The Sights:
* Grand Palace and Wat Phra Keo - former royal residence and the temple of the Emerald Buddha. One of Thailand's most impressive sights: 54 acres featuring a collection of palatial buildings, golden stupas, sculpted nine-foot demons, and richly ornamented wats (temples)* Jim Thompson's House - historic teak houses containing the antique collection of the American who rescued the Thai silk industry;
* Suan Pakkard Palace - private museum, exhibiting Thai antiques, from ancient to recent ones. The museum compound contains eight traditional wooden Thai houses with exhibits inside.
* Wat Traimitr - with a huge Golden Buddha, located in Bangkok‘s Chinatown. The official name of the image is Phra Buddha Mahasuwan Patimakorn or Phra Sukhothai Traimitr. Three meters high and weighing five and a half tons, it was covered in stucco to protect it from the invading Burmese in the eighteenth century. When it slipped while being moved by a crane the stucco cracked, revealing the gold underneath. While Wat Traimit is a temple, it is very touristy and hords of people stream through the Phra Viharn. One also has to pay an entrance fee for paying respect to the Buddha image which would be more appropriate for a museum.
* Wat Benchamabophit - the marble temple as known to foreigners is most satisfactory architecturally with its symmetry and lovely proportions.Location: Wat Benchamabophit is on the corner of Si Ayutthaya Road and Rama V Road.
Getting There: Bus Nos. 2 (air-con)
Opening Hours: Open every day. Admission: 30 baht
* Chatuchak Weekend Market - in Chatuchak Park. Chatuchak is a particularly good place to buy all sorts of Thai handicrafts, as there's a huge range, the quality is high and the intense competition keeps the prices low. The range of products on sale is extensive, and includes household accessories, handicrafts, religious artifacts, art, antiques, live animals (which unfortunately are frequently caged in cruel conditions), books, music, clothes, food, plants and flowers etc* National Museum - religious sculpture and tribal artifacts. The National Museum lies in the grounds of the former Wang Na, the 'front palace' which was built for the second king, a sort of crown prince (Thailand has no law of primogeniture.
* Chinatown - Chinatown is an easy place to explore on foot, and in fact there really isn't any other way. Yaowarat Road itself is lined with many gold shops, and Chinatown is indeed one of the better places to shop for gold.
* Bangkok's waterways - by long-tail boat: the Chai Phraya river (Royal barges) and the canals of Thonburi - houses on stilts and Thai-style river life;
* Siam Park - aquatic fun. It’s a thrilling oriental adventure in the south of Tenerife and is filled with adrenaline pumping attractions, diverse animals, children’s play area, warm lazy river and golden beaches plus a surf school and wave pool like no other.Excursions:
* Damnoen Saduak floating market - located at Damnoen Saduak District, Ratchaburi Province, about 105 kms from Bangkok. The excellent quality soil beside the canal is very fertile and suitable for growing many kinds of fruits and vegetables. The area is famous for Malacca grape, Chinese grapefruit, mangoes, bananas, and coconut.
* Bang Pa-in - summer palace and Ayuthaya - the ruined splendor of the former Siamese capital. This palace is located in Tambon Bang Len, Amphor Bang Pain, 18 kilometres south of Ayuthaya. It lies 58 kilometres north of Bangkok by fad, 61 kilometres by road. To access to Bang Pain from Ayuthaya, one can go by Phahonyothin Road and make a right trim at Km 35 for another distance of 7 kilometres to Bang Pa - In Palace.
* Rose Garden - an enchanting, superbly landscaped tropical park on the bank of the idyllic Tachin River, 30 kms. outside Bangkok. This garden has an area of about 60 acres and consists of beautiful lawns, small lake, tropical gardens, orchards, first-class hotel with swimming pool, restaurants, children's playground, Thai and Chinese-style buildings, the famous daily Thai Village Cultural show.
* Nakhon Pathom - Buddhist center with a huge chedi, a small province located just 56 Kms from Bangkok, covering an area of 2,168 square kilometres or 542,081.6 acres. Nakhon Pathom is also renowned for its abundant fruits varieties and famous dishes. The province features an ancient religious structure called Phra Pathom Chedi, the first religious landmark that signified the influx of Buddhism into Thailand.
* Kanchanaburi - is Thailand´s third largest of 76 provinces. The Province itself captivates beautiful nature and friendly people with their native charm. Major attractions include several waterfalls, mountains, caves (that were once inhabited by neolithic man), national parks and last, but not least, the River Kwai.Entertainment:
* Thai drama and dance at the National Theatre and the Thai Cultural Center;
* Western classical music concerts by the Bangkok Philharmonic and Bangkok Symphony Orchestras
Sports:
* Horse racing at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club and the Turf Club;
* Thai boxing at Rajadamnoen and Lumpini Stadiums;
* Golf at Navatanee, The Railway Course, the Ekachai Golf and Country Club, the Rose Garden and the Siam Country Club (Pattaya)
Annual Events:
* Makna Puja (Feb/Mar) - Buddhist ceremony;
* Kite flying (Mar) - on Sanam Luang;
* Raek Na (Apr/May) - Ploughing Ceremony;
* Visakha Puja (May) - Buddhist festival at Wat Phra Keo;
* Long-boat-races (Jun) - under Rama IX Bridge;
* Moon Festival (Sep) - CHinese celebration;
* Loi Krathong (Nov) - floating lanterns;
* Tourism Festival (Dec);
* King's birthday (5 Dec)
* Thailand
* Bangkok
* Bangkok attractions guide
* Where to stay in Bangkok
* Bangkok restaurant & hangout
