Temples to Visit in Thailand: Wat Ratchanatdaram, TheTemple of the Royal Niece

The first temple we explored in Bangkok was Wat Ratchanatdaram. It means Temple of the Royal Niece. It was built for the princess granddaughter Somanass Waddhanawathy to the order of King Nangklao (Rama III) in 1846 (Wikipedia).

How to Go to Wat Ratchanatdaram

The temple can be found 500 meters away, approximately a 6-minute walk, from Panfa Leelard Pier of the Khlong Saen Seap Express Boat Service. It’s located at the intersection of Maha Chai and Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd, Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok. The easiest way to get to this temple is to go to the nearest Khlong Saen Seap Express Boat Pier/Terminal from your location and ride to the last Pier, Panfa Leelard, and commence walking from there.

Outside Wat Ratchanatdaram

Follow the Dress Code for Wat Visits

As we walked to the temple, I was thinking about how satisfied I am with my first Bangkok khlong adventure. It was convenient, fast and I must admit, gave me a teeny bit of excitement. After all, it’s not every day that I get to explore a new city through its rivers and canals. I wish we could also do that in Metro Manila to alleviate the traffic situation. Wishful thinking?

As we approached the gate, we noticed that, unfortunately, there were no vendors selling cover-ups… and we were wearing shorts! We’re aware of the rules common to most temples not to allow shorts or sleeveless however it was already a part of our plan to purchase cover-ups as a remembrance of our visit. Whilst we consider where to go next or where to find cover ups, we had some photos taken at the Royal Pavilion Mahajetsadabadin situated just right next to Wat Ratchanatdaram.

Off we went looking for vendors of skirts and trousers. I think we walked few hundred meters before we found not one, not two… but a whole street side-walk covered with skirt and fisherman trouser vendors! Jira and I got ourselves a skirt for THB 100 each. Then Jerome mentioned that since we’re already close to the Grand Palace, we should just go explore it first… so off we went. (I’ll have a separate blog post for the Grand Palace.)

How Much to Prepare for the Fees

After our Grand Palace tour, we tried to look for a cab to bring us back to Wat Ratchanatdaram. Be careful with getting a cab in the area and make sure to transact before getting in. Most of the cab drivers would not charge based on the meter but by a fixed (tourist) price. Since there’s three of us, we decided to go ahead with THB 100 although we’re sure the meter would’ve probably reached just around THB 60-70.

Again, we wrapped ourselves and entered the temple. No entrance fee on the main gate. Picture taking time! We took turns to take each other’s photos on the outer section of the temple grounds.

We went inside a prayer room with a golden seated Buddha. We had to take off our shoes before we could get in.

We then proceeded to the huge structure in the center of the compound. There’s also no entrance fee but there’s a donation box facing the front door. Our group was not ‘asked’ to donate but we observed that a woman intimated and somehow ‘forced’ another group of western tourists to donate.

The Structure of Wat Ratchanatdaram

The temple, also known as Loha Prasat meaning “iron castle”, has five towers of large iron spires. The iron spires signifies the 37 virtues required to reach enlightenment in Buddhism (Wikipedia). The spires used to be black, now it’s painted with gold and is more attractive.

We ascended a spiral staircase with several levels and each floor of the structure represents a particular type of meditation. At the top, we were able to appreciate the intricate design of the spires.

At the top, we found this. I was unsure of what I was looking at but it seemed important. Unfortunately, I might have missed a section in the tower that explained what it is. A symbol of enlightenment?

After our exploration and photo op, we proceeded to the restroom to freshen up. We then went to the store right next to the temple and enjoyed some fruity smoothies. If you’re travelling to Thailand, March to May are the hottest months. It would be a good idea to always bring your water to keep yourself hydrated. 

More photos before we went home...

On our way out, unknowingly, I was able to take a photo of a monk using a cellphone. They are not forbidden to enjoy technology but I still think it’s pretty cool.

Travel Date: July 10, 2017

Khlong (Canal) Saen Seap: Our Express Boat Adventure in Thailand

Twenty four hours after setting foot in Bangkok and we’re already prepping for our first "wat" (temple) adventure. Jerome, my brother-in-law, mentioned he's going to introduce me to Bangkok's Express Boats. 

It’s a national holiday in Thailand. As a result, he and his fiancée, Jira, were both free for the day to join me for a little exploration.

We started our day with a tasty breakfast in a cafeteria across the street of their condo village; khao man gai (rice and chicken), a huge container of milk tea with tons of ice all to myself and the crispy goodies with cream on top (forgot what it’s called I have to check again) for dessert.

After breakfast, we hailed ourselves a cab and started our day’s escapade in a pier; the Asoke-Petchaburi Pier which can be found near the MRT Petchaburi station and the old site of Japan Embassy.

Remarkably, Thailand takes advantage of its rivers and canals for transportation and Khlong Saen Seap Express Boat is just one of the boat services the people of Bangkok enjoys. It runs in the Saen Seap Khlong (meaning "canal"), a canal in Central Thailand. It is known to have two main lines; the Nida Line with 6 piers and Golden Mount Line with 23 piers. The Pratunam Pier is connecting the two lines and serves as a pier where commuters would transfer if the destination is being serviced by the other line.

We waited a little bit for the next boat to arrive. The interval is between 15-20 minutes. And finally, one arrived. As the boat slowly maneuvered its way to the side, two persons jumped to the pier to pull the boat closer and tie it securely so commuters could safely hop on. It might make you nervous at first so watch your step and hold on tight to the railings.

The ride was fast and got us nearer our destination less the agonizing traffic jam. On downside though, the water is not very clean hence the need for the plastic covers surrounding the boat. We even joked around that we need to close our mouths or the dirty water could cause our demise. Yup, it was that scary. :p On some instances, if all the seats were already taken, you might need to stand until some of the seats are freed up. The fare runs from THB 10-20 depending on the distance.

  

If you’re transferring to the other line, you can pay it during your first boat ride and just present your ticket when you transfer. That’s what we did. As the overlapping pier, we got off Pratunam and transferred to another motorboat that transported us to Panfa Leelard Pier, the end-most pier of the Golden Mount Line. It is situated behind the Mahakan fort, end of Ratchadamnoen Road, Old City.

 

Upon reaching the pier, we walked a few meters, crossed the road and reached our first temple destination; Wat Ratchanatdaram.

Bangkok, Thailand: Street Food Stalls in Central World Shopping Center

It was my first day in Bangkok and I was honestly overwhelmed with the food carts and street food all over the city. I’ve seen cooked meals with rice for late lunch, finger foods and a lot of fruit juices. The afternoon was searing hot – the type of hot that would make you want to stay inside an air conditioned room all day long - and those thirst quenching fruit juices were selling like hotcakes. I had a small bottle of cold pomegranate juice and it was perfect! We have been walking back and forth going through malls then under the sun again to take care of some errands; currency exchange, internet service provider etc. You know, usual traveler stuff.

After taking care of my needs, we decided to do my favorite activity of the day; explore the street food stalls in front of the Central World shopping center.

How to Get There

Central World is the tenth largest shopping complex in the world (Wikipedia). It is located along Ratchadamri Road with its exact address as Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Khet Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. It is approximately a 7-minute walk from Chit Lom BTS Station and a 10-minute walk from Siam BTS Station. There are a lot of buses that passes right in front of the complex. It is also accessible and a few minutes' walk through the Pratunam Pier if you choose to get there via express boat.

With my brother-in-law and his fiancée before we leapt into the sea of hungry diners in the Central Plaza Street Food Stalls, Bangkok

The Food Stalls

As for the street food stalls, here are some that took my attention: Pomegranate and other fruit juices to quench the afternoon thirst...

Fruits and dried products that's good to take home to family and friends, also what we Filipinos call as "pasalubong".

And various Thai cuisines and meat and seafood products fried and grilled to perfection.

After going around and taking forever to choose from all the food options, we’ve finally decided on what we’ll have to satisfy our hunger: Pad Thai for THB 50, Moo Ping (skewered pork) for THB 20 and an ice cold soft drink for THB 20.

This was me enjoying my Pad Thai, Moo Ping and ice cold soft drink. The combo was perfect!

With all these food options, I’ll definitely see more of Central World street food stalls in my next few weeks here in Bangkok.

Have you had any experience in Central World with all these food options? What’s your favorite? Feel free to share and recommend on the comments below.

Travel Date: July 10, 2017