Tan Xiaomi
BANGKOK’S official name, with 43 tongue-twisting Thai syllables, has been conveniently truncated to Krung Thep, meaning the city of angels.
For those traveling in a tour group, it is easy to miss the real Bangkok. Tour groups do not show you the small but splendid art collection at Jim Thompson’s house, the largest reclining Buddha at Wat Pho, the crowded and humid Chatuchak weekend market, or the traditional floating market along the residential canals.
Affluent leisure travelers can spend a whole week in dozens of high-end department stores in the city, enjoying afternoon tea at luxurious five-star hotels, before finishing their day with a relaxing traditional Thai massage.
But no matter whether you are a young backpacker on a shoestring budget or a middle-class holidaymaker wanting a lush resort holiday, Bangkok with its dazzling choices is the city for you.
Jim Thompson’s House
Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: 250 baht (US$8.4)
No traveler to Bangkok should leave without a glimpse of old-style Bangkok with a trip to Jim Thompson’s House.
Get off at skyrail’s National Stadium stop, the house is hidden along a long, quiet alleyway. Here is a museum-quality preservation of Thai residential architecture and splendid Southeast Asian art dating back to the sixth century.
Another attraction is the house’s former owner, Jim Thompson, a compelling person who created an international appetite for Thai silk. Even today, you can still find Thai silk chain stores bearing his name in luxury department stores.
Thompson was a New York architect and briefly served for the CIA in Thailand during WWII. As a tireless promoter of traditional Thai arts and culture, Thompson collected parts of various Thai homes and reassembled them in the current location in 1959. Thompson mysteriously disappeared in the western Malaysia highlands one day in 1967.
An English guide is available free of charge to explain Thompson’s collection. The complex construction also has a private pier to the Chao Phraya river.
Wat Phra Kaew and Grand Palace (玉佛寺、大皇宫)
Hours: 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Ticket: 250B
You are advised to make an early morning visit to the Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace, or you could get stuck in the city’s notorious traffic jams.
The Wat Phra Kaew, known as a shrine to the Emerald Buddha, adjoins the former residence of the monarch — the Grand Palace. The temple’s primary attraction Emerald Buddha sits atop an elevated altar and it’s hard to get into the gilded decorated hall which is always packed with Buddhists.
The palace, with polished orange-and-green roof tiles piercing the sky, mosaic-encrusted pillars and rich marble pediments, is a good place to take photographs.
Built in 1782, the palace encompasses more than 100 buildings and represents 200 years of royal history and architectural styles. However, it’s now only used by the king on certain ceremonial occasions.
Remember to dress and behave appropriately when visiting sacred or royal sites in Bangkok. Avoid vests, pants and sandals. You will be required to take off your shoes before going indoors.
Wat Pho (卧佛寺) and Thai massage school
Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: 20B
The largest reclining Buddha, some 46 meters long and 15 meters high, is located in Wat Pho. Almost too big for its shelter, the tremendous Buddha is hard to photograph in a single picture.
The temple is also the national headquarters for the teaching and preservation of traditional Thai massage. Wrap up the daylight hours with a traditional Thai massage at the country’s most famous massage school behind the temple. However, the cheap massage school is rough and crowded compared with those in high-end hotels.
Erawan shrine (四面佛)
Hours: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
Admission free
The four-headed deity Brahma, representing the Hindu god of creation, is located in a spare corner of the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel. It was originally built to ward off bad luck during the construction of the former Erawan hotel. Now, it has gained a wide reputation for granting wishes.
It’s said that those whose wish had been granted need to return to the shrine to worship and pay for performances by musicians and dancers.
Chatuchak weekend market and Suan Lam night bazaar
On Saturdays and Sundays, take the skytrain to the Chatuchak weekend market. The thousands of stands here deserve a full-day visit.
There are many things to do, buy and see in this all-purpose market. Come early to avoid the crowds and heat, as the outdoor market doesn’t have air conditioning.
The Suan Lam nightly bazaar is an alternative for a short stay. It is open from 6 p.m. to midnight, and sells Thai clothes, souvenirs and handicrafts. It’s also famed for its various food stands.
Mae Nam Chao Phraya
(湄南河)
The serpentine Mae Nam Chao Phraya divides Bangkok into two parts. Many local companies run regular dinner cruises along the river, which is a fine way to appreciate the Chao Phraya river and its major attractions which can be seen during your cruise. For a bargain choice, try the public ferry that travels along the river regularly. You will see Thai monks in orange cassocks on board.
Floating market
Visit the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market just over 100 kilometers from Bangkok, which gives you a panorama of wooden canoes laden with multicolored tropical fruits and vegetables, paddled by Thai women with straw hats.
However, more and more vendors are now selling overpriced and lackluster souvenirs. Hire a boat to explore the peaceful residential canals if you have time.
As public transportation to the floating market is slow and inconvenient, you are advised to take a package tour from a local travel agency. A half-day trip costs about 1,000B per person.
Tan Xiaomi
BANGKOK’S official name, with 43 tongue-twisting Thai syllables, has been conveniently truncated to Krung Thep, meaning the city of angels.
For those traveling in a tour group, it is easy to miss the real Bangkok. Tour groups do not show you the small but splendid art collection at Jim Thompson’s house, the largest reclining Buddha at Wat Pho, the crowded and humid Chatuchak weekend market, or the traditional floating market along the residential canals.
Affluent leisure travelers can spend a whole week in dozens of high-end department stores in the city, enjoying afternoon tea at luxurious five-star hotels, before finishing their day with a relaxing traditional Thai massage.
But no matter whether you are a young backpacker on a shoestring budget or a middle-class holidaymaker wanting a lush resort holiday, Bangkok with its dazzling choices is the city for you.
Jim Thompson’s House
Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: 250 baht (US$8.4)
No traveler to Bangkok should leave without a glimpse of old-style Bangkok with a trip to Jim Thompson’s House.
Get off at skyrail’s National Stadium stop, the house is hidden along a long, quiet alleyway. Here is a museum-quality preservation of Thai residential architecture and splendid Southeast Asian art dating back to the sixth century.
Another attraction is the house’s former owner, Jim Thompson, a compelling person who created an international appetite for Thai silk. Even today, you can still find Thai silk chain stores bearing his name in luxury department stores.
Thompson was a New York architect and briefly served for the CIA in Thailand during WWII. As a tireless promoter of traditional Thai arts and culture, Thompson collected parts of various Thai homes and reassembled them in the current location in 1959. Thompson mysteriously disappeared in the western Malaysia highlands one day in 1967.
An English guide is available free of charge to explain Thompson’s collection. The complex construction also has a private pier to the Chao Phraya river.
Wat Phra Kaew and Grand Palace (玉佛寺、大皇宫)
Hours: 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Ticket: 250B
You are advised to make an early morning visit to the Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace, or you could get stuck in the city’s notorious traffic jams.
The Wat Phra Kaew, known as a shrine to the Emerald Buddha, adjoins the former residence of the monarch — the Grand Palace. The temple’s primary attraction Emerald Buddha sits atop an elevated altar and it’s hard to get into the gilded decorated hall which is always packed with Buddhists.
The palace, with polished orange-and-green roof tiles piercing the sky, mosaic-encrusted pillars and rich marble pediments, is a good place to take photographs.
Built in 1782, the palace encompasses more than 100 buildings and represents 200 years of royal history and architectural styles. However, it’s now only used by the king on certain ceremonial occasions.
Remember to dress and behave appropriately when visiting sacred or royal sites in Bangkok. Avoid vests, pants and sandals. You will be required to take off your shoes before going indoors.
Wat Pho (卧佛寺) and Thai massage school
Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: 20B
The largest reclining Buddha, some 46 meters long and 15 meters high, is located in Wat Pho. Almost too big for its shelter, the tremendous Buddha is hard to photograph in a single picture.
The temple is also the national headquarters for the teaching and preservation of traditional Thai massage. Wrap up the daylight hours with a traditional Thai massage at the country’s most famous massage school behind the temple. However, the cheap massage school is rough and crowded compared with those in high-end hotels.
Erawan shrine (四面佛)
Hours: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
Admission free
The four-headed deity Brahma, representing the Hindu god of creation, is located in a spare corner of the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel. It was originally built to ward off bad luck during the construction of the former Erawan hotel. Now, it has gained a wide reputation for granting wishes.
It’s said that those whose wish had been granted need to return to the shrine to worship and pay for performances by musicians and dancers.
Chatuchak weekend market and Suan Lam night bazaar
On Saturdays and Sundays, take the skytrain to the Chatuchak weekend market. The thousands of stands here deserve a full-day visit.
There are many things to do, buy and see in this all-purpose market. Come early to avoid the crowds and heat, as the outdoor market doesn’t have air conditioning.
The Suan Lam nightly bazaar is an alternative for a short stay. It is open from 6 p.m. to midnight, and sells Thai clothes, souvenirs and handicrafts. It’s also famed for its various food stands.
Mae Nam Chao Phraya
(湄南河)
The serpentine Mae Nam Chao Phraya divides Bangkok into two parts. Many local companies run regular dinner cruises along the river, which is a fine way to appreciate the Chao Phraya river and its major attractions which can be seen during your cruise. For a bargain choice, try the public ferry that travels along the river regularly. You will see Thai monks in orange cassocks on board.
Floating market
Visit the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market just over 100 kilometers from Bangkok, which gives you a panorama of wooden canoes laden with multicolored tropical fruits and vegetables, paddled by Thai women with straw hats.
However, more and more vendors are now selling overpriced and lackluster souvenirs. Hire a boat to explore the peaceful residential canals if you have time.
As public transportation to the floating market is slow and inconvenient, you are advised to take a package tour from a local travel agency. A half-day trip costs about 1,000B per person.
Tan Xiaomi
BANGKOK’S official name, with 43 tongue-twisting Thai syllables, has been conveniently truncated to Krung Thep, meaning the city of angels.
For those traveling in a tour group, it is easy to miss the real Bangkok. Tour groups do not show you the small but splendid art collection at Jim Thompson’s house, the largest reclining Buddha at Wat Pho, the crowded and humid Chatuchak weekend market, or the traditional floating market along the residential canals.
Affluent leisure travelers can spend a whole week in dozens of high-end department stores in the city, enjoying afternoon tea at luxurious five-star hotels, before finishing their day with a relaxing traditional Thai massage.
But no matter whether you are a young backpacker on a shoestring budget or a middle-class holidaymaker wanting a lush resort holiday, Bangkok with its dazzling choices is the city for you.
Jim Thompson’s House
Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: 250 baht (US$8.4)
No traveler to Bangkok should leave without a glimpse of old-style Bangkok with a trip to Jim Thompson’s House.
Get off at skyrail’s National Stadium stop, the house is hidden along a long, quiet alleyway. Here is a museum-quality preservation of Thai residential architecture and splendid Southeast Asian art dating back to the sixth century.
Another attraction is the house’s former owner, Jim Thompson, a compelling person who created an international appetite for Thai silk. Even today, you can still find Thai silk chain stores bearing his name in luxury department stores.
Thompson was a New York architect and briefly served for the CIA in Thailand during WWII. As a tireless promoter of traditional Thai arts and culture, Thompson collected parts of various Thai homes and reassembled them in the current location in 1959. Thompson mysteriously disappeared in the western Malaysia highlands one day in 1967.
An English guide is available free of charge to explain Thompson’s collection. The complex construction also has a private pier to the Chao Phraya river.
Wat Phra Kaew and Grand Palace (玉佛寺、大皇宫)
Hours: 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Ticket: 250B
You are advised to make an early morning visit to the Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace, or you could get stuck in the city’s notorious traffic jams.
The Wat Phra Kaew, known as a shrine to the Emerald Buddha, adjoins the former residence of the monarch — the Grand Palace. The temple’s primary attraction Emerald Buddha sits atop an elevated altar and it’s hard to get into the gilded decorated hall which is always packed with Buddhists.
The palace, with polished orange-and-green roof tiles piercing the sky, mosaic-encrusted pillars and rich marble pediments, is a good place to take photographs.
Built in 1782, the palace encompasses more than 100 buildings and represents 200 years of royal history and architectural styles. However, it’s now only used by the king on certain ceremonial occasions.
Remember to dress and behave appropriately when visiting sacred or royal sites in Bangkok. Avoid vests, pants and sandals. You will be required to take off your shoes before going indoors.
Wat Pho (卧佛寺) and Thai massage school
Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: 20B
The largest reclining Buddha, some 46 meters long and 15 meters high, is located in Wat Pho. Almost too big for its shelter, the tremendous Buddha is hard to photograph in a single picture.
The temple is also the national headquarters for the teaching and preservation of traditional Thai massage. Wrap up the daylight hours with a traditional Thai massage at the country’s most famous massage school behind the temple. However, the cheap massage school is rough and crowded compared with those in high-end hotels.
Erawan shrine (四面佛)
Hours: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
Admission free
The four-headed deity Brahma, representing the Hindu god of creation, is located in a spare corner of the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel. It was originally built to ward off bad luck during the construction of the former Erawan hotel. Now, it has gained a wide reputation for granting wishes.
It’s said that those whose wish had been granted need to return to the shrine to worship and pay for performances by musicians and dancers.
Chatuchak weekend market and Suan Lam night bazaar
On Saturdays and Sundays, take the skytrain to the Chatuchak weekend market. The thousands of stands here deserve a full-day visit.
There are many things to do, buy and see in this all-purpose market. Come early to avoid the crowds and heat, as the outdoor market doesn’t have air conditioning.
The Suan Lam nightly bazaar is an alternative for a short stay. It is open from 6 p.m. to midnight, and sells Thai clothes, souvenirs and handicrafts. It’s also famed for its various food stands.
Mae Nam Chao Phraya
(湄南河)
The serpentine Mae Nam Chao Phraya divides Bangkok into two parts. Many local companies run regular dinner cruises along the river, which is a fine way to appreciate the Chao Phraya river and its major attractions which can be seen during your cruise. For a bargain choice, try the public ferry that travels along the river regularly. You will see Thai monks in orange cassocks on board.
Floating market
Visit the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market just over 100 kilometers from Bangkok, which gives you a panorama of wooden canoes laden with multicolored tropical fruits and vegetables, paddled by Thai women with straw hats.
However, more and more vendors are now selling overpriced and lackluster souvenirs. Hire a boat to explore the peaceful residential canals if you have time.
As public transportation to the floating market is slow and inconvenient, you are advised to take a package tour from a local travel agency. A half-day trip costs about 1,000B per person.
