Bangkok, the missing link from the accounts of my 2012 Thailand trip. Left it for last probably because of my mixed feelings about the city. It is huge, congested, and a nightmare to get around. The merciless heat (I’m talking February / March) mixed with equally merciless pollution will make you sweaty and grimy. And the infamous Khao San Road will either get you excited (if you’re a young backpacker looking for all things cheap and a 24/7 party vibe, it just might) or will make you want to run for cover (but it’s too hot to run, especially with your luggage, and even if you do know where you could possibly find reasonably priced accommodation, it’ll be too far and a hassle to get to, so you’re probaby going to stay in the vicinity of Khao San anyway). Luckily there are tons of amazingly good and amazingly cheap street food around, and you’re only here once (or at least that’s what I was thinking at the time), so you might as well just let loose, grab a drink and a seat (if you’re lucky) and enjoy the show, because it sure is one when the night falls.
During the day you’ll probably set off to see some of Bangkok’s dazzling temples (wats). The most well known are the Grand Palace complex with Wat Phra Kaew, which houses the Emerald Buddha, Wat Pho with the famous Reclining Buddha, and Wat Arun, which is most spectacular visited at sunset or sunrise (note to those with fear of hights: if you decide to climb the central prang, be warned that coming down is far more tricky than going up).
To me, a large part of what makes Bangkok (or any other city in Southeast Asia) is the streets with their hustle and bustle, the food stalls, the people, the markets…
When talking about street life, you can’t forget the unbelievably colourful (and crowded) Chinatown.
For all those looking for some retail therapy, or simply desperate for air conditioning, there’s a number of shopping malls you can check out, especially in the Siam Square area. But if luxury brands aren’t what you’re after, you might want to pop into the infamous MBK Center, where you will find all sorts of merchandise, from electronics to clothes, and many of the goods will be far too low in price and quality to be associated with the brand names they carry (you’ve been warned!). The food court is always a good option, too.
Sooner or later you’re bound to notice that Bangkok is a city of contrasts, where modernity meets the old, where right next to luxury hotels and trendy hangouts you’ll see street hawkers and beggars, where the golden splendour of wats contrasts with concrete and dust.
You’re also likely to find yourself trying to evade touts of all sorts almost anywhere you go in the touristy areas. After a while you might even get to a point where any time a local approches you, you’ll be sure they will try to sell you something or to scam you.
Bangkok, and Thailand in general, isn’t my favorite place in Southeast Asia, but it sure does have a lot to offer, and whether you grow to love it or not is a matter of taste.
