Biking in the lost Ancient city

After I been to Ayutthaya (Ancient city 2nd capital of Thailand) so many time. I hear people talking about do the biking tour in Ayutthaya and get there by train. It’s actually the whole next level of the way I see it as it use to be. Before we go any further let’s me tell you a bit about this city.

Ayutthaya is an ideal destination for those looking for a short trip away from Bangkok, but actually there are plenty of interesting things that you can do here. Besides the old Temples and nice Palace there is also the opportunity to learn more about Thai culture and the life style of the local people who live along the river. You can also ride a bicycle around the historical park. It is just a great way to feel and touch the beauty of the Kingdom of Thailand.

This morning we start early by get to Hualumpong main train station. We catch the train from Bangkok to Ayutthaya. It took us around one and half hour to be in the heart of Ayutthaya.

On the way we can see the local area where local people live mix with rice field. This’s what you are not going to see if you take a big hi-way road trip to Ayutthaya. Finally we got there late in the morning then we rent the bicycles near by the station.

Then continue our journey across the river by took our bite on the ferry and continue our ride to “ Wat Mahathat” which is typical of the Ayutthaya ruins: large crumbling stupas surrounded by low laterite walls and rows of headless Buddha. One Buddha-head is in a tree trunk. It’s one of Ayutthaya’s icons that you can’t miss.

Then visit Wat Lokayasutharam where you will meet the big reclining Buddha. It is located in the ruins of Viharn and facing towards the East. It was constructed of bricks and cement in Middle Ayutthaya Period and is 37 meters long and 8 meters high. 

Then visit “Wat Mongkhonbophit” which was a royal temple. Here they have a very famous big meditation Buddha image.

And just a few minutes walk we will visit the old loyal palace. where the king use to live and his successors performed religious ceremonies.

Then check in at a typical Thai house style accommodation surrounded by a canal and beautiful garden. Here you will feel like time is just frozen from Ayutthaya period and tonight if you still feel like you have an energy.

You probable go out and have a look of Night view of Ayutthaya at night and check it out for local pub around in town.

                                                                                                  

Second day

After we finish our breakfast we head to the “Ayutthaya Floating Market “ It’s a very picturesque spot. Enjoy the canal boat, tropical Thai fruit and flowers as you see the life style of the Thai people from 40 years ago. Then enjoy lunch at a local Thai restaurant in the market. After the market we continue our journey to the Ayutthaya Elephant camp in town and enjoy an elephant ride. Here we do really enjoy getting close to biggest animal ever live

on land and it’s also Thailand icon.

After finish from here it’s just about time to head back to Bangkok. From here we arrange the private car to get back to Bangkok before the rush hour. It’s such an experience that I would never forget.

Amazing Train Market, Mae Klong - Bangkok Tours

Today I have a trip to Floating market  is Thailand’s icon of most of the would travelers, where you will board a charming wooden boat for a cruise around this colorful market, but what I just amaze the most is not a Floating Market, but it’s a place that we stop on the way back from Floating Market to Bangkok  call “Train Market” or they call “LomHubb Market”  in Thai

Train Market is actually a local market in Mae Klong, Samut Songkhram, where all the local people go to shopping for food all kind of fresh seafood from the pear, vegetable, fruit. It’s very fresh and incredible cheep, but what make Train Market famous is not just only about that. It’s actually a market built on top of the railway of that train that is actually still running every single day, so how does it work? It’s actually interesting on this point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM38fUjR7sg 

The train track is actually was there before the market but when the community are expanding people just need more space to make business, so they are just expand on the railway track. When the train is coming they all have to pack all the stuff and move away from the train track and move it all out again when train leave. It’s seemed to be a very normal of the people here. For packing their stuff and run away from a train. After the train leave just like nothing never happen. This train track have 5-6 trains running per day, so before you visit just make sure you check the train schedule. I hope you guy enjoy the train market as much as I do ;)

Biking tour Bangkok and PraPaDang

Behind the scene of the business and madness of Bangkok is actually a wild life and hidden jungle nearby downtown Bangkok. Today I have a trip to “Prapadang” which is actually a province in Samuitprakan. Prapadang is quite well known as “The Lung of Bangkok” just 6 kms from downtown Silom. They call it the lung of Bangkok because the river running around Prapadang is in the shape of a lung. It’s a very green area. You can actually find some wild life and the people there have the life style as it used to be 30 years ago.

This morning I started my trip from the pier and crossed the “Chaophraya river” to Prapadang by a little long tail boat. We then rented bicycles from near by the Thai boxing camp. The first stop was at the Siamese Fighting Fish Gallery. The gallery was established in 2009 and displays a wide variety of “Siamese Fighting Fish” and other fish found in the nearby Chaophraya River. The buildings use traditional Thai architecture and if you are not in a rush to go elsewhere, then you should take your time and relax in the gardens while enjoying refreshments from the snack bar. Next we continue our journey along the local road to the SriNaKorn Park. When we cross the arch bridge, we find ourselves in a big park surrounding a large pool with a lot of trees and gardens. This park is more than 200 Rai and we enjoy spending some time feeding the fish in the park and if you are lucky some time you will find some big monitor lizards hanging out in the garden to.

Next station I will take you to the small bridge ally way through to the village. From here you will see why they call it the Lung of Bangkok. Here they have to leave 75% of the land to be a jungle and the other 25% they can make buildings, so this area is always green and creates a lot of Oxygen to the city. For someone who has never been here before you will find yourself get lost a thousand times, so better to go there with someone experienced. At the end of the small bridge walk way, we head towards the “Bangkok Tree House” an eco-friendly 12 room boutique hotel. It’s also a very cozy living and hip place, built from bamboo reinforced with recycled metal.This is a good place to have some lunch and take a break for a while. Then it’s time to head to the “BangPung Floating market”

  just 20 minutes away. It is open every weekend and on public holidys. The charm of this floating market and the canalside lifestyle of the local community is well worth seeing. Local products and famous food such as fish-scale flowers, herbal joss sticks, Hoi Thot (fried mussel pancake), Khanom Khrok or mortar-toasted pastry, mango, etc. are also offered on sale.

We then head back to the pier and across the Chayphraya river again as we head home after a long but interesting day out. Back just on time before crazy traffic jam of Bangkok.

Check it out on my Youtube
http://youtu.be/_jZh4nQzPmo

 

HuaiKhwang Night Market - Bangkok

When I go to a country that I have never been to before, I normally try to do as a local does, eat like local eat and shop where a local goes, so tonight I have been to HuaiKhwang Night Market. It’s one of the biggest wet local markets in Bangkok. As a local Thai people who actually live in Bangkok more than 15 years like me. I don’t even feel like this could be some place that for a tourist ever wants to see, but as I said if you feel like be in the country and get to know about the way for life of the local people here instead of the tourist attractions place.  “Why not!?”

  HuaiKhwang Market is actually spread out along Ratchadaphisek road. You can easily get to this market by Subway (MRT) at              HuaiKhwang station. From there you can walk and wander around the place which miles and miles away on every corner or the little small ally and side walk. Here is where all the local people go to get food for cooking, lot of great Street Food. Everything here is so fresh and sometimes I can just find myself that also here must of the stuff are incredible cheap too. It seems like everything got brought here from everywhere in Thailand. No matter what and how local and strange of Thai ingredient food need, you can probably find it here.

A good time to visit here is from 6 pm till 10 pm. It will get busy after work as everyone goes home and need to get dinner or something to cook at home or even shopping for clothes, kitchenware and all kind of things. Also if you walk farther away from MRT station around a kilometer you will find yourself in the middle of a playground and basket ball court. Here is more like for young local people to hang out play football and basketball. It is surrounded by lot of mobile clothing shops. It’s a good place for shopping for cheap fashion clothing. After this if you feel hungry why don’t you try some Street Food here?

When people talk about “Street Food” most of the people will think about some kind of cheap and dirty restaurant which all kinds of rat and cockroaches running around in the kitchen, but here in Bangkok Street Food actually feeds most of the population in this city. I also usually eat out. It’s just better and cheaper here. Some of the Street Food here even tastes better than in the big restaurants. So, for someone who is here in Thailand for the first time, I would recommend you to start with something that has been cooked hot before you take it. Well from here I hope you enjoy your shopping and tasty food.