Bangkok Night and Day

Mar. 13 2013

by Laurence Ogiela / TETU

Bangkok. Two syllables to evoke "the City of the angels, jewel box of the divine gems, impregnable ground, great prominent kingdom, delicious capital of the kingdom to the nine noble stones, supreme seat and splendid palates, refuge of the gods and stay of the reincarnated spirits": in Thai, its full name has 43 syllables!

Not only is Bangkok the capital city with the longest name in the world, but its very size is immense. This megalopolis of more than 12 million inhabitants is indeed sprawling. It is impossible to discover it all in one trip. Or even after several stays, for that matter. So we take shortcuts, as if to say its name. We discover it by district, by slice, by poles of attraction, by fields of predilection.

Royal architecture
If you like history, temples, Buddhas, pagodas, you will find your happiness in the heart of the city, in the Ko Ratanakosin district, along the Chao Praya River. The golden pagodas and the glittering orange and green tiled roofs of Wat Phra Kaew temple, the giant reclining Buddha of Wat Pho temple, whose feet are engraved with the inscriptions of wisdom, and the iconoclastic buildings of the Grand Palace will delight architecture lovers.

Roofs of Wat Phra Kaew temple.

If the temples are always open to the public, the Grand Palace closes early and is still used by the king for official ceremonies. Impossible to enter when his majesty is present! Also, if you see the royal Rolls Royce, be patient because all the traffic is stopped until the last car of the official procession passes by and there are many of them! Thais love the king and our cab driver was excited to see his silhouette.

During a visit to Bangkok, if one should not miss the Grand Palace and the sublime adjacent temples, one can however make the impasse on the stroll in Klhong, the network of canals of the city, and the floating markets, proven tourist catchers. However, it is fun to take the ferries on the Chao Praya River to soak up the atmosphere of the city.

Get around...
Bangkok exudes as many heady scents as it does exhaust fumes. Given the intense traffic during rush hour and the particularly high level of pollution, the best way to get around is by Sky Train, an ultra-modern, fast, air-conditioned subway. It is particularly pleasant when it is 35 degrees outside and the humidity is around 80%, but also ideal for catching a cold.

As the Thai capital is very spread out, the subway lines do not cover it entirely, far from it. So you will certainly have to take a cab. Bangkok's taxis are easily recognizable by their bright colors: pink, mostly, or orange, apple green, even fuchsia. Even if there is a special "farangue" rate, i.e. for foreigners, the price of the race is particularly cheap. There is no need to haggle to get the local fare, you will lose your time, your temper, and it will not work. In any case, it will rarely cost you more than three euros for a trip.

Those who are not afraid of pollution or sporty driving (and not without risk), can travel by tuk tuk or cab. The former is a three-wheeled vehicle decorated with religious ornaments and the latter can be identified by the driver's orange vest. Be careful to negotiate the price before departure or you will have a long discussion and lose time on arrival.

The reclining Buddha of Wat Pho temple

Shopping addict, welcome!
Thecrazy ones of shopping will also find their happiness in Bangkok, capital of the good businesses. It is necessary to manage to visit the city on a weekend in order not to miss the weekend market in Chatuchak. It is easily accessible by Sky Train, and the Mo Chit station pours in every week with locals and tourists who have come to spend their bats without counting. It must be said that you can find everything at unbeatable prices in this labyrinth of stalls and stores: silk, clothing, kitchen accessories, decorative items, baby dogs, fish or fighting cocks ...

Impossible to visit this Ali Baba's cave with its sticky humidity in one day. We quickly get saturated, especially during the monsoon, when the humidity and the sudden and torrential rains are such, that even the cockroaches run away by trampling your Prada flip-flops.

Fortunately, there are fallback options to satisfy your shopping frenzy. The night markets of Lumpini Park start their activity at sunset, when the heat becomes less stifling. A little less touristy than Patpong's, they sell just as many fakes in series. Of course, you will bring back copies of watches and bags at your own risk.

The followers of the authentic will go on the Sukhumvit avenue, which gathers the most chic shopping malls and the large international signs, as well as in the district of Siam Square, kingdom of the youth looked at Bangkok. Huge American-style shopping malls follow one another: Siam Paragon, Siam Discovery Center, Central World Plaza, Emporium, ...

At Wat Phra Kaeo

Siam Ocean World, the aquarium of Bangkok in the basement of the shopping center Siam Paragon is worth a visit. It is an opportunity like any other to escape the heat and the humidity of the city while learning.

Just across the street is the MBK, a mythical store and a mandatory stop on any trip to Bangkok. The fourth floor is a paradise for cell phone addicts: the latest models, protective covers of all shapes and colors and gadgets of all kinds are sold like hotcakes. However, sometimes the prices are not more interesting than in France. It is better to come with a precise idea of what you are looking for.

Bangkok by night
If the night life in Bangkok is not what it used to be since the authorities instituted the closing of bars and clubs at 2 am. However, the city still has many trendy restaurants and designer bars.

You can sip a cocktail with your head in the clouds at Sirocco on top of the State Tower, dine under the stars at Vertigo, on the terrace that used to be the heliport of the Banyantree Hotel, flirt with a friend or a friend of yours, or just relax in the sun.tel Banyantree, have a tête à tête along the river at the mythical Oriental bar or eat in an immaculate psychedelic setting at the Bed Supper Club.

Silom Soi 4, one of Bangkok's gay districts

Then, of course, you have to go out in Patpong at Soi Boy, the nickname given to Soi 4, the dead end of the gay bars. One takes care to avoid the bars with gogos of Soi 2 and their astonishing game of ping-pong, and one arrives not too late to attend the hallucinating show of the local transvestites. Our chief editor, who however travelled a lot, still can't believe it! City of the angels or kingdom of the night, Bangkok reveals itself under all its facets to whom knows how to discover it.