00:00I'm Lily Daus, and this is Grand Voyager.
00:04From my base in Qatar, I travel the world to discover incredible places filled with culture, luxury and adventure.
00:13Along the way, I meet the people, taste the flavours and experience the moments that make each destination unforgettable.
00:25Today, I'm travelling from Qatar to the heart of Southeast Asia.
00:30I'm in a place where ancient temples stand side by side with modern skyscrapers.
00:36Swarika and welcome to Thailand. I'm here in Bangkok, a city where ancient traditions meets non-stop energy, colour and
00:46life.
00:48I start in Thailand's cultural heart with Alex from Thai tour guides, meeting at the Grand Palace, a symbol of
00:55royal history.
00:57The Grand Palace compound and cover an area, 61 acres.
01:0261 acres? We're not covering 61 acres today, right?
01:06No, we just visited the temple and the king's residence. It was the king's residence.
01:11Built in 1782, the Grand Palace is a vast complex of royal residences,
01:17ceremonial halls, government buildings and sacred temples.
01:21At its heart sits the temple of the Emerald Buddha, surrounded by ornate courtyards and intricate Thai architecture.
01:28The mosaics tell their own story of change.
01:32Alex traces the patterns with me, explaining how the temple's signature style developed over the centuries.
01:37They start decoration in King Rama III, like this ceramic.
01:42This is from China, Chinese, because we import. That's why it changed.
01:48Different era, different decoration.
01:51Today, the Emerald Buddha stands as a mesmerising sight, which is notably draped in gold leaf throughout.
01:57Moving deeper inside the complex, Alex leads me to the king's residence, once the private world of Thai royalty.
02:04This is the throne hall. The throne hall, the function used for when we have like a celebration for the
02:10king's birthday, queen's birthday.
02:12And then we have a big ceremony, like a coronation ceremony.
02:15Leaving the palace behind, we head to the Chow Friar River and board a traditional long-tail boat.
02:21This historic river is the perfect way to see how old and new Bangkok collide.
02:26How long have people been living on the canal here in Thailand?
02:30Wow, generation to generation, about 500 years. Yeah, probably more than 500 years. Yeah.
02:36Before roads, Bangkok ran on water. This natural waterway is connected to a vast network of man-made canals.
02:44After a scenic ride, the boat drops us near one of Bangkok's oldest royal temples.
02:49Its centrepiece is the Reclining Buddha, a 46-metre golden statue that dominates the entire hall.
02:59Some people, they say sleeping Buddha, not sleeping, just reclining or relaxing, lay down.
03:05And so this temple is very famous for Thai massage. This is the birthplace of Thai massage.
03:12Our final stop is Bangkok's 24-hour flower market, bursting with Bloom's central to Thai culture.
03:19We use a flower for offering, like the yellow one, the merry-gold, we use for offering the Hindu, Hindu
03:27god.
03:28And some flower, lotus flower, we use for offering the Buddha.
03:32Walking through the flower market is truly breathtaking, with every person you meet greeting you with kindness.
03:39I've had an incredible time exploring the city with Alex, but now it's time to head to my hotel.
03:47For this trip, I'm staying at the Four Seasons Bangkok, a five-star hotel right on the banks of the
03:53Chow Friar River.
03:55From the moment you arrive, the resort surrounds you with a perfect blend of modern elegance and traditional Thai charm.
04:03Bangkok might move fast, but here time flows like the river. Peaceful, elegant and full of Thai hospitality.
04:11To kick my day into high gear, I've signed up for a Thai kickboxing class in the hotel's state-of
04:17-the-art gym.
04:19After the instructor wraps my hands, we dive straight into an intense session.
04:24Learning the fundamentals of Thailand's national sport, from punches and kicks to using my knees for defence.
04:31There's definitely a lot to learn, but after some trial and error, everything clicks and I'm finally able to string
04:37the movements together.
04:42After a demanding workout, I've booked a traditional Thai massage in the hotel's spa.
04:47It's a great place to relax and reset.
04:50A traditional Thai massage is both energising and deeply restorative.
04:55Unlike oil-based massages, it uses rhythmic pressure, assisted stretching and gentle joint movements to release tension.
05:06To round out the hotel's luxury experience, I stop for lunch at one of its five on-site restaurants, Palmier
05:13by Guillaume Gelio.
05:14It's the perfect place to slow down and watch the world drift by before heading back into the energy of
05:20the bustling city.
05:23To explore more of Bangkok, I'm meeting with Wat from Must Try Bangkok Tours.
05:28We are heading out on a bike ride around the capital.
05:32The best way to go around is a bicycle because you can go in a small alley, see a hidden
05:36way and you can stop anywhere you want it to.
05:38We set off through some local back streets before cycling our way to the river, where Wat explains more about
05:44how Bangkok has evolved over time.
05:46At what we are at right now is old Bangkok. Over there, there's a new Bangkok.
05:53And how long ago was old Bangkok developed and then the new one?
05:57Bangkok, old Bangkok began around 250 to 280 years ago.
06:02And new Bangkok is around 150 to 180 years ago.
06:06We cycle along the river to our first stop, a fifth generation curry noodle spot with hardly any seating.
06:13Locals gather outside, drawn by the food, not the frills.
06:18The noodles itself are Asian cultures from a thousand of years.
06:24But curry, actually from India.
06:26But chilli, actually from body to Thailand or to Asia by Portuguese.
06:33But from South America, from Mexico.
06:37Wow, so all around the world, it's very international.
06:41We then set off through some small streets and narrow roads, where Wat brings me to try some local street
06:47food.
06:47And explains why this is so popular in Thailand.
06:51So food here in Thailand is a small portion.
06:55It decides to make people keep eating and eating and eating.
06:59Firstly, we try some delicious and unique fruits.
07:02Starting with mangosteen, moving to jackfruit and even longan.
07:06Everything tastes so sweet and delicious.
07:09It's like candy.
07:11It's like eating a sweet.
07:13Next up, we try one of Thailand's most famous desserts, mango sticky rice.
07:19It's every bit as good as you'd expect, with the perfect balance of sweetness and bright tangy flavour.
07:26We hop back on our bicycles and head to a calm riverside café.
07:30So yeah, how do you like it?
07:32I had such an incredible time.
07:34The bicycles are the best way to see as much of the authentic side of Thailand.
07:39And you can see how local people are living with a calm, slow and peaceful life.
07:45Having experienced the many sides of Bangkok, it's time to venture beyond the inner city for my final discoveries.
07:53For the next part of my journey, I'm exploring another canal in Thailand.
07:57I'm meeting Joy from Thai tour guide.
08:00Welcome, Lily.
08:02Hi, Lily. It's Joy. Swatika.
08:04Swatika. Enjoy.
08:06Now you can see, this is the pier of the floating market.
08:09You can see the old board, the junk.
08:12Before we go by, the trading, everything we put in the junk like this.
08:17I then learn how Thai people traditionally carried goods to and from their boats.
08:22A centuries-old method that relies entirely on balance.
08:27Joy leads me to board a boat to reach the floating market.
08:33See, they're selling everything. The hat is a Thai farmer hat or something.
08:38This is bamboo.
08:40I love this bamboo hat.
08:41The bamboo hat, you see? So beautiful.
08:44It truly is a sight to behold, with so many vendors offering an array of foods and goods.
08:54Floating along the canals in Thailand, you really feel together with the people.
08:59This is their community where they sell goods and smile.
09:03They make you feel at home.
09:05Next, we explore the Make Long train market, one of the most unique markets in the world.
09:10When the train rolls through, stores are quickly pulled back, then reopened once it passes,
09:16offering a fascinating glimpse into local life and commerce.
09:20The energy in Thailand is electric, but people at the same time are so kind, so peaceful, so relaxed.
09:28The contrast is breathtaking.
09:31Joy walks me through the market, stopping to show me some of the delicious goods on offer,
09:36from deep-fried banana to Thai coffee.
09:40It is delicious.
09:43As my journey draws to a close, Joy guides me to a truly special part of Thailand,
09:49the historic city of Ayutthaya.
09:51Now we are at the Ayutthaya, the second capital city of Thailand.
09:57You can see so many temples, 500 temples at Ayutthaya province,
10:02and we have around Thailand 43,000 temples.
10:06Founded in 1350, Ayutthaya was once one of the largest and most prosperous cities in Southeast Asia.
10:13The city thrived as a centre of trade, culture and diplomacy for over four centuries.
10:20Today, Ayutthaya is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its stunning temple ruins,
10:26that offer a glimpse into Thailand's rich past.
10:29We start by exploring one of the city's oldest sites.
10:32This temple is in the early Ayutthaya period, about 1374.
10:381374 means 600 years already.
10:40Walking through the temple, you can almost step into the past,
10:45picturing the people who once filled these sacred spaces.
10:49Next, we head to the largest temple in the ancient royal palace.
10:53Now, we are at the Wat Prasi Sanpet Temple.
10:57This temple before, it means the residence of the king.
11:00From the 1350 until 1488.
11:04It means not the temple, this is the residence of the king, the king living here.
11:08It's three towering stupas once housed the ashes of Ayutthaya's kings, making it a symbol of both religious devotion and
11:16royal power.
11:18Now, you can see this building, we call the building for the place of the high standing Buddha, 16 metres
11:25high.
11:25made by the gold, 347 kilogram gold.
11:31Ayutthaya is truly breathtaking, and seeing it up close is a fitting way to end my journey here.
11:39Thailand is a country where modern skyscrapers rise amongst ancient temples.
11:45There's so much to this country, from the incredible food, the smiles on people's faces, and of course, the culture.
11:53But now, time for my next adventure.
11:57Thank you.
11:57Thank you.
11:59Thank you.
11:59Thank you.
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