Bangkok

Chaotic, frenetic, hectic and crowded, Bangkok is not for the faint hearted. However with a little time and some local knowledge, Bangkok can easily become one of Asia’s most rewarding cities and has sights to suit every imaginable interest.

In fact Bangkok has done more than most to combat the heavy traffic by introducing the famous Sky Train and latterly, a new underground MRT system. Cheap and simple to use for tourists and locals alike, this once baffling city is now easily navigable although rush hour traffic can still bring roads to a standstill! Should traffic still prove too much, it is easy to cross this waterlogged city by canal (or ‘klong’) or cruise along the vast Chao Praya river which bisects Bangkok. This is perhaps one of the best ways to see the city and her inhabitants – the Chao Praya ferries are used mostly by locals due to their low cost, and exploring Bangkok’s ‘klongs’ by boat provides a totally different perspective to 'the Venice of the East'.

Recent developments such as the modern MRT system are part of Bangkok’s noticeable surge towards modernity and she is rapidly emerging as one of Asia’s most fashionable destinations. The glut of hip restaurants, chic cafés, and fabulous bars give Bangkok an edge that is lacking in other large Asian cities. With new retail centres and a thriving Thai fashion industry just starting to get international acclaim, Bangkok is now seen as one of Asia’s best shopping destinations.

Despite modern construction and development, much of traditional Bangkok remains. Her temples are amongst the largest, the most ornate and the most highly regarded in Southeast Asia. The sheer opulence of the Grand Palace or Wat Po will entrance and astound you. The aesthetic of the temples is so ornate and so different from any of the architecture familiar to the European mind. They are uniquely Thai. Bustling Chinatown still follows traditional ways of life and commerce in a network of crowded alleys. Outside of Bangkok, rural floating markets still thrive and it is hard to imagine that the bright lights and huge supermarkets of Bangkok are so close!

It is in fact this combination of old and new, of tradition and modernity, which make Bangkok such a captivating destination. Those seeking a quintessentially Asian experience will not be disappointed, but the City of Angels will equally delight those who go in search of the world’s most stylish destinations.