Best places to go in Bangkok?
Hi,
I am planning to travel to Bangkok, and will be staying in a hotel in Silom. I would like to know good places to go, temples, museums, restaurants, shopping centres nearby Silom...preferably reachable via foot or with a tut-tut
I am quite adventurous and am also looking for activities like scuba diving, snorkelling or anything interesting.
I am planning to look for tour agencies offerring tour packages for a small fee once I get to Silom. Any ideas?
REALLY appreciate some help :)
Thanks!
Hi, Lets start with the must see's of Bangkok; Wat Pho, Wat Arun and the Grand Palace.
Wat Pho is located south of Wat Phra Kaew & Grand Palace. It is the oldest and biggest temple in Bangkok. The temple dates back to the 16th century, but it was completely rebuilt in 1782. Wat Pho is famous for its Reclining Buddha, the largest in Thailand at 46m long and 15m high.
Wat Arun is located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, the temple can be reached either by Arun Amarin Road or by boat from Tha Tien Pier, near Wat Pho. The most attractive structure is the 79 metre high pagoda, which is decorated with ceramic tiles and fragments of multi-coloured porcelain. It is also called the ‘Temple of Dawn’, and the most beautiful view of it is from the east side of the river at sunset.
The Grand Palace (actually the palace consists of four separate buildings) is incorporated into the grounds of Wat Phra Kaew. The Royal Thai Decoration and Coin Pavilion is the only part open to the public, but it is nice to stroll around. Admission to the temple & the Royal Palace is 200Bht. This includes entry to Vimanmek Palace and Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall as well. Do not forget to wear long trousers and no sleeveless shirts.
There are obviously lots more temples to see but if I'd start with these, not only because they are (in my opinion) the best in the area they are also located very close together. Once you get to one of them, it's just a short walk or 2 minute ferry ride over the river.
Another must see is Lumpini Thai boxing stadium. Again I choose only one of the two main stadiums, as you don't need to go to both.
Lumpini Stadium:
Fight Nights: Tuesdays and Fridays from 6.30 p.m, Saturday afternoons 5-8 p.m., Saturday nights from 8.30 p.m.
Ticket prices: 220, 440, 1,000 Baht (ringside)
I have always preferred the cheapest seats, not for the price but for the extra action. Although gabbling is illegal in Thailand the passionate fans do enjoy side-bets and generate an electric atmosphere. If you're new to Muay Thai then it's worth sitting up close so you can get a better feeling of the power behind the kicks, punches, knees and elbows.
Then there's the shops and markets...
Without making this response too long I'll tell you the key to enjoying Bangkok and all it has to offer.
During normal day to day life, most people concentrate on where they are going and want to get there as quickly as possible. You have to slow down (trust me, it's harder than it sounds). You're on holiday, there is no rush. The main beauty of Thailand is it's people and you generally meet them while you're on your way somewhere else.
It's fine to have a list of things to see and do but only use it as a guide and not a to-do list.
There are a few dive shops who operate from Bangkok but if you're after good SCUBA or Snorkeling you'll end up going a little further south. Pattaya is not too far away (by bus) or you could head down towards Phuket (or even Phuket itself). If your already Certified I'd recommend the Similan Islands, although to get the most you want to be at least Advanced Open Water as many of the dives are deeper than 18 meters.
You won't have any problem finding a tour agency, in fact you'll have to beat them off with a stick (figuratively), when you land at the airport. Your hotel will also be able to advise on local attractions and activities.
All the main sights are clearly indicated on the FREE maps you can pick up at the airport and hotel.
Have fun, and remember to enjoy the journey as much as the destination.
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