Browse Tag

buddhist temple

Thailand: Bangkok’s Wat Saket and the Golden Mount

By Mithun Divakaran
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Jun 12, 2024
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Bangkok, Thailand, Travel

Date: January 19, 2023

I began my day covering some Hindu shrines in Sukhumvit before walking to Phetchaburi Road via Ratchdamri Road. My plan now was to head to Wat Saket, a popular temple in Bangkok that I had never been to before.

The fastest and cheapest way to get from the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok to Wat Saket is to take the San Saeb canal boat taxi service. I boarded a boat from Pratunam pier.

San Saeb canal ferry Bangkok Thailand — See the video blog at the end for instructions on how to get to the boat station

Saen Saep canal boat Bangkok — A ticket from Pratunam pier to the Wat Saket stop costs ฿14 (₹31/$0.38/€35)

Khlong Saen Saep ferry stop Bangkok — The boat made stops at a few stations but each stop is barely a minute long

Saen Saep canal Bangkok Thailand — It took just around 15 minutes to get to my destination

Taking a taxi post lunch, on any day, would have easily taken you more than 30 minutes — just to get out of the Sukhumvit traffic. So I highly recommend taking the canal boat service to get to the Old Bangkok side!

Continue reading “Thailand: Bangkok’s Wat Saket and the Golden Mount” »

Japan: Kyoto – Kinkaku-ji and Kiyomizu Dera temple

By Mithun Divakaran
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Nov 14, 2015
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Japan, Travel

Date: 23rd March, 2015

After returning from Fushimi Inari-tasiha, I took the train to Kiatoji station and from there I inquired how to get to Kinaku-ji temple. Fortunately there is a tourism help desk with an English-speaking staff to assist, and I was instructed to take bus 204.

Kitaoji bus station Kyoto Japan — The bus bays are like this. Each door is reserved for specific buses, and it only opens when the bus has arrived at the door.

Bus 204 to Kinakuji Kyoto Japan — I had to wait around 10 minutes for the 204

Inside Kyoto bus 204 Japan — The bus fare was ¥230 (₹120/$1.8/€1.7)

Kinakuji entrance Kyoto Japan — From the bus stop, you have to walk for at least 10 minutes to get to the ticket counter

Kinakuji ticket booklet Kyoto Japan — The entry fee to Kinaku-ji costs ¥400 (₹215/$3.26/€3)

Kinakuji panorama Kyoto Japan — As you enter the main grounds, you can see the Kinaku-ji temple in the distance

Kinakuji reflection pond Kyoto Japan — I swapped lenses and took a close up shot of the Golden pavilion

Continue reading “Japan: Kyoto – Kinkaku-ji and Kiyomizu Dera temple” »

Thailand: Flying to Chiang Mai; views from Doi Suthep

By Mithun Divakaran
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Aug 21, 2013
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Chiang Mai, Thailand, Travel

Date: 22nd November 2012

We had our hotel book us a van taxi to take us to Phuket airport. Our Air Asia flight was at 10:35am, and even though the van taxi had to pick up other passengers, we all got to the airport on time. We didn’t have breakfast, so the Dunkin Donuts at the departures area was where we stopped first after checking-in and collecting our boarding passes.

Air Asia Phuket flight interiors — It’s been a while since I flew Air Asia

Flying over Chiang Mai Thailand — There weren’t any delays and the flight left on time

Phuket tributary Thailand from sky — Goodbye sun and sand

Archipelago Phuket islands from sky — Quite an archipelago

Clouds over hills Thailand — One and half hours later, we were flying over Chiang Mai province

We landed on time, and ready and waiting for our arrival was the driver assigned to pick us up from Chiang Mai international airport. The driver was courtesy of Rux Thai, the hotel we were staying at. Rux Thai is where I first stayed at when I came to Chiang Mai in 2009, and again when I returned in 2010. Needless to say, I booked at Rux Thai a third time after I e-mailed them and got a good deal (฿500 per night) for a twin room on the ground floor for three nights. Continue reading “Thailand: Flying to Chiang Mai; views from Doi Suthep” »