Thailand is among the most visited countries in Asia and the world. There are different cities here that attract tourists of all types to come here at least once in their lifetime. One such legendary city is Bangkok that boasts of being full of life. First-timers may find the city to be somewhat overwhelming. But on staying for a day, the hustle & bustle here is sure to be enjoyed and loved. To ensure that you derive the very best from your trip, you need to book the very best hotels in Bangkok.
- Chatuchak Market: This maze shaped weekend market is the best place to get lost if you love shopping. There are around 15,000+ vendors here selling their wares to locals and tourists alike. You can shop for cheap gadgets, clothes, and exotic animals. Also present is a huge eating area offering plenty of delicious and cheap street food. The endless stalls will require you to give this market one full day to satisfy some of your shopping passion. You can take Skytrain (BTS) and get down at Mo Chit Station to visit this market. Otherwise, take the Subway (MRT) and get down at Chatuchak Park Station.
- Shopping Malls: Apart from Chatuchak Market, the city has plenty of shopping malls to cater to the different needs of tourists. You can visit a few of them like Siam Square, MBK, Pratunam, Central World and Siam Paragon. These are indeed great destinations for bargain shopping and also one-stop-shop allowing shoppers to buy from a huge collection of footwear, electronics, clothes and other items.
- Culinary Food Tour: You can avail a food tour by knowing those places where the locals prefer to dine. The local guides can help you by providing you with valuable advice.
- Thai Street Food: If you are a food lover and want to explore on your own, then you are sure to enjoy the delicious variety of foods served here on the streets. Pad Thai with cold sticky mango rice is sure to be exciting. The most amazing aspect of the street food here is that they are mostly priced under $1 and are good, delicious and hygienic. Downtown Bangkok city is a street named Sukhumvit Soi 11, where you can find food vendors lined up the streets. Do visit Yaowarat, considered to be the city’s own China Town version. The other places to enjoy street food are Petchaburi Soi 5 and Ratchawat Market.
- Rooftop Bar: This bar is a must-visit as it allows you to get a good and clear glimpse of the city skyline at nighttime. The Banyan Tree Hotel is the best pick as there are two rooftop bars, namely Moon & Vertigo bar serving exotic cocktails and delicious food. The other frequented ones are Cru Champagne Bar located at Central World at Centara Grand, Marriott Hotel’s Yao Rooftop Bar, Park Hyatt Bangkok’s Penthouse Rooftop Bar and Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit’s Red Square.
- Temples: There are several impressive temples in & around the city that should not be missed out. Wat Phra Kaew and Grand Palace are constructed on the same compound. Another temple dedicated to the Rising Sun is Wat Arun. There are others like Wat Kalayanamit, Golden Mount, Wat Saket and Wat Traimit that are worth visiting. But when visiting any temple, you need to wear a proper dress. Those wearing sleeveless tops & shorts are not allowed to enter the temple premises. Both men & women are to cover shoulders and knees. Sandals and flipflops are also not allowed.
- Khao San Road: This place is also called the backpacker hub. It is inlined with food stalls, hostels, bars and people in huge numbers and also one of the city’s busiest streets. You can enter any of the street bars here and get to watch people pass by. Here, you can also come across other likeminded visitors. Soi Rambuttri is a much quieter place.
- Ride a boat in Chao Phraya River: This is an activity you are sure to enjoy. Several river tours are offered with live music, dinner and an opportunity to get a glimpse of that spectacular sunset. You can either opt for an organized tour or local water taxi to explore independently. The river ride will provide you with interesting sightseeing like wooden shacks, hotels, temples and old colonial buildings, all lined along the banks. You can take a boat to Grand Palace from Sathorn Pier and back.
- Reclining Buddha: This is an iconic statue of the gold Buddha in a reclining position located at Wat Pho. It has a massive compound, where you can roam about. It is also considered to be the place where was introduced the very first Thai massage. It is on the banks of River Chao Phraya. It is also referred to as Reclining Buddha Temple, Wat Phra Chetun and Wat Pho and located south to Grand Temple.
- Muay Thai Fight: If you are interested in Thai combat sport, then Muay Thai is one popular sport that you should not miss during the visit. It is quite similar to that of MMA, but with some differences. There are 2 national stadiums in the city, named Lumpini and Ratchadamnoen that conduct regular Thai fights of this style. The mouth-watering snacks with beer sold here along with the wonderful ambiance, vibrant spectators and exciting fights are sure to provide you with an amazing experience.
- Floating markets: Thailand’s floating market is quite close to the city like Khlong Lat Mayom or Tailing Chan. From downtown Bangkok, the latter is located at a distance of 12km, thus being an ideal place for visiting it, unlike bigger markets such as Damnoen Saduak that is located at a further distance. Also are available longtail small boat cruise that offers you with sights like locals selling, trading, and bargaining different types of items. Plenty of food is available for sale and the markets get really busy during the daytime.
Bangkok is a beautiful place to be during the vacation and you need to visit it the next time you get an opportunity.
