Overview
Spread along the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok grew from a canal-laced trading town into a metropolis of more than ten million, hot, humid and always in motion. The old royal island holds the grandest temples and palaces, while newer districts pile up shopping malls, rooftop bars and an elevated railway above the traffic. It is a city of contrasts and of the senses, best taken in by boat, on foot through the markets and over endless plates of street food.
Highlights
The Grand Palace and the temple of the Emerald Buddha are the ceremonial heart, near the reclining Buddha of Wat Pho and, across the river, the spire of Wat Arun. Boats work the river and the old canals, and the markets — Chatuchak at the weekend, the floating markets outside town — are an experience in themselves. Street food, rooftop bars and day trips to Ayutthaya round out a stay.