Bangkok Budget Hotel And
Guesthouse
ABOUT BANGKOK CITY
Bangkok Travel Tips
Customs and etiquette
As with any Asian clime, there are many dos and don’ts to keep in
mind in Bangkok. Always dress appropriately when visiting temples,
which means no serious amounts of flesh showing (keeping the knees
and shoulders covered), and removing shoes.
Public displays of affection are frowned upon, as is shouting and
showing anger, while women should never touch a monk. Also, be sure
not to point with your feet or pick your teeth with your fingers in
public. Thais greet with a traditional wai, which is the palms
together in a prayer like format and head slightly bowed.
Money
Thailand uses the baht, which is split into 100 satang and comes in
1,000, 500, 100, 50, and 20 baht notes. Money is best exchanged at
the airport as it has better rates, while banks will also change
monies. Products and services are relatively expensive in Bangkok
compared with the Thai national average, yet perhaps under half of
Western countries for hotels and eating out.
ATMs are everywhere and the bulk of them accept major foreign debit
and credit cards. Be aware that there is a standard charge when
drawing on a foreign account at an ATM. Credit cards are accepted at
the big stores, restaurants and hotels.
Weather
November through March is the coolest, driest time in Bangkok, yet
also happens to be the busiest when hotels must be booked in
advance. While March through May is not rainy season, it can become
unbearably hot and humid, particularly so in April. June through
October is the rainy season, with the heaviest rains generally
appearing in September during the afternoon.
Transportation
It is not as tough to get around Bangkok using public transport as
it once was. While it’s true that it is a huge, noisy and congested
city, there is now a subway and elevated railway that take in the
tourist areas. They are known as the Bangkok Metro (MRT) and the
Bangkok Skytrain (BTS) respectively and both are modern, cheap and
fully air-conditioned.
Buses, both air-conditioned and fan-only, offer the cheapest form of
travel and cover virtually every destination, although tourists are
not advised to use them. Taxis are the most convenient form of
transport outside of rush hours and they are metered and cheap. The
so-called noisy tuk-tuk (three-wheelers) is a bit of a novelty and
nippy, but is open to traffic and quite smelly. The river and canals
can be seen by charter boat or ferry.
Metered taxis, limousines and express buses run to the city from the
Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), accessible at the first floor exit and
the nearby transport center. Sadly, however, most taxis will refuse
the meter and quote a ridiculous price. Simply move to the next one
or try and snag a taxi upstairs outside Departures. The Skytrain
will also soon access the airport.
Fast facts
Population: 11 million
Founded: 1782
Spoken languages: Thai, English in tourist areas
Electrical: 220 to 240 Volts, 50 Hertz
Phone/calling code: +62 2
A Bangkok travel guide – elaborate
temples, street food and top-notch nightlife
Courtesy of The Tourism Authority of Thailand (London) Image Library
A Bangkok city break is a sensory overload. From colourful temples
and bustling night bazaars to the aromas of street food and hum of
tuk-tuk taxis, there’s never a dull moment on a stay in a Bangkok
hotel.
Five things to love about Bangkok
The short cross-river ferry trip across Chao Phraya River to Wat
Arun (Temple of the Dawn) – cross back for sunset
Ending a day of sightseeing with a rejuvenating traditional Thai
massage
A classy cocktail in Vertigo’s 61st-floor alfresco rooftop bar for
sublime Bangkok city views near Lumphini Park
Seeing boat vendors selling everything from fruit to kebabs at
Damnoen Saduak floating market near Bangkok
Sailing around the canals (khlongs) of old Bangkok in Thonburi, west
of the river, on a long-tail boat
Bangkok’s historical legacies
A highlight of any Bangkok city break is the historical Ratanakosin
district, west of the centre. The sprawling riverside Grand Palace
houses many of Bangkok’s 400 Buddhist temples including the ornate
Wat Phra Kaeo, home of the revered Emerald Buddha. See the 46m-long,
15m-high Reclining Buddha at nearby Wat Pho and visit the National
Museum for a Thai history tour through artefacts and artworks.
Capital shopping
Ever-expanding malls like the famous MBK have transformed Bangkok
into a shopping Mecca. West of busy Sukhumvit road is CentralWorld,
one of South-east Asia’s largest malls. By night, the nearby covered
Suan Lum Night Bazaar by Lumphini Park is the perfect spot to pick
up Thai cushions, bags and jewellery. At weekends, barter your way
around Chatuchak Market’s 15,000 stalls, selling everything from
fashion to furnishings.
Bangkok nights
Clubs and bars abound along Sukhumvit road, its most famous haunt
the trendy Bed Supper Club with its four-course weekend dinner. The
Oriental hotel’s riverside Bamboo Bar is renowned for live jazz in a
jungle-themed setting, while Patpong’s night market, near Lumphini
Park, hides a hive of Bangkok’s infamous go-go bars. You’ll be more
than ready to collapse into your Bangkok hotel bed.
Local dining
Bangkok is a 24-hour city. Night markets, street vendors and classy
restaurants serve tantalising fare like spicy tom yum gai soup and
bowls of green, red and yellow curry. Dinner cruises along Bangkok’s
Chao Phraya River and Chinatown’s noodle shops are a must-try, as is
Thai fusion cuisine in Lemongrass on Sukhumvit road. Make the most
of exotic fruits from mangos to passion fruit.
Bangkok Food and Dining Guide
Bangkok food goes from cheap and tasty noodle and rice dishes
from street vendors up to high class dining in five-star hotels, and
everything in between. Obviously Thai food is the big eat, although
it is not hard to find virtually any type of cuisine here. In
addition, most malls come with a generous supply of food courts,
coffee shops, and burger joints.
Thai food is based around herbs and spices and is traditionally
spicy, yet most places will intentionally tone it down for the
foreigner. It is among the world’s greatest cuisines and is turned
around very fast when compared with Western dishes. Most of the top
restaurants are French or Italian themed.
Bangkok food prices are relatively expensive, but if you’ve just
come in from overseas you won’t believe how cheap it is.
Siam Square
This is the most altogether part of central Bangkok and is good for
both shopping and eating. All shopping malls here have one or more
large food courts, and Siam Paragon in particular has some excellent
eating. There are hawker stands on the roads in between malls along
with popular Western fast food.
Sukhumvit Road
Most street corners are lined with restaurants and food vendors at
the top end of Sukhumvit, where tourists usually hang out. Head down
virtually any street here and you will come across a decent amount
of Thai and Western eateries.
Silom Road
Possibly the best eating in town, Silom Road has the higher end of
restaurant, as well as plenty of fast food options like McDonalds
and Burger King. All you can eat buffet restaurants can be found
here also, with the streets around Sala Daeng Skytrain station
having the best of it.
Chinatown
Chinatown is just west of Siam Square and is best reached by meter
taxi, or tuk-tuk when it’s not too hot. It easily has the best
Chinese food in town and at cheap prices. There are also one or two
smart expat bars around here, such as O’Reilly’s on the banks of the
canal.
Banglamphu and Ratanakosin
This is the historic part of Bangkok, which includes the river,
where there are many fancy hotels like the Oriental, and Khao San
Road. In general, you won’t get the best Thai food here as the whole
area virtually caters to the tourist palate.
Bangkok restaurants
Woodlands Inn Restaurant
Contact : Mansoor
1158/5-7 Thanon Charoen Krung, Soi-32
(Next to Central Post office)
Bangrak, Bangkok, 10500, Thailand.
Tel: (662)235-3894 ,(662) 235-6640 ,(662) 235-6641 ,(662) 235-6767
Hotel Fax :(662) 237-5493 ,(662) 224-0805 ,(662) 226-3029
Hotel email : manager@woodlandsinn.org
Bangkok Sightseeing Guide
Bangkok has a fine array of attractions and landmarks that will
appeal to any tourist. Its main claim to fame is its collection of
beautiful temples, of which there are more than 400 in the city,
with the Grand Palace complex being particularly special. It sits on
Rattanakosin Island (old Bangkok), where many other high profile
temples and palaces are, along with the buzzing street of Khao San
Road.
The best time for exploring Bangkok is in the morning no matter what
time of year you visit. This is to avoid the excessive heat and
humidity that inevitably builds up and also to avoid the crowds.
Taking a meter taxi (air-conditioned) when the Skytrain or subway is
not available is the best bet for sightseeing.
Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
The main landmark in Bangkok, the Grand Palace is resplendent in
gold trimming and consists of the greatest collection of temples in
the capital. It is pricey to enter for foreigners but is well worth
it and can be explored on foot. Wat Phra Kaew is the main attraction
inside the complex with the Emerald Buddha.
Wat Pho
The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is next door to the Grand Palace
and has the distinction of being the largest temple in town. There
are Buddha statues in here galore, including that of the massive
gold-plated, 160-foot long, 60-foot high Reclining Buddha. It is the
main sight in here and features mother-of-pearl soles. The massage
in Wat Pho is purported to be the best in town.
Wat Traimit
Wat Traimit is another of Bangkok’s must-see temples, with its
five-ton solid gold Buddha that was only discovered by accident in
the 1960s. It was hidden from view for centuries owing to the
rampaging Burmese.
Vimanmek Teak Mansion and Dusit Palace
The world’s largest teak building sits in the stunning Dusit Palace
area and is a remarkable example of Thai workmanship of old. Be sure
to get an insight into the Thai monarchy by checking out the
fascinating collection of photographs. The palace is near Dusit Zoo
and Khao San Road and is easily reached by meter taxi.
Wat Arun
The Temple of Dawn is just over the river from the Grand Palace and
you can get there by walking from the palace to the ferry terminal,
taking the short hop for a few baht, and then wondering around the
ancient structure. It is a 200-foot tall, 17th century structure
with great forms and views.
Khao San Road
The bohemian backpacker capital of the continent resides north of
the Grand Palace and is loaded to the hilt with cheap (and some
upmarket) hotels, cafés, shops, and bars. Traffic-free by night,
Khao San is a popular attraction in its own right as well as a place
to stay. Get here by tuk-tuk or meter taxi.
Jim Thompson’s House
This was the home of the American entrepreneur who revitalized
Thailand’s silk industry and subsequently disappeared in the
mountains of Malaysia in the 1960s. Jim Thompson’s House is a
traditional Thai teak house with several structures and is today a
fascinating museum.
Bangkok Shopping Guide
As a pastime, shopping in Bangkok is second only to its nightlife.
The city is loaded up with malls, arcades, swanky department stores
and street and floating markets, so that you can virtually shop from
dawn to dusk.
Kaohsiung Shopping Guide
The big malls like the Siam Center and Paragon are well placed and
very smart and generally come loaded with higher-end shops, as well
as eating and entertainment options. Some of the best shopping can
be had in the night markets and in Chinatown, however, where you can
bargain and have fun.
Best buys in Bangkok are copied clothes, sunglasses and computer
software, as well as silk items and gold and jewelry.
Siam Square
Bangkok’s Times Square is a buzzing area in the center of Bangkok
that is surrounded by glitzy shopping malls connected by a series of
walkways. It is a great meeting place and can be accessed by subway
or Skytrain and also comes with movie theaters and a nice
shopping/eating street.
Sukhumvit
Sukhumvit is the main thoroughfare in Bangkok and is lined with
shopping plazas and department stores all the way to soi (street) 63
at Ekkamai. The bulk of the action is between sois 3 and 21 (Asok),
while soi 1 has a bunch of galleries and boutiques. Best shopping is
during the day.
Silom-Surawong-Patpong
Nearby Silom Road is the commercial heart of Bangkok and is home to
dozens of smart shops and arcades. Surawong Road is nearby and is
also popular, while Patpong Road runs between the two and really
comes alive at night with its market and sexy bars.
Ploenchit-Ratchaprasong
You will find the likes of the Gaysorn Plaza, Peninsula Plaza, and
Central department store in this area, along with other high-fliers.
Central World Plaza is good for handicrafts and Gaysorn for jewelry.
You can shop here all times of the day and year.
Chinatown
Best seen in the morning for the shopping to avoid the incessant
heat, Yaowarat Road and Sampheng Lane are the main Chinatown
thoroughfares. They feature a profusion of typical Chinese medicinal
outlets and red and gold jewelry shops. Nearby is Ban Mo Jewelry
Street and Old Siam Plaza, other popular traditional shopping
places.
Jewelry And Gemstone Factory
M.I.JEWELRY CO.,LTD.
110-112, Song Sawat Road,
Samphanthawong,
China Town,
Bangkok - 10100, Thailand
Email:
onlinesales@mijewels.com
Tel : +662-2254565-6, 2225383
Fax: +662-2263029, 2240805
Suan Lum Night Bazaar
One of the main shopping experiences can be had at Suan Lum Night
Bazaar, which is open-air and is popular with tourists and locals.
You can pick up cheap clothes, souvenirs and food here. It also
comes with a large food court and beer gardens and is noisy and
lively.
Bangkok shopping tips
Wear cool clothes, as Bangkok is always hot, and do your market
shopping in the morning (avoid rush hour) if you can. Always compare
prices between one stall and the next and don’t be afraid to ask for
a discount even in a swanky store with fixed prices. Be sure to
check for any flaws when shopping at the market and ask for tax
forms at the big stores.
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