at September 19, 2018

Travel: First International Travel to Amazing Thailand Day 2 Ayutthaya Tour

Sawasdee Kha!!! For our second day in Thailand, our itinerary covers the historic city of Ayutthaya.  Ayutthaya is a city in Thailand, about 80 kilometers north of Bangkok. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Siam, and a prosperous international trading port, from 1350 until razed by the Burmese in 1767. The ruins of the old city now form the Ayutthaya Historical Park, an archaeological site that contains palaces, Buddhist temples, monasteries, and statues.

Ayutthaya is very different in Bangkok. It may be a city but the environment is more quiet, serene and people give importance to their history by visiting and praying for ruined and restored temples. Surely one day wouldn't be enough to wander the place that's why when I return to Thailand again I will visit the temples that I haven't been to before.

How To Get To Ayutthaya

The three of us decided to take the train since we want to experience how it is to ride one, and this is probably the most authentic and comfortable ride. The trains leave from Hualamphong Station in Bangkok’s city center and they leave every hour or so. The travel from Bangkok to Ayutthaya takes almost 2 hours and we arrived earlier than our expected time.

When we got out of the train station there were tuk-tuks waiting and we negotiated with a driver for a package tour of 3 hours. We started our tour at 7:00 am and our first destination was Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon.

Day 2

We woke up at 3:30 am to prepare ourselves for the day tour in Ayutthaya then had coffee and bread for 20 minutes then left the hostel at 5:00 am. From our hostel, we rode a taxi going to Hualamphong Railway Station. We arrived at the station 10 minutes before the departure time 5:20 am.

* Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon

Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon or the Great Monastery of Auspicious Victory is located off the city island in the southeastern area of Ayutthaya in the present Phai Ling Sub-district. There are indications that the site was surrounded by a large moat in earlier times. The chedi of Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is one of the landmarks of Ayutthaya, standing high, and visible to all, who approach the city from the east, at par with Chedi Phukhao Thong. The bell-shaped principal chedi stands on an elevated square base with smaller chedis at the corners.

After spending a few minutes we decided to have breakfast first in a restaurant that the driver suggested. 

 

* Wat Racha Burana

Wat Racha Burana is also called the Monastery of the Royal Repairs. The temple's main prang is one of the finest in the city. The highlight of Wat Ratchaburana is the crypt where tremendous treasures were stored. A large amount of the golden artifacts and treasures found at Wat Ratchaburana are displayed in the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum. The vaults inside the main prang also displayed mural paintings, depicting the previous lives of the Buddha. Unfortunately, over the last few years, these images have deteriorated a lot. Only very few visible images are left.

* Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit

Wat Mongkhon Bophit is an 'active' temple compound, and throughout the day many people visit and worship the Buddha image. The main feature at Wat Mongkhon Bophit is the large bronze Buddha image, named Phra Mongkhon Bophit, which is close to 17 meters high.
Unfortunately, we didn't see the large Buddha firsthand since we only have limited time, but we spotted an elephant and I was so ecstatic to see one. hehehe

* Wat Lokaya Sutha

Wat Lokaya Sutha is a massive temple ruin. It is part of a park that includes three restored ruins Wat Worachet and the original Wat Worapho. The highlight of this temple is its enormous reclining Buddha image 42 meters in length and 8 meters high, and its name is Phra Buddha Sai Yat.

* Wat Chai Watthanaram

Wat Chai Watthanaram or the Monastery of the Temple for the Advancement of Victory is a restored ruin situated off the city island in the western area of the Ban Pom sub-district. One of Ayutthaya’s most impressive temples, the Khmer-style Wat Chaiwatthanaram is a Royal temple that was used by the King and other members of the Royal family.

After spending half of the day in Ayutthaya we decided to head back to Bangkok and our tuk-tuk driver drove us to the railway station. While waiting for our time to depart from Ayutthaya we got thirsty and so we went out for a while to buy some refreshments. The train left at 12:14 pm and would arrive at Hualamphong at 14:05pm. Our next destination was Huamum Night Market, but due to a lack of direction and being a newbie with BTS and MRT we got lost for a minute. hehehe

When we arrived at Hualamphong Station we went downstairs to ride MRT going to Silom. Then we rode BTS from Silom to Siam but we rode on the wrong lane, so we need to stop and go back to Asok to ride an MRT going to Lat Phrao where Huamum Market is nearer. For a first-timer like me, it is kinda confusing because there are some stations wherein is in a different lane so you have to interchange stations so you can reach your destination. But once you get used to the system it wouldn't be hard for you to understand.

Note: MRT or Metropolitan Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system that operates below the ground it is literally an underground train. BTS or Bangkok Mass Transit System commonly known as the Skytrain is an elevated rapid transit system literally above the ground train.

After arriving at Lat Phrao we booked a Grab car to take us to Huamum Market. When we arrived we immediately look for a resto to eat our late lunch and dinner. Honestly speaking I wasn't satisfied with what we ate because I don't like the taste of duck, and worst we couldn't understand the menu since it was written in Thai. So we finished our dinner as fast as we could so we can leave immediately and buy something to cover the bad taste. While we were enjoying ourselves going around the stalls the rain suddenly poured down which caused some of the stores to close and we wasted our time waiting for the rain to subside before deciding to go home. It is not really advisable to travel in August-October since it is usually the wettest months.

Expenses

Items	Price
Taxi from Panpan Hostel to Hualamphong Railway Station	100 baht / 3 (33 each)
Bought snacks at the station	14 baht
Railway Ticket  Hualamphong to Ayutthaya	15 baht
Tuktuk Package Tour for 3 hours	900 baht / 3 (300 each)
Breakfast	120 baht + 10 baht (tip)
Wat Racha Burana Entrance Fee	50 baht
Incense, Candle & Flower	20 baht
Wat Chaiwatthanaram Entrance Fee	50 baht
Railway Ticket Ayutthaya to Hualamphong	15 baht
Iced Pink Milk Drink	25 baht
MRT: Hualamphong MRT to Silom	19 baht
BTS: Silom to Siam	23 baht
BTS: Siam to Asok	30 baht
MRT: Asok to Lat Phrao	30 baht
Grab Car: Lat Phrao to Huamum Market	178 baht / 3 (59 each)
Dinner	62 baht
Cheese Charcoal Rainbow Sandwich	99 baht
Blueberry Waffle	30 baht
Grab Car: Huamum Market to Lat Phrao MRT Station	157 baht / 3 (52 each)
MRT: Lat Phrao to Silom	39 baht
Grab Taxi: Silom to Panpan Hostel	49 / 3 (16 each)
Total Money Spent	1114 Baht

at September 15, 2018

Travel: First International Travel to Amazing Thailand Day 1 Bangkok Tour

Sawasdee Kha!!! Yes, folks just a week ago my friends and I had a 5 days vacation in Thailand, the land of elephants. We have been preparing for this travel since January which includes our itinerary, hostel booking, tour bookings, pocket money, and plane ticket which we availed through a promo.

Why Thailand? There are a  lot of reasons why we choose Thailand and here are a few of those. First, it is one of the best countries in Asia to go to for first-time travelers. Second, it is rich in culture and tourist attractions, third it is the best place to shop since it is very cheap and lastly it is a tourist-friendly country.

Ever since I got my passport in 2016 I've always been eyeing to travel to Thailand, because of the good reviews I've read. So when I told my office-mates that I like to go to Thailand I didn't expect them to have the same thoughts as mine, and that's how we agreed and eventually created a plan to travel this year.

After we purchased our plane ticket we started searching for various tourist attractions in Thailand and sorted them on which day to visit. We also had an advanced booking in Klook and to the place where we would be staying. Even though we struggled in reaching our target pocket money it didn't stop our will and determination to travel instead we stayed positive all throughout and we made it.

Flight Day

On the day of our flight, we were too excited that we arrived at the airport at 3:00 pm 6 hours before our departure time. Well, you can't blame us, especially me because that was my first international travel and I'm so thrilled about what's going to happen. In addition to our out-of-the-country excitement, we came early because we are excited to see the new Mactan Cebu International Airport and also to prepare ourselves for the immigration process. We've heard many stories about offloaded passengers who even if they have presented valid documents to the IO still end up not getting to their flights and that kind of scared us. Luckily we passed the Immigration smoothly you just have to be honest with your answers, stay calm, and be positive but not too complacent.

Arrival Day

After hours of waiting, we finally boarded the plane from Cebu airport to Suvarnabhumi Airport for 3 hours and 50 minutes. We arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 12:10 am and got caught up in the immigration area due to long lines of other tourists. While waiting for our turn we had a chance to look around the airport and I observed that it is very spacious and clean as well as the bathrooms. They have booths for money changing, tour packages, pocket wifi rental, 7 eleven and etc.
I thought I would have a hard time passing Thailand's IO, but I thought wrong because the officer was so cool that he even greeted me with an advanced happy birthday and told me to smile on the cam. hehehe

The first thing we did when we passed the IO was went to a money changer to exchange our money for Thai baht, so we can pay the down payment for the pocket wifi we'd booked online and also for the taxi fare. The travel time from the airport to Panpan Hostel was 30 minutes (hmm quite far) and when we arrived, there was a letter addressed to us containing the stay info, wifi information, our key card, and room key.

Accommodation 

For our accommodation, we decided to stay in a hostel because we are looking for a budget-friendly place with a nice service and location and we got that at Panpan Hostel. We had a great time staying here the owner is very friendly and accommodating, the place is very neat and clean and it's very homey. 

Address: 50/31 Pan Road, Silom, Bangrak Bangkok, Thailand
Facebook: Panpan Hostel

Day 1

We woke up at 7 am and had our free toast and coffee for breakfast at the hostel. We went to SuperRich International Exchange to change our dollar for baht luckily it is just near our hostel and they have the highest currency exchange. After changing our money, we booked a grab car to take us to Sathorn Central Pier. When we arrived we bought a boat ticket to take us to N9 Tha Chang Pier where The Grand Palace is located.

Note: N9 is the station number and Tha Chang Pier is the station name. The boat will stop at every station to drop off and pick up passengers, so be mindful and watchful at every station so you won't miss.

Our first destination for our first day in Thailand was the famous Grand Palace located at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. Originally we planned to tour the place for half of the day but after seeing the place beforehand we thought it was impossible because it is made up of complex buildings and there were a lot of temples surrounding the area and 1 day wouldn't be enough to finish touring the place. We wanted to stay longer but we thought that it would ruin our planned itinerary if we do also there were a lot of people inside so imagine the competition in taking pictures folks and not to mention it was too hot and humid. 😄😄😄 But amidst it all the place is amazing and historical.

* The Grand Palace

The Grand Palace complex was established in 1782 and it consists of not only the royal residence and throne halls but also a number of government offices as well as the renowned Temple of the Emerald Buddha. It covers an area of 218,000 square meters and is surrounded by four walls, 1900 meters in length. After King Rama I ascended to the throne in 1782, the palace was built. Prior to this, the royal palace and center of administration had been located in Thonburi, on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. For various reasons, the new King considered the former capital to be unsuitable and decided to establish a new capital on the other side of the river. By his royal command, a new palace was built to serve not only as his residence but also as the site of administrative offices. The royal compound has been known since then as the Grand Palace. The two earliest buildings erected within the complex were the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall, and the Phra Maha Monthian.

* Wat Pho

The Wat Pho or "Temple of the Reclining Buddha" is one of Bangkok's most attractive temples. It is a much-visited temple complex due to its location just a walk away from the Grand Place and the huge Reclining Buddha image it houses. The temple that is officially named Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimonmangkhalaram is one of the six temples in Thailand that are of the highest grade of the first class Royal temples.

While walking towards our next destination we came across some Thai volunteers for tourists and they suggested a different tourist attraction. We thought that it would be nice since the locals themselves suggested it so we agreed and they called a "tuktuk" to take us to Pier 7 where our starting point was. When we arrived at Pier 7 we then asked how much the tour was and he told us it would be 800 baht each we were shocked because it was too expensive and they would only take us to just one destination (which is by the way just across the pier). They tried to lower the price and convinced us but we declined and told them we'd find another. Good thing we have the internet to rely on and so we canceled our original destination and proceeded to another place which is nearer to our current location.

That's when we decided to go to Wat Arun since we are near N8 The Tien Pier (just a minute's walk from Pier 7).

* Wat Arun

Wat Arun or "Temple of  Dawn" is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok district west bank of the Chao Phraya River. Wat Arun is among the best-known of Thailand's landmarks and the first light of the morning reflects off the surface of the temple with pearly iridescence. Although the temple had existed since at least the seventeenth century, its distinctive prang (spires) were built in the early nineteenth century during the reign of King Rama II. 

We were supposed to visit Wat Arun during sunset because we read that it has a very nice view at night time but we have other plans at that time.

After spending enough time at Wat Arun, raindrops started to pour and so we decided to leave already and look for a place to have dinner. Then we went home by riding a taxi from Tha Tien to Panpan Hostel.

Expenses

• Plane ticket - ₱ 7,000 each back-and-forth
• Terminal fee - ₱ 850 each

     Online Paid Bookings

• Panpan Hostel - ₱1,407.72 each

     Arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport

• Wifi rental - 2,000 baht / 3 (666 each)
• Taxi from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Panpan Hostel - 448 baht / 3 (150 each)
  >> Breakdown (273 taxi fare, 50 driver service charge, 50 toll fee, 75 toll fee)

Items	Price
SuperRich Money Changer to Sathorn Central Pier	100 baht / 3 (33 each)
Ride orange ferry boat  to N9 Tha Chang Pier	15 baht each
The Grand Palace entrance fee	500 baht each
Water (inside Grand Palace)	20 baht
Lunch	209 baht
Water	10 baht
Wat Pho entrance fee	100 baht
Taxi from Wat Pho to Giant Swing	67 baht / 3 (22 each)
Tuktuk from Giant Swing to Pier 7	100 baht / 3 (33 each)
N8 The Tien Pier to Wat Arun and vice versa	8 baht
Wat Arun entrance fee	50 baht
Dinner at Home Cafe Tha Tien	175 baht
Tha Tien to Panpan Hostel	300 baht / 3 (100 each)
Stopped by at 7/11	19 baht
Total Money Spent	1294 Baht