Thailand 2018: Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa

It was our last day in Thailand and we spent it at Anantara Resort and Spa in Hua Hin. The resort was nice and relaxing, the rooms were great, and the food was excellent! The only thing I didn't like was the beach. It didn't look inviting at all. The sand wasn't visible because it was high tide, and it wasn't very white. I didn't see a single person swim in the beach on the day we arrived. 

That night, our business club organized a talk with Douglas Yeo, a Singaporean diver who took part in the Thailand cave rescue last year. Mr. Yeo showed a documentary detailing what happened in the weeks-long rescue. Seeing people from all over the world coming together to help the group of boys stuck in the cave was extremely heartwarming and everybody couldn't help but get teary-eyed. 

After the talk, we played some board games and called it a night (at 3 am lol). 

The next day, my flight was several hours later than the rest of the group so I had time to go around Chatuchak Market. There were so many things to buy! And a different set of shops opens only at night! I definitely recommend spending at least one whole day here. 

Thailand 2018: Siam Niramit

Ryan and I are part of a Filipino-Chinese business group called Anvil Business Club. Last September, the group organized a six-day trip to Bangkok. We attended the Food & Hotel Thailand Expo at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center, and after that, we had some free time to go around the city before we all meet again for dinner to watch the Siam Niramit show.

Ryan and I chose to check out EmQuartier, where we had our lunch, and MBK center, a place known for good shopping deals. I was extremely disappointed with MBK—the stalls mostly sell counterfeit goods, a stark contrast to Platinum Mall, which offers affordable but uniquely designed goods under local brands. I didn't buy anything from MBK and felt that going there was a complete waste of time. We just decided to have a foot massage to enjoy the remaining time.

We rode the train and a shuttle to get to Siam Niramit. There was a huge buffet dinner spread with so many options so I really enjoyed the food. They set up a traditional Thai village where you can go around, trying rice crackers and taking photos, while catching a glimpse of Thai culture. By the time the show started, I was so tired from all the activities that in the middle of the show, I fell asleep! I only woke up when the show was finished. Lol.

Thailand 2018: Grand Palace & Reclining Buddha

It was my first time in Bangkok last September (woot!), so being the planning-obsessed person that I am, I did a ton of research. Based on travel reviews I read online, among all the tourist destinations in the city, The Grand Palace is the one you shouldn't miss—and they were right! I was completely in awe of the place! The place is huge and almost every corner is photo-worthy. Seriously, you wouldn't have a hard time looking for places to take your Instagram photos lol. 

Even if everything looked great, I couldn't ignore the fact that it was also excruciatingly hot! I don't know what I was thinking wearing this top that covered most of my arms! :P

Since the Temple of the Reclining Buddha was just ten minutes away, we made sure that we visited that as well. The buddha is 46 meters long and is made of gold. I tried to take a photo of the entire thing but since it's huge and it's surrounded by pillars, I just managed to take a photo of its face *insert laughing emoji here* lol.