Guest Blogger Matt Preston recounts his experiences of Songkran at Amari Boulevard Bangkok.
Songkran is a festival quite unlike any other. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Bangkok during Songkran and was very keen to find out exactly what happens during this weekend long water festival.
I've been to Bangkok about 6 times and had heard great things about the Sukhumvit district, easily accessible and filled with restaurants, bars and nightlife. Thankfully the Amari Boulevard Bangkok is perfectly situated right in the heart of this district
I arrived on the first day of Songkran and saw people armed with super-soakers, water pistols and even small buckets. Thankfully they were all quite respectful and I remained dry as I entered the Amari Boulevard to check in. The quality of the Amari rooms is very universal, I knew what to expect before entering and wasn't disappointed. The room was well designed in a classic hotel styling and had all the modern amenities I needed.
After a good night's sleep and a good morning's breakfast, I was keen to venture out on to the streets and get involved in the Songkran festivities. Firstly I'd need to arm myself. I spared no expense and went for the large blue super soaker. No sooner had I filled my water gun from a nearby bucket, people were firing at me from all sides. The water fight had begun!
Families with children, teenagers and old people alike were all out to play. Within 10 minutes I was pretty much soaked from head to toe. You can't help but laugh all day, make new friends with strangers and feel like a child again. I can honestly say it was one of the best days in all of my travels.
After a long day of water madness in Bangkok it was back to the hotel to dry off and get some food. The "Season Thai" restaurant was an easy and inviting proposition. Spending a day at the longest water fight in history can make a man hungry and with a selection of delicious Thai dishes I soon regained my energy, ready for another day of Songkran craziness.
I had a great time exploring Sukhumvit and really enjoyed the vibe in this part of town. The BTS Skytrain station is right near the hotel and makes it very easy to get to a whole host of tourist highlights.
I'll be back to Sukhumvit in the future as I'll no doubt be in Bangkok again soon. My thanks to Amari for their hospitality and making Songkran a very memorable experience. Highly recommended if you're in Bangkok.