Taiwan & Bangkok Itinerary - Spring 2025

Two years ago, I promised to visit Taiwan as frequently as possible to see my parents. This is partly due to their advancing age and partly because of the military threat from China. This being Brian’s second trip to Taiwan, we felt less pressured to visit the country’s tourist hotspots. Instead, we got to stay a few days in my hometown, Hsinchu, and spent more time with my parents. Like many of our recent trips, I had a rough itinerary early but procrastinated on booking accommodations and the specifics. Thankfully, I knew my home country well enough to be spontaneous.

This trip was one for the record books, as we flew business class for the first time. Brian had been on a few domestic short-haul business class flights previously, but this would be the first time we had flown business long-haul. Obviously, we did not pay for it with cash. By playing the complex game of airlines’ miles and points, we took a circuitous route to Taiwan via London, Zurich, and Bangkok with three different airlines. We needed separate tickets for the final leg to Taipei. The routing may be exhausting, but who wouldn’t want a three-night stay in Bangkok?

Day 1 - Newark - London- Zurich - Bangkok

After a restful flight from Zurich, we arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport in the early morning. Unbeknownst to us until only a few days prior, our visit coincided with Songkran, the Thai New Year. It is the country’s most important holiday and a major draw for visitors. However, Brian and I may be the only tourists who are not looking forward to Songkran. Water fights in the streets are just not our jam, but it does come with an enormous upside: the absence of Bangkok’s notorious traffic. Amazingly, it took us only twenty minutes to get from the airport to our hotel, the lovely dusitD2 Samyan.

Since we arrived at the hotel so early, we had a few hours to explore the city before check-in. We were not prepared for just how deserted Bangkok was on Songkran. There were barely any cars on the streets, and few places were open. After a little caffeine dose at Experiment Cafe, we took the MRT to Yaowarat, often regarded as Bangkok’s lively Chinatown. I was naive enough to be shocked that even Chinatown was mostly abandoned. The only businesses open were those selling water guns for Songkran. Luckily, we were able to enjoy a bowl of guay jub, the Thai rice noodle, at the Michelin-listed Nai Ek Roll Noodle.

As a center of Thai Chinese culture, Yaowarat is anchored by the most important Chinese Buddhist shrine: Wat Mangkon Kamalawat. The architecture and worship here struck me as very similar to temples I grew up with in Taiwan. However, in Thai fashion, this temple also has a strict dress code, which requires that shoulders and knees be covered. Even though Songkran usually marks the arrival of the spring season, we were already struggling with the oppressive heat and humidity. It makes temple visits all the more uncomfortable.

One highlight of our unexpected visit to Bangkok was meeting up with my cousin, Kevin, whom I haven’t seen in almost twenty years. We made a last-minute plan to meet up for dinner at Tummour inside the closest shopping mall to the hotel. Bangkokians love the malls as they provide a convenient one-stop shop for dining and entertainment. Samyan Mitrtown may be among the city’s smaller malls, but it is still far nicer than most malls back home. It was great to catch up with Kevin after so long, and we were fascinated by his new life in Bangkok.

Day 2 - Bangkok

Well rested this morning, we made a beeline after the hotel breakfast for Wat Pho, better known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. This impressive monastery complex was among the oldest in Bangkok and is the first among the six first-class royal temples. Many Thai monarchs chose to be buried here until they ran out of room for building more grand stupas. Obviously, the temple’s biggest draw is the 150-foot-long reclining Buddha. While most visitors were enamored by the grandeur of the golden colossus, we were more taken by the exquisite artistry behind the enormous murals.

Wat Pho is not only renowned for its religious studies but also as a center of traditional medicine. In fact, the temple is said to be the alleged birthplace of Thai massage, a tradition that is still taught and practiced within the temple walls today. Thanks to Songkran, there were additional festivities here. We later learned that this was also the annual fair to raise funds for the upkeep of the temple. From fortune telling to the building of sand pagodas, we were very grateful to experience the more traditional side of Songkran.

After a leisurely riverside lunch at Supanniga Eating Room Tha Tien, we headed a few blocks away to the Museum Siam. Unlike the National Museum nearby, Museum Siam focuses not on historic artifacts but on the meaning of “Thainess” in contemporary Thailand. The exhibit may be geared toward a younger audience, but it is nevertheless very informative for foreign visitors. This was, oddly enough, my favorite experience in Bangkok, as it speaks to the complexity and the openness of Thailand today.

Because of inclement weather, we decided to check out Iconsiam, Thailand’s largest mall. I have always had an intense hatred toward shopping malls, but it seemed like a visit to Bangkok would not be complete without checking out a few of the malls. While I could appreciate the robust air conditioning and the escape from the street-level water fight, I still don’t understand the appeal. Besides the food offerings at SookSiam, there was nothing Thai about this mall. In hindsight, the highlight of Iconsiam was the ferry ride getting there.

Day 3 - Bangkok

For our last full day in Bangkok, we couldn’t miss out on a visit to The Grand Palace, the seat of the Thai monarchy. The palace is composed of a large temple complex, ceremonial palaces, a royal residence, and offices of the royal households. The most important space is Wat Phra Kaew, better known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. As the name suggests, it houses the statue of the Emerald Buddha, a sacred object that could only be touched by the reigning Thai king. After waiting in line for a peek, we couldn’t help feeling disappointed by its size, as it is not that much bigger than Brussels’ Manneken Pis. The rest of the palace is overtly grand and an interesting blend of Thai and Western neoclassical style.

An amazing mural depicting a scene from Ramakia, the Thai national epic.

Unfortunately, the weather was horrible this morning. It was hot, sticky, and drizzling. On the other hand, I would have spent way too much time taking photos if the weather had been better. We were constantly amazed by how ineffective air conditioning systems were, except in the shopping malls. A relaxing lunch with excellent air conditioning was all we wished for. Since this was our last day here, we splurged a little by indulging in a feast at Somboon Seafood Bantadthong. The Thai Chinese restaurant is most known for its fried crab curry and tom yum goong.

After lunch, it was a quick fifteen-minute walk to Jim Thompson House & Museum. Thompson was an American businessman who “single-handedly” revived the Thai silk industry and was an enigmatic figure. He turned out to be an OSS spy and disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Despite his controversial past, Jim Thompson remains the premier fashion brand in Thailand and has been featured widely in the latest season of The White Lotus. The 40-minute guided tour through his house provided us with valuable insights into the traditional Thai lifestyle. It was undoubtedly serene, except for the lack of air conditioning.

As it happened, today was also our ninth wedding anniversary, so we were looking forward to a nice dinner out. We discovered that Bangkok has a branch of the Ministry of Crab, a popular Sri Lankan restaurant specializing in enormous mud crabs. We always had fond memories of the restaurant from our visit to Colombo; it was a great spot to reminisce about our past travels. That said, this was easily the most expensive meal on this trip.

Day 4 - Bangkok - Hsinchu

In all honesty, we were so ready to leave the heat and humidity of Bangkok behind. We still had a few hours to spare before our flight to Taiwan. I was eager to visit Talat Noi, a historic neighborhood that predates the founding of Bangkok. It has been home to generations of Chinese immigrants and retained its unique ambiance and historical structures. Chief among them are

Today, Talat Noi is a cultural attraction. Locals retain their form of speech, food, and folk beliefs as in the past. Houses and lanes are lathered with graffiti that makes the place popular with teenagers, hipsters, and foreign tourists who want to experience a traditional Chinese quarter. It is convenient to other attractions in the adjacent historic Bang Rak neighbourhood on Charoen Krung Road: Captain Bush Lane and House No.1, the Old Customs House, Bangkok General Post Office, and Assumption Cathedral.[8][9]