Bangkok shop shop until you drop!!

30 Jun 2017 by lifeintrips, posted in Bangkok, Thailand, Travel

Bangkok the city of sky scrapers, massage centers, shopping destinations, night markets and much more. This city never sleeps, streets are always full of people, food and colourful tuk tuks moving around. Bangkok has a glorious palace and beautiful temples to visit. On my three day trip got massages, did shopping for 2.5 days and a half day sightseeing tour of Bangkok.

Places to shop in Bangkok

This is the most difficult part to decide as the options are too many and time is so little. Pack compact and less as when you will return your bags will be full, may be you may end up buying new bags as well.

Day 1 of shopping

Palladium night market

This was the best night market in Bangkok, tons of shopping options. Great clothing, good quality, superb prices, full value for money. I got t shirts, party tops, pants, shoes, shorts everything from this place. There was a time I couldn’t carry the bags in my hands. Its a must go place if you love street shopping. An important tip always carry a small bag and water bottle, wear flat sole footwear when you are visiting a night market.

Opening hours: 6 pm to 11 pm

Day 2 of shopping

Indira Square

This place is a three storey complex with variety of goods. On ground floor you will find shoes, luggage bags, accessories, clothing for men. I got an incredible bag pack from here which you can carry in three different ways, good quality, very stylish and super comfortable in handling.

First floor also has luggage but more of it is women clothing, shoes and souvenirs section. People do bargain here at some shops, you can try your skills. For buying shoes and flip flops this place has the best variety.Second floor is a food court where you get all the cuisines

Opening hours: 10 am to 9 pm usually lot of shops close after 5 pm

MBK Mall

Its a multi storey, air conditioned mall which is huge in terms of area.There are close to 2000 stores in this one mall you can imagine the number of things you can get here.

MBK is an excellent choice for buying handbags, shoulder bags, clothing, accessories, souvenirs. Fourth floor is only for electronics and mobiles you can get every possible electronic item from selfie stick to under water cameras.

I got amazing bags, shoes and souvenirs from this place I really wish to go back again. It’s a paradise for shopping. Top floor is best for bags. Food courts are at fifth and sixth floor.

You can get here by BTS Skytrain or Tuk tuk or taxi everyone in Bangkok knows where MBK mall is, as it is one of the most popular tourist attractions.

Opening hours: 10 am to 9 pm

Day 3 shopping

Pratunam Market

This is a wholesale market it is mostly for clothes and accessories. There are lot of shops at this place, it is true that it appears like a maze. We found a store which had superhero stuff, amazing good quality t-shirts, there price was higher compared to other shops but the stuff was really good.

There are dozens of shops here, you can get cheapest rates here, more you buy in bulk lesser the prices are, great value for money.

I got t-shirt of wolverine and batman, super stylish belts, beach dress, t-shirts for my dad, leggings, pants and lot more.

Opening hours: 24 hours open best time to visit is 11 am to 8 pm as lot of retail shops close after that

Patpong night market

This is a pretty cool night market, located in the red light district of Bangkok. You get lot of first copy goods here and nice printed t-shirts. Another attractive thing is photo frames with quotes and characters which is quite a collection, I must say. Beautiful lamp shades and home decor stuff.

There are go go bars at the other end of this busy shopping street music makes this place more lively, bargain hard to buy stuff the quality is good they don’t come down easily.

You have many eateries and spas nearby shop, eat and relax, that’s what Bangkok is all about.

Opening hours: 6 pm to 1 am

Half day sight seeing in Bangkok

There are lot of attractions in Bangkok worth visiting but due to my crazy shopping schedule just got half day’s time to see few places.

Chalong boat tour

Chalong boat tour is an experience in itself but it is equally expensive but the best part is, it is less time consuming if you wish to go to Wat Arun temple for a visit. You will get a personal boat for yourself to go to Wat Arun which will take you back after an hour from the parking to the stop for Bangkok Palace.

Make sure you return in an hour, the parking guys are very strict they will make you wait for a long time till your boat finishes the next turn. If you don’t wish to be time bound then a taxi is a better option.

Wat Arun temple

Wat Arun is a temple located at the bank of Chao Phraya river, it is spread across a vast area and has spectacular sites. It is also known as temple of dawn.

There are beautiful portraits of Buddha and paintings on the ceiling adding to the beguiling views of this temple.

The artistic touch at every corner of the temple is mesmerizing.

Dress conservatively or you need to rent clothes in order to see the temple.

Opening hours: 8 am to 5.30 pm

Bangkok Palace

Bangkok Place is magnificent and is a renowned tourist spot, its very crowded as tourists from all over the world come to see the glorious architecture. One important thing you must remember you cannot wear sleeveless and shorts when you go to visit it. Your entry will be forbidden.

The palace is huge and beautiful corridors add to the beauty of it.

Opening hours: 8 am to 3.30 pm

Top tips before visiting Bangkok:

Look for the best commuting options BTS Sky train is great
Bargain with Tuk Tuk as sometimes they quote double the price
If you plan to shop a lot try and stay near the shopping area, will help you save money of commuting
Take care of your wallets at crowded places
Carry water bottle every where
Always ask what your are eating or drinking
Go Go bars are never free
Always book a spa in advance
Check the place and distance before you go anywhere
Dress conservatively for temples and palace as they don’t allow entry in shorts even for men
There is an entry fee to all famous tourist shops makes sure you carry enough cash

Phuket an ultimate place to chill out

24 Jun 2017 by lifeintrips, posted in Phuket, Thailand, Travel

Phuket is an assortment of tons of great activities, if you check on net things to do in Phuket, you will find hundreds of pages and activities. It’s not only about what the place offers but also what you are looking for from the holiday. I am putting down my list as for me Phuket was about chilling, eating, seeing around and shopping.

Things to do in Phuket

Patong beach

Patong beach is a beautiful place to relax and watch sunset. This beach was walking distance from our resort and extremely clean. There are several beach side cafes where you can sit, relax and enjoy the view.

Bangla road to see the nightlife

Its the most happening street in Phuket with lot of pubs and go go bars, you will find it very crowded. People displaying various activities on this street, guys and girls inviting you too their clubs.

You can see tourists from all over the world at this street. There are many choices you can enjoy watching girls dancing or you can choose to go in club where you can dance yourself. If you just want to sit and sip a drink and watch the crowd few places offer an outside arrangement as well.

This street is full of options you can choose to go, from Starbucks to Russian strip clubs to pole dancing cafes or normal pubs. It’s a must go place if you like to enjoy night life.

Thai Boxing match

This is another unique attraction if you enjoy boxing matches, you should book to watch a boxing match. It’s a good experience.

A day trip to Phi Phi islands

Phi Phi islands is a good day trip option from Phuket. I have one full blog about what you can do at Phi Phi islands. You can also club Bamboo island or Raya island with your trip to Phi Phi, both are good for relaxing on the beach.

Bamboo Island

Raya Island

Don’t forget to take your towels and sheets other wise have to rent it.

A day trip to Phang na Bay and James Bond island

This island is different than others as it offers canoeing, great beaches and spectacular views. This was my favourite day trip and you can read in details about Phang na Bay in my previous post.

Phuket weekend market called Naka Market

There are tons of shopping options in Thailand. Bangkok is the most famous but there are options everywhere. We hired a scooter and drove to see the old town in Phuket, did not find it much interesting but Naka Market was amazing.

Incredible food, juices and shopping options. I did loads of shopping from this place, you will not realize number of hours you spend here. The stuff is good quality, people do bargain and a great place to be.

Restaurants in Phuket

Thailand is a hub for all types of cuisines, all of it was brilliant. The best vegetarian restaurants which I loved were Tantra and Baluchi. These restaurants did not make me miss home as the food was delicious.

Spa and massage in Phuket

Phuket trip is incomplete if you don’t try the massages here. You will feel there are more massage centers than tourists. They are really cheap and do good massages. One quick check you can do is just keep a tab on time when it starts because some local shops will say one hour but they will finish in 45 mins. Never go for pedicure here because they just shape your nails and put nail paint which was worst pedicure I ever had.

There are amazing spas in Phuket, one of which I really like was Let’s relax spa in Patong. The massage was heavenly and very relaxing. I will recommend a Thai massage, Deep Tissue and Foot massage. These three are the must have if you go to Thailand.

Phang na Bay and James Bond island

20 Jun 2017 by lifeintrips, posted in Adventure, Beach love, Phang na Bay, Thailand, Travel

The best day trip of Thailand tour! After Phi Phi islands for another day we booked this tour and it was an experience worth cherishing. There are many islands near Phuket you will find it extremely difficult to choose the tour. All are beautiful to relax, snorkel, see great marine life but this one is completely different.

Phang na Bay has several islands but the major difference is the spectacular canoeing experience you will get in the caves . Let me take you through a virtual tour of our itinerary.

We selected a big boat to go to Phang na Bay as that is the most convenient and relaxing option. The way you enjoy watching the sea in big boat is not comparable to speed boat.

Limestone cliffs and bat caves at Phang na Bay

Phang na Bay has these big limestone cliffs and caves which you can witness through canoeing. A kayak guide will take you from your big boat to the caves in the kayak.

The experience is quite adventurous in itself the caves are dark and you have to lie down in the kayak and view these amazing caves. There will be places where you will see the cave so close that you might feel your nose is going to touch it.

Another great thing which we saw were bat caves and so many bats in it. Viewing an original bat cave looked so unreal but I am glad I witnessed it.

This place was by far the best, while coming out we got a chance to see a live Jelly fish in the sea. I think I was lucky to witness so much. Check out this video to see the Jelly fish.

Hong Islands canoeing

The second spot for canoeing was Hong Islands beautiful view coming out from the caves. There are lagoons on this island which can be seen only in low tide, unfortunately we were not able to see it because of unfavourable tide conditions.

Breakfast and lunch were served in the boat as our tour had lot to show us. Check out the video of canoeing at Hong Islands.

James Bond Island

This island got its name from the famous James Bond movie “The Man with the golden gun” which was shot here. The island has a nice beach and a great view.

My sister and her husband at the James bond island…

It an amazing photo spot, you can see so many people taking pictures at various places. Here are some of my favourite pictures from the trip.

Signature pose at this place…

Caves at the James Bond Island…

Don’t go inside the caves a lot for pictures, as there are snakes at this place. We saw a green snake and there was lot of public commotion because of that.

An unknown island

This trip was full of surprises and enriching experience, the last spot on the tour was Lawa island to swim and relax. Our boat guys told us the tide conditions are not favourable so they are taking us to another island.

This island was completely untouched, looked liked no humans came here before. Our boat was the only boat with around 25 people on the entire beach, the weather was becoming cloudy giving a serene feeling.

I felt the joy of visiting a private beach, swimming relaxing it was great fun.

While going back also witnessed the rain and eagles flying in the group to hunt. It was a cherry on the top to see after such a nice tour.

Tips:

An extra pair of clothes
A water proof pouch for your phone
Sun glasses and sun tan lotion with high spf
Snacks to eat if your are fussy about the food

Phang na Bay is highly recommended on your visit to Thailand. If you love nature and have a sense of adventure this place is great for both.

Get sun kissed at Phi Phi island

15 Jun 2017 by lifeintrips, posted in Beach love, Phi Phi island, Thailand, Travel

Where the water is as blue as sky, sand as soft as petals of rose and sun shines likes the only star in the galaxy that is the place called Phi Phi islands. Surrounded by beautiful trees and gorgeous marine life this island is a must watch attraction on your visit to Thailand.

How to book a tour to Phi Phi islands?

We did not book it online, because there were too many options and it was confusing, we decided to go random. After reaching Phuket we realized that we did the right thing. There are so many tour booking companies to choose from and prices were lesser than online. You can discuss your requirements in person and customize a little bit.

We booked a day tour for Phi Phi island via speedboat. I was very excited to go by speed boat. Usually the tour van picks you up at 8 in the morning and take you to the boat parking place where you can have your breakfast and coffee. There are lot of speed boats going to Phi Phi everyday.

You will arrive Phi Phi islands in around 40 mins, the first location was Maya Bay, its very popular because of the movie “The Beach” was shot here.

You cannot wear your shoes on the beach that’s the reason beach is absolutely clean, the sand is as soft as powder. There is just one draw back of famous photo spots they are very crowded.

I still enjoyed the crystal clear water, swam a bit, soaked in sun and clicked tons of pictures of this gorgeous location. Though finding a spot without people was a huge task, we managed few good shots.

After Maya Bay we saw the viking cave and the lagoons, you cannot visit the viking cave inside as it is closed for bird conservation.

The journey was spectacular with great views, finally after sightseeing we got a chance to snorkel at Phi Phi Don. The clear blue sky, corals and beautiful fishes inside, the day was as amazing as it could be.

After the beautiful snorkeling experience we were tired and wanted to eat. I was really worried about the food as we ticked in the vegetarian section. To my surprise they made special vegetarian food for us in Thai style which was delicious.

The boat stopped at a beach facing open restaurant, where our boat was the only boat. Loved the serenity of the place. The view was mesmerizing.

Our trip to Phi Phi islands was full of breathtaking views and wonderful memories.

Few tips if you are planning a visit:

Take a high SPF cream as you are going to be super tan
Wear your best swimming costume because you will swim at most of the spots
Carry a waterproof pouch for your phone otherwise you might need to buy one paying extra money
We bought fins but never used them for snorkeling, so choose if you find it convenient with or without it and don’t worry there are no sea urchins
Carry your own towels as you are not going to get any
Keep some light snacks if you like to eat at regular intervals
You can carry one extra pair if you have space
If you want to see less crowd you can book a sunrise tour
Choose the tour company wisely to have the best experience