Surviving Bangkok on a Rainy Day!

By Wantipa Patumanon

Travelling to Thailand is definitely fun but a little tough during the rainy season. It’s the season with the rain, wet, cloudy and no sunny, and of course no kidding, this is Thailand with 2 seasons: Hot and Rain. Having said that, there are still many tourists hop in the country all year round to experience the culture, no matter what season is.

The rainy season in Thailand, in fact, begins from June till October. Raining and wet all over the place, throughout the country, some cities, especially the North and the South, are even much flooded… I heard it so many times from the TV news. I think I am lucky enough to live in Bangkok with less flood and storm. But perhaps, if you do not know Bangkok really well, Bangkok amidst the rain may be worse than expected. Wrong, there are still so much fun to look forward should you learn how to Survive Bangkok during every soaking minute of goofing around the city. As a Bangkokian born and raised here, I recommend a few tips and maybe you can take this as a pre-warning before your trip to Thailand. Otherwise, travelling here won’t be enjoyable. So read on, probably follow and survive Bangkok.

Keep in mind for the wet season and pack necessities. Follow the Thailand guidebook while realizing you are visiting the country during the rain. So what you need to pack, besides your clothes and other personal accessories, are a small convenient-to-carry umbrella and a raining coat (even a plastic one is fine too). But missing these two means getting yourself ill, and that comes to the end of your fun trip. The other vital thing you can’t miss to bring is your small iPod or MP3, helpful to clear out your mind and forget you are walking in the rain. Enjoyment on a rainy day will still be left inside you.

Protect your camera in a plastic bag. While on travelling, you can’t have so much fun without a camera. During the wet season in Thailand, never let the water get through its organism, or no fun after all. Really, it happened to me before, I am a photography lover, and taking photos is just like getting into my blood. So I need a camera to survive and have fun in the countries I was visiting. So prevent the unexpected problem by having a plastic bag cover your loved camera, and be survival of the rain and storm, and finally getting nice shots of the city in different perspective – Bangkok in the rain.

Make a visit to indoor tourist attractions. Where else can you go while it's still raining out there? What if it rains all day long? So I advise you to visit indoor attractions: temples, museums and palaces - National Museums, Wat Pho with the big reclining Buddha, Jim Thomson's House, Wimanmek Palace, etc. Spend most of your time on a rainy day in one of these places and learn more about the essence of its all. Though this may not be highly recommended tip, it had still better than walking around the city in the rain and get sick later on. Am I right?

Enjoy indoor activities. Shopping is always fun. Despite no purchase, you still can enjoy shopping by looking around the shop or even window shopping. Again, it'd still better than waiting for the rain to stop. The famous shopping malls are Siam Paragon, Siam Discovery, Siam Center, MBK and Central World Plaza. Or you can also enjoy shopping for small price of IT stuffs at Pantip Plaza, or cheap clothes and accessories at Pratunam Center. Put on your shopping spree back on one rainy day.

Experience motorcycle taxi, despite so wet. This is fun. Must try it! This is Thailand, and everything is possible. Motorcycle taxis are available around and fast. While it’s raining, you can expect the unexpected situation – and suddenly you find yourself stuck in the terrible traffic. The only way to get you move along is a motorcycle taxi. Look for those who wear a jacket with the number, then experience the fun, fast and wet on a motorcycle ride. Recommend to use an umbrella or wear a raining coat. You may look a little funny with the umbrella but believe me, it’s fun.

Squeeze in on the bus, just like Thais. “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, heard of it? This proverb is applicable to everywhere, and every visit of a new country, and “When in Thailand, do as the Thais do”. On a rainy day, unexpected heavy traffic definitely happens, and if you are not in hurry or can’t find a motorcycle taxi, buses are still plenty; it’s time to do it, DO IT just like all Thais. Squeeze in, guys, buses really are cheap. Not going to do it? Walk in the rain or grab a taxi, but that’s not a real Thai style to experience though.

Following the tips, you can absolutely enjoy the wet trip in Bangkok and survive Bangkok on a rainy day!