Visiting Bangkok: How to Spend Your Time

[Simon Hopes]

Whilst Bangkok may not offer the same tourist attractions as a city like Paris or New York, it does showcase attractions and activities that are one-of-a-kind experiences. For example, you can begin your visit to the city by touring the Royal Palace and the adjacent Wat Pho, home of the city’s famous reclining Buddha. While the royal family does not live in the palace any longer, the building is used for state functions.

As a result, you cannot enter any of the buildings on the palace grounds. However, wandering over the grounds and through the open temples is worth the experience. The beauty and craftsmanship of the architecture is simply amazing. If you want to avoid the crowds, it is best to get up early and visit the palace facility in the morning.

Wat Pho and Wat Arun

After visiting the palace, you will want to see Wat Pho and the reclining Buddha. The Wat Pho complex spans a city block. So, even if it does not take long to view the statue, you can spend a good hour walking through the maze on the temple grounds. Once you get done with the excursion, you might think about heading toward Wat Arun where you can view the city from atop the building.

Make Sure You Wear the Proper Attire

When visiting any of the temples in Bangkok, you have to wear apparel that covers your shoulders and legs. That is because it is considered a sign of disrespect to reveal them. If you are not wearing the appropriate coverings, you can rent shirts or pants at the palace. At Wat Pho, the clothes are handed out for free.

You also want to make sure that your accommodation is central to all the surrounding activity. Stay at a luxury accommodation such as the Centre Point Chidlom Hotel to ensure that you are at the centre of all the activities, sites, and attractions. Luxury hotels such as the Centre Point feature a large number of room types as well as such unique offerings as a tuk-tuk service.

Once you are settled into your room or suite, take a tuk-tuk to the Chao Phraya River. You can taxi up and down the city stream for less than a pound. To begin the journey, start at the central pier and then go to the end and return. By contrast, an official tour boat will make stops and provide a commentator to describe certain sites.

One thing that Bangkok possesses that draws the tourists is its temples. Again, hire a tuk-tuk for the day to take you around to see the religious structures. Just make sure you do not include shopping on the trip. Drivers receive kickbacks if they lead customers to certain retailers.

Popular Bangkok Temples

Some of the popular temples include Wat Saket and the Golden Mount, Wat Kalayanamit, Wat Traimit, and Wat Benchamabophit.

Are You Hungry?

If you get hungry, visit Chinatown. The food is the best part of this section of the city. Chinatown is also an excellent place to buy seafood at night.