Bangkok

Bangkok is the gateway to Thailand a vibrant capital city of many contradictions set around the mouth of the Chao Phraya River. Rich in history and culture Bangkok is an impressive destination whether you are staying for a stopover or an extended stay. The average travelling time from Bangkok’s main International Airport (Suvarnabhumi Airport) to the city centre is 40 minutes by car. Bangkok offers an extensive range of accommodation from the extremely budget to high end ultimate luxury. There is also accommodation available right next to the airport for travellers required on business or short stopovers. 

Bangkok has an east meets west feel with ancient and historical temples and memorials sitting beside large western style skyscraper buildings. An example of this is the Erawan Shrine situated on the corner of two of Bangkok’s busiest streets surrounded by high rise buildings and skyrail track. Familiar brands and chains are present throughout the city such as McDonalds, KFC, Starbucks and the like.  Bangkok has a modest number of high rise buildings with a high use of neon lighting used throughout certain areas of the city. Bangkok’s traffic jams are notorious however it is very rare to encounter any signs of road rage perhaps due to the major religion practised in Thailand being Buddism. This religion does not subscribe to any god, rather believes in enlightening the soul and placing little value on material possessions when it comes to finding happiness. It is very common to see monks move about the city in their traditional orange robes.

An absolute must see for any visit to Bangkok is The Grand Palace, once home to generations of royal family today the palace is a well respected memorial. Known for its giant gold reclining Buddha – Wat Po - an astonishing 46 metres long and 15 metre high completed covered in gold leaf. The palace is an absolute delight to explore with seemly buildings inside of buildings, shrines, small gardens, halls, multi-coloured porcelain tiles and elaborate glass mosaics – a true visual feast.

Bangkok provides an endless array of things to see and do with over 400 temples, traditional Thai cooking classes, river cruises, floating markets - fruit, vegetables, meat, spices and fresh flowers all sold from boat to boat, popular Patpong Road night markets – where bartering is expected, graceful and controlled traditional Thai dancing, Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) events involving boxers delivering kicking strokes, excellent music venues, dance clubs and popular bars with many lively nightlife spots found in the Patpong region. Dining options aplenty with many cuisines on offer however traditional Thai cuisine dominates boasting low fat qualities and essential freshness making it one of the healthiest cuisines in the world.

Many travellers come to Bangkok solely for the spectacular shopping which ranges from makeshift stalls at markets offering everything from silk to counterfeit designer goods through to the super malls some of the largest shopping venues in South East Asia. With most being multi-levels and offering hundreds and some even thousands of stores. Mah Boon Krong (MBK) is a very popular 8 level shopping venue offering over 2000 stores; others include Siam Discovery offering many mid range western brands, Siam Paragon unashamedly upmarket offering designer luxury goods, Emporium and CentralWorld officially the largest shopping mall in South East Asia.

Bangkok Hotels List

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