Bangkok, Thailand. The place I have always been told I HAVE to visit. 7 visits later, I can tell you it’s definitely worth it. The gateway to South East Asia, travellers from across the globe have stayed in this extreme and vibrant city, often staying only for a day or two, before venturing out into the wider Asian world. I was no different, only experiencing a taste of Bangkok each time I went.
If you’ve seen the film, ‘The Beach’, starring a young Leonardo Di Caprio, soul searching his way through 1 hour and 59 minutes of classic film, you’ll be familiar with the stereotypical view of Bangkok. But, for me, although he only visits the infamous Khao San Road, it is pretty accurate. Bangkok is busy, especially in this backpacker district – your senses are attacked from every angle. But this is the charm of backpacking, and the reason that many of us choose to return time and time again. As a whole it is a beautiful city, but as many before me have done, I spent the majority of my time on Khao San Road, in a hotel called Khao San Palace. This hotel was a little escape from the craziness of Bangkok, and boasted a roof top pool – definitely worth a visit to get away from the daily 30 degrees heat of Bangkok.
There are plenty of tourist attractions to visit in Bangkok. The same as in any major tourist city, there are great but also not so great things to do. The palace is, without a doubt, worth a visit, and if you can jump on one of the colourfully decorated boats on the river, and cruise through the winding canals (boasting beautiful wildlife, once you get away from the major shipping lane), you will get to gaze upon parts of Bangkok that tourists rarely see.
However, where there is tourism, unfortunately there is often someone trying to rip the tourists off – be careful of these scammers, as I am sure you would anywhere – but also don’t let the fear of being ripped off stop you from experiencing Bangkok.
Bangkok in one word: intense.
These Wild Journeys 