Thailand via Kuala Lumpur (page 3 of 3)

Even taking the shortest route, our hotel was 6 km away on foot and it was past 10 PM, so we didn’t bother negotiating the price—but we probably could have!

I know where your hotel was, and in the first nighttime photo of the monuments, I can see Wat Arun. On foot, the two aren’t 6 km apart—more like 3 km max—but anyway... No, you don’t discuss the price beforehand, no matter the time: the car stops, the guy rolls down his window, you state your destination without mentioning the price, if he agrees on the destination you get in, say hello (though they don’t seem used to it), he starts the meter right away*, and he drives off. You only find out the price when you arrive** (which, in your case, would’ve been around 100 baht, including the pickup fee).

After all, 10 euros when you see the prices in France, and if it helped our driver’s daily life, it’s not the end of the world...

The argument might hold if you’d paid about 20% extra (a tip isn’t forbidden, though it’s not common), but four times the normal fare? Definitely not.

For reference, 400 baht is also, for example, the price of: - more than a day’s wages for a farm or construction worker, - a meal for 8 people in a simple restaurant, - a meal for 3 people in a slightly nicer restaurant, - 100 km in a first-class air-conditioned state bus for 3 people, - 10 to 20 rides in an air-conditioned city bus (40 in a non-air-conditioned one), - 15 bottles of 42cl Coca-Cola in a tourist restaurant (25 in a basic place), including ice, - a room for 2 without AC and with a private bathroom in a non-touristy town, - 2 to 10 haircuts, depending on the place, - 10–12 kg of laundry done at a laundromat (no ironing, but dried and returned),

* Unlike Jojoone1, I’ve never had to ask for the meter to be turned on in over a hundred rides. ** The only case where you pay extra on top of the meter price is when the taxi is taken at an airport, especially in Bangkok.

It seems you didn’t know where my hotel was: I was at the Tara Place Hotel, which is a good 6 km walk from Iconsiam and 7 km by car (calculated on Google Maps). So it’s not four times the real price... Still, I’ll take your experience into account and know how to handle things next time I’m in Bangkok. It’s true that when you first arrive in a country, you don’t know everything yet!

This morning I got up early and took a walk around the neighborhood at random.

As they say in Morocco: a feast for the eyes!

While waiting for customers, a bit of exercise!













For any photographer, the subjects are endless!

We decided to visit the former home of spy Jim Thompson, who mysteriously disappeared but also the man who revived Thailand’s silk industry in the post-war years. This collection of houses holds a piece of the history and culture of the Kingdom of Siam: stunning collections of statues, paintings, and ceramics are on display here.

From what I understood, the different houses come from various parts of Thailand where they were dismantled and then reassembled in Bangkok. The exhibits are absolutely gorgeous.









The garden isn’t large, but it’s really lovely too.

This place is timeless—you wouldn’t think you’re in Bangkok!

This place looks really lovely!

You wouldn’t expect to find a spot like this right in the middle of Bangkok!

Yes, it's really relaxing and surprising!

Initially, we thought we'd spend 5 days in Bangkok and then head back to Krabi to finish our trip.

However, since the weather forecast wasn't very favorable, we ended up staying in Bangkok the whole time, and we didn’t regret it—there’s so much to do there!



Plus, we felt really comfortable in the neighborhood we were staying in, and we took advantage of Thailand’s low prices to go to the hairdresser, dentist, and laundry.

For those who might face a dental issue, you can go to a dentist in Bangkok without worry (just check the reviews first). They’re very professional, and the hygiene is excellent! We also enjoyed massages that are more dynamic than in France but showcase their age-old expertise. Today, we’re staying in our neighborhood and venturing out to Khao San Road, known as Bangkok’s party street, with all the excesses that come with it.



But right next to it, we discovered a beautiful temple (Wat Chana Songkhram).

It's our last evening before heading back to France via Kuala Lumpur.

We decide to visit one last temple—and not just any temple: Wat Saket, which sits on an artificial hill 75 meters high, earning it the nickname Golden Mountain Temple.

We book a driver (Grab) to get there and arrive at dusk.





It's surprising—at the base of the temple, there's a garden with animals that look like they're straight out of a cartoon...



There's also a cave with a large Buddha. Then you have to climb to reach the chedi.





From here, you get a view of the whole city. A small staircase leads up to the stupa: We don’t regret our visit, and on the way back to our hotel on foot, we discover another beautiful temple: Wat Ratchanatdaram.

We’d packed our suitcases in the afternoon, so the next day we were ready to head to the airport (with a Grab driver we’d booked) and were set for a very long day that took us back to Paris via Kuala Lumpur.

Despite the weather disruptions, we really enjoyed this trip, and we’ll remember the varied sights of Bangkok and the incredible kindness of the Thai people!

End of the trip—until the next one!

Thanks for this beautiful story and have a great trip in 2026. You’ve made me want to visit Bangkok!

I really like Wat Saket—I’ll check it out next time!

Thanks for sharing your Bangkok trip!

Safe travels for 2026!

Glad this story gave you some travel ideas!

Have a good evening.

It’s true that this temple is unique and varied. Happy exploring!

Hi there! Just outside Chiang Mai, there’s also a gorgeous garden and orchid greenhouses named after Queen Sirikit :p ... really beautiful.

Not far from there, there was also an insect and butterfly farm :)

I explored the country in 3 weeks without visiting a single island.... the interior of Thailand is stunning..... but that was 10 years ago 😉

Hi there, Your itinerary sounds interesting! For our last trip to Thailand, we also flew out of KL. We took an AirAsia flight: KL to Langkawi (20 €) followed by a ferry from Langkawi to Koh Lipe, and we were in the Thai islands the next day. Koh Lipe, Tarutao, Koh Muk, Koh Libong, Koh Kradan. A "beach" stay focused on diving, snorkeling, and kayaking at Koh Muk, which we really enjoyed.

My plan was to go snorkeling in Koh Lanta and the surrounding islands, but the weather had other ideas🏴‍☠️