BANGKOK

 After spending 3 nights in Ko Samet, we went back to Bangkok around dinner time. We realized that we have spent a lot of our time traveling, riding boats, buses, taxis and trains, and we were really tired so we just decided to chill and relax at the hotel.

We only have a whole day to explore the city, so we woke up early the next morning and once we stepped out into the “City of Angels’, my senses were assaulted with a gamut of exciting colours, textures, flavours and smells unique to Thailand and its gracious people.

We visited some of Thailand’s famous landmarks and we took our time to take in all the grandeur and their madness for details evident in their massive structures.

The Reclining Buddha In All Its Golden Glory

The Reclining Golden Buddha

Photo ops with the Reclining Buddha

Jessette and Aaron beside Buddha's foot Gilded with Swarovski Crystals

Jessette

Details on the wall inside the Reclining Buddha Temple

Loose Coins used as offerings to Buddha

We spend around six hours in trying to visit all these landmarks, which we think will never be enough. You would really need a few days to visit all their temples, Buddha images and palaces.

Wat Pho Grounds

Aaron and Jessette on Wat Pho Grounds

Temple Guards

Behind the Wat Pho Grounds

With our limited time, we managed to catch their famous market, called Chatuchak  Weekend Market. We arrived there around 3 pm and we only have a mere 3 hours left to go through this exciting maze and buy some knick knacks. I was able to buy a few piece of sundress, jasmine body scrubs and salt scrubs made by the locals, some bangles and small sketch pads.

Street Musicians at Chatuchak Weekend Market

We went back to our hotel to change into fresh clothes and headed out to Banglamphu to eat dinner and enjoy some drinks. We realized that this is our kind of place and thought that we should have stayed in one of the guesthouse in this area. There’s a lot of western backpackers hanging around the area and the restaurants gives off a laid-back and artsy atmosphere. The next time that we go back to this city, we would definitely stay in Banglamphu.

 That was our last night in Bangkok and we just hang out there to drink in the atmosphere and take hold of the last few remaining hours in this enchanted city. One day will never be enough to explore this culturally rich and enchanting City of Angels.

The Grand Palace

Aaron and I are used to navigating mountain trails back home in the Philippines. We have been active mountaineers for the last five years before I left home to work abroad. Last March, we decided to travel and navigate a city where we haven’t been before. We decided to visit the ‘City of Angels’.

We want to think that we belong to the “backpacker” kind of people and view this trip as our own little piece of adventure. I bought the book, “Bangkok City Guide” from Lonely Planet’s series of Travel Guide Books and created our own itinerary. So on the 13^th of May, after some rigorous planning, Aaron slung his backpack on and flew all the way from the Philippines to Singapore to meet me. We boarded the Jetstar plane bound for  Bangkok around 7:30 pm and arrived at the Suvarnabumi Airport after two and a half hours.

Navigating through the City with our Maps as guide proves to be a challenge at first, but we soon managed to figure out their transportation system. Running around town and figuring out how to get from point A to point B gives us this feeling that we are taking part in an amazing race challenge, and I believe we have fared well.

KO SAMET

Jessette and Aaron at Ban Phae Pier

Hitting the beach is our top priority in our itinerary, so early the next morning, we went to Ekkamai Bus Station to go to one of the nearest Island near Bangkok: Ko Samet or as the locals call it Koh Sahmed. The bus ride went on about 4 hours to Ban Phae Pier. Upon arriving at the pier, we were directed to a “reservation” area for accommodations in the island. You can choose from cottages, huts or villas that cost as low as 1,000 Baht per night. After paying for our “beach hut” that cost 1,000 Baht per night, we hopped on the boat and after 45 minutes, we arrived at NaDan Pier in Ko Samet. From that point, we rented a taxi to take us to our beach hut located in the upper part of the island called Ao Thian. At half past 4 in the afternoon, we finally arrived in our destination called Sangthian Beach Resort.

Koh Samed Taxi Club

NaDan Pier, Ko Samet

Our Beach Hut at Sangthian Beach Resort

The month of May is one of their low season due to monsoon rains. We experienced gentle rain showers on our way to the island but this did not deter tourist in coming to the island though, because we’ve seen and met a lot of Westerners who are also on vacation.

Luckily, our second day was blessed with a sunny day and we were able get on a boat trip to tour the areas around the island that includes snorkeling and fishing. Lunch is also served on the boat and we only paid 400 Thai Baht per person.

Jessette snorkelling at Ko Samet

Aaron on the Boat, Ko Samet

Our meals were all a gamut of Thailand’s well-known gastronomic delights. I love Thai food and the meals we ate, especially at Sangthian Beach Resort, are all heavenly. I love the multi-layered flavours, textures and the mouth-watering smell of their herbs mixed with meats and fishes. Dining by the beach at night with candles, the sound of the waves and the dark sky above makes you want to preserve this memory in a time capsule. A memory that I can hold on to whenever I feel lonely and alone when we go back to our real lives.

Candlelight Dinner By the Sea

Enjoying Thai Foods With the Sound of the Waves.

Upside Down in Ao Thian, Ko Samet

Ao Thian, Ko Samet