That’s true. This is a common response we get when we talk about Bangkok. I have been to Bangkok before as well but didn’t have much to do except for excessive shopping and a visit to a luxurious spa. But this time when I went there it was different; I explored the hidden side of Bangkok.
“Hey Fatima, where have you been for the past week?”
“Oh! I was travelling … for work.”
“Wow! Where did you go?”
“I went to Bangkok.”
“Bangkok!! For work!! Yeah, right” (eyes roll)
That’s true. This is a common response we get when we talk about Bangkok. I have been to Bangkok before as well but didn’t have much to do except for excessive shopping and a visit to a luxurious spa. But this time when I went there it was different; I explored the hidden side of Bangkok.
So if you consider shopping a part of your travel plan and not THE plan then I would like to share some of my experiences you can benefit from, too. It’s always fun to experience cruises in different places - they all have their own distinct themes and flavours. If you love seafood then you will like the variety they have to offer. From fish to prawns and from muscles to squids, they have these in various sauces, fried or grilled … and with so many distinct tastes we don’t get in Pakistan.
The Cruise takes you around the Chao Phraya River which connects the Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha and Temple of the Reclining Buddha to Wat Arun across the river. Besides, it also has Asiatique, a riverside market on the other end. There is a huge Ferris wheel at Asiatique which is another attraction for tourist to get an aerial view of Bangkok from. It looks magical at night.
For day activity, visiting the temples is a good choice as they close down in the evening. What is even better is the fact that all these temples are in the same vicinity, so you enter from the Reclining Buddha Temple and you can explore the Grand Palace and the Royal Temple of Emerald Buddha, Loha Prasat and the Marble Temple by walking through different gates. But you need a lot of time since you will be mesmerized by the beauty and the intricate details of each temple. Take a ferry and you are taken to the Temple of Dawn which is one of the most beautiful temples in Bangkok, the beauty of which can be experienced both during the day and night when it’s all lit up.
In recent year, Bangkok has become one of the most sought after tourist destinations of the world. In fact, in 2013, it was the most visited city in the world, beating London. But even today, it stands at a close second. Of course temples are not the only reason; it’s the diversity and richness you experience in its culture. While in Bangkok, you realize that the people here are very proud of their history and heritage and take great pride in the progress they have made, without forgetting their roots.
For me, it’s always thrilling to learn about other cultures and civilizations; hence, I visited their Cultural Village – Siam Niramit. The auditorium at the centre has a capacity of 2000 and has the world’s highest stage as per Guinness World Records. You can enjoy a cultural performance everyday with over 150 performers donning over 500 costumes. The performance focuses on the four regions of Thailand, their history, their culture, their festivals, and also portrays the concepts of heaven and hell on stage. With excellent sets to enhancing lights, the 90 minute performance is worth watching.
Besides the auditorium, the visitors get the opportunity to be part of the acts as they have warm up performances in open-air introducing various dance forms from different parts of the country. If you want to have fun not just by watching, you can join them on the floor as they invite people from the audience to dance with them and enjoy the music. You can easily spend more than two hours in the centre experiencing the life in tribal areas and enjoying their delicacies that are freshly made on the streets in the cultural village.
The floating markets there are another tourist attraction, but you won’t actually get the time to buy anything while on the go in the boat. It takes practice and maybe after visiting a couple of times, you will get the hang of it. Moreover, if you have never been to any Madame Tussaud’s then good news: there is one in Bangkok at Siam Discovery where you can get your picture taken with Michael Jackson, Wolverine, Einstein, Brad Pitt or President Obama. When you are done exploring the city and sight-seeing then is your time to shop.
Bangkok is undoubtedly the hub for shopping where on the one hand you get the brands not available in Pakistan like Louis Vitton, Zara, Chanel, Sephora, DKNY, Marc by Marc Jacobs, etc., while on the other you get everything in smaller malls and street markets that are of good quality and lighter on your pockets. But remember, like Pakistan, the street markets also work on the principle of bargaining. Besides, all the biggest shopping centers are clustered together in a fairly small area so that you can walk your way through one mall or shopping centre to the other.
I just touched upon Bangkok, so I did not talk about the exotic beaches or the night life in Thailand. But there is more to what we hear about the place. Since it is one of the cheaper options for us to go for our vacations, I thought it was necessary to give an account of things that can be done in Bangkok in addition to massages and clubbing. So if you are planning a vacation really soon and are more of an explorer then go to Bangkok for their culture, food, festivals and shopping.
