I usually do a recap of my ASEAN backpacking trips
for friends who ask how and how much. So far, we have done:
1. The Great Mekong Adventure (Ho Chi Minh – Phnom Penh, Siem Reap – Bangkok);
2. Indochina Love (Bangkok – Vientiane – Hanoi); and
3. Dutch East Indies (Jakarta – Yogyakarta– Bali).
1. The Great Mekong Adventure (Ho Chi Minh – Phnom Penh, Siem Reap – Bangkok);
2. Indochina Love (Bangkok – Vientiane – Hanoi); and
3. Dutch East Indies (Jakarta – Yogyakarta– Bali).
This trip is a repeat of the first (Ho
Chi Minh – Phnom Penh, Siem Reap – Bangkok). My friends just added Chiang Mai – Kuala Lumpur because I requested. I joined them in Bangkok.
Why is it called banana pancake? I also do not know.
Day 0
Flight from Manila to Bangkok
I took a direct flight from Manila to Bangkok,
which arrived shortly after midnight.
From the airport, I took a cab to our hotel, Suneta Hostel Khao San
I did study other transportation options, but it
was too late and I wanted to rest already.
From the airport, I just followed the directional
signs to the taxi stands. It was easy
actually, and there was an automatic queueing system, that hands out slip, which
has, among others, the name of the taxi driver and the lane it was parked. I had a print out of the address of the hotel
and the taxi driver called the hotel to ask for directions. Good thing.
I really thought the hotel was on Khao San Road.
I paid almost 500 Baht, which included cab fare,
toll fees, and an airport taxi fee.
Suneta is a backpackers' place. On my first night, I was booked in a 6-bed
dormitory (490 Baht), then transferred on my second night to a 4-bed mixed
dormitory. This time, I was joined by my
friends who came from Siem Reap.
Suneta is a nice and clean hostel. They have free coffee all throughout the day
and free breakfast. There are even free
toiletries. At first, I was questioning
myself why I didn’t book in a proper hotel, but after my first night, I enjoyed
Suneta.
Soi Rambuttri and Khao San Road
On my first day in Bangkok, I just roamed around Soi
Rambuttri, my favorite street in Bangkok, and Khao San Road, the popular street
for backpackers.
Day 2
Temple hopping
Our second day was a tour of Bangkok’s must-see
temples (AM); lunch at Prachak Roasted Duck, Bangkok’s most famous roasted
ducks; and a tour of Ayutthaya, an hour away from Bangkok.
We paid
a total of 5,500 Bath for the van rental.
We took a train to Chiang Mai that same evening. We booked the lower bunk beds of the first
class sleepers (1,500 Baht).
BTW, never book the upper bunk beds. They are not comfortable.
Day 3
We arrived in Chiang Mai past noon already. We got a red taxi or a Songtaew from the
terminal and paid 20 Baht each.
Our home in Chiang Mai was Yindee Stylish Guest House
(1,700 Baht per room).
I like Yinde Stylish Guesthouse. It is clean, uncluttered and spacious. It is also near some of Chiang Mai’s best
bars and restaurants. There is also a
7/11 nearby.
Much of our first day (or night) was spent at the
Saturday Night Market.
Day 4
Northern Thailand Escapades
On our second day, we got a tour from Travel Hub that
included elephant riding, white water rafting, bamboo rafting and waterfalls
trekking. We paid 12,400 Baht for the
whole group.
We also requested a visit to the Karen Long Neck
Village and we paid an additional entrance fee of 300 Baht.
We went to the Sunday night market after the tour. It was on a different street. There I found my best street food ever.
It's seafood cooked with egg and stuffed with fresh bean sprouts. Yummy! And, so cheap. Food in Bangkok and Chiang Mai are so cheap.
Day 5
Around Kuala Lumpur
The following day, we flew to Kuala Lumpur and we
hired a van to get us around Batu Caves and Kuala Lumpur. We paid 580 Ringgit for the van rental.
Our flight was an AirAsia FlyThru, so we didn't worry
about claiming and lugging around our baggage.
Then, after a very quick dinner at KLIA2, the new
budget terminal of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, we flew back to
Manila.
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