Bangkok is one of the world's most populous
cities, and with good reason. Anything
you can think of, you will find in Bangkok. It became the capital of Thailand
in 1782 under the King Rama I, before that, Ayutthaya was the kingdom's
capital, and also merits a visit.
If
you are looking for phenomenal food, kind people, ancient temple ruins,
buddhist culture, beautiful nature, and cheap shopping you needn't
look any further. You've
found the city that captures and keeps a hold of so many foreigners. While visiting, you must try: Som tam (spicy
papaya salad), Tom Yum (spicy and sour soup with your choice of meat), laab
(pork or chicken cooked with lime and flavored with mint) and khao soi* (spicy
coconut soup with soft as well as crispy noodles and your choice of meat
*recommended).
So the adventure begins!
Let's begin with things you can do during the day, then move
into things for the afternoon/evening and leave the nightlife for the
finale. Here are 10 recommendations for
Bangkok:
- Wat Pho
There are tons of temples in Bangkok, the
most famous is the grand palace, called Wat Phra Kaew. There are always so many people there, which
means that it can be a bit tiresome. Wat Pho is a good alternative to
experience the intricate details of the art and craftsmanship of a Thai
temple. This specific temple is home to
the golden reclining buddha. If it's a hot day and all the walking
has become taxing, the temple offers massages.
They are slightly more expensive than those outside the temple, but are
well worth the money.
www.watpho.com/intro.php
- Chatuchak
This outside market is like a city in and of
itself. It is a HUGE, hot and winding
market full of fantastic finds. There
are little alleys of clothing, jewelry, house decor, souvenirs, shoes,
sunglasses, food, furniture and pretty much anything else you are looking
for. Make sure you bargain, the first
price mentioned is always double for foreigners. It's
also a good idea to know the conversion rates from Baht to your home currency,
this will help you decide how much you are willing to spend.
www.chatuchak.org/
- Krua Romai
There isn't a better place to try authentic Thai food. Although pretty well hidden, it's located only 5 minutes
walking distance from the BTS station Thong Lo, down Sukhumvit 36. It's
an outside restaurant complete with tranquil fish swimming in small ponds,
singing birds to replace the sounds of traffic, vines to cover the surrounding
buildings, and other greenery to give you the total escape from the city, while
still being in the city.
www.pekopiko.com/Find-Restaurant/detail/View/rid/447/Krua-Rommai.aspx
- Chao Phraya River Tour
The point of embarkation for this tour is the
Saphan Taksin BTS station. Once you get
to the river you can choose the sights you'd like to see.
Obviously it's more
expensive with a tour guide, but if you're
in it for the scenery and a nice afternoon on a boat, go with some friends,
hire your own personal long tail boat, and it's both enjoyable and affordable.
www.renown-travel.com/daytripsbangkok/chaophrayarivertour.html
- Soi 38
This is probably one of the most authentic
scenes of everyday life in Bangkok.
Around 5pm the street comes to life with vendors selling the different
typical foods of Thailand. The food is
cooked right in front of you. It's cheap, clean and
delicious. Here, the Khao Soi and Khao
Man Gai is recommended.
www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g293916-d1128741-Reviews-Soi_38_Night_Market-Bangkok.html
- Face Bar and Restaurant
This place is a bit more upscale and offers
Indian, Japanese and Thai cuisine. It is
an antique structure built with Teak, a traditional Thai wood that is ideal for
humidity resistance. The lavish interior
is the perfect place to spend an evening with a date. The ambiance is romantic and chic. http://www.bangkok.com/restaurant-reviews/the-face.htm
- Asiatique
You can get to this place by taking the free
ferry from saphan taksin BTS station.
Here you can wander around and check out the little artisan shops. It has recently become the hot spot for
locals to hang out as well. There are
restaurants and bars where you can sit and watch the boats go by. Good spot to meet up with friends in the
evening.
www.thaiasiatique.com/index.php/en
- Grease Bar
This is a multi-floor, all-in-one hang out
spot. You can have dinner in the stylish
restaurant, then move on to the dance floor where there are thousands of
dizzying LED ceiling lights. If that's not your thing, move on to
the upper floor (gallery) and have drinks while discussing the meaning of art
hanging on the walls. Overall fabulous
nightclub, more locals than foreigners.
www.greasebangkok.com
- Patpong
Okay okay, so it's a little grungy, but everyone who comes to Bangkok should
at least spend an hour here. This is the "red light district" where you can see all kinds of
curious "shows". Maybe you don't need to spend any money here, but you should go for the
experience. You can grab a few drinks in
the bars that line the alley, take in a "show",
talk to a ladyboy or do a little late night shopping for the knockoff
sunglasses, belts and handbags. It's well lighted, so there's no need to feel afraid, just
relax and take it all in!
www.bangkoknightmarket.com/patpong-night-market
- Wong's Place
This is a very local, after-hours, dive bar. It's
small, but has vast character. Arrive
here around 12 and you'll
get a table, any later and you'll
be crammed in like sardines, but possibly meeting your new "best friend". The music/music videos that are played will
bring you back to your "good
ol’ days," of youth and jollification.
Maybe that's why no one
leaves sober.
travel.cnn.com/bangkok/drink/story-wongs-place-bangkoks-favorite-dive-bar-723943
*Other noteworthy places include: Jim
Thompson house, Khaosan Road, Bombay Blues, Cheap Charlies, Above 11, Nest, and
Q bar.
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