My Bangkok trip is all about shopping

And a little bit of clubbing. scanning through my photos, not as much as any other trips I had in these years ever since I had a (or should say SOME) decent camera(s). Due to my very very intensive shopping schedule, due to melted make up, etc etc. Any reason about being blonde and bimbo, is a bimbo trip anyway.

 

I'm not too sure what I can blog about a shopping trip. Maybe I shall try share about my personal shopping guide in Bangkok. It's personal anyway, ALT+F4 if you don't like it okie?

*Ultra long post warning.

First and foremost, let's talk about Accommodation.

Hotel Ibis Nana, located at Sukhumvit Soi 4, Bangkok. Official site click HERE.

Personal experience:

Average sized hotel, newly opened beginning this year therefore it's ultra squeaky clean and bright. Few years more then I wouldn't be too sure.

Room size is average too, nothing too fancy, but I like it clean and neat.

I'm happy with the customers' service. Credits to the friendly staff who Google for me on the spot upon my inquiries for restaurant's location, and he even printed out a map for me, credit plus plus.

- Hairdryer checked.

- Mini Bar with complimentary mineral water checked.

- Internet Lounge checked (pay per usage so I never use).

Location wise, it's not exactly in the city centre but it's about 5minutes walk to Nana BTS station which two stations away from the city centre, 10-15minutes tuk-tuk to Suan Lum night bazaar.

Free shuttle to BTS station is provided from hotel.

Cons - Their house keepers never bother to change bed sheet on daily basis, a chocolate stain that we left at the edge of the bed sheet has stayed with us through the 4d3n journey wtf.

Bring your own toiletries. If you can recall the soap dispenser in public toilet - that's how the toiletries been provided.

This is the lobby. Thank god a new hotel memory has replaced the impression of Hotel Brinchang wtf. 

The room interior.

The toilet.

 

Next comes my main concern, shopping.

 

♥ Day 01

We'd deliberately planned our arrival on Saturday to catch the Chatuchak weekend market (or J.J by the locals). Where you can get everything from there, from apparels to home deco to food to plants (they caged the plants cruelly and sell them to simply anyone) to artsy crafty stuffs to to everything even you have only a few cuddly teddy bears you can spread a mat on the ground and sell the few teddies too.

Oh and then if you want to, you may buy animiaos there and courier them back too.

How to get there:

Travel with BTS Skytrain via Sukhumvit line to Mo Chit station, and take a roughly 5minutes walk from the station.

Travel in Bangkok city with BTS is totally dumb-proof, everyone with a brain can make it, trust me.

This is what people does in Chatuchak - they eat, and then they shop till drop, then sit for chill out drinks, then shop again till dawn.

Pretty Cupcakes that has bluffed me with it's sugar-coated look.

Not surprise if you were to bump into some parade for unknown reason or some dudes who uniquely skilled like this. 

In Malaysia, bazaar frequently reckoned as "pasar", regardless a pasar malam, pasar pagi or Pasar Seni, they are normally very very pasar-ish. But in Bangkok, shops in bazaar may look great too.

My favourite shop in Chatuchak, selling handmade accessories. Very very English princessy, both their stuffs and interior, minus the guy storekeeper.

 

Victories Show-offs:

By wantik -

Two BAGs, one HAIRBAND (this is from my favourite shop!), one BELT, one DRESS.

 

By wantik's two sisters -

Uncountable great value everything.

 

By miaoz -

Two pairs of VINTAGE SHOEs, one pair of checkered SHORTS, two BELTs, one BANGLE, one COTTON SILK WHITE DRESS,one HAIRBAND from miao's favourite shop, three T-SHIRTs (for miaoz herself, for mummy and for sis), one LINEN SHIRT for dad.

 

First night itself the Saturday night, of course we wouldn't miss out the opportunity to hit the party scene in Bangkok. Impressive clubbing experience in Royal City Avenue (locally known as RCA). Will share more in Day 3, stay tune!

 

♥ Day 02

Good morning world. Taken in Ibis Nana hotel lobby.

 

Kick started our day with Lee Cafe @ Central World - located at the busiest commercial district of Bangkok, neighbouring major shopping complexes included Gaysorn, Siam Paragon, Siam Center. Walking distance to MBK, Pratunam Plaza, and Platinum Fashion Mall (to be introduced at Day 03).

How to get there:

Travel with BTS Skytrain via Sukhumvit line to Chit Lom Station,

p/s - Don't forget to pay a visit to the famous Erawan shrine that houses a statue of Phra Phrom which worshipped by the locals and believers from all over the world.

 

Personal Experience:

In Gaysorn and Siam Centre, you can find a lot more super premium designer brands which not available in Malaysia or some even ultra not wearable I don't know how in the world they can have business. And yes there's even Ferrari showroom in Siam Centre, salute.

Branded goods/designer goods in Bangkok are comparatively priced higher than in Malaysia. Eg. A Burberry polo tee that priced RM3xx in Malaysia, I found it 4xxx Baht after 50% discount. Shu Uemura Make Up Removal Oil priced RM270+- in Malaysia, found 3xxx Baht. Therefore I wouldn't recommend friends to purchase branded goods in Bangkok, not even if there's 50% discount, trust me.

What to buy:

1. Naraya Bags and Accessories - authentic Thai fabric products for daily usage, maximum practicality at reasonable price.

2. Lingerie in Zen Departmental Store - lingerie shopping in Bangkok is sooooooo the insanely addictive! Wide range of selection, pretty designs, great price too!

Except these, nothing much for me in shopping centres. Bangkok shopping is such contradict that you can either buy too cheap or too expensive stuff, nothing much in the middle, really.

 

When the night falls, that's the time for the real shopping war at Suan Lum Night Bazaar.

How to get there:

Travel with MRT to Lumpini Station, and then take an estimated 5minutes walk to the bazaar.

What to buy:

Everything!

Suan Lum is locally described as "the most luxurious market shopping experience in the city", you may find mixture of everything in there with a more comfortable way of shopping without sweating like a pig.

Personal Experience:

1. Almost every shops in Suan Lum claimed their items as "handmade in-house design which you can't find it anywhere else".

Some maybe true - there was this vintage jacket that I really like it and it was apparently overpriced so I just walked away hoping to find it somewhere else with better price, but sadly that was the first and last time I ever seen it. I can't believe till now I'm still regretting wtf.

Some are false - I bought this dress and the day after I met the origin of it in Platinum Fashion Mall (to be introduced at Day 03), the supplier actually told me it's pretty overpriced and I bought something similar with super low price. FML.

2. If it's not due to time constraint, I'll advice you to spend two nights to shop in Suan Lum - first night for browsing and "targeting" as well as price compare for the best deal.

 

Victories of the day:

by miaoz -

Two DRESSES, one TOP, two BELTS, one BANGLE from Suan Lum. LINGERIE all from Zen Departmental Store, Central World. Naraya cosmetics & toiletries POUCHES from Naraya, Central World.

 

By wantik - LINGERIE from Zen, DRESSES and SHORTS from Suan Lum.

 

♥ Day 03

English Breakfast @ Took Lae Dee Sukhumvit, a 24hours fusion restaurant by Foodland.

Frankly, not quite good experience :p

First stop of the day - Windows shopping in Gaysorn, the luxury shopping centre in Bangkok which house exclusively high-end luxury goods and designer labels.

 

Fine I cannot even afford a piece of scarf from Gaysorn, so I found my place at Platinum Fashion Mall, located about 10minutes walk from Gaysorn - the wholesale fashion shopping mall at Pratunam.

Personal Experience:

Yea it's a wholesale mall, so it's nothing else to describe than cheap, I mean really really cheap stuffs are selling there. Perfect place for girls but nothing much for guys (poor boyfriends).

Gather a group of friends you'll be able to get a much better deal with bundle purchase of min 2 or 3 items.

Bangkok is always Bangkok, even in a wholesale mall, there's space for you to bargain, but it's probably a price down of few 10s baht, so it's up to you whether it's worth for your time or not.

After shopping late lunch break at Platinum Food Court.

KFC Drumlet and Chewy Cheese too!

 

In fact taxi charges in Bangkok are pretty cheap, and there is no extra charge for midnight. But taking a cab during peak hours is definitely not a wise option. You might most probably ended up stuck in traffic jam helplessly just letting you precious travel time slip through.

In the evening, we hop onto a tuk-tuk to go back to Central World for a final shop-through. Siting in a tuk-tuk travel among the busy traffic is indeed quite a too fast too furious experience, for some reasons, tuk-tuk doesn't seem to require to follow traffic regulations.

 

Central World always tend to have cutie eye catchy decorations here and there.

As well as buggy service for tired shoppers. OMG it's so cute! 

The OMG-so-Blythe washroom in Zen, Central World.

 

The final night, we decided to explore the street food along our hotel road, Sukhumvit Soi 4. Sukhumvit Streets are pretty much flooded by tourists, massage services and pubs and clubs and convenient stores and lodging and even whores are everywhere that reachable on foot.

After dinner, we'd hit the happening clubbing zone, RCA (quite the similar with our Jalan P.Ramlee) - a street where trendy clubs that play various music genre.

How to get there:

I'm sure you wouldn't want to take tuk-tuk or train to club, right? So what else than taxi? Bangkok taxis are never too expensive, bear in mind, just insist to follow the mileage meter.

Personal Experience:

1. Bangkok clubs close pretty early about 2am. About 9pm-10pm clubs are getting hot and pack.

2. Just as usual, whenever you hoop into a cab or any form of public transportation in Thailand, NEVER EVER LISTEN TO THE DRIVER'S RECOMMENDATION.

I visited RCA twice, both times the taxi drivers tried to persuade me to wtfbbqisthat Hollywood and Spicy. These are the typical tuk-tuk/taxi drivers' scams -

"RCA no good, small small. Hollywood big big",

"RCA close very very early, I bring you to Spicy, Spicy open till 4am.", etc etc.

Do not even leak out you curiosity, otherwise these heartless cold blooded drivers will just fetch you straight to these god-knows-wtf-are-these places.

3. Bangkok clubs are unfair, cover charge is only applicable to foreigners - which clearly stated at the entrance. You may either pretend as a local (which I have no idea how), or grab a local friend to tag you along.

The cover charge is reasonable though. 200baht/pax at Route 66 where I went both party nights in Bangkok. Opening a Black Label bottle there is ridiculously cheap about 1800baht. So cheap you can't help must open bottle right? Then you'll know why...

Because their mixers (they serve Coke in the very old school glass bottle okie), even if it's water or Soda (in pitcher), and ice as well - these are all charged upon purchase of per bottle/pitcher/bucket basis, each 60baht.

4. Route 66 plays Rn'B (it rocks!), mostly 20-30-ish Thais or a few groups of foreigners (ok that's included me).

5. I miss RCA... T______T

Sharon, Neville, Doris, our two Thai local clubbing guides and wantik.

  "Foreigners" x local.

Route 66 - the glass club. FML I shall not forget to snap a photo of the stunning exterior lor.

We emptied a bottle of Red Label wth.

For some reason Red Label is so apparently a lot more popular over Black Label among the locals.

 

Then, we had a very very nicey after club supper.

Seafood Steamboat on the street outside of our hotel. I love it. p.s: the soup is rather sweet base than salty.

 

Before I call it a trip, victories show-off again!

by miaoz

Gladiator HEELS, CLUTCH, three DRESSES, two TOPS, one SHORTS, two BELTS, two very fancy HAIRBANDs, one HAIR CLIP and a shopping bag. All from Platinum Fashion Mall *smug smug*

by miaoz

711 victories - CUP MEE/CUP PORRIDGE in tom yam and pork flavor. MARLBORO Crisp Mint, freaking cutie Hello Kitty and Winnie the Pooh tissue.

 

Finally, I'm done with my Bangkok trip post! It's all subject to my personal preference, anything you don't like or you like, drop me a comment!

 

*Update*

Full Album of Bangkok trip click HERE