If Myeongdong is the center of shopping and dining in South Korea, and Shinjuku the fashion hub and a major commercial drag in Japan, here in Thailand, Bangkokians also have our own similar spot. Welcome to Siam, the go-to place for shopping and dining! Follow me and let’s explore Siam like a local.
9:30 AM | A Walk Through Ratchaprasong Skywalk
Bangkok roads in the morning are super crowded, so the most convenient way to get to Siam area is simply taking the BTS. But instead of getting off at BTS Siam station directly, we will start our trip by arriving at the BTS Chitlom station.
Since there’re so many highlight spots around Siam area, these tourist attractions are connected to one another by the Ratchaprasong Skywalk, starting from the Siam Square, passing several luxurious department stores including Gaysorn Plaza and Amarin Plaza, and top hotels such as Intercontinental Bangkok, to Central World, and ending at BTS Chitlom station.
10:00 AM | Ice cream cool down
As a local myself, I know that walking under the hot sun of Bangkok is no joke, so let’s get ourselves refreshed at a famous ice cream destination, at Cold Stone Creamery on the 4th floor of Siam Paragon.
With its special slogan, Because The World Deserves Better Ice Cream, Cold Stone Creamery offers the ultimate Ice Cream experience. It tasted so good that I finished mine in less than 10 minutes.
11:00 AM | Shopping time!
If you’re in love with brand names, then Siam Paragon is your spot. If you want to go on the hot and trendy fashion runway, then visit Siam Center. If you enjoy an open-air shopping atmosphere, Siam Square offers just that!
For today’s trip, I’ll take you to Siam Square One, the latest mall built just opposite to Siam Paragon. You can enjoy a wide range of clothing stores, for both men and women, as well as top cosmetic stores.
1:00 PM | Lunch at Kyochon Chicken
After shopping, let’s indulge at Kyochon Chicken, at Digital Gateway. The restaurant chain from South Korea is very popular among Thai teens so it’ll be quite crowded during lunch and dinner. Start with the appetizer like Potato Wedges served with ketchup dip.
The signature menu you should try here is the Honey Sauce Wings and the Red Sauce Wings, but don’t forget to order a small bowl of Butter Rice as well.
2:00 PM | Visit the ocean world
One of the attractions you shouldn’t miss when you are here at Siam is the SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World at Siam Paragon! This place is great for both kids and kids at heart like me, where you can get deep down into the underwater world and meet with marine creatures which you may have never seen before. Tons of new experience are awaiting so let’s start exploring now!
As soon as you step inside, a school of little glowing fish will welcome you near the entrance, as well as the giant spider crabs. You can snap great shots, but remember that flash is strictly not allowed since it will disturb these lovely creatures.
I easily enjoyed myself with the all the sightings at the Shark Mission station, the Penguin station, the Seahorse Kingdom, and the Tropical Rainforest. It really felt like I was being taken to a different world!
The Ocean Tunnel is up next! This underwater tunnel will make you feel that you’re a part of this deep blue ‘ocean’. As you walk through it, a variety of marine species will move around you. You won’t be able to count how many they are!
There’s also an exciting Shark Feeding show. Two divers go into the tank and wait for the sharks to come and take their delicious fish meals. It’s more exciting to see it yourself!
Our trip for today officially ends here! I hope you got a good idea of what Siam has to offer. You can now catch the BTS back home, and be prepared to accompany me to our next Bangkok adventure very soon!
Featured image credits to Mark Fischer
Writing is not a one way communication. I always keep this quote in my mind whenever I start to write, and that’s the reason why I’m so much in love with the world of writing. I’m Patsaya Pongpanich, a 22 year-old recent graduate from the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University.
