🇹🇭 Bangkok - Summer 2024

 It has been 10(!!) years since I traveled with my Sis, the last being my first trip to the US when I was on a Student Exchange Program and she tagged along at the start to help me settle in.

This was initially meant to be a trip with her friends, and I was just gonna tag along. Bangkok is not our ideal vacation destination but her friend has never been to Bangkok so it was chosen, but eventually mum duties called and she couldn't make it so it became a sisters trip haha. We said we probably wouldn't come back to Bangkok for awhile after this, maybe in the next 10-20 years lol.

It was a chill trip and she planned everything from accommodation to activities to food, I was just leeching oops. Thanks Jappie 💕

Here are some highlights (and misses)!

- FOOD -

1. Thai Iced Tea

Tried 3 brands of thai iced tea:

Pang Cha: Michelin guide Thai iced tea! This was more "smoky" and had a deeper tea flavor than the classic ChaTreMue. Definitely more premium - got the iced tea with 3 bubbles and it came up to 200 baht (and it was half filled with ice lol).

Karun Tea: Got this off GrabFood delivered to our hotel, sweetness well-balanced. They had the classic tea version and a slushie version, tried both but the slush version was very weird - let it sit out for awhile and it didn't melt and remained a slush which made us wonder what it was made of...

ChaTreMue: Classic! 30% sweetness was ideal for me. Also the most affordable out of the 3 at only 50 baht per cup.

  

2. Mil Toast House

Bakery cafe from KR that serves fluffy bread. Initially I thought Mil was "mother in law" lol but it translates into wheat (밀) . They have a wide selection of steamed breads which was quite tempting for a bread lover... But we were pretty stuffed from lunch so we picked the smallest looking item on the menu lol: Pandan toast + vanilla ice cream. 

 

3. Mini melts

This was mainly driven by nostalgia haha! We used to eat this on our childhood trips to Genting and it's not easy to find Mini Melts. Lots of flavours but the best one was "cotton candy". Doesn't sound appealing but it tastes exactly like Paddle Pop ice cream.

4. Cheevit Chava (IG)

We were exploring Emsphere and the Sis wanted to try this bingsu place. Looots of flavours available from classic strawberry cheesecake, to chocolate, to thai iced tea. We got the seasonal spcial Melon. Shaved ice is not as soft and melty as After You, but overall I loved the flavors!

 

 

5. After You

Who goes to Bangkok without dining at After You lol. Classic shibuya honey toast and a baby mini strawberry shortcake bingsu!

 

 

6. Jeh O Chula Mama Mee

I think this was the highlight of the trip for me haha. It still blows my mind Mama instant noodles can taste so good and end up on the Michelin Guide. They open at 4PM, and we arrived around 4.15PM and had a queue number of #40 lol. Waited for around 45 minutes before we got a table for 2. It was damn hot but I think this was worth the wait.

 

Some places I didn't really particularly enjoy...

Supanniga Eating Room: Don't really understand the hype around this place. Apart from the nice-ish views the food was so-so at premium prices.

  

Phed Mark basil pork rice: Ordered this off GrabFood delivered to the hotel while the Sis was out. Reviews were really good but it fell flat for me - overly salted and tooooooo spicy.

Blue Elephant Restaurant: Not that the food here wasn't good, but I just thought it was very overpriced for the quality (and also given there are a lot of great alternative options in Bangkok). It was 1800+baht ($70 SGD) for 2 dishes, 1 serving of rice and 1 coconut. I thought the beef curry was so-so, but enjoyed the pomelo salad!

 

 

Nueng Nom Nua: Saw this across the road from Jeh O Chula and was surprised to see the place soooo crowded. Sis mentioned they're quite hyped online. They sell milk and toast, we got some milks to go and they were unfortunately very average.

- ACTIVITIES -

I didn't do much activities as I mostly sleep around 9PM hahaha. The sis only planned activities in the day while she went off to do her own thing while I slept 😂

1. Sabieng Cooking class

Such a fun experience! We started off the day with a local market tour, then took a short TukTuk ride to the cooking school. The space was clean, air-conditioned (this was the Sister's #1 criteria hahahaha) and the class was really affordable (<$100 SGD for 2 pax). We made 4 dishes: Tom Yum Goong, Panang Curry, Pad Thai, and Mango Sticky Rice. We were so impressed with the tom yum soup and went to Big C to get ingredients + a wok to make it at home lol.

 

2. Oasis Spa

Sis booked us a spa experience at Oasis Spa. The facilities were well-designed! The area smelled soooo good of lemongrass, massage room was clean and the bath area had a nice skylight (although a bit hot lol). I thought the massage was a bit soft for my liking but the Sis enjoyed her 4-hands massage.

 

 

The Sis also booked us a head spa at Siesta but this was quite an underwhelming experience and wouldn't recommend! Over $250 SGD for 2 pax (more expensive if you have longer hair length). It was ok but it just didn't feel like it was worth the price tag.

 

- ACCOMODATION -

We stayed at Sofitel, which was quite a treat as I don't usually choose such atas hotels while traveling lol. Room was spacious, clean and had a nice tub. I also used the pool at the hotel for a morning swim, the water was oddly salted (?) and it was a bit short but it did the job in letting me get some laps in. We also had the hotel buffet breakfast one one of the days as my Sis had 50% off as part of her Accor member benefits. I thought the variety was great ranging from Asian to Western options but the Sis wasn't very impressed haha. We also got welcome drinks at the rooftop bar!

Overall though... It didn't feel like it was worth the price. And the hotel is also situated along a VERY busy street which makes it difficult to get transport and also we got stuck in traffic quite often. Thankful for the experience since I probably wouldn't choose such an atas hotel without deals 😅

 

 

Last meal in Bangkok was McDs at the airport to get the happy meal toy for my nephew hahahaha. Thankful for the short getaway and time with my Sis before changes this year :')