Some aspects of the Thai culture are rather unusual; among those is their deep fascination with weird world records. Beating the record for being caged with live scorpions is one of the most gruesome; others are just an obvious effort to force reality into a…Read More

Some aspects of the Thai culture are rather unusual; among those is their deep fascination with weird world records. Beating the record for being caged with live scorpions is one of the most gruesome; others are just an obvious effort to force reality into a pleasing artifact. For example, Thais seriously claim that Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok is the longest street in the world; despite it being a huge metropolis, this is a dubious statement. Telling them that some larger cities may have longer streets does not convince them.

Cementing their claim with asphalt, they have given the name Sukhumvit to National Highway 3, which runs all along the kingdom’s eastern coast from Bangkok all the way south to Cambodia. The highway was connected with Sukhumvit Road and now they can justify their record since the combined road measures hundreds of kilometres length. Of course most of it is beyond Bangkok boundaries. Doubts can surround this record, but it is undeniable that in its metropolitan stretch, Sukhumvit is one of the most interesting streets in Bangkok and one of the best shopping areas.

The street flows eastwards from the Ploen Chit Intersection and had recently regained importance after it became the main access road to the new Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Moreover, it is a popular residence area for expatriates from all over the world.

However, the main reason for its fame – its length - can be a drawback while visiting it. It is impossible to explore the road in one day, especially since it doesn’t have a clear center, but a myriad of tiny areas catering for different publics. Each one of the expatriated communities seems to own an alley and a cluster of restaurants on it. Furthermore, there are zones for shopping, night clubs, bus terminals, night markets and coffee stalls. Regardless the number of alleys explored, there are always new ones eastwards, running apparently all the way south to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Sukhumvit is easily accessible on the Skytrain’s Sukhumvit line that runs from Mo Chit, through Siam Square up to On Nut on Soi 81 of Sukhumvit Road. The metro Sukhumvit station interchanges with the Skytrain at Asok. The Chalerm Mahanakhon Expressway has an exit at Soi (alley) 1. From Suvarnabhumi International Airport the AE3 Airport Bus (150 baht) runs up Bangna-Trad and along Sukhumvit Road all the way to the Central World Plaza or bus number to On Nut Skytrain’s Station.

The Ekkamai Eastern Bus Terminal is at Soi 63, catering for destinations along Thailand’s Eastern Coast; it is the main departure point to Pattaya, the best beach in the Bangkok’s area. The river boats running on the Saen Saeb Canal connect Sukhumvit with the Grand Palace area and are a good alternative to quickly cross the city during the peak hours. As all the main roads in Bangkok, the Soi (alleys) are numbered and make finding addresses easy, however the northern and southern sides of Sukhumvit do not line up and some care should be used while searching for an address.

Some good hotels in Bangkok are along Sukhumvit. The Marriott Hotel – designed in attractive Thai classical style - is at 4 Sukhumvit Soi 2. Another luxury hotel in the area is the Amari Boulevard, at Sukhumvit Soi 5; its peculiar triangular shape makes it an easy to find landmark. However, both hotels are in a seedy area. Cheaper hotels can be found along the whole street; however, Bangkok has better options on each category elsewhere – see my Extreme Hotels in Bangkok journal for further details.

Sukhumvit’s reputation had been somewhat damaged due to Soi Nana (Soi 4) and Soi Cowboy (Soi 21), where many nightclubs competing with those at the Patpong’s alleys as the worse spots in Bangkok had found a home.

Most of Sukhumvit’s sidewalks are a huge market; anything from fake Rolex through every imaginable gewgaw to original Timex watches and can be found here. Traditional Thai stalls – which became somewhat scarce in other areas of the city – operate here at all hours and offer happy breaks during a busy day of shopping. Supermarkets are scant in Bangkok, but Sukhumvit hosts two good branches of Foodland on Soi 5 & 16. The one on Soi 5 features Took Lae Dee, a well known restaurant styled up as a bar and serving Thai and basic Western dishes.

Modern shopping malls are scarcer than in Ploen Chit Road, but are still present here. The Robinson's Department Store has a branch at Soi 19. The Emporium Shopping Center at Soi 24 is the main competitor to the luxurious Siam Paragon and Gaysorn Plaza on the nearby Ploen Chit Road; it has an attractive food court and several restaurants on the 5th floor and is somewhat cheaper than the former two. Thong Lo – or Soi 55 – features some of the best fashionable shops, clubs and restaurants in town; this is one of the few musts in Sukhumvit.
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A dichotomy peculiar to Bangkok defines Silom Road’s character as well. It has enough attractions – cultural and commercial – to keep most visitors busy for a whole week, but those are obscured by the bad reputation created by the three infamous Patpong alleys at…Read More

A dichotomy peculiar to Bangkok defines Silom Road’s character as well. It has enough attractions – cultural and commercial – to keep most visitors busy for a whole week, but those are obscured by the bad reputation created by the three infamous Patpong alleys at the street eastern end.

However, among Bangkok’s main streets, Silom Road offers the biggest diversity of all. Probably that is the result of its access to the Chao Praya River, to the Lumphini Park and its hosting the main commercial quarter of the city. Regardless the reason, Silom always offers unexpected and pleasant surprises, even if reaching it only for business.

At its western end, Silom Road reaches the Chao Praya River. Just south of there is the Shangri-La Hotel, and north of the junction is the Oriental Hotel, two of the best hotels in Bangkok; see my Extreme Hotels in Bangkok journal for details. The Oriental is considered to be one of the most luxurious hotels in the world, yet the prices of its rooms begin at just $289 for regular rooms and luxury packages begins at $1299 per night – not including the many extras available. Even for the not-wealthy traveler this is a golden opportunity to enjoy Thai luxury at least for one night; few world-class hotels are priced so modestly.

The Holiday Inn Silom (formerly known as the Crowne Plaza) is a few blocks east from there on the corner of Silom with Surasak; the three hotels make this area of Bangkok a natural choice for those looking for luxurious accommodations and access to the river while still being nearby downtown and the main business quarter.

Sri Mariamman, on Silom corner Pan, is an amazing Hindu temple built in the nineteenth century by Tamil immigrants. It is strikingly similar to a temple with the same name in Singapore’s Indian Quarter. The temple is extraordinarily colorful and ornate, with literally thousands of Hindu gods occupying every free spot on the structure. Unluckily it is forbidden to take pictures within its walls. The temple was built in honor of Jao Mae Maha Umathewi, also known as Uma Devi and Mariammam, the Goddess of Death; but there are also Buddha images within it.

Further east, on the corner of Silom with Soi 18, there is a night market which is less popular than its flashy neighbor at the Patpong alleys. Nonetheless, this one is more Thai in nature and thus more attractive for a late dinner of traditional Thai dishes. Some of the best dishes – like the ripe mango over sticky rice with coconut cream – are available only on their season.

The Patpong alleys have more to offer than the dubious establishments that gave them their fame; they host one of the most extravagant night markets in Bangkok. The market is clearly aimed for tourists, but is worth a visit during the late afternoon or the early evening hours, before the place gets unpleasant. Any imaginable gewgaw is in sale there; from fake Timex and Rolex watches to T-shirts in trendy designs. The market wakes up in the late afternoon and is open until midnight. In front of the alleys is the Skytrain’s Sala Daeng station, which connects the area with downtown Bangkok.

All along Silom are offices belonging to the main international airlines and service centers of international corporations; thus practically everyone staying for a while in Bangkok will reach the area.

The street ends at the junction with Phra Rama IV Avenue, where the Silom’s Robinson Center can be visited for a shopping spree. Below it, under the street level, was the humorous choice for a branch of "Tops," a local supermarket.

However, a shopping spree is not the main reason for reaching this area. Across the junction from Robinson’s is the Lumphini Park, the biggest green space in the metropolis. The lush and green garden hosts two lakes and two ponds; while walking among them, pleasant surprises await the visitor. The Thai Lanna Pavilion is better than any similar structure in Chiang Mai, the capital of the old Lanna Kingdom, which was one of the predecessors to the modern Thai Kingdom. Almost on the opposite side of the park are a Chinese Pavilion and a beautiful Chinese Clock Tower, which honor another important segment of the Thai society.

Despite the attractiveness of the park for a picnic, the idea is almost sacrilegious. The park is too well kept and even a temporary interference with its perfect, ascetic lines seems wrong. Instead, Silom Road offers one of the best coffee shops in Bangkok. Heading back into Silom, it is a matter of minutes until a branch of the French Delifrance is reached. They serve an excellent coffee, but there is a more important aspect to such a visit. They are one of the few shops in Bangkok specializing in bread and offer awesome sandwiches on a wide variety of fresh breads. After living for a while in a rice-oriented culture, such a place grows to be of importance and successfully provides the illusion of returning home, at least for a short hour.
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New Yorkers tend to assume (or more aptly, believe with a deep, zealot-like conviction) that there’s no big city on earth that’s as funky, hip and prodigious as the one they call home. And, having spent most of my twenties falling in love with and…Read More

New Yorkers tend to assume (or more aptly, believe with a deep, zealot-like conviction) that there’s no big city on earth that’s as funky, hip and prodigious as the one they call home. And, having spent most of my twenties falling in love with and ultimately moving to one of the world’s fastest moving metropolises, I tended to agree with my fellow Gothamites. Where else can you rub elbows with A-list celebs at the corner bodega, sample two dozen flavors of rice pudding at 2:00am, argue with cab drivers in 142 different languages and grab cocktails with your friends every night for a decade—never visiting the same spot twice?

Blame it on our stubborn NYC pride, but my travel buddies Jen, Holly and I just didn’t expect Bangkok to give the Big Apple such a run for its money. We often remark that it only takes a day to form a first impression of a new city, but as it turned out, we fell for Thailand’s capital city in less than a New York minute. Here are The Lost Girls top 15 reasons why…

1. Gourmet Street Vendors: As much as the Lost Girls love to splurge on crispy dumplings with dipping sauces and heaping bowls of chicken stir fry (yum!), we’re huge fans of lighter treats that you can buy cheap on the street. Bangkok’s got both in spades—stands serving up heaping plates of noodles and carts where you can get melon, pineapple, papaya sliced to order and served with sugar (optional, of course) for just about 30 cents. We also loved the takeaway cartons of steamed spring rolls and sushi—all freshly made and available for just a few Thai baht.

2. Little Siam: Situated down an unassuming side alley off the massive Siam Center super-complex, this clothing and accessory market boasts the original works of up-and-coming designers—all of whom are personally ringing up the wares they’ve just created and sewn. Warning to mainstream label lovers: what’s here isn’t upscale mall gear but completely original fashion, from jackets designed for punk rock goddesses to heavily trimmed baby doll dresses to unabashedly adorned stiletto boots. You can amp up your entire wardrobe in Little Siam for what you might spend on a single boutique piece back at home, so bring a fistful of baht—most designers seem averse to Visa and Mastercard.

3. Bargain Basement Beauty: As twentysomething gals staring down the fine-lined of thirty, we decided it was time to get serious about skincare. Fortunately for us, this mission to remain fresh and glowing for the next several decades coincided with our arrival in Bangkok, a place where women (and body conscious men) can get all manner of treatments for a fraction of the price in the United States. While we’re not really ready for any major surgery, the girls and I opted for a series of three photofacials, a process that lightens spots, diminishes fine lines and evens out skin tone. While it was tough to fork out $100 for each treatment (we are backpacking after all!), we all saw results almost immediately and effectively saved ourselves about $600 over doing the same thing at home.

4. Daily De-stress Sessions: If there’s one activity guaranteed to put a smile on our faces (besides digging into an extra large chocolate dessert, of course), it’s hitting the spa for a long, languorous full-body massage. Back home in our real lives, forking over $100 for a rubdown would actually create more tension than it would remove, but here in Bangkok, we could get unbelievable, spine-twisting, muscle kneading, acupressure sessions for the mind-blowing price of for just $8. Add scented oil or an extra half hour and you’re looking at $10 to $12. For those prices, we could—and did—hit spas all over town. In case you’re wondering, no—you can never get too many massages!

5. The Reclining Buddha: I went to check out this fabulously huge supine statue when my family flew to Bangkok to visit me during the month of February. This Buddha is one of the city’s most touristed landmarks, but the teeming masses don’t detract from the big man’s appeal. Lying on his right side with a satisfied half-grin spreading across his face, it’s almost as if he’s reminding the visitors that its okay to kick back and chill out once in a while. Who are we to argue with that?

6. Sukhumvit Neighborhood: Indisputably the "Soho" of Bangkok, this lovely little area once played host to the city’s notorious sex trade. Thanks in part to the introduction of the Sky Train (which runs through the very heart of the neighborhood) and the overall revitalization of the city, Sukhumvit is now better known for its upscale bridal boutiques, swanky cafes, gourmet grocery stores and lemongrass-scented spas. Its also home to…

7. The Sky Train: An incredibly efficient mode of transport completed not long before our arrival, this two-line, elevated monorail system was Bangkok’s answer to the endless traffic choking off every major roadway. Now it’s possible to bypass the bumper-to-bumper action by hopping on one of the spotless, air-conditioned cars and catch a series of quirky commercials and music videos being shown on flat screen televisions. Thanks to convenient transfers between the river ferry system and city’s underground metro, you’re always bound to arrive at your destination far faster than you would in a cab.

9. Lumpini Park: We still maintain that very few urban green spaces can hold a candle to Central Park, but Lumpini (named after Buddha’s birthplace) provides a blissfully peaceful space for the masses to take a much needed break from hustle and bustle of Bangkok. The girls and I went running in later afternoon and were delighted to find thousands of spandex-clad locals performing extremely high-impact aerobics to some unrecognizable tunes blasting from the outdoor speakers. Everyone looked insanely happy to be there—most notably the Thai Richard Simmons-type leading the whole group—and if I could figured out a single step, I might have joined in. Instead, I kept running and was surprised once again when at 6:00pm--as if some giant electric plug had been yanked from the socket--every single sound and movement in the park stopped cold. Not knowing what else to do, I froze in place and listened as strains of Thailand’s national anthem piped through the park’s speaker system. Locals all around me sang along and I felt inexplicably pleased to witness this evening ritual.

10. Kho San Road: Okay, I know I mentioned the sub-par hostels above, but there’s a certain charm to this tiny, ultra-touristy lane (yet another stop on Leonardo DeCaprio’s The Beach tour). Where else can you pick up a mini iPod speaker, a fake press badge, a beach sarong, a bootleg Beyonce CD, discount antibiotics, a miniature laughing Buddha and custom-made dress, all for under $100?

11. 7-11s Galore: There must be hundreds of these green, red and-orange emblazoned convenience stores smattered throughout the city and it’s almost impossible to walk more than three blocks without accidentally strolling into one. And thank heaven for 7-11—they contain miniature versions of everything we could ever need to get through the day, from cereal to conditioner to Snickers bars. The only major flaw? There are no Slurpees, Big Gulps or Kraft caramel apple lollypops at the Thai 7-11s, good things I’m sure that got sacrificed to make way for the red bean bun and pork dumpling stations.

12. Flower Market (Pak Khlong Talat): Visitors to town should not miss this fairyland of blooms located not far from the Memorial Bridge on Thanon Chakphet. Some ceremonial creations take dozens of man- and woman-hours to make, but the finished result is spectacular.

13. Coffee, Coffee Everywhere: After months of traveling through countries where all of the rich, delicious java beans are shipped to overseas markets (and Nescafe is de rigueur), we were thrilled to sip the real thing in Bangkok. Thais absolutely adore their espresso drinks and have even instituted new ways to drink them. Coffee in a plastic bag? Even caffeine addicted New Yorkers never thought of that one!

14. Praying Ronald McDonalds: Pass one of these red-haired burger guys, and you'll be unable to resist posing. Promise.



15. The King: You’ll find plenty of Americans who dislike their president (and plenty of folks abroad who despise him), but the Thai people have nothing but love for their royal highness. During out time in Bangkok, the kindly looking King Bhumibol Adulyadej celebrated his 80th birthday, and the outpouring of love for the man was overwhelming. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could elect a leader who inspired such adoration?

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Duty Free shopping was once a huge attraction for travelers but in Thailand, I have great reservations about the prices you pay for most things. There are a few duty-free shops in town where goods can be pre-ordered and then picked up at the airport…Read More

Duty Free shopping was once a huge attraction for travelers but in Thailand, I have great reservations about the prices you pay for most things. There are a few duty-free shops in town where goods can be pre-ordered and then picked up at the airport - you have to show your passport and airline ticket in order to make a purchase. I don’t think it is really worth it unless you are particularly short of time.

Many of the larger and more specialized shops now offer shipping abroad, and they will sort out the necessary documents and permits for this. Insurance should also be included. If you don't feel comfortable with this, there are specialized companies that will do it and sort out the arrangements for a fee. The GPO also has a parcel-wrapping service, and smaller items can be mailed from here. Another option is to go to the Thai Airways office on 485 Silom Road and, for a fee, they will ship them and sort out the documentation for you.

King Power Complex is Bangkok’s newest one stop service for tourists. The huge complex offers an amazing downtown duty free shopping experience. The building also has a sumptuous Thai restaurant, is about to open a spectacular theatre, and later this year will add a contemporary city hotel. It is situated on Sri Ayudhaya-Rangnam Road, Bangkok. Phone: 2677 8899.

Suvarnabhumi Airport features a lot of duty free shopping opportunities. While there is a wide selection of the standard duty free items - liquor, cigarettes, and perfume - there isn't much depth or variety. Don't expect a good selection of wines or liqueurs. You'll also find a lot of other kinds of goods, such as electronics, watches, books, and luggage. There's also a selection of way over-priced Thai products.

Dominating Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport duty free shopping is the aforementioned King Power group who have acres of space, quite literally. Duty-free prices at Bangkok airport in my experience are not great. With the Thai baht climbing against most other currencies and particularly against the US dollar (exchange rate roughly US$1=Bt34) a one litre bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label costs about US$30 compared with US$26 or less at some other airports.

While this is not quite the same as duty-free, you can claim a VAT refund from most of the major stores in town. To be eligible, you'll need a total shopping bill of at least Bt5,000 so give that credit card some serious exercise. The PP10 form requires your passport number (though you may not be asked to actually produce it), and your departure flight number. Once that's all neatly entered, sign, and off you go. But don’t pack goods in your check-in luggage.

Jewellery, watches, and gold purchases over Bt10,000 need to be inspected and other purchases may be checked at the airport. After immigration head for the VAT refund counter and present your credentials to get some cash in hand for that much-needed snack and coffee.    Close

Bangkok is a city of markets and no visitor should leave without visiting several of them. The markets are generally the cheapest places to shop. This doesn't necessarily reflect on the quality of the goods sold either, and some excellent bargains are for the taking…Read More

Bangkok is a city of markets and no visitor should leave without visiting several of them. The markets are generally the cheapest places to shop. This doesn't necessarily reflect on the quality of the goods sold either, and some excellent bargains are for the taking if you know where to look.

Any serious Bangkok shopping binge, however, has to start at the sprawling and sweaty Chatuchak weekend market. Wildly popular among locals and visitors alike, the market is packed each weekend with everything you could possibly need. Chatuchak is a riot and will assail the senses. Be prepared though for the heat and the crowds and bring along a bottle of water. You’ll need it.

Haggle your way through the warren of shops and set aside at least half a day, if not more, for this expedition. Fortunately, there are a few shops selling snacks, meals, ice-cream, soft drinks, and mineral water. The best time to start is 9.30am, on weekends. Take the BTS SkyTrain and hop off at the last station, Mochit. or use the underground to Kampengpet station.

The Chinatown Charoen Krung Road area is swarming with shops bursting out of every nook and cranny. This is perfect weekend browse material with everything from old transistor radios and gramaphones to gold and silk on sale. Across town, Sukhumvit Road has a street market that runs most of the day but is busiest at night. Dozens of stalls sell clothes, bags, silk items, and gifts.

Patpong night market is very popular with tourists, but I don’t recommend it. It's got the same combination of souvenirs, fake brand name items, and cheap clothes as any tourist area in the city, but prices are high. Bargaining very hard is essential to get a good deal and the touts for the go-go bars that Patpong is most famous for are annoying. Patpong is between Silom and Surawong roads, and any taxi driver will know it.

The large Banglamphu market extends over Phra Sumen Road, Chakrapong Road, and others nearby. Despite its proximity to touristy Khao San Road, this is still mainly a market frequented by locals to buy clothes, household goods, etc. There's a separate market on Khao San Road itself, which sells anything the foreign backpacker could need including backpacks, stereos, pirate CD's, books, clothes, traveling accessories, etc. Many buses stop on Ratchadamnoen Klang road, just a few minutes walk from either of these markets.

Not far away is Bo-Be market, located where Khlong Saen Saep meets Krung Kasem Road, a wholesale clothes and textiles market with cheap prices. There are a couple of amulet markets nearby also at Wat Ratchanada and Wat Mahathat.

Pak Khlong market is a very large and busy wholesale market for fresh flowers and vegetables. Many flower vendors throughout the city buy their stock here at night and sell it on the following morning. The wholesale market is mainly near the river, the cheap normal market in small streets nearby.   Close

Connecting Sukhumvit Road with Siam Square, Ploen Chit Road hosts many of the main cultural and shopping centers in Bangkok; all of them are shaded by the ubiquitous Skytrain. Despite the last connecting all the road’s attractions, Ploen Chit is better explored by foot. In…Read More

Connecting Sukhumvit Road with Siam Square, Ploen Chit Road hosts many of the main cultural and shopping centers in Bangkok; all of them are shaded by the ubiquitous Skytrain. Despite the last connecting all the road’s attractions, Ploen Chit is better explored by foot.

In Bangkokian terms this is a rather short and calm street; except for the Siam Square area there are no stalls blocking its wide, shaded sidewalks. If walking from Siam Square to Central World Plaza, pay attention to a group of blind people playing traditional Thai music in front of the police headquarters. The Thai society does not care for them properly; leaving them a few baths of spare change may seem an insignificant contribution but it is not so.

Beginning the walk on the western side of Ploen Chit, just west from the Siam Skytrain Station is Siam Square, at the junction with Phayathoi Road. At the corner itself, is the Siam Discovery Center, which is connected with an elevated bridge to the Siam Center. The mall hosts several international clothing shops, several good restaurants and the Grand EGV Cinema. After shopping for a whole day, there is nothing better than a movie to forget the aching feet. The Grand EGV is the most luxurious modern and comfortable theatre in Thailand and is located on the 6th and 7th floors; it has seven theatres that are divided into two different styles. The two Gold Class theatres have a seating capacity of forty, while the Five Deluxe Cinemas have non-marked seats, which allow the viewers to sit anywhere. The more interesting option is the Gold Class, which sells movies at New York prices in Bangkok; the price in local terms is so high than you can pay using your international credit card and no one will even blink. The theatre itself has a huge screen and a good surround sound system, but that’s a secondary feature; the main point is that it hosts few spectators and it offers a private big coach to each one of them. Your next neighbor is about one meter away from you: nobody will fall asleep on your shoulder. An almost private waiter can fetch you basic foods and beverages. The place is so comfortable that the featured movie is almost irrelevant.

Across the junction from the Siam Discovery Center is Mahboonkrong, usually known as MBK, which is considered among knowing Thais as The Place for cellular phones; however finding a suitable one among the myriad of stalls packing up its narrow corridors may prove to be an Herculean task.

Just east of the Siam Discovery Center is the Siam Paragon, the most up-market shopping center in town, and maybe in South East Asia, with 250 exclusive stores and endless luxury items. It features also the Siam Ocean World, which is the largest aquarium in South-East Asia. It has also an excellent food plaza, hosting oddities such as a branch of the excellent Piri Piri Portuguese Chicken.

Eastwards, at the first main junction, is the Central World (former World Trade Center) which had recently emerged from a massive renewal; the old and dark structure was replaced by huge amounts of glass and is now a river of light. The biggest shopping mall in Thailand includes six shopping zones and two popular department stores (Zen and Isetan). All the main brands are represented here and it would take more than a day just to explore its five-hundred (!) world class stores and fifty restaurants. The building is huge, measuring some four hundred meters long and including an attached hotel, fifty-five floors high. It is difficult to miss this huge building at the central junction of Ratchadamri with Ploen Chit, just where the two Skytrain lines meet. In your first days in town this is the perfect landmark to locate yourself.

In front of Central World is the Gaysorn Plaza, which despite its humble size is one of Bangkok leading luxury shopping malls. Gucci, Tiffany, and Armani, compete for the customers’ attention with Thai handicrafts and antiques. Northwards, on Ratchadamri Road, is a huge branch of Big C, maybe the best supermarket in town.

At the kitty corner of Central World, across the junction is the Erawan Shrine; it belongs to the Grand Hyatt Erawan, one of the best hotels in Bangkok. The shrine was built to appease the spirits after a series of construction accidents occurred when the hotel was being built. Traditional Thai dances can be appreciated there during the day. The temple is unusually dedicated to Brahma (Phra Phrom) and was named after his elephant.

Next to it is the Sogo Department Store, and connected to Sogo with an elevated bridge is the Amarin Plaza. Amarin is the perfect place to search for traditional Thai products, many shops selling silk and clothes made from it are placed here. To increase the feeling of having entered a Thai space, the restaurants on their upper floors are mainly local and there is even a good stall-like place serving traditional Thai filtered coffee, caa-faa tung, always served with condensed milk.

A few blocks eastwards is the Central Department Store, which hosts at its basement what is maybe the best Thai-food plaza in Bangkok. Central has other branches in the city, and it is recommended to check prices with the nearby Isetan and Zen before buying something of value. A good book store occupies its top floor together with a mini-branch of Starbucks, the perfect combination for the tired traveler, and a rare one in Bangkok. A Starbucks branch is placed on the first floor and faces the street; it is pleasantly styled as a street facing bar.

The several nearby malls allow confirming an idiosyncrasy in their uniform design. In all of them the Children’s Floor is below the Women’s Floor, which in turn is below the Men’s floor; this is not casual and was done to comply with certain Buddhist principles.
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Restaurants, guesthouses, convenience stores, travel agencies, Thai massage parlours, souvenirs and T-shirts stalls; on each of these categories, Khaosan Road probably features the highest density per square meter in the whole world. It may seem unappealing, but Khaosan’s eclectic reality is a powerful magnet for…Read More

Restaurants, guesthouses, convenience stores, travel agencies, Thai massage parlours, souvenirs and T-shirts stalls; on each of these categories, Khaosan Road probably features the highest density per square meter in the whole world. It may seem unappealing, but Khaosan’s eclectic reality is a powerful magnet for travelers from all the inhabited planets.

Suddenly a minority in their own country, the few Thais venturing into this alien, galactic center do their best to sell the ultimate souvenir to funny looking, round-eyed, long-nosed humans.

May be it is the heavy heat and humidity of Bangkok that inflict a languid humor upon most visitors, or maybe the sweet fumes breathed out by cars using leaded fuel; regardless the actual reason, it seems that millions of travelers prefer to carry out all their businesses in Khaosan Road while in Bangkok, rather than travel around the city.

The road is spectacular. Here, travelers can settle down and still live under the illusion they are moving fast across vast distances. A face from a different corner of the planet appears every few meters; sounds in different languages create destructive interferences among the sound waves and mimic a modern Babel Tower. Nobody completely understands his alien conversation partners and yet everything seems to function properly in a modern version of the Biblical "Speaking in Tongues."

Such diversity is irresistible for any traveler and few other places provide the opportunity for him to imagine he is everywhere – and nowhere – at once. Where else a Nepali restaurant flirting with Mexican food would feel comfortable? Where else a pumpkin flavored coffee would be the natural end to a meal of fried insects? Where else can Indian tailors provide an extra-elegant suit in ten minutes and for the price of a meal to a traveler about to visit semi-naked hill tribes?

Even if some travelers would feel embarrassed to admit enjoying such a kitschy environment, Khaosan provides the perfect pretext to justify an open visit during broad daylight: the best flight deals in the world are available here. Professionally organized, Thai travel agents successfully manage to force all the airlines to keep prices low, thus faithfully representing their transient customers. Most of the best Thai travel agents are located along the alleys surrounding Khaosan Road.

The more a traveler stays there, the better he realizes he had hardly scratched the surface of this complex place. Many – nobody knows the exact number – cultures coexist there in perfect harmony showing thus that such a reality is a feasible future.

The street setup may look chaotic at first, but certain rules appear to function quite well during all my visits along the years. The best travel agencies are on the alleys surrounding the main street. The best hotels and guesthouses are on Khaosan Road itself, but the quieter ones are behind the temple on its western side. All the souvenirs, clothes, CD’s, electrical adaptors and other knickknacks are vastly cheaper elsewhere in Bangkok. The best Western food restaurants in the area are on the main street, but the best Thai ones are in the surrounding streets.

Despite the astonishing amount of establishments in each category, over time the best ones can be singled out; here is a partial list of those.

Travel Agencies

On the narrow alley between Khaosan Road and Ratchadamnoen Avenue, the Indian travel agency managed time and again to beat all the other agencies with their knowledge, accuracy, punctuality and prices. However, that it is true only regarding visas to other Asian countries and plane tickets. Trips within Thailand should be arranged independently without the help of travel agencies; traveling within Thailand is easy and inexpensive.

Hotels

Strangely, the most expensive hotels in the area are not those offering the best rooms. Those are in the new building of the D&D Guesthouse (68-70 Khaosan Road). Moreover, being located at the very center of the street, it offers a superb spot from where to explore the area. From the pool at its roof there are great views of the Grand Palace, especially at night.

Western Food

Despite the wide variety available of restaurants serving this kind of food, Gulliver’s Travelers Tavern at the western end of Khaosan Road, has not only an irresistible name, but it also successfully mimics an English Pub and has an attractively eclectic clientele, including Thais. The food is rather expensive, but it is worth it.

Coffee Shops

Coffee World and Starbucks have very attractive branches in Khaosan and both offer good coffee with a Thai twinge.

Thai Food

The several stalls occupying the western end of Rambuttri Road – the first street north of Khaosan – beat all the fancy restaurants in the area in their variety and authenticity of the Thai dishes served. It is the perfect place to get acquainted with one of the most wonderful cuisines in the world.

Night Market

At night, Khaosan Road can be called a night market, though technically it is not one. Simply, all the shops and stalls stay open and food stalls catering for every imaginable culture appear everywhere; the crowds returning from a busy day at the city complete the eclectic picture.

Thai Massage

Wat Pho, also known as Wat Phra Chetuphon or Temple of the Reclining Buddha, is located next to the Grand Palace on its southern side. It is Bangkok’s oldest and biggest temple; built in 1688 – before the foundation of the city – it has ninety-five pagodas and 394 Buddha images, an amount unmatched by any other temple in town. In 1832, the king ordered to decorate the walls with diagrams on history, literature, astrology, medicine and animal husbandry and transformed thus the temple into an open encyclopedia. As time passed by, the institution began specializing and nowadays it is famous for its Thai Traditional Massage School, which is considered to be the best in the country. The school offers massages, practical courses and it is still a center for traditional medicine. The massages include body massage, body massage with herbs, and foot massage, and cost around six dollars per hour; the establishment is open daily between 8am until 5pm.

Reaching Khaosan

Reaching Khaosan is easy from anywhere in Bangkok with local buses or taxis; however, the Skytrain and the Metro do not reach it. From the Suvarnabhumi Airport, the A2 bus reaches the street and costs 150 Baht. Most taxi-boats traveling along the Chao Praya River stop at Phra Arthit (pier number N.13); from there it is easy to walk the few blocks remaining to Khaosan Road.

Other sites of interest within walking distance from Khaosan Road are the Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha shrine, the Democracy Monument, the Black Metal Temple and the Golden Mount.

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The richness and variety of the Thai culture is immediately discernible even to the casual visitor; regardless if beginning the trip by visiting the Grand Palace or a humble market on a side street, the number of attractions is always overwhelming. It takes more time…Read More

The richness and variety of the Thai culture is immediately discernible even to the casual visitor; regardless if beginning the trip by visiting the Grand Palace or a humble market on a side street, the number of attractions is always overwhelming. It takes more time to understand this richness mimics the lush nature surrounding the Thai culture. Few items are more attractive to illustrate this point than the Thai fruits, which apparently are an attempt to quantify the term "infinite." Following are some of them.

Durian: Few things are considered more important for a Thai than the Durian fruit. While most fruits are usually sold in slices, units, or groups of fruits worth ten Baht, Durians can easily reach prices of 400B or more. The customers carefully study them before the transaction is completed, as if their whole future depended on that. There are rumors that a Durian Evaluation career would be shortly opened in one of Bangkok’s main universities. What’s all the noise about? Simply, the Durian features a rare combination of tastes: pungent and sweet. Resembling a dusty green watermelon with huge, thick thorns, once opened several semi-circular, yellow units are exposed. The smell emanating from them is so strong that it is prohibited to enter with the opened fruit into public buildings. The smell strongly reminds of excrements; for most tourists the first bite is a traumatic experience. However, once in the mouth, the smell is replaced by a sweet taste and a pleasantly smooth texture.

Jack Fruit: Able to reach a length of more than one meter, this prodigious fruit is a must. Street stalls selling it usually keep only one fruit, selling its interior in small amounts. Its exterior is somewhat similar to the durian, though short, rounded cups replace the thorns. The interior is divided into a myriad of units the size of plums. The shiny yellow flesh of each unit is quite thin, crispy, has no odor and a pleasantly sweet taste.

Anona: The local name for the custard apple, this tasty fruit is usually consumed as a juice, due to the many stones scattered along and across its sweet, sandy flesh.

Tamarind: Popular as a juice, few realize that the regular Thai coffee contains grounded tamarind as a flavor enhancing ingredient.

Papayas and Pineapples: These two were successfully introduced in the past and have become two of the most popular fruits in the kingdom, and can be found practically on every street corner.

Green and Red Rose Apple: Shaped as small pears, these two sweet, crispy fruits are a bit hard to find, but are worth the effort.

Guava: Sadly, Thais eat this sensually odorous fruit while green and unripe. I commented that to a local friend and managed to clearly annoy a Thai for the first time. Unripe and covered with a mixture of sugar and chili is the obviously correct way to eat a guava. It is called Farang in Thai, a term also used toward western tourists.

Mango: two varieties of this fruit exist in Thailand, the sweet and the sour mango. Each can be eaten in one of three ways: unripe, ripe and pickled. The unripe is the most common and is coated with sugar, and chili before eating it. The ripe one can be found only during the season and is exclusively used for a dish in which it is served together with sticky rice and coconut cream; it is one of those rare, purely sweet dishes in the Thai cuisine. The pickled mango taste is above my powers of description, but after trying it I defined the experience as "once in a lifetime."

Lakam: a rare, dark red, spiky and small oval fruit, the lakam can be defined as a bittersweet experience, an irresistible combination for the soap operas loving Thais.

Pomelo: the only citrus growing in the kingdom, this sweet, oversized fruit can provide enough entertainment peeling it for a whole afternoon.

The last three fruits in this review have a similar flesh – semi-transparent, soft and sweet – despite bearing substantially different appearances. Clusters of Longan resembling overgrown; dark yellow grapes can be easily spotted during the season. Rambutan has a striking look; its strongly red skin is covered by long, thick, green hairs. Mangosteen is bigger than the other two and adds a citric twinge to the basic taste. Violet with short and wide green leaves around its top, it is considered by Thais – and with a good reason – as one of their best fruits, second only to the out-worldly durian.

Bon Appetite!
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Sukhumvit Road can be considered the heart of Bangkok’s international tourism industry. It is certainly not the only tourist area in the city (backpackers for instance congregate on Khao San Road) but the main road and its many side street (sois) collectively contain many of…Read More

Sukhumvit Road can be considered the heart of Bangkok’s international tourism industry. It is certainly not the only tourist area in the city (backpackers for instance congregate on Khao San Road) but the main road and its many side street (sois) collectively contain many of the city’s hotels, restaurants, nightspots, and shopping areas. This part of Bangkok also has the greatest concentration of tailors and is a great place to have suits, dresses, and shirts made-to-measure.

Many past visitors will remember Sukhumvit Road for its traffic jams, but an improvement to the one-way system and the addition of the Skyrail above-ground train system along the center of the street has improved things in recent years. At peak period though it can still become completely jammed so then its quicker to walk.

Some of the highlights of the area are the major up-market hotels (Sheraton Grande, Westin Grand, and Landmark come to mind), the great Thai restaurants (try Baan Kanitha on Soi 23 and Lemon Grass on Soi 24), other restaurants (Italian, French, seafood, etc.), the go-go bars of Soi Nana and Soi Cowboy, the more sophisticated clubs and bars of Soi 33 and elsewhere, the Emporium shopping complex, and the thousands of small shops selling everything from clothing to gifts to household items.

Late afternoon, the street market sets up. In some places there are almost formal shops, in other places goods are displayed on trays or just on the sidewalk. You can buy T-shirts for US$2, silk ties for $3, socks for $1, and paintings for $10. Prices are cheap but check the quality before you buy. The fake goods are not plainly in view anymore, but you will see lots of pictures and 'catalogues', where you can order the goods. VCDs and DVDs are also on sale, and unfortunately a lot of pornography is in plain view for sale on this 'family-oriented' walking way.

Getting to Sukhumvit Road is easy. The skyrail system has seven stations along the road with more to come and the MRT underground has a convenient station at Soi Asok. Every taxi driver in Bangkok knows Sukhumvit Road so language is no barrier when heading here. In fact, one of the real attractions for short-term visitors is that most businesses in this area have English-speaking personnel so getting what you want is easy.

I recommend the Sukhumvit Road area for accommodation to anyone who is staying a short time in Bangkok. It is so convenient to everything most people want and the choice is enormous. I wrote about a couple of good hotels in this area in the Bangkok Eating and Sleeping journal.   Close

Rivers and canals have always been vital forms of communication in Thailand. When the capital was moved to Bangkok in 1782 (the beginning of the Rattanakosin period), the new city was laced with canals, so Bangkok was sometimes called the "Venice of the East" by…Read More

Rivers and canals have always been vital forms of communication in Thailand. When the capital was moved to Bangkok in 1782 (the beginning of the Rattanakosin period), the new city was laced with canals, so Bangkok was sometimes called the "Venice of the East" by European visitors. Waterways at that time were the most important means of transportation and trading as well.

Today, a boat ride on the Chao Phraya River and some of the cabals on the Thonburi side of the city, is a wonderful way to see reminders of the past and get an appreciation of the modern city at the same time. The majestic charm of the river adds perspective to your exploration of the city’s often hectic and crowded major tourist attractions.

There are several ways to do this. One of my favourites is to take the Chao Phraya Express Boat, which is basically a bus on water. One of the best places to catch this is at Sathon Bridge. You can then go upstream as far as Nonthaburi (about 15 kilometres). If you make it this far, a visit to Pak Krot (a river island) is highly recommended. The most ‘touristy’ part of the trip is from the bridge to the Grand Palace. Along this length you see some of the luxury river-side hotels (Oriental, Sheraton, Shanre La), majestic Wat Arun (the temple of the dawn), the old customs house, the Royal Thai navy dockyard, Wat Po and the Grand Palace itself.

This section only takes about 15 minutes and the fare is less than 10 Baht ($0.30). During peak periods, an express boat does the trip even quicker. But it is slower you want to give you time to appreciate the busy life on the water – tugs with barges, ferries, long-tailed speed boats, and small power boats all mix together. I just love it.

If you have more time, rent a boat at River City shopping center or at Tha Chang near the Grand Palace and explore the main river and some of the canals. You need at least two hours to do this justice and you can see the Royal Barge museum, a floating market, an orchid farm, and several more temples. Away from the main river there is a wonderful peaceful atmosphere.

For something different again, try an evening dinner cruise. The fare is only about 70 Baht and the cost of dinner depends on what you order. The city is quite spectacular after dark and there is no better way to appreciate it than from the water.

You can go further afield. I strongly recommend the trip to Ayutthaya, one of Thailand’s former capitals. You go one way by boat and one way by bus for about 1,500 Baht.   Close