Bangkok

One of the biggest attractions in Bangkok--The Grand Palace

Overview

I’m going to admit right now that I’m biased.  If the live abroad fairy came to me right this second and told me I had to move somewhere outside of the United States, Bangkok would top the list along with Buenos Aires.  I would have an extremely difficult time deciding which one to live in.  While Bangkok gets some unnecessary hate, if you do your homework and research before arriving, you will have the time of your life.  There’s only so many cities in the world that can offer travelers the variety and energy that Bangkok does, so don’t overlook this crazy, chaotic, and unbelievable city.  Spend some time here, get to know it, and chances are you’ll end up loving it, too.

Getting There/Arriving

Air- Suvarnabhumi Airport is located about 16 miles (25km) from the city center.  This international airport is where you’ll arrive and leave from, and it’s nice, new, and super easy to navigate.

Train- Hualamphong train station is located in the city center and has its own MRT station.  It’s easy to get to and the ticketing process is straightforward and easy.  The trains in Thailand are very nice, and if you are taking an overnight train, you can get a sleeper seat that folds down into a bed.  The trains in Thailand go most everywhere, so it’s a great way to get around.

Bus- There are three main bus stations in and around Bangkok (North, East, and South).   There are also tons of travel agents selling bust tickets as well.  It’s cheaper, yet more of a pain, to go to the bus station itself for your tickets, but you will know what type of bus you will be taking and know exactly where to go for departure.  Buying from a travel agent isn’t always as straightforward, and you may end up on a super crowded minibus that drives around the city for hours picking up other passengers.

Trains in Thailand are super comfortable

Getting Around

Getting around Bangkok is super easy and straightforward, and you have tons of options.

Skytrain-  The skytrain is amazing, going around most main areas of the city.  It’s new, it’s clean, it’s nice, and the air conditioning is fantastic, making it a great respite from the famous Bangkok heat.  If it doesn’t go exactly where you need to go, chances are it will be easy to take it to a subway or river taxi then get to your final destination from there.

Subway-  The subway is also new, clean, and very nice.  Where the Skytrain can’t get you, the subway can.  Easy to understand and navigate.

River taxis- River taxis are not only a great way to get around, but they also make for a great way to see the city from a different vantage point.  Super cheap and fun to ride on, the river taxis are great as a tourist attraction as well as tranportation.

Taxis-  Taxis are everywhere, but remember that traffic in Bangkok is crazy, so oftentimes it’s quicker to use other modes of public transport as taxi drivers can be a pain in the ass.  You also want the driver to  use the meter, and he will most likely refuse, saying it would be cheaper to pay a fixed price (it won’t).  Insist on him using the meter, and if he won’t, get out and get in another cab.  You’ll find a driver who will use the meter after a while.  It’s a pain, yes, but it’s better than paying double.

Tuk-Tuk-  Tuk-tuks are a fun way to get around the city, but they aren’t for the feint of heart.  Tuk-tuk drivers are also notorious for their scams, so don’t believe a word they say.  If they tell you a certain attraction is closed, it probably isn’t.  If they want to take you to their friend’s shop so you can get a special deal, say no.  Just be polite and firm, and you’ll be fine.

Walking- Bangkok is huge, yes, but wandering around is a great way to see the city and all it has to offer.  You never know when you’ll mosey into a really cool neighborhood, an amazing market, or a row of street stalls selling amazing food.

Where to Stay

If you’re young or visiting Bangkok for the first time, then Khao San Road is where most guidebooks will tell you to go.  Yes, this is a good, central area close to some of the main attractions like the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha.  Yes, the rooms and beds are cheap here.  Yes, you can get Sangsom (Thai whiskey) buckets cheaper here than anywhere else in the city.  But Khao San Road is made for western tourists, typically in their early twenties.  If getting wasted and experiencing nothing authentic about the city is your idea of a good time, then by all means stay here.

If you’re looking for a different area to stay in that is not quite as fake as Khao San Road, consider the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok.  It’s a major expat area, so it’s still touristy in its own right, and I wouldn’t categorize it as authentically Thai.  Plus you’ll be a bit skeezed out by the glut of older white men waltzing around with young, Thai girls on their arms (though you’ll see that in many parts of Bangkok and Thailand-it’s one of the unfortunate sides of the entire country).  But the area offers tons of great food (including a Middle Eastern neighborhood that serves fantastic Middle Eastern food everywhere), is close to the Skytrain, and is also near many of the embassies, making it very convenient for visas to other countries like Vietnam.

Where we stayed- We were in and out of Bangkok 5 different times during our 3.5 months in SE Asia, and we stayed at the same place every time.  Suk 11 ended up being one of our favorite accommodations not only in Thailand, but of our entire year long, RTW trip.  It was in a great location, was relatively quiet (quiet and Bangkok don’t exactly go together), had an awesome breakfast that was included, great beds, big rooms, super clean, and the owners and worker were fantastic.  I can’t recommend it enough.  Be sure to come back soon for a full review of Suk 11.

Food and Drink

Thailand serves up some of the best cuisine in the world, and Bangkok is the center of the culinary brilliance of this amazing country.  I can’t say that we ate a single Thai meal inside a restaurant.  Street stalls and markets are the way to go here, and if you take my advice and stay in Sukhumvit, there is a plethora of amazing Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants everywhere.  Wander over to Little Arabia and you will find some excellent doner kabob stands on the streets.  Make sure to eat at both the night market near Lumphini Park and the massive weekend market as the food at both is amazing.

Since we ate all of our Thai meals at street stalls and markets, I’m only going to focus on other cuisines in this section.

Non Thai Restaurants/Bars in Sukhumvit

• Moghul Room- 1/16 Soi Chaiyot Sukhumvit Soi 11 – In the same alleyway as Suk 11, this place serves up some good, cheap, authentic Indian food.  The owners and workers are great and super friendly as well.  There is also another Indian restaurant right next door (can’t find the name) that serves up some quality food as well but is a bit more expensive.
• Sunrise Tacos- If you’re looking for Mexican food, Sunrise Tacos is open 24 hours and does as decent a job as you’ll find in this part of the world.  Fairly affordable for western food (though I recommend Mexican Tartars near Khao San Road for better Mexican fare).
• Cheap Charlie’s- If you’re looking for cheap drinks in Bangkok outside of Khao San Road, then hit up Cheap Charlie’s, which is a makeshift, open air bar in the same alleyway as Suk 11 Guesthouse.  A fun little place that has become an expat hangout.
• The Pickled Liver- If you need your football or Guinness fix, then The Pickled Liver is the place to come.  Located right next to Suk 11, this is the typical English pub.  

Khao San Road-  While I don’t recommend staying on Khao San Road (unless you are in college), it’s definitely a place to visit, wander around, and have a few drinks.  There is some decent street food stalls and tons of little bars around.  A great place to get a drink, a beer, or a bucket and just do some people watching.

• Mexican Tartars-  We literally stumbled across this little place when walking around near Khao San Road.  A great little place serving up scrumptious, fresh Mexican food and margaritas, this is a great place to get your Mexican fix.

Things to Do

One can write a book on all the highlights of Bangkok, so I’m only going to touch on our favorite activities and sites in this awesome city.

Temples-  Bangkok has literally hundreds of temples in and around the city, and the heavy hitters are most definitely worth your time.  Remember to check out my 9 Tips for Surviving Bangkok to avoid being scammed when visiting the temples (hint:  Don’t trust the tuk-tuk drivers!!)

• Wat Phra Kaew-  Also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, this temple complex is an amazing site that is located in the same grounds as the Grand Palace.
• The Grand Palace-  This former royal residence is sight to see.  The opulent exterior is simply gorgeous, and the expertly manicured trees and shrubs surrounding it is remarkable as well.
• Wat Pho-  Wat Pho is the oldest and largest temple in Bangkok, and it houses the largest reclining Buddha in the country at 150 feet (46 meters) long and 50 feet (15 meters) high.  This amazing site is located in equally amazing grounds with many more temples and buildings.  A great place to explore.
• Wat Arun-  This temple, located on the Thonburi side of the Mae Nam Chao Phraya River, is named after the Indian god of dawn.  A porcelain tile mosaic covers the mammoth, 270 foot (82 meter) spire.

Markets-  Anyone who visits this site with any regularity knows how we feel about markets.  They are our favorite parts of visiting a new city, and Bangkok may have the best markets of any place we’ve visited.

• Chatuchak Market-  The mother of all markets, Chatuchak weekend market is the largest I’ve ever seen.  Encompassing an area with over 15,000 stalls that draws near a quarter of a million visitors a day, you can literally find anything you would ever want or need here.  It’s a labyrinth of stalls that could take days to navigate, and it’s one of the truly can’t miss areas of Bangkok.  When we were finished for the day and ready to leave, it took us another 45 minutes to find out way out.  That’s how huge this place is.  Amazing if you love markets.
• Suan Lum Night Bazaar- This night market next to Lumphini Park takes place 7 days a week and has it all.  Cheap shopping can be done here, and the food court here is second to none.  I had perhaps the hottest dish I’ve ever eaten in this bazaar, the choices are endless, and they even have live musical entertainment.  A great place to spend an evening or two.  NOTE: I have read some recent reports that this market has become more dangerous for tourist, with thieves in and around the market, so use caution and check the most recent reports.  We did not experience any problems at all, but we were there in May 2009.
• Khao San Road Night Market-  This backpacker haven transforms into an open-air market every night, selling those touristy t-shirts, artwork, and souvenirs to bring home.

Shopping-  If the markets don’t tickle your fancy, or you’re just looking to get out of the heat of the city and into some ice cold air conditioning, then consider heading to one of the many shopping malls in Bangkok.  Siam Square is the place to go as it is littered with massive shopping malls.  I am an admitted shopping mall hater, but these aren’t your typical western shopping malls (though they do have some similarities).

• MBK-  My personal favorite, this mall punishes your senses with the bright lights.  There is a department type store at one end that sells knock off everything when it comes to clothes, and they’re super cheap.  Bargaining is a must here, but you can find anything you want.
• Siam Paragon-  If you want to feel like a rock star for the day, come wander around the Siam Paragon.  You can visit various car showrooms and check out cars like Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s.  The normal luxury stores are all over this mall, from Gucci to Prada to Versace.  An interesting place to wander around, especially for the typical backpacker.