![Meditation](/images/icons/icon_meditation.gif)
![Surreal Odyssey at Bangkok Float Center](/2018/oct/bangkok_float/thumbnails/bangkok_float.jpg)
Surreal Odyssey at Bangkok Float Center
Rating:
5 stars (out of 5)
Price: B2100/60 mins | B2500/90 mins
Hours: 10AM-10PM everyday, 7 days/week
Location: Bangkok Float Center, Show DC Complex, Bangkok, Thailand
![Bangkok Float Center](/images/banner/bangkok_float.gif)
Bangkok Float Center
Address: Bangkok Float Center, Show DC Complex, Bangkok, ThailandEmail: info@bangkokfloatcenter.com
Phone: 098-628-9599 (Eng) | 093-159-9998 (Thai/Eng)
What Exactly is a Float?
Think of an over-sized bathtub with a top lid. Put 1000 liters of water to have a 30cm depth. Then, add 650kgs of Epsom salt. Warm the water to 35.5° to emulate body temperature. This is now the float environment.
When you immerse yourself into the tub (aka - pod in spa techno-jargon), the salt solution gives you buoyancy to keep you afloat and nullify the effect of gravity. You are now weightless! With water temperature the same as your body temperature, it's hard to discern where your body ends the water begins. It's surreal!
![Bangkok Float Center](/2018/oct/bangkok_float/images/bangkok_float.jpg)
FIRST FLOAT
Immersion
Coming from an air-conditioned room, the 35.5° water felt soothing. Then my attention was focused on floating. This was my first float and it didn't feel 'normal' at first. It was a new sensation altogether. I tried comparing this with scuba diving on a neutral buoyancy (underwater but neither sinking or coming up) but it wasn't the same with the wet suit and mask strap. I could float while swimming, but it's also not the same. This one felt like the water was pushing me up - instead of me trying to keep afloat. The close comparison would be freediving while being at the bottom of my rope and staying there. But the water pressure of freediving is not in the float. I thought I could keep my mind awake while in meditation, but I fell asleep. The gentle wake-me-up music was my cue to come out of it. One hour felt like a pause!
Surrendering
You might think the body would instantly accept the new environment, but no. It took awhile before I acclimatized. I initially felt heaviness on my neck, but I guess that discomfort was the body trying to reboot itself from the compaction of gravity and bad posture. But when the body finally complied, it felt like dissolving myself into the water. I guess that's also when I fell into sleep. When I came out of it, I was very much at peace. It's almost like doing yoga nidra.
I was told that in some cases, there would be a pleasant after-effect that may come up and last up to 3 weeks. I don't exactly know what that is, but I will be mindful about body changes in the coming days.
SECOND FLOAT
Anticipation
More than anything else, I was curious about this 2nd float. Why? Because my body already has the muscle memory from the first float - so I won't have to acclimatize anymore...or at least I'll have a shorter transition. Additionally, would I then go deeper into my meditative trance?
Desiderata
The initial slight discomfort was still there as the body acclimatized, but lesser and shorter than the first time. This time, I had the familiarity of my stimuli-deprived surrounding - complete darkness, complete weightlessness and complete silence. Usually in meditation, I would focus on body sensations part by part. But this time, I felt dissolved into the water - it was hard to fixate on any body part. I instead focused on my breath for a deep sense of present awareness as I let go. Surprisingly, I didn't fall asleep. My mind was awake the entire time, although it drifted a few times until I would reign it in. At the end of the hour, after having showered and dressed-up, I remained calm and collected. I was reminded of Desiderata, "Go placidly amid the noise and haste...and remember what peace there may be in silence".
Binaural Beat
Because being on the float is to be in a meditative trance, I suggested to Sam (the Director) that instead of ear plugs, why not use a water-proof earphone and play binaural beats to exponentially deepen the trance? Binaural beats activate Theta waves in the brain that induce deep relaxation. It excites me to speculate what synergies arise when you combine these two powerful techiniques - deep relaxation by Floating and deep relaxation by activating Theta waves. Add a little auto-hypnosis to that and who knows? Maybe you walk on water at the end of it :) All I'm saying is that if you are playful (like me), you can bio-hack a bit. Floating can be a blender's base - to binaural beats, to auto-hypnosis, to meditation, to pranayama, etc.
Ending Thoughts
You don't have to go to the Dead Sea to experience extreme buoyancy in extremely salty water. Here in Bangkok, immersion on the Float gives you a surreal sensory stillness unlike anything else that's out there! It has to be experienced.
--- TheLoneRider
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Reader Comments:
![Dindo Velasquez](/images/thumb/dindo_velasquez.jpg)
![Philippines](/images/flag_philippines.gif)
(Nov 2, 2018) sensory deprivation tank... the US Navy Seals use it for post-mission stress decompression
![TheLoneRider](/images/thumb/thelonerider.jpg)
(Nov 2, 2018) ah...so there's more to this than simply floating!
![dindo_velasquez](/images/thumb/dindo_velasquez.jpg)
(Nov 2, 2018) That's what they call it in the US Navy. The spas, which copied the navy, saw it as a meditation-like thing so they bought the equipment. Then the medical doctors copied the spa and used it for people suffering from brain traumatic injuries such as the NFL
![Joy Tan](/images/thumb/joy_tan.jpg)
![Philippines](/images/flag_philippines.gif)
(Nov 2, 2018) would have been nice to try this when we were there 2
![TheLoneRider](/images/thumb/thelonerider.jpg)
(Nov 2, 2018) ...always a 'next time' :)
![Natalia Bhandari](/images/thumb/natalia_bhandari.jpg)
![Russia](/images/flag_russia.gif)
![Mimi Chang](/images/youtube.gif)
(Nov 2, 2018) Oh that was on my list!! Can't wait 🙂
![Mark Ratcliff](/images/thumb/mark_ratcliff.jpg)
![USA](/images/flag_usa.gif)
Mark Ratcliff Photography
(Nov 2, 2018) 650kg of salt!!? Id love to try one day
![TheLoneRider](/images/thumb/thelonerider.jpg)
(Nov 2, 2018) I guess when it dissolves in the water, the water becomes very heavy....a lot heavier than you, so the heavier water displaces your weight and pushes you up. I tried sinking....but impossible!
Next stop:: Window Seat [His Precious]
Float Blogs:
- Meditation in a Sensory Deprivation Tank at Float Chiang Mai Jan 29, 2019
- Surreal Odyssey at Bangkok Float Center Oct 29/31, 2018
Float Tips:
- do an intense workout before the float. The exhaustion will pave the way for total surrender
- try not to have the salt-water on your eyes - it will sting
- if you are adventurous, bring your binaural beats .mp3 and your water-proof earphones to sink deeper into Theta Wave realm
Bangkok Map
![Google Map](/images/google_tab.gif)
Bangkok, Thailand
![hotels in Bangkok](/images/icon/hotel.gif)
![](/images/icon/hotel10.gif)
1541 Phahonyothin Rd. Payathai
![restaurant in Bangkok](/images/icon/restaurant.gif)
![Dalad Vietnamese Restaurant](/images/icon/restaurant07.gif)
195 Soi Pradipat 19, Pradipat Road, Phayathai
![spa and wellness in Bangkok](/images/icon/spa.gif)
![Bangkok Float Center](/images/icon/massage03.gif)
99/6-9 SHOW DC Retail and Entertainment Mega Complex (4th Floor)
![gyms on On Nut, Bangkok](/images/icon/gym.gif)
![gyms on On Nut, Bangkok](/images/icon/yoga.gif)
![](/images/icon/gym08.gif)
726 Soi On Nut 14 Rd, Khwaeng Suan Luang, Khet Suan Luang, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10250
Useful Information
Bangkok Blogs by TheLoneRider
- Bangkok in Pictures Mar 17-21, 2021
- Bangkok for Passport Renewal Mar 17-21, 2021
- Bangkok with $19 Dec 8-11, 2018
- 30 Days - Goodbye Bangkok Nov 8, 2018
- Revolving Peoplescape of Bangkok Oct 8 - Nov 8, 2018
- Food and Friendship at Dalad Vietnamese Oct 8 - Nov 8, 2018
- Movie Review: First Reformed (2017) Nov 6, 2018
- Doing Online Work at The Work Loft Nov 5, 2018
- Window Seat [His Precious] Nov 1, 2018
- Surreal Odyssey at Bangkok Float Center Oct 29/31, 2018
- Bangkok Halloween with Rinna and Steve Oct 27, 2018
- Push-Ups Oct 22/24, 2018
- Pad Thai at Thip Samai, Bangkok Oct 16, 2018
- Birthday Walkabout Oct 16, 2018
- Coming to Terms with Donations Oct 14, 2018
- Feelin' Da Blues at Adhere the 13th Blues Bar Oct 12, 2018
- Visiting the Grand Palace of Thailand Oct 12, 2018
- A Web Mandate in Bangkok Oct 8, 2018
- 29 Days in Bangkok: Thank You and Goodbye Aug 27 - Sep 24, 2018
- Calling the Bangkok Police Sep 23, 2018
- Movie Review: Mindfulness and Murder (2011) Sep 22, 2018
- Yoga Inversions at Now's Fitness Gym Sep 19, 2018
- Flow Yoga with Teacher Kea at Now's Fitness Sep 18, 2018
- Movie Review: Under Construction (2015) Sep 15, 2018
- Walking Tour of Little India Sep 15, 2018
- Vinyasa Yoga with Teacher That at Now's Fitness Sep 14, 2018
- Abs Workout with Teacher San at Now's Fitness Sep 13, 2018
- Vinyasa Yoga with Teacher That at Now's Fitness Sep 14, 2018
- Abs Workout with Teacher San at Now's Fitness Sep 13, 2018
- Exercise Ball Workout with Teacher Bie at Now's Fitness Sep 11, 2018
- Exploring the Amphawa Floating Market Sep 9, 2018
- Exploring the Tree-Engulfed Wat Bang Kung Temple Sep 9, 2018
- Parting of the Maeklong Railway Market with a Passing Train Sep 9, 2018
- Exploring Damnoen Saduak Floating Market Sep 9, 2018
- Horse Racing at the The Royal Bangkok Sports Club Sep 8, 2018
- Fight Class with Teacher San at Now's Fitness Sep 7, 2018
- Exploring the Bangkok Art Book Fair 2018 Sep 6, 2018
- Circuit Training with Mild at Now's Fitness Sep 5, 2018
- Gentle Flow Yoga with Nuch at Now's Fitness, Bangkok Sep 4, 2018
- A Yogi Lost in a Modern Gym - Now's Fitness Sep 3, 2018
- Abundance at On Nut, Bangkok Aug 30-Sep 1, 2018
- Outside Looking In Aug 29, 2018
- Back in Bangkok After 5 Weeks Aug 27, 2018
- 15 Days in Bangkok July 10-24, 2018
- Peoplescape: Bangkok July 10-24, 2018
- Hatha and Yantra Yoga Fusion July 10-24, 2018
- Revisiting Terminal 21 Mall, Bangkok July 23, 2018
- Rope Skipping, 4mins Full-on July 22, 2018
- Sunday Visit to Chatuchak Weekend Market July 17, 2018
- Fork on the Road: Abundance or Poverty by Choice? July 16, 2018
- Loving Bangkok All Over Again Feb 22-26, 2016
- Hotel Review: Adventure Hostel Bangkok July 11, 2018
- Hotel Review: Riva Surya Bangkok Oct 20, 2014
- Exploring the Shopping Malls of Bangkok Oct 6-20, 2014
- Bangkok's Street Food Delight Oct 6-20, 2014
- Bangkok Revisited 3 Oct 6-20, 2014
- A First Timer in Bangkok December 31, 2005 - January 3, 2006
Bangkok Cost Index
as of Sep 4, 2018: US$1 = Baht 32 = Php 53
- Bht 60 sm, 90 big one mug draft beer
- Bht 13 1.5 liter drinking water
- Bht 220 one hour massage
- Bht 60-80 muesli breakfast
- Bht 60-80 tom yum soup in modest eatery
- Bht 25-30 coffee
- Bht 30-50 pad thai
- Bht 350 Adventure Hostel lodging
- Bht 20-30/load laundry, coin operated machine
- Bht 7 bus ride
Transport Maps of Bangkok
Bangkok to Chiang Mai by Train from Bang Sue Train Station
For more train info: Bangkok to Chiang Mai trains - departing from Hua Lamphong - MRT (Bangkok)
(I'm using Bang Sue as a starting point because I was closer to it, but you may be closer to the Hua Lamphong station)
- take the MRT train to Bang Sue Station. Take the #1 Exit to the north provincial trains
- Proceed to Counter 2. You will see an
information booth, a
train schedule chart and the
ticket counter. Choose the train and pay at the ticket counter.
- daily train schedule:
- 8:48am - #7 Train, arrive Chiang Mai 7:30pm, not sleeper, B638
- 2:06pm - #109 Train, arrive Chiang Mai 4:05am, sleeper
- 6:31pm - #9 Premium Train, arrive Chiang Mai 7:15am, sleeper, B938 upper deck, B1038 lower deck
- 7:56pm - #13 Train, arrive Chiang Mai 8:40am, sleeper, B768 upper deck, B838 lower deck
- 10:22pm - #51 Train, arrive Chiang Mai 12:10pm, sleeper, 3rd class B270 (non sleeper), 2nd class B438, B728 upper deck, B798 lower deck
Currency Converter
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