Two weeks in Thailand – Bangkok

Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Duration: 4 nights/5 days

Hotel: Tower Club at Lebua

We were eager to visit the capital of Bangkok to see some of its infamous temples and soak in the culture of a bustling Asian city, so we made this our first stop on our Thailand adventure. We flew with Emirates, flying out of Manchester, with a 3 hour stopover in Dubai. Dubai airport was mightily impressive and despite the mind-boggling £10 I paid for a pint, we still had great fun passing the time, exploring all of the luxury shops and ogling at the gold-plated iPhone’s on display.

The total travel time was just under 16 hours and whilst the flights themselves weren’t too bad, unsurprisingly when we arrived in Bangkok, we both could have passed as extras from The Walking Dead we were that tired! Despite our tiredness, nothing was going to stop us from making the most of our time in Bangkok.

We stayed in Bangkok for 4 nights at the hotel, Tower Club at Lebua. Tower Club at Lebua is a huge five-star all-suite hotel with suites on the 51st through to 59th floors. The hotel has actually featured in the film, The Hangover Part II as well as the Netflix series Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father. Despite all the glitz and glam, prices for the hotel are actually very reasonable given the quality! We managed to combine the price of the hotel with our flights as part of a package deal, which helped us to secure an even better rate.

The hotel really was faultless, the rooms were huge and came complete with lounge area, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, plus the views from the balcony of Bangkok were sensational. Staying at the hotel also offered access to the hotel lounge, where for a few hours each day you can access a selection of complimentary drinks and snacks. This was a god send after a tiring day exploring busy Bangkok, being able to retreat back to the lounge for a free beer and sandwich whilst look out at the stunning views of the bustling city justified our decision to choose the hotel.

When we weren’t admiring the view from the Sky Bar at Lebua, we were busy exploring the city! Literally from the journey out of the airport to our hotel, it didn’t take long for it to hit us that we were on the other side of the world. Immediately we could see the difference in culture and lifestyle as we drove past bustling street markets and watched people go about their daily lives. 

The best way to experience the Thai culture is getting out and exploring Bangkok! Bangkok is a huge, vast city with plenty of activities to keep you busy. We crammed so much in during our stay here before moving on to Khao Lak. Some of our favourite activities, not to be missed, included:

• Wat Pho – Wat Pho is a 16^th century Buddhist temple complex, right in the heart of Bangkok. We visited a few temples during out time in Thailand but Wat Pho was undoubtedly our favourite! The temple is also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha and actually features a mammoth 46m long golden Buddha which is truly phenomenal to behold. We also visited Grand Palace which is another temple complex and was fascinating to explore. If you can only fit one temple visit in during your time in Bangkok, I would recommend Wat Pho as this was our favourite of the two.

• Jim Thompson House – The Jim Thompson house is a museum dedicated to the American Business man and architect, Jim Thompson. We really didn’t know what to expect with the Jim Thompson House but it actually turned out to be one of our favourite things to see in Bangkok! Guided tours are included in the entry fee and are highly informative about a man who contributed so much to the silk industry in Thailand. The house itself is beautiful and if you do visit, make sure you listen to the story of his disappearance in 1967 which is absolutely fascinating.

• Khao San Road – Khao San Road is the place to go in Bangkok if you’re looking to party! During the day Khao San Road is a road packed with vendors selling various things like DVDs and clothing, but come dark it turns into party central! Bars open, music begins blasting and street vendors roam the streets selling barbecued insects on sticks! Whilst the area is a bit of a tourist hotspot and not exactly the main reason you’re going to want to visit Bangkok, it’s still a great place to go to blow off some steam! We had a brilliant night there (despite waking up with very sore heads the following morning) and made friends with plenty of other travellers as well as a few locals!

• Soi Cowboy – Soi Cowboy is a short 150m street in the heart of Bangkok and is one of the capitals most popular red-light districts. Soi Cowboy is undeniably seedy, but like Amsterdam’s red-light district, its bright neon lights and shady go-go bars peak the curiosity of thousands of visitors every year. We didn’t stay for long but it’s a fascinatingly surreal place to have a beer and people watch. If you are easily offended or travelling with children, I do not recommend visiting for obvious reasons!

• Terminal 21 – If Soi Cowboy isn’t your thing, a 2 minute walk away is one of the most amazing shopping centres I’ve ever visited! Terminal 21 is 10 story shopping centre with each floor decorated in the theme of various cities around the world. Even if you’re not planning on shopping, it’s worth visiting just to check out the awesome designs of each floor.

• Asiatique The Riverfront – Asiatique is another outdoor shopping mall come outlet featuring restaurants, markets, boutique shops and even showcases live Muay Thai performances. Once you’ve navigated through all of the fake Rolex’s and designer handbags, it’s a good place to explore some authentic Thai markets, albeit if it is a little bit more expensive than other places in the city. As the name suggest, Asiatique is located on the riverfront and makes for a perfect setting for a meal in the evening. Plus you can even take a free Asiatique river ferry from various docks in the city, meaning it’s easily accessible. Asiatique is also home to the tallest Ferris wheel in Bangkok!

There is so much more to do in Bangkok that I haven’t even mentioned, from riding in a Tuk Tuk around the city to simply sampling the delicious street food on every corner. Whatever you spend your time doing in Bangkok, it’s safe to say you’ll leave feeling knackered!

Top Tips for Bangkok:

• The easiest way to travel around Bangkok is via Tuk Tuk and there are literally hundreds lined up on the streets waiting to take you to wherever you desire. All of the drivers we went with were friendly and spoke good English, just be sure to negotiate a price before setting off!

• A more cost effective method of travel around Bangkok is via the BTS Skytrain. The Skytrain is effectively a tram elevated high above the traffic and is by far the locals most popular way of getting around. The Skytrain can be extremely busy at times and a little overwhelming at first, but it has air conditioned carriages which is a god send on those hot, sticky days!

• For entering any of the temples in Thailand, you must respect the dress code! Whilst some temples are stricter than others, its generally best practice to wear a long sleeved top (shoulders covered) and trousers or a long skirt. If you do forget, you don’t have to look too far to find vendors selling dozens of pairs of funky harem pants.

• Lastly, beware of tourist traps! Tourist traps are very common in Thailand and whilst we didn’t fall for any when we were there, we did run into a few! On our way to the Grand Palace a man came up to us and told us the Grand Palace was closed today but instead he could take us to a ‘special temple’ for a fee. Thankfully we knew full well that it was open, but it’s important to be vigilant. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

We had an amazing time in Bangkok and we felt that 4 nights/5 days was the perfect amount. There is so much to see and do but the bustling nature of Bangkok can leave you in need of a breather! I would recommend booking a decent hotel to escape into at night to rest your legs after a busy day! 

The next stop on our Thailand adventure was Khao Lak. To check out the overview of our trip, go here.

Looking for a good travel guide to read before your trip to Thailand? I recommend Lonely Planet’s Thailand Book – you can purchase it here on Amazon (as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases).