R
Three R's offering different perspectives of one exciting city: the tranquility of the Riverside, the sweeping panoramas of Rooftop Venues, and the beautifully landscaped gardens of the out-of-town Rose Garden. Popular for picnics, the latter is a draw for day-tripping locals, and features Thai boxing, a golf course, animal shows and handicrafts.
Restaurants are the more refined cousins of the humble streetfood stall - more frills, more service, more cost. And, while the Thai food available is often at its priciest but perversely not its yummiest, the city's restaurants do bring ambiance, style and surroundings to the table. Many have East-West fusion menus, gourmet chefs and the best in international cuisine - the best can be found in our Restaurant Reviews Section.
The whisky always flows freely at Royal City Avenue, or RCA. Revamped and resurgent, this nightlife zone used to be a magnet for underage drinkers. Nowadays it's eye-poppingly slick mega-clubs attract crowds of equally well-styled 20-somethings. High-decibels hip-hop and house can be heard throughout. Providing a moderately priced middle-ground between cheap-skate Khao San Road and upscale Sukhumvit, it's one of the few areas allowed to stay open until 02:00. Bring ID.
The first of two rather special regal Bangkok events is the ancient and very rare Royal Barge Procession. Photographers from all across the world assemble, alongside crowds of locals, to catch the sight of The other is the Royal Trophy Golf Tournament, a world-class clash between Europe and Asia golfing pros that mimics the format of the Ryder Cup. The auspicious trophy for the event was donated by H.M. the King.
S
S starts with that perennial favourite, Shopping. Whether seeking designer sandals at a mega-mall or hunting down Thai crafts at one of the many buzzing markets, Bangkok has it all - and at prices that are hard to beat. For proof, check out Suan Lum Night Bazaar - while you still can! This downtown nightmarket, near Sathorn Road and Lumpini Park, looks all set to become an urban legend when it closes to make way for a new development. Tourists go ga-ga for its neat warrens lined with clothing, shoes, crafts, textiles and trinket shops.
At the glam end of shopping is Siam Paragon, debatably the most happening 'high-end' shopping complex in town. Its long floors of gleaming marble are home to all the biggies - Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Armani, Hugo Boss. Neighbouring malls Siam Centre and Siam Discovery have their fair share of upmarket too. Across the road, Siam Square is a boutique lover's dream, a warren of youth-targeted clothes stalls that fashionistas never want to find their way out of.
If all this shopping gives you that sinking feeling, go hang with the sharks at Siam Ocean World: a mini-ocean full of colourful sea creatures in the basement of Siam Paragon.
A few tatty plastic stools, a fold-up table and a curbside masterchef. These humble ingredients are responsible for the best breed of Bangkok cuisine: Street Food. It's an S no self-respecting gourmand should miss - authentic, cheap and delicious! Ignore the naysayers. As long as it's cooked fresh and in front of you, it's among the safest food going.
A furnished apartment minus the long-term commitment? Room service but cheaper than a hotel room? A cool idea, huh? Serviced Apartments are the new wave in Bangkok abodes. Flexible and private with all the homeliness of home, they're perfect for those staying in the city for extended periods, business or pleasure.
Breakdancing crews, tattoo-covered clans and Brit pop-loving indie kids. S is also for Street Culture. Subcultures abound in a city so open to external influences, whether it be East Coast hip-hop, Khmer-influenced tattoos or the UK indie scene. Unconvinced? OK, tell us, where else can you find graffiti only meters away from a temple? Or kids spinning on their heads just yards from a spirit house?
For dancing girls and an occasional air of depraved lawlessness, head to Soi Cowboy. This red light district does all the things that the others do (ie, supply the services of nubile young girls to sleazy foreign men). But baby elephants, pink neon and vendors selling everything from strange upcountry snacks to herbal Thai whisky - yaa dong - give it distinct surreal appeal.
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Survarnabhumi Airport is Bangkok's long overdue and state-of-the-art airport from the future. With an eventual capacity to handle up to 100 million passengers, once two additional runways have been added, it is already speculated that Suvarnabhumi will become one of the busiest airports in the world. And why is it cool exactly? For one it boasts the world's largest single terminal building - 563,000 square meters - as well as the tallest control tower. And, on top of the fancy stats, it was designed by famed German architect Helmet Jahn, and is probably among the sexiest, sleekest looking constructions in the world right now.
The Sri Mariamman Hindu Temple (known as Wat Khaek Silom to the Thais) is a temple to Goddess Uma, a consort of Hindu deity Shiva. It's techni-coloured sculptures of Uma and other Hindu deities make for an unmistakable and unexpected sight in the middle of the, otherwise, rather sacrilegious Silom.
Silom, by day, is like any other road in Bangkok; all office workers, shops, restless traffic, pavement vendors... But once the sun sets it tranforms into a neon-hued hub of selling, socialising and sleaze. The market does a brisk trade in tourist trinkets, bootleg DVDs, clothing and tack. The bars, clubs, pubs serve drinks to a boozy assortment of night prowlers. And murky go-go bars ensure that no man need leave unsatisfied. The gay scene is also at its loudest here - and for the Japanese contingent there's a whole street dedicated to sushi bars and Japanese-speaking hostesses.
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No Bangkok home, office, institution or hotel is complete without its own Spirit House, a charming miniature Thai house mounted on a pedestal. To the ignorant it may look like the kids' dollhouse has been left out for the garbage man. But no, these fulfill a vital purpose in a society ridden with superstition - to provide homes for vagrant ghosts! Offerings of food, flowers, candles and incense are left at them to ensure they take up residence in the spirit house - not their home. Many buildings also have miniature Shrines - some of them, like Erawan Shrine for example, have become very famous. These are places to pay respect and pray for good fortune.
For the final letters in Krung Thep cool take a look at T through to Z. |
