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Bangkok Diaries – Part 2 (Living in Pratunam)

March 21, 2018March 23, 2018 Lancelot Quadras 1 Comment

Places to stay and roam in Pratunam:

Dear Readers,

In the previous post I shared details regarding the transport options you can use within the city with the standard rates. Now I shall be sharing the next set of details based on the places to roam and stay.

In my short stay I was up for 2.5 days in Pratunam (Bangkok).

I used a lot of websites for my research and tried to use many permutations and combinations so that we could get to a lot of places and not wasting our travel time. Also, since I was going for this trip with my parents, I needed to get a really good place to minimize them getting tired very quickly. My choice fell onto the area of Pratunam. It’s kind of in the center of the city and if it helps, there are many shopping avenues which fall right besides the area I stayed in.

Stay in Pratunam:

I chose the Metro Pratunam Boutique Hotel for our stay. (Click for Map). This place has very decent rooms, staff that are really very helpful (they helped me with travel prices so I could bargain the right amount) and a concept of shared bathrooms.

A shared bathroom is where every room on the floor uses the same bathroom. At any given time 2 people can use the shower and 2 can use the washroom. Of course, the bathrooms are differentiated for men and women. I did think it was something that was unusual but quite honestly, it does not make a difference. My parents were hesitant at first but at the end of our stay they said that this was not much of a hindrance. Maybe if that’s not your cup of tea, then you don’t have to worry. They do have rooms with private bathrooms.

P.S – Men, Do not be surprised if in the washroom you find a lady cleaning the place. I saw that more than twice and I got to know that here the ladies also clean up the men’s restrooms. They just do their job. Of course I felt odd for the first time (more like a blank face) but kind of understood later.

The usual rates mentioned there are 500-600 THB per bed. The standard rooms are 4 bunk beds. There’s no breakfast included so if you need it, book it and add the breakfast option (charges extra).

Since I used the Agoda App, I got a lot of discounts and ended up paying roughly 4300 THB for 3 nights and 3 persons (including breakfast worth 150 THB per day).

Pros of living in Pratunam:

Firstly, living in Pratunam gives you access to a lot of shopping places nearby within 2 kms. As per my fitness band we at least walked 10 kms per day. My parents would be pretty tired by the end of the day but it was worth it.

Neon Market:

The neon market is a 3 minute walk away from the hotel. There are at least over a 100 stalls here that sell clothes, jewellery, shoes, shawls and a lot of food. They also have 4 restaurants with an open space where bands perform so people can enjoy some good music while sipping on their beer. The food stalls are diversified with fruit vendors, ice creams, meat and finally dedicated fish food stalls. The market is open from 6pm-12am. Shops start setting up from 5pm onward.

Stalls outside Palladium mall:

There’s a mall which is a 2 minute walk away from the Neon market. So from the hotel this would take you roughly 5-7 minutes to be here. There are many stalls which sell clothes mostly for a cheaper rate than what you can get within any mall. They also have good options.

Pratunam Market:

Moving ahead after a 5 minute walk is the Pratunam market. Here too there are many stalls that sell a variety of items right from clothes to jewellery to household items and food.

Met this cutie pie running around her mother while she kept shopping!

Indra Square:

After a 5 minute walk from Palladium mall you can also find Indra Square. That’s a mall with many shops inside selling lot of good stuff for a lesser price. But the main event is right outside with over 200 stalls set up within the area and this too begins post 6pm. However they shut down by 11pm. Mostly, you should get whatever you want in Indra Square.

P.S – They will always quote a higher price when they notice an Indian shopping as we are notorious for bargaining even if it’s a fixed price shopping arena! So take a walk at all the stalls and scan the place for prices. You will always find what you want in many stalls. So scan the prices and then settle for the right price.

Conclusion:

Finally, choosing this area gave us a lot of advantage as we could just walk to it and get what we wanted. Clothes are as cheap as from 100-150 THB onward for a tee/shorts (both for girls and guys). There are lots of places to gorge on food of the local thai cuisine too. My best advice to you is to walk and explore. There are a lot of things I discovered and I’m sure you will too.

You can read my first post in this series here – Bangkok Diaries Part 1

The next post will be dedicated to Food and different places to visit in Bangkok.

Stay tuned.

Bangkok transport - Find cheapest costs to travel within city

Bangkok Diaries – Part 1 (Transport)

March 19, 2018April 10, 2020 Lancelot Quadras 6 Comments

Transport is always a task when you visit a new place whether it’s a city, state or a country. While it’s also a great joy and the beginning of a new experience, knowing some facts of the place always helps. I agree that in this digital age, we can get all the information online for everything.

Hence I’m also doing my bit for the universe by sharing a few details which I think would be beneficial during their stay in one of the most attractive tourist destinations on Earth i.e. Thailand.

I visited Bangkok and Pattaya last week.

In this post, I shall mention my experiences visiting these places in Bangkok and Pattaya with the transport.

Bangkok:

In Bangkok transport, the key will be to travel smart and cheap.

There are many modes of transport right from the local buses, tuk-tuks (their version of the auto-rickshaw), private cabs, meter-based taxis, bike taxis, and Uber.

This is how they range from Cheapest to Costliest for a minimum of 2 kms;

Local bus
BTS Metro
Tuk – Tuk
Bike Taxi
Meter based taxis
Uber and finally,
Private Cabs

The local buses will always be the cheapest for ticket prices as low as 8 THB from Pratunam to MBK Mall.

Bike Taxis are available on almost every crowded street. Here too you need to be cautious as they quote higher prices when they realize you are a tourist. You shouldn’t be paying more than 30-50 THB unless they have a board with pricing fixed.

Also please wear a helmet as being tourists we are easy targets for spot fines which can go up to a total of 1000 THB for one offense.

The BTS Metro line starts right from the Airport and goes on to a stop ahead of Pratunam. There are a total of 7 stops from the airport. To reach Pratunam, you need to get off at the 7^th stop I.e. Ratchaprarop. The metro charges are not more than 40 THB per person. It’s smart, effective and the fastest way to reach your destination.

The tuk-tuk is the next cheapest. They should basically charge you anything lesser than 120 THB.

P.S – For a tourist, they play a good game. They’d quote something outrageous like 300 THB. They know you will bargain. You will bring it down to a maximum of 180-200 THB. He will cave into that. You think you saved a lot of money but he still made a lot of money on a smaller distance.

Meter based taxis are a good option as you pay as the meter. The only downfall here is that the minimum fare will begin from 35 THB.

So even if it is a small distance you will have to shell out 35 THB + the fare for an additional 2 km ride.

Uber is a last resort kind of an option when you are begin quoted exorbitant prices from all the above options. You go online and check the cost. If it’s cheaper than all then good for you. If not, then you might have to use your bargaining skills to the optimum to get the correct fare.

Private Cabs are the costliest. They charge a higher amount. The only plus point being they will be dedicated to you only for the day. These cabs are mostly for tour packages and all-day tours and also for transfer from your hotel to either Pattaya / Airport.

Conclusion:

My first suggestion is that you take all the information from the receptionist at the hotel you reside in.

They know what are the proper rates and that will definitely help you bargain and use the transport for a proper charge. I did the same. Although for the first evening I did pay more for the tuk-tuk.

For those who would like to go to Pattaya from Bangkok, there is a bus stop which is almost 1.5 km away from Pratunam. It is called as Ekamai bus station. From here Air-conditioned buses ply from Bangkok to Pattaya almost every 30-45 mins. The prices are a meager 100-120 THB per person for a 2-3 hour ride.

I know that once the locals get to know you’re a tourist, then getting the correct pricing is almost like an impossible task. Although I must say I did encounter some good folks who charged me correctly and also helped me with my itinerary.

Pattaya:

Pattaya, on the other hand, has 3 overall modes of transport options which I witnessed;

Tuk-Tuk minibus

Rented Motorbike

Bike Taxi

Metered Taxis

Private Cabs

Here, the Tuk-Tuk has a seating capacity for almost 10-12 people. The pricing here is very basic for a tour starting from a minimum of 50 THB. I’m sure the locals are charged lesser but we don’t get that kind of a luxury. For sure you’ll find drivers who will charge you outrageous prices for a small distance but it’s best to keep the information handy by talking to the staff in the hotel you reside in.

I resided right opposite the Alcazar theatre. Here are the places I visited from my place and the costs:

Alcazar to Underwater World – 60 THB

Alcazar to Bus station – 50 THB

Most of the places were walking distance for us hence we didn’t use the transport a lot.

Here too like Bangkok, there are bike taxis and you must ask them upfront regarding the rates. Most of the time they’ll have a board with prices mentioned. Although I did find using the tuk-tuk minibusses more convenient.

There are bikes that can be rented too. I don’t have the exact pricing for this but online it’s mentioned that for a 100-125 cc bike you can get charged anywhere between 150-300 THB per day. Please do carry your license and also wear a helmet or else be ready to pay fines!

There are metered taxis and private cabs too who will help you reach your destination but the pricing would be very high and hence I request you to roam through Pattaya via the tuk-tuk minibusses.

Conclusion:

Finally, I hope this post helps those who would be traveling to this amazing country. It’s worth it.

My next post in this series will be on Stay and things to do in Bangkok.

The post will be up tomorrow.

Here are my past posts from the A to Z Challenge.

Follow my food journey on Zomato and Instagram

Himachal Pradesh Diaries – 2

June 15, 2016June 10, 2020 Lancelot Quadras 7 Comments

So this trip of mine i.e. the Himachal Pradesh Diaries not only got me some good pictures but also a lot of memories; both good and bad.

When I clicked this picture, there was a fight that we friends were into. I’m not sure why but at that spur of the moment, I just looked up and couldn’t believe what I was actually missing.

So I took out my phone and went all out clicking pictures ignoring the noisy background.

Sure, the fight was not so serious and we’ve been friends for over a decade so it’s obvious we know each other too well. Our fights are still childish and we like to fight and laugh the way we used to a decade ago!

The pictures are clicked on our way to Naggar from Manali bus Depot. Nature is indeed at its best in Himachal Pradesh.

Himachal Pradesh Map is one of the best things you can have when traveling in Himachal. With its help and of course talking to locals, you can find places that even regular tourists don’t visit. I hope through my Himachal Pradesh Diaries pictures, you have a good time!

Follow my food journey on Zomato and Instagram

Here are my past posts for the A to Z Challenge from the year 2015 to 2020. I hope you like the content!

Trek to Harishchandragad – Part 3

November 8, 2015May 15, 2020 Lancelot Quadras 13 Comments

For all those who have not checked out my previous posts form the Trek to Harishchandragad Fort trilogy, here are the links;

Trek to Harishchandragad Fort – Part 1

Trek to Harishchandragad Fort – Part 2

Firstly I’d like to apologize to all those who read the first two parts. I know I kept y’all waiting. A LOT! But here it is, the last part.. full of surprises.

After a painstaking climb and snoring at night, we woke up fresh for our last visit to the Konkan Kada point. It was just a 25-30 minutes climb to the point. We walked and then finally reached the place which everyone spoke about so much. It was the far end of the mountain. Since we reached there around 10 am, there was sunlight as usual. But the weather was pleasant and less humid. Also, at the far end of the mountain, you couldn’t see anything ahead or below, just a mixture of fog and clouds.

I dare you to take a leap of faith and jump.!!

That’s Yvonne with her favorite background.

Now it’s time for the highlight. It’s said that if you lay down to the very end of the mountain and look downwards, you can see clouds and a reflection of a circular rainbow. Now, what’s peculiar about this? What if I told you that you can also see your shadow inside that circular rainbow?

Yes.
I’m not kidding. It’s the ultimate truth. You can indeed see your shadow. I even waved and got a response. Unfortunately, I could not capture that phenomenon, but another friend managed to get me a snap of someone who did.

Here’s the image.

Rainbow view from top point of Harishchandragad Fort

This is also called as Indra vajra i.e. the 360 degree rainbow. It is a sight best seen during the monsoon! And I must say it is one of the top unique selling points of going for this trek.

Finally, after watching that rainbow and myself I was content. We walked back to our tent, packed our stuff, and walked back to the base village of Konkan Kada.
There was this tree which was exactly half-submerged in the middle of the lake. The entire sight was a treat to anyone who witnessed it. I did not capture that sight but I am glad to have seen it.

Post that, we walked and it took us a couple of hours till we were on our way to the bus stop near Malshej Ghat. Upon waiting for the bus, I stumbled across a view so pleasant, I just had to capture.

View near Malshej Ghat and Konkan Kada village

All in all, I was content with this travel experience. Yes, I did not expect so much of madness in this amazing travel journey, but it was perfect. Here’s one group picture which we managed to click just on the endpoint of the trek to Harishchandragad Fort.

Group Trek to Harishchandragad from Maharashtra — Here’s the star cast from left to right: Aaron, Yvonne, Lance & Errol

I heard this line somewhere which I feel is indeed true; “Travelling sets you free”. So tell me, people, Did you enjoy my 3 posts on the Trek to Harishchandragad fort? Also, you can let me know which trip you took recently that you enjoyed the most? Share it with me. I’d like to hear about it.

You can also read – The latest BS6 Royal Enfield Himalayan Motorcycle in India

Harishchandragad Fort Trek – Part 2

September 26, 2015May 14, 2020 Lancelot Quadras 9 Comments

To the ones who haven’t read the first part, here’s the link – Harishchandragad Fort Trek – Part 1

Part 2

So after ending day 1 at 4.45 am and waking up at 7 am you can just imagine how much of energy we all could muster to walk up to the topmost point of this trek. So after some breakfast and clicking some pictures, we packed up our tent the way it should and started our journey. The path we had to walk was almost over 2 hours before we could start the actual trek. ( Yes, imagine what hopes I already have!)

The route from Konkan Kada to Harishchandragad Fort Trek

The route to Harischandragad Fort Trek was not filled with rose petals.. or even concrete for crying out loud. It is full of stones Yes literally. My feet hurt even thinking about it. So after a long walk, we finally got a jeep which hauled our asses up to a certain point. That saved a lot of energy. We found a few hotels and took a small break for tea which Yvonne likes the most.

After our tea break, we walked a bit and finally reached the start of the trek. Phew. That was almost around 10 am.

10.01 am – The excitement of the trek took over me.

10.05am – We started the climb. I knew my calf muscles would get a lot of action today.

10.10 am – The bag weight accompanied by the tent bag started to weigh over us.

10.30 am – I wanted to go home and tell my mother that i love her.

10.45 am – I just wanted to find a good spot, open up the tent, and rest there till eternity.

Yes my dear people, it just took me 45 minutes to lose hope. But we didn’t stop. We kept going on and on. After a certain point, we got this view which kind of was good to see.

You can also read – Royal Enfield Himalayan BS6 Motorcycle

The route to Harishchandragad Fort trek was full of twists. — The weather was just amazing

So after a bit of resting, we started climbing up and up. We continued to do so. The weather was at it’s best and only rarely was there a sunny moment. Thank god for that.

The Harishchandragad trek route — Climbing in progress!

And at these rare moments. it seriously felt good to take a selfie.

Somewhere near to Konkan Kada and far from Malshej Ghat

So after the climb and a few minutes of walking, we reached a good surface. By good surface, I mean a good background for people who love to capture nature in their cameras. So it’s obvious I started clicking and my friends, as usual, were ready to pose.

The view from the top of Harishchandragad trek

One of the best views within Maharashtra

So after a good photo session, we continued on our search for the Konkan Kada cliff. We found yet another tiny shop where the vendor had tea and nimbu pani. Since we had enough of our fill for the day, we decided not to have anything. ( A big mistake!)

We asked the guy for directions. There were 2 paths. He told us to go left when we should have gone right! It took us an extra 1.30hrs than the other route. Imagine our state! (We realized all this after reaching the Konkan Kada. I’m still searching that vendor)

Anyways since we were oblivious to the fact that we were on walking on a longer route, so we kept walking. It was almost 2 pm. We hadn’t seen a single soul for almost an hour (which was creepy) and by then we were hungry, so we decided to take another break. Here’s a picture of the view where we enjoyed our lunch session.

So after cooking and a bit of rest, we started walking again. And finally around 5.30-6 pm, we made it. Yes, we did. Hooray!! We reached the base camp where we decided to set up for the night. Here’s the temple of Harishchandragad.

So after checking out this temple, we set up our tent and started with our duties of finding wood, setting up a fire, and cooking.

The food we created during our trek in Maharashtra

It took us some time, but the end result was good. Oh yeah, here’s a picture of the tent also!

The early morning sunrise during our trek — Amazing ain’t it?

So after setting up, Errol carried on with the duties of cooking and we tried helping a bit. We played some good music. It took us a lot of time but the dish we prepared was amazing!

The atmosphere was just too good to be true minus the bugs which kept irritating us. So finally after a lot of eating and a lot of talking, we decided to crash and thus ended a day which included almost 28000 steps equivalent to 21 km in a single day.

In my next post, I’ll share our last tryst with this place when we visited the Konkan Kada cliff where the view is almost unbelievable.

Category: Travel