Bangkok

Thailand·Asia

Currency

THB

Language

Thai

Timezone

Bangkok

Continent

Asia

Our guide

Discover Bangkok

Bangkok reads in layers. The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew concentrate royal ceremony; Wat Arun and Wat Pho, across the river, breathe more easily. Then there is the other Bangkok — Chatuchak and its thousands of stalls, or Khao San Road, which is no longer authentic but remains a rite of passage for some.

When to go

November to February is the only stretch where the heat stays bearable. March to May is punishing, then the monsoon settles in until October — daily downpours, but brief ones.

Getting around

The BTS Skytrain and MRT skip traffic that ranks among the worst in Asia. River buses on the Chao Phraya serve most of the temples and cost almost nothing. Agree a tuk-tuk fare before getting in, every time.

Where to eat

Raan Jay Fai holds a Michelin star for crab omelettes cooked in the street over a wok — the wait runs to hours. At the other extreme, Sirocco and the Vertigo Moon Bar sell the rooftop dinner. Most of what matters here is eaten standing up.

Good to know

Chatuchak is a weekend market: the planner will not schedule it on a Tuesday. Shoulders and knees covered in temples, without exception. Seventeen halal addresses are listed, mostly around the Bang Rak mosque.

Smart Planning