Bangkok really has to be one of the most fascinating cities on earth. You could easily spend a week here soaking up its frenetic culture. And strangely, as soon as you leave, you want to be right back there!
This is one of the most visited cities in the world attracting millions of international visitors per year, and popular for city breaks, the start of Thailand adventure or for connections to other destinations in Asia/worldwide.
Where to begin in the Thai capital that never sleeps? It’s neon, crazy, frenetic, a concrete jungle, populated to bursting point, and ridiculously friendly. Street vendors barbeque fish and chicken at all hours of the day, children angle in the grey rivers, and the sound of honking horns fills the jammed streets until daybreak.
First time visitors beware, the city comes as a culture shock. But take your time and you’ll hear the rhythm created by incense-burning Buddhist traditions, a conservative work ethic, communal family life, and even a peaceful rural escape in the city’s backwaters!
For now, here are a few tips for exploring Bangkok.
Getting to Bangkok
If you’re a frequent world traveler, you’ll end up in Bangkok at some point or another. It’s a major regional hub in Asia, and a relatively affordable city.
Where to Stay
Known as the backpacker hub for all of south-east Asia, the Khaosan Road is a land of bars, restaurants, and budget lodgings east of the city centre. Lovingly nicknamed a backpacker ghetto, street vendors throw glittering toys into the air, reggae bars line the side streets, and locals live and breathe in crumbling teak houses.
The road and its surrounding area brim with guesthouses, with prices starting from 180 baht (under £4) for a room. Food sellers serve pad Thai (noodles), sumptuous fruit shakes, and tiny grilled meat kebabs from 10 baht. If you’re really adventurous, get a bag of deep fried insects – caterpillar larvae, spiders, crickets, and water beetles. Not only full of protein, they actually taste like sweet crisps!
Centre Point Plaza is a comfy, clean guesthouse, but literally all you need to do to find accommodation is turn up along the strip and start enquiring. Listen to Thai musicians emulating folk, reggae and rock stars in the numerous bars and clubs (like Gazebo), shop for fashionable vests or trinkets, or get your hair dreadlocked by a Thai master!
To browse all hotels at the best prices search places to stay in Bangkok on Booking.com.
Getting Around
Similarly to Venice, Italy, Bangkok has a river bus system. It’s an extremely affordable way to get around various parts of the city, and a great way to get some unusual photos you can’t shoot from the street. It’s also great for spotting various styles of boats, and riverside homes.
If you stay on the Khao San Road no vehicles can enter the strip at night, but in the day try to ignore the tuk-tuk and taxi drivers who aggressively pester you for a ride: they charge far too much. Instead walk a few minutes outside and bargain with the roving drivers, but make sure you agree on a price before getting in!
A tuk-tuk is a three wheeled auto-rickshaw named for its engine sound, and boy do they go fast! Head to Siam Square and shop till you drop, ride the skytrain high over the noisy city, and admire the Grand Palace in all its glory. Or just walk for hours through the streets where teak houses stand next to concrete high-rises.
Bangkok’s Top Attractions
Temples
There are a number of temples worth touring in Bangkok. Some of them historical, and others a bit more modern. That being said, anyone who likes photographing Buddha images and traditional Thai architecture can expect to be thoroughly entertained in this city.
Thai National Museum
With an impressive collection of Thai artefacts and artwork, the Thai National Museum is worth a visit. Squeezed in between an affordable morning massage and an early dinner at the ever-popular restaurant Cabbages and Condoms, it makes for a pleasant way to spend a day.
The Grand Palace
Just like you wouldn’t want to miss the main palace in Cambodia, the Grand Palace in Bangkok is a must-see attraction. Ornate Thai architecture and loaded with tradition, it’s a gorgeous attraction and one of the main things to see in the city.
Chao Phraya River
For an otherworldly experience, head to the Chao Phraya River and book a canal boat tour. Numerous travel agents line the banks so there is no need to book. In five minutes your long tail boat would have left the wide choppy river and entered a world of stilted wooden houses in the canals. Monitor lizards swim past huge shoals of topping catfish, and children play in the oily water gleefully while shouting hello in broken English. You’ll visit orchid farms and temples, where for 10 baht you can feed bread to a sea of catfish jumping over each other like panicking insects. Or instead you can re-release any number of terrapins, eels, catfish, or snakeheads (a long slender type of fish) back into the river. Both activities are meant to bring good luck.
Eating Out
Everyone loves Thai food. A social institution in the mega-city, head to Chinatown where hundreds of open air food stalls sit side by side next to honking motorbikes and bright neon signs. Papaya salad is a must: shredded papaya mixed with tomato, cashew nuts, fish sauce, lime juice, and numerous chilli peppers. Be warned, this dish is very very hot!
Pad see ew is a soft wide-noodle dish with fried chicken and greens, while tod man pla are delicious deep fried fishcakes. Thai food is hugely varied, and Chinatown is a great place to try it due to the small portions, social nature of dining, and unique mixtures of salty, sweet, and spicy dishes! Best thing to do….be adventurous.
Nightlife
While there are numerous places in Bangkok to enjoy a little nightlife, the majority of independent travelers head to the backpacking havens of Khao San and Patpong Roads. Each location will provide you with the opportunity for budget to mid-range food, affordable Thai massages and a multitude of souvenir options.
Places to Visit Near Bangkok
Once you’re done sightseeing in Bangkok, branch out to some of the other Thai destinations like Chiang Rai, Ayutthaya, Phuket or the beautiful islands of Thailand. Bangkok is a major international hub from which to fly out to other countries in the area affordably with low cost airlines like Air Asia.
Plan a City Break to the Capital of Thailand
Regardless of how long you’re in the city, Bangkok has enough to keep you entertained. So take your time. Enjoy the sites, restock your travel supplies and grab a massage or two. So get a massage, have a suit custom made, and tour some temples.
There are plenty of restaurants to splurge on in the evenings, and plenty of hotels with swimming pools to relax by in the afternoon.
As major cities go, it’s not a bad place to regroup, enjoy sightseeing and a great introduction to Thailand.