Temples and monks in Bangkok

Temples and monks in Bangkok

A first impression of Bangkok (Chao Priya,temples, street food and festivals)

Bangkok is such a huge metropolis and an exotic destination that everyone must experience so when I was invited to visit the city as part of a press conference and tour with Travel Bloggers Exchange, I happily jumped at the opportunity. Arriving very late at night (close to midnight) made the arrival even more exciting and scary since I don’t typically visit a new destination very late in the evening – but I was in good hands since I was visiting under capable hands with the Thailand Authority of Tourism.

Customs was very fast and we quickly boarded our busses for the hotel – Plaza Athenee which was at the heart of Bangkok. Once you exit the doors from the airport – you immediately feel the heat and humidity of the city, it’s warm and sultry. I’m exhausted but excited to be here at the same time. We get to the hotel in no time and check in quickly and I am in my room in no time, it’s quite modern and beautifully appointed with a large king size bed, sofa seating area and desk and a gorgeous bathroom. If you are looking for a fantastic place to stay in Bangkok, the Plaza really did make this a very comfortable and plush stay in the heart of the city, I do have to admit and it was very hard leaving the hotel for tours every day. If you are looking for more Bangkok family friendly hotels, check this guide for more details.

Desserts at the Plaza Athenee in Bangkok

Desserts at the Plaza Athenee in Bangkok

 

Exploring Bangkok city

The tourism office had a full schedule of activities planned touring around Bangkok for just one full day. Fortunately, we had some free time the following day and I had done some research on my own and wanted a condense version of  this 3 days in Bangkok itinerary with some cool monuments along the Chao Praya river like the Grand Palace, Wat Arun and Chinatown. I also did some initial research on solo travel to Bangkok and to understand some of the culture, safety considerations and scams that may also happen exploring the city.

Inventive food presentation at the Plaza Athenee

Inventive food presentation at the

Weekend brunch at the Plaza

After a relatively fast conference orientation it was already lunch and we were treated to the Plaza’s signature weekend brunch which is truly amazing and a food eating extravaganza. Let me give you a quick tour of the buffet highlights – it is so over the top again (yeah!)

 How’s this for a pool scene in Bangkok?

Plaza Athenee, swimming pool

Plaza Athenee, swimming pool

 

 Canal scene at Baan Silapin

In the afternoon, Our group of writers toured the old canals of Baan Silapin which is located on the Thonburi side of Bangkok and just across the large Chao Praya river. Probably one of the cool non-touristy places in Bangkok to explore, the canals, markets and temples here are fun to visit. The canals and traditional neighborhood at Baan Silapin is a fun experience visiting an old village area and canal scene at Baan Silapin. Traditional puppet dance performances are the Bangkok Artists House, a favorite place to see these puppet performances at their best.

Puppets at Baan Silapin in Bangkok

Puppets at Baan Silapin in Bangkok

Checking out the Street Foods at Baan Silapin

Street food of Bangkok

Street food of Bangkok

 

 Live performances at the Bangkok Artists House

Bangkok girls dance performance

Bangkok girls dance performance

Buddhist temples and offerings

Buddhist temples at Baan Silapin in Bangkok

Buddhist temples at Baan Silapin in Bangkok

Elaborate offerings at the temple in Baan Silapin

Temple offerings at Baan Silapin

Temple offerings at Baan Silapin

Buddha figure at Baan SIlapin

Buddha figure at Baan SIlapin

Temple offering display at Baan Silapin in Bangkok

Temple offering display at Baan Silapin in Bangkok

This conference and excursion to Thailand is definitely going to be an eye opening experience and filled with adventure, first time food experiences and amazing cultural experiences. I hope you stay tuned for upcoming posts of my experiences traveling around the country, especially in the Northern regions of Thailand. I had little time during the conference to explore Bangkok, so I was glad to have this reference city guide to Bangkok to show me some of the highlights close by. I would love to go back to Bangkok again soon and with my family, I’ve saved this post on the best family hotels in Bangkok for future reference. Also, I would love to take these day trips from Bangkok when I have more free time to explore.

If you enjoyed reading this post on Bangkok, please check out my other posts on the city and Thailand

Bangkok – walking through Chinatown

15 places to visit in Northern Thailand

Thailand travel – 10 tips and suggestions

Hill tribes of Northern Thailand

Untapped Loei in Northern Thailand

Eco tours in Northern Thailand

Hill tribe stay in Northern Thailand

Visiting Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Thank you visiting today and I hope you enjoyed A first impression of Bangkok, Thailand for Travel Photo Mondays. If you enjoyed the post, please do share it with any of the social media buttons on the site, and please do visit the bloggers below joining us for Travel Photo Mondays.

I was a guest of the Thailand Authority of Tourism and Tbex Asia for the Tbex Asia conference pre-tour, all opinions and thoughts were my own on the tour. Stay tuned for my visits to Northern Thailand and regions along the Mekong River.

Sharing is caring!