Thailand City of Angels

The ‘City of Angels’ is Thailand’s showcase, and it boasts many of the most important, not to mention beautiful, buildings and temples in the country. It should be your first stop on any Thailand visit, with endless curious sights. There really is plenty to see and do in this vibrant city, so it’s worth spending a few days in the capital as a tourist.Bangkok offers a wealth of culture, interest and sightseeing. Most Bangkok tourist guidebooks dedicate a large chunk to its many impressive sites, activities and numerous exotic characters. From the glittering Grand Palace, to giant gold Buddhas and busy night markets, Bangkok really is a tourist magnet. Find out more on the options and attractions in this section.

The stunning and intricately decorated temples that are all over Bangkok range from the exquisite to the magnificent – Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Pho being top of most tourist lists. But there are many more besides, and you’ll be in danger of becoming ‘templed out’ if you’re not careful. While in Bangkok a guide is recommended to help you navigate your way and maximise your time.Although the city is relatively young compared to other centres in Thailand, it has benefited as the capital of a wealthy kingdom that developed a rich legacy of cultural architecture during the 18th and 19th centuries. These have been left largely untouched in the historic Rattanakosin district where you will find the magnificent Grand Palace, Golden Mount, Giant Swing and numerous temples that are several centuries old.

A Night Life Scene in the street of Bangkok

A scenery along a canal in the country side.

A beautiful river flowing in the country side.

A Floating river market in Bangkok

The leafy, low-rise Dusit district nearby is a world away from the chaotic collection of skyscrapers across town, and here you’ll find the marvellous Vimanmek Teak Palace, neo-renaissance Abhisek Throne and eclectic styles of Government House and other administrative properties. The zoo and royal family’s residences are here too.While in the area, an altogether different experience can be had by wandering down the ultra-bohemian backpacker centre of Khao San Road, where the people themselves become the attraction. A popular route from here is to catch a riverboat down the Chao Praya where you get the best views of the striking pagodas of the Temple of Dawn and other landmarks along the river banks.The teak mansion of Jim Thomson’s museum house (near Siam Square), along with the canals of Thonburi and bustling lanes of Chinatown, are all recommended in every Bangkok guidebook as great examples of the people’s Bangkok. In addition are the modern attractions of shopping centres, markets, and entertainment complexes of Ratchaprasong and Sukhumwit, which all pull the crowds.Beyond Bangkok are more popular tourist favourites, and most guide trips invariably head for the famous Floating Market, one hour away. It’s an early start, but with some proper planning you might manage to see the best bits of Ayuthaya, to the north. This World Heritage site was the former capital in the 17th Century and is now in ruins.

Don’t miss the famous evening entertainment, including the go go bars, lively pubs, plush restaurants and night markets. Don’t stay out too late, though, as there’s plenty to be seen during a short stay in Bangkok.

There’s quite a bit more to see in the central region if you have the time. Using Bangkok as an ideal base you can visit some rewarding cultural and historic sites as day trips or overnight stops, and you’ll get a more thorough experience of Thailand, too.Ayuthaya is the former capital; a fantastic set of ruins on an island of the Chao Praya, half a day upstream by luxury converted rice barges. It’s popular to take a tour that combines this with a trip west to Kanchanburi amid the hills of the Burmese border. Here, you get a tragic history lesson on the Death Railway and the River Kwai Bridge during Japanese WWII occupation, but there’s also plenty of soft adventure in this lovely landscape.Heading south, you soon arrive at the first of the Gulf coast’s beachside towns, Hua Hin, which is the weekend getaway choice of Bangkokians. Don’t forget to stop and visit the largest pagoda in the world at Nakhon Pathom, reckoned to be Thailand’s oldest inhabited town. Two good national parks are located near Hua Hin.

On the other side of Bangkok, and much more accessible from Suvarnabhumi Airport, is the lively, if somewhat salubrious, resort city of Pattaya. It was Thailand’s original resort town, and though there are better beaches in the country, the naughty nightlife, golf courses, and family amusement parks attract the crowds. Several other seaside towns here cater to a Thai market, but venture a bit further and you can experience some gorgeous beach scenery on the tiny island of Koh SametNortheast of Bangkok, on the fringe of the great escarpment that is the gateway to the Isaan region, is Khao Yai National Park. It was Thailand’s first designated park and is considered one of the best in Asia, boasting abundant wildlife, lovely nature trails and some great waterfalls. Vineyards have also been established nearby, providing a good place to stay. In the same area is Lop Buri, where you can see Khmer ruins that are among the oldest such sites in the country.