The Color Run™ 5K - CIMB Niaga Jakarta

Sukses dengan lomba lari The Color Run™ di Sentosa Island Singapore yang diadakan oleh CIMB Bank pada bulan Agustus 2013, CIMB Niaga Indonesia akan mengadakan lomba serupa di Jakarta pada tanggal 26 Januari 2014.

peserta lomba The Color Run™ Singapore

Dari situs resmi http://www.thecolorrun.co.id/ , Lomba lari ini  merupakan ajang lari untuk semua umur, kecepatan, ras, berat badan, ukuran, gender apapun itu. Peserta boleh pejalan kaki ataupun juga atlit Olimpiade. Lomba ini diadakan bukan untuk yang serius, namun bertujuan untuk having fun saja baik untuk sendiri, dengan teman teman,  sama anak anak ataupun beserta keluarga.

peserta lomba The Color Run™ di MRT Singapore

Hanya ada 3 ATURAN LARI saja:
#1 Semua orang boleh ikut... cepat, lambat, pelari, pejalan kaki, tua, atau muda.
#2 Siap pakai kaos warna putih di garis start dan hadir tepat pada jam 7 pagi.
#3 Siap jadi warna-warni di finish festival.

Lokasi lomba lari diadakan di Parkir Timur Senayan start jam7:00 pagi  dan pendaftaran  dibuka sampai hari Minggu, 12 Januari 2014 atau selagi slot masih tersedia.

Untuk keterangan lebih lanjut Like Facebook The Color Run Indonesia dan Follow @TheColorRunINA.

sumber:
http://www.thecolorrun.co.id/home/

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Tangkuban perahu Crater Park

The Tangkuban Perahu crater park is a popular tourist attraction where tourists can hike or ride to the edge of the crater to view the hot geysers and boiling mud up close. The park located at the highland just at the outskirt of Bandung and is surely a perfect place to enjoy cool air and relaxing scenery. The huge crater is an astonishing view and you can walk around and explore this for around two hours. Here you will be greeted by sulfur fumes which the crater continues to emit although the volcano is not active.

pic credit to http://www.indonesia-tourism.com Tangkuban Perahu

Tangkuban Perahu is a dormant volcano 30 km north of the city of Bandung, the provincial capital of West Java, Indonesia. It last erupted in 1959. However, on February 2013, The Tangkuban Parahu park was closed due to a rise in volcanic activity. Vendors and visitors should not go up to the crater at that moment. During the second half of August, there had been increased seismic activity and elevated gas emissions. On September, seismic gradually decreased and no more tremors appeared since then.

Tangkuban Perahu is a volcano with three craters into which areas tourists can walk through. These three craters are:

• Kawah Ratu - the huge ‘Queen Crater’ located at the top with the spectacular panoramic view of this large and deep crater. It’s the only one crater that can be reached easily by car to its rim. It is today just a big gray hole, which sometimes has a pool of water at its center. Poisonous gases sometimes accumulate in Kawah Ratu, thus making it somewhat of a risk to descend to the crater floor. You may also imagine that you hear a man sighing as if carrying a heavy burden. This wheezing sound actually comes from the sulfur steam that comes out deep from the bowels of the earth.
• Kawah Upas  - walk around the rim of the main Kawah Ratu crater and in around 20 minutes you will come to the this second crater. The trail is steep and slippery in some parts; however, your special efforts wil be well rewarded when you notice the shade trees and breathtaking views on either side of the muddy land. This is the best time to freeze the moment through your camera
• Kawah Domas – the most unique ceater with the extreme heat. There are many hot geysers in which you can boil eggs there. Going down to the crater was ok but going up again it will be a bit of a struggle ;)

overturned boat

Mount Tangkuban Perahu has a distinctive shape, and looks like an “overturned boat”. The name of “Tangkuban Perahu” translates roughly to "upturning of a boat" in Sundanese, referring to the local legend of its creation.

The legend of Sangkuriang is an old story passed on through generations in West Java, with varying regional accounts and detailed interpretations, though the main premise remains the same. Sangkuriang is a man descended from the gods who accidentally falls in love with his own mother, Dayang Sumbi.

Sangkuriang was separated from his mother since childhood. Yet, through God’s will he came to meet her again. On the way home, he stopped by a small village where he met and fell in love with a beautiful girl, without realizing that the girl he loved was in fact his own mother, Dayang Sumbi, who had remained youthful through the years. . The two fall in love immediately, and the heavily smitten Sangkuriang asks for her hand in marriage.

One day she finds a scar on his forehead and discovered the terrible truth of her lover was her own son, she was horrified. In order to dodge the marriage proposal, Dayang Sumbi suggests some prerequisites for marriage that she thinks will be impossible to meet.  She, therefore, challenged him to build a dam and a huge boat during one single night before she would agree to marry him.

Seeing that her son was about to complete this impossible wish, she called on God to bring up the sun early. With a wave of her magic shawl, Dayang Sumbi lit up the eastern horizon with flashes of light. Deceived by what looked like dawn, the cocks crowed and farmers rose for a new day. When Sangkuriang realized that his endeavor was lost, in his rage he kicked the boat that he had built turning it upside down, which was transformed into Mount Tangkuban Perahu, the name that in the local Sundanese language translates roughly to "overturned boat".


Tips:

• It is quite long drive from Bandung town and sometimes heavily jammed at weekend. Approaching the destination, the road is quite bumpy and steep. Best to travel at early morning to reach place before noon.
• Beware of the villagers trying to sell something and anything from souvenirs to snacks and drinks but if you don't need to then just ignore them.
• Take the chance to chill at the side of the hill with the view of Tea plantations while eating Jagung Bakar (corn BBQ) and Satay when you going back to town or on the way to Ciater. It was beautiful back ground for taking pictures too.
• There are also tea plantations right next to the entrance where you can take pictures at.
• As with all mountain tops, the air can be chilling, so prepare your jackets.
• Just ignore the touts; hang-on to your kids and bags. 
• go strawberry-picking on the way back to Bandung

reference:
http://www.indonesia-tourism.com/west-java/tangkuban-perahu.html

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Pendawa Beach Bali Island

Pandawa Beach will be one of another tourist destinations in the southern part of Bali, you can combine your travel from Pura Uluwatu then to Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) and end to this beach till sunset.The beach can be accessed by driving down through an enormous human-made quarry-like canyon. With a mesmerizing natural landscape, ancient religious structures and multiple cultural activities, the list of things to do and places to go on the world-famous island of Bali is almost endless.

road to Pandawa Beach

Concealed behind high cliffs and overgrown shrubbery, Pandawa beach had long remained secluded from the crowds of tourists, due to the less-than-easy path that had to be taken to access it. Pandawa Beach has a stunning panorama with serene and quiet atmosphere.  located in Kutuh Village, South Kuta District, Badung Regency, it is only around 3 km from the famous Nusa Dua area.

 beautiful panorama from high cliff

Entering the beach, you will be amazed by beautiful panorama of high cliff, flanking the road along 1.5 km. The road is purposely built through limestone hills, similar with the hills in Garuda Wisnu Kencana. Along left side road to beach, there are enormous niches excavated out of the limestone cliff face that will hold massive statues of Yudhistira, Bima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadewa. These are the Panca Pandawa, five brothers who are characters in the shadow puppet theater, from which the beach takes its name.

 Panca Pandawa Statues

Pandawa beach is often referred to as the Secret Beach Pandawa Beach boasts white sand, quiet and serene atmosphere which is combined with a background of turquoise sea. The ambience is still quiet, serene, and clean. 

Pandawa Beach

Pic credit to http://galareal.blogspot.com/

The wave and current is not so strong, suitable for swimming or other beach activities like playing sand, sunbathing, canoeing, surfing, sailing with small boat and others. Some vendors rent their canoes or boats there for your adventures. Nonetheless, complete your experiences with the phenomenal sunset panorama from the greatest angles.

Rocky beach at Pandawa

This beach is also well-known as one of the landing locations for paragliding tours. A few kilometers from Pandawa Beach, at Timbis Hill you can adventure with paragliding. you will experience the true beauty of Pandawa Beach from the height. Instructors at training center are available for newbies and a first-timers.

canoes at Pandawa Beach

Tips:

• Bring your own transportation here, no public transportation to bring back you. You can rent a car or a bike at your homestay or hotel.
• we can also observe the activities of the seaweed farmers along the coast directly. Because of its shallow contour and short wave, Pandawa Beach is very suitable for cultivating seaweed. No wonder if lot of the local residents choose to be seaweed farmers.
• While you’re around the shore, try their Barbeque Sweet Corn. Taste is really good. Go for chilies flavor as well, it’s yummy

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Tanah Lot Temple - Bali Island

Pura Tanah Lot is one of the favorite destinations among Bali Temples followed by Pura Bedugal and Pura Uluwatu. the temple sits on a large offshore rock which has been shaped continuously over the years by the Indian ocean tide makes this a special attraction. Tanah lot is one of the closest to Seminyak, Legian or Kuta where most of the tourists would stay. It is just within 1 – 2 hour travel depends on the traffics.

Pura Tanah Lot Bali

Tanah Lot temple is also one of the scenic spots in Bali not-to-be-missed. Your visit to Bali will not be completed without a visit to Tanah Lot temple. The best time to visit the place is sunset when the sun colors the sea and sky beautifully with reds, yellows and oranges. Sunrise can do in a pinch but won't be as spectacular as sunset.  It is also one of the most popular spots for photographs of beautiful silhouette of the temples during sunset over the ocean.

Tanah Lot Bali

This place has to be visited in the afternoon if you want to enjoy the sunset and that makes this attraction part of second leg of your day trip with morning session spent at a location on the northern mountains. You can start your adventure to Pura Taman Ayun at early morning, Candi kuningan, Bedugul temple, and on the way back stopped at Alas Kedaton 'Monkey Forest' and arrived at Tanah Lot at around 4.30 PM, usually sunset is at around 6.00 pm.

the rocky island of Tanah Lot

Tanah Lot is claimed to be the work of the 15th-century priest Nirartha. During his travels along the south coast he saw the rock-island's beautiful setting and rested there. Some fishermen saw him, and bought him gifts. Nirartha then spent the night on the little island. Later he spoke to the fishermen and told them to build a shrine on the rock for he felt it to be a holy place to worship the Balinese sea gods.

Tanah Lot

At the base of the rocky island, poisonous sea snakes are believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders. A giant snake purportedly protects the temple, which was created from Nirartha's scarf when he established the island.

Holly sea snakes cave at Tanah Lot

If you are lucky you can witness the Hindus people with traditional dress for the ceremonies or festivities at this temple. Hindus people doing pray at Tanah Lot Temple for special day like: Purnama (full moon), Tilem, Buda wage, Anggara Kasih, Saraswati, Siwaratri, Kajeng Kliwon and others.

Tips:

• Make sure you take plenty of water, a hat, comfortable shoes, camera.
• You can also find people who will take your photo and with your camera too if you want and give you instance photo with frame for a some fee.
• There are plenty of shops at this temple entrance for shopping almost everything including souvenirs, dress, shoes, sculptures, paintings and crafts and many else. Bargaining is expected everywhere unless the price is clearly marked, in which case it is fixed.
• Pick a sunny day with cloud free to experience seeing the sun hit the water at sunset without your view being obstructed and  make your visit to Tanah Lot Temple is a memorable one.

Pura Batu Bolong

• The views at Pura Batu Bolong are also breathtaking. I understand that this location is also famous for the red sunsets.
• The amazing thing is the holy spring water in the middle of sea water. It is free of charge. 
• Stop over at any of the rice field by By-Pass Munggu roadside at any villages while on the way to Pura Tanah Lot. As the view just simply nicer than Tegalalang Rice Terrace Field
• There are so many restaurants lined up along the mountain edge providing dining with excellent sunset view. As usual, for a prime tourist location

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Wat Arun - a must see Thailand's landmark.

Wat Arun is a must see landmark. It is a very old Buddhist temple.  The local call it as Wat Chaeng. It  is situated on the west (Thonburi) bank of the Chao Phraya River. It is one of the most stunning temples in Bangkok, because the design is very different to the other temples that you can visit in Bangkok. It is partly made up of colorfully decorated spires and stands majestically over the water.

Wat Arun from Chao Phraya River view

The temple derives its name from the Hindu god Aruna, often personified as the radiations of the rising sun. Wat Arun is among the best known of Thailand's landmarks and the first light of the morning reflects off the surface of the temple with pearly iridescence.  Although the temple had existed since at least the seventeenth century, its distinctive prang (spires) were built in the early nineteenth century during the reign of King Rama II.

Wat Arun Bangkok

This temple is one of the tourist destinations when seeing the Grand Place complex.  You can go first to Grand Place then take a walk to Wat Pho and finally go to Wat Arun.   Other tourist attractions accessible from here are the National Museum, Chinatown the Ko Rattanakosin area, and the Banglamphu district.

Wat Arun Temple

Located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, this temple can be reached either by Arun Amarin Road or by boat from Tha Tien Pier, near Wat Pho. The Tha Tien express boat pier, at the southwest corner of the Grand Palace or Wat Phra Kaew, is diagonally opposite Wat Arun. You can get to Tha Tien on the Chao Phraya River Express boats from any other pier, or take a taxi to it. Plenty of Thonburi canal tours also take tourists to visit this artistic piece of architecture.

Chinese soldier  at Wat Arun

The main feature of Wat Arun is its central prang (Khmer-style tower) which are encrusted with colourful porcelain. This is interpreted as a stupa-like pagoda incrusted with coloured faience. The height is around 86 m. The corners are surrounded by four smaller satellite prang.

The prang is decorated by seashells and bits of porcelain which had previously been used as ballast by boats coming to Bangkok from China. The presiding Buddha image, cast in the reign of Rama II, is said to have been molded by the king himself. The ashes of King Rama II are interred in the base of the image.

You can climb the central prang if you wish, the steps are very steep but there is a railing to balance yourself. Getting up is as tricky as getting down! When you reach the highest point you can see the winding Chao Phraya River and the Grand Palace and Wat Pho opposite. Along the base of this central tower there are sculptures of Chinese soldiers and animals.

Some tips: 

• You can get to try the traditional Thailand dress for only 100 baht at the lower part and take photo like crazy with Wat Arun as the background. 

Tourists with Thai Traditional dress

• At the jetty terminal, buy some fish food and threw them into the Chao Phraya to lure the fishes up, the fishes were huge! 
• Dress properly, off shoulders (spaghetti straps/ sleeveless ) and shorts for women are disallowed. You might ended up buying a wrap arounds on site if you are considered not dressing properly. 
• Climbing up to the steep stair of the pagoda is painful but the view for the top is very beautiful. Don't forget to take some photos with this amazing architecture. 

view from Wat Arun

• There are some stalls along the side of the temple. You can buy some t-shirt here at the outside of temple. The price is fixed.  You can buy 12 pieces for 1000 baht or 6 for 500 baht.  Price of kids size is more lower than that. There are around 10 – 15 seller in here sold T-Shirt and some sold the souvenirs   
• Despite the name, the most spectacular view of the glittering monument can be seen from the east side of the river at sunset, when the spires of Wat Arun make an impressive silhouette against the skyline. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Arun
http://www.watarun.net/

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The Riverfront - Asiatique Bangkok

It’s popular not just with tourists, but also with Thais, but it definitely is the most upscale night market in Bangkok. Asiatique has combined two of the most popular shopping experiences in the city: a night bazaar and a mall. It houses over 1,500 boutiques and 40 restaurants  under a huge replica warehouse complex.

night life at Asiatique Bangkok

The Riverfront is an homage to Bangkok’s past as a riverside trading post during the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. Originally this was the pier where a lot of the teak wood trade took place, managed by Mr. Hans Nille Andersen. Located on the grounds which formerly belonged to a Danish trading company, many of the original buildings have been retained (although they did get a “facelift”).

Home Deco shop at Asiatique Bangkok

Asiatique is split into four categories to help you find what you are looking for without too much hassle.

The Factory District is where the shopping goes on. There are around 1500 small shops located in old warehouses. You find lots of fashion, some souvenirs, design items, handicrafts, furniture, home furnishings and other things, and the selection resembles the kind of merchandise you find at Terminal 21 – at least when it comes to fashion. It’s not the cheap bargain hunting you find at many other night markets.

This place has the uniquely design section - you can get a lot of unique items not commonly found at other tourist attractions in Bangkok. The clothes/bags are from independent designers with nice designs at affordable prices.

The Waterfront District is a boat terminal.  Upscale dining selection can be found in this district, with smart Italian, Thai and seafood restaurants.  You find fancy restaurants and event venues lined up along a 300m boardwalk. The New Year festive and countdown celebrations take place here.

The Town  Square District is a mixture of Thai & Western influences – a large sports bar, outdoor space for events and international food. Some independent cafes are dotted around selling strong drinks and decently priced Thai food

There are plenty of international dining options, from Japanese, to Italien, Korean, American, Thai, Seafood, Chinese, and like this shop – Champion Kebab – Turkish (it’s quite popular with international tourists).

sign to The Town Square District

The Chareonkrung District is where you find over 1,000 small boutiques  in four warehouses  that sale souvenirs, handicrafts, jewelry, home decor  and clothing. The little storefronts are attractive, the displays are interesting and there is a wide range on offer too, from fashionable Thai brands to affordable stores selling merchandise similar to those on offer in places like Chatuchak and MBK.

shops parade at Asiatique Bangkok

Asiatique also has branches of KFC, Pizza Company, Au Bon Pain and MK. As well as all this food and shopping, the two biggest entertainment draws are the Thai puppets by Joe Louis Theatre and Calypso Cabaret, one of Bangkok’s celebrated ladyboy shows. Both these shows have been attracting audiences for years, and Asiatique is the perfect new surrounding for them, offering so much more than just a performance.


Opening Hours: 17:00-midnight
Location: Chareonkrung Soi 74-76
How to get there: The easiest and fastest way to get there is via boat. Take the BTS to Saphan Taksin and jump on the free shuttle at the end of the pier. It only takes ten minutes, and the boat runs until 23:00. Taxis are not recommended as the traffic can be terrible in this area.

Source:
http://www.bangkok.com/shopping-mall/asiatique.htm
http://www.bangkoknightmarket.com/asiatique-the-riverfront

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The Calypso - The most popular and unique show at Asiatique - Bangkok

Thailand is well known for their “ladyboys” shows and The Calypso Bangkok Theatre is just the place to visit.  Some of these ‘ladies’ have features that would have made any woman jealous but this is just an attractive illusion; they were all born men.

the uniform show of calypso Bangkok

The Calypso Bangkok is well worth a visit. It is one of the most popular and unique shows in Bangkok as it stars unbelievably beautiful transsexuals and transvestites. These shows are not just about boys who want to be girls throwing on a show. These are seasoned, highly talented performers. This is about great choreography, amazing costuming. Some of which are breath catching! The show treats various "eras" of performance, reflected by the music and the costuming

Calypso ticket

Currently Calypso Bangkok Theater has moved to Asiatique; The Riverfront - Warehouse No.3, the new travel destination in Bangkok along the Chao Phraya River. Asiatique is the perfect location for Cabaret Calypso as this part of town has also gone through a huge transformation. The attempt to recreate a night market on a pier from times gone by seems a little manufactured, but with over 1,500 small boutique shops,  40 restaurants  and faux vintage set-up, the place gives the best panoramic view of the Chaopraya River for photo opportunities.

The easiest and fastest way to get there is via boat. Take the BTS to Sapphan Taksin and jump on the free shuttle at the end of the pier. It only takes ten minutes to get there, and the boat runs until 23:30 allowing you time to get back too.

the opening show of calypso bangkok

The show caters for tourists of all nationalities with songs in Korean, Japanese (a very humorous geisha who will dedicate her performance to an embarrassed and bemused member of the audience), Chinese (a poignant ballad), English (Tina Turner, Michael Jackson), and, of course, Thai. The cabaret was like a Broadway show but it was lip-synced and it went for 1 1/4 hours.

GEISHA: Try not to laugh – the calypso Japanese classic

The theatre sits near the town square, with rainbow neon lights beckoning the audience in. Everything is scarlet: the chairs, lighting, wallpaper, making it feel a little intense at times.  All of the seats with groups of five around each table give you a great view of the stage. You get a small table upon which you can place you glasses and you can keep ordering drinks if you want to.

The Elvis show at Calypso Bangkok

You can take pictures or a video to show your friends back home. When you exit the cabaret you will see the cast lined up and you may have your picture taken with the ladyboys!  Prepared somel 100 Baht notes for the tip, usually 100-200 Bahts per ladyboy, sometimes 2 or 3 ladyboys can come to your side

grandma and gorgeous "lady"

Here some of the shows:

• OPENING: A magnificent presentation of female beauty and evening gowns of fantastic grandezza. 
• ELVIS: The Elvis and CALYPSO’s most beautiful groupies. 
• THE BIRDS & THE BOYS: An ostrich festival 
• MUSIC-HALL: A joyful medley of the alltime favourites of yore. 
• MISTY: A tour de force of talent, energy and youth. 
• BLOSSOM: 1 woman and 3 men and she is winning. 
• BURLESQUE: No need to name her - she’s just ravishing. 

full moon at Calypso Bangkok

• GEISHA: Try not to laugh – the calypso Japanese classic. 
• MARILYN: Your eyes will pop - the incredible icon, made in CALYPSO! 
• TACO: A sophisticated fatamorgana - beautifully daring. 
• KINNAREE:  tribute to classical THAI DANCE with that typical CALYPSO twist: contemporary. 
• RIRANG:  interpretation of the touching Korean classic in a haunting rendition. 
• ALL THAT JAZZ: A never aging or ending sensation of pizzazz in motion. 
• HONEY RAG: 2 girls 1 rhythm – inseparable – a feast of joy. 
• THE FLOW OF THE RIVER: the most beloved and admired Japanese song of wisdom of life 
• THE BLUE LADY: try not to love her – a hilarious gal 
• FINALE: each and every one on stage in sparkling gowns and tails with high steps & spirits - THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOWBUSINESS

the finale -  calypso Bangkok

source:

http://www.calypsocabaret.com/

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The Temple of the Reclining Buddha - a must see when visiting Bangkok

Wat Pho known also as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha is a must see when visiting Bangkok. The Reclining Buddha statue and surrounding grounds are stunning with Hundreds of amazing photo opportunities. It is a Buddhist temple located in the Rattanakosin district directly adjacent to the Grand Palace. Its official name is Wat Phra Chettuphon Wimon Mangkhlaram Ratchaworamahawihan.  It also known as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage

inside Wat Pho

Wat Pho is named after a monastery in India where Buddha is believed to have lived. Prior to the temple's founding, the site was a centre of education for traditional Thai medicine, and statues were created showing yoga positions. An enormous Buddha image from Ayuthaya's Wat Phra Si Sanphet was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767; King Rama I (1782-1809 A.D.) incorporated its fragments to build a temple to enlarge and renovate the complex.

reclining Buddha

The image of reclining Buddha is 15 m high and 43 m long with his right arm supporting the head with tight curls on two box-pillows of blue, richly encrusted with glass mosaics. The 3 m high and 4.5 m long foot of Buddha displays are inlaid with mother-of-pearl. They are divided into 108 arranged panels, displaying the auspicious symbols by which Buddha can be identified like flowers, dancers, white elephants, tigers and altar accessories. Over the statue is a seven tiered umbrella representing the authority of Thailand.

reclining Buddha at wat pho

There are 108 bronze bowls in the corridor indicating the 108 auspicious characters of Buddha. People drop coins in these bowls as it is believed to bring good fortune, and to help the monks maintain the wat. Though the reclining Buddha is not a pilgrimage centre, it remains an object of popular piety

108 auspicious characters of Buddha

The temple is considered the first public university of Thailand, teaching students in the fields of religion, science and literature through murals and sculptures. The temple is home to one of the earliest Thai massage schools. Traditional Thai massage and medicine is taught at the Traditional Medical Practitioners Association Center, an open air hall outside the temple. For Thai massage therapists, the medical inscription inside the temple acts as a base for treatment.

Tips:

• When you were looking forward to the great massage and it lived up to its reputation.  Do treat yourself with it to escape from all the people outside queuing to take photos with the Buddha.
• Any time of the year, the tropical climate is too hot. So if you are planning to be here early morning or late afternoon will be the best time.
• Don’t forget to take your free drinking water that is included at 100 baht entrance fee.
• There is also a little gift shop onsite if you want to get any souvenirs
• There are many fruit sellers outside the temple. They sell chill slices of tropical fruits like mangos and pineapples. It was nice for some baht to kill your thirsty. The Vitamin C is good for your health too.
• Do not expect to spend long there if you are going to see just the Buddha, it was around 30 minutes. But you can run out of time to see the rest of the grounds.
• A short walk from the ferry,  that will take you to the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun). A short walk on both sides, no more than 10 minutes will get you to the other attraction, both of which are must sees.

Coconut Ice cream seller at wat pho

There are a few things you need to know about the reclining Buddha:

• You cannot wear shoes inside the building.  They will give you a bag to carry your shoes in.
• You cannot wear hats inside the building
• The only place you have to cover up is when you go to see the Buddha. They ask you to cover up your shoulders and your legs - if you happen to turn up uncovered they will give you a bright green long robe to cover yourself with (around 10% of people in there were wearing one)

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The Grand Palace of Thailand

The Grand Palace houses are not only the royal residence and throne halls, but also a number of government offices as well as the renowned Temple of the Emerald Buddha. After King Rama I’s ascension to the throne in 1782 the palace was built. Prior to this, the royal palace and centre of administration had been located in Thonburi, on the west side of the chao Phraya River.

Grand Palace from outside

The new king considered the former capital to be unsuitable and decided to establish a new capital on the other side of the river. The new palace was built to serve not only as King's Residence but also as the site of some administrative offices. The royal compound has been known since then as the Grand Palace. The two earliest structures erected within the complex were the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall, and the Phra Maha Monthian.

grand palace Thailand

The palace complex covers an area of 218,000 square metres and is surrounded by four walls, 1900 metres in length. It likes the rest of Ratanakosin Island, is laid out following the general outline of Ayutthaya palaces. The Outer Court, near where you enter the complex today, housed the government departments in which the king was directly involved, such as civil administration, including the army, and the treasury. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha takes up one corner of the complex next to the outer court.

inside the Grand Palace Bangkok

In the middle is the Central Court, where the residence of the king and the halls for conducting state business were located. You are allowed to look at the fronts of the buildings in the central court, but only two of the throne halls are open to the public, and only on weekdays.

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha  inside the Grand Palace Bangkok

Behind the central court was the inner court. This was where the king's royal consorts and daughters lived. The inner court was like a small city entirely populated by women and boys under the age of puberty. Even though no royalty currently reside in the inner court, it is still completely closed off to the public.

take a break after walking at Grand Palace Bangkok

Tips:

• Be careful of touts working outside the palace area. They will offer you guided tour and their 'tour' will be to several shops where they get commissions on your purchases.
• There is a free guided tour in English. It will be available at 10:00, 10:30, 1:30 and 2:00. You can also rent an audio guide for 100 Baht (3.16 USD) plus passport or credit card to secure return.
• The Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Grand Palace grounds are open every day when not being used for state functions. 
• The audience halls in the Grand Palace are closed on weekends. You can only gain entrance to see the magnificent thrones on weekdays. 
• The Royal Pantheon in Temple of the Emerald Buddha is only open one day a year, on 6 April.

building at Grand Palace Bangkok

Admission Fee
Admission to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Central Court of the Grand Palace is 400 Baht. (includes an admission ticket to Vimanmek Mansion and several other sights around Bangkok and valid within seven days of your Grand Palace visit)

Hours: The Grand Palace is open every day from 8:30 to 3:30. Note that some buildings can not be access when there is a state function, which is quite rare.

NOTE: There is a strict dress code for visiting the Grand Palace. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is Thailand's most sacred site. Visitors must be properly dressed before being allowed entry to the temple. there is a booth near the entry that can provide clothes to cover you up properly. You can rent  a proper dress at some stalls outside the palace for some Bahts.

source:

http://bangkok-thailand-tourism.blogspot.com/2008/03/grand-palace-of-thailand.html

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Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles

The museum is located to the right of the visitor’s entrance to the Grand Palace. You can visit it at the beginning of Grand Palace tour or at the ending of  tour.  It was nice and not so crowded place.  It doesn't take much time to go through the whole museum. Here, you will learn about the history of traditional Thai dress, and get to see the queen's gorgeous dresses on display. Every girl and lady should visit this!. It was well worth a visit.

Queen Sirikit Meseum Textiles - Bangkok

The museum occupied The 1870 Ratsadakorn-bhibhathana Building that was graciously granted for museum by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The office building - for many decades the Ministry of Finance -was completely renovated in 2003 and turned into a state-of-the-art museum;  its modern facilities include a new lobby, galleries, storage, an education studio, library, lecture hall, and Thailand’s first dedicated textile conservation laboratory.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn by Royal Command, represented Her Majesty Queen Sirikit graced the official opening ceremony of  the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles on 26 April 2012. The museum opened to the public on 9 May 2012.

The museum’s mission is to collect, display, preserve, and serve as a center for all who wish to learn about textiles, past and present, from Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Asia, with a special emphasis on the textiles of, and related to, the royal court and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.

Hip Wrapper (phaa nung)

Tips:

• Take time to read the displays. Many people just looked at the costumes without reading the display panels. They have more information about the outfits there!
• It's a great place to enjoy nice air conditioner break after walking in the tropical heat of the Grand Palace.
• Recommend seeing the "silk show" towards the end of the museum. This is a small multimedia exhibition about silk manufacturing  The slideshow is very cool of Queen  looking super glamorous in her state appearances over the years .
• The ticket to the museum is included in the price of the Grand Palace admission. If you want to visit only this museum, there is an entrance fee that you pay at the museum.
• The museum has four exhibition rooms displaying the revival of the traditional Thai silk production and the Thai national costume through decades of the tireless work of Queen Sirikit. It also has a fabulous collection of her silk dresses.
• There is a gift shop and also a small coffee shop at the end, as it is a great place to get a wide variety of traditional and newly designed products, including decorative and functional items for the home, cotton and silk fashions and accessories, jewelry, books, stationery, and handmade silk flowers.

Visitor Information

Hours of operation: The museum is open daily from 09:00 -16:30 hrs. Last admission is at 15.30.

Admission:  For visitors to the Grand Palace, admission to the museum is included in your entry fee. Please show your palace ticket at the ticket desk for museum admission. For those only wishing to visit the museum: Adults - 150 baht / Seniors (over 65) - 80 baht / Students (with ID) - 50 baht / Youth (12-18) - 50 baht / Children (under 12) - free

Location:
Ratsadakorn-bhibhathana Building, The Grand Palace, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok.
Telephone: (+66) 2 225 9420, 2 225 9430
Fax: (+66) 2 225 9431
Website: www.queensirikitmuseumoftextiles.org

Special thanks to Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles for providing information and photographs for this article.

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The Emerald Buddha at The Royal Monastery Thailand

Emerald Buddha

The Emerald Buddha is enshrined on a golden traditional Thai-style throne made of gilded-carved wood, known as a Busabok, in the ordination hall of the royal monastery. The sacred image is clad with one of the three seasonal costumes (summer, rainy season, and winter). The costumes are changed three times a year in a ceremony presided over by His Majesty the King.

The Royal Monastery of the Emerald Buddha is one of the most adored sites in Thailand at north of the royal residence and linked by a connecting gateway. It is a place where people go to pay respect to the Lord Buddha and His Teachings.

The Emerald Buddha is in fact carved from a block of green jade and was first discovered in 1434 in a stupa in Chiang Rai. At that time the image was covered with plaster and was thought to be an ordinary Buddha image. Later, however, the Abbot who had found the image noticed that the plaster on the nose had flaked off, revealing the green stone underneath. He initially thought that the stone was emerald and thus the legend of the Emerald Buddha image began.

The Royal Monastery of Emerald Buddha

The Monastery consists of all the architectural features of a Buddhist monastery but without residential quarters as no monks reside here. It also serves as the monarch’s private chapel and, as such, the ordination hall is furnished with two partitions on either side of the main altar in order to provide a private retiring room for the monarch. This feature is found only at the Royal Chapel of Thonburi, which now serves as the ordination hall of Wat Arun, located on the grounds of the palace of King Thonburi.

pray at Emerald Buddha 

The walls of the ordination hall are decorated with mural paintings. Above the window frames, from the south west corner on the right of the altar, are a series of paintings depicting selscted events of the Lord Buddha’s life, including scenes from his birth, childhood, youth and the Great Renunciation. The murals on the east wall facing the high altar portray scenes of Temptation and Enlightenment, with a picture of the Earth Goddess underneath the Buddha’s seat. The murals along the north wall demonstrate the lord Buddha’s preaching his Dharma and his Entering Nirvana and those behind the main altar represent the Buddhist Cosmology. Those behind the window panels illustrate various scenes from Jataka stories and Thai proverbs.

http://bangkok-thailand-tourism.blogspot.com/2008/03/royal-monastery-of-emerald-buddha.html

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