Jalan Hemat Bangkok

I have been to Bangkok with a tour from my office back in Feb 2010, we stopped one night there, only had dinner at the Royal Dragon Restaurant, went to Suan Lum night market, than continue the tour to Hongkong (You may read the stories under "Bangkok" categories). I didn't enjoy going in a tour, I am an easy traveller, don't want to be organized by anyone. That time, I travelled without Rene, and as I didn't explore Thai that much, I would love to come back together with Rene. So we plan to have Jalan Hemat Bangkok.

First thing we do of course wait for our fave airline's: Air Asia promo, and we were so lucky that we got the ticket in May 2010 (a year in advance) cost IDR 1,500,000 : a return ticket for two persons! That price include a 15 kg bagage on the return tickets, convenience fee and all the taxes. Not only that, the ticket dates was perfect, we got ticket during one of Indonesian's long weekend (13-16 May), and on our anniversary #1505 So in 2010 we celebrate it in Macau, and this year we will celebrate it in Bangkok, Insya Alloh.

After buying the ticket for our Jalan Hemat Bangkok, we read sources on the net saying that it's better to go to Phuket as well. So we look for bus going to Phuket from Bangkok. The journey will take a night! Oh noo, we didn't have any idea of other alternatives until Weny a friend of mine at the office, told the story how she connect the flight Jakarta-Bangkok-Phuket-Singapore-Jakarta! Wow what a journey! She told me how beatiful Phi Phi island is. I google its pictures, and fell in love with Phi Phi! Ok, my next target is to get a promo ticket from Bangkok to Phuket:p

In October 2010, Air Asia had another promo and yes it sold Bangkok-Phuket! That midnight I tried my luck, and we got the ticket! It was only IDR 800,000 a return ticket of Bangkok Phuket for two persons, including tax, but no luggage. Yipppieeee so my mission accomplished! It turn out to be Jalan Hemat Bangkok Phuket. I feel very lucky that I can get so many promo tickets from Air Asia so far. But wait, I didn't get it in one click. It wasn't that easy to compete with other Air Asia mania from all over the world. I have to wake up at midnight, and buy the ticket from my blackberry or my galaxi tab. That way is much more convenience than buying it thru their website. I can do it by lying on my bed, and often fall asleep waiting for the late respond from Air Asia as they are having a heavy traffic. I will never give up to look for the ticket even I got buzz so many times. The travelling journey that I will get, worth all of the efforts to get low price tickets!:p

At the time we begin to research for our itinerary, of course first thing we do is to decide where to stay. My first source is always the tripadvisor review, and found this hotel called Bangkok Loft Inn. All the review are positive, the hotel is nice, located 5 minutes away from the BTS, and very afoordable. We email the hotel, and we got two nights for 2,400 baht, including breakfast and free pick up at the airport. Ohhh wow, meaning one night only cost IDR 350,000! We confirmed the hotel that we book their room. In Phuket, as recommended by our friend Yenni Puspo, we booked Ibis Patong thru Agoda for IDR 200,000 per night without breakfast! Why so cheap? We used our Agoda point:) Even if we didn't use our point, the room was only IDR 400,000 per night. I didn't think that Ibis Phuket can be that cheap. The one in Malioboro Yogyakarta is far more expensive!

I forget how long I did the reasearch for our itinerary, but I am telling you this is the hardest itinerary that I have ever made. Not because the unavailability of the information, but it was more because the time limitation that we have, and we have to choose best of the best spot only. All in all we'll have 2 nights in Bkk, and one night in Phuket. So we have to choose is it either go to Damnoen Saduak or Amphawa floating market, Pha Nga bay or Phi phi island, and the most difficult question is Chatuchak or the Grand Palace! I would like to visit them both.
The galaxi tab helped me a lot, as I can browse in the car when Rene drive me to my office. I think every travel lover should have a galaxi tab. And I still think that it's the best bday gift from Rene:)

After jumping to tripadvisor forum, blogwalking, read a travel book, watch youtube, our itinerary is completed, Alhamdulillah.

On the first night, we we'll be arriving at 8 pm, so we'll go straight to the hotel and just enjoy the hotel and its surrounding.

The second day we'll leave the hotel early and go to Damnoen Saduak floating market by bus, go to Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, and visit MBK.

The third day we'll go to Phuket, having a private tour to Pha Nga bay, James Bond island, Panyee Island, and we'll have a tour around Phuket on our fourth day with a driver named Daj, whose recommended by tripadvisor forum. We will be arriving in Phuket at 12.30 and no half day tour to Pha Nga bay starts after the time of our arrival. That's why we have to book a private boat tour, have an anniversary dinner at sunset, very expensive for us, but as it is going to be an anniversary celebration, than we decide to take the tour.

The fourth day we will leave Phuket at 1 pm, fly back to Bangkok, and later on 10 pm we will leave Bangkok to Jakarta. A very tight itinerary indeed, but hopefully we'll get lot of pictures and stories to share in our blog.

Note: my blog readers who wish to get our itinerary are welcome to request it by email :) Just drop an email to tesyas.blog@gmail.com. Follow @tesyas_blog on twitter as we will be tweetpics our jorney.

written on May 13, 2011 (on my Air Asia flight from Jakarta to Bangkok)

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