Bangkok Destination Guide
Bangkok
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- It may be the most popular tourist attraction in Bangkok, but a visit to Wat Phra Kaew is a must. More than 100 brightly coloured, impossibly ornate historic buildings with golden, pinpoint-sharp spires sit together in this vast compound, which is steeped in royal history. The famous Emerald Buddha can also be found here. Don’t forget your camera!
- This is the city to shop 'til you drop – low prices and a host of options make retail therapy a must. There is a wide range of shops on the Sukhumvit Road selling a variety of local handicrafts and antiques, or for upmarket shopping malls, head for the Siam area. No Bangkok shopping trip is complete without a visit to one of the city’s frenetic markets. Chatuchak is the largest and best known - there are plenty of bargains to be found, and with more than 15,000 stalls, you won't run out of things to buy. Brush up your bartering techniques before you go!
- Take a boat trip on the Chao Phraya Express – it's a brilliant way to see the city from another angle, and you'll avoid the traffic jams. This is a wonderfully cheap and efficient boat service.
- Learn to cook, Thai style. Get to know your lemongrass from your coriander and your red from your green curries at one of Bangkok’s many cookery schools. Try the Blue Elephant or visit Bangkok.com for more info.
- Relax with a massage. Thai massages are plentiful in the capital. The practice involves stretching and deep massage - be prepared for pleasure and pain in equal doses. But beware: posters using beautiful women to advertise massage services are usually a sign that there is more than a back rub on the menu...
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