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Tag: Bangkok News

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  • Here’s what you should do when you first arrive in Bangkok

    Here’s what you should do when you first arrive in Bangkok

    Advice on arriving at Bangkok Airport

    igorovsyannykov / Pixabay

    Once you have disembarked from the plane it is a good idea to speed walk to the immigration desk as so many international flights arrive at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport all within seconds of each other.

    Make sure you have a pen to fill out the landing card, you can also guarantee that there will probably not even be any landing cards at the stands either, however, just ask security before you enter the line and they will produce one from their back pocket. You can also ask the airline staff before you leave the plane if they have any.

    If you opt to take a taxi from the airport, then there is an official taxi desk outside the arrivals terminal but always make sure that the fare includes the toll for a highway journey as the taxi will then take you into the city area via the fastest possible route.

    The BTS (train) from the airport is an easy option, cost less than less than £1 to get into the city and is highly recommend as Bangkok traffic is ridiculous!

    Here’s where you should stay if you’re looking for a gay-friendly hotel in Bangkok

    Here’s the top ten places to eat in Bangkok

  • Here’s the top ten places to eat in Bangkok

    Here’s the top ten places to eat in Bangkok

    With so many choices and places to eat in the wonderful city of Bangkok, you’ll need a guide. Here travel expert Ray Si lists his favourite haunts.

    AdenArdenrich / Pixabay 

    1) Of course, Thai cuisine is one of the most famous in the world, a bright blend that places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components and a spicy edge and when you emerge from the train into the heart of the city it is all around you. And like all intricate and creative foods, the joy is more than just in the eating it, it is also in the preparation, and to that end, you should take a cooking class at Blue Elephant Cooking School.

    Not only great practical experience and great fun you, will be fully immersed in the art of Thai cuisine. You get to visit the local market to shop for the ingredients, learn the subtle skills of blending them together to make a variety of delicious dishes and then have the experience of eating them in a Michelin star restaurant.

    Bangkok Flea Market

    2) There is a vibrant food area at Bangkok Flea Market close by the MBK centre, and I have to admit that I have experienced some of my favourite Thai dinners here. Particularly look out for the fish, at only £4.00 per person you can’t go wrong.

    The Banyan Tree

    3) Visit The Banyan Tree rooftop for a drink but only eat here if you want boring and expensive non-Thai dishes. 5-star hotel prices for the inexperienced tourist, why pay that when there is so much better to be found all around you?

    Paragon Shopping Centre

    4) The food court at Paragon Shopping Centre which will leave you feeling rich in flavours and rich in the wallet, £1.17 bought me my main course… so I had 3! Well, why not?

    Chinatown

    5) If you visit Chinatown wander away from the main street and eat wherever you see a crowd of locals, which is always a good rule of thumb anyway and again value for money is the name of the game and £1 – £3.00 will get you a main dish that 2-3 can share.

    Rosabieng Restaurant

    6) Rosabieng Restaurant on Sukhumvit 11 is renowned for Tom Yum soup and deep-fried fish, and I can guarantee that you will visit more than once at only £10.00 per person.

    Mango Tree

    7) Mango Tree near Patpong Night Market has the best Thai Green Curry served at little more than a fiver a go.

    LeBua Hote

    8) The International Breakfast Buffet at LeBua Hotel offers all 3 meals at breakfast time at only £14.00 per person.

    Banana Roti stalls

    9) Hunt down Banana Roti stalls throughout the city and I suggest that you order without the egg as it is sweeter. One is enough to share but again at these low prices, less than a quid, buy two and give one to a passing stranger – it will make someone’s day.

    Thip Samai

    10) If you check out the tourist websites and travel guides they will try to convince you that Jay Fai’s Street Food with its Michelin star is the place to go but with a four-hour wait to be served and £23 for a crab omelette it is everything that you don’t visit this city for. Better still head a few doors down to down to Thip Samai for their legendary Pad Thai.

  • Here’s where you should stay if you’re looking for a gay-friendly hotel in Bangkok

    Bangkok offers a wealth of experiences and as this was my fourth time in the city, I thought that I should spend eight days away from the tourist trail and seeing the sites and instead soak up the other indulgences that the city has to offer.

    Apparently, in such a city as Bangkok, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to where to stay, you can find something that will cater to even the most unusual or exacting tastes, but as a general rule, there are three areas of the city that make for a great base. Whichever you chose it is best to ensure that there is a BST station nearby. A single trip is only 58 pence and trying to navigate the Bangkok traffic via a taxi ride can really ruin your day.

    Three great areas to stay in Bangkok

    Sukhumvit is popular with visitors; it is a mix of bars and restaurants, and more residential areas and contains both some of the richest and poorest districts giving you a broad glimpse of all aspects of the city.

    Silom is the closest Bangkok gets to Wall Street and contains many cultural and historical attractions. It is a quieter district but makes a perfect base from which to visit the hustle and bustle of the city without being surrounded by it when you want to relax.

    But for me it is all about Siam as this is the heart of the city’s social scene, shopping, nightlife, food, and fun and with the tourist trail all ticket off via previous visits, this area was perfect for my needs this time around.

    Gay-friendly hotel in Bangkok

    I chose The Aspira Skyy as my home for the duration and no matter what the nature of your stay or the budget you are working with, this hotel chain, which are found all across the city and beyond, have something that will match your needs. And even the cheapest end of the options will result in the height of luxury.

    My own room I found to be clean, spacious and perfect for an eight-night stay. The room includes all mod-cons, a large television, Wi-fi and mini-bar, hair-dryer, air conditioning, complimentary bottled water, bathrobes, and safety deposit box. But the highlight had to be the walk-in shower! The room does come with a balcony, but I found that it didn’t get used, after all why sit out in the humid air when you can relax in a temperature controlled room?

    Overall it was a deluxe three-star hotel with a service more in keeping with a four-star location. More than adequate for my purposes.

    Breakfast at the hotels was also adequate but uneventful though that doesn’t matter as it gives you the perfect excuse to check out the myriad street food stalls and restaurants that are within easy distance of the hotel. And of course, you are only ten minutes gentle stroll from the BST for when you want to really explore the city.