Bangkok Things to Do Tips by thedouglas Top 5 Page for this destination

When at Wat Pho - have your palm read Wat Pho Review

A visit to Wat Pho and Bangkok's famous reclining Buddha is on every tourist's itinerary - its a must. When we went the first time, I had my palm read. Being the skeptic I am, my tongue was planted in my cheek - but not for long. I was gobsmacked - and remain - at the accuracy of this man's statements about so many facets of my life, and not just the usual stuff fortune tellers say to people, and enough of it is right or a close enough fit.

He tried to articulate my occupation initially - not being able to find the right words - and described my children by gender and personality, my relationship with a range of people in my life, my personality quite well etc..... . So, I would be interested in someone else's experience and impressions.

My daughter had her signs (relating to date of birth) done, and we'll have to wait and see, as much of this is centred on life prediction.

Address: Tha Tien Pier, Chao Phraya River, Bangkok

Directions: The entrance to Wat Pho is on Chetuphon road. Entrance is 20B. It's open every day, opening hours are from 08.00am to 5.00pm, with a break from 12.00pm to 1.00pm.

Just love Chinatown - traffic central! Chinatown Review

This is one of the busiest parts of Bangkok - congestion at its densest. Easiest way to get here is via the ferry system - especially in the evenings, when it gets really busy. Hualamphong Station is also a relatively short walk - roughly 10 mins. - but the Ratchawongse pier is closest.

The shops and alleys of Chinatown are an easy whole day adventure. The markets start well before the sun is up, and change throughout the day. There is also the fabulous "thieves market" which is a daily affair, starting at about 9.00am, folding at about 3.00pm. Busier and much much larger on the weekends.

There is also a 24 hour local market on Saturday nights. Wandered through here a few times - when I've woken in the middle of the night, or stayed up late. Packed - and a great place to buy some 20Baht noodles!

Address: Ratchawongse Pier, Chao Phraya River Tour, Bangkok

Directions: To view typical China Town scences straight ahead to Ratchawongse Road until the intersection of Yaowarat Road.

Wat Pho - home of the famous Reclining Buddha Wat Pho Review

I guess this temple is second top on the "must see" list - after the Grand Palace complex. Home of the famous Reclining Buddha image, this is the oldest temple in the city, and actually built before Bangkok was settled as the capital.

The original buildings at Wat Photaram (as it was called in the 17th Century) have been surrounded by various new developments - including the chapel of the Reclining Buddha, built in 1832 by RamaIII. Rama I first enlarged the complex in 1801, and changed the name to Wat Phra Chetuphon, despite the modern adherence to the contraction of the original name.

Wat Pho consists of Eastern and Western courtyards, the chapel housing the 45metre Reclining Buddha, a series of old buildings which house Bangkok's first "massage university", a working school and a monastery. There are also nearly 100 chedis in the western courtyard, ranging from the reigns of Ramas I to IV.

The significance of the reclining posture of the Buddha is that this is his final position, awaiting his entry to Nirvana - and this image is worth visiting just for the awesome dimensions, as well as the religious significance. The remains of Rama I are also housed in the main temple here - placed with the Buddha, so the public could worship Rama at the same time.

Address: Tha Tien Pier, Chao Phraya River, Bangkok

Directions: The entrance to Wat Pho is on Chetuphon road. Entrance is 20B. It's open every day, opening hours are from 08.00am to 5.00pm, with a break from 12.00pm to 1.00pm.

Phone: 02-221-991

Website: http://www.discoverthailand.com/

Wat does it all mean?? Wat Pho Review

In the Eastern courtyard of Wat Pho, you will see these stone statues of rishis (hermits), all naked, except for hats, and carved in the posture of healing massage - rather than just being a random assortment of little statues. If you look at each, and try to replicate the pose, you will not only look like an idiot, but be addressing your inner healing the sense of self!

Address: Tha Tien Pier, Chao Phraya River, Bangkok

Directions: The entrance to Wat Pho is on Chetuphon road. Entrance is 20B. It's open every day, opening hours are from 08.00am to 5.00pm, with a break from 12.00pm to 1.00pm.

Khlong and River Trip - Do it in a Longtail Boat The Khlongs - Bangkok's Canals. Review

Longtail Boats are a fast, sometime exciting way of getting around the Chao Phraya river. You can hire one for your own ride through the khlongs, and get up close to the riverside housing off the main straight of the river. The small floating stores never miss an opportunity to get a few tourist Baht, and add to the interest of the ride. The juxtaposition of the variable housing - much of it very basic - and the opulent highrises alongside and behind them, makes it all the more interesting. There is also the reality that many of the locals actually bathe in this dirty river.

Morning Markets in Chinatown Chinatown Review

We often talk about staying somewhere besides Chinatown when we come back to Bangkok - but, the fact that I am a hyperactive early morning waker keeps bringing us back to this area. While we don't venture out much at night in Chinatown, we love that you can look out of the window at virtually any time of the day or night, and there is action! I often get up very early in the morning, and wander through the markets at this time of day. This is before the shops in Chinatown open - and, almost without exception, I am the only tourist there - a dork with a camera......

There is an abundance of stuff down here - food, food, food - both fresh and cooked. I would NEVER cook if I lived in this city. There are also stalls of bags, jewellery, toys, cloth, jewellery and other accessories, toiletries, footwear and clothing, beauty products........Everything you could want - and all well before breakfast!

Then......about about 8.30am, everyone starts packing up and leaving with loaded trolleys - and the shops open, and the stalls outside the shops set up the second shift in Chinatown.

I love it at any time of the day. Never feel threatened - often feel very looked at - try not to get in the way...

Address: Ratchawongse Pier, Chao Phraya River Tour, Bangkok

Directions: To view typical China Town scences straight ahead to Ratchawongse Road until the intersection of Yaowarat Road.

Gym in the Park

Bangkok is the only city where I have seen "open air" gymnasiums! In larger recreational parks, its common to see fenced off areas with quite old gym equipment, with a number of young locals - almost all males - pressing the metal! I guess there's no membership fees, and there are always views while you workout. There may also be the appeal of having admiring onlookers, including drongos like me pointing cameras at their sculpted musculature!

Khlong Markets - Thewes Shopping Review

I love this market! We catch the ferry at Ratchawongse and travel to Tha Thewes pier - walk through really pretty flower/plant markets, and along to this khlong market. Most amazing sights - smells - sounds etc. Just great!

These giant bowls of chilli always get me in - when we pay so much for something much less fresh and appealing at home! What a great way to live - go to the market and buy FRESH all the ingredients for your daily meals! Thai curry every day for us!!

Address: Tha Thewes pier

Directions: Follow the khlong!

Crime does NOT pay! Museums Review

We visited the corrections museum in Bangkok, partly because it was on our walking route from Chinatown to Khao San Road, and also because we were a bit fascinated about the whole "Bangkok Hilton" history.

to be continued

To each his own....... Wat Arun - Temple of the Dawn Review

Even though I have read lots of times that Wat Arun is not especially worth seeing, I have always enjoyed it - we call it the "china plate temple" for obvious reasons - and I love to take close up pics of it. The silhouette is an unmissable sight when you travel on the river - and the temple is quite different to any of the others I have seen in BKK.

Any - if you are a shopper - the best range of T-shirts seem to be here - and the adjacent shops actually have quite reasonable things to see - and buy of course! There are the monks at the exit from the pier into the temple, and a quick blessing never hurt anyone - the cutouts of Thai dancers you can shove your head through for a pic (for a cost of course), the costumes you can hire for photography, and man with the carpet snake for photograpic opportunity - the options seem endless really!

The history of the temple is also quite interesting, as it is really made from Chinese ballast porcelain - just like the incredible number of Chinese statues at the Grand Palace and Wat Pho - all ballast!

Wat Arun was also the home of the sacred and valuable Emerald Buddha, before it was transferred by Rama I across to its current location in Wat Phra Kaew in the grounds of the Grand Palace comlex.

If you have to cross the river, it costs a whole 4 Bt each way - so what is there to lose!

Address: Tha Tien Pier, Chao Phraya River

Directions: From this pier take a cross river ferry to Wat Arun.