Discover Bangkok

Bangkok is the Orient's most cosmopolitan city and has attractions to stimulate even the most jaded travellers. Created as the Thai capital in 1782 by the first monarch of the present Chakri dynasty, Bangkok is a national treasure house and Thailand's spiritual, cultural, political, commercial, educational and diplomatic centre.

Bangkok, Thailand's major gateway, casts an irresistible spell of enchantment. To the Thais it is Krung Thep, ""City of Angels"", and you'll find it truly a magic place, one that captivates the imagination.

More than anywhere else in the country, Bangkok expresses Thailand's uncanny ability to blend the old with the new. This lends a thrilling sense of discovery to one's sightseeing and adds an element of surprise when exploring what is the Orient's most fabled city.

Joyfully exuberant, Bangkok embraces modern development and presents an initial picture of thrusting office towers; of world-class hotels offering deluxe comforts; of glittering shopping plazas packed with treasures of the East such as silks and gemstones; of restaurants serving Thailand's acclaimed spicy specialities and virtually every other national cuisine worthy of the name; of neon-lit entertainment spots where the fare ranges from classical dance to laser disco.

Incredibly amidst this sybaritic world Bangkok manages to preserve its cultural heritage to an amazing degree. In the rich splendour of the Grand Palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Temple of the Dawn and other historic shrines, you see images of medieval Oriental wonder, the very stuff of Eastern fairytales.

The influence of the past is not limited to major monuments and it continues to colour daily life. Files of saffron-robed monks making their early morning alms round, for example, present a scene unaltered in essentials by the passing of time. Today's backdrop of highrise buildings only adds wonder to this and other enduring sights from which the city continues to draw definition.

Ultimately it is from the people that Bangkok derives its unique flavour. Fun-loving and easy going, they possess a rare tolerance which imbues the city with a real sense of freedom. It may appear at times hectic, yet what finally comes across is Bangkok's good natured acceptance of life with all its idiosyncrasies.

Thailand's ""City of Angels"" is, indeed, a magic place where possibilities are limited only by the imagination. You'll marvel at past glories, delight in present opportunities and love every minute of it.

Anyone intending to travel to Thailand my appreciate this snapshot of life in Bangkok, Thailand. There are many different aspects to Bangkok in every possible sense and this is only providing a brief glimpse of a few of them here.

First the good:
Number one on most peoples list after a visit to Thailand is the people. Amongst the most accomodating and friendly on the planet, usually they cannot do enough for you and when they have done all they can they'll find some one else who can do even more to help you. The tourist industry thrives partly due to the fact that Thais are so service minded and so very good at it. Several of the Worlds finest Hotels are located in Bangkok such as The Sukhothai and The Oriental both demonstrating this extraordinary level of service.

Now the bad:
Well, I guess we have all heard of the usual scams and yes they all do exist here but by in large though if you were sensible you wouldn't get caught out. As an exception to this there are a certain amount of scams that appear so well organised that anyone could easily fall prey to them if they were unwary. Travellers report the lengths that the scammers go to even recruiting monks to aid there success! Just google bangkok scams and you'll find a host of examples and travellers warnings.

In many areas of Bangkok you will also unfortunately experience the Bangkok stench that often permeates from badly covered sewerage pipes and drains. The easiest solution is to go into any of the tremendous array of restaurants available.

Finally The Ugly:
There is a large thriving market in sex tourism based mainly around areas such as Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy and Patpong. These places cater largely for the lone male sex tourist and the 'bar girls' there appear experts at identifying the wealthier tourists and extracting cash from their wallets with expert ease.

And well lastly the recent Coup last year wasn't nice but fortunately within a couple of days local expats reported young children jumping and crawling over the tanks in the street and being given brief tours by some of the soldiers on duty. Whilst still the countries politics may not be in a very good state it certainly appears to not have bothered the tourism industry or expat community too much.

There really is so much to promote about Thailand the list is never ending including: Scuba-diving, Islands, world-class restaurants and stunning national parks and wildlife. All yours to discover and made even easier with the ability to transfer money overseas from your home country to Thailand boosting your travelling budget within moments.

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