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Guide to Bangkok, Thailand
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Bangkok
A bustling, chaotic city in the heart of Thailand, Bangkok is a fantastic travel destination. The air is full of aromas typical of a busy city, and it's easy to get lost. Known for its beautiful Buddhist temples as much for its racy nightlife, its quite an experience!
How To Get There
Bangkok is Thailands commercial epicentre, and one of Asias most important air travel hubs. Large numbers of flights originate and end at Don Mueang International Airport. Departure rates are surprisingly cheap as result of the Thai government's loose regulations and restrictions. Taxis are readily available to take you into the city for around 200 350 baht, but make sure you use an official one and insist that the meter is used.
Travelling Around
Bangkok is famous for its traffic. The streets are packed with bikes, taxis and tuk-tuks, so walking for any great distance isnt really an option. In December 1999 a new system called Skytrain was unveiled. Now an indispensible form of transport, Skytrain is cheap, clean and provides great views of the city. There are two lines and free maps are provided. Another option is the Bangkok Metro which opened in 2004.
When To Go
Thailand's capital has no real tourist season, although the oppressive seasonal heat and humidity often sway visitors to come during the cooler times such as December to March. It's difficult to recommend when to visit since the city is buzzing all year round. When it comes to the weather, be warned that summers are brutally hot and October brings heavy rain. In order to enjoy Bangkok to the fullest, we recommend avoiding these periods when planning your trip.
What To See
The floating markets of Bangkok were immortalised in the Bond films and are still a favourite with visitors. Its chaotic and very touristy, but worth doing for the experience. Its possible to get there under your own steam by bus although organised tours are easier.
Bangkok's Chinatown is hectic, fast-paced and lots of fun - a great neighbourhood to explore. If you want to buy something, chances are you'll find it here. Make sure you bargain for the best price. There's jewellery, hardware, food, clothing and even automotive parts available. Look out for antiques some vendors sell high value items. Bangkok has some beautiful Buddhist temples, particularly The Grand Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaeo), Wat Po and Wat Arun. They are close to each other and can be visited in a morning or afternoon (although they close at 15:30). Half-Day Tours with a guide and transfer service are a good idea. If you fancy venturing out of the metropolis, the Ancient City (Muang Boran) is a good day trip. It is a complex of landscaped gardens in the shape of Thailand complete with small-scale replicas of pagodas, temples and palaces from around the country. Designed as a celebration of Thai culture, the park is situated just outside of the city on the road to Pattaya and also offers crocodile farm tours.
Thailand has an important history involving silk. Jim Thompson, an innovative American ex-architect, found fortune in Thai silk and introduced the world to Thailands bounties. As a tribute to him the government turned his home as the Jim Thompson Museum which is worth a look.
Bangkoks National Museum is the largest in Southeast Asia. It contains an enormous collection of Thai art and artefacts from all periods of Thai history, from Dvaravati to Ratanokosin. Notable is the musical instrument collection and the restored Buddhaisawan Chapel with its revered 13th century Buddha image. We suggest taking a guided tour through the museum so you dont miss out on any hidden gems.
Hotspot
Visiting Wat Po (or Temple of the Reclining Buddha) is a great way to experience the rich culture created by Thai Buddhism. The temple is also known as Wat Phra Chetuphon and is located in the district. As well as being a centre for contemplation and worship throughout the ages, it was the birthplace of traditional Thai massage.
It is the oldest and largest temple in Bangkok and houses over 1000 Buddhist images and the huge Reclining Buddha statue for which it is most famous. The enormous Buddha is forty-six metres long and fifteen metres high and is decorated with gold plating. His eyes and the soles of his feet are inlaid with mother of pearl. He is truly huge he definitely has to be seen to be believed!
The statue is found in the northern walled compound along with a massage school. The southern walled compound is home to Tukgawee, a working Buddhist monastery where visitors can see monks going about their daily business.
Night Life
One of Bangkoks highlights has to be the food. You dont have to go far to find something to eat, whether its a street cart selling hot noodles, a pavement caf or restaurant. And its not just the Westernised red and green curries that were used to outside of Thailand. Theres a huge variety of food, from the weird (boiled chicken legs) to the wonderful, made with fresh ingredients and pungent spices.
One of the most well-known night-time hotspots is Patpong. Despite its reputation for pickpockets and crowded over-priced night markets, the area is undergoing something of an image change with private investments and a general clean-up. There are some great bars and restaurants here, so dont be put off.
Bangkok is known as the gay capital of Asia so has plenty of gay-friendly bars and restaurants, especially in the Silom area. As a Buddhist country Thailand is very tolerant; harassment is practically non-existent.
Famed for its ladyboys and go-go bars, Bangkok nightlife certainly has its seedier side, but theres no shortage of quality bars and restaurants as well.
fast facts
Bangkok is the 22nd most populous city in the worldBangkok has one of the fastest rates in the world for construction of high rise buildingsBangkok is known in Thai as Krung Thep, and is nicknamed The City of AngelsUntil the start of the 20th century Bangkok was made up of canals and was known as Venice of the East. Most were filled to create streets and sewers but some can still be seen in the Thon Buri district
Quick History
Bangkok began as a small trading port on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River in the time of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 14th century. It is thought that the name comes from the Thai words for village and island, a reference to the rivers and canals that ran through the area. When Ayutthaya was taken over by Burma in 1767 the new King Taksin chose Bangkok as his capital and called it Thonburi. His successor, King Chulaloke, developed the city and gave it its current official name Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or City of Angels. Under later kings Mongkut and Chulalongkorn the city grew into the economic centre that it is today.
Lingo
Locals are always happy to hear you make an effort, so its good to have a couple of words and phrases up your sleeve. Thai is a tricky language, but here are the basics:
Hello - Sawat diiYes ChaiNo - Mai chaiThank you - Khap khunHow are you? - Sabai dee rue?I'm fine - Sabaay deePlease Karuna
Money
The currency of Thailand is the baht, which is divided into 100 satang. There are approximately 65 baht to the pound, but up-to-date exchange rates can be found here. Credit cards are accepted in hotels and large shops (often with surcharges) but hard currency is preferred everywhere else. Baht notes come in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000, each with a different colour. Coins come in 1, 5 and 10 baht pieces, as well as 25 and 50-Satang coins which are practically useless.
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