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Set astride the majestic, churning Chao Phraya River, the Thai capital Bangkok represents all that is good and bad about an Asian megalopolis. Loved or loathed, it's a city with everything for some and nothing for others, and a place that almost every visitor to Thailand will find themselves in at some stage.
For many travellers, Bangkok, or Krungthep to most Thais (Krungthep mahanakhon amonratanakosin mahintara ayuthaya mahadilok, popnopharat ratchathani burirom ubonratchaniwet mahasathan amonpiman avatansathit sakkathattiya witsanukamprasit to those who like to refer to places by their full name), is anything but charming on first impressions. Spend some time here however, peeling back its multitude of layers, and you may well grow to enjoy this fascinating city.
Yes, it's dirty and heavily polluted, and the traffic remains appalling despite two mass transit systems opening over the last few years. Glistening skyscrapers perpetually darken wooden slums and squats, while sparkling new Mercedes dodge food carts being pushed along the slow lane. Bangkok is a city of have and have-nots and the contrast can be alarming.
But the City of Angels harbours enough sights and experiences to keep travellers occupied for months, with one of the best ways to grasp its splendour to simply wander through its colourful streets, where the pedestrian takes second place to the thousands of taxis, buses, motorbikes, tuk tuks, bicycles and private cars clogging the streets.
Many find it exhilarating, for rare are the quiet moments and rarer still are the moments when you fail to feel utterly alive. Prepare to dive into marvellous aromas drifting from food stalls interspersed with wafts of stinking canals and belching car exhausts.
Bluefin Guesthouse
Bangkok International Youth Hostel
Hostelling International Bangkok Hostel
YHA Bangkok Downtown
Siri Baan Thai
New Joe Guesthouse
Sukhumvit On Nut Guesthouse
Sinad Guesthouse
New Road Guest House
Sawasdee Krungthep Inn
The Blooms Residence
Sawasdee Bangkok Inn
Chada Hostel
The Urban Age
Take a NapHere are some discussions off the Travelfish forum, perhaps related to Bangkok. You can find the full forum here.
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