Bangkok, Thailand

The mantra of Southeast Asia seems to be "anything goes" and since we were visiting in the middle of the Bangkok's anti-government protest, we wanted to plan wisely. Our itinerary worked out well- we started with the touristy stuff in a guided tour, asked a million questions to get a lay of the land and local customs, and then proceeded to explore the city on our own for the remainder of our trip. It was an awesome experience- one full of stories and of course, amazing food. Note: consume authentic Thai food with caution because it will change your life and afterward, all subsequent Thai meals in the states will be ruined. #truth

Our itinerary:

Day 1

• Arrived in Bangkok at night
• Took a cab to the hotel and checked in (taxi service out of the airport is organized; we waited in a line, where they wrote down our address, calculated a fare and gave us a receipt before handing us off to one of the many waiting drivers- the service charges an airport tax. You could try to save a few bucks by hailing your own cab at the departures section but we didn't think it was worth it). Note: If you are flying into Bangkok at night, public transit closes pretty early. Don't try to hail a cab anywhere else but at the taxi stand. It's not safe and you'll end up paying more than you should.
• Soi 38 Sukhumvit- small and disappointing, but probably because we went too late (midnight)

Day 2

• Tour with Tong- customized tour at very reasonable rates- we highly recommend!
• Train Market
• Floating Market
• Elephant camp
• Dinner at Chinatown on Yaowarat Rd.- we went here often since it was near our hotel; for dinner we had our choice of amazing Thai food from 50+ vendors/stalls. [more on Thai street food later]

Day 3

• Walked to the pier, had breakfast along the way in Chinatown's Sampeng Lane.
• Took the ferry to the Palace of the Reclining Buddha- don't bother with a ferry tour; we just took the orange line from Ratchawong to Wat Pho (Tha Tien) for 15 baht
• Visited the Grand Palace, got a taste of the rich culture of Bangkok.
• Walked around the street vendors selling trinkets, grabbed a coffee for the ferry ride back. Note: Be on the lookout for your stop. There is no announcement or warning of what the next stop will be. Jumping off the boat last minute is not advised.
• Dinner at Chinatown again. We checked out the seafood vendors this time. 
• Chilled at Sirocco rooftop bar and lounge.
• Kaosan Night market- it seemed to be the watering hole of choice for expats

Day 4

• Chatuchak Weekend Market. Before going, mentally prepare yourself for a gargantuan shopping experience- it is after all, one of the largest outdoor markets in the world. We found the most amazing pad see ew there, and seemingly endless rows of clothing, scarves, home decor and food stalls. Bring your own tissue paper and hand sanitizer- we lucked out, but trust me.
• Seafood dinner @ Somboondee Seafood Restaurant. We were recommended this restaurant by a local on the street. Though it seems we were shafted because the food was noticeably more expensive for Thai standards, the dinner was very good-so we can't complain! Our meal came out to be $30 per person (we were accustomed to paying $10 per meal for the both of us at this point).

Day 5

• Flight back to Ho Chi Minh

Check out our photolog from Bangkok.