Bangkok & Central Thailand
Sprawling Bangkok manages to retain the best of its past in spite of having become a fast-moving, high-rise city. It’s hard to say what there are more of these days, Buddhist temples or luxury hotels. Explore the city by taxi, tuk-tuk, elevated rail, even by long-tail boat on one of the many klongs (canals). You can make your Thai vacation as adventurous or as comfortably Western as you’d like.
Activities and Attractions:
The heart of Bangkok is the Grand Palace, a grand complex dating mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries. Its thoroughly Asian, but you’ll notice Victorian touches. Thailand’s rulers lived here until recently; Anna Leonowens, of The King and I fame, lived here too. The current king still makes official appearances on the grounds.
Thailand’s population is 95 percent Buddhist, so unsurprisingly, Bangkok’s trio of remaining must-see sights are all wats, or temples. Wat Arun, or Temple of Dawn, includes a 260-foot tall tower, perfect for viewing a sunrise. (Or more likely, a sunset.) Wat Phra Kaeo, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, centers around an exquisite and mysterious figurine sacred to many Thai people. And Wat Po, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, features an unusual statue of the Buddha in repose that is 143 feet long. (And 50 feet high.)
Bangkok is nothing if not a city of contrasts. One seeming paradox is that this devoutly Buddhist country is also a shoppers paradise. Some of the best places to shop in Bangkok are at the arcades in luxury hotels. These shops offer high-quality silks and items of clothing with a minimum of hassle. Rubies, sapphires, and garnets are all mined in Thailand and local jewelers on Mahasek Road can create beautiful settings for them. Along Sukhumvit Road, you’ll find dozens of tailors who can make you a fine-fitting custom suit in just a few days. Silom Road has a cluster of good clothing and silk shops, and the River City shopping center has quality art and antiques. At the other end of the spectrum, open-air markets are a fun place to shop if you’re adventurous and willing to bargain.
Another authentic Bangkok experience lies in sampling the local cuisine. Thai specialties worth seeking out include dishes you may be familiar with, such as pad Thai and papaya salad, as well as regional central-Thai specialties such as pad prik, or beef stir-fried with chili; pad pak ruam, a stir-fried vegetable dish; tod man, which are fish cakes; and anything with a hot red curry sauce.
If Bangkok gets to be too chaotic—and it is a manic place—discover what the rest of central Thailand has to offer. Pranburi, on the gulf of Thailand, is a resort area that might be described as the anti-Pattaya—calm, isolated, and an oasis of chic refinement. Thirty miles north of Pranburi, Hua Hin is another beautiful beachside resort town that has been the refuge of Thai Royalty since the 1920s. Nearby Petchburi is another royal retreat with sights including Buddhist cave grottoes, a magnificent palace, and several temples.
Insider Tip:
In Thailand, the soles of the feet are considered extremely unclean. Avoid showing yours, especially in a temple. If you find yourself sitting down in a temple, squat or sit cross-legged—don’t stick your legs out in front of you.
-Exclusively for Perfect Escapes by Nicole Clausing |
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