48 hours in Bangkok

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DAY ONE

MORNING

Time to get religious. Buddhism is the national religion of Thailand and 90% of those Buddhists are practicing, which means it’s a spirituality you can witness. Your first port of call should be the temples of the city that are hard to miss – such are their gleaming facades which make use of gold and coloured tiles to honour their beliefs.
Wat Pho is the largest and oldest temple in the city and to enter the abode of the 43-metre long reclining Buddha you must first remove your shoes. This temple also has a massage school that is reasonably priced and a worthy reward for the faithful and the weary. Elsewhere, check out the Grand Palace which is home to the striking Emerald Buddha – a tourist site for locals and visitors alike.

AFTERNOON

Spiritual duties taken care of, it’s time for satisfaction of a capitalist kind at the local markets. In Chinatown, try durian fruit. Despite its repulsive aroma, it is unique and a is an essential eating experience while you’re here. Hold your nose and you’ll be surprised by the buttery texture. The farmers market of Or Tor Gor showcases tropical produce as well as community dynamics. For flowers, the market to see is Pak Klong Talad in Chinatown. Keep hydrated with a fresh stall-bought pomegranate juice.

EVENING

The street curbs of Bangkok are not for pedestrians, who are crowded out by the sizzle of woks and noodle pots serving steaming hot meals to passers-by in paper cones and Styrofoam. For an altogether different take, a meal with motion shall we say, head to the Damnoen Saduak floating market. Kitchens here are in boats that paddle to you with omelettes and noodle dishes at the ready.

DAY TWO

MORNING

Bangkok engulfs you; it’s a teeming mass of hawkers, tuk tuks, traffic and it’s not a place for the timid. But among the urban chaos there’s the polish of modern shopping malls and a high tech subway – the contrast serves to exaggerate the extreme of new and old. This morning is for taking in the city – walk, take a tuk tuk or jump on a train. You never know what you might find in this ever evolving destination.

AFTERNOON

Visit old school Siam through the portal of Jim Thompson House, an establishment founded by an American who made his fortune selling Thai silk to the west. His home is a true time capsule and evokes the hedonism of expat life 50 years ago.

While you’re in the nostalgic frame of mind, take a trip to one of the stalwarts old Thailand – Bangkok’s Mandarin Oriental. It is an opulent and historic hotel, having clocked up 135 years of operation. The Mandarin Oriental may be over-budget, however taking afternoon tea is an enjoyable way to negate the cost of a room. High tea is held in the rattan-furnished Authors Room, which reflects the hotel’s esteemed standing among writers such as Somerset Maugham and Graham Greene.

EVENING

On your last night indulge in a meal at The Siam Hotel at Chon Thai, a colonial style restaurant where a private boat ride is a complimentary pre-dinner aperitif. The eatery is in three hundred-year old teakwood houses on stilts which in the past has entertained Jackie Kennedy and John Rockefeller. The restaurant overlooks the Chao Phraya river, which you will get an even better gawk at when you take a nightcap at Sky Bar. Located on the 63rd floor of state tower you will see the way this river seeps through the city at the world’s highest al fresco drinking hole.

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48 hours bangkok city guides thailand