Highlight city of the week: Bangkok

Bangkok's Skyline

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In this city, not only will you find a mesmerizing mix of old and new – such as timeworn buildings rubbing shoulders with modern skyscrapers – you will also witness spiritual gracefulness alongside total chaos. Saffron-robed monks meander along collecting alms while tuk tuks weave their way through Bangkok’s crazy traffic, and it is at this moment that you will realise that the word ‘vibrant’ seems inadequate when it comes to describing Bangkok and its many electrifying facets.

Our Bangkok Travel Guide gives you an incredible insight into the “City of Angels”, including the quirky, the weird and the wonderful.

Monks in Bangkok
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Culture buffs shouldn’t miss the Suan Pakkad Palace Museum and its Lacquer Pavilion, where you’ll find beautiful murals depicting the life of Buddha. The museum grounds also house the Marsi Gallery, which hosts year-round art and culture exhibitions. Check out our Things to See in Bangkok guide for information on various attractions.

We recommend weary travellers get a blind massage at Perception, an organization whose aim is to provide dignified employment for blind and visually impaired therapists, thus making it a place where you can relax with a clear conscience. Read our Things to Do in Bangkok guide for other cool ideas.

Nightlife in Bangkok
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Bangkok’s nightlife is legendary. You can choose to hang around Patpong, the neon-lit red light district which may (or may not) see you visiting an upstairs bar for a daring sex show, or you can relax in a sophisticated rooftop bar drinking in the city’s glittering skyline along with a glass of fine wine. Our Bangkok Nightlife guide also recommends atmospheric jazz pubs and offbeat venues.

Som Tam
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When it comes to food, devouring a plate of freshly made som tam (papaya salad) from a roadside vendor is a fascinating experience. Equally, enjoying a mouth-watering meal at one of the city’s many air-conditioned restaurants is blissful too. In our Restaurants in Bangkok guide, our author and editors have hand-picked their favourite restaurants and grouped them into three pricing categories (expensive, moderate and cheap) for easy reference.

Bangkok is truly a shopper’s paradise. Check out the Shopping in Bangkok guide for key areas, markets and modern shopping centres.

Tuk Tuk in Bangkok
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The best time to visit Bangkok is from November to February, which is the cool season for Thais but still comfortably warm for Westerners. March and May can be unbearably hot and steamy. The monsoon seasons runs from June to October, when the climate is hot and humid with torrential rain.

If you plan to visit this larger-than-life city, don’t forget to check out the visa and passport requirements to Thailand. Have a great time in Bangkok – you know you will.