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Insider Guide: Best of BangkokGolden temples, addictive street food, amazing hotels and Asia's craziest nightlife. Thailand's

megacity has far more to offer than you imagineBy CNN Travel staf f 15 October, 2013

Asia Pacific | Thailand | Bangkok

Ah, Bangkok. Beauty, modernity, chaos and decay. We wouldn't want it any other way.

So, you're in Thailand on a mission to cram the best of Bangkok into a weekend? It's a big task --

there's no city in the world like this one -- but it can be done.

With incredible street food, world-class hotels, killer nightlife, packed markets and temples so

sparkly they make your eyes water, there's almost too much to choose from.

But you're in luck. This quick guide ensures you can at least hit the highlights on your quest for the

best of Bangkok.

Its worth keeping in mind that hotel prices vary dramatically depending on the time of year. High

season runs from October to April, so the best bargains can be had May to September.

Print and go -- Our travele r-friendly one-page guide here: Best of Bangkok

Hotels

Luxury

The Siam

GUIDES

1. Abu Dhabi

2. Amsterdam

3. Auckland

4. Bali

5. Bangkok

6. Barcelona

7. Beijing

8. Berlin

9. Bogota

10. Budapest

11 . Buenos Aires

12. Cambodia

13. Cancn14. Cape Town

15. Chicago

16. Colorado skiing

17. Dubai

18. Dublin

19. Frankfurt

20. Havana

21. Hong Kong

22. Honolulu

23. Istanbul

24. Koh Samui25. Kuala Lumpur

26. Langkawi

27. Las Vegas

28. London

32. Manila

33. Melbourne

34. Mexico City

35. Miami

36. Moscow

37. Mumbai

38. Munich

39. Nairobi

40. New Delhi

41. New York City

42. Paris

43. Phuket

44. Prague45. Rio de Janeiro

46. Rome

47. San Francisco

48. Santiago

49. Sao Paulo

50. Seoul

51. Shanghai

52. Singapore

53. Stockholm

54. Sydney

55. Taipei56. Tokyo

57. Toronto

58. Toulouse

59. Vancouver

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CNN Partner Hotels

Find out more

The lobby.

The trouble with the Explorer's Suite isguests won't actually want to go out andexplore. It's that good.

Cure that bout of writer's block by checkinginto the Mandarin Oriental's Graham Greenesuite.

This stunning, antique-laced property on the Chao Praya

River recalls the time of King Rama V (1853-1910), a

period when Bangkok was a tranquil, smog-free riverside

idyll.

Since opening in 2012 the accolades have been rolling in

from travel rags around the world.

With great restaurants, a poolside bar, muay Thai gym

and spa, this 39-room resort set on three acres is almost a

vacation unto itself.

Though a bit of a hike from the city center, theres aregular hotel-operated ferry that shuttles guests to the

Taksin pier, where they can jump on the BTS Skytrain

The Siam, 3/2 Thanon Khao; +66 (0)2 206 6999; from

14,500 baht ($500)

Four Seasons Bangkok

Within walking distance of the best of Bangkok shopping in

Rajaprasong, the Four Seasons Bangkok lives up to its

big-brand hype.

Airport transfers in Bangkok's only Wi-Fi-equippedMercedes. Luxurious rooms decorated with Thai art and

decor. Four incredible restaurants and a super stylish

lounge (Aqua) that's packed with well-heeled locals on any

given night.

The swanky Explorer's Suite is a huge, two-bedroom

space filled with Southeast Asian art and furniture, two

sitting rooms and a dining area.

Good luck reverting to normalcy.

Four Seasons Bangkok, 455 Rajadamri Road; BTS:

Chidlom or Rajdamri; +66 (0) 2 253 9195; from 6,000 baht

($200)

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

This Bangkok institution is a step back to a time when

luggage was carried in trunks, dinner dress was de rigueur

(tropics or not) and tea on the veranda was served with a

stiff G&T to ward off mosquitoes.

More than 100 years old, the Oriental's Author's Wing

retains its magical aura with its picturesque parlors, each

named for a scribe they once hosted, including the likes of

Somerset Maugham, Joseph Conrad and Ernest

Hemingway.

The Garden Wing offers similar heights of nostalgic luxury,

while the modern River Wing and Tower have a more

contemporary design.

And if it weren't patently obvious from the never-ending

stream of awards rained upon this five-star, best of

Bangkok landmark, high tea in the Mandarin Oriental's

library is simply too civilized for the mere words of us regrettably non-famous authors.

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, 48 Oriental Avenue; +66 (0) 2 659 9000; from 10,000 baht ($342)

Lebua

If you've seen "The Hangover Part II," this all-suite

Bangkok hotel needs no introduction.

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Lebua's Hangover Suite. The wolf packwould approve. And destroy.

So Sofitel's Wood element rooms weredesigned by Thai architect NithiSthapitanonda.

Wonderful guest room.

A prominent setting in the Thailand-based sequel to the R-rated bachelor romp, Lebua is actually

more famous for the views from its incredible rooftop bars and restaurants than the hotel itself.

All 357 luxury suites are spacious, comfortable and offer

great views of Bangkok and the Chao Phraya river.

Extra special are the "Tower Club" suites, which feature

330-thread-count sheets, a range of Bulgari accessories

and exclusive access to the Tower Club Lounge on the

52nd floor.

There's also the Hangover Suite, perfect for a bachelor

weekend in Bangkok.

Lebua, 1055 Silom Road; +66 (0) 2 624 9999; from 6,000

baht ($200)

St. Regis Bangkok

Nearly a quarter of the 227 guest rooms at this elegant

property are suites -- this should give an idea of the level

of comfort to which the St. Regis aspires and generally

attains.

A specialty is off-site activities geared toward "the artistic

visionary, the epicurean voyager, the passionateconnoisseur."

Care for a deep-sea fishing trip with one of the hotel's

celebrated chefs? A private Fendi shopping trip?

The hotel will arrange it.

St. Regis Bangkok, 159 Rajadamri Road; +66 (0)2 207

7777; from 6,000 baht ($200)

W Hotel Bangkok

The stylish W concept remains intact at this 407-room

hotel ("chili-hot nightlife" is advertised) located onBangkok's Embassy Row near a vibrant commercial

district.

Rooms are basic but fully wired and come with good robes

and a Munchie Box.

Bathrooms come with rainforest showers.

City-view room views are nice.

W Hotel Bangkok, 106 North Sathorn Road; +66 (0)2 344

4000; from 5,000 baht ($171)

Mid-range

Mode Sathorn

With the opening of Mode Sathorn this year, Siam@Siam

gets the second design hotel in its Bangkok portfolio,

which the brand is somewhat predictably characterizing as

"fashionable lifestyle."

The property has 201 rooms and suites in five categories,

each featuring a different design concept, plus a

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Bangkok makes a great audience.

Bangkok Treehouse's "View with a Room."

presidential suite on the 36th floor.

F&B offerings come in the form of three restaurants and

three bars. Theatre Bar is the standout thanks to a circular

TV screen and three areas segregated by your poison of

choice, be it wine, beer or cocktails.

As with its sister hotel, Mode Sathorn features a rooftop

bar. If live DJs in al fresco vogue settings aren't your thing,

Secret M has a private indoor dining cove one floor below.

Mode Sathorn, 144 North Sathorn Road, Silom, Bangkok;

+66 2623 4555; from 2,700 baht (US$85) per night

Galleria 10 Hotel Bangkok

Formerly the Ramada Encore, the Galleria 10 is a 188-

room, chrome-and-glass hotel with modern furnishings.

It's geared toward "always-on-the-go" business travelers, with high-speed Internet access included

in the room rate, 40-inch LCD TV with satellite channels, good-sized working areas, direct dial

telephones and HDMI easy plug-in.

There are some nice outdoor spaces for drinks around the pool.

Galleria 10 Hotel Bangkok, 21 Sukhumvit Soi 10; +66 (0)2 615 0999; from 1,900 baht ($66)

Bangkok Treehouse

Inspired by Henry David Thoreau's "Walden," the 12-suite

Bangkok Treehouse allows guests to get back to nature in

Bang Krajao, the "green lungs of Bangkok."

Guests arrive via a dedicated shuttle boat across the

Chao Phraya, disembarking onto a floating pontoon

overlooked by the hotels gourmet organic restaurant.

Each standard suite is divided into three levels ( living

room, bedroom and roof deck), offering views of the

surrounding river, mangroves and coconut plantations.

Inside, the rooms are comfortable and cozy, with all the

expected features (TV, DVD, Wi-Fi) and optional air-

conditioning.

Bangkok Treehouse, 400 meters east of Baan

Namphueng Nok Temple in Bang Krajao; from 3,400 baht ($116)

Loy La Long

Quirky and comfy, the seven color-coded rooms at this two-story wood property on the edge of

Chinatown range from a four-bedroom family dorm (guests pay per bed) to the river-view suite that

allows you to wake up to the sight of barges floating past -- along with the occasional roaringlongtail engine.

Theres a fantastic living room, where guests can park on a floor cushion and watch the life on

the river pass by.

Near Tha Tien Pier, Loy La Long is hidden behind a temple complex right on the edge of

Chinatown. Not easy to find, but the payoff is worth it.

Loy La Long, 1620/2 (inside Patumkongka Rachaworawiharn Temple), Song Wat Road; dorm bed

from 1,300 baht ($40)

Budget

Lub D

Lub D proves that being on a budget doesn't have to

mean losing out on style or location.

There are two Lub D "hostels" in Bangkok, both rocking an industrial chic design. The original is on

Decho Road, off Silom.

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Double deluxe room at Lub D.That's a lot ofD's. D.

Nahm offers one of Bangkok's mostmemorable meals.

Issaya Siamese Club is set in a beautifullyrestored Thai colonial house.

Not your exoected Thai fare: Salted Spanish

The newer Siam location is opposite National Stadium, close to the BTS SkyTrain and a short walk

to Siam Square and the malls of Rajaprasong. It has four-bed dorms, economy twin rooms, doubles

and, our favorite, a queen-bed suite with a private bathroom and LCD TV.

The Wi-Fi is free and the beer cheap. You won't find those

attributes in too many five-star establishments.

Siam Lub D, 925/9 Rama 1 Road; from 500 baht ($17) ;

+66 (0) 2 612 4999

Silom Lub D,4 Decho Road, off Silom Road, BTS: Sala

Daeng; from 380 baht ($13); +66 (0) 2 634 7999

Dining

Nahm

Offering Thai fine dining with exquisite attention to detail,

the best ingredients and authenticity, Nahm provides the

best of Bangkok culinary experiences.

Head Chef David Thompson, who received a Michelin star

for his London-based Thai restaurant of the same name,

opened this branch in the Metropolitan Hotel in 2010.

If that doesnt sell you, perhaps the fact its the only Thairestaurant to crack the top 10 of the worlds 50 best

restaurants list will.

Through recipes based on archaic Siamese cookbooks

and other dishes passed down in funeral books," you'll

receive both perfect renditions of Thai classics such as

tom yum goong, as well as fresh surprises difficult to find

outside the Thai home.

Nahm, Metropolitan Hotel, South Sathorn Road; +66 (0) 2

625 3388; expensive

Issaya Siamese Club

Issaya Siamese Club is internationally acclaimed Thai

chef Ian Kittichai's first flagship Bangkok restaurant.

The menu in this beautifully restored colonial house

features traditional Thai cuisine combined with modern

cooking methods.

There a few misses but for the most part everything on the

menu is unique, delicious and oh-so-pretty. We

recommend the banana blossom Thai salad, chili-glazed

baby back ribs and massaman lamb.

Issaya Siamese Club, 4 Soi Sri Aksorn, Chuaphloeng

Road, +66 (0)2 672 9040; moderate to expensive

Bo.Lan

Bo.Lan has been making waves in Bangkok's culinary

scene since it opened in 2009. Serving hard-to-find Thai

dishes in an upscale, hip atmosphere, the restaurant is

true to Thai cuisine's roots, yet still manages to add a

special twist.

Located in a renovated house on Sukhumvit Soi 26,

Bo.Lan stars include the smoked Chiang Mai river troutsalad, green curry stuffed egg yolks and stir-fried beef with

dried shrimp paste.

This place is good for a romantic dinner or a work meeting

with colleagues who appreciate fine food. For the

especially ravenous, there's a large set menu.

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mackerel and minced pork in coconutcream served with chicken dumplings.

Almost every dish here is colorful and themood is casual.

The concept at Soul Food Mahanakorn issummed up on its website: Wholesome

Bo.Lan, 42 Soi Pichai Ronnarong Songkram, Soi

Sukhumvit 26; +66 (0) 2260 2962; moderate to expensive

Gaggan

Earning 10th place on this year's "Asia's 50 best restaurants"list, progressive Indian restaurant

Gaggan is one of the most exciting venues to arrive in Bangkok in recent years.

But don't go into this place thinking youre going to be enjoying the usual Indian dishes like butter

chicken or mutton biryani.

El-Bulli-trained chef Gaggan Anand uses molecular technology to put a funky twist on classic

dishes from his native India, rendering many of them unrecognizable while giving you that "a-ha!"

moment as the connection hits your taste buds.

The best table in this two-story colonial Thai home offers a window right into the kitchen, where you

can see Gaggan and his staff in action. Culinary theater at its best.

Gaggan, 68/1 Soi Langsuan (opposite Soi 3); +66 (0) 2 652 1700; moderate to expensive

Supanniga Eating Room

If you want more from Thai cuisine than green curry, pad

Thai and papaya salad Supanniga Eating Room is a great

new Bangkok option.

Its located in a narrow, three-story Thonglor shophouse,

decked out with raw cement walls, yellow booths and

outdoor sofas on the top floor.

Inspired by Trat province on Thailands southeastern

coast and the northeast Isaan region, the menu has

rewards for the uninitiated.

Highlights include yam pla salid thod krob (sweet and sour

salad with crispy fish) and sweet and herbal moo chor

muang (fatty chunks of pork in an earthy curry of sour

leaves).

Almost every dish here is colorful -- yes, you'll be taking pictures of it before you eat -- and themood is casual.

Supanniga Eating Room, 160/11 Soi Thonglor; +66 (0)2 714 7508; moderate

Somtum Der

At this little eatery you get personal service and authentic Isaan-style street food without the street.

The restaurant is air-conditioned, which is a good thing since dishes have plenty of spice.

Chicken, pork and seafood are grilled nicely and come with sticky rice. Veggies are fresh and crisp.

A great quick, flip-flop-friendly pit stop.

Somtum Der, 5/5 Soi Sala Daeng, Silom Road; +66 (0)2 632 4499; budget

Soul Food Mahanakorn

An expat favorite, low-key lighting and wood finishing

define the cozy interior of this three-floor shop house.

Soul Food Mahanakorn's kitchen revolves around whats

fresh in the markets -- seafood from Sam Yan one day or

meat from Or Tor Kor another.

Healthy organic foods, such as rice, meats and some

vegetables, are sourced from organic farmers in the

northeast.

Recommended dishes: everything. It's all good here. The

cocktails are fantastic, too, especially the "Bangkok

Bastard," a mojito-like drink with a Thai-style twist.

Soul Food Mahanakorn, 56/10 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Soi

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ingredients. Honest cooking. Seriousdrinks.

Stir-fried pork and basil topped with a friedegg. So simple, so wonderful.

Same club, new look: Bangkok's Q Bar hasrecently undergone extensive renovations.

Just like Prohibition.

Thonglor); +66 (0) 85 904 2691; moderate

Shop houses and street food

Bangkok is famous for its street food and shop-house

restaurants, which makes picking just one vendor difficult.

To experience the best of Bangkok street food, we advise

hitting some of the more famous eating neighborhoods

and start sampling. Most shop houses or street vendors

specialize in one dish, whether it's duck noodles, pad Thaior red pork on rice.

Some of the best Bangkok street food zones to hit include

Bang Rak (between Taksin BTS station and the junction of

Charoen Krung and Silom Road), Victory Monument (BTS:

Victory Monument), Soi Ari (BTS: Ari), Chinatown,

Wongwian Yai and Ratchawat.

Nightlife

La Derriere at Q Bar

Located behind the popular Q Bar (you have to walkthrough this Bangkok nightclub mainstay to get in), this

lounge feels a lot like 1920s Paris, with a beautiful zinc

bar, red velvet furniture, frilly hanging lamps, mirrors and

beveled wall panels.

Theres a semi-outdoor space with decaying white walls for

smokers (cigars available).

Booze-wise, the main attractions here are the champagne

and absinthe and the small food menu does French things

like oysters by the dozen and cheese and cold cuts.

Le Derriere, Behind Q Bar, 34 Sukhumvit Soi 11; BTS:

Nana; +66 (0)2 252 3274; moderate

The Speakeasy

An upmarket bar with great views, The Speakeasy at Hotel

Museis set in a beautiful space on the 24th and 25th

floors.

Designed to bring back some Prohibition Era nostalgia, it

consists of two bars, a cigar lounge, private salas and a

boardroom.

The Speakeasy, Hotel Muse, 55/555 Lang Suan Road;

+66 (0)2 630 4000; expensive

Sukhumvit Soi 11

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WTF is for those who want to avoid massivenightclubs and crowded hangouts, thoughit's only a short distance from theEkamai/Thonglor madness.

Dance like no one's watching. Except the

guy behind the camera who will put it all onthe Internet.

In recent years, this busy Bangkok street in the city's Nana area has been pumped full of hotels,

tourist-friendly pubs, nightclubs and restaurants.

Though Bangkok lost Bed Supperclub this year -- arguably the hottest clubbing joint in town -- the

soi (street) is still filled with some great nightlife options, including the aforementioned Q Bar.

Soi 11 newcomers worth checking out include Apoteka -- great live music, stiff drinks and craft beer

-- and Levels, an enormous, high-ceilinged room whose centerpiece is a circular, glowing bar with a

jazzy LED chandelier overhead.

The latter has house-heavy DJs every night, with the occasional visiting big deal international act.

Apoteka, Sukhumvit Soi 11; BTS: Nana station; +66 (0)83 720 5586; moderate

Levels, 6/F, Aloft Hotel, 35 Sukhumvit Soi 11; BTS: Nana; +66 (0)82 308 3246; moderate-to-

expensive

RCA

Another great place for bar hopping -- if you don't mind hanging with the under-25 set -- the

numerous clubs and pubs that line Royal City Avenue (taxi drivers all know it as RCA) provide a

congregation point for youngsters looking to chill out.

Named for the historic American highway, Route 66 is the mother of all clubs here, where the

ghetto riche and urban fab descend in throngs to dance to a variety of music.

For live music, there's Cosmic Caf.

RCA, Royal City Avenue, Rama 9 Road

WTF/Opposite Mess Hall

Curious name aside, WTF on Sukhumvit Soi 51 lives up to

its multi-faceted concept of food-drink-art-friendship,

attracting the city's intellectual and creative class.

WTF is comfortably tiny, with a few tables scattered

around on the first floor near a well-stocked bar, while the

second floor serves as a gallery space.

Right across the street, WTF's owners recently opened a

cozy, second-floor bar with food called Opposite Mess

Hall.

That's a huge understatement given the man behind the

menu is chef Jess Barnes, formerly of Quince. Go for the

food, stay for the drinks.

WTF, 7 Soi Thonglor 51, BTS: Thonglor; +66 (0) 2 626

6246; moderate

Sonic

With a giant white statue of a mustachioed hipster outfront, Sonic positions itself as a dancing venue.

They've already made a name for themselves by hosting

events for Bangkok's local party series, such as the well

attended Paradise Bangkok gigs and collectives like

Trasher and Dudesweet, as well as big name acts such as

Skrillex and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.

That doesnt leave much room for a regular night, but on

that rare occasion, you can buy an unpretentious drink

and grab a table at the outdoor space, where resident DJs

spins indie rock.

Frequent local bands perform, both on the main stage and

in small party rooms.

Sonic, 90 Ekamai 63, between subsois 8 and 10; +66 (0)2

382 3397

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Jatujak Weekend Market: It's a haystack,only with a lot of needles.

Maggie Choo's

It may be located in the basement of a hotel (accessed via a separate, dark entrance), but this

speakeasy-like bar with a Shanghai opium den vibe comes with the solid pedigree of nightlife mogul

Ashley Sutton.

Sutton is behind several of the citys time warping establishments, such as Iron Fairies and Fat

Gutz.

At Maggie Choos, you get live jazz, leather armchairs, bank vaults and Queen Victoria busts

juxtaposed with cocktails, tile work, lattice and heavy wooden doors. Beautiful women clad in

cheongsams hang from swings and drape themselves across the bar.

Maggie Choo's, Hotel Novotel Bangkok Fenix Silom, 320 Silom Road; +66 (0)2 635 6055

Shopping

Thai fashion designers

Beyond the city's many Louis Vuitton, Herms and other big-brand boutiques at high-end malls are

some talented local designers earning global praise as well.

Last year year, Thai designer Wisharawish Akarasantisookwon top prize at the Mango Fashion

Awards in Barcelona. In 2011, Ek Thongprasertbecame the first Thai designer to join the fashion

savvy W Hotel's Global Fashion Next initiative.

So where to find Thailand's hottest young designers? Gaysorn Plaza has popular brands like

Sretsisand Issue,while celeb favorite Klosethas shops at Siam Center, Siam Paragon andCentralWorld.

To check out the designs of up-and-comer k and i, head to Zen at CentralWorld.

Gaysorn Plaza, 999 Ploenchit Road, on the corner of Ratchadamri Road, BTS: Chidlom; open

daily, 10 a.m.-10 p.m., +66 (0) 26 56 1149

Siam Center, 989 Rama 1 Road, BTS: Siam; open daily, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; +66 (0)2 658 1000

Siam Paragon, 991 Rama 1 Road, BTS: Siam; open daily, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; +66 (0)2 610 8000

CentralWorld, 999 Rama 1 Road, BTS: Chidlom; open daily, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; +66 (0)2 793 7400

Jatujak Weekend Market

Bangkok's Jatujak (or Chatuchak) Weekend Market -- JJ

for short -- is one of the biggest in Asia. Covering 35

acres, it has thousands of vendors and attracts as many

as 200,000 shoppers on weekends,

It's the place to go for Thai handicrafts, artwork, clothing,

household goods and even pets.

The downside? It's hot. It's crowded. And it's easy to get

lost amid the labyrinthine network of stalls.

Yet that's why some people love it.

The rest of us avoid the madness by going early in the

morning, before 9 a.m., or later in the day, at about 4 p.m.

Jatujak Weekend Market, BTS, Mo Chit station; MRT:

Chatuchak Park Station; open Fri, 6 p.m.-late and Sat-

Sun, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Asiatique The Riverfront

Asiatique The Riverfront is a huge shopping and entertainment complex beside Bangkok's Chao

Phraya river.

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10/12

Ancient City features dozens of scaleversions of Thailand's most significantlandmarks.

Visit Jim Thompson House to see where thelegend hung his hat. And silk.

Inspired by the city's days as a r iverside trading post in the early 1900s, it resembles a traditional

pier with rows of warehouses.

The restaurants and bars include a mixture of upscale bistro-style restaurants serving Thai,

Japanese, French and Italian, as well as an Irish pub and a wine bar.

There's also an outdoor, covered food court.

The best way to get there is to hop on the free shuttle boat that runs regularly from the BTS

Thaksin pier.

Asiatique, 2194 Charoenkrung 72-74 Road; open daily, 5 p.m. to midnight; +66 (0)2 108 4489

Attractions

Ancient City

This is the only way to tour Thailands most significant

historical sites in a day.

About a 45-minute drive from the city, this Samut Prakan

attraction features replicas of dozens of major Thai

landmarks, from the Grand Palace in Bangkok to the

contested Preah Vihear temple on the border with

Cambodia.

Given Ancient City's size, walking isnt recommended.

Better to rent a golf cart or a bike to cruise around thepark.

296/1 Sukhumvit Road, Bangpoo, Samut Prakan; open

daily, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Siam Niramit

An well-designed stage production featuring more than 100 performers, Siam Niramit crams seven

centuries of Thai culture into a fantastic 80-minute show that's heavy on special effects.

Shows start daily at 8 p.m. and there's an onsite restaurant offering a fairly standard Thai buffet

dinner from 5:30 p.m.

After the show, families can check out onsite attractions like elephant rides, a recreation of atraditional Thai village and other cultural displays.

Siam Niramit, 19 Tiamruammit Road; MRT: Thailand Cultural Center; +66 (0)2 649 9222; nightly

shows at 8 p.m.

Jim Thompson House

The legend of Jim Thompson is outlined in every Thailand

guidebook, while the iconic brands products are in 13

shops around Bangkok and two factory outlets.

For the true experience, head for the historic Jim

Thompson House and learn about the brands mysteriousnamesake, an American who gained worldwide recognition

for rebuilding the Thai silk industry before disappearing in

the Malaysian jungle in 1967.

The traditional Thai-style teak house, surrounded by

plants and trees, is filled with Southeast Asian antiques

that he acquired through his travels.

But don't let us convince you of its quality.

Somerset Maugham, who dined with Thompson at this

house in 1959, summed it up best: "You have not only beautiful things, but what is rare, you have

arranged them with faultless taste."

Jim Thompson House, 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Road, BTS: National Stadium; +66 (0) 216 7368

Flow House

Proving there's more to Bangkok than shopping and temples, Flow House is the only place in the

center of the city offering a quick adrenaline fix.

Open since 2012, the entertainment venue has a "Double FlowRider," a purpose-built wave

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It's where to get your start on modern Thai

art.

Wat Phra Kaew, or Temple of the EmeraldBuddha, is located at Bangkok's GrandPalace.

machine imported from the United States.

The machine cranks out a perpetual sheet wave that doesn't curl; strong enough to allow for stand-

up surfing and body-boarding.

Beginners, brace yourselves. There will be falls and your backside will be tender. But it's worth it.

If you'd rather just sit back and watch, there's an onsite restaurant and bar.

A-Square, Sukhumvit Soi 26; +66 (0)2 108 5210; www.flowhousebangkok.com

Museum of Contemporary Art

For a look at Thailand's modern art scene, you'll need to

head out of the downtown core to Bangkok's new Museum

of Contemporary Art (MOCA).

A five-story space owned by a Thai telecommunications

magnate who wanted to share his huge Thai modern art

collection with the masses, MOCA offers a great

introduction to those who want a primer on Thailand's art

scene.

Most of the country's leading artists of the last 50 years

are represented, as well as some lesser-known greats.

Museum of Contemporary Art, 499 Moo3, Vibhavadi

Rangsit Road; +66 (0)2 953 1005

Museum of Floral Culture

This is one of Bangkok's gorgeous surprises.

The creation of Thai floral artist Sakul Intakul, the museum is for flower and nature lovers and

those with an interest in Thai flower culture.

It features exhibits of important floral cultures from civilizations across Asia such as India, China,

Japan, Laos and Bali/Indonesia.

It's housed in a beautifully preserved, 100-year-old teak mansion with colonial architecture.

Lush grounds have been transformed into an impeccably landscaped Thai-meets-Zen-stylegarden.

Museum of Floral Culture, 315 Samsen Road Soi 28, Yaek Soi Ongkarak 13; +66 (0) 2 669 363

Temples

As Thailand is 95 percent Buddhist, there are of course

hundreds of Bangkok temples -- known in Thai as "wats."

For a look at how locals worship, head to any one of the

glittering neighborhood wats, often located far down tiny

sois and well out of the way of tourist traffic.

Some are actually in massive complexes filled with halls,schools and revered statues.

The three big ones on the tourist trail -- the Grand Palace,

Wat Po and Wat Arun -- should be a best of Bangkok stop

on any first-timer's itinerary, as they are genuinely

impressive and loaded with historical significance.

Grand Palace, Na Phra Lan Road; +66 (0) 2 623 5500 Ext.

1124, 3100

Wat Po, Sanam Chai Road and Maharaj Road, next to the Grand Palace

Wat Arun, 34 Arun Amarin Road, Kwang Wat Arun, Khet Bangkok Yai. To get there by boat, take

a cross-river ferry at Tha Tien Pier; open daily, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Promotion

Enjoy dining, retail and golf privileges across Thailand exclusively with your

MasterCard.

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12/12

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