We took the Nattakan Bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok. When I previously searched online, it’s practically the only bus line that travels from Cambodia directly to Thailand so we wouldn’t need to ride another bus upon crossing the border.
When we booked our ticket though, the travel agency said that there’s a newer direct bus too. Although it’s cheaper, we didn’t take it because it doesn’t have a toilet onboard and we were thinking of a 12-hour land trip to Bangkok.
It was a Sunday and I quite expected that the bus would be filled with passengers but surprisingly, there were only about 10 of us on a large bus. They gave us free snacks, lunch, and water. There’s no WiFi though which was kind of okay because I just slept for the most part of the ride.
Another surprise was that we crossed the border smoothly and without a hitch contrary to what we’ve read online. e.g. bad experiences & scams at the border crossing. I guess it’s really better to take the direct bus because you can just leave your big bags on the bus while you line up at the immigration office.
The bus attendant also gave us instructions and assisted us. Since there were only a few of us, it only took about 20-30 minutes for everyone to complete the process. Little things truly amaze me – like the fact that about 2 hours from Siem Reap, we’re already in Poipet (Cambodian border) and a few steps from there, we’ve reached Aranyaprathet (Thailand border). It’s another country!
A few hours more from Aranyaprathet and we were in Bangkok – it only took a total of 8 hours. We thought it’s really gonna take us 12 hours and I had to mentally and physically prepare for it, lol. But it was a relief. I was also grateful that the road was fairly easy – all plains and highways with no scary bumps and no uphill and downhill obstacle courses.
These photos were mostly literally of the streets because our hostel was located just around Khao San Road, a short and busy street in Central Bangkok. There were soooo many tourists! So many massage places, boutiques, and food stalls. It’s a bustling area of the metro.
The first thing on the itinerary was, of course, The Grand Palace. I’ve always been fascinated with amazing architecture so I was thrilled to be in Bangkok and experience a must-see attraction, especially for first-timers.
However, we arrived at a time when Thailand’s most revered King Bhumibol passed away. Upon heading to The Grand Palace, there were so many locals wearing black.
They lined up peacefully to enter the palace. Some locals gave out free bottled water and food to passersby.
After asking three locals to explain what was happening, we found out that there was a memorial or tribute to the king and that all temples and museums were closed. Every person we spoke with was accommodating despite the sadness. We also felt sad over what happened to their king and although I was a bit bummed that I wasn’t able to visit the palace, it’s okay, of course, I understood.
In just a few hours of being around the locals, I’ve already learned so much. The Thai people are a strong community during that time of sorrow and grief. I understood that their king had become a source of strength and inspiration so I thought that it must have been a very difficult time for them.
Some say we came at the wrong time. But obviously, we didn’t know it would happen when we planned our trip. I had just experienced how supportive the locals were of their beloved king and their country. I felt like I was able to get a taste of a unique Thai culture and community in the short time that I was there.
It was unexpected but it was real. That experience was food for my soul. You don’t always get to witness such a united community and I found that in Bangkok during my first international travel.
Because the tourist attractions were closed, we decided to head to the floating market but every taxi driver we asked didn’t know where it was and we also didn’t know if there was a local name for it. So we ended up going to Siam Paragon instead. It’s this big luxury mall in Bangkok but we didn’t buy anything.
We just walked around and then headed outside to check some boutiques where I bought a couple of stuff. It was tempting to buy more but we didn’t have check-in luggage and we didn’t want to pay for the excess.
Our last night was spent at Buddy Beer. Cute lights. Charming and dreamy. They had nice music that wasn’t so loud. I can’t stand the crowd and loud music anymore. I’m 27 as of this writing but I can’t even.. lol!
Our check-out time from the hostel was noon but our flight from Bangkok to Manila was 12:45 am. We decided to stay in Siam Paragon to kill some time but we couldn’t find their baggage area and our backpacks were heavy. Mine was 8.75 kilos and I’d break a bone if we continued our walking spree.
So we decided to just head to the airport at around 1 pm and stay there until our flight. Twelve hours of waiting time, here we come! Thinking about it now, I didn’t know why we didn’t just leave our bags in the hostel and go sightseeing for the remaining time before heading to the airport. Haha.
To the airport now..
I was really hungry because I didn’t eat a lot. Again, I was afraid my tummy would act up while we’re mobile, plus I didn’t have enough Baht, and I didn’t want to exchange some more money.
For the most part, I slept at the airport (while sitting), then checked my phone, then slept again, then stared at the ceiling. I was people-watching. I was hungry. And also tired of waiting, lol.
Did I mention? I was sooo hungry that I ordered a cute platter of Bistek Tagalog inside the plane for Php 350. Oh my! Haha, so expensive as expected. But I had a good sleep after eating.
Thank goodness for charging stations like this. I had to leave my power back at the airport security because I wasn’t allowed to bring it in my hand-carry. They said I’d have to have the mAh written on it to prove that it passed the allowable power. Eeep.
We didn’t have enough time to go around Bangkok and even try all the local delicacies. Going around Khao San Road felt familiar but it’s amazing to know that you’re indeed in a different country with a different culture.
I felt the difference just by observing people and walking around the streets of Khao San. I wish to be back soon – with more space in my luggage!
That’s Bangkok in 48 hours for you.
2 comments
Comments are closed.