While planning our trip to Vienna, I came across the polaroid cameras tour. I’ve done some research into the companies offering the tour and found Instant Tours – Who, in addition to offering a tour of the regular sights, offer a more urban tour of cooler, hipster areas. I was immediately captivated and booked their tour.

Polaroid cameras tour

Explanation of how to operate the camera

Upon arrival to the meeting point, we met the guide, Nora, and found out we were the only ones on that day’s tour – So we ended up getting a private tour and enjoyed ourselves very much. At first, Nora took us to a comfortable place where we sat down, learned about the history of the camera and were instructed by her on how to take photos with it.

The camera isn’t difficult to operate and ultimately only requires a single button push to shoot a photo – But when the photo comes out, it needs to be pulled out in a certain way so as not to expose it to light.

Nora brought a trial film for us to practice photographing and taking the photo out properly. The tour’s price includes an 8-photo film. You can buy additional film at the price of 20 euros. I thought a part of the fun was the need to think a lot before taking a photo and considering whether it’s worth taking a picture or not. Nora also told us not too look at the pictures we took, so we could unveil them at the end of the tour. So, we were curious how they turned out for the duration of the tour.

 

Stopping points for picture-taking

After the explanations were done, we started the tour. At first, we went to a cool, hipster place and looked for unique things to take a photo of. Roman had taken the first photo within 5 minutes, but I was greedier with the photographs and held off.

One of the stops we had was in a lovely garden where, in the summer, movies are shown on a projector. It also houses a little circus. It’s a colorful area and had many cool features worth taking a picture of. There we asked Nora to take a picture of the two of us with the camera. Nora is a professional photographer, which added to the tour as she not only took really pretty photos of us but also gave us tips of what we should photograph and at one angle.

 

 

From the garden we moved on to a local market which is open on weekends, but when we arrived there were a few stalls open as well. Roman insisted on taking a picture of potatoes there claiming it’ll be artistic and unique. Hint: It turned out ugly!

 

 

After the market, we went on to an area with graffiti and street art by a water canal. This was my favorite area, as it has a ton of graffiti and interesting statues and is where we took most of our photos and thought of created and original ideas.

 


 

The tour was approximately three hours long, at the end of which we sat down and unveiled the photographs we had taken. Most turned out unique and beautiful, and we photographed a collage of them. Using the polaroid camera had reminded me of the film camera we used to own – It was truly a special experience using it in place of a digital camera. The fact you only have a single try to take a photo emphasizes the thought and creativity in taking a photograph, which I liked very much.

Points regarding the polaroid cameras tour

* This is a light and fun tour which really invokes your creative side

* We had a very pleasant time with our guide, Nora, who was lovely and helped us take wonderful photographs

* During this urban tour, we enjoyed seeing places in Vienna which we wouldn’t have otherwise

* Taking pictures using a polaroid camera is really a special experience

* You may purchase a polaroid camera

* You may purchase an 8-picture bundle for an extra cost

Roman and I try to go on a bike tour at every destination we visit. It’s one of our favorite activities when traveling, and to be honest – the tour we booked in Vienna has outdone every bike tour we’ve been on thus far.

We booked through Pedal Power company and chose the Wachau vineyards tour. We chose this tour because we love wine tastings, the route is long (26 Km) and we wanted something challenging and because the Wachau valley photos looked really beautiful.

The bike tour

The tour started at the company offices at 8am. Grant, our guide, explained the route and had us sign a safety form for the trip. We were a group of five, plus Grant. From their offices, we took public transport to the train station where we had time for coffee and pastries. Then we boarded the train to Wachau. The ride was just over an hour.

Wineries Bike tour from Vienna to Wachau, Austria - Traveling outside the box

 

The bike itself

Upon arriving at the destination, the town of Krems, we went to their office to get our bikes. Roman was pleased to know they had bikes for very tall people. The bikes are well maintained and were comfortable to ride. This is very important, especially when you need to pedal a lot.

The bike tour route

Grant showed us the route we were about to take on a map before we headed out. The scenery was beautiful from the start, but he told us to hang on with the photos – as the real beauty hasn’t started yet, and he turned out to be right.

 

Wine tastings

Every 2.5 Km or so we stopped to take photos and listen to a short explanation about the area. We passed cartoonish little towns and vineyards and at one point stopped at Dürnstein and had a wine tasting there.

We tried white wines and one of them was truly excellent, so we bought it to take back home with us. Anyway, after the wine tastings we had the option of going up to a vantage point or walking around the town. Roman and I split ways.

He went up to the vantage point to take pictures from up high and I took photos of the lovely town itself.The Wachau region is known for it’s apricots, hence there are many shops selling apricot products and offering very good liquors.

 

 

 

Lunch

After some free time, we sat down for lunch. We visited a local restaurant in town and everyone ordered a different dish. Roman ordered goulash with potatoes, the other guys ordered Schnitzel and I ordered a vegetarian dish of cooked vegetables with an egg, sunny side up.

The meal isn’t included in the tour’s price but is a reasonable 11 euros each. Those who’d rather skip the restaurant can buy a little something at the bakery – But I recommend eating something filling, as the tour is long and a bit intoxicating, so you’ll want to charge up your energies.

 

More wine tastings

After lunch, we continued riding and arrived at a lovely village. There, we held more wine tastings, this time in a small vineyard owned by a local family. We drank the wine on a balcony with a stunning view. We tried sweeter, white wines as well as some red. I must say the wine, along with the view, were a perfect experience. We enjoyed the view, talked a bit about the wine and Grant told us more about the region.

 

The way back

From there we got on a shuttle which transported us to the other side of the valley. The cool thing about the shuttle was that it wasn’t motor-operated. Rather, it was propelled by a jet of water and guided along a cable, to prevent going off course. Upon reaching the other side, we started making our way back to the train station. At some point we stopped to sit on a small beach and Grant let us try some apricot schnapps. It’s a highly intoxicating schnapps with a 40% alcohol content and it got to me straight away 🙂

 

Because of some delays during the trip, we ended up being late to the 5 o’clock train. However, this turned out to be for the best – as it allowed us more time at an area by the train, which has a good ice-cream shop as well as some other places to eat at.

We boarded the train at 10 minutes to 6pm. We returned to Vienna exhausted and very pleased. Grant was a charming guide, who was fun and patient.  The combination of wine, beautiful landscapes and a laid-back ride on a bike trail were a winning combination as far as we’re concerned.

Several points regarding the bike tour

 

The last two nights on our trip to Vienna we spent at the gorgeous Beethoven hotel.
Hotel prices comparison and additional reviews.

The hotel’s location is excellent, a central area by the open Naschmarkt (a local food market with many restaurants, cafés and bars). The hotel is near public transport and within walking distance of Vienna’s main attractions.

We arrived at the hotel around 11AM and were immediately impressed by it’s design, which was classy and elegant and made you want to put on your best clothes ?
We were greeted with a smile at the reception and within ten minutes our room was ready and of course we went straight to it.

 

The room itself

We got the room named “Salon” on the second floor. Every floor has a different style, and every room – a different design. We got Beethoven’s room (At least, that’s what it said on the door :)). A big, spacious room, but what excited us the most was the corner sofa area that had large windows overlooking Vienna’s beautiful buildings. The room’s design matched the design of the hotel, a super elegant, 19th century look.

There was a bathroom, a separate stall shower, a television, bed, dresser, living room corner, large closet and a coffee and tea corner with a kettle.

 

What does the hotel have?

The hotel has a beautiful lounge where you can sit down and enjoy coffee or tea with small snacks, such as cakes and cookies, throughout the day. The hotel also has a nice porch with colorful sitting spots.

 

We arrived at the hotel on a Sunday and as it turns out, it hosts a small concert (with free entrance) each Sunday, also serving bubbling wine at 18:00 o’clock. So, naturally at 18:00 we went down to the concert.

The hotel concert

The concert was held at the hotel lounge.
We put on some fine clothes, and it was really nice – there were rows of chairs and we just sat there and enjoyed the classical music, played on a cello and a piano. The players were amazingly skilled, and we felt ourselves get swept away by the music. 25 minutes in was a short intermission during which we were served bubbling wine.

 

The hotel’s breakfast

Breakfast is served on the first floor. It’s a varied meal with a large selection of different dishes. Fruit, vegetables (There were pineapple and fresh figs, which was really nice), different types of corn flakes, dry fruit, porridge, good hard cheeses, sausages, dips (There was, for example, Guacamole dips and an egg paste), a selection of breads and desserts. There were also different tea infusions and the option to ask for a coffee, such as a cappuccino or latte.

 

The hotel has a bistro with local food and a bar. On our second night at the hotel, we sat in the lounge and ordered cocktails from the bar (I ordered a grapefruit Campari). The view of the city made for an excellent hangout.

 

What is there in the hotel’s area?

That same night, we went out to an Italian restaurant in the Naschmarkt food market by the hotel. Additionaly, close to the hotel is a vegan burger joint – Swing Kitchen, one of the best I’ve eaten at and they also serve the best vegan cheese cake. Highly recommended to non-vegans as well.

 

 

A 10-minute walk away from the hotel is the stunning Karlskirche church (Map). It’s very beautiful there, I’d recommend bringing a book or headphones along and just sitting by the church’s small lake and relaxing.

Walking distance from the hotel is also Kärntner street (Map), which is a great street for shopping, bars, restaurants and cafés.

In conclusion, the Beethoven hotel is a high-class hotel with excellent service, a fun, central location, luxurious rooms, offering a classic, musical, European experience ?

We spent a week in Vienna, staying at two different hotels – One was The Harmonie Hotel, a boutique hotel we spent three nights at and had a wonderful experience.
Hotel prices comparison and additional reviews.

The hotel itself is in the Serviten quarter, a central but not overly touristic area, housing many modern restaurants, bars, cafés and easily accessible public transport.

We arrived at the hotel in the morning and were impressed by the beautiful lobby, the flora climbing the sides of the building and the nice sitting area outside.

 

and our room was already prepared for us! We were very excited by the early check in and went up to our room.

The room itself

We got the upgraded room, which was large and spacious – with a bathroom, a sofa, and bed with a small writing desk by it, a dresser with a mini bar, a kettle and tea set and a TV.

Two chocolate candies and a “welcome” greeting were waiting for us on the bed and above it hung a Luis Casanova Sorolla picture, which added a lot to the artistic design of the room and the hotel.

The bed was super comfortable, so much so that it was difficult to leave in the morning – But knowing we had an excellent breakfast waiting for us, we found motivation enough to leave the bed ?

 

 

Breakfast at The Harmonie hotel

Breakfast is an organic buffet with a really pretty presentation and a large variety of high-quality foods. Gourmet hard cheeses, sausages, smoked salmon, vegetables, dips, appetizers, breads, eggs, many healthy treats such as granola, dry fruits and more, natural juices and different desserts every morning.

You can order eggs done to your taste, such as poached eggs, from the employees, as well as tea or coffee. Breakfast was amazing, and we enjoyed it very much. Moreover, the dining area was very pleasant and inviting. The design is a modern retro in red, white and black colors. On one morning we were in a rush for a tour and didn’t have time for coffee, so the employee suggested we take the coffee as takeaway, which was very nice.

Our breakfast was so good, we invited our little friends to enjoy it too.. ??? .Can you spot them? . Tag the special friends you would take to a hotel’s breakfast like this one ?? . . @the.harmonie.vienna . . #harmonievienna #the.harmonie.vienna #viennahotels #bestbreakfast #boutiquehotel #organicbreakfast #viennabreakfast #trvbox

A post shared by Nofar Ronen | Travel blogger ? (@trvbox) on

 

 

 

Tea break after lunch

Everyday, from 15:00 to 18:00, tea and cakes are served in the hotel’s lounge. The cakes are different each time and are all really good, there was a plum cake, a Nutella cake, a cream cake and more. We got to have tea and cake there twice, I ordered coffee off the menu since I wanted more coffee :)). There is also a food menu you can order from.

The lounge holds many books, pleasant music and it was very nice to spend the afternoon there and get some rest from running around the city.

 

Additional information

The hotel is close to the Freud museum, which we visited on one of our days there. The museum was founded in 1971 and tells the life story of Sigmund Freud.

The museum holds the world’s largest psychoanalytic research library, with over 35,000 volumes. The exhibit includes original items belonging to Freud and parts of Freud’s vast ancient collection. If you’re fans of philosophy and psychoanalysis, I believe this museum will interest you.

The hotel’s website offers the “Freud package”, including tickets to the museum and two vouchers for coffee in Vienna’s famous “Café Central”.

 

 

Close to the hotel is a restaurant-bar named “1090” which is really fun to spend the evening at and have a drink or a meal. I ordered a great chicken and avocado sandwich and Roman ordered a hamburger. It’s a vibrant place with a fun atmosphere and great food.

 

The hotel also has a small gym and conference room. In conclusion, if you’re looking a beautiful boutique hotel with great service, a central location that isn’t too touristic, with excellent organic breakfasts and a luxurious bed – This one will fit you well ?

 

Two years ago, we spend two months in Thailand and had so much fun – we decided to return. Last time, our route was Bangkok → Ayutthaya → Hua Hin → Ko Samui →
Ko Pha-Ngan  → Phuket Town → Ko Phi Phi → Phuket Town → Chiang Mai → Pai.
Which is why, this time, we decided to try a different route. I planned it meticulously and it turned out to be an amazing trip, combining the luxury and good life of Thailand with much of the local experience. The route we took was Bangkok → Kanchanaburi → Phuket → Phuket Town → Koh Yao Yai island → Khao Lak → Khao Sok → Bangkok (Final night).

Three-week Thailand itinerary

Five nights in Bangkok

We started our trip in Bangkok. We took a Royal Jordanian flight in January. We booked our tickets approximately 4 months at the price of 650 dollars per person from Israel.

Luxury experience

A charming boutique hotel, Casa Nithra, with a rooftop pool – Two nights
Octave bar and Above Eleven, rooftop bars.
A cooking class in the flower market

Local experience

Pho Place Guesthouse in china town – A clean guesthouse in a quite but central location in china town.
Eating street food
Visiting a bar on Rambuttri street
Visiting the king’s palace and the reclining Buddha temple.
Thai massages at 200 baht an hour.
A bike tour of the local market and the jungle

You may read in detail about everything we’ve done in the post “10 Unique, cool things you have to do in Bangkok”

Three nights in Kanchanaburi

Luxury experience

We had a private driver named Tom (Tom’s website, get 5% discount for service transportation using the code : trvbox)  drive us to Kanchanaburi, stopping at markets along the way. The next day Tom took us bamboo rafting in the river

Local experience

Visiting the floating market in Amphawa and the Railway market.
We stayed at a good guesthouse in a less touristic area, Baan Ma Fueng.
Visited the bridge on the river Kwai
After rafting, took a local train back to Kanchanaburi
Took a local bus to Erawan falls and back
Went out to local bars in the evening and ate at the local night market

You may read in detail about our trip to Kanchanaburi in the post “Perfect three-day Itinerary for Kanchanaburi – Including a visit to the floating market and the railway market”

We took the bus back to Bangkok, then a taxi to the airport and a domestic flight to Phuket.

Three nights in Phuket

Local experience

Since we landed at quite a late hour, we preferred to stay the night at a cheap guesthouse and the move over to the luxurious resort in the morning. We stayed at Pensiri House, a two-minute walking distance from the resort. We arrived by cab from the airport (We asked to pay based on the time the ride took, as it’s a short one – only about 10 minutes).

Luxury experience

We spent two nights at The Slate, a gorgeous resort by Nai Yang beach. You may read in detail about our experience at the resort in the post “The perfect resort for a prestigious vacation in Phuket – The Slate resort”

Two nights in Phuket Town

Local experience

We stayed at the well-situated Beehive Phuket Old Town hostel. We liked the hostel’s service, design and location. However, there was a foul smell in the bathroom and shower, so I wouldn’t quite recommend it. The last time we were in Phuket, we stayed at Baan Sutra hostel, which I liked better.
In Phuket Town we ate at local spots, such as a food court
We walked Talang Road (Map). There’s also a night market there on Sunday’s, which is very cool. The street is full of shops and modern cafés and the houses themselves are colorful and cool.
We ate at the local Lock Tien food court (Map). There’s a stall offering tasty noodles and skewered meat with satay sauce.
We visited the Indy night market (Map), which is a touristic market but with many street food stalls. Next to it is also Limelight Avenue (Map), a small mall with stores and cafés.

Two nights at Koh Yao Yai Island

We took a taxi from Phuket Town to Chianwanich Pier (Map). From there we took a speed boat to Koh Yao Yai island. On the island, we took another taxi to Santhiya resort.

Luxury experience

We spent two nights at Santhiya resort. The resort itself was beautiful, and one of it’s biggest pros is the infinity pool, which offers an incredible view. We spent most of our time in the pool and were amazed by the view each time. The room itself is beautiful too and has a balcony with a jacuzzi in it. The resort houses several restaurants, a gym, spa, library, beach and two pools. The rooms, the infinity pools and breakfast are located up the mountain, so transportation is by shuttles. The shuttles pass rather frequently, but we did have to wait for them a couple of times.

The service itself is good and the employees are nice, but not all of them understand English – so communication wasn’t the easiest. The food at the resort was good, but nothing special. In conclusion, if you come for the view, the room and the infinity pool – Then this hotel is perfect for you. But if you’re looking for a sense of being pampered and a high-quality luxurious experience – We felt something about this resort was missing.

Local experience

Honestly, during our stay, we haven’t left the resort. The island itself seemed charming, and we were bummed about not having enough time to explore it a bit or even stay at a guesthouse and enjoy the island’s local experience.

Three nights in Khao Sok

From Koh Yao Yai island we took a speed boat back to Phuket, where we got on a private cab to Khao Sok (I’d recommend taking a boat that goes to the pier close to the airport if you’re planning on taking a cab). The taxi was 2800 baht and the ride lasted about 3 hours.

If you want to take a bus you’d be better off taking a boat to the pier by Phuket Town, followed by a cab to Phuket Town itself and then a buss to Surat Thani. A bus ride is around 4.5-5 hours long.
We spent three nights in Khao Sok, one of which was at Cheow Lan lake.

I’d recommend getting the tour to the lake through the guesthouse you’re staying at, that way you’ll have somewhere to leave your luggage when going on the tour. The guesthouse owners don’t like guests who don’t order the tours through them, as it’s a major part of their income. All guesthouses offer the same tours, for the same prices.

Local experience

Blue Mountain Guesthouse was a small, homey guesthouse immersed in nature, with a local restaurant run by the guesthouse owners. The tour to Cheow Lan lake was one of the trip’s highlights and the park itself was a lot of fun, too. You may read in detail about our experience at Khao Sok and the lake in the post “Khao Sok national park – magical experience in Thailand, including a trip to Cheow Lan lake”

Luxury experience

I think people who visit Khao Sok should enjoy the local experience and the simple lodging, as you’re not indoors most of the time anyhow. Khao Sok is an experience of nature and vistas.

Two nights in Khao Lak

We booked a van ride through the guesthouse’s owner, which picked us up straight from the guesthouse in the morning. The drive to Khao Lak was approximately an hour and a half, and the driver dropped us off on the main road, adjacent to the hotel we booked, Moracea.

Luxury experience

We stayed at the lovely Moracea resort. It was simpler than The Slate or Santhiya, but still very high-class. It also had the best food, in our opinion (In the seaside restaurants). We liked the beach a lot and practically spent all day on the tanning beds by the beach and the beach itself. We came to the resort with only resting and tanning in mind. The resort houses 4 pools and 3 seaside restaurants. The rooms are very large, pretty and spacious. Breakfast was varied and nice, but ultimately nothing special.

A night in Bangkok

We took a cab from Khao Lak to Phuket’s airport, by the . Our flight was in the afternoon, and we arrived in Bangkok in the evening. We took a cab from Bangkok’s airport back to the Sokhumvit area.

Luxury experience

We spent the night at Solo Sokhumvit2, a boutique hotel we really enjoyed staying at on our previous trip, two years ago. I’m not a huge fan of the Sokhumvit area, I find it too crowded and has a lot of prostitution going on, but also offers street food and is easy to get around due to the sky train.

Bangkok is one of my favorite cities in the world. It combines luxury with a local experience.

I’ve been to Bangkok twice, each time for a full week, and somehow it still wasn’t enough. Every visit felt completely different, yet equally exciting. Having the time to really dive into the city allowed us to experience Bangkok beyond the highlights, from wandering local neighbourhoods and street food alleys to indulging in luxury hotels, rooftop bars and unique experiences. Those two-week-long visits only deepened our love for the city and proved just how many layers Bangkok truly has.

From Bangkok, we also headed out on short trips to Kanchanaburi and Ayutthaya. Both destinations are an easy drive from the city and make perfect day trips, but they’re also great for a 2–3 night stay if you want a more relaxed pace — which is exactly what we chose to do. These side trips were a wonderful way to balance the intensity of Bangkok with nature, history and a completely different atmosphere, all without traveling far.

 

 

Going to cafés with a super cool concept

A unicorn café, A Moomins café , A Hello Kitty café , Perhaps Rabbits’, an Alice in wonderland café, Maidcafe Maidreamin, a Japanese-styled house of maids out of dreams, Mocking Tales, a legends and fantasy café, Hajime Robot, a Japanese restaurant in which a robot serves food and dances. Read more about these Cafes in our post “Crazy themed Cafes in Bangkok”.

 

 

 

Going out to rooftop bars

Bangkok has many bars situated on the rooftops of buildings or hotels, which offer a beautiful view over the city, as well as being high-quality bars with a great atmosphere.

We got the chance to visit to such bars, the Octave Bar and the Above Eleven bar.
Octave bar has a very luxurious style to it and is located on the roof of the Marriot hotel on floors 45-49. The entrance is through the hotel itself. I’d recommend booking a spot a few days ahead of time, as it’s almost always full. If you come between 17:00 and 19:00 you can enjoy a Happy hour, during which all cocktails and several other drinks are half priced.

Also, they serve a bar meal for couples up to 21:00, for 1500 baht. The meal is served in a box with drawers, each containing something such as two mini-burgers, chicken nuggets and more. It was really delicious! We enjoyed the food and drink experience very much, as well as the prestigious atmosphere and beautiful view.

 

 

The second bar was Above Eleven, on the 33rd floor. Its entrance is behind the hotel and is less impressive when compared to Octave bar, and the same can be said about the bar’s décor. However, it has a varied food and drink menu and a great atmosphere. We sat at the bar and ordered tow cocktails and a sushi serving, which was really high-quality. This is definitely a visit worthy bar, especially if you’re looking for a lighter atmosphere and tasty food and drinks.

 

 

Doing a cool bike tour

We got to go on a very cool tour in Bangkok, including a tour of a pretty park, an authentic local market (For good and bad) and the crown jewel, which was a short sail to an island in Bangkok where we rode through a jungle as well as the island itself. Read more about our experience in the post “Bike tour in Bangkok – Tour incorporating a local experience and a ride in the jungle”

 

Taking part in cooking lesson in a flower market

On one of our days in Bangkok, we went to a cooking class in the flower market. The market itself is really special and nice to walk around in. We also learned how to make traditional Thai dishes in a fun, memorable way and the class included a tour of the market as well.

Our guides, chefs by profession, we lovely and our meal turned out tasty and colorful.
Read more about our experience in the post “Cooking class in Bangkok – Colorful Culinary experience at a flower market”-
Sadly, The Market Experience had to permanently closed down as a result of COVID-19, but their parent company “Expique” still offers the food tours in Bangkok

Trying street food

One of my favorite things to do in Bangkok was wandering the streets and trying a different street food stall each time. I know many people are fearful when it comes to street food and are worried about disease, but it’s quite the opposite – The raw ingredients are generally fresh every new day.

We didn’t experience any issues with our food, and we ate outside on a daily basis. I would, however, recommend avoiding ground meats and seafood – as those do happen not to be fresh enough in some places, which can be quite bad for you.

We stayed in several areas of Bangkok – Chinatown, near Khao San, and Sukhumvit.
My favorite street food was in China town, especially the different soups. The main street, Charoen Krung (Map to the street) has many street food stalls, as does Itsara Nuphap street with houses a food market as well as many stalls, one of which is an excellent papaya salad stall, Som Tam (Map to the street). Also, the boutique hotel Casa Nithra, which lies a 10-minute walk away from Khaosan, is on a street with many good food stalls as well. It’s called Chakrabongse road (Map to the street).

The prices on street food are generally between 20-60 baht, so not only is the food delicious – It’s also very cheap.

 

 

Walking around Khaosan and Rambuttri

If you want to visit somewhere lively with lots of restaurants, bars and street food – the Khaosan area is exactly what you’re looking for. There is also the Rambuttri street which is slightly less crowded but still has many bars and restaurants. The area itself is quite touristic and you’ll hardly run across any locals there, but it’s a nice place for an evening hangout.

There was a small street bar with good African-American music, and the staff had a cool style we really liked, as well. The bar is Nhoom’s Bar, on Rambuttri street (Map).

 

 

Riding a bike in a jungle on an Island in Bangkok

If you don’t want to take the bike tour, it’s also possible to reach the island independently and rent a bike there. You can ride the bike in the jungle and the island itself, named Bang Kacho, and even find lodging and restaurants on the island. You can reach a small pier named Klong Toey port (Map), where a boat is available to take you to the island (5 minutes of sailing). Upon arrival, you’ll have the option to immediately rent a bike at 70 baht for the whole day or 30 baht for an hour. Visiting on a weekday will be better, as the weekends get crowded, with both tourists and locals coming to the island.

 

Visiting the enormous malls

Truth be told, I get light-headed quite quickly in malls and the ones in Bangkok gave me a strong one – as they are simply huge! The MBK is especially large. Although I’m less of a mall enthusiast, we did get to visit several of them. One time was to look for shorts for Roman (He forgot to bring any with him and due to his height, 1.98, finding pants for him isn’t an easy task) We visited the MBK to buy a sim card on the 4th floor and for the café there. The malls are MBK, Siam Center, Siam Paragon, Central world and Emquartier mall.

If you’re looking to go on a shopping spree and like wandering around malls, you’ll no doubt enjoy the ones in Bangkok.

Visiting the Grand Palace and the reclining Buddha temple

The Grand Palace is close to Khaosan street. Mu recommendation is to arrive at the palace half an hour before visiting hours and wait there, as there are tens of thousands of visitors a day – And although getting up early can be a bummer, it’s better than waiting in line for hours. Also, modest clothing is required, meaning long pants for men and women both, and no tank-tops. The palace is quite impressive and worth a visit (Map to the palace). It’s open every day, from 8:30 to 15:30 and it’s better to arrive on weekdays.

A short walking distance from the palace is a temple with a giant reclining buddha, the Wat Pho. If you’re visiting the palace, you should visit it as well while you’re there (I’ve never personally been to any temple such as this before). Map to the temple.

 

 

Getting a Thai massage

One of my favorite things about Thailand is the Thai massage. The prices there are so cheap, and most places offer excellent massages. I had one almost every two days.
The prices on a Thai massage per hour are between 200 and 500 baht. I mostly had the 200 baht ones and I found them excellent, but the better spas usually offer the higher priced massages – so if you’re looking a luxurious atmosphere an additional 200 baht may be worth it. You can also get a head and shoulders massage, a foot massage or an oil massage. You can also choose to only get half an hour, or two. Simply put, Thailand is a paradise when it comes to good, cheap massages.

Some information about Bangkok

Private driver
We used Tom’s services. He took us to Kanchanaburi and to the airport. He is a local driver who has a transportation company with his lovely wife Dee (Dee And Tom’s website, get 5% discount for service transportation using the code : trvbox).

Sim card
At the MBK, on the 4th floor, you can get a sim card for 500 baht for a month, at a 1mbps speed or for 700 baht at a 4mbps speed, unlimited. We bought a 1mbps sim from AIS, which worked excellently and was absolutely enough for a month. The prices start off high, but by haggling you can easily drop them to the aforementioned ones or even cheaper.

Public transport
Bangkok offers a wide variety of options when it comes to transportation. There’s a sky train, taxis, Tuk Tuks (Usually more expensive than a taxi) and shuttles. We used the Grab and Uber apps for cabs, since it comes out as cheaper than grabbing a cab on the street, and you get the extra benefit of knowing the price ahead of time. In the Sukhumvit area, moving around by train is really comfortable, as well as in Siam (A mall area).

Where to sleep in Bangkok?
The hotels we stayed at were:
The Casa Nithra boutique hotel, a 10-minute walk away from Khaosan road.
The Solo Sukhumvit 2 boutique hotel in Sukhumvit.
Pho Place guesthouse in China Town.

Bangkok is a city that completely stole my heart. It’s loud, colorful, chaotic and addictive in the best possible way. Bangkok manages to combine luxury hotels, rooftop bars and giant malls with raw street life, incredible street food and an endless list of things to do. One minute you’re eating noodles from a tiny stall on the sidewalk, and the next you’re sipping cocktails on a rooftop overlooking the entire city. With its crazy themed cafés, vibrant nightlife, massages on every corner, markets, temples and nonstop energy, Bangkok is the kind of city you never really get enough of, no matter how many times you visit.

I hope my post was helpful. If so, I would really appreciate it if you leave a comment here, and if you have any further questions, feel free to ask them in the comments or reach out to me on the blog’s social media: Facebook and Instagram.

A few days ago, I’ve been to the ITB convention in Berlin, one of the world’s largest conventions in this field. So far, I’ve been to blogger-only conventions – TBEX, but this time I’ve decided to go to the public convention and see what that’s like. I’ve tried reading about it and about what to expect as a blogger but didn’t find much information online, which is why I’ve decided to write a post about my personal experience, as well as logistic matters.

Blogger Sign-up

As it turns out, bloggers may receive free entrance to the convention if they uphold certain criteria (I hadn’t known it originally, and had already purchased a 60-euro three-day ticket… But that’s just me being impatient and not reading the instructions properly :)).

The advantage of signing up as a blogger is the ability to take part in “speed-dating” with companies in the tourism field, which can prove a great business opportunity for a blog.

Acceptance criteria as a blogger

To receive an entrance ticket as a blogger, you need to meet the following conditions:

  1. Operate a blog for over half a year
  2. Have upwards of 4000 monthly views of your blog

You’re asked to mail screenshots of analytics to prove the number of monthly visitors.

Following my registration, I received an e-mail that my sign-up was being processed, and that if I pass the requirements – I’ll receive conformation within a few days.

And so, a few days later, I receive an e-mail telling me I met the criteria, with a printable ticket attached. Additionally, I received a username and password for the system where I had to fill out my blog’s profile to later be used for the speed-dating sign-up, as well. Put effort into your profile, as it’s the profile the companies will see when setting up speed-dating meetings – Their decision whether to meet with you or not will be based on it.

Speed-dating sign-up

I signed-up for the convention in January. Early during February, I received an e-mail beginning the speed-dating sign-up process.

The speed-dating meetings get snatched up quite quickly, so I’d recommend starting the sign-up process as quickly as possible upon receiving the e-mail, looking for companies fitting your blog’s niche and sending them a request for a meet.

It’s important to note there’s only an hour and a half available for speed-dating and only 9 companies you’ll be able to meet during that time. As soon as there’s a match for a meeting, you won’t be able to cancel it – so it’s important to only approach companies you’re interested in meeting with, and not trying your luck with as many meets as possible randomly.

I’d recommend attaching a short letter to every request, since many bloggers will be approaching each of these companies – so it’s important for you to address why you, specifically, could be a good match for cooperation with them (Don’t write a generic letter to all of them either, try and be personal). If the company green-lights the meeting, you’ll receive an e-mail confirming a match.

If it comes to it, you’ll receive an e-mail declining a meeting, usually accompanied by a letter explaining their reasoning. I’ve received several such letters, for example from a company aiming at a German speaking audience while my blog mainly caters to an English or Hebrew speaking demographic.
If you’re not approved, the system will advise searching for another meeting.

Preparation prior to the ITB convention

This convention is the largest I’ve ever been to. On arrival, I just stood there in reverence and had no idea what to do – So It’s important to do some preparation beforehand, to get the maximum out of your time at the convention. It hosts representatives from 180 countries, each one setting up many stalls by many companies. It’s crazy!!!

I’d recommend thinking of which countries interest you in terms of cooperation and checking where their stalls are to be located. There’s a map of the convention on the ITB website, there you can see where each country’s stalls are.

Moreover, there are many lectures (Some in English and some in German). Since it’s not a blogger-only convention, many of these aren’t relevant for bloggers. You should definitely go over the timeline of lectures and see when and where they take place.

I’d recommend getting to lectures 15 minutes early as well, seeing as spots get filled quickly, and you won’t be allowed inside if there aren’t any seats open. This happened to me, the lecture was already full, and the employees didn’t want to let me in – but one saw I had a blogger’s tag and let me in anyway (I’m not sure how often they allow that, so it’s much better to arrive early. Also, I had to sit on the floor, which is less pleasant).

It’s vitality important to bring visiting tickets, media kit and the ticket you were sent via e-mail printed out.

ITB Convention

General, good-to-know facts

The convention has free wi-fi. There are many restaurants and stalls for coffee and street food. Prices at the convention are reasonably priced, but water is really expensive – About 4 euros for a small bottle, So I’d recommend buying water outside.

You need to bring a printed ticket (I recommend color-printed) and you can head for the press entrance to ask for a chain to hang the ticket around your neck. The convention offers coat and bag storage, at 2.5 euros for a coat and 4 euros for a bag.

Since the convention is so big, there are shuttles outside as well as many information desks where you can ask for help and direction, so you’ll know where to go. You can ask for a map to help you orientate, as well.

The ITB convention to a blogger

As I’ve mentioned, this convention is huge! I was there for five days, a few hours each day, and still didn’t get to see all of it. On the first day I was too stunned and just wandered between rooms. On the next day, however, I came focused and went to specific rooms based on the countries I was interested in. The speed-dating took place on the second day, as well, which was very impressive and quick 🙂

Since so many people pass each station, the representatives don’t have much time for talking and aren’t always readily available. If you’re visiting the convention planning on creating cooperative ties, you’ve got the active, head for the stalls and introduce yourself.

The ultimate goal is to leave with the PR/Marketing calling card of the stalls you’re interested in, so that you may be able to address them privately by e-mail and discuss working together. At several stalls, the one available happened to be the person in charge of cooperation with bloggers and I got to converse with them for a few minutes and not just trade business cards.

I also got to listen to a lecture about SEO by Fili Wiese, a former google employee who’s been in the business for 14 years. The lecture was highly professional and productive, and I even got to ask Fili a couple more questions at the end of it. There were many other lectures but as I mentioned, I was in a bit of a shock, and only later found out I’ve missed another lecture that could have been of interest for me.

The ITB convention in general

Beyond being a wonderful opportunity to associate, it’s also very impressive and interesting. I felt as if visiting the entire world over the course of a few days. Every country had fitting décor, and some even had different sets for different regions. There were also shows and costumes, and even little souvenirs you could take.

Some countries served little treats of local food. There were also plays, games and unique exhibits. It was very demographically diverse, there were businessmen, families, bloggers, couples, singles, youths and adults. The convention allows you to see destinations you’ve not thought of or had known before and might fit your blog.

In conclusion,

If you’re bloggers – I’d most definitely recommend visiting the ITB convention, especially to those who’s blog is their business and not just a hobby. The speed-dating is very productive and allowed me to meet companies and hadn’t known previously (And creating a connection face to face is much better than through e-mails). I left the convention with different possibilities for cooperation and ideas for new destinations, and I’m excited to see what might come of it. At any rate, I’m eagerly waiting for new year’s convention 🙂

ITB Berlin – March 2025

I’ll be visiting the upcoming show in March 2025. If you’re a travel blogger and want to hang out or say hello, please ping me over email, via FB messenger or on the ITB App. I love meeting other fellow bloggers and share some experiences.

Update from 2025: All the cafés mentioned in the post are still open, except for the Alice in Wonderland café, which has permanently closed.

Many people treat Bangkok as a gateway to the islands or to northern Thailand, or sometimes as a place to do some shopping, when in truth Bangkok holds lots of things to see and to do. One of the coolest among such is going to cafes with a special, sometimes somewhat strange, concept – The type you’ll only find in Asia. When we arrived in Bangkok, I was reminded of having read about a café for unicorns. I told my husband, Roman, that we’ll go there, but upon further research I found that there are many more cafes in such a cool, over-the-top style. 🙂

Despite being on a tight schedule in Bangkok, I told Roman I’d like to visit as many of the cafés I’ve found which seemed the most unique, since they’re really cool and I think people would be glad to know there are such places in Bangkok. He was hesitant to join me at first, but after visiting the first one he decided it was cool and joined me for the next ones, as well (Which is lucky, as I needed someone to take pictures of me :))

We had a special experience which you undoubtedly can’t find outside Asia and I wanted to share it with you and give you some idea of cafés you’ve got to try the next time you’re in Bangkok.

Crazy Themed Cafes in Bangkok - Traveling outside the box

Unicorn Café

This one was among our favorites. Although really kitschy, the pink, optimistic vibe of the place pulls you in and makes you want to stay forever after only a few minutes. There is a menu with many desserts and special slurpees. We ordered a star slurpee and a pancake dish, both of which were really colorful and pretty. The slurpee wasn’t as good, but the pancakes we simply devoured. They also have hamburgers on their menu (We saw a couple order one and it looked really cool). What I liked the most is that you can rent a unicorn costume. I must admit I felt ridiculous at first, but having gotten over it within a few minutes, it became a lot of fun :).

Renting a costume costs you 100 baht, and you can also buy it for 1200 baht. I didn’t end up buying it, which is a bit of a bummer in afterthought. The costumes come in a variety of sizes and I think it’s totally worth getting one as a souvenir!

Unicorn Café
Directions
Address 44/1 ซอย สาทร 8 สีลม Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand

Moomin Café

This coffee house is super cute. It’s filled with large dolls of the Moomin characters. They have a food and drink menu and it’s all Moomin themed.

The café is inside the mall, but once you enter, you feel as if you’ve walked into your favorite childhood show. We ordered a cappuccino and a refreshing fruit drink. We just came from the unicorn café, so we weren’t hungry and didn’t order any of the food, but I did ask the couple next to us to take a picture of their pancakes, which looked good :).

Moomin Café
Directions
Address
Inside Siam Center Mall
240 Rama I Rd, Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Khet Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand

Hello Kitty Café

This café is an entire kingdom devoted to Hello Kitty. It’s a very large café, spanning two floors (The largest of all the cafés we’ve visited). Its design is entirely pink, with pictures of Hello Kitty. There’s an extensive menu of food, drinks and desserts. There are vitrines with a wide variety of desserts, such as cakes, cupcakes and more – and they are all Hello Kitty shaped. We decided to have a small breakfast of pancakes, sausages, fried egg and coffee. The meal was very cute, and we enjoyed sitting there and eating a small, heart shaped friend egg on a tiny Hello Kitty toast.

Hello Kitty
Instagram
Address
Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Alice In Wonderland Café

Update from 2025: The café has permanently closed.

A coffee house straight out of the stories. Of the cafés we’ve been to, this one’s design may have had the most effort invested into it. While there, you truly feel as if visiting Alice’s world and there’s a side room to take pictures in as well. Of course, we’ve used it for a couple of photos with the mini-cakes we ordered. The café has a vitrine with Alice In Wonderland themed mini-cakes. The atmosphere was more intimate, and the visitors were mostly adults who’ve come to enjoy themselves rather than families.

Perhaps Rabbits’
Address
5/1 Ekkamai 10 Alley, Khwaeng Khlong Tan Nuea, Khet Watthana, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10110, Thailand

Dreamy Maids Café

This café had the coolest waitresses ever. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take pictures, but I can describe them: They’re dressed up as housemaids and when they bring you your order they do a little ceremony which the diners are asked to take part in (A bit embarrassing, but very funny). When the waitress came over to us for the first time she lit a candle symbolizing that from that moment on – We entered the world of dreams and all our wishes will come true.

The concept for this café comes from Japan. I haven’t gotten to visit Japan, but from what I read, the reviews find this experience authentic and very similar to the Japanese experience. They have laws and little rituals like in Japan and the waitresses do a dance sometimes which is really cute and funny.

Of all the cafés we’ve been to, the experience here was undoubtedly the most culturally interesting. The waitresses have a high, child-like voice and they get very invested in their character. The café is inside the MBK and since you’ll most likely get to visit this mall, I recommend trying this café along the way. They also have really tasty, cute desserts – another good reason to visit.

Maidcafe Maidreamin
Directions
address
MBK center 7th Fl. 444 Phayathai Rd Pathumwan Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Fairy Tales and fiction inspired café

This café had the highest quality food and drinks, and its design was special with evident effort put into it. It works well for an evening outing as well, since it serves cool, unique cocktails and is open late.

We arrived during the afternoon and decided to have a crazy chocolate soufflé dessert and… Purple yam coffee! (Yes, apparently that’s a thing). It was coffee made with yam, and unsurprisingly tasted a lot like yam. It was a little too sweet for my taste, but definitely a special flavor I’ve never tasted before. The dessert’s presentation was very impressive and unique and we really liked it, despite not usually being fans of chocolate desserts.

Mocking Tales
Directions
Address
Thong Lo 4, Khlong Tan Nuea, (4,315.69 mi)

Japanese restaurant with robot waiter

This was the place Roman was most excited by. It’s a Japanese restaurant where the waiter is a robot. There’s a glass separating the tables and the robot (I was a little bummed out by this), but the robot itself is very cool and brings the food up to the table, serving it through a little window.

Sometimes there’s rhythmic music and the robot starts dancing. This was definitely not a day-to-day experience. We ordered a nice sushi dish and beer. The food itself is cheap and tasty, not too fancy, but most come to experience the robot.

Hajime Robot
Directions
Address
3/F, Monopoly Park, 59/27 Rama 3 Rd., Thailand

More Cool Cafés in Bangkok

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to visit all of Bangkok’s unique cafés, but I did some research and found a few more that seem totally worth checking out — definitely adding them to my must-visit list for next time!

Husky Café – TrueLove at Neverland

A cozy café where you can relax and play with dozens of adorable huskies while enjoying desserts and drinks. An unforgettable experience for any dog lover.
Directions

Little Zoo Café

ֿA café featuring exotic animals like hedgehogs, fennec foxes, raccoons, parrots, and more. A very special experience for those who aren’t afraid to get close to sweet, unusual creatures.
Directions and Instagram

Caturday Cat Café

Enjoy a drink and a slice of cake while spending time with dozens of friendly cats. There’s even a menu for the cats themselves.
Directions

Featherstone Bistro Café

A beautifully designed boho-chic café with dried flowers, soft lighting, and artfully presented dishes. A great place for photos and a relaxed, dreamy atmosphere.
Directions and Instagram

Tips before flying to Bangkok

SIM card

I personally recommend Esim, which is an electronic SIM. I like Airalo. I was very satisfied with their user experience (simple tutorial videos for operating the SIM card) and everything worked without any special problems. 

Blog followers have a 15% discount code for the Airalo company to purchase an ESIM – to redeem the discount, click on this link. The discount code is already included in the link. See it at checkout.

The biggest drawback at the moment is that some devices do not support an electronic SIM. How will you know that your device supports eSIM ? Very simply go to this link and you will know.

Where to sleep in Bangkok?

The hotels we stayed at were:

The Casa Nithra boutique hotel, a 10-minute walk away from Khaosan road.
The Solo Sukhumvit 2 boutique hotel in Sukhumvit.
Pho Place guesthouse in China Town.
To search for a hotel or apartment in Bangkok

Driver in Bangkok 

if you are looking for a driver in Bangkok, We used Tom’s services. He took us to Kanchanaburi and to the airport. He is a local driver who has a transportation company with his lovely wife Dee (Dee And Tom’s website, get 5% discount for service transportation using the code : trvbox).

Attractions in Bangkok

There are many more things to do in Bangkok , I wrote a post with cool things you have to do in Bangkok. You can get ideas for other cool things you can do on the various attraction sites and even order through them (sometimes at a discounted price). The first attraction site is called tiqets, the second is the site Get Your Guide or via Viator.

I hope my post helped you. If so, I would very much like you to respond here in the comments, and if you have any more questions, then you are also welcome to ask them in the comments or on the blog’s social networks: Facebook and Instagram. Looking for more information about Berlin ? I have in the blog more posts about Bangkok and posts about Thailand.

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Two years ago, when we were in Thailand we hadn’t known about the existence of this place but having read about it a few months ago – I knew, when planning our trip in January, we would end up going there for sure. The national park is beautiful with many different attractions such as oboes, hiking trails and more – But, most of all, we fell in love with Cheow Lan lake which looked absolutely magical in photos.

How to reach Khao Sok?

The simplest method is a domestic flight to Phuket or Krabi, then a private cab or bus from there. We flew to Phuket, spend a few days there then took a private cab to Khao Sok which cost 2800 Baht and was about 3 hours long (Depends on the part of Phuket you’re in). A bus ride takes around 5-6 hours and costs about 180 Baht. There’s also an option to arrive from the other side of Thailand, from Koh Samui, by shuttle and a bus, but that’s a longer trip and takes about 8-9 hours.

Where to stay at Khao Sok?

There’s the option of staying at the park itself (Either as camping or a hotel) but most lodging is situated a 5-25 minute walk away. There are restaurants, cafés and shops in the area. You can also stay at more isolated locations where you feel more “at nature”. For instance, we stayed at Blue Mountain. A familial place with several bungalows surrounded by nature, with a family restaurant. It took us a 15-minute walk to get from there to the more touristic areas.

 

What Is there to do in Khao Sok?

One of the nice attractions are going to the park itself and hiking along a trail. The park is filled with marked trails, anywhere between 2 and 7 kilometers, and you can go hiking at your own pace. (Entry to the park costs 300 Baht). Additionally, there are many attractions you could do like Oboes, a nighttime jungle tour, Bamboo rafting and more. Overall, all lodging places offer the same attractions at the same prices. There’s also a central area with restaurants, bars, café, massage parlors and some shops.

 

The main attraction is an overnight tour to Cheow Lan lake. Because the lake is absolutely stunning and sailing in it feels like a dream. Beyond that, you stay at floating huts on the water!! Which is one of the most special and relaxing things we got to do on our trip. It’s a no cell-service zone, so you’ll be disconnected from everything and free to enjoy nature and the quiet.

The trip to Cheow Lan lake

The trip itself began with us being picked up from the guesthouse in a minibus which went on to pick-up the others who signed up for the trip. From there, we drove on to the lake’s pier, stopping at a little market on the way. From the pier we boarded a boat and sailed across the beautiful lake. The guide told us about the place and asked the man steering the boat to stop every now and then so we could take photos.

Don't miss Khao Sok, Thailand - Traveling outside the box


Floating cabins on the lake

After about two hours of sailing we arrived at huts on the water. It was a compound with quite a lot of huts, shared bathrooms, a food-table area and the lake all around. There’s nothing within a radius of several kilometers except the lake and the jungle. The huts themselves are really basic, Just a hut with a mattress inside.

But what else do you need? As soon as we arrived, we dived into the lake’s waters and swam. The waters were warm, and we didn’t feel like getting out. There are also Kayaks you can row. Then we had lunch, we were brought many different center-table Thai dishes (There are so vegan options). The food is also constantly refilled, so you don’t leave the meal hungry.

 

 

Vantage point over the lake

After the meal we had some time to rest, then sailed a boat to the mountain – where we hiked up to a vantage point. For the most part, the hike is a relatively simple climb, except for the final 20 minutes which were very difficult and even kind of scary.

If you have a fear of heights, this is probably not the track for you. The view from the vantage point was breathtaking and allowed us to look down over the whole lake area. Crazy! I had a hard time focusing on the view, as there wasn’t much sitting room and we had to huddle on the cliff. I was a little scared at the time, and the climb back down was pretty intense as well. In conclusion, this is a unique experience but isn’t for everyone.


While we were taking a break from the track (Which we used to swim some more), came dinner – we were served fresh fish, which was excellent. After the meal we stayed at the table and spoke with the other members of the group. We had a super cute group, including a Norwegian couple, a Canadian couple and some folks from Germany. We all got beers at the place’s little Kiosk and spend the night playing silly party games.

The sleeping conditions

Sleeping at the cabin was nice and challenging. Since it’s on the water, you feel as if you’re sleeping in a boat (People prone to sea-sickness should be aware of that). The toilets are relatively far from the cabin, so you’d be best served not having too much water before bed. The place itself is run by generator, which gets turned off at 11PM, and there are no lights afterwards.

Day2 at Cheow Lan Lake

Those willing to wake up early can go on a short sailing trip and watch the park’s animals. We got to see monkeys and all manner of special birds. Afterwards was a light breakfast with pancakes and free time to go swimming and rowing kayaks (Those who’re well versed in rowing can get to the nearby islands).

We returned to the guesthouse we were staying at in Khao Sok at around 15:30 (After sailing back to the pier and riding a minibus). This was one of the trip’s most special experiences and we got to meet some great people, as well. The lake is indescribably beautiful. I think the pictures and video aren’t enough either, as this is one of those places you have to visit to fully appreciate how perfect it is. If you’re traveling in Thailand, you should definitely come visit Khao Sok – And whenever you’re in Khao Sok, making the trip out to the lake is a must. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.


Before coming to Thailand, I hadn’t imagined a bike tour to be one of the activities we’d end up going on, but then I found a tour which included riding through non-touristic areas, as well as a small island in Bangkok with a jungle!!! Sounds cool, doesn’t it? I booked the tour through Bangkok Bike Adventure, the tour itself is called Green Bike Tour.

Bike Tour in Bangkok

The tour leaves at 08:00 and the meet point is at the entrance to a restaurant of a prestigious hotel. We arrived by cab and didn’t have time to have breakfast or coffee, so we were glad to be meeting by a restaurant. We arrived a few minutes early and ordered a coffee straight away, that was we could start the morning off right. Our guide, Mas, came and told us about the tour’s route. She was really nice and patient. We were a very small group including Roman and I and a girl from Germany. The bikes were set up for us near the restaurant and Mas told us we can leave any unnecessary equipment at the hotel for safe-keeping.

Ride through the city

We each got a small water bottle and off we went. We started the tour within the city itself. Anyone who knows Bangkok knows it isn’t the most sympathetic city to ride through as there aren’t any bike trails, the sidewalk is crowded by people and the roads are full of cars, mopeds and bikes – but Mas rode slowly and made sure we were following her at all times. If you go slow and careful, there’s nothing to worry about. Plus, the drivers are used to having bikers on the side of the road and pay attention to it. This part of the ride was less pleasant but it’s relatively short and before long we arrived at a lovely park. The park had comfortable trails for riding and we could stop and take photos.


Local experience

After the park we continued to the poorer area, which is less touristic and if not for this tour – chances are you wouldn’t get to see it. There we could see the local lifestyle and it was a nice local experience. We also passed through the local market and haven’t seen a single tourist. The market is a real local experience and could be a bit extreme from someone’s first time in Asia.

They sell everything there, meaning there’s a meat and animal section. If you’re sensitive to smells or vegan/vegetarian, it’s important to be aware of. You may be able to ask to go around the market and not through it, but whoever would like to see a local market will enjoy this opportunity.

 

 

Riding on the island and in the jungle

After the market we rode on through the slums and arrived at a small pier, where we took a boat to the island. We put the bikes in the boat and arrived at the island within a few minutes. This was our favorite part of the tour, the ride at the island the jungle itself – Where we could ride without worrying about cards or people.

Mas said the weekends are more crowded, as there is a market and many locals come there – So the tour is recommended during weekdays. The ride was really fun, and we stopped occasionally to take pictures. At one point we arrived at a lake and Mas gave us some fish food to feed the fish. It’s a no-fishing zone and the fish there get plenty of food 🙂


 

Refreshment break

We moved on to a refreshment stop at a small grocery store in the midst of the jungle. Mas gave us some more water (You can have a soda if you’d like), there was a bathroom and Mas also brought a fruit she bought at the market (One we hadn’t tried previously, it’s flavor is reminiscent of a Lychee). So, we ate from the fruit (She brought a large amount), drank water and rested for a while.

After the break, which was very refreshing, we rode on. This time the ride took place along roads that were quite narrow, so we had to ride carefully and didn’t take as many pictures as Roman had before that. Eventually, we arrived at a temple. By that time, we had exited the jungle and were riding across the island itself. Anyone looking for a calm and relaxed place to be, this is the perfect escape from clamorous Bangkok.

 

Lunch

After visiting the temple, we arrived at a local restaurant for lunch.  That morning, before riding out, Mas asked us if there are certain foods we avoid, so if you have any food intolerances – you’ll find letting her know to be no problem and she’ll order the dishes in accordance to your wishes.

We got center-table coconut milk soup with chicken and vegetables, tofu with tomatoes and Omlette with rice and pork. The soup and tofu were really well done and filling, too. It was a light meal, which was for the best, as we still had more riding to do and didn’t want to be stuffed. Of course, if you’d want more food, that’s also no problem – Roman wanted more rice for example 🙂

 

After the meal we went back to the pier. It was a short ride, following which we boarded the boat again. It took us perhaps 20 minutes to return to the hotel, since we took a shortcut instead of going the Way we had come.

We got back to the hotel around 1PM. The track was 19km. When we arrived at the hotel, we went to the restaurant and Mas brought more water and wet towels and told us we could stay for as long as wanted.

Bike tour conclusion

Tips and notes: