On our third day in Thailand, we spent the morning enjoying Green Park View Hotel and Resort amenities. I swam and floated together with the Western guests in the hotel’s free form pool until my skin felt warm and burned. Kidding. Before lunch, we checked out and waited for the tour van which would transfer us to our next destination – Bangkok.

WELCOME TO BANGKOK

I was finally in the big city! I partly saw some areas when I moved from airport to Pattaya, but as the van drove down the main roads in Bangkok, it finally set in – I was where I wanted to be! I had items in my 2014 bucket list that needed to be done here in the City of Smiles, and I was so excited to do all of them.

NOUVO CITY HOTEL

Originally, Kimchi Man wanted to book at Prince Palace Hotel, but he considered the nearness of Nouvo City Hotel to Khao San Road. He wanted me to stay and feel the Banglamphu area, or the Old Bangkok City, and as a frequent tourist in Thailand, he vouched that the experience would be unique.

Nouvo City Hotel is a modern luxury boutique hotel just a few minutes away from Khao San Road. I didn’t expect much since Kimchi Man mentioned having a cheaper accommodation for our first hotel in Bangkok. Still, I was surprised when we were dropped off by the tour van and the hotel loomed above me. It wasn’t a shabby inn, as I expected.

I didn’t take photos in my stay in the hotel, but these grabbed photos will give you the idea.

(photos from Nouvo City Hotel)

TIP: Try the Diplomat’s Room! If you want to know more about this hotel, click here.

KHAO SAN ROAD

We simply placed our bags inside our room then headed out to take an early dinner meal. I didn’t have to worry which streets to take since I was with the BKK tourist expert, haha! Soon, we found a place filled foreign tourists and we decided to check it out. It was a nice choice! The restaurant was called Greenhouse Café, located right next to Khao San Road, in Soi Rambuttri, if I am not mistaken. Look what we filled out tummies with!

With happy stomachs, we strolled along Khao San Road, the popular walking street in old Bangkok city. Tagged as “The Center of Backpacking Universe” by the novel, “The Beach”, this one-kilometer stretch of road is a haven for backpackers as it is filled with the anything-goes vibe and teemed with countless of guesthouses and inns, bars, clubs, restaurants, cafes, massage and tattoo parlors, and street vendors.

TIP: If you like to drink, go here in the evening as the place gets livelier at night. Better bring cash, too. Lots of cheap souvenir stuff and Thailand travel shirts can be found here.

STARBUCKS IN BANGKOK

I was still full after spending some of my energy walking along Khao San Road and its surrounding streets that I demanded my quick fix for this crazy ailment – hot green tea. We combed local stores for my favorite drink, but they only offered those Lipton tea bags which I hate. Nearing Sunset Street though, a huge Starbucks sign caught my attention and I immediately pulled Kimchi Man towards it. Ah, for the love of green tea!

PHRA ARTHIT PIER 13

We went back to the hotel to change our sweaty clothes (blamed the weather for my sweat glands activation lol). Then, we took a cab going to Phra Arthit Pier 13. Kimchi Man included a night trip to Asiatique, and he wanted me to experience riding a taxi boat. Isn’t he thoughtful? However, a boat left few minutes before we arrived and we waited quite a while for the next. Feasted by Bangkok’s mosquitoes, we surrendered for another cab ride instead.

ASIATIQUE THE RIVERFRONT

Once a bustling international trade port, Asiatique has been transformed into Bangkok’s first-ever large scale riverfront mall and night bazaar to serve Thailand’s local and foreign tourists.

It has more than 1000 boutiques to shop at, numerous upscale restaurants to dine in, and fine sights to explore.

I wanted to eat while looking around so we stopped by at Gelate and look at their tasteful selections!

They even had a replica of Juliet’s balcony! Look at those love locks!

Other shopaholics went home with multiple shopping bags, I brought home an entire luggage.

My ride is here. See you soon!

Do you prefer living in an old city or in a modern one? See you on Thailand Travel Diary Day 4 and read my travels in Ayutthaya!

P.S. All photos were taken using my Samsung smartphone. Some shots might be grainy since they were taken during the evening.

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