Sunday, July 22, 2007

Bangkok Travel Guides

Bangkok is the Orient's most cosmopolitan city and has attractions to stimulate even the most jaded travellers. Created as the Thai capital in 1782 by the first monarch of the present Chakri dynasty, Bangkok is a national treasure house and Thailand's spiritual, cultural, political, commercial, educational and diplomatic centre.

Bangkok, Thailand's major gateway, casts an irresistible spell of enchantment. To the Thais it is Krung Thep, "City of Angels", and you'll find it truly a magic place, one that captivates the imagination.

More than anywhere else in the country, Bangkok expresses Thailand's uncanny ability to blend the old with the new. This lends a thrilling sense of discovery to one's sightseeing and adds an element of surprise when exploring what is the Orient's most fabled city.


Bangkok embraces modern development and presents an initial picture of thrusting office towers; of world-class hotels offering deluxe comforts; of glittering shopping plazas packed with treasures of the East such as silks and gemstones; of restaurants serving Thailand's acclaimed spicy specialities and virtually every other national cuisine worthy of the name; of neon-lit entertainment spots where the fare ranges from classical dance to laser disco.

Thailand's "City of Angels" is, indeed, a magic place where possibilities are limited only by the imagination. You'll marvel at past glories, delight in present opportunities and love every minute of it.

No other city in Asia rivals Bangkok for thrilling night life, and evening entertainment is both plentiful and inexpensive.
Most famous are the neon-lit bar districts which are both more fun and much safer than their counterparts in other cities around the world. However, there is much more to Bangkok by night than just the glitter of pubs and bars.


Especially popular are the cultural shows staged by various Thai restaurants. Here you'll find the perfect introduction to Thailand's highly stylized classical dance, accompanied by music played on traditional instruments.

Also not to be missed is Muai Thai, a style of boxing unique to Thailand in which combatants use elbows, knees and bare feet as well as gloved fists. A martial art before it was a sport, Muai Thai has a long tradition and is still surrounded by much ritual.The fights are commonly fierce and furious, though the best boxers display remarkable skills, as well as great fitness, and a good contest is decided by application of technique rather than brute force. Often as entertaining as the action in the ring is the reaction of the spectators who yell and shout encouragement to the boxers as the excitement mounts.

For either pre dinner aperitifs or late evening drinks, Bangkok boasts many sophisticated bars and cocktail lounges, some of the best being located in the top hotels. Here you can relax in pleasant surroundings and enjoy live musical entertainment by the best local and regional entertainers.

If it's action that you are looking for, Bangkok abounds with discos. Some are small an intimate others are enormous and crowded, but all spin the latest dance music using the most modern sound systems, laser lights, videos and all the other hi-tech equipment that makes today's disco less of a place an more of an event.

The inveterate shopper may spend a happy evening strolling the streets in main entertainment areas browsing around the ranks of kerbside stalls which offer host of good buys. Alternatively, if you are tired after a busy day sightseeing, you can go to the cinema or relax in your hotel room and watch video.

Whatever your preferences, you'll discover Bangkok makes sure there's never a dull moment.

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