The Beautiful Grand Palace in Bangkok (About the Tour) + Khon Drama

Woke up in the morning, checked the guidebook, and took the subway to Sanam Chai station, which has a distinctive style with white columns and a red roof. The weather was so hot, I walked to the Grand Palace with an umbrella, passing by the drum tower and the bell tower, the majestic Ministry of Defence, the park, and the Pillar Shrine, as well as the Reclining Buddha Temple (entrance fee 200 baht). Thinking of visiting the Grand Palace, I didn't go in, but there seemed to be quite a few people at the entrance. I walked all the way to the Grand Palace and didn't encounter the scam about the Grand Palace being closed. There were people nearby holding signs in Chinese or English for guided tours, asking for 500 baht for over an hour, and you could bargain. I didn't bother and went straight in to buy a ticket. You can pay by cash or card for the ticket, which is 500 baht. Renting an audio guide next to it costs 200 baht, and an official guide is 200 baht per person. The audio guide has a time limit for returns, and you'll be charged extra for overtime. The return spot is only at the exit, so if you want to take your time, I wouldn't recommend renting it. I heard a British couple say that the pace is very slow, and you have to rush to return it on time; once you go out, you can't browse the museum and enjoy the air conditioning anymore. Personally, I think there's no need to rent a guide. There are many tourists, and with a Chinese manual in hand, I could hear the introductions from other people's rented guides everywhere I went. Understanding Chinese and English, I didn't need to eavesdrop; I naturally knew most of it, which was just a bit more detailed than the guidebook. English-speaking guides tend to be more detailed, and I only heard them explaining the murals in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, like what story a particular painting was about, etc. Chinese-speaking guides usually just say a little and then offer to take your photo, 'Ah, you don't need to go to that palace, it's just a door.' I felt that was quite perfunctory, while Japanese-speaking guides explained things in more detail and with more passion. I admired the glittering Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which is indeed beautiful and distinctive. I could only look at the exteriors of the other palaces, take photos, then wander through the museum of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha to enjoy the air conditioning, and see how the colorful and beautiful walls of the stupas were made. Finally, I went to the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles to see the exquisite clothes of the Queen Mother and bought a fridge magnet (100 baht). No photography is allowed inside the museum, but there is air conditioning and chairs to rest. Coconuts opposite the main entrance of the Grand Palace cost 40 baht, and eating a whole one was quite filling. If you walk a bit further to the left, they seem to be 35 baht. Next stop, the ticket includes a Khon drama performance. There's a ferry right at the entrance to take you there, with three shows a day. I went to see the 2 PM show, entered ten minutes early, and then waited a long time for everyone to almost fill the seats before it started. I was almost asleep by the time it began, probably around 2:30 PM. The performance lasted about half an hour and was fantastic, with no photography or video allowed. It started with Thai costumes, dances, and musical instruments from ancient times to the present, followed by a story about a general capturing a mermaid who was destroying a road construction. The desserts at the coffee shop in the theater were expensive and not tasty. After the show, I took the ferry back to the Grand Palace. It can take you to the Reclining Buddha Temple or the Grand Palace to catch a boat. I walked straight to the N9 pier to go to Wat Arun for 16 baht.