Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Welcome to
Bangkok
Same same, but different. This Thailish T-shirt philosophy sums
up Bangkok, a city where the familiar and the exotic collide like
the flavours on a plate of pàt tai.
Full-on Food
Until you've eaten on a Bangkok street, your noodles mingling with your sweat amid a
cloud of exhaust fumes, you haven't actually eaten Thai food. It can be an overwhelming
mix: the underlying flavours - spicy, sour, sweet and salty - aren't exactly meat and pota-
toes. But for adventurous foodies who don't need white tablecloths, there's probably no
better dining destination in the world. And with immigration bringing every regional Thai
and international cuisine to the capital, it's also a truly diverse experience.
Fun Folks
The language barrier may seem huge, but it's never prevented anybody from loving the
Thai people. The capital's cultural underpinnings are evident in virtually all facets of every-
day life, and most enjoyably through its residents' sense of
sà·nùk
(fun). In Bangkok, any-
thing worth doing should have an element of
sà·nùk.
Ordering food, changing money and
haggling at markets will usually involve a sense of playfulness - a dash of flirtation, per-
haps, and a smile. It's a language that doesn't require words, and one that's easy to learn.
Urban Exploration
With so much of life conducted on the street, there are few cities in the world that reward
exploration as handsomely as Bangkok. Cap off an extended boat trip with a visit to a hid-
den market. A stroll off Banglamphu's beaten track can wind up in a conversation with a
monk. Get lost in the tiny lanes of Chinatown and stumble upon a live Chinese opera per-
formance. After dark, let the BTS (Skytrain) escort you to Sukhumvit, where the local
nightlife scene reveals a sophisticated and dynamic city.
Contrasts
