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| Bangkok city at night. Photo Credit Stuck in Customs |
Over the last few decades, Thailand's capital city, Bangkok, has changed into a modern, exciting and sophisticated city. It offers to visitors not only the cosmopolitan amenities they would expect from other big cities, but also a unique treasure trove of cultural attractions. Thailand, in the heart of Southeast Asia, was never colonised and thus kept it's unique culture and heritage intact. Bangkok offers visitors the opportunity to experience fascinating glimpse of Thailand's gentle culture amidst the bustle of a great and dynamic metropolis. This great city has had astounding success in combining the ancient and modern world.
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| A must experience in the tuk-tuk. Photo Credit to ajpscs |
Bus
Public buses are plentiful and cheap, with a minimum fare of 8 baht to most destinations within metropolitan Bangkok. Air-conditioned buses have minimum and maximum fares of 10 and 22 baht, respectively. Air-conditioned micro-buses charge a flat fare of 25 baht for all routes.
Taxi
Taxis around the city uses meter. They charge a minimum of 35 baht for the first 3 kilometers and approximately 5 baht per kilometer thereafter. Make sure you have change, as taxi drivers often don't. Passengers must pay tolls in the case of using an expressway.
Tuk-tuk
These three-wheeled open-air motorised taxis are popular for short journeys. Fares must be bargained in advance. Minimum fares, for journeys of up to 3 kilometers, are approximately 30 baht.
BTS Sky Trains
BTS sky trains ply along Sukhumvit, Silom and Phahonyothin roads. The routes connect Bangkok's leading hotels and major shopping areas such as Siam Square, Silom, Ratchaprasong and Chatuchak Weekend Market. The fare ranges from 10-40 baht according to the distance. For more information, contact the Bangkok Mass Transit System at 0 2617 7300 or visit www.bts.co.th.
Subway(Metro)
The city's subway system, or MRT, connects many of the top tourist attractions with the accommodations areas, markets, and the business district. Fares range from 14 - 36 baht. The trains run from 6am to midnight on daily basis. For more information, head over to www.bangkokmetro.co.th.
Boat
Taxis that are even more unusual, though equally convenient, are the river taxis that ply the Chao Phraya River. Some are just cross river ferries but others serve the many landing stages on both banks and cover a route that goes up as far as the northern suburb of Nonthaburi.
For those who has yet to travel in Bangkok, you probably have heard of it's beautiful Thai temples architecture. And it takes more than a day to cover all the sites. Here are some of the places that will pique your interest.
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| Wat Phra Kaew. Photo Credit to JaeWalk |
The very heart of the nation is contained within the white crenelated walls of an acre compound where the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew reside.
Entering the awesome profusion of gilded pavilions, mythical figures and colouful mosaics of the Wat Phra Kaew is like stepping in to an exotic dream. The complex is also called the Temple of the Emerald Buddha by virtue of a rather diminutive statue as it stands 66 centimeters tall. It is made of nephrite, a type of jade.
Opening hours: 8.30am - 11.30am, 1pm - 3.30pm; daily.
Entrance fee: 200 baht.
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| Giant reclining Buddha. Photo Credit to _Zinni_ |
• Wat Pho
Lying south of the Grand Palace is Wat Pho, possibly the second most sacred temple in Thailand. The main attraction of Wat Pho is a giant reclining Buddha enshrined within a chapel only slightly bigger than the 45 meter long gilded statue.
Opening hours: 8am - 5pm; daily.
Entrance fee: 20 baht.
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| Royal Barges Museum. Photo Credit to six.five |
• Royal Barges Museum
Equally impressive would be the ceremonial of Royal Barges berthed on a dry dock in an open-air museum across the Chao Phraya. The museum is included in most canal tours. To go there on your own, the most pleasant way is to take a river taxi from one of the moors behind Sanam Luang.
Opening hours: 8.30am - 4.30pm; daily.
Entrance fee: 50 baht.
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| Stunning Lights at Wat Arun. Photo Credit to apg20. |
Located on the western bank of he rive, Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn, is best reached by hopping onto one of the water taxis plying the Chao Phraya. Besides the Grand Palace and it's temple, the beautiful skyline of Wat Arun has been the most publicized feature by Thai promotions.
Opening hours: 8.30am - 5.30pm; daily.
Entrance fee: 10 baht.
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| Beautiful Marble Temple. Photo Credit to jaeWalk |
• Wat Benchamabophit
To the north-east of Sanam Luang is Wat Benchamabophit or Marble Temple. Built of imported Italian marble by Price Naris in 1901, it presents an interesting fusion of classical Thai and subtle European influences.
Opening hours: 9.00am - 5.00pm; daily
Entrance fee: 20 baht.
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| Peace and quiet at Vimanmek Palace. Photo Credit to Island Lures |
• Vimanmek Palace
A short walk from the Marble Temple is the compound of the Chittlada Palace, the private residence of the Royal Family. Only part of the compound is open to public, including the Vimenmek Palace, which is said to be the largest teak mansion in the world. Built as a summer retreat by Rama V, it was dismantled and rebuilt in its present location without using a single nail in 1901.
Opening hours: 9.30am - 4.00pm; daily.
Entrance fee: Free with a Grand Palace ticket.
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| The lavish Erawan Shrine. Photo Credit to gavinzac |
• Erawan Shrine
One should pay a brief visit to the Erawan Shrine in the Ploenchit area. Named after the elephant of the Hindu god of creation Brahma, the small but lavish shrine stands in the shadow of the Grand Hyatt Erawan.
Opening hours: 8.00am - 7pm; daily.
Entrance Fee: Free.
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| Busy morning at the market. Photo Credit to songglod |
• Ploenchit-Ratchaprasong
Top department stores and luxury shopping malls are concentrated in the area, namely Central, Sogo, Gaysorn, Plaza, Isetan, Zen, Amarin Plaza, Peninsula Plaza, all of which together make the largest shopping promenade in Bangkok. Furthermore, the Central World Trade Center and Narayana Phand Pavilion, host the official handicraft centre selling items from all parts of the country. Ratchaprasong intersection is the gateway to several shopping areas such as Phloenchit-Sukhumvit, Siam Square - Mah Boon Krong (MBK), Silom and Pratunam-Phetchaburi.
• Silom-Surawong-Patpong Silom Road
It's the main artery of Bangkok's commercial heart and is paralleled by Surwong Road, while Patpong runs crosswise between the two. In addition to housing dozens of specialist shops and boutiques representing ll the major buys, this area also boasts many branches of well-known retailers and several shopping plazas. Street stalls also abound, most notably at Patpongs famous night market.
• Silom-Mahesak-Charoenkrung Road
Silom leads into Charoenkrung Road which parallels the Chao Phraya River, and notable shopping opportunities include gems and jewelry stores (Mahesak Road is a gem trading centre), Oriental Plaza and River City shopping complex.
• Sukhumvit
Like Silom, it's one of Bangkok's main thoroughfares and the long road is lined with shops, boutiques, and modern shopping plazas ranging from Soi 3 (Nana Nua) up to Soi 63 (Ekkamai). Most shops and restaurants are concentrated between Soi 3 and Soi 21 (Asok), also along the shortcuts between Asok and Ekkamai.
• Pratunam-Phetchaburi
A highlight in the district is Pratunam market, one of Bangkok's biggest centres for ready-to-wear clothing.
• Baiyoke Tower
Located next to Bangkok's tallest hotel building, Baiyoke Tower is one of the city's renowned for garment centre.
• Nai Lert Plaza
Situated close to Pratunam Market, Nai Lert Market is one of many shopping areas in Bangkok where you can buy just about everything from clothing to handicrafts.
• Bang Lamphu
Situated close to the Grand Palace, Bang Lamphu has a lively market where clothing is a popular buy.
• Chinatown Centre
Situated on Yaowarat Road and Sampheng Lane, Bangkok's Chinatown offers a profusion of gold shops as well as several nearby traditional shopping places such as Ban Mo Jewelry Street, Phahurat Cloth Market and the Old Siam Plaza
• Bo-be Market
Situated close to Bangkok Railway Station, Bo-be is one of the city's renowned ready-to-wear clothing centre, both for wholesale and retail.
• Jatujak/Chatuchak
This Weekend Market is located adjacent to Chatuchak Park which only opens on Saturday and Sunday, is a Bangkok landmark where you can buy just about everything from clothing to potted plants and everything in between a paradise for browsers and bargain-hunters alike. The market also offers items like furniture and home decor. It is also where professional and amateur art-lovers as well as artists meet.
• Pak Khlong Talat
This is a wholesale market for all kinds of cut flowers and vegetables. It is located on Maharat Road near the Memorial Bridge. The market is crowded in the early morning and in the evening.
• Damnoen Saduak
Famous for being the floating market, it's a popular attraction in some 80km west of Bangkok. It is accessible by regular bus from the Southern Bus Terminal. Everyday, hundreds of vendor boats would crowd the market area in the early morning till noon.
Bangkok's nightlife is notorious, although recent social order campaigns have put a bit of a clamp on things; in particularly nearly all restaurants, bars and clubs are now forced to close before 1am, a few are allowed to stay open till 2am.
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| Westin Grand Sukhumvit Hotel bar, Bangkok. Photo Credit to Frederic Poirot |
Eating in Bangkok has to be a highlight of the visit to Bangkok. Excellent restaurants are everywhere and not just Thai and the full range is found. They are open all hours, found on the side walks, in hotels, high up on the roof top, on boats, just everywhere. Food is a passion in Bangkok. Food stalls are generally safe as the food is cooked at high temperatures. Cheap eating is available in the food courts in the basement or top floors of plazas, where you can buy vouchers first and exchange for food from the stalls. Unused vouchers can be cashed back.
For those who seek for a gastronomical experience, Bangkok's street food is a must.
• Yaowarat Road
Bangkok's Chinatown houses some of the best and most expensive Chinese restaurants in he city along with many of the best and cheapest food stalls, especially at night. Large restaurants line the bustling Yaowarat Road, but venturing into a soi, or a lane, will lead you to less impressive yet equally enjoyable establishments. The restaurants mostly specialise in southern Chinese cooking, with noodles, seafood and, at lunchtime, dim sum dumplings dominating the menus.
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| Outside of Chabuton Japanese Restaurant @ Siam Square. Photo Credit to Rachabodin Suwannakanthi |
This shopping area is crammed with medium to high-priced eateries as well as American fast-food outlets. Whether you crave for Thai, European, Chinese or Japanese food, there is always a place for you somewhere in this fashionable area. Traditional Thai Restaurants are flanked by gaudy fast food franchises and Japanese suki parlors. Soi 1 has conventional Chinese restaurants.
• Sukhumvit Road
There is no shortage of eating places on Sukhumvit. Some people say that from any spot along the road you are within 100meters of at least one restaurant. And the food could not be more cosmopolitan.
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| Sukhumvit Road(Nana). Photo Credit to Michael La Palme |
European and American cooking balance the equation with Italian, French, British, German and Mexican restaurants lining the road and presenting a variety of options in terms of menus, atmosphere and prices. Sukhumvit 55, also known as Soi Thonglor, and it's labyrinthian branches are also full of restaurants of every kind.
Then there is the local Thai food. Both authentic nouvelle dishes can be found at small, sparingly decorated restaurants or lavishly ornate ones, along the pavements and in the markets.
• Silom Road
Several street food are linked to this road in Bangkok's busiest area. Seafood stalls sprout along the section near Saladaeng Intersection after sunset until late night. The nearby Convent Road offers everything from Indonesian to an Irish tavern. Opposite, a crush of Japanese restaurants make Soi Thaniya into a lively walkway for Japanese visitors and sushi lovers from all sorts of nationality.
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| Cafe Ice @ Silom. Photo Credit to Araigodai |
Bang Lamphu: Shoestring travelers flock to Bang Lamphu, especially the area around Khaosan Road. Most eating places in this area cater for budget-conscious diners. Many guesthouses on Khaosan Road have open-air cafes serving standard Thai and Chinese dishes. Other decent possibilities include Indian, Jewish and Muslim restaurants. Read more...
