Day 24 High above Bangkok and Chinatown
- Heike Panagoulias
- Feb 22
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 4
In the morning, I couldn't get enough of the rising sun reflected in the skyscrapers. What a beautiful way to wake up!
Today I wanted to climb high above Bangkok. The Mahanakhon was on my plan. I could see it from my hotel and set off on foot after breakfast, strolling through the relatively small, bustling streets of Bangkok.
At 313 meters and 77 floors, the Mahanakhon is the second tallest building in Bangkok. It was designed by a German architect and is characterized by its unique exterior façade. It is characterized by a spiral band of staggered, box-shaped elements.
It has Thailand's highest viewing platform, both an indoor and outdoor terrace with a breathtaking 360-degree view of the entire city.
The ride up to the viewing platform is an absolute highlight. An ultra-fast elevator, which ascends 74 floors in 50 seconds, transforms into a digital movie screen when it takes off.
The observatory inside is equipped with huge windows and offers an incredible view of the whole of Bangkok. I found an overview of all the “skyscrapers around the world” here:
I've been to the Lotte World Tower on the far right several times... An incredible experience. If you have the opportunity, you should definitely visit it in Seoul, South Korea. Read more about this
The Mahanakhon is a lot smaller than the Lotte World Tower, but that doesn't detract at all!
I'm still missing 3 skyscrapers in between, so I'll have to plan my next trips... Taiwan and Hong Kong!
Okay, but my next trip will actually be to Vietnam, even without skyscrapers ;)
Now we went further up to the outside platform. Wow, I can only say!
I was thrilled! The incredible view, the chilled sunset bar music, the comfortable seating... I have no idea how long I sat here, but it was a really long time. I took countless selfies and videos and just let this relaxed atmosphere sink in.
Of course I didn't miss out on the Skywalk, one of the greatest experiences here on the Mahanakhon. It took courage, a lot of courage! I've been on a few skywalks in recent years, but with steel beams. Anyone watching me could see me walking along them on the glass ;) Here, however, they don't exist. This is unique.
You are not allowed to take anything with you onto this glass surface. There are shelves to put your things on. Cell phones are also forbidden on the glass and overshoes are a must. A friendly tourist took photos as proof... you can see how tense I was ;)
It was pure thrill.
The next point on my itinerary today was Chinatown. I had already seen a bit on my hop-on hop-off bus tour yesterday, but I really wanted to walk through these little alleyways at my leisure.
I took the subway for a bit and the rest by boat. I've become a big fan of public transportation in Asia!
The boat has the advantage of not being stuck in traffic jams and is also very cheap.
You can also see some really great things from the boat. Mooring at the jetty is typically Thai. As you saw in the video, the boat doesn't actually stop and moor. The “safety chain” is simply released and with one big step you are at the pier. As soon as you get off the boat, they have already cast off again.
I still had a few meters to walk. It would also have been possible to go one stop further. But I wanted to see something, so I decided to walk a few more meters. You walk leisurely through small alleyways with stores and restaurants. Eventually you come to a large traffic circle. You quickly realize that you've come to the right place
There is a lot of hustle and bustle here, from trucks and tourist buses to cabs and tuck-tucks.
And then the small alleyways begin, where you can really buy everything. An incredible selection of clothing, accessories, stationery, gold, electronics and so much more! Lots of stores that really glow red. You can see Chinese characters everywhere and you could almost believe that you are somewhere in China and not in Thailand. There are not only food stalls but also food markets on every corner. The smell of Asian food and spices is everywhere. It's a very lively district and if you don't like crowds, it's best to come here first thing in the morning. I was there in the late morning and it got very crowded very quickly. It's also interesting to know that Chinatown in Bangkok is one of the largest Chinese communities outside of China.
I really wanted to walk through the alleyways here one evening and enjoy the flair. But first I was exhausted. I walked back towards the pier and discovered a great little café. Time for a break. I stayed here for quite a while and finally decided to take a motorcycle cab back. I took you along on my hot trip, including how my bags got caught on the passing car, hahaaa
I rested a little at the hotel and decided to try out the rooftop bar in the evening. As the hotel had its own, I didn't have to go anywhere. That was just right for me today! However, yesterday I saw a great night market just a few meters from the hotel... Let's see what the evening brings!
And it gave me a breathtaking view! Take a look for yourselves, once again I simply couldn't decide which pictures to choose...
Yes, and then I actually made my way to the night market! The bar was closed and I got a bit hungry.
It was a wonderful end to the day! I enjoyed the great music for a bit and then made my way back to the hotel. It was late and I was really tired! I finalized my plan for tomorrow. I had already booked one event yesterday, an evening 5-star luxury cruise on the Chao Phraya.
Conclusion of the day:
I got sentimental today. This incredible view of the whole of Bangkok and Chinatown, plus the right flair with the great weather, cool drink, great seating and the good mood music...
I felt so comfortable. I was relaxed, I was refreshed. I experienced and saw so many beautiful things. And my time here was coming to an end and I realized that I really would have liked to stay longer!
I had to think about what I was worried about traveling through Thailand alone for 4 weeks... and I had to smile.
Yes, and the thought of being so high up, so close to the sky, so much closer to Leon, certainly played a special role today.
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