Bangkok, Once More!

CEBU, Philippines - There are destinations one can go for the nth time and still discover exciting adventures, endless culinary delights, great shopping value for money and fabulous entertainment.

One such place is Bangkok, Thailand.

On a recent familiarization tour  graciously hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand,(TAT)  together with JG Summit and everyone’s airline of choice Cebu Pacific Air, we once again found ourselves in this “City of Angels”.

Our official guide, Dave de Jesus, Marketing Representative of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Viveca Singson of JG Summit, assured us that our four-day stay in this multi-faceted destination would be filled with first time experiences.  With that in mind, we were ready to conquer Bangkok once again.

The four-hour smooth flight via Cebu Pacific was an experience in itself. Pampering was brought to greater heights as our every need was met. Delicious merienda was aplenty and sodas and beverages flowed to no end.

Upon arrival and with hassle free transfers, we reached our final destination — the 88-storey Baiyoke Sky Hotel, Thailand’s tallest and Bangkok’s most scenic Hotel. A fabulous buffet dinner awaited us, courtesy of the TAT.  It was early to bed for everyone  to prepare for the next day’s activities.  

Our day began with a visit to Ananta Samakhon Throne Hall Museum, a former reception hall within Dusit Palace. The magnificent   building in Italian Renaissance and Neo classic style is made of marble from Carrera, Italy, and other foreign materials. The Throne Hall has a large dome in the center and is surrounded by six smaller domes. They are covered with paintings by Professor Galileo Chini and Carlo Riguli depicting the history of the Chakri Dynasty from the first to the sixth reign.

Inside the ornate Hall are several exquisite masterpieces including Busabok Mala, a royal regalia of rank, crafted in gold nielloware, enamel, gold, silver and wood carvings, embellished with cut iridescent green beetle wings and intricately woven Yan Lipao vine. Of interest is a model of the royal barge of King Rama 1 with a spectacular work of silver embellished with gold niello, enamel and diamonds. Not to be missed is the howdah, a seat with a canopy and railing which was used to carry the king on the back of a royal elephant when going to battle. The howdah has a silver inner frame crafted in embossed gold floral designs, embedded with diamonds. One can easily spend an entire morning just admiring the intricate royal arts of the kingdom.

We had a quick stop at Pak Klong Talad (flower market) and admired the literally thousands of jasmine and marigold blossoms that the locals string as garlands. There were paper-swathed lilies, birds of paradise and exotic orchids in astounding  varieties.

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Discovery Center was certainly a fun visit. Over 70 life-like wax figures can be photographed and we had souvenir shots with our favorite celebrity personalities such as lovely couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, pretty woman Julia Roberts, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, martial artist Jackie Chan, the legendary Elizabeth Taylor and my favorite – The People’s Princess, Diana, Princess of Wales.

A visit to Siam Oceanworld, the biggest oceanarium in Southeast Asia, at the basement of the Siam Paragon Mall was a fun and educational experience.  It is a voyage into the wonders of the deep that will let you come face to face with fascinating underwater animals from around the globe. Here all the treasures of the mysterious marine world sparkle and perform before your eyes.

We ended our full of activities tour with a sumptuous lunch at Chon Nern Chon Ton Thai hosted by JG Summit. Thai cuisine is as rich and diverse as its culture. It is an exciting combination of five fundamental tastes- sweet, hot, sour, salty and bitter which brings contrasting yet complementing flavors and textures to each dish.

Because Bangkok is one of the world’s best shopping centers, the entire afternoon was dedicated to shopping at Platinum Fashion Mall which is conveniently located across Amari Watergate Hotel , our home for the duration of our stay.

Needless to say, we all shopped till our weary feet could no longer take a single step and our hands full of shopping bags could hold no more.

The spectacular Siam Niramit Cultural Show that evening was one we all looked forward to. . Performed at the gigantic stage now listed in the Guinness Book World Records, the Show  is a journey to the Enchanted Kingdom of Siam and showcases Thai arts and culture with amazing special effects using the world’s most advanced technology to produce a stimulating, very realistic and inspiring experience. There is a staggering total of 150 performers with over 500 costumes. This is a must visit attraction one simply cannot afford to miss while in Bangkok.

There are still countless sights   and unforgettable experiences in Bangkok worthwhile mentioning but that will have to be on hold till my next article. Meanwhile, take note that Cebu Pacific Air flies daily from Manila to Bangkok and from Clark to Bangkok and vice versa every Tuesday and Saturday.  (FREEMAN)