Catch around in bankok

#travelwithgateway #bankok #travel2020

1. Take a Food Tour and Experience Real Thai Cuisine

If you’re a fan of food, you’re going to want to read this – trust us.  Bangkok is a perfect place to delve further into Thai cuisine and go beyond the typical Pad Thai and Green Curry you order at home.  When we heard about Expique, a company that offers all sorts of food tours in Bangkok, we were super intrigued. From cooking classes to fruit-carving workshops, there is no shortage of unique options to choose from.  We decided to take the Evening Tuk Tuk Food Adventure that promises to introduce guests to many different Thai dishes. 

We’ve spent quite a bit of time in Thailand, and have tried many different dishes (or so we thought!), but much of what we tried on this 4-hour tour was new to us. This tour mixes a bit of sightseeing with lots of eating, and takes you to a couple of Bangkok’s most interesting markets – including the Flower Market, a local Muslim market and, of course, to Chinatown! Culture is strongly tied to food, so to really understand life in Thailand, getting to know the cuisine is super important. Our guide, Bee, told us snippets about what life is like in Bangkok and answered all of our questions (whether they were stupid or not!).  Part of what makes this tour special is that the menu changes depending on what is in season or what’s being served at some of the food stands, and some of the adventure comes from not quite knowing what you’re about to try. But we also understand wanting to have an idea of what will be served…

Here are just some of the things we tried on our tour (but remember, they can change daily depending on what’s available):

• Chicken satay skewers

• Juice in a bag, like the locals drink! (We liked Butterfly Pea – a sweet and tangy tea, as well as Rosella – a tart and refreshing juice made from the hibiscus flower).

• An assortment of chili dips with local vegetables

• Crab stuffed omelet

• Sweet fried chicken

• Sting beans and shrimp

• Miang kham wraps – one of the more interesting dishes on the tour!

• Fried flat noodles with chicken (from a hidden street stand in a back alleyway)

• Crispy crickets! This was the most “adventurous” food on the tour, and it actually tasted pretty darn good!

• Hot ginger soup and rice balls filled with sweet sesame (a super interesting dessert from Chinatown)

• Ice cream!

2. Experience an Authentic Floating Market

Floating markets are not what they once were in Southeast Asia. Today, many of these markets are more for tourist photo ops than for locals to buy produce. Can you say "tourist trap"?!  Damnoen Saduak is perhaps the most famous floating market in Thailand, and by all accounts we have heard, it is a big touristy mess. Not really our style. Plus, it’s located 62 miles (100 km) outside of Bangkok, so it takes the better part of the day to get there and back.  We wondered if visiting a floating market near Bangkok would be worth it. After doing a little research, we found one market that people consistently said was more authentic and less touristy than the other floating markets near Bangkok.  Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market is just 17 km from the city center and is easy to visit during even a short stay in Bangkok. When we arrived we noticed we were basically the only tourists in the whole market. The market has many sections separated by a few canals where you can buy fruits and other snacks. 

3. Explore the Grand Palace and Reclining Buddha

The Grand Palace is, as the name implies, nothing short of grand. The detailed architecture, with precious gem inlays and gold leaf designs, is awe-inspiring and worthy of a visit.  What time of day should I go to the Grand Palace? Plan on spending a couple hours exploring, and try to arrive early if possible, as the heat of the day will set in quickly. Most of the big tour groups arrive around 9 a.m. so try to sneak in before then if possible.  There are free English tours at 10:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. You can also purchase an audio guide for 100 baht at the ticket counter.  Scams near the Grand Palace Near the Grand Palace, there are tuk tuk drivers that will tell you the Palace is closed for a religious ceremony. They will offer to take you to other temples and show you around the city for cheap.  We encountered this scam during one visit in Bangkok, and luckily we kept walking and soon saw the line of people entering the palace, so we knew it was not closed. Simply ignore anyone who tells you the palace is closed and keep walking toward the entrance.

Dress code for Bangkok's Grand Palace: There is a strict dress code enforced at the Grand Palace, and you will not be allowed inside if you are not dressed appropriately. 

• Shoulders must be covered: This means no tank tops or sleeveless shirts for men or women. You may wear a tank top, but cover up with a cardigan before entering. T-shirts are okay.

• Knees must be covered: This means you must wear pants or a dress/skirt that falls below your knees. And guys, your 90's style shorts that sag down past your knees are not acceptible... for many reasons.

• No tight clothing: Don’t wear leggings or a tight dress/skirt that could be seen as inappropriate. Dressing in loose clothing will also keep you cooler.

• No see-through clothing: This is pretty self-explanatory.

• No flip-flops allowed: You can wear sandals, but they must have a back strap to be acceptable.

• Hats are okay to wear and can provide you with a bit of shade.

Tip: Wear shoes that are comfortable and are easy to slip on and off. There are some places within the grounds that you will need to remove your shoes in order to enter. There are racks to store your shoes, but beware that sometimes shoes are stolen, so don’t wear your favorite, most expensive designer shoes!

Wat Pho and the Reclining Buddha are just south of the Grand Palace, and are pretty cool sight to see. The Buddha measures 150 feet long (43 meters) and is housed inside a building so you see it in small sections. A visit here doesn’t take more than perhaps a half hour.