Travel by the river

Hello everyone!

I away from this several days, but I'm back now XD

Today, I would like to talk about how to travel along the river in Bangkok. The most popular transportation by the river is "Chao Phraya Express Boat".

Website: http://www.chaophrayaexpressboat.com/th/home/index.asp

There are several line of Chao Phraya Express Boat, seperate by flag's color and non-flag.

In above website which I provided to you, there is the boat's route provided. But, I'll point out for you.

First, I'll show you the boat's route, as following.

What piers have anything interesting? I will show some example as following :-

• BTS (Saphan Taksin staion); connect via central pier, or Sathorn pier, walk in few minute you'll reach the Saphan Taksin BTS staion. More over, you can also connect with other shuttle boat transfer from here and the latest shopping park as AsiaTique The Riverfront.
• China Town; connect via N5 Rajchawongse pier.
• Pak Klong Talad or Flowers market; connect via N6 Memorial Bridge pier. From the in front of pier, turn left and walk along the road around 3 minutes.
• Wat Pho; connect via N8 Tha Tien pier. Walk until reach the main road, across the road and Wat Pho is in front of you. From here, you also can walk down the street and visit Siam Museum, take around 10 minutes walk. Anyway Tha Tien is a market, you can walk around there to see and shopping.
• Grand Palace, Wat Pra Kaew; connect via N9 Tha Chang pier. Walk until reach the main road and see the white wall, that's Grand Palace area, also with Wat Pra Kaew. Besides these, you also can walk along the street to Sanam Luang or the Pramane Ground.
  Around there, also have very historical place to see and touch. ^^"
• Banglamphoo/Khao San Road; connect via N13 Phra Arthit pier. I think it's quite too far if you walk from this pier to Khao San Road. The easiest way is take a public bus any number to take you more closer than this. Get off at Banglamphoo bus stop, turn right and walk along the road. Khao San Road is over there.

Here are some examples that I can think for now in few minutes. If you have any question about this, drop me a message, I'll response you soon. ^^

See you in next entry!!

Most frequently asked #1 : Phaya Thai to Khaosan Road

Hello everybody!

Today I want to share about how to go to Khaosan Road, the popular for a lot of travelers :D

This is very popular question which I met several times.

Many travelers travel by ARL or BTS to Phayathai station and they want to go to Khaosan Road but they have some information not enough and lost their way finally. Here is solution which I share to you.

Beginning: Phayathai station (ARL or BTS)
Destination: Khaosan Road
Direction: I recommend you to go back for 1 bus stop and take a bus no 59 only to Khaosan Road. But the bus no 59 doesn't stop and drop you at real Khaosan Road, you have to walk for a bit by yourself to there.

For easier understand I'll show you as following.

After take bus no 59, then I think that it may be take a long time to the Khaosan Road, so take it easy ^^"

When you see the "Democracy Monument", keep in mind that you are going to get off in few minutes.

From above picture, you can get off the bus with 2 bus stops, number 1 or number 2 (as you see in the above picture).

Both number, you have to across the road and go along the road, you will find Khaosan Road in front of you.

Very easy, right?

If you have more question, drop me a message, I'll response you ASAP. ^^

See you next time!

Another public transportation in Bangkok

Hi everybody!

Another public transportation in Bangkok which I wanna introduce to you is ... "vans". Yep~ It's the vans. XD

Many public vans in Bangkok and there are many routes too. You can use them both in and out Bangkok. The center of those vans are located in many area. I can guide you for some location

1. Victory Monument : very easy to connect via BTS (Victory Monument station). There are many van's station around there such as The Century (a department store, located near Rangnam road), under the  express way, in front of the Rajwitee hospital, and so on.
   At here, you can travel to Pattaya (lowest price as I ever seen is 97BHT, very cheap one, right?), Hua-hin, Cha-am, Kanchanaburi, Ratchburi, Ayutthaya, etc.
2. Ramkhamhaeng University : if you stay around there, it's more convenient. There is few vans to outer Bangkok (such as Pattaya). But, there are a lot of vans' routes to go around the Bangkok, with 1 condition, you have to search the routes of them so you can wait for them at the correct place. ^^"
3. Central Departmentstore at Rama II : for whom stay around there. 
4. Future Departmentstore at Rangsit: 

The fee is start from 10BHT to 50BHT, this rate is for in Bangkok only. For traveling Bangkok to other provinces, the price is vary, upon the distance. For example, Pattaya is 97BHT (as I mentioned above), Hua-hin around 150BHT, and so on.

As my work, I have to use them a lot, compare with the public buses, the vans are faster than the buses but more expensive. They are very good choice, especially in the rush hours.

If you have more question, leave me a message. OK?

See you in the next entry! Bye~

Something misunderstand about Thailand

One of my friend just shared me about his friends' experience while they was in Thailand. After I listened their experience, I found too many things which they misunderstood about Thailand. So, I want to share you about this.


Background: they are Vietnamese. No experience on foreign country. Have limited budget. Stayed for 2 weeks in Thailand.


What they done: Bring their currency in little amount, fly to Thailand and exchange to Thai Baht at the banks.
What I think: Should exchange their money to US dollar or Thai Baht in suitable amount before travel to Thailand.


What they done: Opened the bank account with a debit card. Withdraw it at ATM in Thai via that debit card everyday.
What I think: No need to do, according to the above, just only bring suitable amount to here. If you really want more money, just withdraw in suitable amount, not everyday.


What they done: Travel by taxis, sky trains and subways
What I think: That's ok but I think that they should use less taxis and try to use public buses is better. Public buses can decrease your transportation cost a lot. It's very cheap. (compare with taxis)


What they done: Go to buy they stuffs at the well-known place such as Chatuchak market.
What I think: They lived in around the center of Bangkok but traveled and spent much time for buy Longans at Chatuchak market. There are may supermarket around there, no need to travel so far like that and waste more money and time on that also.


What they done: Using 1-day trip for tour many provinces around Bangkok.
What I think: That's ok if you have very tight time. For Pattaya, the famous town for may travellers, should spend more 1 day, I think. :)


What they done: Stay at somewhere is quite far from sky trains and subways.
What I think: At there, I think it's good location ... for business not for travel ^^" I think that should find another location which has more convenient than this.



Anyway, I think their first aboard trip must be an important experience for the further their destinations. :)


Again, I just wanna share my opinion about their trip, not intend to aggravate them anymore.

See you next entry!

Tips & Tricks #3 : BTS/MRT/ARL system

Hello everybody~! ^^

I try to publish my entries which hope they should be useful for all of you but I don't know what your guys want to know to plan your trip when you visit Thailand. ^^" Anyway, I will try to update around Bangkok first. (Because here is my hometown .. lol)

If I have more free time, I'll give you some example of my trips around the country, OK?

In this entry, I would like to recommend the transport system which I think it is very convenient, BTS, MRT and ARL.

BTS = BTS sky train, 2 lines:- Silom line and Sukhumvit line
MRT = MRT subway
ARL = Airport Rail Link, transfer to/from Phayathai Station - Suvarnabhumi Airport

Let me talk about ARL first. (Because it's very short, easy and I use it frequently >.<")

(Credit: http://airportraillink.railway.co.th/th/02_routing_services/02_sa_cityline_a.html)

As you see in above picture. There is 2 types, City line and Express line. The differences of 2 types is, stopping station. The Express line transfers between Phayathai Station/Makkasan Station to Suvarnabhumi airport, no stop. But the City line, stop every station, so it will use more time than the express line.

Ticket fee:

- City line, start from 15 BHT and increase every station by 5 BHT. (15 - 45 BHT.)

- Express line, 90 BHT 1-way and 150BHT for round-trip (valid within 24 hrs).

If you are in hurry, check the timing before you buy a ticket. And, during peak hours (7 - 9AM and 5 - 8PM) may be very crowd on the City line. ^^"

More information, please visit : http://airportraillink.railway.co.th/en/index.html (English)

MRT

(credit : http://www.bangkokmetro.co.th/web/imgcontent/Image/Routemap-110510.jpg)

Look at only "M" in the above picture, that is the MRT route, transfer from Hua Lamphong station to Bang Sue station. There is 5 connected other railway system:-

1. Hua Lamphong station, transfer to trains
2. Silom station, transfer to Sala Daeng BTS station
3. Sukhumvit station, transfer to Asoke BTS station
4. Phetchburi station, transfer to Makkasan ARL station
5. Chatuchak Part station, transfer to Mo Chit BTS station

The ticket fare is around 16 - 40 BHT, upon how long you travel.

For more detail, please visit : http://www.bangkokmetro.co.th/index.aspx?Lang=En (English)

BTS

(credit: http://www.bts.co.th/customer/th/02-route-current.aspx)

There is 2 line as I mentioned above:-

1. Silom line, Talat Plu station - National Stadium station (dark green)
2. Sukhumvit line, Mo Chit station - Bearing station (light green)

The ticket fee start from 15BHT, increase by 5BHT and maximum is 55BHT. (vary stations, not fix number of traveled station as ARL)

For more information, please visit: http://www.bts.co.th/customer/en/main.aspx (English)

....

Keep in mind that every electric train systems above can be used during 6AM - midnight (check each system for exactly time)

See you in next entry!

PS. you can leave your questions to me if you have further questions. :D

Tips & Tricks #2 : Bangkok - From airport to town #2

Hi~ everybody!

Yesterday I talked about how to transfer from the airport to town but there is another airport which I don't mentioned. Right~ That's "Don Mueng Internation Airport" ... the old airport of Bangkok.

Nowadays, Don Mueng use for low cost airlines (Orient Thai Airline, Nok Air and Air Asia). From Suvarnabhumi Airport to Don Mueng Airport is very far, can be take much time up to 1 or 2 hours, I can't estimate correctly, ups to traffic status during your travel. (You know, traffic in Bangkok is quite terrible! hmmm?)

If you come from out country (by Air Asia) and arrive to the Don Mueng Airport, you have few choice to transfer to town. I can recommend as following:-

• By taxi - easiest and the most convenient method. ^^"
• By bus or van - you must search for more detail which bus number or which van you want to take.
• By train - oh~ I really don't recommend this option >.< because the train is always delay (T.T), anyway if you want to find new experience and save your cost, let try one. (must sure that your time is flexible .. lol)
• By skytrain/MRT - err ... I think I shouldn't include this option here. Anyway if your stuff is not too heavy, this choice may be suitable for you :) You must find a motorcycle or public bus and ask he to take you to the nearest station (I think it should be Mo Chit Station for BTS or Jatujak Station for MRT)

Lots of choices, right? XD

As I told you in previous entry, if you have further question, let me know. I'll find a solution to answer you. ^^

Stay tune for next entry!

Tips & Tricks #1 : Bangkok - From airport to town

Hello everybody! Long time I didn't update anything here, right? .. >.<" From now on, I will update here more frequently... I will ... OK? LOL

Anyway, here is my 'tips & tricks' episode 1 for this destination ... Bangkok.

Check the following you are backpacker traveler or not :-

1. limited budget
2. prefer public transportation (public buses, sky train, MRT, etc.)
3. prefer cheap accommodations
4. don't be in tour group, or travel by yourself

Here, the first 'tip & trick' I wanna recommend you..

From the airport (Suvarnabhumi Internation Airport) you can go to the town by following method :-

• Taxi (very convenient choice, hmm?)
• Take a ARL (Airport Rail Link) train, that you can connect the BTS/MRT easily. (Take note that you can connect BTS at the last station, Phayathai station. For MRT, at Makkasan station)
• Take a public buses (must take a shuttle bus to the bus terminal first)

Sound very easy, right?

Also keep in mind that don't mind someone who standing around there and try to offer some help to you. If you really need a help, look for the information counter or other peoples who is in transportation system same as you.

OK? If you have any question, leave me a message or send me an e-mail. 

Stay tune for next entry!