Phra Nakhon is the central district of Bangkok. It was the focus of my first day due to the three main sites of interest : the Grand Palace, Wat Arun and Wat Pho.

However since Bangkok is the first stop in the trip, I only visited two temples and walked around the area. This was a way to ease the strain of the long flights upon my arrival. I think visiting the Grand Palace would take as long as it took for Wat Arun and Wat Pho. I will visit it once I come back at the end of the trip. This will also be a nice closure to the whole journey before returning home.

For dinner, I was recommended to order a Tom Yum at Krua Apsorn which is well known for. The soup had a perfect balance of flavours. I was also craving for greens so I ordered the Stir Fried Chayote with Garlic with a bowl of rice. Simply delicious!

Since today's Halloween, it was pretty crowded on the streets around the hostel I was staying at. Some people were dressed up and partying near the bars while a DJ had a stage set in the middle of the street. I wanted to shop around but I was told that it is better to wait until I reached Chiang Mai. After reflexion I definitely don't want to have heavy travel bags so early in the trip either!

Walking around in that festive mood made me want to stay longer, but hey, this adventure just started :)

Before leaving towards Wat Arun and Wat Pho, it's very important to dress modestly. A general rule to follow is to cover shoulders and knees. Any regular T-shirt with a long skirt or long pants is totally fine. They also tolerate a shawl over your shoulders. I specified 'regular' for a T-shirt because any see-through attire is not accepted either. It is not a fashion show but a sacred place with rules to be respected.

Wat Arun is located on the riverside of the Chao Phraya River. The shuttle boat fare to cross is only 4 baht for a one-way trip. The entrance fee to the temple is 50 baht and the opening hours are from 8:30am to 5:30pm every day.

Wat Arun is also known as the Temple of Dawn. I unfortunately didn't get the chance to see it at the sunset hours, but I managed to enjoy the area during morning without being crowded. I was very impressed by the details of the temple. The upper most parts are out of bounds, but the highest accessible parts give a good view of the surroundings.

Taking the shuttle boat once more, reaching Wat Pho didn't take long at all. The entrance fee for this temple is 100 baht. The operating hours are from 8:00am to 6:00pm every day.

The areas of Wat Pho is much larger than Wat Arun. The main attraction is the famous reclining Buddha. It is stunningly big! The murals surrounding the Buddha must not be forgotten. The paintings are very detailed. I can only imagine how long they took to have them done. It's crazy!

After walking around, I eventually found a map of the temple. Having seen most of it at that point it is fair to say the map is not mandatory. Be curious and explore around!

I'm finally here in Thailand! After the long flights, I have to say that I can't wait to settle at the hostel.
The cheapest way to go to Phra Nakhon district from the Suvarnabhumi airport is to take the Airport Train Link (city line) and a Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) bus.

The city line fares go up to 45 baht. The price range varies depending on the distance traveled from the airport or on your way towards it. The stops are Phaya Thai - Ratchaprarop - Makkasan - Ramkhamhaeng - Hua Mak - Ban Thap Chang - Lat Krabang - Bangkok Airport. The whole circuit from Phaya Thai to the airport takes about 30 minutes.

It was pretty easy to find my way to the city line. The indications inside the airport are very clear. Right at the entrance of the station you can find vending machines to buy your token. Just tap the token at the gates and once you're at your destination, simply insert it in the designed slot for your way out.

And welcome to Bangkok!

Next up, the city buses. The BMTA bus fare ranges from 6.50 baht to 23 baht. Just as the city line, the fare depends on the travel but unlike its counterpart, the type of bus also is also taken into consideration. Air-conditioned ones have a higher ticket price than the ones without.

Once you get on the bus, a lady will come up to you for your payment and bus ticket. Don't worry if you only have bigger bills than needed, she will give you change, just let her know where you're getting off and pay the fare. After that's done enjoy the ride, it's as simple as that!