Bangkok taught us lessons fast! We bought bus tickets on the fly for onward travel, got scammed at the floating market, but loved the history of Ayutthaya and the Bridge on the River Kwai. Plus, we review the Calypso Cabaret and find the best street Pad Thai and $12 Thai massages.
From Mauritius we flew to Bangkok by way of Réunion, with a six-hour layover. We hit our first real snag of the year at check-in in Mauritius: the Air Austral agent wouldn’t let us board without proof of onward travel from Thailand. We’d planned to wing it—Bangkok to Chiang Mai and then into Laos—so we had nothing booked. On the fly we bought bus tickets from Bangkok to Siem Reap for six days later (about $20 each). The confirmation emails took forever to arrive and we were five minutes from check-in closing when they finally landed. Crisis averted, but our stress levels were high.
We landed in Bangkok around 6 a.m., caught a cheap shuttle to our hotel near Khaosan Road, dropped our bags and killed time until check-in. Jet lagged and running on fumes, we accepted a “too good to be true” taxi offer to the floating market (300 THB, about $13 CAD). I asked about extra costs and was told only optional things like elephant rides. Spoiler: that was not the full story.
Floating Market lesson learned
The ride took over an hour, and the driver dropped us at a pier where the only way in was by hiring a boat. Walking wasn’t an option from there. Boat price quoted to us: about $140 CAD. Yep, we’d been funneled to an expensive operator. In the end we made lemonade and did it—adding an elephant ride too—but our advice is simple: don’t book this on the street. If you want the floating market, arrange it through your hotel or a legit travel desk. It will be a fraction of what we paid.
Ayutthaya day trip
We booked a proper tour through our hotel to Ayutthaya, the old Siamese capital about 70 km from Bangkok. It cost 750 THB (about $33 CAD) including lunch and all entry fees. We visited multiple temples and sites—Wat Phu Khao Thong, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Viharn Phra Mongkol Bopit, Wat Lokaya Sutha, and Wat Phra Mahathat (the famous Buddha in the tree roots). Worth it, and well organized.
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Another tour took us to Kanchanaburi to see the Bridge on the River Kwai. Growing up, my dad called the old bridge in Welland the “Bridge on the River Kwai,” so this felt iconic. The day included the JEATH War Museum, walking the bridge, the POW cemetery, lunch, a river raft, an elephant ride, a quick stop at Erawan Waterfall, and then a short train ride on the Death Railway along a dramatic cliff section. Sobering history mixed with a very touristy itinerary, but memorable all the same.
Cabaret night
On the River Kwai tour we met Terry from British Columbia and later joined her for the Calypso Cabaret show. The performers looked incredibly convincing; the lip-syncing, less so. Not cheap, but it scratched the “Bangkok show” itch without heading into a bar.
Grand Palace and Wat Pho
We did a self-guided walking day using the Maps.me app. The Grand Palace was dazzling—and strict. Nic’s scarf over a tank top wasn’t enough, so she had to buy a T-shirt. We also popped into the included cultural show. From there we visited Wat Pho and its massive Reclining Buddha. A quick primer we kept seeing around the temples: reclining Buddha represents his final illness before parinirvana; walking Buddha suggests grace and his return after a sermon; sitting Buddha often symbolizes meditation; a hand-up “protection” Buddha signifies courage; the standing Buddha’s meaning depends on the hand mudra. Many temple complexes display several poses oriented to the cardinal directions.
Eats and streets
We ate mostly around the Khaosan area (not always on Khaosan itself). My forever favorite is Pad Thai, and honestly the street-vendor versions were the best—great flavor, big portions, bargain prices. Curries tend to be too spicy for me, but we had good cashew chicken, sweet and sour, and more. Street food felt safe and was part of the fun this time. Buckets of rum and coke showed up more than once, and we found a couple of places we liked for the vibe: Suk Sabai (loved the live singer) and “Max’s Magical Thai Food,” where Max does table-side close-up magic that’s genuinely impressive. BBQ meat on a stick and coconut ice cream also became staples.
Massages for the win
I squeezed in at least three Thai massages. They’re more stretch-and-bend than the usual, with therapists even standing on your back and legs. My flexibility is… not great… but with my sciatica they felt amazing. Typical price was $10–12 CAD for an hour. Nic’s not a massage person; I more than made up for it.
Next up: Cambodia. We’ll be back in Thailand in a few weeks when we come down from Laos to Chiang Mai, so more Thai stories to come.
Reflection
Bangkok was a jet-lagged blur of “learn fast” moments mixed with classic highlights. We were reminded—hard—that winging it has limits (proof of onward travel, anyone?) and that street “deals” often aren’t. But once we slowed down and booked things properly, Bangkok did what it does best: fed us brilliantly, dazzled us at the temples, and kneaded the travel knots out of my back for twelve bucks. Not a perfect start, but a useful reset—and the kind of travel day that quietly sharpens your instincts for the next border, the next bargain, and the next bowl of noodles.
