Hectic, colourful Bangkok assaults your senses with its floating food markets, picturesque canals, bustling weekend bazaars and golden temples. Immerse yourself in this spectacular city, enjoying its legendary culinary offers - from street food to fine dining - luxe five-star hotels, world class massages, hip boutiques and colourful historic monuments.
Eat & drink
Thai food is legendary worldwide, and Bangkok encompasses the very best - from humble street food sellers that have earned Michelin stars, to fine dining restaurants that blend cuisines from all over the world. For upmarket dining, visit Blue Elephant, renowned for its contemporary Thai cuisine and onsite cookery school, housed in an atmospheric colonial era mansion. Their bamboo cased sea bass is the perfect introduction to fragrant, fresh Thai cooking. For a truly unusual culinary experience, visit Taling Chan Floating Market, where you can board a sampan (small fishing boat) and glide along Bangkok's picturesque maze of canals, stopping to try classic Thai dishes like grilled seafood, noodles and tropical fruit. If you're looking for a place to while the night away, The Never Ending Summer is a hip riverfront bar located in a converted warehouse that attracts local artists and designers.
Sleep
Bangkok's skyline is a vision of sparkling skyscrapers, but on the street level and along the canals you can see hidden teakwood traditional houses. If it's contemporary luxury you're after, stay at SO Sofitel Bangkok, where the best rooms have views over peaceful Lumphini Park and the onsite spa and its lemongrass scented products will soothe you after a busy day sightseeing. For classic chic, the
Siam Hotel Bangkok
(photo) may be more up your street. The five-star hotel is located in a elegant art deco building and conjures up Jazz Era luxury - rooms have black and white beams and antique flourishes, and the hotel is located right next to the breezy Chao Phraya River.
Explore
Bangkok is home to many ancient and stunning monuments, including Buddhist temples and statues. Head over to the Chao Phraya River, where the greatest concentration of historic sites can be found. Wander around the Grand Palace, built with a blend of Italian renaissance and traditional Thai architecture, and admire the spectacular vaulted roof of the nearby Wat Phra Kaew, a colourful Buddhist temple. After that, walk over to Wat Pho, a giant golden reclining Buddha, that stretches out 150 feet. Also located at this site is one of Thailand's best massage schools, and it's an atmospheric place to indulge in one. If you travel east across the city, you can explore Jim Thompson's House - a museum preserving the home of former US spy and founder of the Thai silk industry - who mysteriously disappeared. The house is a beautiful example of a traditional Thai teakwood house. If you're after some breathing space, walk around Lumphini Park, and watch locals do Tai Chi and aerobics en masse, and lizards and birds in the well-kept gardens around you.
Shop
There is excellent shopping on offer in Bangkok. An unmissable experience is a visit to Chatuchak Weekend Market, a sprawling outdoor array of over 10,000 shops, and almost anything you can think of on sale, from cheap street fashion and electronics to books and vintage jewellery. To stop for a snack, try one of the many dessert stalls and indulge your sweet tooth with coconut milk ice cream. For high end shopping, visit the Siam district, with its array of glitzy malls. Siam Paragon stocks luxurious brands like Louis Vuitton and Prada, and Siam Discovery is home to offbeat high end boutiques like Issey Miyake and Comme des Garcons.