Koh Phangan Wipeout located not too far from Thong Sala pier at Laem Son Lake. It costs 500 baht for the day and they are open Tuesday – Sunday 10am until 6pm.
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Than Sadet Beach

Koh Tao

Koh Tao is the smallest and most unspoilt of the three islands which makes it ideal for nature lovers and scuba divers island hopping in Thailand. There is an abundance of sea life and coral reefs for diving. Koh Tao is popular island with divers and younger travellers, it’s ideal for groups of friends looking for adventure and cool nightlife.

Sairee beach is the most popular and lively area to stay on Koh Tao but the beach is rather dirty and neglected – it’s worth a visit for the nightlife on the evenings at least though, especially the bars along the beachfront. There are many other more secluded bays such as Ao Leuk and Mango bay for prettier beaches. Koh Tao Resort in Chalok is a good medium with a cool divers community and small, sandy beaches.

It’s best to rent a scooter for 150 baht per day to get around Koh Tao as you cannot catch taxis for any less than 250 baht per journey. Taxi drivers on Koh Tao will generally want between 50-100 baht per passenger or 400-500 baht per journey and will not be haggled down to less than 250 baht.

  • How to get to Koh Tao: Again, you can book a ferry to Koh Tao for around 400 baht from either Koh Samui or Koh Phangan. To get from Bangkok to Koh Tao, you can catch a coach to Chumpon pier and take the ferry straight to Koh Tao. It’s slightly quicker to get to Koh Tao from Bangkok than it is to get to Koh Samui or Koh Phangan; the bus can get there in 6 hours and the Lomprayah catamaran ferry 90 minutes. You can book joint ferry + bus ticket for around 1100 baht per person.  Alternatively, you can hire a minibus and driver from 3000 baht for the day, it may well make a fun road trip.
  • What to do in Koh Tao: There are absolutely loads of different companies which offer scuba diving courses on Koh Tao, from 1 day to 7 days in length and it is the most ideal island to do this out of the three. Alternatively, if you feel there is not enough to keep you entertained on Koh Tao alone to make it worth staying, you can just book a day trip there instead through any of the Tour agencies on the other islands for around 700 baht. This usually includes some lunch, snorkel hire and a trip to Angthong National Marine Park as well. 

You can rent ATVs for around 1000 baht to get around Koh Tao, not only are they good fun and safer than scooters, but they can also get you to some of the more isolated and more beautiful bays of the island too. Koh Tao also has a shooting range and an island-to-island zip wire for more beach-unrelated fun.

 

Island hopping in Thailand. For more Thailand travel ideas and tips, click here.

Chao Mae Tuptim ‘Penis Shrine’, Bangkok

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Nestled away in a random and hidden spot of central Bangkok, you can find the very surreal Phallic shrine; a small site filled with numerous, large carvings and phallic statues. It is located within the grounds of the very posh, and maybe unfortunate, Swissotel Nai Lert hotel. Crossing over the small bridge leading into the typical Bangkok cityscape scene of the Swissotel grounds and it’s concrete car park, you will see a very small and overgrown-looking garden tucked away amongst some trees. If you were not actively looking for the penis shrine you may well easily miss it as it so hidden away, almost as if it has been conveniently shoved into the corner and out of people’s view.

A visit to the penis shrine in Bangkok can be a somewhat odd experience. Sometimes there may not be another visitor in sight, the only other signs of life around being a couple of stow away workers slacking off around the outskirts of the garden and a family of cats who have made their home underneath one of the many piles of phallic sculptures. 

The Bangkok penis shrine is around 100 years years old and Chao Mae Tuptim is the name of the spirit or goddess believed to reside there. There seem to mixed feelings from the locals of Bangkok about the shrine, some apparently finding it to be embarrassing and perhaps vulgar (I have heard that if you mention it to a member of staff in the Swissotel, most of them will deny all knowledge of it’s existence). There are others throughout the region however, who regard the penis shrine as a place of good fortune, endowing fertility to visitors who worship Chao Mae Tuptim at the phallic shrine.

Visiting Chao Mae Tuptim

The phallic shrine is very small in size, it is literally like stepping into somebody’s back garden. It is not really something that would make a trip worthwhile on it’s own (particularly if you do not have a specific interest in phallic sculptures), but there are absolutely masses of shopping centres, malls and cafes around to explore nearby, and so the penis shrine can make an interesting stop off whilst wandering through the area of Chit Lom. Other places to visit in the area include Central Chit Lom (a department store with an impressive and high quality food court below), Central World, Amarin Plaza, Pratunam, Erawan shrine and the Baiyoke Tower. Every other person who’s been to Thailand has a picture of themselves in the Grand Palace and Wat Arun – the shrine can make for a more unconventional detour to the usual tourist sights.

And besides, who wouldn’t want a photo of themselves posing next to a giant pile of men’s oversized gooblies?

Directions to the Bangkok penis shrine

Take the BTS to Chit Lom and follow the exit signposted for Central Chit Lom. You should be walking in the direction towards Ploenchit, rather than back towards Central World. You can exit through the air conditioned Central Chit Lom and head back onto the main road with the BTS on. From here, carry on walking left along the main street until you come across a road turning left with a small canal running along the right-hand side of it.

Continue to the end of the street until you see a small bridge across the canal and a security guard booth just on the other side. Walk on through the car park and follow the road to the left. Straight ahead of you from here you will notice some trees and a small garden which is the penis shrine.

Erawan Elephant Museum, Bangkok

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erawan shrine bangkok

Located just on the outskirts of the city of Bangkok, you can find the unmissable Erawan Museum- a unique museum in that it is enclosed within a 43 metre tall, giant elephant. It was built in 1967 by an eccentric  multi-millionaire resident of Bangkok to preserve his collection of antique art and to showcase the four major religions of Asia. The grounds of the museum consist of beautiful gardens with carpe ponds, ornate statues surrounding the museum and a shrine built into the structure of the towering three-headed elephant above.

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The main museum and shrine

Below the elephant building is the small museum dedicated to the history of Sukhothai and antique pottery of the region. The lobby-like area above this and under the shrine itself is very elaborately decorated with an extravagant and colourful circular staircase swirling around the dome shaped room up to the beautiful stained glass roof at the top. At the top of this level, you can either take the elevator or continue climbing yet more winding stairs which bring you into the body of the elephant itself.

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Lobby area inside

Here, there is an interesting and unconventional shrine located at the very top of the structure, brightly decorated with a less traditional and modern edge to it than the more historical temples in Bangkok. There is also a small window at the top where you can view the scenery and gardens from above. Due to the actual size of the gardens and museum, a visit to Erawan Museum would need no more than an hour for many people. However the gardens, although small in size, have some intriguing sculptures and attractive flora for a little extra entertainment and relaxation.

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Surrounding gardens

Entry to the Erawan Museum in Bangkok costs 300 baht for foreigners and 150 baht for Thais. It is open 8.00 am until 5.00 pm daily

How to get to Erawan Musem:

Take the BTS skytrain to the terminal station at Bearing. A taxi from here should only take 5 or 10 minutes and will cost around 55 baht depending on traffic. In thai, Erawan Museum is ‘peepeetapan erawan’.

Tip: Erawan Museum is a religious site, it is wise to try to dress a little more modestly to avoid the risk of being denied entrance to the actual museum and shrine. Avoid wearing short shorts or vests for example.

The Nest Rooftop Bar Bangkok

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The Nest is a very sophisticated rooftop bar & tapas restaurant located above the Le Fenix Sukhumvit hotel on Soi 11, Nana in Bangkok. It is a fantastic rooftop bar in Bangkok to visit for a chilled out and relaxing evening – even better if you just need to unwind after a hard day’s work. After you enter the dimly lit Nest rooftop bar, you will be welcomed by staff and taken across a small bridge across a tranquil pond. The view of the top of the city and Bangkok skyscraper tops is impressive but even more impressive when you are then taken across a floor of sand to a very comfortable looking bed-like sofa.

After kicking off your shoes and making yourself comfortable amongst the cushions on your own private cocoon-like bed, you can enjoy a cocktail and drift away into a snooze-like state of relaxation. With the reflecting disco ball style lights flickering away hypnotically, the large projector screening breakdance dance-offs and skate boarding tricks behind the bar, the chilled out beats of funk and dubstep; it really is too easy to just fall asleep.

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It’s not very cheap… yet at the same time, for a rooftop bar in Bangkok it’s not expensive either. Cocktails in The Nest rooftop bar average about 280 baht for a generous sized glass, and bottles of beer cost around 150 baht; however at happy hour between 6pm and 9pm cocktails cost only 200 baht and beers only 80 baht. Tapas dishes cost between 120 and 250 baht, Thai food from 90 baht and western dishes up to around 300 baht. We ordered pesto pasta chicken for 220 baht and fish and chips for 250 baht. The portions were slightly small but they were quite tasty.

The staff at The Nest Rooftop bar Bangkok were also very quick and efficient, but one thing in particular that I appreciated about them most was that they didn’t hover over you pressuring you to order like they do in so many other restaurants and rooftop bars in Bangkok. But they were still really quick to notice when you were actually ready to make your order. The Nest rooftop bar have live music after 9pm most nights and it is definitely worth a visit for a chilled out night in style in Bangkok.

Directions to the Nest rooftop bar Bangkok: Head down Soi 11, Nana (just near the BTS station). Continue to the end of the road and turn left. You will notice Le Fenix hotel on the corner as the road bears right again. The Nest Rooftop bar is at the top of Le Fenix hotel.

Sathorn Saint View Serviced Apartments, Bangkok

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sathorn saint view bangkok

Sathorn Saint View is both a long stay apartment complex as well as a short stay hotel in Bangkok. If you’re looking for some cheaper budget accommodation in a convenient location, then Sathorn Saint View can be a good choice of apartment to rent in Bangkok. Including the more expensive rooms, all apartments in Sathorn Saint View are open plan studios with no kitchen, just a fridge (and microwave in the better apartments). Rooms are relatively cheap and vary from between 5000 (£100 or $150) and 12000 (£250 or $400) baht per month or from 600 baht per day.

 

The Area Around Sathorn Saint View

Sathorn Saint View is in Sathorn, just a 5 or 10 minute walk to the Surasak BTS sky train station. Just four stops away for 25 baht on the skytrain is the Siam interchange, the hotspot of Bangkok. Alternatively, about a 20 minute walk from the apartments is the central pier, where you can catch a ferry from about 10 baht which will take you to the old district of Bangkok where Khaosan Road and all the main areas for sightseeing are. Also within easy distance, there’s Silom Road which has plenty of choice of restaurants and shops, just about a 15 minute walk away.

 

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A review of Sathorn Saint View serviced apartments

With this convenient location and low price in mind, you can’t have everything for nothing in life.

The downside of Sathorn Saint View:

  • Some of the staff are quite nice but a lot of them aren’t particularly helpful and just aren’t particularly enthusiastic or welcoming for some people’s tastes.
  • The professional images on the hotel website are very deceiving. The gym is somewhat ill-equipped in comparison to the these images. Personally, I’ve completely written off the gym. It comprises of a rusty old, dirty weights bench, 3 treadmills and an even rustier pull down cable bar machine. And maybe the odd dead cockroach. It’s real grubby… and to top it off, not only is it located in a boiling hot, green house stylee room on the rooftop but it’s got no aircon either. It’s pretty unbearable during midday in Bangkok. The swimming pool seems okay but it’s just a bit on the small side.
  • The cleaners don’t really do their jobs so well and the dirt can really accumulate after a while. They also tend to skive off on the roof and perv on any of the female guests either sunbathing or using the gym.
  • Directly outside the building, there are some dodgy alleys you need to walk through to get to the main road. Being a lady, I felt a bit nervous on my own after dark.. Maybe a more seasoned traveller might scoff at this and survive just fine.. but for those of a more nervous disposition such as myself, you might want to bear this in mind. Bag snatchings and crime can be a more common occurrence in the sois around here and this is particularly bad for tourists who are bigger targets and more at risk of falling victim to this.
  • The internet can be frustratingly slow. If you need internet for anything important, then bare this in mind. It was a big problem for us. There doesn’t seem to be a limit on the internet usage so even though you have to pay 750 baht per month for wifi in your apartment, you may still be sharing it with somebody downloading ten movies a night.
  • The food in the restaurant is rather greasy. The sandwiches are the only thing on the menu that I could eat. I am not a fussy person at all, but let’s just say eating here has put me off fried rice for life. Every time I think of that greasy meal I feel nauseous…

 

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On a more positive note though!

  • There is a a really cool looking temple and grave yard behind the apartments – it’s nice to hear the chants from the nearby mosque and the birds singing throughout the day. It’s a peaceful area compared to staying on a main road.
  • The more expensive apartments are also quite nicely furnished, with a nice lobby area downstairs and a roof top garden.
  • There is an awesome little restaurant directly next door which is lovely and cosy, and on top of this you can buy a really tasty meal from about 40 baht to eat in or take away.
  • In terms of location and size, Sathorn Saint View is decent value for money for long stay residents being within easy walking distance of the BTS.
  • You do not need to sign a long contract. You can pay monthly to stay there and just give two weeks notice when you wish to leave.

 

Sathorn Saint View has so much potential, it just seems a bit neglected. For apartments to live long term in Bangkok, you can find cheaper and better value for money if you don’t mind staying further from the centre. However it is not a bad price really when considering the convenience and closeness to the BTS and Silom. If you don’t mind basically living in a hotel room then it’s a good bargain. However, if staying in Bangkok on holiday, I think that there are much better value for money hotels in Sathorn. The charming youth hostel, Saphai Pae down the road looks better value. Or Eastin Grand, complete with it’s own walkway to the sky train station! How I envied those tourists…

 

 

Cheap Charlies Bangkok

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cheap charlies nana pub

Cheap Charlies is a very casual and laid back, outdoor open bar just off the main Soi 11 in Nana, Bangkok. It’s a small and cozy bar with plenty of character, hidden from the hustle and bustle of the main street. After searching for an opening amongst the maze-like, driftwood structure of the bar itself and it’s assortment of knicknacks; ordering a drink from the engulfed Cheap Charlies owner can be quite a challenge in itself. This, mixed with the cozy old fairy lights, miniature train chugging along it’s track at the top of the wall of worldly souvenirs at the bar, definitely make Cheap Charlies a more interesting experience than your average pub in Bangkok.

cheap charlies bangkok

The selection of music played in the background of Cheap Charlies Bangkok tends to be a laid back mixture of country, honky tonk, classic rock and rock and roll. Being able to sit amongst this casual environment and still be on the street people watching is very entertaining and the vibe among it’s loyal patrons can be quite friendly and welcoming.

Cheap Charlies gets busy later throughout the night though, and it can be difficult to squeeze in and fit in the crowd let alone even grab a chair to sit down. It’s great for the atmosphere if you are happy to stand though, and if not, dropping by Cheap Charlies earlier in the evening before 9pm is ideal for some quieter starting drinks before heading out to other Bangkok bars and clubs. The drinks are a reasonable price at Cheap Charlies costing from 60 – 70 baht for a bottle of beer, 70 baht for spirits and 20 for soft drinks.

How to get to Cheap Charlies Bangkok: You can find Cheap Charlies on Soi 11, which is just next to the BTS Nana station. From here, it is just a few hundred metres down the road on the left hand side, past ‘Zanzibar’. You will see the tiny bar down an alley just past this.

 

Bangkok Shopping Malls

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Best shopping in Bangkok

There are a absolutely tonnes of shopping malls in Bangkok, all with varying styles and price ranges. In fact there is too much choice for shopping in Bangkok if you are short on time. Welcome to the second part of my Bangkok shopping guide to help you find the right malls, department stores and markets to buy your style of fashion on your level of budget. Alternatively, for cheap shopping in Bangkok, see part one of my shopping guide on where to buy cheap clothes in Bangkok.

This part of my Bangkok shopping guide however, is dedicated to the more fashionable and (mostly) better quality shopping malls in Bangkok, starting from lowest price first.

 

Terminal 21 shopping mall

There is plenty of choice in styles at Terminal 21 Bangkok. On the upper levels of the mall, Terminal 21 has numerous, unique little shopping boutiques set out like a market but with some interesting décor to keep things interesting. Each level represents a county and is decorated accordingly. It’s one of the more interesting shopping malls in Bangkok to just simply hangout at.

It doesn’t just consist of indie fashion shops though, the ground floor and first floor of Terminal 21 both consist of designer and big brand shops such as Quicksilver and Superdry. The floor above this is women’s clothing, then shoes and accessories and lastly men’s clothing. Terminal 21 has is a nice mixture of designer and indie shops and is nicely laid out to find what you want. Plus it’s one of the more quiet and pleasant Bangkok shopping malls to browse around. bangkok shopping mall

The prices at Terminal 21 are not bad for a shopping mall in Bangkok either – expect clothing to cost from 250 baht (at the very minimum, mind) and shoes from 800 baht. It’s all good quality stuff though, great for people who dislike the cheap, maybe not so stylish fashions in markets and on the streets. Of all the shopping malls in Bangkok, Terminal 21 is my favourite so far. But then, I’m not really into designer brand shopping myself – For more designer brand shopping, maybe check out Siam Paragon or Central Chitlom.

Best shopping in Bangkok for: Good quality, pretty/ girly styles and dresses. Quiet and nicely decorated. Dining.

Price range at Terminal 21: Medium 250 baht – 3000 baht

How to get to Terminal 21: Follow signs from Asoke BTS station

terminal 21 bangkok

 

Emporium shopping mall Bangkok

From skateboards, smellies and trinkets to pianos and home appliances, the Emporium shopping mall has a huge variety of shops. Among the designer brand shops you can find DKNY, Gucci and Dior; and sports brands such as Northface, Adiddas and Ripcurl. I’m not really into designer shopping in Bangkok myself, but I will point out for any likeminded people that there is also a nice selection of skater sneakers and nice Reef flip flops for 960 baht – the most comfortable flip flops I have ever seen!

This Bangkok shopping mall is a place for the wealthy though, if money isn’t an issue for you and you need some essentials and homely decorations to go in your new condo, Emporium Bangkok has loads of choice.

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The top floor of Emporium Bangkok has an abundance of textiles, trinkets and home wares – all very tasteful and characterful. I noticed cushions costing between 1000 and 9400 baht… just an example of some prices at Emporium! Emporium top floor has nice shabby chic styled furniture, high quality toiletries and skin care products and a host of incense, candles and sets.

Best shopping in Bangkok for: Designer brands and tasteful home decor

Average price range at Emporium: High; clothing from 1500 baht upwards

How to get to the Emporium: Located at BTS Prom Phong

 

MBK Shopping Mall Bangkok

MBK Bangkok is an absolutely huge shopping mall full of cheap clothing, shoes, electronics and even an arcade and cinema too. If you love a bargain and a cheap knockoff, then make sure you stop by the MBK mall in Bangkok. On the bottom floor of the MBK mall alone, there are thousands of shoes to choose from all starting from around 199 baht a pair. Not recommended shopping in Bangkok if you choose quality above quantity though. Personally I find some of the clothing at MBK Mall to be a little tacky, nothing special and poor quality too.

best shopping in Bangkok

MBK Shopping Mall

I also find the mall itself to be soulless and lacking in charm – too mall-y for me! Shopping at the MBK reminds me of being in an airport… an airport if you messed it up with a load of cheap tat ;p Nonetheless, you can still find some nice stuff at Bangkok MBK Mall if you look hard enough, just avoid shopping at the MBK if you are of a fussy taste maybe.

Best shopping in Bangkok for: Electronics and gadgets. T-shirts, polo shirts and knock-off Armani and Billabong clothing

Average price range at MBK: Low, 299 – 499 baht for shoes, 150 – 300 baht most clothing

How to get to MBK: Take the BTS Silom line to the National Stadium. Follow signs to MBK from the BTS National Stadium station.

 

Siam Center shopping mall Bangkok

Siam Center is located directly next to the unmissable Siam Paragon in central Bangkok. Notably, the selection of shoe shops is something I find most impressive about Siam Center. Shoes are not cheap at Siam Center but they are just so unique, quirky and cool. In particular, Siam Center has some very glamourous yet unusual designer, uber high heel shoes with intricate patterns and unconventional shapes; highly recommended shopping for the ultra-fashionable individual. Shoes at Siam Center range from around 1000 baht to 7000 baht.

bangkok shopping malls

Siam Centre

I would also recommend Siam Center Bangkok for sunglasses. Similarly as with it’s selection of shoes, there are also some highly unique and individual styles of sunglasses like nowhere else I have seen before. They are seriously some of the coolest sunglasses I have ever seen in my life, however the cost of these can hit as high as 30000 baht from what I have seen so far in Siam Center. Aside from the expensive and trendy fashions to be found in Siam Centre, I find it is also to be a fantastic place to come merely to admire the scenery of sculptures, abstract decorations and educational insights scattered throughout it’s many shopping floors.

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Superdry Store at Siam Centre

The décor of Siam Centre is somewhat atypical of your standard shopping mall or shopping centre. With it’s dark and industrial, ultra modern theme which runs uniformly throughout and it’s many individual shop’s artistic and innovative embellishments and styles; strolling through Siam Center makes for a pleasant Bangkok shopping experience in itself. Not to mention the many elegant and distinctive cafes and restaurants which line the glass-roofed, airy top floor… damn I love Siam Center… if only I had more monies.

Although the food is actually still quite reasonably priced considering – from around 100 baht for a delectable looking meal, complete with the charming surroundings that come with it.

Best shopping in Bangkok for: Ultra cool high heels shoes, sunglasses… or just as a trendy and interesting hangout in Bangkok

Average price range in Siam Center: Medium/ high. Clothing starts from 400 to 5000 baht

How to get Siam Center: Next door to Siam Paragon at BTS Siam

best shopping in bangkok

‘Mr Jones’ Teddy Bear Orphanage’ – Just one of the many interesting cafes Siam Centre has to offer

 

Central World Shopping Mall Bangkok

Located in Siam Bangkok, right next to Siam Paragon and in close range of Pratunam. Central World is another of one of Bangkok’s gigantuan shopping malls complete with it’s own cinema on the top floor. For around 1000 baht, you can purchase a luxury cinema ticket and watch your favourite movie on the big screen snuggled up on a 1st class, squishy bed! Central World shopping mall has a huge range of high quality restaurants to dine in too for added non-shopping related entertainment.

Central World Bangkok has a whole range of global brands of fashion available and it’s a great mall for shopping in Bangkok if you are more accustomed to western styles of fashion as opposed to asian fashions. I think as a tourist or a new arrival in Thailand, some of us can be easily swept up and excited by how affordable the clothes are in the main Thai markets. We see the qualities of these goods through rose-tinted glasses, blinded by our love of bargains, but when you look a little more closely you might realise that many of the clothes from the Bangkok markets just aren’t very good quality after all.

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Central World Bangkok

After living in Bangkok for a just a couple of months, I began to miss more fashionable, high quality clothing and Thai fashions just didn’t appeal to my tastes. Central World is ideal for people in this situation, struggling to adapt to the frilly, ribbon adorned Thai fashion. It is however proportionally expensive compared to the cost of living in Thailand – the clothing is no cheaper than you would buy it in the west, maybe in some cases even more expensive. The Zen department regularly have sales so you can still find some reasonably priced fashions in Central World if you look hard enough.

Best shopping in Bangkok for: Global fashions and huge choice of shops

Average price range at Central World: Mid/ High, average 2000 baht per item of clothing.

How to get to Central World: You can take the BTS to Chit Lom and from here follow signs to Central World. The walkway from the station will take you straight there. You can also get there from Siam Centre BTS station, although it is very slightly further away than Chit Lom.

 

Siam Paragon

Again, as with Central World, Siam Paragon is a Bangkok shopping mall catered for global fashions at expensive prices. Siam Paragon is slightly more expensive than Central World and doesn’t tend to have sales as often. Siam Paragon also has a grand cinema on it’s top floor.

Best shopping in Bangkok for: Designer brands

Average price range: High

How to get there: Follow signs from BTS Siam station

 

Check out my other shopping blog guides for more tips on buying clothes, shoes and gadgets in Bangkok

Jobs in Thailand – Teaching English

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I don’t have a degree and I don’t have an overly impressive job history to wow anybody by any means. On top of that, I’ve never done a TEFL English teaching course.  I have been living in Thailand for over three months now – After my first month of living in Thailand I was fortunate enough to get a job as an Extra and earn a modest sum of money, it wasn’t much but every bit helped. Sadly, work only lasted about two months and since that time I have been struggling to acquire any more jobs in Thailand.

People had suggested teaching English in Thailand to me before but I never gave this a second thought because of my lack of higher education and experience. But desperate times pushed me to apply for a teaching job at the language school I happen to attend in Thailand – I had heard from a fellow student that students at our school have actually been considered for English teaching jobs in the past despite these shortcomings. So that’s when I decided to apply for the job anyway – it doesn’t hurt to try after all.

 

The Job Interview

I handed my CV in at the school and had a phone call the same afternoon inviting me to a job interview that week. I was so honoured and excited to have actually been considered for the teaching job there that I spent the whole of the next day looking for the perfect interview outfit to wear and after that, planning every key phrase ready in reply to any of his questions. Despite my background being different and maybe unconventional to many other desirable interviewees, I do actually feel relatively confident that I have a very diverse and interesting history behind me.

So after a whole day’s preparation making sure to look as anti-hippy and dashing as possible, I made my way to my job interview in Thailand. I arrived too early and so ended up taking a stroll to a bagel cafe nearby. Then I had a bright idea to get an Thai energy drink from the 7 11 to perk me up a bit for my job interview… Biggest mistake ever. I’ve always found myself to be pretty immune to caffeine in the past, but these bad boys in Thailand… they’re another story. I was waiting for my teaching job interview at the language school 20 minutes later and I felt myself feeling particularly energetic and chatty with whoever happened to be around me at the time. Come the job interview… I don’t know… maybe it was whatever the hell I drank mixed with nerves or something but all I remember is having the biggest grin ever stuck across my face, body twitching, eyes bulging and bullshit streaming out of my mouth at about 100 miles an hour. It went terribly.

I said absolutely nothing to benefit my cause, and yet I had so much planned to say. I was chattering useless rubbish at this poor man while eagerly staring at him and nodding insanely over-enthusiastically like a complete mentalist. I think it’s safe to say I did not get the English teaching job in Thailand. I do not know what is in the energy drinks in Thailand but that is some crazy drink.. just take it from me and avoid Thai energy drinks like the plague if you have an important teaching job interview in Thailand.

Total money made from teaching English in Thailand…

– 697 baht

 

Teaching jobs in Thailand tips

If you don’t have a degree or any experience teaching English, it is still possible to obtain work as an English teacher in Thailand. Thai state schools will still take on people without degrees and maybe if you are lucky, you may find private schools who will consider you also. You may need to ‘tweek’ your CV a little though… it is actually possible to purchase fake degree certificates on Khaosan Road too.

There are also various teaching agencies kicking around that can provide training as well as find suitable teaching jobs in Thailand for you, but they can charge steep fees and there are some untrustworthy ones around, so it is well worth thoroughly researching them before signing up to anything. One reputable company I have heard good stories about in Thailand is Essential Learning, or Ajarn is also a useful website to find teaching jobs in Thailand.

Other useful websites and agencies for finding teaching jobs in Thailand

www.teachingjobsthailand.net

www.myprivatetutor-thailand.com

www.teachingthailand.com

Time2Talk (credit to Eric!)

Super English

The Language

BFITS

Malthus

 

….Alternatively to teaching English in Thailand, Extra work requires no qualifications or experience.

Rumpuree Dance School – Pole Dance Classes In Bangkok

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pole dance fitness classes bangkok

Rumpuree dance studio Bangkok

Rumpuree is a fitness and dance school in Bangkok with two branches, one situated in Silom and the other at the top of Amarin Plaza, BTS Chit Lom. Pole dancing is a lesson taught at Rumpuree among many others dance classes such as flamenco, hip hop, belly dance, salsa, zumba and, a favourite of mine that I would love to try at some point, swing dance. If you are looking for a pole dance class in Bangkok, choice is quite limited, your only other option being the ‘xxx pole dance’ lesson at some of the California WOW fitness centres. Dance classes at Rumpuree cost 500 baht for an hour or if purchased in 10 session blocks, 4000 baht.

The dance studio at Amarin Plaza is actually relatively small; there is a rather smart, wooden floored reception area complete with leather sofas, sweets and magazines to entertain yourself while waiting for classes. This opens into the changing area, of which there are three curtained booths with ample lockers to keep your belongings safe. The pole dance studio itself is quite cool – two of the walls are covered top to bottom with mirrors (very useful when trying to perfect moves) with another graffiti decorated wall to brighten it up nicely. There are four static poles altogether, with an extra separate pole at the front for demonstration.

Review

Despite there being a huge lacking of pole dance schools in Bangkok, there still don’t seem to be many students who attend classes here, meaning that the classes can be quite small and private. Generally at the times that I have been, pole dance class sizes have ranged from being just me on my own to about six people maximum. Some people might find this a little relieving and less intimidating to know when first starting out.

Also, the poles used in the studio are all static. In case you are new to pole dancing and unfamiliar with this pole dancing term – there are static poles and there are spinning poles, the static poles being harder to use and at times more painful on the skin due to friction. I find that the spin poles tend to just spoil you too much and impede improvement though. If you really want to get good at pole dancing, in my opinion using just the static poles is much better for you in the long run.

Now on to the pole dancing teacher. There are a few different teachers who teach the pole dance classes at Rumpuree but I have only ever had the pleasure of being taught by one of them. When it came to technique, she was very thorough and vigilante to point out any bad habits or mistakes.  Pole dance moves were broken up into detailed and specific steps – this is definitely the important to learn many complicated moves pole dancing, however sometimes I found very simple moves could be a little over-complicated by this overthinking and also… less fun. Personally, I generally perform better by just watching and copying without thinking about something too much. And I enjoy it much more too; but then hey I do have really bad pole dance technique apparently.

Most importantly of all for me though, I found the atmosphere at Rumpuree dance studio in Bangkok to be a little cold and unfriendly with no sense of community. The other dance students were very distant, most days nobody speaking a word to eachother throughout the whole of the pole dance lessons. I don’t know if this is just unfortunate and down to those individual people, or if it’s because of the style of teaching not pulling people together and opening them up to eachother. At the pole dance school I went to at home, the teachers tended to encourage students to share poles and spot eachother, making the whole vibe of the pole dance classes much more close-knit and relaxed. I think it’s really important to have a social side; a close, friendly community when taking part in activities like this.

 

Pros

+ The teacher(s) is very good – particularly observant in reinforcing good technique and habit

+ At 500 baht per lesson, although I think the price is a little steep even for Bangkok, the classes can be very small, meaning more attention and help per student.

 

Cons

– Lessons tend to neglect fundamental strength and grip conditioning – crucial in buiding a good foundation for advanced pole dance moves

– Not very sociable and not as fun or varied as pole dancing has the potential to be

 

 


 

Saxophone Pub Bangkok

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The Saxophone is a pub/ restaurant specialising in good music and good food, located at the Victory Monument, Phayathai, Bangkok. If you love live music, especially jazz & blues, Saxophone pub is a definite must on your to-do list in Bangkok. The relaxed and chilled out atmosphere combined with the cozy surroundings and awesome music, make thie Saxophone Pub just perfect to hang loose with a good beer or two in Bangkok. Last I visited, there was a cover band playing old school jazz tunes such as covers of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra to the more constrasting music of Amy Whinehouse, Adele and Wild Cherry.

The style of the Saxophone pub itself is very reminiscent of an old, dimly lit, English style pub, with an array of kooky decorations and paintings filling any possible remaining bareness, and breathing yet more character into the spririted and cheery Bangkok bar. You can purchase cooked food at the Saxophone Pub, typically costing from around 120 baht to 300 baht for a meal. The pub menu offers a selection of dishes including Thai food, curries, salads, steaks, sandwiches and even german cuisine.

The portions are not always so generous but nonetheless the food is very delicious. Soft drinks are expensive, costing from 90 baht upwards, making it more worthwhile to order alcohol instead. Beers cost from 120 baht and cocktails from 180 baht – the selection of cocktails is huge.

How to get to get to the Saxophone Pub in Bangkok

Take the BTS to the Victory Monument station and then head towards the Victory Monument itself from there. Just before you get to the large roundabout you will notice a small road veering to the right from the main road. With it’s many lights and smoking patrons hanging in the doorway outside, the Saxophone Pub stands out enough to notice it from the main road if you look for it anyway.