Thailand Guides - Bangkok

Bangkok is without doubt one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in Asia. It is a bustling, modern metropolis, a paradise for shoppers and a favourite destination for nighttime revelers, yet Bangkok still manages to retain its historic and cultural heart.

Overview

Bangkok, or Krung Thep as it is known to locals, is all things to all people. It offers great, shopping in the form of mega malls, trendy boutiques or traditional local markets tucked away down side streets. Bangkok is also known for it superb nightlife, risqué and otherwise, and is home to a host of great clubs, bars and live music venues, not forgetting hundreds of fantastic restaurants. Beneath the brash modern exterior and traffic-clogged streets lie pockets of calm and tranquility that reveal the more spiritual side of Thai people. Bangkok has some truly wonderful temples and cultural sites. The city is a magnet for people from all over Thailand and at heart is still very much a series of communities - both safe and friendly. Much of the nightmarish pollution of the past has now been greatly improved. With the advent of the sky train and the underground the inner-city area is now a breeze to navigate. Bangkok is a city of many charms and even those who are not easily seduced end up falling for the Big Mango.

Attractions

Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace sit in a huge compound on Na Phra Lan Road and consist of several buildings that display all the splendour and colour of classic Thai architecture. Wat Phra Kaew is also commonly known in English as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and displays the greatly revered jade Buddha image.

Wat Pho is arguably the most impressive temple in Bangkok and is situated just across the road from the Grand Palace. It is thought to be one of the city’s oldest temples, dating back to the 16^th century, and houses a massive reclining Buddha covered with gold leaf. The image is 46 metres long and 15 metres high and the posture is that of Buddha passing on to nirvana. The soles of the feet are beautifully decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay. The temple is also famous for its massage school.

Wat Arun or the Temple of the Golden Dawn is situated on the banks of the Chao Praya River and can be reached by boat. The 79 metre pagoda is decorated with fragments of porcelain plates and bowls. The temple is particularly beautiful at sunset or when viewed from the deck of an evening river cruise boat.

Chatuchak Weekend Market is simply huge and has over 8,000 stalls selling everything imaginable. The market is immensely popular with local people and is visited by up to 200,000 people every weekend, all in search of a bargain. Goods from all over Thailand are sold here and usually at better prices than found elsewhere. Chatuchak Market is easily reached by the underground train. Visitors should alight at Chatuchak Park or Kamphaeng Phet stations.

An excellent new night market in central Bangkok is Suan Lum Night Bazaar, close to Lumpini Park. The market sells a wide variety of goods and also has many restaurants and beer gardens.