We took the ferry from Koh Chang to Trat and boarded a minibus to Bangkok. The bus cost only 450 Baht per person (about $15.) It was a bit crowded and took almost 6 hours to arrive at the bus station. Then we took a taxi ride from the bus station to our hotel (The Mermaid Bangkok on Suhkumvit.) Despite the fact that our hotel was only 2 miles from the bus station, the taxi ride took nearly an hour and a half due to the INSANE traffic at rush hour in Bangkok. I immediately had to join a conference call for work, so there wasn’t much time for dinner. We headed out onto the street about 10:000 pm and they were still crowded with people eating, drinking and shopping. We were in the popular and bustling Suhkumvit area and it’s a busy area no matter what time of day or night. We had some yummy street food (chicken butts and chicken livers on a stick!!!)
On Wednesday, Kirk and I took to the streets to explore the area. We have stayed nearby here before, and recognized many of the shops and streets, but were surprised at the number of new restaurants, shopping malls, and bars that have sprung up since we were here in January 2015. I made an appointment for a 5-hour spa day at Dahra Spa on Suhkumvit. There was a half-price promotion which included a body wrap, body scrub, detox facial, massage, and manicure for 2850 Baht (about $81.) I highly recommend this place if you have the chance to visit. While I relaxed in a luxurious spa, Kirk walked around the neighborhood to scope out good places for eating and drinking. After the spa day, we went to the Terminal 21 shopping mall, which is an indoor mall decorated like an airport terminal. It is 8 floors tall, and each floor is decorated with a different country in mind. We ate dinner (octopus balls, sushi, and weirdly, fish and chips for Kirk.) The mall itself was absolutely packed with people and more stores than I have ever seen in one place. We were reeling by the time we left.
In general, Bangkok is like sensory overload after spending two weeks on sleepy islands. If you’ve ever seen the movie “The Beach,” you may remember the scene where Leo DiCaprio’s character arrives in Bangkok after being on the beach for months and he is completely overwhelmed. We felt the same way. Bangkok is like Las Vegas on steroids and it’s wonderful for a couple of days. But we’re ready for the beach again!
