Discover Bangkok Thailand – The Best Travel Guide 2023
Discover Bangkok Thailand - The Best Travel Guide 2023
In September 2019 we decided to make a round trip to Asia and we found at Lidl Holidays, a very good offer. We found a round trip to visit 3 countries: Cambodia, Vietnam and Bangkok Thailand for 12 days with all visits included and breakfast .We paid 1300 euros per person and honestly I did not have high expectations from hotels considering that these countries are quite poor. Surprise, however! Lidl company exceeded all expectations, we had some beautiful hotels and rooms in this trip, and the breakfast was always rich and tasty.
Table of Contents
Thailand Map
Informations
Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of the Kingdom of Thailand and has a population of over 8 million, or 12.6 percent of the country’s population. Over 14 million people (22.2 percent) live within the surrounding Bangkok Metropolitan Region.
Temperature: The best months to visit Bangkok are: January, December, February, November, July.
Language: The official language of Thailand is Thai, but the people that work tourist locations speak English.
Currency: Thai Baht (THB) aprox 1 USD=31 THB/1 EUR=38 THB
Food Prices: Cheap Restaurant 4 USD/person, Mid-range Restaurant 2 persons 27 USD
Informations about Visa you can find here.
Things to do
We left Cambodia for Bangkok and after a rather tiring bus trip and a long queue at the border we managed to reach our 5 star hotel, which was impressive. As I said, we had very good conditions at the hotels .In Vietnam and Cambodia we had visits included, but in Bangkok we was 3 days on our own, no visits included and as usual we tried to visit everything we could.
The first day we took the taxi in front of the hotel to Siam park, an amusement and water park outside the city. The price of the taxi was very ok and fair, but on the way back we kind of regretted the decision to go so far because taxi drivers from the park had colossal prices when they heard that we was going to a 5 star hotel. We were lucky with a Thai lady who helped us get a price that was a bit ok. This is why we recommend you to pick this tour with transport so will have no problems. These are our memories from the Siam Park:
Siam Park
Siam Park City is an amusement and theme park in the Khan Na Yao district of Bangkok, Thailand. It opened in November 1980.
In the evening we headed to Neon Night Market, and again be careful not to take a taxi directly in front of the market, better walk a little and then take one.
The second day we visited the Grand Palace and the temples of Wat Saket and Wat Benchamabophit:
The Grand Palace
The Grand Palace was the official residence of the Kings of Siam in Bangkok from the late 18th century to the mid-20th century. After the death of King Ananda Mahidol in 1946 at Borom Phiman Palace, King Bhumibol Adulyadej decided to move the residence to Chitralada Residence of Dusit Palace.
Wat Saket
Wat Saket Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Bangkok. It is located in Pom Prap Sattru Phai District. Wat Saket is a Second Class Royal Temple. In the western part of the temple precinct is a 79 meter high man-made hill crowned with a golden chedi, to which 318 steps lead. It is one of Bangkok’s biggest attractions.
Wat Benchamabophit
Wat Benchamabophit is a Buddhist temple in the Dusit district of Bangkok, Thailand. It is also known as the “Marble Temple”. It will also become a tourist attraction. In 2005, Wat Benchamabophit was proposed by UNESCO for the List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Humanity.
When evening came we had dinner in the tallest tower in Bangkok which has a 360 degree view of the city. It was a unique experience.
Baiyoke Tower 2
Baiyoke Tower 2 is a skyscraper in Bangkok and is the third tallest building in Thailand. Without the antenna, the building is 304 meters high, with the antenna the building is 328 meters high. The deep foundation is carried out with the help of bored piles at a depth of 65 meters. In the immediate vicinity is the smaller, 151 m high Baiyoke Tower 1.
On our last day of our 12-day trip, we decided to make the most of what Bangkok has to offer and visited Lumphini park and the most famous temples: Wat Arun, Wat Phra, Wat Suthat and Wat Pho. In the evening we had dinner on a beautiful cruise ship and had spectacular views over the city at night.
Lumphini Park
Lumphini Park is the largest park in central Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. It is located in Pathum Wan district and is itself a sub-district of this district.
Wat Arun
Wat Pho is a First Class Royal Temple, a Buddhist temple located in the center of historic Bangkok, just south of the Royal Palace. Its official name is Wat Phra Chettuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Ratchaworamahawihan, but locals still call it Wat Pho after its historical name, Wat Photharam, which is said to commemorate the Bodhi Tree Monastery in Bodhgaya.
Wat Phra Kaeo
Temple of the Emerald Buddha, official name Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram, is the temple of the king in the old royal palace in Bangkok.
Wat Suthat
Wat Suthat is a Buddhist temple in the Phra Nakhon district of Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. Covering an area of about 40 hectares, it is one of the largest temples in Bangkok. King Rama I had it built for a Buddha statue from Wat Mahāthāt in Sukhothai, the eight meter tall Buddha Shakyamuni.
Wat Pho
Wat Pho is a First Class Royal Temple, a Buddhist temple located in the center of historic Bangkok, just south of the Royal Palace. Since Wat Photharam was already mentioned in the Ayutthaya Chronicle during the reign of Phra Petracha, it may have been founded in the 17th century. King Rama I restored and expanded the temple to establish his new capital, Bangkok, and gave it its current name. All other kings of the Chakri dynasty also expanded and restored this royal temple.
Wonderful night cruise
Enjoy an evening dinner cruise, traveling along Bangkok’s main waterway. Experience the magic of the illumination of the city’s temples and other historic monuments. Take in views of both banks of the river from the open-air upper deck. Soak up the atmosphere of the city’s top landmarks and monuments illuminated at night, and tuck into an elegant gourmet buffet dinner of international fare, accompanied by light background music.
Asiatique The Riverfront
Illuminated Ferris wheel with river views
Where to stay
A good night’s sleep is particularly important when you are travelling. Thailand offers its guests a host of luxurious, charming and also out-of-the-ordinary accommodation.
Whether in the heart of the city, near the lake or surrounded by nature – Thailand‘s hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses guarantee a relaxing and invigorating stay.
We managed to find the best three companies that offer hotels, holiday homes and transportation. These are: Booking.com, Trip.com and Vrbo. We have already tested these companies and we warmly recommend them. As a result this will just bring you good deals for your next vacation.
Top hotels in Bangkok: Ekanek Hostel, Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn , Kinnon Deluxe Hostel Coworking Cafe
What to Eat
Kai pad med ma muang is stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts.
Green chicken curry contains coconut milk, cherry-sized eggplants, bamboo shoots, galangal, lemongrass, coriander and sweet basil.
Fried rice, or khao pad, is often enjoyed for lunch in Bangkok.
Gaeng daeng is an aromatic red curry containing meat, red curry paste and smooth coconut milk, along with a sprinkling of sliced kaffir lime leaves on top.
Kway Teow (noodle soup)
Pad Woon Sen (Stir-fried Glass Noodles)
The Tom Yum soup is often made with pork, chicken, or shrimp and the broth include lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, fresh lime juice, and chilies.
Pad Thai is the national food of Thailand and famous all over the world. The rice noodles are stir-fried with eggs and the choice of protein. It’s often served with bean sprouts, garlic chives, turnips, chopped roasted peanuts, red chili pepper and lime on the side.
Pad Krapow Moo is one of the most classic dishes to eat in Thailand, and it’s a stir-fry with pork, holy basil and green beans which are stir-fried together with ginger, garlic, lime, and chilies.
Gaeng Massaman Gai – The main ingredients are chicken and potatoes along with the Massaman curry.
Gai Med Ma Muang – stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts
Tod Mun Pla is also known as Thai fish cakes
Restaurants Bangkok Thailand
The Baiyoke Sky Tower – also known as Baiyoke Tower 2 – is an incredible 328 meters including the antenna and 304 meters high up to the roof. We had dinner here and it was an amazing experience! The food was tasty and the views are breathtaking. We can just recommend it!
Vertigo Restaurant Located on the roof of the famous 5-star Hotel Banyan Tree, you will not only be served delicious drinks, but also excellent food from the kitchen – and all this with the magnificent view that only a location on the 61st floor can offer you.
The high-class restaurant “nahm”, was the first Thai food restaurant in Thailand in 2015 to make it onto the renowned “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list.
Jamie’s Italian Siam Discovery – Jamie Oliver’s team serves delicious classics of Italian cuisine with a twist!
The VOGUE Lounge – Appetizers, cocktails and music in style
J’aime by Jean-Michel Lorain – the youngest chef in France to be awarded the coveted three Michelin stars in 1986 will cook tasty foods for you at his luxury restaurant!
The Sirocco Restaurant – Dine in the world’s tallest open-air restaurant
The “Gaggan” in Bangkok – Indian cuisine in a colonial atmosphere
The “Savelberg” – modern French cuisine with a Dutch twist
Saving Tips
- Fly to Thailand on Weekdays
- Bring Cash and Withdraw Large Amounts from the ATM
- Take Public Transport or Hire a Motorbike
- Avoid Peak Season to Visit Thailand
- Compare before Booking Trips
- Haggle, haggle, haggle
- Travel to the north of Thailand! Is cheaper!
-
You can also try Hop-on, Hop-off tours or Big Bus tours and spare some money. As we are presenting a lot of good options you just have to pick the perfect one for you!
If you do not go by car and need to know more informations about the tours, things to see and do, we recommend this two companies that are offering tours for any kind of activity you want to do and where you can buy trips much cheaper than if you buy them when you arrive at your destination. It is always good to be able to save some money!
Viator and Get Your Guide : the best activities in town!
When you think about your dream vacation, you also need to plan your budget! This is why we found the perfect partner – Check24 ! We traveled with a lot of companies and they are the best if you need comfort, luxury but also fair prices! And this is very important! You can now travel and really enjoy your vacation, when you know that you can live your travel dream by paying a fair price.
When you think travel, think Orbitz ! They are one of the leading U.S. online travel websites, offering a full range of travel products and services. They got everything from flights, hotels, and car rentals to cruises, travel insurance, and destination services from suppliers worldwide.
Whe have even more good news! We have the best partners from around the world and you can find your dream vacation right here! We are sure that you will find everything you need – Just check our partners websites and find your dream vacation!
There’s no feeling in the world like connecting with new places, people and experiences through travel. From the iconic to the unexpected, get those “pinch me” moments through a series of Trafalgar highlights others may never know about, or have access to.
Shopping
Pantip Plaza – Looking for a new mobile, notebook or the latest gadget? If you want to see the latest trends in computers then Pantip Plaza is your heaven on earth.
Sampeng Lane – Chinatown
Siam Square – Pratunam is well-known among locals as Bangkok’s wholesale fashion district, where streetwear meets odd fashion meets tomorrow’s trends.
Icon Siam Mall – has 500 shops and 100 restaurants from more than 30 different countries.
Asiatique: The Riverfront has successfully combined 2 of the most popular shopping experiences in the city: a night bazaar and a mall and has more than over 1,500 boutiques and 40 restaurants. You can also watch a Muay Thai fight or cabaret show in the evenings.
Floating markets around Bangkok
Khao San – Patpong – Rod Fai Market – Night markets
Chatuchak Weekend Market is the ultimate outdoor Bangkok shopping experience. You will be amazed by its sprawling size, but perhaps even more so by the unbelievable variety of wares.
Getting Around
The best way to get around Bangkok is by Skytrain or Metro, which is fast, affordable and easily navigable for visitors. The city also offers an extensive network of buses, but these are prone to traffic jams, which the city is notorious for. Taxis are fairly cheap, but again, gridlock is a regular issue.
Bangkok has two major train networks which are the fastest and most convenient ways to get around ‘new’ Bangkok (Silom, Sukhumvit and Siam Square).
The elevated BTS, also known as the Skytrain , whisks passengers through ‘new’ Bangkok. It also has a link to the airport. The interchange between the two lines is at Siam station and trains run frequently from 6am to midnight. Fares range from 16B to 52B or 140B for a one-day pass.
Tips for taking a taxi in Bangkok
Never agree to take a taxi that won’t use the meter; usually these drivers park outside hotels and in tourist areas. Simply get one that’s passing by instead.
Once they’ve agreed to ply a route, Bangkok taxi drivers will not usually ‘take you for a ride’ as happens in some other countries; they make more money from passenger turnover.
Auto Europe Car Rental, provides the clients with the best rates & service in the industry! They offer travelers the best rates at 20,000 pickup locations in over 180 countries worldwide. The Auto Europe Advantage: Free Cancellation Up to 48 Hours Before Pickup, Best Rate Guarantee,24/7 Service Hotline from Pickup to Drop off. Enjoy now a 30% discount!
Getting Here
Major airports are : Bangkok Don Mueang, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Chiang Rai Airport, Chiang Mai, Phuket Airport and Krabi Airport. All the airports are international.
Flight times:
London – Bangkok 11h 35 min
NY – Bangkok 20 h with stopover
LA – Bangkok 19 h 15 min
Sydney – Bangkok 9h 30 min
Road passage into Thailand is possible trough Malaysia, Cambodia and Laos. The border crossings are multiple and split into international and local crossing.
Flights are cheapest from May to October as parts of the country are affected by the rainy season. In our journey we saw how the rain can destroy houses and close main roads.
November to March are the most expensive months to fly, so book your tickets in advance!
Qatar Airways is one of the biggest company in the world with unprecedented expansion, flying to over 160 destinations. Enjoy now a 30% discount by booking your flight with us!
If you have not found your desired flight, or you simply want more flight options to find the best and cheapest, we will help you with the best flight plans, where you will definitely find what you are looking for. With just one click you will find the flight to a wonderful destination!
