Bangkok City Guide

Bangkok is the kind of city you’ll grow to either love or hate. Home to a surplus of 11 million Thais, Bangkok is sprawling with high rises, heavy traffic and let’s not talk about the pollution. First impressions aside, Bangkok is surprisingly one of Asia’s most cosmopolitan cities. With over 50 districts, a grand collection of palaces, temples, markets and nightlife not to be rivaled with, it’s no wonder Bangkok attracts so many backpackers, tourists and expats, alike.

Once given half the chance, the city will win you over with its charm, sights, smells and sounds. Can’t stand the forty-degree heat? Dive into a 7-Eleven for shade, air-conditioning, and everything you need from bottled water and snacks to refrigerated face wipes.

When in Bangkok

There’s never nothing happening in Bangkok. Whether day or night, every street is an adventure for your senses. By nightfall, streets in Silom transform into a marketplace where food carts and restaurants pop up ready to serve Pad Thai (Stir-fried Noodles), exotic fruits, and fried grasshoppers, cockroaches and tarantulas. If you’re looking to pick up a few trinkets and souvenirs, then head to the weekend Chatuchak market. Avoid getting lost in a dark and murky maze by shopping in comfort at a mall in Siam.

Before you start looking for souvenirs, there are many sights to be seen. Set some time and energy aside to visit the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun to experience authentic Thai architectural beauty. Get up early for a walk through Lumphini Park where you can join in a Tai Chi or aerobics class. Get your blood pumping by exploring the city with a guided bicycle tour. If this doesn’t do it for you, then watch a Muay Thai fight, or take a class if you’re brave.

Whatever you plan to do, it’s best to give yourself to Bangkok. Expect the unexpected, like a few cockroaches scurrying around your feet as you chow down a green curry on Khao San Road. Go with the flow and allow yourself to explore every shade of Bangkok. From the temples to the seedy Patpong area. Just be sure to treat yourself to a Thai massage, every other day.

Getting Around

The best thing about Thailand is that it’s dirt cheap! Even budget travellers get used to hopping in and out of taxi’s. But before your driver takes off, ensure your meter is turned on or expect to pay up to four times the correct fayre.

While taxis provide comfort, air conditioning and a fare meter, a ride in a Tuk, Tuk is by far the most thrilling! It’s best to know where you’re going before hopping in a Tuk Tuk to avoid being taken on a whirlwind trip of the city, plus dinner at the most expensive restaurant in Bangkok. Take it from a seasoned Bangkok traveller: don’t trust a Tuk Tuk driver they are out to get you.

You may also like to get around Bangkok by boat by hopping on and off the Chao Phraya Express Boat. The boat service stops at most tourist attractions, including the Grand Palace and Wat Pho.

Bangkok is well serviced by two major airports, ready to fly you home or to any of the neighbouring cities and countries. If time’s on your side, then it’s worth taking a cheap overnight sleeper train to Chiang Mai or Surat Thani. Take a rickety train from Bangkok’s main train station to the border of Cambodia and Laos and cross over on foot for the experience of a lifetime.

Health and Safety

Beyond a few sticky fingers, Bangkok is surprisingly safe. While it’s advised to keep an eye on your valuables, the biggest threat to your health and safety is the sun and pesky mosquitos. Bring plenty of sunscreen as you’ll be lucky to find some without whitening cream in Thailand. Keep yourself doused with mosquito repellent as the Dengue-carrying mosquito is active in Bangkok and can bite at any time. Whatever you decide to do in Bangkok, it’s important to stay well hydrated. You’ll be sweating buckets and losing more than just water. A coconut a day on top of your water intake might do the trick, but be sure to keep a few electrolyte sachets in your back pocket just in case.

When to Go

Bangkok is warm if not hot every day of the year, but it won’t always be dry. Rainy season kicks in around May and continues through October. November through February are the best months to be in Bangkok, but this is also the busiest and priciest time of the year. While March and April are the hottest months to visit, it’s worth it just to experience a Thai New Year at least once in your life. Songkran festivities start mid-April where the entire nation engages in a water fight. Not a person remains dry.

Where to Stay

Bangkok is overspilling with hotels, aparthotels and vacation rental apartments in all the major districts. Find a place in Silom, Old Bangkok or in Sukhumvit to recover from your jet-lag or Thai bucket fuelled hangover. Wherever you stay, you can rest assured you’ll find the good, the bad and downright naughty on your doorstep.