I landed in Bangkok on a Tuesday morning after a month in Vietnam and Cambodia. The difference was immediately apparent and striking. Bangkok is a modern city of more than 8 million people. Fourteen million live in the extended region around the main city. While Bangkok has its quirks in terms of roads, utilities, and crumbling architecture - the main difference is - in Bangkok you can sense the people and the government know what's wrong and will eventually get around to fixing it, or adopting it as part of the city's character. There is also the money to get the job done.
Most people who visit Thailand from the United States spend close to two weeks and travel north to Chiang Mai and south to the coastline. They take internal flights to do so. Since my trip involves several countries over about five months I decided to stay in Bangkok exclusively for a total of about four and a half days. There is plenty to do.
The main attractions in Bangkok are the Grand Palace and what seems like countless Buddhist temples and monasteries. Ninety-five percent of the Thai people are practicing Buddhists and the religion is evident everywhere.
I stayed in the Rattanakosin Island section of the city - also known as the Old City. Around the corner from my hostel is one street that is at least a half mile long lined with shops selling various sized statues of Buddha.
My favorite temple, or wat, is known as the Golden Mount. It was about a block from where I stayed. It occupies one of the highest points in the Old City and from its highest deck you can see the city from a unique vantage point that reveals the timeline of its development. From old Bangkok to the new modern office towers on the horizon.
Above: The Golden Mount. Wat Saket.
You will notice a mix of government buildings and wats. Often they are co-located. The king of Thailand must be a Buddhist and the king's image is the only one that comes close to matching the presence of Buddha on almost every street. The king is often pictured in royal uniform and holding a sword stained with blood.
Bangkok has been ranked as one of the most visited cities in the world. The tourism industry is strong. Foreigners at times match the number of Thai people walking the streets. At various attractions tickets are listed with at least two categories: Thai and "foreigners." I found the people welcoming and friendly. Many knew at least a bit of English and those who do not will find a way to communicate with you.
The money is easy to use. A 100 baht bill is worth 100 baht and prices are marked accordingly. Unlike Vietnam where zeros are often dropped or Cambodia where two types of currency are used.
Bangkok is a living and evolving city so even buildings that look as if they are deteriorating add to the overall character. There is a difference between a city that has a few blocks of blighted buildings and a city that is completely blighted with no hope of re-birth.
As a regional business center, Bangkok is wealthy if not all its residents are.
From the roof of the city's tallest office building you can see international commerce in action. From the 1960's on, and especially after the Vietnam War, Thailand in general and Bangkok specifically benefited from massive foreign investments. Many international companies based their Asian headquarters here.
As a result, the restaurant and hotel offerings in the central business district rival those in any other international capital if that is what you seek during your time here.
Whether they are working in an office building or have a trade the people of Bangkok have careers. The desperation I saw in parts of Vietnam and Cambodia were not as present in Thailand. You will see signs of poverty or mental illness leading people to live on the streets, but overwhelmingly you see people working not hustling for any means to pay for their next meal.
The city felt safe even at night and as you know I am traveling alone so safety is a top concern. I was warned before arriving about potential scams targeting tourists, but I never felt targeted. People I bargained with, from cab drivers to store keepers and street vendors, were honest and straight-forward about prices and helpful with information if I needed it.
If you are a fan of architecture - especially Asian architecture - then you will get your fill in Bangkok. In fact, by my third day in the city I felt I had over-dosed on Buddhist temples and decided to skip one of the biggest Wat Arun. It is arguably one of the most important, but the crowds were so big when I got to the crossing point on the river I just decided I had enough. I took a cell phone video and moved on.
My advice would be to go to the Grand Palace and Wat Arun all in one day - maybe your first day - and check those two locations off feeling you've seen the best.
Bangkok is also hot. I tended to do everything I could before noon, take a few hours off after lunch, and then resume my travels at dinner time and afterward.
Since I stayed in the Old City I was able to walk to most of the places I wanted to see and - on this trip - randomly walking around to discover things on my own is very important. It is in large part the whole point of the journey.
When I did need to travel longer distances I found taxis were better than tuks tuks, because cabs are air conditioned. In terms of pricing, the professionals here recommend you ask for a metered ride, but I usually just set a price with the driver before getting in. There's also a metro system if you want to make multiple trips into the center of the city or if that's where you are staying.
One final lesson I think I have learned in my first month on the road: The most important part of safe travel is getting from the airport to your first hotel. If you can make that happen without incident and without getting ripped off (which hasn't happened to me yet) then you will be in good shape. Once settled into your hotel you have a safe base of operations from which to plan and manage your day.
(In a few days I'll have a story on Bangkok's 24 hour flower market. One of those things I discovered by not having a plan).
Credits:
© Dean Pagani 2019