Bangkok (Krung-Thep) "The City of Angles.

Bangkok is the Orient's most cosmopolitan city and has attractions to stimulate even the most jaded travellers. More than anywhere else in the country, Bangkok expresses Thailand's uncanny ability to blend the old with the new.

This lends a thrilling sense of discovery to one's sightseeing and adds an element of surprise when exploring what is the Orient's most fabled city. Bangkok is known to the locals, in Thai, as Krung-Thep, it is a unique place that defies description.

Once seen, you have to come back to make sure it was real! I don't know anyone who has only been here once!

World-Class hotels and shopping malls, ancient temples, the outstanding 600+ year old Grand Palace--too much to list!

Thailand's "City of Angels" is, indeed, a magic place where possibilities are limited only by the imagination. You'll marvel at past glories, delight in present opportunities and love every minute of it.

Most famous are the neon-lit bar districts which are both more fun and much safer than their counterparts in other cities around the world. However, there is much more to Bangkok by night than just the glitter of pubs and bars.

Especially popular are the cultural shows staged by various Thai restaurants. Here you'll find the perfect introduction to Thailand's highly stylized classical dance, accompanied by music played on traditional instruments.

Dressed in gorgeous costumes, dancers perform the slow, graceful movements that make up the intricate language of classical Thai dance drama. Visually stunning, these shows are a must.

In the old Bangkok town are located the Grand Palace,

the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, two universities and several ministries.

The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Keo,

The palace, begun in 1782, consists of several buildings with highly decorated architectural details. The Royal chapel, Wat Phra Keo, which is in the same compound, houses the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred Buddha image in Thailand.

Photography inside the building housing the Emerald Buddha is forbidden.

It is from this side of the Chao Phraya River that one takes a boat to visit the Temple of Dawn and the floating market. Where vendors wear traditional wide-brimmed Thai hats and paddle through canals in small wooden boats filled with a wide array of colorful fruits, fresh vegetables, and fragrant flowers.

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Or buy a panting on a umbrella. Very beautiful.

Old town - Chinatown

Between the places you can take a tuc -tuc,

buses or taxis. It´s cheap whatever you take.

Most taxis in Bangkok use metres and have a lit sign "Taximeter" on the roof. If there's no metre in the taxi, fares must be agreed upon from the start. Fares range from 35 Baht to maximum of approximately 300 Baht within the city's precincts.

Tuc-tucs or 3-wheel taxis are quite popular among locals and tourists for short journeys. Fares range from about 30 up to 150 Baht.

However, taxi is a more advisable option considering never-ending Bangkok traffic, especially during the rush hour, as travelling through Bangkok polluted street without air-conditioner may prove hazardous to health.

SIAM -Ratchadamri

Located in the area are several large department stores, shopping arcades, cinema theatres, and countless smaller shops. So you can satisfy all your needs if you stay in one of over a dozen first-class hotels in the area.

You can do alot more, their is many exhibitions you can do for exempel Zoo, butterflygardens and snakeshows and even more. Go into an travelagency and ask, they help you whit everything.

Bang Lamphu

Here are we usually live on a street called Khoasan Road or what the thai´s called it "Khossan Lodd". They don´t prounance "R", they say "L" instead.

It´s sounds very funny !

This area is the cheapest beacause of the backpackers. They always want to have the cheapest because they are out for several months like us. For one night for a family you can have a room for 150 Bath. It´s a clean room whit sheets and a own bathroom and a fan. There is a cheaper choise too.

The food and drinks are very cheap, expect for the beers. But you survive when you think of the Swedish prices.

You can eat all the fresh fruits they served you on the streets. It looks very nice and smell very good and taste marvellous !

When you leaving Bangkok to the south or to the north you take the train. It´s cheap and you meet alot of nice and smiling people. It´s out of this world ! It´s a real oriential atmosphair.

The State Railway of Thailand has three lines, all of which terminate in Bangkok. The Northern Line connects Bangkok with Chiang Mai, passing through Ayutthaya and Phitsanulok the Northeastern Line travels up to Nong Khai, near the Laotian border, with a branch that goes east to Ubon Ratchathani and the Southern Line goes all the way south through Surat Thani--the stop for Ko Samui--to the Malaysian border and on to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, a journey that takes 37 hours.

Most trains offer second- or third-class tickets, but the overnight trains to the north Chiang Mai and to the south also offer first-class sleeping cabins. Couchettes, with sheets and curtains for privacy, are available in second class.

Second-class tickets are about half the price of first-class and since the couchettes are surprisingly comfortable, most Western travelers choose these. Do not leave valuables unguarded on overnight trains.

Tickets may be bought at the railway stations. Travel agencies can also sell tickets for overnight trains. Reservations are strongly advised for all long-distance trains. Train schedules in English are available from travel agents and from major railway stations.

Fares are reasonable. An air-conditioned, second-class couchette for the 14-hour journey from Bangkok to Chiang Mai is B530, first class is B980.

                Last updated   1999-09-09