Bangkok is a fascinating city, a blend of traditional East and modern West, scrambling with millions of people, towering skyscrapers and exotic temples. Within this vast capital city of more than 6 million people the traditional Thai way of life is never far away and amongst the rush of busy downtown streets you'll see saffron robed monks quietly collecting alms.
Bangkok is a shopping delight and it's possible to pick up things far cheaper here than in the beach resorts. Sprawling markets and a labyrinth of alleys sell everything from traditional Thai silk to Western and local clothing to gold and delicious spicy Thai food. If you love markets then make sure you're in Bangkok for Saturday when the massive Chatuchak Weekend Market comes alive.
You'll find Bangkok a great place to explore the intricacies of the fascinating Thai culture. Bangkok is home to the revered King and his family who reside at the Grand Palace and also home to some of Thailand's most important Buddhist Temples and the famous Emerald Buddha.
These days Bangkok is an easy city to get around with the Skytrain and the Metro, the city's subway system, which loop around the central city. Both systems link to each other as well as shopping malls and some hotels. It's a modern and easy to use system.
Bangkok is the hub of Thailand. From its pivotal position it's easy to go north towards Chiang Mai, east to Cambodia and south to the famous beach resorts of Phuket, Koh Samui and Krabi.
There's always something to do in Bangkok, the day can be spent exploring and shopping and the evenings can be spent dining in anything from a local eatery selling hot spicy curries to grilled scallops and champagne at the luxurious open-air restaurant Vertigo at the Banyan Tree on the 61st floor. Or else take a walk through the vibrant Patpong Night Market, watch a round or two of Thai Boxing (Muay Thai), or enjoy the music of local bands playing in beer gardens near some of the inner city shopping malls, or find one of Bangkok's many clubs with state of the art lighting, sound systems and professional DJs.
Shopping. There are many malls and markets here to explore. The Chatuchak Weekend Market has 15,000 stalls.
Foodies Heaven. Dive into the exotic flavours yourself or even better, join a local foodie for an unforgettable experience.
Day Tours to the Water Markets and the River Kwai / Death Railway
City Sightseeing including the Grand Palace, Buddhist temples and Dinner River Cruises.
Night Life. In abundance.
With the city so easy to get around by Skytrain and Metro the key is choosing a hotel within easy walking distance to a station. It's a hot city so the less walking outside getting from A to B the better! There are many good choices in Bangkok but we do recommend being around the Pathumwan / shopping mall areas for convenience and access to the Skytrain.
For shopaholics we have hotels joined to shopping malls such as the Pathumwan Princess. For those that prefer to be a bit further away from the hustle and bustle consider the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel.