20 surprisingly useful tips for your trip to Bangkok!

By Young Buffalo

The streets of Bangkok

Bangkok is without doubt one of the world’s travel hot spots, next to Paris, London or New York. You’ve probably heard or read a massive amount of travel information about Bangkok, but here is Buffalo Tours‘ unique list of surprisingly useful travel tips to put in your pocket on your next trip to the heart of Asia. 

1. Don’t “over-plan” your Bangkok stay. By all means, visit the famous highlights, but don’t forget to spend a good chunk of your time simply discovering one of the coolest cities in Asia.
2. The Green Bike Project: free bike rentals around the Old City! It’s a great way to get around the traffic jams in the area. There are 8 rental stations in Rattanakosin area. The easiest station to find is near the Grand Palace.
3. A long tail boat is cute, but did you know he has a smaller, (much) faster cousin: the rocket boat? They usually fit 2 people and a boatman. If the Bangkok heat made you drowsy, a ride in one of these will wake you right up.
4. If you plan on staying in Bangkok for more than 1 or 2 days, get a rabbit card. These cards can be loaded with trips for the Bangkok Skytrain. If you plan on moving around a lot (which you should!) this can save you up to 50% on your Skytrain expenses.
5. Bangkokians are always in the know on the best street food. If you see locals lining up at a street food stand, chances are it’s either the hottest new thing or a legendary eatery.
6. Speaking of legendary foodies: try “Lueng Pha”  or “Thip Samai Phad Thai” shops located close to the Golden Mount (Wat Saket). Follow the crowd for what many consider the best Phad Thai in Bangkok.
   
   

   Thip Samai Phad Thai

7. Phra Athit Road. is where the hip young crowd goes to eat. It is super scenic thanks to the beautifully lit old fort and absolutely packed with restaurants. Surprisingly the smallest and least fancy looking restaurant, “Roti Mataba”, is the most famous one amongst Bangkokians.
8. You know China Town, but don’t neglect Little India! Phahurat or Little India sits right next to China Town and is famous for textile trade. A great place for finding your own fabrics if you want to get Tailor Made clothes made in Bangkok and of course…Indian Food!
9. If you want to take a little break from everything Thai visit J-town. The 2 streets across Emporium shopping mall are dominated by everything Japanese. Japanese shops, Japanese food, Japanese (shady) massage places and Japanese businessmen. KAMPAI!
10. If you want to find out how the oldies spend their days in Bangkok hit the food court on the top floor of “The Old Siam” plaza. The food is nice, but the seniors taking turns on the Karaoke stage are the true highlight.
    

    Street food in Bangkok – Taken by Yotpisai

11. A new museum seems to appear almost every week in Bangkok, each better than the last. One of the older and oddest ones though is the Museum of Forensic Science located in Sirirat Hospital. Not for the faint of heart!
12. Bangkok’s newest Riverside attraction is the Asiatique night market. Built in a set of abandoned pier warehouses, the place features a host of small shops with trendy local products and great restaurants. The best way to get here is by taking the free shuttle boat from Suphan Taksin BTS.
13. Bangkok is a shopper’s paradise, but there’s so much more than MBK. For great shopping malls try the newly renovated Siam Center or the airport themed Terminal 21 near BTS Asoke.
    

    Terminal 21 shopping mall

14. When around BTS Siam it is tempting to dive into one of the air-conditioned malls right away. Stop and cross the street to Siam Square instead. There are tons of small shops opened by the young creative crowd here worth checking out if you like something different from the traditional brand names.
15. If you are interested to see the latest local trends and youth fashion, visit the night market under Saphan Phut. Be sure to give the fried squid eggs a try as well. It’s a market specialty!
16. For all grownups who still have the hidden love for games and seek to revive your childhood, a visit to Saphan Lek Market not far from China Town is a must. Tucked away underneath a bridge, it’s a toys-for-boys heaven on earth. Games, Movies, Electronics all for unbelievably low prices.
17. If you happen to come across a “Temple Fair”, make sure to enter the temple grounds and join the festivities.  These are public events organized throughout the year at most bigger temples for various celebrations and festivals. Festival in Thailand means eating…lots of eating.
18. There are so many rooftop bars in Bangkok it’s hard to pick a favorite. “Vertigo” is well established and always a success if it doesn’t rain, otherwise try one of the newer bars such as “Scarlett” on Pullman Silom.
    

    Vertigo Rooftop Bar (Source: bangkok.com)

19. Want to party like a Bangkokian? Hit the Thong Lor and Ekamai Area! Clubs like Muse and Funky Villa are loaded with Bangkok’s well to do youth…so many pretty people!
20. It’s tempting to dive into a familiar looking bar on Khao San Road, but Bangkok’s bar scene is always changing and getting better. Try some of the newer bars like Apoteka and Le Derriere Q Bar in Sukhumvit 11 or Maggie Choo’s on Silom, these are more like theme parks for grown ups!

Top 20 Bangkok tips on map – Click to zoom in and get directions

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Is it gonna be your first time to Thailand – the land of smile this summer and Bangkok will be where you start your trip? Let our travel experts in Bangkok guide you around to explore the city the local way. Click here to check out our wide range of Bangkok tours and Thailand tours in other cities.

Published on 21/08/2013