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Cruise Guide > South-East Asia > Thailand > Bangkok | |
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Bangkok Time Zone GMT + 7. Currency Baht (Bt) = 100 satang. Language Thai. Sightseeing Thailand’s capital, although increasingly westernised in appearance, is underpinned by a strong sense of tradition – it is the cultural, political and financial centre of the country. There is, however, too much traffic in the city and it is often in a state of virtual gridlock. Fortunately, the canals (khlongs) which wind their way through the city are untouched by this fast and loud streetlife. Through the city flows the Chao Phraya River on whose banks can be found the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo, a temple-complex which houses the Emerald Buddha. This Buddha statue is not covered in emeralds, as the name might suggest, but is made of translucent green jade. Upriver from the Grand Palace are the Royal Barges – these richly ornamented barges are still used today for special processions on the Chao Phraya. Within the city limits is a wealth of over 300 Buddhist temples and shrines. Most famous are Wat Benchamabophit (Marble Temple), Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) and Wat Trimit (Temple of the Golden Buddha). One of the largest temple-complexes in the country is Wat Pho. Altogether, there are over 30 individual temples scattered here, of which the Temple of the Reclining Buddha is the largest. The Buddha’s statue is enormous, an amazing 47.5m long and 15m high. The gardens surrounding the temples offer an escape from the hectic pace of the big city. The Floating Market is an interesting place to visit, although it has become more and more of a tourist attraction rather than a genuine market for Thai people. Shopping Good buys include Thai silks and cottons, batiks, silver, pottery with celadon green glaze, precious and semiprecious stones, dolls, masks, lacquerware, pewterware, bamboo artefacts and bronzeware. The weekend market at Chatuchak Park in Bangkok is a regular cornucopia with items ranging from genuine antiques to fighting fish. Tailor-made clothes are also good value and can be made in a matter of days. Eating Out There are many European and Asian restaurants. Thai food is hot and spicy, but most tourist restaurants tone down the food. Thai dishes include tom yam (a coconut-milk soup prepared with makroot leaves, ginger, lemon grass, prawns or chicken); gang pet (hot ‘red’ curry with coconut milk, herbs, garlic, chillies, shrimp paste, coriander and seasoning) served with rice; kaeng khiaw (‘green’ curry with baby aubergines, beef or chicken) served with rice and gai yang (barbecued chicken); and kao pat (fried rice with pieces of crab meat, chicken, pork, onion, egg and saffron) served with onions, cucumber, soy sauce and chillies. Local whisky, either Mekhong or Sangthip is worth sampling. Country Thailand Region Asia Pacific |