In April 2023, we spent four weeks in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok. Read about our first week here, our second week here, and our third week here.

National Museum

Have you ever had a sightseeing place on your list and after several weeks you still haven’t been? Something seems to always come up and it gets moved to the next day and the next day and then the day after that.

Well, the National Museum was on our list from week 1 but we just did not seem to get there. With our final days in Bangkok numbered we were determined to get there. And I’m so glad we did!

The building that is now the museum was constructed in 1887 which is actually the same year the Grand Palace was built. It served as a mansion for several prince viceroys. King Rama V eventually terminated that position and the mansion became available for storing importing artifacts and antiques. It became the national museum in 1934 under King Rama VII. It is one of the largest museums in Southeast Asia!

We spent a majority of the day touring the many exhibits spread out over many halls and rooms. We actually ran out of time and rushed through the last hall to see everything, even quickly, while being politely rushed out by ready-to-close-up museum employees.

Things You Can See at the Museum

Temple Mural with Buddhist History

We started out in the large temple on-site. This room alone can take an hour or a mere few minutes of your time depending on your interest. A paneled mural surrounding the room goes into great detail about the history of the Buddha.

Vintage Toys and Model Home

The second room we entered showed Thai domestic life in the 1950s, including a “modern” home setup with toys for the kids.

Antiquities

The largest part of the museum was filled with thousands of historical artifacts: Thai art, statues, garments, musical instruments, pottery, etc.

Royal Funeral Chariots

Similar to the Royal Barges museum, the National Museum houses the Royal Funeral Chariots in a large warehouse for display. There were at least a dazzling dozen to view up-close.

Modern Religious Statues

One of the sections we toured showcased modern religious status which I thought was really neat. The face of Buddha varies by region and time period and there were some modern pieces on display.

Songkran Festival

This was the reason we were in Thailand in April. Songkran is the historic Thai New Year and is a celebratory water festival. Based on a Buddhist tradition of ritual cleansing, it is now a large-scale water fight.

When we planned out our first year of sabbatical I wanted Corey to experience this amazing water festival. (And on a personal note, we have chosen to extend our travel sabbatical, so we will be back on the road in 2023-24.)

I had enjoyed this celebration when I was living in Phuket back in 2009. Every city in Thailand celebrates Songkran a little differently, and I thought it would be great to see what it was like in the big city.

Through the Go With Less group on Facebook, we met up with an American family traveling around the world. Julie, Doug and Sedona did not know they had landed in Thailand during one of its craziest holidays. So we met them in the Silom neighborhood in the early afternoon and steered them through the city in the midst of a colossal water battle.

The water fights were already intense! Shoulder to shoulder, people sliding past each other while water gun nozzles were inches from your face. Everyone was soaked and it felt great in the heat. We walked and sometimes inched along the throngs of festival-goers.

Eventually we walked toward Chinatown. The crowds disappeared as we left Silom and the party in our rear view mirrors. We seldom needed our water guns as we walked. Chinatown was busy with tourists but not a festive area for Songkran. We were getting hungry for dinner but it was hard to find an outdoor table for six. I was hoping we could eat along the Ong Ang Walking Street like we had before but the restaurants were closed and the streets were dark.

It is hard to know what will be open during a holiday, but I knew that Khao San Road would be lively. So we hopped in taxis to Bangkok’s backpacker central.

It was packed!! And not in a good way. We never made it down to Khao San itself. There were so many people. We found a pad Thai cart that had a small bench behind it, where we ate some decent pad Thai. After that, the family opted out of the crowd and went home. We should have left too.

We were not prepared for the amount of revelers in the streets. Fears of a stampede, like the recent Halloween tragedy in Korea, laid heavy on my mind and heart. We only experienced a little pushing and shoving though. It was chiefly just too many people in a small space, trying to walk against each other.

We eventually found a beer stand outside a hotel, and we were able to sit behind their security cordon while we sipped on beer and waited the crowds out. Just like traffic after rush hour, the street eventually cleared and it became easy to saunter up and down. (Likely a combination of people leaving for the night and it becoming a fashionable time to enter the nightclubs.) We took our cue and left.

Khao San Road is unfortunately not close to any public transportation, only the buses that would be crowded and stuck in traffic. So we paid the holiday rate for a tuk tuk, which was still only around $12 USD to cross the city.

What a fun tuk tuk ride home! We had water fights with strangers all the way home! Check out this video and this video to see what it was like.

Or Tor Kor Market

After an eventful night out, we slept in and visited a market that we had not checked out previously. If you’ve read our other Bangkok posts, then you know that going to a market was part of our weekly routine.

We were the only white faces in the whole place! So great to experience a locals-focused market. No gimmicks, no souvenirs.

We immediately walked through the food court and fresh food section. We ate a hot lunch then perused the airy and clean market aisles. Or Tor Kor has a reputation for being well-maintained and well-organized.

Or Tor Kor is located very close to Chatuchak Weekend Market. The problem with trying to visit them on the same day is Chatuchak is very large. It would be hard to reserve enough energy or time to fully devote to Or Tor Kor, especially since the visit would be on a more-crowded weekend day. We chose to go to Or Tor Kor during the week, when we could set a slow pace and really explore.

Corey found a stand that sold various Thai relishes and chile pastes (nam prik), which are difficult to find at American Thai establishments. The proprietor let him try increasingly hotter versions until he finally tapped out and chose a container with a sour, umami-filled spicy relish to take home.

We used the market to shop for food for our last few days. We try to eat one meal at home a day to keep down costs. Though eating out in Thailand is fairly cheap overall, getting a loaf of bread is cheaper and more versatile (peanut butter, tinned fish, butter, etc.)! A baker at the market offered fresh loaves made with Bob’s Red Mill flour.

On the way back home I stopped for a foot massage. The ladies at the spa may think I have an addiction! However, we were on our feet a lot and I wanted to pamper myself as best as possible while the price tag was affordable. No budget for massages in America!

Songkran, continued

Again? Yes, totally! The festival goes on for many days, as did our shenanigans. We decided to stay close to home for another night out in the streets with water pistols. So we strolled down the street to the Pullman Hotel’s Aperol Bar.

Employees and visitors mingled and shared guns around. It was so fun to spray each other and random people walking by. Per Songkran customs, there is no shooting at delivery drivers or those going to work. The fun was often reciprocated, sometimes by folks in the back of taxies who could snipe us and then close their windows!

Following the conclusion of happy hour, we took our “loaded” guns down Soi Cowboy. There were no water fights at this time of night since the ladies were dressed nicely for the dancing and, erm, shows.

Just outside of Soi Cowboy we were accosted by a friendly American fellow and his Thai gal pal. They soaked us down, so we sat next to them at the sidewalk bar which was basically a cart with some barstools set around it. We had a blast teaming up and ensuring we soaked all who walked down Soi 23.

We sprinted after those that tried to run away and coordinated surprise attacks on both sides of the street. We sipped on Jagermeister and reloaded our guns with ice cold water until there were less pedestrians coming by.

We eventually bid our farewells and went home. Our final drench of the night was by a sweet boy around the age of six, part of a large Thai group sitting outside of their home and throwing buckets of water on passersbys. Having an ice cold bucket of water dumped on my head felt like a fitting conclusion for the day.

The next day we stayed home relaxing by the pool, planning for future trips, and binging season two of Deadwood.

Maeklong Railroad Market

Our final adventure of the week was something that Corey researched and put together. We weren’t sure if the markets would be operational because of the holiday but we asked around and decided to try anyway. We had already visited many markets around Bangkok and each are unique. Sure, you see some of the same stuff being sold but each place we’ve been able to see different souvenirs, food, and crafts being sold.

So the most unique markets we wanted to try were the railway and floating market that are both about two hours away from Bangkok – and best visited together. The easiest way to make this trip is with an organized tour… but we don’t do things the easy way! We followed advice online and pieced this excursion together for less than $15 USD in transportation costs. You can book a group tour online (here) for around $30 per person.

Getting to Maeklong

We ordered a Grab taxi to take us to Mahachai Pier. There is a train from Bangkok (Wongwian Yai Station) but we would have needed to first get to the train station, which would have added more variables. Easier for us to just get the car directly and then start the adventure. Mahachai is a small port town with a large seafood market, so if you are there early you can add another market to your day.

At the pier we hopped on a ferry to cross the Tha Chin river (around 10 cents USD/person). The boats run when they are full, not on a schedule. The boat was big enough to accommodate scooters which I thought was pretty wild! The drive on and off looked scary and there was only split tires lining the rickety pier. 😬

The other side of the river is the Tha Chalom Pier (#6 on the map above, not #9). The Ban Laem train station (#1) is just a few blocks to the west. We took a longer route and walked through some residential areas, where some friendly locals were gearing up for the last day of the Songkran weekend. We purchased tickets at the booth (30 cents USD/person) and boarded the last car of the train.

We met a friendly and well-travelled Taiwanese man, Mark, and had a lovely conversation during the hour-long ride to (and through!) Maeklong market.

That was the highlight! This market is set up over and along the tracks and merchants move their items for the passing train then roll things back out.

It was packed with tourists and we got the best view from the train!! You have to check out this short video to see what it was like.

Once we arrived at the station we exited and sat down at a restaurant to take in the whole scene. The food was just okay and Corey’s dish of BBQ chicken included well-sauced chicken feet (not my thing!).

We walked around the market buying some souvenirs for family and delicious coconut pancakes for me. Okay, I shared a few with Corey.

It was then time for the train to depart and another photo opportunity – but this time we were on the tracks and not on the train! Here’s a video of that experience.

Do you want to go here?

The train you are looking for is Ban Laem (Samut Sakhon) to Maeklong (Samut Songkhram). Neither station has any other trains, so if you get to the station, it will be obvious. We chose to go on the 1:30 PM train to arrive at 2:30 PM, and then watch the train depart Maeklong at 3:30 PM. Check the timetables online first to avoid sitting at a rural train station with nothing to do!

It was a really neat experience and if you’re near Bangkok, should absolutely make the journey!

Amphawa Floating Market

Our day was not over though. Our next stop was the Amphawa floating market.

This market is quite famous and draws lots of tourists. We had first learned about it from Mark Wiens, whom continues to inspire our travel plans. This place is special because you can buy fresh fish from boats in the canal and have it prepared for you.

We walked a few blocks to take a songthaew from the railway station to Amphawa.

Songthaews are pickup trucks used as collective transport vehicles. In this case, the truck will take you and about 10 others directly to the Amphawa Market. The pickup point is noted on Google Maps as “Songthaew Station.”

It only cost 30 cents USD per person and the trip was about 15 minutes. Funny enough some of our friends from the train were riding next to us in the truck!

Once at the market we walked along the canal and browsed through the stalls.

Besides walking, visitors can also hire a boat and see the market from the water. We ended up not doing this but wish we had!

It was pretty hot and at one point Corey accidentally dropped his sweat towel into a large bowl of oily fish. Ew, gross!!

After an awesome day of exploring the narrow paths that weave around the market we were ready to head back to Bangkok.

The real adventure started when the sun was setting and we were ready to go home. Corey’s notes said that there were minibuses available to go back to the bus stations in Bangkok (where we would then take mass-transit back home). The notes said that the minibus stand was “clearly marked.” Maybe that was true prior to COVID! We found one badly-faded sign and no evidence that there were any buses. A friendly man told us in broken English that the minibuses no longer run, and our only option was to take a tuk tuk. Thinking we might be stuck, I did a quick search for hotels in the area while Corey looked for other means to get back to Bangkok. Eventually we decided to head back to Maeklong, where even though the train had stopped running for the day, there seemed to be more of a chance to catch a minibus. But the songthaews back to Maeklong were nowhere to be seen!

We waited on the corner for about 20 minutes hoping a songthaew would appear while a tuk tuk driver called after us. He was offering a fair price (below $3 USD) but it was still four times the price of the shared truck. There also comes a point where you’re trying to figure out when you’re getting fleeced and when someone is telling you the truth. I have been ripped off so many times as a tourist that I struggle to trust the “going rate” sometimes.

We eventually hired the tuk tuk (and paid the price he was asking for) and went back to the Maeklong bus station, which was shutting down for the evening. Had we arrived earlier we could have caught a bus that took us closer to our lodging, but at this point we were happy to take what we could get! We grabbed the last seats on a minibus back to the city. The bus held about 20 people and dropped us off at a bus station in Bangkok, near Or Tor Kor Market. We took a Grab taxi from there and within 20 minutes we collapsed onto our sofa in the air conditioning.

Bangkok Thai Boxing

Even though we had watched Muay Thai in Koh Lanta, Corey was interested to watch an event in Bangkok. He took us to Rajadamnern Stadium, the oldest Muay Thai stadium in Bangkok (opened in 1945). Rajadamnern is more transit-accessible than Lumpini Stadium, which moved in 2014 and is no longer located at Lumpini Park. Both stadiums offer events throughout the week, and Rajadamnern is currently hosting events on a nightly basis.

We went on a Monday night. Tickets are typically between $25-100 USD depending on the event. We paid $75 USD for ringside seats, as the cheapest seats were not being sold that night, and ringside was not much more than the mid-tier seats.

The entrance process was classy, with greeters outside the stadium and ushers walking us to our seats like we were at an opera house.

Rajadamnern Stadium has been modernized with video screens and fancy lighting. We had a lot of fun but overall did not feel that the Monday night fighters were of significantly greater skill than what we saw in Koh Lanta. The best fights in Bangkok are likely the best Muay Thai in the world. But Rajadamnern is close to the backpacking center of Khao San Road, and we think they draw a tourist audience no matter who is fighting (after all, we went without knowing).

We enjoyed our experiences watching Thai Boxing, and would go again. But if we see Muay Thai in Bangkok again, we would wait for a marquee event that is more worth the money.

Final Day

Our last day in Bangkok came up so fast. I spent my final day picking up Thai snacks, cheap Covid tests, and some made-to-measure pants. Had to make sure I got plenty of mango sticky rice, too!

It was also important to me to make sure I was well massaged before heading to Japan. I packed up pretty well and then sauntered down the street to get one last chair massage. The lady was a little surly but I tried to be kind because I didn’t want her to hurt me. For those that know, you don’t want to be on the bad side of your Thai massage therapist!

On my walk back to the apartment I took in all the sights, sounds, and smells trying to savor every last moment in that beautiful country. A thought came to me while doing that… I hadn’t seen any rats! I saw a few scattered cockroaches and a small spider or two but no rats. Must be the cats keeping them out! Or monitor lizards? Maybe both!

We had a wonderful visit in Thailand, and even Bangkok. To be honest, I wasn’t thrilled to dedicate an entire month to a behemoth city but we had a great time exploring, relaxing, catching up with old friends, and meeting new friends.

The time zoomed by and we can’t wait to visit Thailand in the future! I would even stay in Bangkok again. 😏