Time: 1410 hrs.
Landing for the first time in Bangkok, Thailand was genuinely exhilarating. My buddy and I were ready to conquer the land most known for its temples, ladyboys, Tuktuks (open-air taxis), spicy food and the list honestly goes on. We were just like a fresh breed of tourist ready to explore every possible areas that our itinerary enabled. Walking through the immigration counters at Suvarnabhumi Airport the excitement continued to build. We had our private pick up from the Airport (www.changthaitravel.com). Oh yes! You have probably heard this many times. Be prepared to bargain for your taxi fares to wherever your destination is. You are in the land of “The feistier with prices the better”.

We had reservations at Banyan Tree Bangkok Hotel. Well, sadly we didn’t have the time to jump hotels but this one was certainly worthy of our money. Before I continue, let me give you a little of what you will be seeing. I have planned this trip to give myself a chance to experience what luxuries Thailand can offer. However, I do have some helpful tips on how to save as well.

Banyan Tree Bangkok Hotel (http://www.banyantree.com/en/ap-thailand-bangkok):
We had the privilege of occupying the club room. Mentioning that the Hotel and the room was beautiful would be a severe understatement. I’m 23 years old and all I can say is that these rooms are for the “Big Boys”. The hotel showed me a different meaning of how far extravagant can be. The club benefits aided in our daily food and beverage sourcing. I’m aware I sound like a promoter for Banyan Tree, but honestly this experience was like non other. This is why I feel that many who appreciate good food and roof top restaurants will simply fall in love with this hotel.

As Banyan Tree is located in the heart of the city, Sathorn. Moving around to landmarks and Malls were not a hassle. We grabbed a regular taxi (300 Baht) to MBK Shopping Complex. Well I felt that we could have bargained for a better price than that, but the excitement to move around the city overwhelmed us.

MBK Shopping centre is honestly over-rated. Despite having the required amenities and stalls a shopping complex is expected to have, the varieties were rather limited. The one floor that got me excited was the top floor (Electronics). Sincerely, the area on the top floor felt like “Sim Lim Square, Singapore”, but things were not as cheap as you would think. Funny enough, you can actually bargain in that specific department too. We then proceeded to their supermarket. Keep in mind that there are convenient and affordable groceries. However there is this extremely pungent smell that engulfs the whole fresh food section, which is ‘conveniently’ right next to the dry food section. Just remember to breathe through your mouth for those times.

Time: 1830 hrs plus…
Unfortunately we were caught in traffic on the way back to the hotel. Please refer to the following times if you would like to stay out of the worst traffic experience.
1. Morning after 9.30am
2. Late Afternoon before 5pm.
3. Night after 8pm

Another useful tip would be to keep small change for taxis (20,50 & 100 Baht). They tend to never have change to give back. It was time for our dinner reservation. This part is about to get spectacular. I have always been a big fan of roof top bars/restaurants etc. This particular restaurant/bar gave me goosebumps (That’s how high up and in the open we were). As there were not many buildings higher than our hotel, our view was not compromised. These are the details to the restaurant/bar,
Restaurant/bar Name: Vertigo/ Moon Bar
Dress code: (Smart casual, strictly no shorts and slippers allowed).
Timings: 7.30pm – 11.30pm

Since we took the gastronomic package at Banyan Tree, we were provided with a complimentary 3 Course Alfresco dinner. It was fine dining. Therefore if you are more of a buffet person, I suggest in-room supper after the meal:)

Finally it was time to retire back to our room and enjoy the complimentary beverages and catch up on some sleep.

Agenda for tomorrow: Temple visiting + Dinner Cruise