Major metropolitan cities are big concrete jungles and Bangkok is no exception. We’ve found that tours are a way to give yourself a leg up in a new city. They help provide you with recommendations, navigation skills, and mannerisms that may help you interact with the local populace.
We find tours using TripAdvisor, withlocals, getyourguide, and Airbnb. We find the activities we think we would like, analyze reviews, and hope for the best. Today’s tour was Alternative Bangkok: Urban Jungle Tour. I think when we booked it we were looking for a tour near our hotel to give us knowledge of the neighborhood and things that were within walking distance.
Our guide, Artty, met us at the BTS Saphan Taski (BTS = Above-ground transit and MRT = below-ground transit) station. In most areas of Bangkok, Devin and myself kinda stand out so Artty quickly identified us. After a quick introduction, Artty provided a high-level itinerary and we were on our way. The neighborhood was a mix of Chinese, Thai, Western, and Muslim and each had arrived in Bangkok at different times in history. Today these groups share different components of their houses of worship with one another. The Buddhists share their parking lot with the Mosque since it doesn’t have one and the Muslims share their folding table collection with the Catholics when needed.
As Artty took us around he had a fascinating way of crossing the street. Bangkok’s car-to-pedestrian rules are not as defined as in the West and leave some room open to interpretation. Pedestrians still have the right of way but the markings (crosswalks, signage, and order) might not exist. Artty’s way of handling this was to cross the street whenever necessary (see jaywalking) for the tour and signal to cars to stop or go with his hand using a waving motion. This is a perfect example of learning how to navigate on foot in Bangkok. I will never be as brave as Artty at crossing the road but I have a better understanding of the relationship of cars and humans in Bangkok.
Alex Face is one of Thailand’s famous graffiti artists. Artty explained that prior to becoming famous he used to look for less desirable parts of town for his art. Then the hipsters followed and you probably know the rest of the story. Alex is now being paid for his signature art. Our hotel even has some at the pool. The mural that stuck out to me was done by a Portuguese artist, Vhils, that was chiseled into the wall of the Portuguese embassy.
Arrty kept our tour moving at a brisk pace. Not uncomfortable but it was moving at a good clip. Side streets in Bangkok are what Americans would typically consider small alleys. In Seattle, they are equivalent in size to the alley behind buildings where the trash is picked up. In these side streets, there are markets, restaurants, and shops configured so that one might not realize it’s actually a street until you see the motorbike driving through the middle of it. Artty took us through so many that we lost our bearings – not that we had much to lose in the first place but we did not have a good handle on where we were.
The tour included a visit to Wat Traimit Withayaram Worawihan, Temple of the Golden Buddah, but to get there we’d be traveling in an open-air taxi or rickshaw called a Tuk Tuk. Tuk Tuk’s are probably not unique to Thailand but I haven’t been to another place that has them so I always think of them as a uniquely Thai transportation method. If riding in a car in Bangkok traffic is an experience then a tuk-tuk will take away those walls and put you front and center as you face your mortality. Arrty made the experience extra by having an elevated conversation with the driver – see the video.
As described the temple contains a golden Buddha after ascending a few steps. While the Buddha is old, believed to be from the 13th – 14th century, it was rediscovered in 1955 as it had been covered in stucco to keep it hidden. When it was being moved the stucco gave way to reveal its golden interior. Arrty was essential for getting all the details about the statue and aspects of the craftsmanship of the temple. There are few placards inside that explain the history or significance. We even got a walkthrough of how the gilded black lacquer shutters are made with sticky paint and gold leaf. After the leaf is applied, water is used to wash the sticky paint away making those areas black. Essentially the part that gets painted with the sticky paint will remain black at the end of the process.
Our tour ended at a rooftop bar with drinks as we watched the sunset on the city and the Chao Phraya River. Arrty had chosen this one for its casual atmosphere and cheap drink prices. We would highly recommend this tour with Arrty but wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to move.
