Because hello, bring on the shopping! 

Famously known to be everyone's shopping spot, Chatuchak Market is reachable by taking the BTS to the Mo Chit BTS Station or the MRT to the Chatuchak Park station and via exit 1 for both alternatives. You'll never go wrong when you're there though because the crowds will guide you to the right spot. My favourite reference to Chatuchak Market thus far is from a website called Bangkok.com because they give you the perfect rundown to the entire Chatuchak Market. 

Click to enlarge for a Chatuchak Market map!

Credits to Bangkok.com

And when I say a perfect rundown, I literally mean they made a map for you to understand how Chatuchak Market is segregated into parts. If you're going in groups, it's good to understand this map and make the Chatuchak clock tower your meet up location in case you get lost in the crowd because it's the easiest and most central location to spot. It may get rather stuffy inside the market, so be sure to lose your jackets and dress comfortable. That means tank tops and shorts welcome, but do wear a pair of good sneakers because there's almost nowhere for you to sit down. Bring an umbrella in case it rains however, because there are no hiding spots for you if it does. 

From 100 baht jeans to 250 baht bags and trinkets, Chatuchak is the ideal spot for you to complete every shopping you need. A souvenir for someone back at home? They got it covered. Need snacks for your colleagues and friends? Checked. Looking for pet food because they're so ridiculously affordable? Chatuchak will have it all. And trust me when I say this, their dog treats are amazing. My other half's dog would agree. 

Hello from the Chatuchak Park!

When leaving the Chatuchak Market, it could be a good idea to stop by the Chatuchak Park and sit down on the grass as the locals do to watch the people go by. It's a rather relaxing and interesting activity after you've explored the market, and it's free too. I'd also suggest you buy the tangerine juices inside the market that costs 20 baht a bottle because they're the freshest and best tangerine juice you can get around Bangkok. Or at least for what I've tried. 

All the damage, all the joy.

I left Bangkok the day after we visited Chatuchak Market with a rather heavy damage, but I was happy with what I could find through the trip. From 100 baht distressed jeans to 250 baht handmade bags with personalized engravings and that peculiar bread-cat soft toy we got for 40 baht, this Bangkok trip has been as fruitful as it needs to be. We had a 40kg luggage weight between both and ended up using only 26kg at the counter. I guess this means we could totally afford to buy more throughout the trip...maybe we'll learn to do better on our next trip. 

Until next time, Bangkok.

Not surprisingly, our flight got delayed at Bangkok the next evening and we arrived Kuala Lumpur about 40 minutes past midnight. Were we tired? Yes. Were we happy? Absolutely. We also spent the next day sleeping till noon, so I guess you could say it was great end to the trip after all.

MAEKLONG RAIL MARKET

Obligatory shot!

If you've seen videos showing a market with vendors keeping their goods at certain times, or as they scramble to keep their canopies, you'd probably know about Maeklong Rail Market. Pronounced as Mae-Kong, it's a 90km drive away from Bangkok and you can get here via a minivan ride from the Mo Chit Bus Station. Don't be fooled though, the bus station is nowhere near the Mo Chit BTS Station that takes you to Chatuchak market so it's highly recommended that you get a GRAB directly to the bus station. 

Spot your minivan!

Once you've arrived, ignore all stalls you first see and head right for platform 3 where more stalls and a string of minivans are waiting. These are the stalls that will take you to the Maeklong drop off spot, just a street away from the main attraction - the Maeklong Railway Market. It costs 90 baht per person on the minivan and the ride can span between an hour and a half to two hours depending on traffic on that day. Remember, you're actually leaving Bangkok for another state when you visit Maeklong. 

Look out for signs of a train track.

Once you've braved the long ride, just keep a look out for signs of a train track or a main market itself. The market is a literal mess with locals selling fresh vegetables, fruits, and catches like fish and prawn. It's rather dirty inside, but it's the life of locals that you shouldn't miss seeing. 

Don't miss taking photos on the track itself!

For first time visitors, you should be made aware that there is a certain schedule that the train keeps to so always try to be around the area about 10 minutes before the actual train arrival or departure. The most common times are at 6.20am, 9am, 11.30am, and 3.30pm if you want to see the train depart from the station and 8.30am, 11.10am, 2.30pm, and 5.40pm if you want to see it arrive. 

Watch this: We saw the train arrive at Maeklong Rail Market

For my other half and I, we caught the train arriving a little after 2.30pm and stood guard at 2 different ends of the market to experience how it is to see the train pull up at the station. He was situated at the start of the market where there were definitely less people and I was right in the middle of the market where I could see vendors pull their canopies in for the train to go through. The experience was pretty phenomenal and it's something you'd actually have to see for yourself to truly enjoy the moment. 

AMPHAWA FLOATING MARKET

It rained the entire day! What a bummer!

A mere 15-minute ride away from the Maeklong Rail Market, you can also visit the Amphawa Floating Market - a less touristy spot for you to experience a floating market as a whole. It's definitely smaller than the Damneon Saduak Floating Market, but it's nothing less of being amazing. From the Maeklong Rail Market, simply walk out to the main road and spot a row of songthaews in front of the 7-Eleven there. Songthaews are the locals' taxi-trucks and are most times open air and is a shared ride for about 10 to 12 people. This ride will cost you only 8 baht, a good deal since you've already made the trip all the way. 

Wave to the boats!

Once you've arrived the songthaew spot, simply ask the driver how to get to the Amphawa Floating Market and they should guide you accordingly as you hand them the money at the drivers' seat. Take note that you'll need to give them exact change as they rarely carry change with them. It should only take you 5 minutes to spot the market and there are stalls along the way to entice you with street food and local buys like tourist shirts and such. 

Seafood on the boat.

What's interesting at floating markets is that businesses are often dealt with on boats - which is essentially what floating markets are famous for. At Amphawa Floating Market, you can get an array of fresh grilled seafood such as prawns, scallops, and mussels or cool down with a coconut ice cream or two along the way. They also provide a 1-hour boat tour for only 50 baht, complete with a guide and safety jackets but we had to give it a miss as it was raining on the day of our visit. 

From the front seat.

To get back to Bangkok from Amphawa Floating Market, simply turn left from where you were dropped off during the songthaew ride and you'll find a minivan station on your left. It would look rather run down but there's regularly a friendly lady who will ask you where you're headed. The earliest minivan however only leaves at 5.40pm so it's good to walk around the market until about 5.20pm and make your way to the station. This ride will cost 60 baht per person and takes about 2 hours back to the Southern Bus Terminal. From there, you'd have to switch into a different minivan for 40 baht per person to head to the Victory Monument BTS Station or try to get a GRAB to wherever you need to go.

As an overall, the trip does feel rather lengthy from the numerous minivan rides but it's a really rewarding experience by the end of the day. Take note that you'll have to devote an entire day for this trip, but it's really not too pricey for an adventure like no other. Would I do it again? I may, but probably try to stay around the Amphawa area for a night so I don't have to do a one-day trip. The whole minivan ride does take a toll on your back and buttock. Just saying.

CATURDAY CAT CAFE

Hello, family portrait.

It's funny how visiting a pet cafe has now become a thing to every trip I take, but mostly it's a cat cafe that tips the cake because my other half is a cat lover. It's pretty obvious too, because he has 3 furkids living in his room - yes, 3. This time, he discovered Caturday Cat Cafe that's located right below the Ratchatewi BTS station and we knew for sure we needed to visit it. 

We hold no regrets.

When you first enter Caturday Cat Cafe, you'd think it would smell terrible because cat's poo smells ridiculous but it's obvious that this cat cafe is really well maintained. Before entering, you would be greeted by a friendly staff who would ask you to wash and sanitize your hands and then guide you to your table. There is no entrance fee unlike most pet cafes, but it's recommended that you get a drink per person while you're there. It is fairly pricey but I'd like to believe it goes into helping the cats get a better livelihood.

Why do you all look so displeased?

Most furkids at the cafe are purebred however, with the most majestic one being the Mainecoon. It was a show thief and my other half was absolutely head over heels for it. We also paid an extra 80 baht to have our picture taken with a cat of our choice and obviously my other half picked the Mainecoon without skipping a beat - as seen in the family portrait. That said, the other cats are also pretty cute and it's obvious that they're all very well kept.

Even if they look grumpy most of the time.

To get to Caturday Cat Cafe, you'd first have to grab a BTS to the Ratchatewi BTS station and take exit 2. Once you've gotten out of the station, take a slight u-turn to face a row of shops on your right and walk right through that parking space. Caturday Cat Cafe will be on your left and you'll be well on your way to kitty heaven in no time. 

I promise you that the trip is worth it.

YAOWARAT

Nothing like a tuk tuk in your shot for a Bangkok vibe.

Yaowarat is also known as Bangkok's Chinatown, and it's THE place to be if you're looking for roadside seafood, bird's nest and random bites here and there. Our first stop was T & K Seafood, a place that my other half found after watching a YouTube recommendation. 

Bangkok food got to me, check out my double chin!

With grilled prawns and squid eggs in lime sauce on our tables, I'd say the dinner was a decent fare. The seafood was undeniably fresh and service was warm and quick, but it didn't come with the easiest of price tags. Our meal itself came up to about 900 baht, with the most expensive and unworthy thing in my honest opinion being a bottle of tangerine juice at 230 baht. It was a good try however, and you'll almost never miss it because of how extensive the shop is over a little corner. 

Yaowarat's tasty toasted buns.

Just across the all famous T & K Seafood, you'll notice a line forming around the corner just outside the Government's Savings Bank. A stretch of the road is even cordoned off for everyone's safety and if you join the queue, you'd notice that it's really just for toasted buns. It ridiculously. Carefully grilled over charcoal fire, Yaowarat's toasted buns doesn't have an official name to the stall but is run by an old man and several of his quick handed staff.

Hot, toasty, delicious!

Be prepared to wait close to an hour for your buns however, because the queue just goes on and on. To make your orders, grab an order chit from the front of the stall and pick what filling you'd like in your buns and how you'd like it done. You can pick from fillings such as chocolate, chilli, egg custard, marmalade, and a few more choices and also choose your bun done-ness between a soft on the outside and crispy on the inside or vice versa or just crispy on both. Once you're done, be sure to look out for the number on your chit before you drop it in their order basket as they would call it out for your bun collection.

We picked the chocolate, chilli, and egg custard (Also known as kaya) with soft on the outside and crispy on the inside buns for 20 baht each and devoured them all right next to the stall. Was it worth the 1 hour queue? I'd say it was a yes and no. For the experience, these toasted buns were definitely something and the chilli filling felt kind of creamy with a spicy kick - kind of like having chilli crabs (?) while the chocolate filling was nothing much to shout about. The egg custard filling was pretty good however, but didn't have a good enough kaya kick as I wished it would have had. 

Do they look alike or what?

We ended up going home with a bread-like cat soft toy that we found in a random shop near Yaowarat for 40 baht, and it became our souvenir from Bangkok aside to the clothes and collectibles we got. We call it Minbao or "bread" in Cantonese for rather obvious reasons, but now we wish we got more than just 1. Maybe next time.

PLATINUM MALL

Can't say you were in Bangkok till you a get a shot on that Platinum Mall bridge.

To kick start the trip, we decided to head to Platinum Mall first - a shopping haven that almost everybody visits when you're in Bangkok. Situated around the Pratunam area, Platinum Mall is where you'll get your clothes shopping therapy done and for a rather good price if you're good haggling...or looking out for nooks and crannies. 

Hand painted pouches.

One of my favourite purchases from Platinum Mall had to be these hand painted pouches that turned into souvenirs for several of my friends and my sister-in-law, and they had a rather decent price tag too. The shop is located at the top floor of zone 2 in Platinum Mall, and you'd die over the choices of bags, soft toys, and t-shirts that they have to offer inside. I ended up paying about 800 baht for 4 pouches with some minor haggling, but it's good to always have a thick skin and just start low.

Everyone's cliche Bangkok shot.

There are 2 ways to get to Platinum Mall if you're not living in the Pratunam area, both of which includes taking the BTS and walking a little. For one, you could get to Ratchatewi BTS station and then take a walk or go the smarter way via the Chit Lom BTS station, where you can then go through a skywalk through the Gaysorn Mall and pass CentralWorld. Both ways require a 15-minute walk so be prepared with rather comfortable shoes because that's what you'll be doing a lot. Walking. 

 

MEGA PLAZA

Hello collectors' heaven.

If you're not one for shopping and would love to spend your time looking out for collectors' items such as figurines, soft toys, and other little trinkets, you'd definitely fall in love with Mega Plaza. Spanning over 6 floors, Mega Plaza houses both limited edition and regular edition-ed items and most times are priced rather reasonably. A little haggling is definitely recommended, but try not to go too low as vendors here are a little less than friendly.

This sadly costs 5,500 baht.

I was tempted to part with my money quite a few times, but remembered that I was soon going to move and the house isn't that big after all. So pictures will do, and perhaps if we're fated I'll go back and get what I really want anyway. Additionally, they also sell cameras and BB Guns at the plaza but you'll have to check on your immigration allowances if you're buying those guns at Mega Plaza.

Drool now, Gundam lovers. Drool.

My other half did get himself a rather good Gundam set for about 700 baht at a store, and we ended up with great brick deals at 200 baht a box. The bricks were definitely not original and were just replicas of the recently well-sought after JECKA bricks but the Gundam sets available were the real deal and my other half would be glad to vouch for it.

Until we meet again, Moogle.

Sadly, it's impossible to get to Mega Plaza without a car and it's pretty out of the way from all central places but if you're a true collector who needs to satisfy your cravings for some rather great collectibles, it's really just a GRAB ride away. As a bonus however, it's rather near Yaowarat - Bangkok's very own Chinatown so maybe you could plan your itinerary as such that you'll make your way to Yaowarat for dinner after Mega Plaza? After all, you'll need the fuel after walking through the mall.

Loved the idea of 2 beds put together as one.

I'll be honest: The bed was not made because I took this on the day we checked out instead of when we checked in. For starters, the idea of having 2 beds put together as one was really heavenly for the both of us because it meant we wouldn't bother the other when we turn our backs. Also, this meant we had 2 separate blankets like we do at home and I appreciate things like that. The bed was not too soft nor too stiff, though the pillows are better for those who likes 'em soft. My other half opted to take an extra pillow from the common room to sleep with. 

Loved my ceiling to floor glass windows for maximum light.

Just enough for whatever you need.

The room is as basic as it gets however, with 2 beds, a table, a towel rack for 2, and a cupboard if you plan to store your things. In the end I also had to convert random plastic bags into trash bags, but the space in the room was widely appreciated when I was packing up our days and days of shopping. It doesn't have an ensuite though, so you need to share that with whoever else was staying on the same floor as you. At any one time, you're probably sharing with 6 other people but as long as everyone keeps it clean, it's alright. It does feel rather eerie at night because it's not very well lit in the toilet, but how long are you going to stay in the toilet anyway?

Bright and clean pantry for all. 

Hostel @ Thonglor also features a really great pantry that's free for all to use, so long you keep it nice and clean after using it. They also provide fresh and really delicious bananas on a daily basis, and I made sure to grab one every morning before going out. Their WiFi was a little poor in the rooms however and I ended up using my own data through my stay. It could also get a little noisy at times because it's located around pubs and eateries that open till late but that only ensures that it's safe because you get people coming in and out every minute of the day. Don't worry about people entering the hostel though, they can only get into the hostel if they have access to the card key and female tourists can opt for a female-only dormitory if they feel much more comfortable.

 

It's only a 5-minute walk away from the Thonglor BTS which is a great plus, and you have access to about 7 different 7-Eleven stores within a 5-minute radius which is crazy. So would I get back to Hostel @ Thonglor? Absolutely! I mean, the location itself is to die for and the hosts are ridiculously friendly. They also allowed us to keep our luggage at the lobby before our check-in time at 3pm and after our check-out at 12pm, and assured us that it would be safely under their watch. 

 

To book the room I stayed in, click here or check out the rest of their listings through Airbnb! Oh and if you haven't got an Airbnb account, be sure to register through my link to get RM 105 off here!