Weekender: Bangkok, Thailand
- Mar 3, 2016
- 3 min read
Oh Bangkok! Every girl who has gone and conquered this city swears by the extremely exhausting shopping experience it offers. Popularly known as Asia’s shopping capital, Bangkok, has a maze of shopping centers and night markets. It has also started becoming a hub for international premium brands.
Besides that, Thailand is a popular destination for backpackers hitting up South East Asia. It’s the one country they wouldn’t dare miss. Bangkok has a good mix of deep culture and modernity. During the day, it’s best to tour in and out of the city. There are many attractions to see within, from temples to museums, as the Thai culture is rich and well preserved. There’s gold everywhere and Thai architecture is very distinct. For the foodies, street and traditional Thai food can easily be found as hawkers have sprawled by the streets. At night, the party starts late and ends till the wee hours. The nightlife in Bangkok is very notorious – just watch Hangover 2.
DORAs love to go to Bangkok thus we decided to do a #BKKSeries this week for one of our favorite South East Asian city.
1. Temple Hopping - Within the city, numerous temples can be visited already. Starting with the Grand Palace where there are various notable buildings, halls and temples just in one place. Beside it is the Wat Pho where the giant reclining Buddha resides. Wat Arun is right across the Chao Phraya River which is perfect for sunset watching. There are a couple more temples to see – Wat Saket, Wat Intharawihan and etc. Take note: Wear appropriate attire when visiting temples. Cover the shoulders and the legs for women.
2. Go up the Baiyoke Tower or Lebua at State Tower – See the city from the top. Appreciate the view it offers. With the various temples and modern buildings, Bangkok was able to create a unique skyline by co-existing both old and new architecture.
3. See ancient temples in Ayutthaya – This one is out of the city, around 2 hours away. But if you’re already in Bangkok, go out of your way and check out the ancient temples the UNESCO World Heritage is preserving for more historical references.
4.Visit museums - Museums may not be for everyone’s taste but it’s a good source of cultural reference. If your preferences are a bit modern, contemporary museums are good to explore as well to drive inspiration from.
5. Experience the Floating Market – Something very touristy but worth visiting for first timers. See our blog about it.
6. See elephants – The elephant is the national animal of Thailand. They are adorable tourist attractions and you can even ride one. (But we prefer not to)
7. Commute around the city – Despite the heat, commuting has been made easy thru different modes of transportation. Backpackers can use the reliable BTS Skytrain, colorful taxis, traditional tuk-tuk and even a cruise along Chao Phraya River.
8. Enjoy the tasty Thai food – DORAeats traditional spicy Thai food like pad thai, tom yum, spring rolls to name a few. Other popular options are street food and exotic food. Don’t forget to try their tamarind, coconut and Thai iced tea.
9. Nightlife and Entertainment – For the night owls, partying in Khao San Road is a must. Dropping by Patpong and watching a x-rated shows are a bit of a “something” too if you dare.
10. Most of all, go crazy with SHOPPING! – When in Bangkok, Thai Bahts can easily be spent on clothes. Popular shopping centers are MBK, Pratunam, Platinum, Siam Square. Night markets such as Asiatique, Train Night Market. Then of course, there’s the Chatuchak weekend market, it’s simply the world’s largest - so don’t miss this.
Now we’re really missing Bangkok and couldn’t wait to go back and explore for more! Definitely there are more places to see and these are just for beginners. You just can’t go once in your life because this city is “same, same but different” each time.
Let us know what else you loved doing in Bangkok. We’re dying to hear more from you!
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