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Bangkok Travel & Sightseeing Guide
January 30, 2008 |
A Trip to Bangkok
There are few urban centres that intrigue, entrance and assault the senses all at the same time as does Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. The traffic is congested and chaotic, the pavements a thick stream of flowing humanity selling an enormous variety of cheap goods, the air thick with tropical humidity and the scent of food both fresh and decaying but it is tempered by the saffron flash of a monk’s robe, the calm peace of a Buddhist temple and the composed dignity of the friendly Thai character.
City Guide: Bangkok
Bangkok lies slightly inland from the northern apex of the Gulf of Siam, bisected by the Chao Phraya River and is home to six million or 10% of the population of Thailand. Whether you’re just passing through to go trekking in the mountainous north or heading to the picture postcard beaches in the south, want a taste of Asian culture that’s never had a colonial overlord Bangkok or just want a cheap shopping Disneyland, Bangkok has it all. Palaces, temples, museums and galleries showcase traditional Thai culture; the flavours and variety of food are endless; the nightlife vibrant and inventive and the retail therapy options hard to beat. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Bangkok try Expedia.
As one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations Bangkok has a huge variety of accommodation options. From seriously opulent five star palaces to funky boutique hotels to well-appointed hostels as well as the usual big brands and cheap dosshouses. Availability is usually pretty good but can be much tighter during the seasonal peak from May-September. Best way to do so on the web is HotelClub. Hotelclub offers a huge variety of Thai hotels from five star to budget. It has a rewards program that is exceptionally generous and you will always be able to find a great accomodation deal.
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Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha
For those accustomed to the grey austerity of much of Western architecture the ornate detail and use of colour of classic Thai design can overwhelm the senses. To plunge headfirst into an experience that combines both, start with the Grand Palace. A sprawling compound made up of dozens of halls, temples and pavilions it has evolved since 1782 with influences from ancient Thai to Italian Renaissance. Worth a day in itself highlights include, galleries depicting murals from the Ramakien (Thai version of the Ramayana epic), the Paisal Taksin Hall used for coronations, the audience hall of Amarindra Winitchai, the Dusit Maha Prasat throne hall, the Borom Phiman Mansion used for visiting dignitaries, a model of the Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia and most revered by Thais, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha). The jade statue of Buddha itself is only 75cm high and set high up on a pedestal in the rear of the temple but its long (over 500 year) history, venerated position in Thai society (seen as a symbol of the soul of the nation) and strict protocols governing viewing in the temple give it an air of tranquil mystery.
The Chao Phraya River
Not just a picturesque backdrop to the city, the Chao Phraya River is part of Bangkok’s DNA, intertwined with its history, culture, transport network, commercial life and psyche. All manner of craft from sleek express boats to stubby ferries to pencil-thin longtails and elaborate royal barges cruise the waterway. It separates the old capital of Thonburi from the modern mega-city that Bangkok has become. Many of the city’s museums, grand wats (temples) and historic sights are clustered along the Chao Phraya’s banks making a river commute an easier option than fighting the terrestrial traffic.
The Wats of Bangkok
Thai cultural identity is based on the twin pillars of the Royal Family and Buddhism. The latter is personified by the monks in robes that are a common sight in Bangkok streets and the temples, known as wats, scattered throughout the city. There are several landmark wats that provide the visitor with a deeper insight into Thai spiritual life. Wat Pho is adjacent to the Grand Palace along the Chao Phraya and is the both the oldest and largest wat in the city and has the largest reclining Buddha and collection of images of Buddha.
On the Thonburi side of the river is Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn. It features an 82m tower in the Khmer-style with a core covered in a mosaic of broken Chines porcelain and offering fine views over the old capital and the Chao Phraya. Wat Mahathat contains a Buddhist university and nearby market stalls offering herbal medicine, Thai massage and religious amulets. Wat Traimit, the Temple of the Golden Buddha, itself is relatively small and can get very crowded but houses a 5.5 tonne solid gold Buddha as its centrepiece. Made of white marble is Wat Benchamabophit and at just over a hundred years old is an example of modern wat architecture. Wat Saket is not particularly notable except for the view over Bangkok it affords from its summit, built on an artificial hill. For those wanting to buy Buddhist amulets, charms and images, Wat Rajanadda has a well-stocked market of these and a range of other Eastern religious paraphernalia.
Other Attractions
The royal and religious aspects of Bangkok may provide its sense of grandeur but there are a myriad of other sites worth hunting out for an hour or two. Jim Thompson’s House was the home of an American silk merchant - a beautiful wooden building set in a cool garden and containing a lovely collection of South-East Asian art and artefacts. Lumphini Park is the city’s largest, a peaceful oasis centred on a large artificial lake with woodlands, grassed areas and most interesting in the early morning when it fills with taichi practitioners. The National Museum is the largest in the region and has an extensive range of displays including musical instruments, clothing and textiles, ceramics, weapons and royal regalia. The Chao Phraya is home to myriad water craft but the most majestic are housed in the Royal Barges National Museum. They are beautifully carved vessels used on ceremonial occasions with the largest over 50m long. The Vimanmek Teak Mansion dates from 1868 (although moved to its location in the Dusit Palace grounds in 1910) and is an elegantly carved structure of three stories and 81 rooms containing an exquisite collection of art and antiques.
The Red Cross Snake Farm (Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute) is designed primarily as a research facility (and so less prone to entertainment-driven theatrics). It has displays of regional reptiles but most impressive are the daily milking demonstrations involving kraits, vipers and cobras. The Dusit Zoo started life as a royal botanical garden and holds a much larger collection of fauna including rare Thai species such as gaur, banteng and rhinoceros. Monks live in the temple complexes, rise at around 4 am, attend to prayers and duties and then collect food and necessities from ordinary people on the streets.
Shopping and Nightlife
While not short of its spiritual wonders, Bangkok pays more than mere lip service to mammon and is justifiably renowned for its mind-numbing array of shopping experiences and its never-ending nightlife. Most of the city’s pavements are occupied by retail entrepreneurs but there are also gleaming modern temples to indulging your every material whim. Check out the Oriental Plaza, River City, Peninsula Plaza, Thaniya Plaza and World Trade Centre for high end luxury; Siam Square, MBK (Mahboonkrong) Centre, Silom Village Trade Centre and Seacon Square for mid-range gear and for atmosphere and bargains the city’s markets - Chatuchak, Nailert, Bo-Be, Khlong Toey, Pak Khlong and Pratunam. When you’ve had your fill of shopping and want to unwind of an evening you’re in luck because Bangkok is Asia’s epicentre of nightlife with live music venues, jazz clubs, hip bars, a vibrant dance scene and of course, superb restaurants. Patpong Road is Bangkok’s version of Amsterdam’s red light district but the older dingy bars of Patpong and Soi Cowboy are being superseded by a wider variety of more upmarket entertainment. For a more cultural mix of food and traditional dance try the Patravadi Theatre or take a moonlit cruise on the Chao Phraya in a teak rice barge.
Restaurant staff in colorful dress
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