Bangkok
Late-nights and Thai cultural traditions
Take flights to Bangkok for fragrant street-side food, riverboat rides and Buddhist palaces gleaming gold at sunset.
Things to do
Travel Bangkok's Chao Phraya River as the setting sun silhouettes the profiles of ancient wats (Buddhist temples). Amulet sellers line Tha Maharat, leading to the Grand Palace's spires and bell-shaped stupas.
Shopping
Siamese kittens, pungent spices, fighting cocks, hand-carved masks and reams of technicolour fabrics lure holidaymakers to Bangkok's labyrinthine Chatuchak Weekend Market. Hone your haggling skills and take an early morning Skytrain to explore the market at its coolest.
Restaurants
Plumes of chilli-scented smoke rise from the flaming woks in Banglamphu's narrow sois (backstreets). Chang beer in hand, sit at one of the curb-side stalls, where small change buys you a feast of pad thai noodles, tangy papaya salad and deep-fried shrimp.
Nightlife
Flights to Bangkok take revellers to neon-lit Khao San Road, where tuk-tuks dart like fireflies amid the beer-sipping crowds. For tattoos, massages and the occasional passing elephant, this hedonistic party street is the place to go in Bangkok.
When to go
KLM has frequent flights to Bangkok. Time your Bangkok city break to catch fireworks and marigold-strewn streets at the King's Birthday on 5th December, or water-loaded fun during Songkran (Thai New Year) in April.
Upcoming events
- Bangkok Jazz FestivalMar 2012 (annual)
- Thailand International Furniture FairMar 2012 (annual)
- Show all events
Nightlife
SpotlightQ Bar
Q Bar's upmarket, stylish vibe attracts an international celebrity crowd. Colin Farrell is rumoured to have been a regular. Music More about this item
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SpotlightJim Thompson
Busy Silom is home to one of Bangkok's many Jim Thompson shops. Here lengths of colourful silks are on More about this item
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SpotlightGrand Palace
Bangkok's must-see attraction is the Grand Palace in Rattanakosin. A dazzling display of intricate carving and colour, the palace More about this item
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