Bangkok is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the World. What will come as a surprise to most of us is Bangkok is rated higher than London for being the world’s top destination city in terms of the number of international visitor arrivals. On the international radar Bangkok is primarily famous for its Red Light Districts, every year millions of tourists from across the globe flock to Bangkok to explore the night life, street life, cultural landmarks and Thai culture & food.
US citizens with a blue passport do not require a visa to travel to Thailand but possessing a roundtrip ticket for your journey is a must. When you are flying out from the US into Bangkok, the prime thing to keep in mind is there are no non-stop flights to Bangkok.
Culture & Religion
Thai culture in Bangkok has its roots from Hinduism and this can be backed by the presence of many Hindu Temples, structures and shrines like the Giant Swing and the Erawan shrine. Bangkok is predominantly Buddhist and is considered by many as a serene place for relaxing. The cultural landmarks unique to this city include Royal Palaces, Temples, and Museums (Bangkok National Museum and Royal Barge National Museum).
Climate and best time to travel
Bangkok experiences a tropical climate and the best time to travel to this Asian tourist delight is November to December. Most Americans are known to take vacations in the months of July to August as this is summer time in the US and most people find holidays during this season, my advice to the US travelers is re-think and plan to visit Bangkok in the months of November and December to take advantage of the pleasant weather.
Bangkok was struck with one tragic incident of terror that took place on August 17 2015, on this day the popular Hindu Erawan shrine was bombed by miscreants killing 20 people instantly at the shrine. However no such incidents have been reported in the recent years and Bangkok is still considered by many to be a safe place for tourists. So nothing should stop tourists from exploring this city.
Getting around Bangkok city
Bangkok boasts of a well connected public transport system, mainly connected by Skytrains (elevated train system), MRT metro (underground train system), busses, taxis, motorbike-taxis, boats that run on the waterways and Bangkok’s signature mode of transport- Tuk Tuks.
It’s worth a mention that a Tuk Tuk is an old fashioned three wheel rickshaw that runs on a motor-engine. Take a ride on one of these to get a different feel of Bangkok city. Traffic is likely to be worst during weekday rush hours, so do your exploration in the early hours before the peak time in order to beat the crowds and save your time. There are numerous traffic grid locks on the streets of Bangkok because it is densely crowded and filled with too many automobiles on the roads. The intriguing thing about Bangkok is people are disciplined and tolerant when it comes to road jams and it is quite rare to see road rages resulting from grid locks in this city.
Travel tip: If you want to avoid these grid locks you must ferry across the waterways instead of taking the usual taxis, busses or Skytrains.
Things to do while in Bangkok
For an unforgettable experience of Bangkok keep these in your bucket list of activities
- Visit the Wat Pho temple to see the reclining Buddha
- Visit the Grand Palace of Bangkok
- Take a trip around Chatuchak Market
- Take a boat trip along the Chao Phraya river
- Get a good massage from one of the premium SPAs in Bangkok
- Do your shopping at Bangkok’s famous Shopping mall, Siam Paragon that showcases many high-end fashion designer stores
- Visit Chinatown (packed with Chinese restaurants) to get the feel of China in Thailand!
- Explore Kao San road also known as the backpacker’s district
- Pamper your taste buds with the street food which is mainly Thai cuisine.
