MRT and SKYtrain Maps of Bangkok

Bangkok: 10 Things to Do

1. Wat Suthat

This vast temple compound, lalways feels like the real spiritual deal and, even if never quite properly restored, showcases lacquer-black chapel walls of magnificently fevered fresco paintings to compete with the best of the Italian Renaissance. Across from the main entrance is a giant red ceremonial swing, a Hindu symbol that became Bangkok's civic emblem for a time. The surrounding streets are among the old city's most atmospheric.

2. Patravadi Theatre

Just getting to this arts oasis, tel: (66-2) 412 7287, is well worth the trip on river boats to Wang Lang Pier, then past Nonthaburi's earthy markets. Founded by one of Thailand's most revered actresses, the Patravadi is a hip riverside complex, where a theater, rehearsal spaces, gift shop and restaurants sit amid arbors and sculpture. Catch avant-garde dancers or enthusiastic young students giving a dinner show of Thai drumming and acrobatics, all fronting the city's best views of barge traffic and the Grand Palace.

3. Or Tor Gor

Across the road from the exhausting Chatuchak weekend flea market, this farmers' market, tel: (66-2) 279 2080, is a less crowded and far more authentic showcase of both tropical abundance and the Thai sensibility. Better yet, the statements of identity are all edible: take your pick of the kingdom's best green mangoes, grilled prawns and coconut crab curry.

4. Art and Shopping

Local arts activists fought for decades to get their Guggenheim-aping Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, tel: (66-2) 214 6630, which opened in 2008 and is still in the process of being filled with exhibits. If there isn't enough on display, cross the sky bridge to the MBK Center, tel: (66-2) 620 9000, where every product known to humanity comes at an aesthetically satisfying discount. Or cross the street to enter the warren of alleys that is Siam Square, where playful fashion shops, some fading art-movie houses and one adventuresome Whitespace art gallery, tel: (66-2) 252 2900, serve as the lively meeting points for Thai youth.

5. Sukhumvit Soi 11

After you've gaped at the seedy, red-light Nana neighborhood, duck down this trendy street to get away from working girls and hawkers of pirated DVDs. You'll find locals and expats of all social strata chockablock at the Bed Supper Club, tel: (66-2) 651 3537, or the jockish Manchester United Restaurant and Bar, tel: (66-2) 651 2933. Sample some of the town's best pizza at Pizzeria Limoncello, tel: (66-2) 651 0707
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6. Chinatown

Pak Klong Talad, the wholesale flower market that clogs several blocks on the northern edge of Chinatown, is a cavalcade of paper-swathed lilies, orchids and birds of paradise in an astounding spectrum. If hunger strikes, head back to the main strip of Yaowarat Road for sidewalk dining on the world's best crab fried rice at Rut and Lek Seafood, on the corner of Yaowarat and Soi Texas.

7. Bang Krajao

Want to know what Bangkok may have looked like before the invention of condos or the invasion of 7-Elevens? Tiny motorboats from rickety, unadvertised piers at the end of Narathiwas Road ferry the adventurous to a surprisingly undeveloped heart of green jungle. There, thousands of paths lead through a wet wonderland of stilt houses, sarong-clad elders and fruits that can be plucked from the trees.

8. Wat Po

There's no combination of the corporeal and ethereal like a stroll through this otherworldly temple compound, where the relaxed smile on the famous Reclining Buddha serves as the cue to head for the school of traditional massage, tel: (66-2) 221 2974, right on the grounds. There's often a wait, and there's no privacy as aching tourist bodies lie side by side. But the prices are low and the standards divine.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,1968280_1968275_1968255,00.html#ixzz2UfCNCeNN

9. Loha Prasat and Pad Thai

The Loha Prasat is one of Bangkok's more eccentric religious buildings, a metal-tipped complex of concentric boxes that resembles the inner sanctum of an Egyptian tomb. If climbing its levels or browsing the adjoining market for outlandishly showy Buddha amulets builds up an appetite, adjoining Mahachai Road just happens to host the Thipsamai restaurant, (66-2) 221 6280. It's famed for its pad thai, lusciously soft noodles heaped from fiery woks and served with giant prawns and egg as gleaming yellow as the nearby spire of the famed Golden Mount.

10. Hindu Worship

When Bangkok goes Hindu, it really goes wild. Lower Silom Road's Sri Mariamman, tel: (66-2) 238 4007, is the oldest Hindu temple in Bangkok, devoted to the goddess Uma and a special gathering place for thousands of transsexual devotees. The annual Navratri festival, held every October, sees Pan Road — also known for its Burmese and Vietnamese restaurants — crowded with thousands of fire-eating, powder-dusted worshippers, and the procession of deities is as fervent and frenzied as those anywhere else in South Asia, only more jolly.

Bangkok Area

Bangkok Areas

Given the sheer size of Bangkok and the city's ethnic and cosmopolitan diversity, it's not surprising that certain areas have become a reflection of their inhabitants. Chinatown is vibrant and colourful, completely different to nearby Khao San Road with its backpacker brigade and the commercial hubs of Siam or Silom.

Certain areas have also become much more popular because of their unique attractions, accessibility to public transportation, shopping and nightlife offerings. These are the areas where hotels of every breed and size are located, and it's important to familiarise yourself with an area before choosing where to stay.

Sukhumvit

Sukhumvit Road is actually 400 km long – the longest road in Thailand. But it's the first few kilometres in downtown Bangkok that are of interest to most visitors. It's cosmopolitan and modern, with shopping, dining and nightlife experiences that hold their own among the best in the world. Sukhumvit is also where many affordable tailors ply their trade, and where raunchy Nana Plaza (Soi 4) and Soi Cowboy (Soi 21 and 23) with their go-go bars are situated.

The Skytrain runs along Sukhumvit Road, and there's also an interchange with the underground. (Read more...)

Siam

The Siam area is the heart of shopping in Bangkok, home to mega-malls like MBK, Siam Paragon, Siam Centre and Siam Discovery. The two Skytrain lines also meet here, making the area a hub of commercial activity. Siam Square is where hip Thai teenagers converge, a maze of alleys with hundreds of small clothing boutiques, bookstores, music shops, language schools and eateries.

Close by is also CentralWorld, Southeast Asia's largest lifestyle mall, and the Ratchaprasong intersection for upmarket shopping at the Gaysorn Mall, Amarin Plaza and Peninsula Mall. With so many shopping and dining options scattered around, it's no wonder the area is also home to many good hotels – from the affordable to five-star establishments. (Read more...)

 

Silom

By day, Silom is a business centre, and by night it transforms into a nightlife, dining and shopping area that has a worldwide reputation. The pavements of Silom Road and the parallel-running Suriwong Road are littered with vendors selling anything from counterfeit goods to handicrafts – all an extension of the very popular Patpong Night Market.

It is at the latter where you'll find the seedy side of Silom; the very go-go bars with the shows that have made Bangkok so (in)famous. Prices are generally high at the Patpong Night Market, and tourists should also be careful not to get ripped off at the bars and clubs. Soi 2, Soi 4 and Soi Twilight cater for a predominantly gay crowd. Silom at night is always busy and in your face; perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, but definitely worth checking out at last once. (Read more...)

Riverside

The Riverside in Bangkok is where the city's historic roots lie. The banks of the Chao Phraya River are littered with classic attractions like The Grand Palace, Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) and Wat Phra Kaew. It represents a forever-changing scene with commuters in river-taxis, ferries and heavily-laden barges slowly chugging upstream.

For centuries the lifeblood of the city, the river and scenery along its banks are charming and fascinating at the same time – home also to some of the city's finest five-star hotels like the famous Oriental Hotel, The Peninsula and Shangri-La Hotel. One of the best ways to experience it, apart from staying here, is with a magical dinner cruise at night. (Read more...)

 

Other Areas

Other interesting areas of Bangkok include Chinatown, lined with exotic gold shops and markets that generally sell in bulk, the backpacker haven Khao San Road, the Old City area (Rattanakosin) to be close to historical attractions, Pratunam for its wholesale markets, Chatuchak that's home to the world-famous Weekend Market, and fast-developing areas like Ratchadapisek. Each of Bangkok's areas has a unique character and something that gives it special appeal – be it in the things you can do there or the sights to take in. But they all have one thing in common; an energy that is uniquely Bangkok. (Read more...)

Best Bangkok neighborhoods to live in: Which are cheaper, which are in good locations?

  Part of the Pahonyothin area in Bangkok, Thailand - copyright Cassandra James

Deciding to move to a specific Bangkok neighborhood can be difficult. All neighborhoods have pros and cons, and often depend on what's important to you.  With many neighborhoods to choose from in Bangkok, these six are the most popular and, many think, are the best.

Ari Area - The Ari area of Bangkok is a popular neighborhood to live in for western expats. Close to the Ari sky train station, it's only 10 minutes into downtown Bangkok. Ari has trendy restaurants, shops and cafes. There's branches of every bank in Bangkok here, as well as many large businesses. If you like western food, you'll love shopping at Villa Supermarket with its thousands of imported food items. You'll enjoy coffee at Starbucks or one of the Thai cafes and don't miss the Japanese restaurants and the shabu-shabu place. Ari also has tons of excellent streetside food stalls, selling cheap Thai food.

Apartments at Ari are usually priced in between north Bangkok and true downtown prices so, living here, you can get a deal. ** Relatively safe area during the recent anti-government protests and riots, although two banks were burned down in this area.

Pahonyothin/Ladprao Area - The Payonyothin/Ladprao area of Bangkok is popular with those expats who don't always need to be enjoying the bar scene every night. It's also a great neighborhood for families. If you live on Pahonyothin or Ladprao roads, you're only 5-10 minutes from to a sky train or underground train station and another 15 minutes to downtown. You're close Central Ladprao shopping mall, a few minutes from Major Cineplex and its bowling alley and movie theatres, and close to Chatuchak Weekend Market, south east Asia's largest outdoor market. There are four large supermarkets within a few minutes of each other as well as thousands of restaurants, cafes and street stalls.

In the Pahonyothin/Ladprao area, apartments, town houses and houses are 50% cheaper than similar properties downtown. The traffic is usually lighter and getting to Suvarnabhumi Airport is less than a 30 minute drive. The Pahonyothin/Ladprao area has a large number of schools and universities - important if you're a teacher and need a job.** This area was also an excellent location to live in during Bangkok's recent political riots - as it's out of the main downtown area so no problems occured here.

Sukhumvit Area - Sukhumvit is the main road that runs all the way through Bangkok, so the Sukhumvit area covers many kilometers. Living on or just off Sukhumvit can be a great decision as you're close to major hotels, top restaurants and cafes, many of Bangkok's tourist attractions and slap bang next to the main sky train and underground train stations. Most of the city's enormous malls are close by and, if you like the river, taking a boat up the Chao Praya is easy too.

The Sukhumvit area is much more expensive for finding accommodation though as everyone wants to live here. An apartment that would cost 9,000 baht a month ($300) in the Pahonyothin/Ladprao area is 18,000 baht or more just off Sukhumvit. There are also less townhouses and houses for rent, so less choice. ** If Bangkok has future political problems or riots though, they're likely to happen again in the downtown area and Sukhumvit can be severely impacted.

Victory Monument Area - The Victory Monument area is popular with Thai university students. It's a cheaper area, it's close to the sky train and less than 10 minutes to downtown Bangkok. You're also close to Chatuchak Weekend Market here. The Victory Monument area has movie theatres, lots of cafes, restaurants, a cool jazz pub with nightly live music, and many street stalls serving cheap Thai food.

Apartments, again, are mid-range. Cheaper than the Sukhumvit area but slightly more expensive than Pahonyothin/Ladprao due to its closer proximity to downtown Bangkok. But, there's a good choice of apartments, townhouses and houses. Victory Monument is not too far from the Chao Praya River and many tourist attractions. ** Was severely impacted by the anti-government riots this week, with several buildings in the area being burned to the ground.

Soi Langsuan Area - One of the most upscale neighborhoods in Bangkok, the Soi Langsuan area is full of high-end apartment buildings. It's also the trendy place to eat out with high-end restaurants and cafes, a Starbucks located in a beautiful traditional Thai house, and close to Central Chidlom department store. Soi Langusan is just down the street from the Chidlom sky train station, so it's easy to get around the city and less than 10 minutes from everything the Sukhumvit area has to offer.

Apartment prices on Soi Langsuan are high, both for rent or to purchase, with average rental prices over 60-70,000 baht a month ($2-2,300 a month), exorbitant for most Bangkokians. If you love luxury and serviced apartments though, the Soi Langsuan area has the best of the best. ** Very badly impacted by anti-government protests and subsequent riots. In the last week of the protests, most Soi Langsuan residents had to move out due to military shooting at protesters and protesters responding with firecrackers and molatov cocktails.

5 markets in Bangkok you shouldn’t miss.

Exploring the wet market in Singapore.

If you arrive in a different city and want to see the real life, markets are the best place to do so. Most of the times, you’ll be the only white person there, because a lot of “regular” travellers don’t dare to go there. That’s a big mistake…but that’s just my opinion.
Since we recently stayed in Thailand for two weeks and had a bit of bad luck with the weather on Koh Kood island, we had four days in Bangkok before returning home. I’ve heard from many people that Bangkok is not that special and there really isn’t that much to see. Well, what can I say?! I’ll have to prove them wrong ;) Here are 5 markets you shouldn’t miss:

Klong Toey Fresh Market.

Klong Toey Fresh Market is Bangkok’s biggest fresh market. This market almost seems like a little village within Bangkok. Why? Two reasons: First, it’s so huge that just by walking around in the distict Klong Toey, you’ll somehow end up at the market…there’s no need to walk through little side alleys to get there. And second because you simply find everything you need. Whether it’s food, stationary, kitchenware or cloths. Plus, the district Klong Toey is the biggest slum & sea port area in Bangkok, so there’s a crowd around all the time. It’s a big must for every market fan!

Facts.

• Opening hours: Daily from 6.00 am – 2.00 am
• How to get there: Take the MRT subway to Klong Toey station, exit up the escalators and then walk east on Thang Rakfaiko / Rama IV Road for ten minutes until you reach the large intersection of Rama IV and Narong Road. The market will be on your right-hand side. Or, you can take bus numbers 45, 46, 72, 102, or 107 to the area.
• What to find there: Meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, herbs & spices, cloths – pretty much everything you need.

The main building of Klong Toey market.

Since we are talking about a wet market, a pig's head is nothing special...

There's also a fruit section at Klong Toey.

And a household supply section.

Fresh crabs.

Uploading the purchases.

Chatuchak Market.

The Chatuchak Market (JJ) is one of the world’s largest weekend markets. It covers an area of almost 30 Acres, is divided into 28 different sections & contains more than 15.000 booths selling goods from all over Thailand. You can imagine my face when I stepped out of the BTS train and saw this huge market…jaw dropping. The Chatuchak Market is a very popular shopping destination for Thais but has also become very popular with tourists. Thais from all over the country come here to buy goods for their local shop. Each day, about 200.000 visitors come here (30 % tourists). You can pretty much find everything there, from books to antiques to live animals and plants.
Yes, Chatuchak Makret sounds like a true shopper’s delight. For me, it was much less than that; not only am I not a fan of huge gatherings, but also the entire area was simply too large. As soon as we stepped out of the BTS train, the crowds started showing up. The way from the BTS station to the entrance of the market was maybe only 100 meters, yet it took us almost 15 minutes to get there. Viewing the market from above (from the bridge from the BTS station to the market area) still made it all quite clear but as soon as we were down in the crowd, our orientation got lost. I suggest that you go with the flow, because otherwise you’re just going to struggle. They’ll lead you somewhere anyway.

Tips.

• Chances of getting lost in the crowd are high. If you’re there with a friend, make sure you conclude a meeting point before.
• Wear comfy shoes; you’ll walk a lot.
• Drink, drink, drink…you’ll sweat like a pig so keep your water level high!

Facts.

• Opening hours: Wednesday-Thursday (Plants & Flowers) 6.00 am – 6.00 pm. Friday (Wholesale day) 6.00 am – 6.00 pm. Saturday-Sunday (Miscellaneous) 6.00 am – 6.00 pm.
• How to get there: Skytrain (BTS) to Mo Chit station; take exit no. 1 and follow the crowd.
• What to find there: Ah well, you’ve 30 Acres of pretty much everything you need (or don’t need).

Just follow the crowd to Chatuchak market.

One of the many aisles at Chatuchak.

You'll pretty much find anything at Chatuchak market.

Food stalls are all around Chatuchak market; 200.000 mouths need to be fed every day ;)

 Bo Be Tower Clothing Market.

Bo Be market has been known as the center of garment wholesale for over 30 years. Today there are well over 1.300 shops under one roof making Bo Be the biggest garment wholesale center in Thailand. Furthermore, Bo Bae offers you shipping services to send your cargo worldwide. It is THE place for all types of clothing, for men, women and children; casual and formal. I liked this market because it was not so over run by people. And I actually bought something for a change ;) A shirt for my dad for about 40 bath…pretty darn cheap.

Facts.

• Opening hours: Daily
• How to get there : Taxi or Bus no. 1, 4, 7, 25, 53
• What to get there: Cloths (including traditions Thai cloths), shoes, bags, etc.

Jeans paradise...

This is in front of the tower where you'll also find tons of cloths.

Saphan Khao Fruit Market.

I have never seen so many fruits in one spot as on the  Saphan Khao Fruit Market. Truly unbelieveable! Tons and tons of different fruits. You’ll get every exotic fruit there is right here. We were told that all of Bangkok comes here for fruits; whether it’s the local food vendor from next door or the chef of a five star restaurant. Saphan Khao is THE place to go to!

Facts.

• Opening Hours: Daily from 6.00 am – 6.00 pm (as far as the taxi driver told me correctly)
• How to get there: Bus no. 2, 59, 60, 79, 511 or Taxi
• What to get there: All kind of fruits in huge quantities.

You'll find fresh watermelons...

...heaps of Mangos...

...tons of pineapples...

...lots of starfruits...

...and my favorite: Papayas ;)

Pak Klong Talat Flower Market.

Pak Klong Talat is a large wholesale flower market. Merchants travel here from all over Thailand to sell their flowers and wandering the streets here is a colourful and fragrant experience. Out of all the markets, this one was the least “spectacular”; not because there was nothing to see but more because by the time we got there it was 3.00 pm and the “trading traffic” was over already. Next time I’ll be there at 2.00 am, cause that’s when the business starts at Pak Klong Talat.

Facts.

• Opening hours: 2.00 am – 6.00 pm
• How to get there: The market is on Chakphet Road. You can either get there by Taxi zu erreichen or with the Express Boat (station Saphan Phut) and then by foot.
• What to get there: Flowers, flowers & more flowers.

Lots of lovely smelling flowers can be found at Pak Klong Talat.

Tons of roses...

Orchids are one of the main flowers that are sold at Pak Klong Talat.

If you’ve read the entire article (or just looked at the photos), you’ll realize that the markets in Bangkok are a big must. Not only for fans like me but everyone. If you have the time, stay one or two more days and check some of them out. You won’t be able to get to all of them anyway but one or the other would not only make a great story but you’d be able to see how life in Bangkok really is.

Bangkok's Classiest Neighbourhood - Guide to Apartment

Find One of The Classiest Bangkok Neighborhoods here

One of the classiest Bangkok Neighborhoods, Neighborhood I comprises of area bordered by Rachadamri Rd., Ploenchit Rd., Witthayu Rd. and Rama 4 Rd. This area is closest to everything; classy shopping places, top rated hotels, apartments and condos, business offices, big park and sports club, and three Skytrain stations.

Overall, this neighborhood deserves a 4.5 stars rating, with Rachadamri Rd. a definite 5 stars.

Rachadamri Road and Ploenchit Road are two premier walk-around routes where you can find one of the classiest Bangkok’s accommodations. Ploenchit Road is analogous to Singapore's Orchard Road, where you will find first class shopping centers, condos, hotels and restaurants. Langsuan Road has many nice apartments and condos as well as nice restaurants. Chidlom Road has business offices, a luxury shopping center, fine hotels and restaurants.  Soi Somkid a side street is right next door to Central Chidlom (a luxury department store) and Soi Tonson is a side street on the opposite side of Soi Somkid; both have nice condos and apartments.

Witthayu Road is embassy row for the US, British and others; there are luxury hotels, apartments and condos here.

Neighborhood II is a 4.0 for it's high class city 's residential surroundings.


Soi Ruamrudee is another side street in the classiest Bangkok neighborhoods with nice condominiums, apartments, hotels and restaurants. Soi Nailert is close to Ploenchit SkyTrain Station; Duang Phitak Road has a large office building next to a nice hotel.



Neighborhood III is a 3.5 for being a bit further away from the center of town.



Sukhumvit Soi 2 has JW Mariotte Hotel, Starbuck, Haagen-Daz, homes, condos and serviced apartments while Sukhumvit Soi 4 has a little night entertainment zone; it's not exactly a family type side street.

Sukhumvit Soi 6 has some abandon areas, then nice condos and a hotel. Sukhumvit Soi 8 has a boutique hotel and few restaurants. Then Sukhumvit Soi 10 features a nice park at the entrance; some nice serviced apartments and condos. Sukhumvit Soi 12 is another quiet residential Soi with few nice apartments.

Sukhumvit Soi 14 is a gem and it's inside one of the classiest Bangkok neighborhoods; there's a nice condo and lovely homes here. Sukhumvit Soi 1 is more commercials and Bumrungrad hospital is here; there are some condos.

Sukhumvit Soi 3 is very commercial with lots of shops and restaurants. Sukhumvit Soi 5 is another hectic Soi while Sukhumvit Soi 7 is much quieter with some nice condos.

Sukhumvit Soi 11 is more business than residential; it has three banks, six hotels, serviced apartments and quite a few restaurants. Sukhumvit Soi 13 is less hectic with a large retail office building near the entrance, then as you walk in further, there are some high rise condos.

Rachadaphisek Road is mostly businesses with some nice condos. Sukhumvit Soi 15looks quiet but does have constant flow of traffics; it has some condos further in but a bit difficult to walk there due to the traffics. Sukhumvit Soi 17 is very nice with a big department store at the entrance; some nice condos here. Sukhumvit Soi 19 is more business with some apartments and condos.


Neighborhood XI is a definite 4.0 for its closeness to the center of town and most of the luxury shopping centers in Bangkok. It's also part of the classiest Bangkok neighborhoods.



Central World, a luxury shopping center is on Rachadamri Rd.(east of Rama I) Rama I Rd.(north of Rachadamri Rd.) has more high class shopping centers; Siam Paragon, Siam Discovery and Siam Square.

Henry Dunant Road has Siam Square, an oldest high class open mall in Bangkok with Lacost, Cardin, Guy Laroach and Polo shops. Then, Chulalongkorn, the most prestigious Thai university is located on Phaya Thai Rd. You will also find MBK, a popular department store here.

On the corner of Phaya Thai Rd. and Rama I Rd.(West) you have MBK, a shopping center; and a new City art center on the east side. The National Stadium is also here. Soi Kasem San 1 has quite a few nice condominiums, a boutique hotel and few Bed & Breakfast places. Soi Kasem San 2 also has few condos and a museum.