Bangkok Travel Guide – Discover the best of Bangkok - By: Exotissimo Traveler

The country's beating heart, Thailand's capital city is home to diverse and varied cultures, languages and people. On the surface Bangkok is a modern Asian mega city with towering steel and glass skyscrapers and a justified reputation for traffic and smog, but scratch through the veneer and a gentler, peaceful and very oriental face is revealed.

Bangkok is not just one of Asia's most exciting cities- it is also a great place to discover a unique culture. Where else can you take a canal-boat from your ultra-swanky designer hotel to a floating fruit market around the corner before arriving at a golden Buddhist temple? Shop, spa, eat, drink, party: Bangkok has it all.

Many people rush in and out of Bangkok on their way to beaches or to Chiang Mai or Indochina where they expect to discover the real Asia. Those in the know will tell you that the real Asia is right here in Bangkok. We recommend you to spend at least two and preferably three nights here to get below the surface of our amazing capital city.

What to see in Bangkok

First time visitors should undoubtedly see The Grand Palace but you should also join one of our many day trips, which involve canal-boats, a walk through the markets or a visit to a little known museum.

If you have enough time in the capital then take a day trip by boat through the canals to Koh Kret island where you can explore the old pottery villages by foot or bike. Try and join at weekends when the island’s market is at its liveliest. Otherwise a great day out is a tour up to Amphawa, visiting the famous floating market area and beyond to the little known villages, orchards and temples that surround Bangkok. More glamorous, and just as rewarding, is a day trip aboard one of the many luxury cruise boats to Thailand's ancient capital city of Ayutthaya. For your first dinner in Bangkok we suggest joining an evening dinner cruise on the Manohra Boat in Bangkok.

Visits around Bangkok

Looking for nature but don't have the time to fly to the north of Thailand? Kanchanaburi (a couple of hours' drive from Bangkok) offers great jungle accommodation where you have a real wilderness feeling and can do long or short treks and even elephant riding or bamboo rafts. If you need your comforts then stay at the charming River Kwai Resotel, or if you are looking for adventure try the Jungle Rafts or even Hin Tok River Camp, a small, newly built tented resort on the river side that offers luxury tents (including air-conditioning, timber flooring and shower with hot water) and an excellent choice for nature lovers. For a real adventure try going as far as Sanghklaburi. The accommodation is a little basic but the rewards are great scenery, charming towns and a combination of Thai, Burmese, Mon and Karen culture. We have a number of package tour ideas or build a visit to Kanchanaburi into your tailor-made tour of Thailand.

Khao Yai National Park is another excellent place to experience Thailand. You can trek through the jungle to see wild elephants and a wide range of flora and fauna. Alternatively you can spend the day cycling through vineyards and sampling award winning wines at the various different wineries in the area. Our accommodation recommendations include The Village Farm and Winery or the luxurious and beautifully designed Kirimaya Resort, which is complete with an 18-hole golf course designed by Jack Nicalaus.

For those in search of a truly romantic and luxurious experience, a three-day, two-night cruise to Ayuthaya aboard the well appointed Manohra Song teak rice barge is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Enjoy exquisite candlelit dinners, morning temple tours and cruising along the fascinating River of Kings. Or why not take the Mekhala Cruise, another rice barge but a more affordable option, to Ayuthaya and then continue touring through Central Thailand.

About the Author

Exotissimo Traveler is the persona we use at http://www.exotissimo.com to publish our travel reviews and suggestions, and to share with you our favorite places, hotels, restaurants and activities in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

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