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What to see, what to do in Bangkok: the 10 essential activities

2023-03-21T10:22:31.320Z


Megacity with a singular energy, the Thai capital is home to a plethora of temples, klongs and markets. Le Figaro has selected the most emblematic activities to discover Bangkok.


A city of a thousand contrasts, Bangkok is a capital that has kept all its authenticity, while embracing a modernity that can be found in particular in its skyscrapers and its BTS Skytrain.

If the capital of Thailand may seem intense at first glance, you quickly let yourself go with its liveliness, you revel in its gastronomy and explore its lively and unique neighborhoods.

Read alsoWhere to go in Thailand in 2023?

Our travel guide from Bangkok to the islands, via Chiang Mai

Navigate the klongs in a traditional longtail

By boarding a traditional canoe, you can discover the city along its klongs.

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Nicknamed the "Venice of the East", Bangkok is traversed by a myriad of canals called

klongs

, which are still used today for its commercial life.

We borrow a longtail, a traditional long-tailed canoe, and we discover an authentic facet of the capital.

Along the walk, we come across wooden houses on stilts, canteens and floating markets, temples or even children feeding fish.

An essential way to visit the capital.

VISIT THE FLOATING MARKETS

Stroll through the flower market

Pak Klong Talat is a huge flower market open 24 hours a day.

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Nestled in the Phra Nakhon district, Pak Klong Talat is a huge flower market where you would gladly get lost.

Stroll between the colorful alleys and let yourself be carried away by the intoxicating scents of orchids, roses, marigolds, jasmines and carnations.

There are also many garlands, called Phuang Malai, used by Thais as offerings in temples.

Open 24 hours a day, the market is particularly lively from evening to early morning.

PRIVATE TOUR OF THE FLOWER MARKET

Bargain hunting at the Chatuchak market

The Chatuchak Weekend Market is Thailand's largest market.

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Located further north, the Chatuchak Weekend Market is the largest market in the country with more than 15,000 shops spread over no less than 35 hectares, surprisingly well ordered.

We let ourselves be tempted by a local garment such as a silk scarf, a handcrafted ceramic souvenir or a silver jewel.

Bargain hunters will find their happiness with the treasures sold by antique dealers and art collectors.

Here, as in all markets in the country, negotiating is part of the game.

DISCOVER LOCAL MARKETS

Explore Wat Arun

Placed on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, Wat Arun is one of the most visited monuments in Bangkok.

Paul

On the banks of the Chao Phraya River stands the impressive Wat Arun, named after the Hindu dawn goddess Aruna.

We discover this Khmer architectural gem at daybreak, when the public is not yet there and when the Buddhist monks march through the streets to ask for alms from the inhabitants.

We admire the porcelain mosaics of the main prang (a tower-sanctuary), then we take its vertiginous staircases which lead to the two terraces.

Once at the top, you can enjoy a superb view of the city.

GUIDED TOUR OF WAT ARUN

Discover the Royal Palace and its Emerald Buddha

Wat Phra Kaeo temple houses the precious Emerald Buddha.

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A true emblem of the city, the Grand Palace of Bangkok is best visited in the morning because it closes its doors at 3:30 p.m.

This vast complex includes a multitude of statues, frescoes, mosaics, gilding and dazzling stupas.

We start with the most famous monument, the Wat Phra Kaeo temple, which houses the precious Emerald Buddha.

Then, we admire the grandeur of the Royal Pantheon, before continuing with the Pavilion of Thai currencies and the Phra Sri Ratana Chedi, a giant golden chedi.

DISCOVER THE EMERALD BUDDHA

Admire the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho

Wat Pho is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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A few steps away, we marvel at one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the city, Wat Pho.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it houses a huge golden statue of a reclining Buddha, measuring 46 meters long.

This architectural curiosity in mother-of-pearl covered with gold leaf symbolically represents Buddha on his deathbed, about to enter parinirvana.

TAKE A TUK TUK RIDE

Visit the Jim Thompson House

A haven of peace in the heart of the city, Jim Thompson's house-museum is located in the Pathum Wan district.

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Thai history and culture can also be discovered at the Jim Thompson House, a haven of peace in the heart of the city, built by this American entrepreneur to whom many legends have been attributed.

We start by strolling through the lush gardens, then we enter the 6 charming red wooden houses that make up the museum.

Immediately, one notices the tapestries, the wooden furniture, the porcelain and the collection of paintings on silk hanging on the walls.

After the walk, we take the time to drink tea on the banks of a fish pond.

VISIT JIM THOMPSON'S HOUSE

Shopping in the Siam Square area

MBK Center is one of the must-see shopping malls in Siam Square.

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Siam Square is a bustling district particularly popular with local youth, perfect for a shopping spree.

We browse the shops of the essential shopping centers such as MBK Center and Central World, without forgetting the gigantic Siam Paragon.

In the basement, young and old will be fascinated by the SEAlife Aquarium, which is home to no less than 30,000 aquatic animals including sharks and manta rays.

TOURIST BUS RIDE

Attend a boxing match at Lumpinee Stadium

Thai boxing, also called Muay Thai, is an ancestral tradition rooted in the country to the point of being its national sport.

We discover this institution with our own eyes by attending a fight within the emblematic Lumpinee Stadium, on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Established in 1956, the stadium was once located in the very center of Bangkok, next to the eponymous park, but since 2014 has been located in the north of the city.

TAKE A THAI BOXING CLASS

Take a bike ride in Bang Kachao

Rent a bike and ride around Bang Kachao, Bangkok's green lung.

David Bokuchava

We escape from the bustle of the city center to breathe the fresh air of nature in Bang Kachao.

This unspoilt area is dubbed Bangkok's "green lung" by locals.

We rent a bike, we walk on the paths that run along the Chao Phraya River and we enjoy the surrounding picturesque landscapes between the luxuriant vegetation of the jungle, the turtles bathing in the sun and the birds singing in the trees.

DISCOVERING BANG KACHAO BY BIKE

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2023-03-21

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