This popular Bangkok tour, freshly established just made it to the top 10 of Bangkok Trip Advisor Activities with an average of 100% excellent reviews.
For this reason, the eOasia team went on an “inspection” to find out what makes this Bangkok Tuk Tuk tour so exceptional!
Here’s what you will experience in three points :
– Get around the city with a friendly Tuk Tuk driver and knowledgeable guide, making stops at the most iconic sites, temples, and markets of Bangkok under the night lights.
– No traffic at night will allow you to enjoy an intimate experience in Bangkok.
– Get back home with a full stomach after having tasted all kind of Thai snacks. Make a stop at the best Phad Thai in town and finish your night with a sweet desert in the World biggest Chinatown.
View complete details of the tour here.
Klong San Market
We started the tour by being dropped by our Tuk Tuk at this old train station. It became now a bustling local market filled with small stalls where Thai young people come to buy snacks, and all kind of fashion stuff from clothes, school uniforms, shoes, to nail parlours for young ladies.
It is hard to imagine that it once used to be a railway as you are walking through this tiny market. We also found there a lot of street food, where we filled our tummies with some local snacks while getting immersed into Bangkok’s local night culture.
Wat Prayoon
Located by the river, this is the first temple where we made a stop and had a bit of historical and cultural background.
This smaller temple attracts both tourists and locals, however it was really quiet as locals are scared of spirits being in the temple during the night.
The 200 years old temple Wat Prayoon has been awarded by the Unesco after its stunning ivory white stupa was restored and acclaimed for its technical mastery in restoring such a complex edifice. Impressive to watch, and very shiny at night!
Giant Swing
On the way to dinner, we made a quick stop at this 30 meters high Giant Swing which used to be a place where Buddhist ceremonies were held. Unfortunately, this was maybe not a good idea to swing that high and it closed after several accidents happened. It has now been renovated and was suggested as a World Unesco Heritage.
Back in the Tuk Tuk, we then headed for dinner at a very special place, the most famous Phad Thai in town!
Thip Samai Phad Thai Restaurant
Local people claim it is the best Phad Thai in town, and is increasingly popular among tourists too. Indeed, the crowds spoke for itself as we spotted a queue of about 30 people contemplating the Phad Thai masters preparing the magic recipe in their big stove.
So what is the secret of this secret Phad Thai recipe ?
The restaurant tradition is to actually make an oil out of the shrimps heads in which they fry the Phad Thai – so better not be allergic to Prawns! ( they still have vegetarian option in case you would be. )
Oh and don’t worry you don’t have to do the queue by joining this tour as the owner and Tuk Tuk operator have an agreement, so we just sat down and get served 5 minutes later, very yummy!
Wat Pho in the dark
Wat Pho is one of the most visited attraction of Bangkok, and gets very crowded during the day time, but by night this is a different story.
Our Tuk Tuk tour group did not meet anyone except two monks who just fitted so well with the serene landscape.
This 200 years old temple is home of the famous reclining Buddha, and also a popular massage school. We’ve also been told that some of the writings on the stones and monuments are actually massages teachings.
We could have wandered around the stunning and majestic stupas for hours as we got lost into the magic of the site. We were reminded that we still have two sites to visit and that the Tuk Tuk drivers were already waiting for us!
The Flower Market
We reached the Flower Market at the right time: the market wakes up at night and reaches its peak hour at around 1am!
As we arrived, the flower market was animated with local people setting up their stalls, or preparing their jasmin offerings, necklace and other flowers assortment. This is a big place and a feast for the eyes as they get caught in plenty of different colours, shapes, or just unusual situation such as workers carrying quantity of boxes full of spices, flowers or vegetables defying the laws of gravity.
We passed through different sections of the market, interacting with the friendly local people, spotting orchids, roses, lotus flowers, and once again we were the only tourists around here getting this intimate look on Bangkok’s night lights.
Last stop, Chinatown.
Welcome in the world biggest Chinatown, the extremely busy Yaowarat Road, compared to a dragon by the Lonely Planet and one of the iconic site of Bangkok. It gets quieter at night and can give you a feeling of New York Time Square with its big screens on the side of the roads.
Filled with street food stalls, this is a haven for food travellers and for us, a perfect time for a Chinese dessert and time to say goodbye to our amazing guides!
At the end of the tour, you can be brought back home with a Tuk Tuk at a price of 150 THB, or can just decide to hang out in Chinatown’s streets a little longer, exploring some of the narrow alleys and feeling the magic of the place.
What a night!
If you don’t have much time in Bangkok, you will get to explore its highlights and get a glimpse of the local culture in less than 4 hours!
And even if you do have the time, this Tuk Tuk tour is a must as you’ll get to experience Bangkok under a different and intimate look.
The Tuk Tuk rides are smooth, and the whole team is remarkably well organised to pick you up at the end of each site visit.
Oh, and of course make sure you do not eat anything before joining the tour!
Book your Tuk Tuk Night Tour right here!
By Uriel.
3 comments
Great write up! I also did the walking tours with them. Brilliant!
I have done this tour myself and it is a great way to see Bangkok