Sawadee Kha Bangkok!
In the multifaceted city lie rich and poor, tradition and modernity, peace and chaos close together. Bangkok brings together many different worlds. The hectic hustle and bustle on the markets and in the food stalls on the roadside, the futuristic shopping paradise on Siam Square, the countless temples and the western-style backpacker country around the Khao San Road are just some of their highlights.
Getting there:
Bangkok is only by plane. From € 700, for example, >> Qatar Airlines and >> Emirates fly into the megacity. Those who book at the travel agency usually receive a Rail & Fly ticket for free. So you can travel from your place of residence for free with an ICE in the departure city and back. Once in Bangkok, the quickest and easiest way to get to the city is by taxi. At the airport you will meet many young backpackers who want to go to Khao San Road (incidentally, the only street name the Thai taxi drivers can easily understand in English). Split the taxi, it will be even cheaper. All in all, the journey including the entrance fee and the motorway toll costs about 200-250 Baht (1 Euro = 52 Baht). Caution: Pay attention to the "Taxi-Meter" sign on the roof of the car and insists that the meter should be running while driving. Otherwise the drivers often charge excessive prices.
find accommodation
To the Khao San Road There are countless hostels and hotels (from 300 Baht the night). Many of them are very simply furnished and the volume from the street can be heard until late at night. Further accommodations can be found in the Soi Rambruttri. Here it is much quieter, but by no means boring. Absolute insider tip is the >> Shambara Boutique Hostel. The old, traditional style house is like an oasis of peace hidden in a small back alley of the Khao San. The warm and familiar atmosphere, the very clean rooms and the beautifully landscaped terrace are out of competition (double room per night from 500 baht). To be on the safe side, you should at least book accommodation from home for the first two days. In the high season it is difficult to find a free room in the evening.
Getting Around
Tuk-tuks
There are many ways to conquer Bangkok. By taxi, you can get to all corners of the city cheaply, But: Avoid the rush hour (6 to 9 and 4 to 8 pm). The streets are chronically clogged and you are not progressing. The Subway is even cheaper than the taxi (about 15-39 baht), but the network is not very extensive. Especially around Silom Road and Siam Square is the elevated railway, the Skytrain, the best option. It is fast and offers good views over the streets.
Highly recommended are the express boats on the Menam Chao Phraya. From 6 am to 6:40 pm the boats travel from the north to the south of the city for just 9-32 baht. A great view included.
The motorcycle rickshaws, the so-called tuk-tuks, shape the cityscape of Bangkok. However, only risk-averse travelers should be chauffeured through the city. In addition to the health hazard of the car exhaust gases, the guests are cheated. The trick: The drivers attract tourists with incredibly cheap prices. If the guest is seated in a tuk-tuk, the driver usually does not bring him to the desired location, but into a contract business. In collaboration with the shopkeeper, the driver now tries the tourist with ominous offers to pull the money out of his pocket. So be careful!
See
Temple Wat Phra Keo
For every young traveler that is Khao San Road the first stop in Bangkok. Alex Garland, the author of "The Beach," calls her the chamber of decompression in Thailand. Here, the east bangs on the west, here mix the stark opposites. The perfect place to dive from one world to the other. Countless bars as well as sales and food stalls line the loud and shrill street. Until late at night, it is the vibrant vein of the living seven-million-city.
China Town, on the other hand, is pure Asia. In this part of Bangkok, Westerners feel almost like being on another planet. Exotic colors, unknown odors and an extraordinary wealth of goods from the Far East await the astonished visitors. The streets are teeming with people and cars. The overcrowded shops along the streets offer not only short and electric goods but also jewelry and getting used to snacks such as chicken toes.
The temples of the city are the ideal retreat after a day in the noisy, hectic city. The Royal Palace and the royal temple Wat Phra Keo lying on the palace grounds are overwhelmingly beautiful, but not suitable for recreation. The crowd pushes clumsily ahead, above the crowd protrude umbrellas different tour group leaders out. Best seen quickly and then continue to the nearby Temple Wat Pho. There are far fewer tourists, the chatter of the small water features calms down and the coolness within the temple walls is pleasant. On the site is the most traditional massage school Thailand. Between 8 and 18 o'clock the tired limbs can be made fit again for the later shopping. A traditional Thai massage (feet, legs, back, neck, arms and head) costs 220 baht for 30 minutes, one hour 360 baht.
Close to the temple, you can admire another Thai peculiarity: Hundreds of Thais use the Sararom Royal Park as an open-air gym. Young and old turn their rounds on the crowded raceways, from a pedestal an aerobics teacher teaches the crowd.
shopping
Weekend Market
Bangkok is a shopping paradise. In addition to souvenirs and plagiarism, there are tons of clothes and accessories away from the European mainstream brands. Surrounding Siam Square are the fine and state-of-the-art department stores such as Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon, as well as smaller boutiques. Although the sale of counterfeit goods is also illegal in Thailand, it can be bought anywhere. Even in the basements of department stores. In Patpong Road and the adjacent Silom Road, flying dealers set up their stalls every night. If you are in Bangkok for the weekend, you should definitely not Weekend Market miss. The market, located at the northern tip of the city, attracts nearly 200,000 Thais and tourists every Sunday from 7am to 6pm. Here you get everything: Individually designed t-shirts, ceramics, souvenirs ... The stalls are close together in alleyways where the heat builds up. Long can not stand it. Come early and go before the midday heat.
eat
A piece of the original Thailand can be found almost every corner of the city. The small, rolling food stalls invite you to a culinary journey. In front of the customers the food is prepared fresh and hygienic. For beginners, the pasta dish Patai (about 30 baht) is just the thing. Thailanderprobte can dare to the sharp Green or Red Curry (about 50 Baht). Especially good is the food around Khao San Road and the adjacent Soi Rambruttri. Here are all dishes described in English. It's different in the markets near the piers. There are almost only Thais, there is either no or only written in Thai menu. It only helps to order the tried and tested or to try it courageously.
In the basements of the department stores, there are the much acclaimed food centers in the guidebooks. Although the food choices are huge, the mass-centered, sterile-dining venues do not fare against the originality and price-to-pay ratio of the food stalls and food stalls on the streets. Recommended for breakfast is Ricky's Coffeeshop (Phra Athit Road, 22), for dinner the Intellectual and Artist Restaurant Hemlock (Phra Athit Road, 56). In relation to Europe the food in Thailand is very cheap.
go out
In Bangkok, the nightlife is not too short. The centers are located in Khao San and Sukhumvit Road. A current list with all opening hours and addresses can be found >> here. What should not be missing on a Bangkok trip, is a visit to the allegedly highest outdoor bar in the world: >> The Dome in the State Tower. The breathtaking view over the city at sunset is unforgettable! Cocktails cost around 380 baht. The bouncers pay close attention to the guests' attire. Flip-flops and small backpacks are not welcome.
Conclusion
If you take the long trip to Thailand, Bangkok should not just go through on the way to the beaches in the south. In the capital you can experience a lot, discover a lot and live on a budget as kings do. So, on to Bangkok!
