BANGKOK HOTELS DESTINATION
|
|
RECOMMENDED BANGKOK HOTELS
|
|
|
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok 
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok is a place of elegance and calm from which to experience the culture of Bangkok and the mysteries of the Orient... more 
 |
Bangkok was founded in 1782 by the first monarch of the present Chakri dynasty. It is now the country’s spiritual, cultural, diplomatic, commercial and educational hub. It covers an area of more than 1,500 square kilometres, and it is home to approximatlely ten million people or more than 10% of the country’s population.
Over the last few decades, Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok, has changed into a modern, exciting and sophisticated city. It offers to visitors not only the cosmopolitan amenities they would expect from other big cities, but also a unique treasure trove of cultural attractions. Thailand, in the heart of Southeast Asia, was never colonised and thus kept its unique culture and heritage intact. Bangkok offers visitors the opportunity to experience fascinating glimpse of Thailand’s gentle culture amidst the bustle of a great and dynamic metropolis. This great city has had astounding success in combining the ancient and modern world.
For tourists, Bangkok has a feast of attractions to offer. The city is dotted with 400 glittering Buddhist temples of great beauty and fascination, magnificent palaces, classical dance extravaganzas, numerous shopping centres and traditional ways of life, especially along the "Venice of the East" timeless canals and the Chao Phraya River of the "River of Kings" winding through the city. It is worth taking a trip along its waters before exploring further into different canals to take a glimpse of old Bangkok. |
Chatuchak was originally part of Bang Khen district. It became a separate district in 1989. The name of the district came from its two major landmarks Chatuchak Park and Chatuchak Weekend Market.
This is located at the junction of Phahonyothin and Vibhavadi Rungsit roads. There are nine pieces of ASEAN sculptures that enhance the character of the park.
Open : Daily from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Admission : Free
Nearby places/attractions : Chatuchak Weekend Market, Central Ladprao, BTS Mochit Station
|
The largest outside of China Chinatown is a bustling, crowded area where you can buy just about anything day or night.
The main thoroughfare through Chinatown is Yaowarat Road, which is approximately 1.5 kilometres in length. It was built during the reign of King Rama V. On each side of the road, there is a network of streets and alleys lined with shops selling all sorts of things. In many of these streets, you’ll find shops side by side selling the same items.
There is an old fresh food market called Trok Isarnuphap where leading chefs from all over Bangkok shop for the finest and freshest ingredients for their restaurant menus.
The largest outside of China Chinatown is a bustling, crowded area where you can buy just about anything day or night.
The main thoroughfare through Chinatown is Yaowarat Road, which is approximately 1.5 kilometres in length. It was built during the reign of King Rama V. On each side of the road, there is a network of streets and alleys lined with shops selling all sorts of things. In many of these streets youll find shops side by side selling the same items.
There is an old fresh food market called Trok Isarnuphap where leading chefs from all over Bangkok shop for the finest and freshest ingredients for their restaurant menus.
A visit at night will take you to a food street where you sit on stools watching your meal being prepared, then enjoying the delicious cuisine washed down by tea or a cold beer.
How to get there : taking subway to Hua Lamphong MRT station then continue walking for 700 metres to Yaowarat Road or taking bus routes 1, 4, 7, 25, 53, 501 |
Our gateway to the world
The Bangkok International Airport at Don Muang is one of the busiest in Asia handling more than 80 international airlines.
The airport is divided into two sections, namely International and Domestic. The International section has two terminals, Terminal One and Terminal Two. There are signs as you approach both terminals listing the airlines using each terminal.
For international flights, check-in time is at least 2 hours before scheduled departure time. Once inside the terminals, you will find all the facilities you need including restaurants, drink kiosks, foreign currency exchanges, postal services, magazine, newspaper and book sellers, florists and tourist police booths.
After passing through Check-In and Immigration, you enter the Departure Concourse where there are many more facilities as in the public area. Here you will find an amazing selection of duty free items at very reasonable prices.
The airport authority operates a free shuttle bus service between the International and Domestic Terminals.
The Domestic Terminal is equally well appointed with the exception of duty free shopping. Check in time for domestic flights is one hour before the scheduled departure.
Smoking is prohibited within all the terminals except in the designated Smoking Rooms.
How to get there: There are many ways to get to and from the airport. There are the special airport buses that travel four routes, one to the Silom Road, second to Sanam Luang area close to Khao San Road, third to Sukhumvit Road and the fourth to Hua Lumphong Railway Station.
The State Railways of Thailand has a railway station across the road from the airport. This can be reached via the pedestrian overhead bridges.
Most hotels operate a limousine service to the airport and of course you can use a taxi.
There are public buses, both air conditioned and non-air conditioned to and from the airport
Bus Routes 29, 59, 95, 510, 513.
|
Khaosan road or Khao San road is a short road in central Bangkok, Thailand. It is located in the Banglamphu neighborhood (Phra Nakhon district) about 1 km north from the Grand Palace with Wat Phra Kaew. It has developed over the years into probably the most profound worldwide example of a "backpackers' ghetto", with relatively cheap accommodation compared to other areas of central Bangkok. The accommodation varies from 'mattress in a box' style hostels, to full Western-standard luxury.
Many tourists use Khaosan road as their base for exploring the rest of Thailand as there are many direct coaches from the street to virtually all major tourist destinations in Thailand, from Chiang Mai in the North to Ko Pha Ngan in the South. Many visitors will also take advantage of the abundance of relatively cheap travel agents to arrange visas and transport to surrounding countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia, though many (if not most) of these travel agents are scams of some sort, and travelers would do themselves wise to use Thai public buses instead.
Crafts, paintings, clothes, pirate CDs, DVDs, fake educational diplomas, fake driver's licenses, food, second-hand books and many other useful backpacker items are among the common goods traded along the road.
Khaosan road has in recent years also become popular among local people, especially artists and art students. The road hosts a number of pubs and bars, where people of many nationalities meet and discuss their travels. Khaosan and the streets nearby are also Bangkok's center of dancing, partying and splashing water during Thai New Year (Songkran festival) on April 13 to April 15.
It is one of Bangkok's most vibrant streets, host to people from around the world. One Thai writer described the road as "a short road that has the longest dream in the world."
"Khao san" means "raw rice" in Thai. Before it became a tourist hotspot, the street was a major rice market for Bangkok. |
Pratunam is one of the older shopping areas in Bangkok that has a highly-deserved reputation among bargain shoppers.
Passing through the area, you will see many shops on the main roads. But the real activity is in the market hidden behind the stalls and shops. Here youll find a huge variety of low cost clothes, fashion accessories, shoes, watches, electronic gadgets and all sorts of souvenirs. It is usually very congested as there are many eager shoppers looking for their bargains.
Pratunam is the location for Thailand's tallest building, the Baiyok Tower. This is the major wholesale center for the garment trade. It is very popular with minor and major international traders, particularly those from Africa. There is even an African restaurant nearby.
Bargain hunters looking for good deals on computers, accessories and software flock to Pantip Plaza, which is now known throughout the world for its low prices.
How to get there : Bus routes 2, 11, 23, 60, 62, 72, 93, 140, 511, 512
|
This is the major shopping area of Bangkok. It is very popular with tourists and Thais, particularly young, fashion-conscious Thai girls. The area started to develop around Siam Square in the late sixties when Chulalongkorn University utilized its land bank adjacent to the university.
Since then, it has continued to progress with new shopping centers being built even now. Starting from the Pathumwan junction it stretches all the way to Wireless Road.
The original development, Siam Square, is particularly popular with university students and young Thais who have just started their business careers. There is a well-used phrase on mobile phone calls Meet you at Siam. Opposite Siam Square is Siam Center which was the first western-style air-conditioned shopping complex in Thailand. Now this area has many other shopping complexes.
The next section in this area is around the Ratchadamri and Ratchaprasong intersection where there are a selection of 5-star hotels and major shopping complexes catering for the more up-market shoppers. Many of the worlds leading fashion designers have boutiques in this locale.
The Central World Plaza is the largest complex in this area and the site for Bangkoks New Year Countdown celebrations. During the cooler months of November to January, the major breweries sponsor the setting up of beer gardens on the plaza in front.
The last point on this Fashion City map is Central Chidlom, another upmarket department store. This is at the Chidlom and Lang Suan intersection. Soi Lang Suan has many condominiums and a variety of restaurants and bars catering to the more affluent members of society.
How to get there : Skytrain to Siam or Chidlom Stations
Bus routes 2, 15, 16, 21, 25, 29, 34, 40, 45, 47, 50, 54, 73, 79, 93, 141, 163, 204, 508, 511, 513
|
Sukhumvit Road runs all the way from the railway crossing at Ploenchit to the Cambodian Border in Trat. But the section from the first soi to Soi 55 is the one relevant to this presentation as it has much to offer visitors and locals alike.
There are restaurants all the way along Sukhumvit Road and in just about every side street. These cover just about every cuisine known to man. The area around Soi Nana at the beginning of Sukhumvit Road has many restaurants, particularly those serving Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine. This area is also well-known for its lively bar scene.
There are many hotels ranging from 5-star to cheaper establishment in the area from Soi Nana to Asoke Road. There are also a variety of international fast food restaurants as well as those serving French, Italian, Japanese and Korean in addition to Thai and Thai-Chinese meals. Another street of bars, Soi Cowboy, is just past Asoke Road.
The restaurants and hotels continue up Sukhumvit Road and all the side streets. There is a beautiful park, Benchasiri Park, just before you reach The Emporium, yet another high class shopping center. The condominiums in this area have a high number of expatriate Japanese families residing here, so there are more Japanese restaurants and bars in this locale. Some call it Little Tokyo.
Soi 55, also known as Soi Thonglor, is another street of restaurants and shops catering to the well-to-do. Opposite the entrance to Soi Thonglor on Sukhumvit Road, is a small soi that fills up at night with a multitude of food vendors and their carts serving supper into the early morning.
How to get there : BTS Skytrain has many stations. Subway Sukhumvit Station Bus routes 2, 23, 25, 38, 40, 48, 71, 98, 501, 508, 511, 513
|
SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT HOTELS
|
|
|
|
Chatuchak
