This is How I Traveled Easily to Thailand

The purpose of this unexpected Thailand adventure is to visit my friend and her friend (HER friend, haha!) They're both working in Lebua at State Tower in Thailand. There were plenty of questions that had me dead worried and scared but I decided to push my luck with this trip.

I realized that the Cambodia-Thailand trip is one of the most budget-friendly and safest trips to go on for solo traveling so I decided to go with the flow and travel to a place I am not familiar with, get out of my comfort zone because we do not exist just to pay the bills. Explore the world, buddy!

By the way, I work in a corporate company that allows their employees to take leave for a week, making sure that they are done with their tasks. The good thing with the company is that I can work wherever I am, whenever.

Before the trip, my close friends and family kept asking, Can you do it alone? , How's your accommodation? , What will you do in Thailand? , Is it safe to go alone? One of them advised me to pack light lang, bes!

I know it is difficult to go on such an adventure. I don't know what might happen. I can't speak their language, and I am not aware of their transportation system. What if I lost my passport or money? And lastly, where am I supposed to get the internet connection? I cannot live without it! But I told myself that this would be fun. And the result was an awesome and perfect solo adventure!

ARRIVAL

I landed around 1:00 AM at Suvarnabhumi International Airport and booked a cab (100 Baht) to go to Hotel YHA. This is a mistake that I shouldn't have done. Booking a hotel for a short period is a WASTE OF MONEY! It's legal to stay at the airport until morning until the Airport Link opens. Oh, by the way, Nuseir Yassin AKA Nas Daily is on the same flight as me! Lucky to meet this cool guy with the famous catchphrase, That's 1 minute! See you tomorrow!

When morning came, I immediately, headed to Mo Chit Bus Station to pick up the morning ride around 8:00 AM / 9:30 AM. Before I make it to Mo Chit, all I can say is THE STRUGGLE IS REAL. Talking to a Thai national is very, very complicated but it was a great challenge. I struggled with transportation. There were no ticket sellers for direct buses going to Siem Reap. You need to book online or find a travel agency first the day before the trip so I ended up riding a bus to Kron Poi Pet (Cambodia & Thailand border). I passed through immigration. For foreigners, the visa costs $35 but for Pinoys, it's FREE. YAY!

I talked with two Italians, Maria and Andrea, and a Portuguese, Ana, about sharing the transportation expenses going to Siem Reap because it's more expensive to go ride a taxi for $45 than to ride a bus which costs $9 (if I'm not mistaken).

CAMBODIA

This travel took me around 12 hours from Bangkok to Siem Reap. It's like traveling from Manila to Bicol, with nothing to do but sit, watch movies, and listen to music. I was bored on the way, hahaha! The bus is the best option and a lot cheaper than taking a plane for 203 Baht or $15 for shared transportation with international people.

It was Valentine's Day when I woke up at around 4:30 AM. I went on a temple run (LOL) to see the sunrise in Angkor Wat. I MADE IT! The sight amazed me so much. I scoured the left area for the perfect spot as the place was so crowded. This is the fun part of my tour. Everyone took their dates in Angkor Wat. Hahaha! Romantic, isn't it? Before, I forgot, the one-day pass cost me $37, before, it was only $20. On this short journey, Angkor Wat and Ta Phrom are the most beautiful temples in Angkor Park for me.

How did I explore Angkor Park, you ask? I took a tuk-tuk for only $25 for the WHOLE day and it will be brought me to famous temples! If you're planning on going there, just try to negotiate. It's expensive but it's worth the try. Some people go on bicycles and motorbikes. If you have more time to explore, it's cheaper, I guess. Haha!

After the extreme adventure, go wild in Siem Reap! Nah, just kidding! I just walked around and looked for some food. I tried one of the Cambodian dishes which cost me around $6 and it tasted good. I also tried to look for a night market area for 'PASALUBONG dapat' but failed at finding this area. I did my best, but I guess my best wasn't good enough. Hahaha! While walking around, I spotted an open disco. WHAT!? OPEN DISCO? WTF is that!? Good to see them happy and lively while partying at night.

Note: Angkor Wat is a NO-FLY ZONE unless you're a licensed pilot in Cambodia or you have a permit to fly from Cambodia Aviation. In my case, my permit was delivered late.

BANGKOK

Going back to Bangkok was faster than going to Siem Reap. Maybe, because of a direct bus that cost me $23 but I read some blogs mentioning that it cost them $10 instead. That was seriously cheap. NOOO!!! Before you cross the border you're required to go down from the bus with all your belongings and walk through immigration for the stamp.

Note: Beware of the Cambodian Immigration. There's a FUCKING 100 BAHT SCAM!!! THERE'S NO NEED TO PAY. If they ask you for 100 Baht, ask for a receipt and they will release your passport. Two fellow Filipinos who told me I've been scammed. At least, I learned a lesson and now, am passing this knowledge to you, readers.

If you're planning to go to Bangkok, you're going to feel like you're still in Manila because of the busy streets, vibrant people, and street food vendors except for the language, hahaha! Don't mind it.

Accommodation in Bangkok is very cheap! Nasa Hotel has direct access to Airport Link which makes it easier for you to have access to transportation like the train and go to main attractions in Bangkok. The room cost 800 Baht. Thanks to Marlon Rex for sharing his room!

Please be warned that when visiting main attractions like the Grand Palace make sure to be mindful of the color of your clothes. Thai nationals will appreciate it if you wear dark-colored clothes during the mourning of their beloved king for a year. Also, do not wear revealing clothes like skirts or off-shoulder blouses. It is better if you wear pants and shirts that cover your shoulders when visiting the temples.

I started the day at 8:00 am and went to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. The entrance fee for the Grand Palace is 500 Baht and for Wat Pho, 100 Baht which includes free water! Hahaha!

To get into the Grand Palace, I managed to ride the underground MRT from Phetchaburi to Hua Lamphong for around 30 Baht. When you get to the last station, there's a free bus going to the Grand Palace but you have to wait for it. I decided to ride a cab (on Temple Run mode, haha!) for 70 Baht.

Don't forget to visit Lumphini Park, a peaceful place where you can relax and see very many pigeons. There is no entrance fee! Just go down to Lumphini or Silom Station via MRT or Si Lom via BTS Train.

If you're into bars, visit the two most popular sky bars in Bangkok, Lebua Skydome and Red Sky Bar or Centara Grand. If you don't mind spending money, try experiencing the Red Sky Bar 360 view and buy some drinks! While the SkyDome is more expensive, it is worth noting that this is where they shot The Hangover 2 movie.

Note: You can just walk around the Red Sky bar without buying anything for an awesome breathtaking view. For the SkyDome, you can also just walk around. Just don't let them stop you from seeing the best view. Hahaha!

AYUTTHAYA

If you have a short time visiting Thailand, make sure to visit Ayutthaya.

How to get there? I rode a minibus from Mo Chit 2 Bus Station for only 60 Baht. This is the best option rather than taking a scheduled train which is much cheaper but slower. The last option for going there will be by bus.

If you're looking for my temple run route, here it is:

• Wat Phanan
• Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
• Wat Maha That
• Wat Phra Si Sanphet
• Wihan Phra Mongkhon
• Bophit Trade Center
• Wat Ratchaburana
• Wat Phra Ram
• Wat Lokayasutharam
• Wat Chaiwatthanaram
• Wat Na Phra Men

I did this run for only 60 Baht. How? I rented a motorbike which is more convenient and faster than riding a bicycle which is cheaper for only 20 Baht. If you're taking a tour with a tuk-tuk, the rates have changed from 200 Baht per hour to 300 Baht per hour, not good for solo backpacking travel as it is expensive.

 Note: You can fly a quadcopter here if you have one. Take a scene above the temples but make sure to ask the Thai national guards for security purposes before flying, be sure to check my aerial clip.

EXPENSES

Thailand

• - Transportation to Ayutthaya - 120 Baht (RT)
• - Tour in Ayutthaya (options)
• * Tuk-tuk - 300 Baht/hour
• * Bike - 20 Baht (entire day)
• * Motorbike (chosen) - 60 Baht (entire day, gas exclusion)
• - Grand Palace - 500 Baht
• - Wat Pho - 100 Baht
• - Transportation to Krong Pot Pei - 203 Baht (Bus
• - Skybars (Lebua and Red Skybar) - 800 Baht to 1000 Baht/drink

Cambodia

• - Transportation to Bangkok Direct Bus - 23 USD
• - Angkor Park Entrance - 37 USD
• - Tour Angkor Park tuktuk - Play around 25 USD

• 85 USD - 4,354 PHP
• 2,683 Baht - 3,849 PHP
• Total - 8,203 PHP

(Note: Plane ticket (4k), Accommodation (5k), International Terminal Tax fee (1.6k) everyday train transportation and food (2k Baht))

ITINERARY

Day 0 - February 12| 9:25 PM - 11:50 PM

• 19:00 - ETD, Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 Andrews Avenue, Pasay City
• 23:55 - ETA, Suvarnabhumi International Airport
• 00:30 - Check-in Hostel

Day 1 - February 13

• 06:00 - Checkout & Breakfast
• 08:00 - Mo Chit 2 Bus Terminal
• 09:00 - ETD, Going to Siem Reap
• 17:40 - Cambodia Boarder for Passport Entry (Note: Filipino, Free Visa)
• 18:00 - ETA, Siem Reap
• 18:05 - ETA, Nika’s Residence - Krong Siem Reap (Hostel)

Day 2 - February 14

• 05:30 - ETA, Angkor Wat for Sunrise
• 06:00 - Start of the Temple Run
• 18:00 - Ready for Sunset
• 19:00 - Nika’s Residence (Hostel)

Day 3 - February 15

• 07:30 - Checkout Nika’s Residence (Hostel)
• 09:00 - ETD, Siem Reap
• 19:00 - ETA, Bangkok
• 19:30 - Get Hotel and Rest

Day 4 - February 16

• 09:00 - Grand Palace Tour
• 14:00 - Wat Pho Tour
• 16:00 - Lumpini Park
• 20:00 - Red Sky Bar

Day 5 - February 17

• 07:00 - Mo Chit Bus Station
• 07:30 - ETD, Mo Chi - Ayutthaya
• 08:30 - ETA, Ayutthaya (http://www.thewholeworldisaplayground.com/bangkok-ayutthaya-minivan-public-transport/)
• 16:00 - Back to Bangkok, Thailand
• 20:00 - Lebua Sky Dome

Day 6 - February 18, 2017 | 9:35 AM - 1:55 PM

• 07:20 - Checkout and go to Suvarnabhumi International Airport
• 09:35 - Boarding time
• 13:55 - Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 Andrews Avenue, Pasay City