Cool Things to do in Bangkok
Bangkok is the vibrant Southeast Asian capital of Thailand, a bustling city crammed with millions of people and numerous sights to visit. You’ll find a multitude of new and exciting experiences everywhere you turn. From exploring the exquisite old town of Rattanakosin to the up-scale and luxurious mall in the city center, you can be sure there is always something to do here. Today, we have gathered and chosen the best 4 “cool” things to do in this megacity of contrasts described as serenely chaotic by the LA Times.
- Go to a Local Weekend Market
There is nothing better than going to a market and being surrounded by people going on with their daily lives while munching on delicious food right from their local source. The one that is most popular and comes to many people’s minds is Chatuchak Weekend Market. This market sells everything and anything from vintage sneakers to flying squirrels.
However, we want to recommend another market that is just as exciting called Talard Rot Fai or Train Market. This market is reachable by public transportation at Thailand Culture Center station, just a couple stops away from Chatuchak. With a large open space behind The Esplanade shopping mall on Ratchada road, Train Market gathers all the delicious and must-try street food menu in one place. Moving on from the food corner is a stage for musicians to play live late at night when locals can sit back and relax with a glass of beer after the day’s work. For shoppers, the Train Market is an energetic hub compiled with abundance of merchandise from fast fashion to second-hand furnishings.
2. Experience Bangkok’s Mall Culture
If you ask a local what they usually do on their weekends, most will probably say they go to the mall. And this cannot be more accurate. Because of the country’s intensely hot climate and bad pavement condition, it is not surprising that Bangkok’s mall culture has been thriving and highly competitive for so long (with Siam Paragon being the most tagged location on Instagram in the country). Malls here are filled with everything one might need to enjoy a day’s leisure and are Thailand’s substitute for the town centre where friends hang out and family get together.
The most well-known malls are by the BTS Sukhumvit line that starts with the touristy MBK center at National Stadium station known for its amazing food court all the way to the luxurious upscale designer mall like Emquartier in PhromPhong. Each mall has their own distinctive design concept offering individual edge. For example, Terminal 21 in the swarming Asoke intersection places several world iconic cities under one roof like Tokyo on the 1st and London on the 2nd floor. The interesting design variation and cultural impact Bangkok malls have in Thai society are so prominent that it should be in everyone’s list of things to do here.
3. Stay in Luxury Bangkok Hostel
You’re in Bangkok, one of the most visited city in the world with more than 21 million visitors in 2016. With so many people from so many countries around the world, it’s a great opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. Why stay in a excluded hotel tucked away from the world’s capital of liveliness and excitement? We recommend to get yourself blend in with the rest of the world travellers that are making stops here by staying in a luxury but pocket friendly hostel in Bangkok near BTS.
We have talked about how BTS goes through the heart of the city, where all the exciting things happen. It’s a solid start to stay next to a BTS station, where you will be connected to a public transportation which offers the most convenient commute around town.
We know some might be hesitant with the word hostel since it’s associated with a low quality accommodation for a more affordable price. But it doesn’t always have to be that way with the new trend of luxury hostel where both young and older people can enjoy their comfortable stay. It’s clean, safe, convenient and well-designed to make sure all guests get the right balance between privacy and group solidarity.
4. Take the Whole Day to Explore the Old City
Let’s not forget what makes Bangkok so different from the other world cities, the image of the glittering gold Grand Palace and the sacred Emerald Buddha or the magnificent Reclining Buddha placed in Wat Pho. A trip to Bangkok is not complete without a visit to the old part of town. We recommend you to spend the day after visiting all the temples at the outdoor community mall by the Chao Phraya River like Tha Maharaj where you can find cozy cafes and coffee shops to spend your afternoon or call for a table by the view at Sala Rattanakosin for the best view of Wat Arun while having elevated version of your favorite Thai dish.