The undisputed kingpin of Southeast Asian tourism and youthful hedonism in Thailand, Bangkok is a heady mix of sounds, smells and sights that awe and overwhelm in equal measure. Most first-time visitors head straight for the famous streets of Banglamphu, where the gaudy and ceaseless movement of Khao San Road continues well into the night. It is spots like these that have driven Bangkok to the forefront of international party tourism, and for many the neon clubs and super-bars of this downtown region have become something of a rite of passage.
But there’s much more to see and do here than meets the eye, and most all Bangkok tour guides would be quick to stress the city’s political importance, standing as it does at the very heart of Thai governance. It’s also home to a countless array of temples, from the opulent Grand Palace to the sparkling Golden Mount.
But it doesn’t stop there; Bangkok has also long-been fabled as the street food king of the world, home to better Pad Thai conjurers than any city in the county and host to some of the most creative culinary outlets going. These can be spotted right across the town, hidden curiously down the backstreets near the Chao Phraya River or steaming endlessly outside the Muay Thai arenas of the centre.