BANGKOK GUIDE YOUR FREE BANGKOK GUIDE FROM THE ASIA TRAVEL SPECIALISTS www.asiawebdirect.com Cultural phenomenon, shopping haven and tourist treasure. Welcome to Bangkok; one of the most cosmopolitan, contrasting and, above all, compelling of Asian cities. A steamy, pulsating, yet smiling metropolis of more than ten million souls – intense at first, but addictive as anything. Come find your niche among dazzling temples, hotels of every type and size, eclectic markets, gleaming palaces, ritzy shopping malls, a famous nightlife and the many things in between. Enjoy a memorable dinner cruise along the Chao Phraya River. Bask in the city’s warm, affluent glow at a skyscraping rooftop bar. Experience all the things – a tuk­tuk ride, a ladyboy show, Muay Thai (kickboxing) match, Thai massage – everyone always comes home talking about. WEATHER Bangkok has a tropical monsoon climate and holds claim to being the SIM CARDS AND DIALING PREFIXES hottest city in the world. Sitting close to the equator, it is both hot and humid in equal measure, is unrelenting simply because it doesn't cool significantly at night. Pre­paid SIM cards are available for purchase at most convenience stores (you will find 7­Elevens everywhere) as well as the service The period between April and May is the steamiest (avg. 25­35° C). operators’ shops – DTAC, AIS and TRUE – located inside shopping The Southwest monsoons arrive between May and October, and with it malls. To make a call to a landline within Bangkok, dial 02 then the pouring rain and thunderstorms – for many, though, this is a welcome seven­digit number. Making a call outside Bangkok requires a three­digit respite. area code, starting with 0, the area code, then the six­digit number. Calls between mobile phones require the three­digit prefix (08x), followed by http://www.bangkok.com/weather.htm the seven­digit subscriber number. CURRENCY Thai baht (THB). US$1 = approximately THB 30.00 You’ll find the current conversion rate at the top of the Bangkok.com web site. GETTING AROUND TIME ZONE Bangkok’s traffic is notorious, particularly during the rush hours when road transport should be avoided at all costs. Better alternatives are the GMT+7 (the same as Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam). Skytrain (BTS) and Underground (MRT) rail systems (06:30­midnight), together connecting the main shopping, entertainment and business areas of the city. Consider buying a one­day BTS pass, which may help save you a few baht, or a store­value Smart Card, for the sake of ELECTRICITY convenience. Voltage is 220 Volts with either two flat blades (NEMA 1­15 Taxis are ubiquitous, while tuk­tuks – once an icon of Bangkok – are fast or JIS C 8303) or round two pin plugs (Europlug CEE 7/16). disappearing from the streets; simply hail one from anywhere along the pavement, but be careful not to block the on­coming traffic. For sightseeing along the riverside, the river ferries and express boats (06:00­20:00) come in handy. Start your journey at the Sathorn Pier IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS (BTS Saphan Taksin), then hop on and off at whichever point you like. ­ Police 191 http://www.bangkok.com/information­travel­around/ ­ Tourist Police 1155 ­ Ambulance 1554 ­ Fire 199 AIRPORT TRANSFERS ­ Samitivej Hospital 02 711 8000 All road transport to downtown Bangkok is located on the 1st Floor. The ­ Bumrungrad International Hospital 02 667 1000 Airport Link (06:00 ­ midnight) is the fastest mode (Express Line takes ­ Medical Emergency 1669 only 15mins), while taxis require an additional 50 baht on top of the meter fee and expressway tolls. Running a fixed route to four downtown ­ Operator­assisted overseas calls 100 areas, namely Silom, Sukhumvit, Khao San or Hualamphong (Central Train Station), the Airport Express Bus (05:00­midnight) is the cheapest ­ Directory Assistance 1133, 13 way to go. ­ Airport Flight Schedules 1566 If cost is not your main concern, then why not save the trouble and use ­ Traffic Hotline 1197 the airport limousine service (24 hours)? You can book one in advance ­ Immigration 1111 through the Bangkok.com website or, upon arrival, locate the nearest service counter in the arrival hall (2nd Floor). http://www.bangkok.com/airports.htm BANGKOK GUIDE YOUR FREE BANGKOK GUIDE www.asiawebdirect.com FROM THE ASIA TRAVEL SPECIALISTS Book online or call us at +66 (0)2 651 9515 BANGKOK AREA GUIDES Covering an area of 1,500 sqkm, the greater Bangkok Metropolis fits into the ‘big city’ league with ease. Add to that an estimated ten million inhabitants, more than 30,000 taxis and an ever-increasing number of tourists, and you’ll soon realise that getting to grips with such a vast concrete jungle is no easy feat, especially if you’re a first-time visitor. This is where our Area Guides come in pretty handy… 1.Sukhumvit The longest road in Thailand, both it and its many adjoining 'sois' (sub-streets) are poor on traditional tourist attractions but rich in of-the-minute shopping, eating and nightlife. While there are touches of 'Thai-ness' on every corner, the many fashionable restaurants, bars, air-conditioned malls, luxury hotels and hip clubs give the area a distinctly modern, cosmopolitan, aspirational flavour. Some of the city's most ‘sinful’ spots, red- light districts Nana Plaza (Soi 4) and Soi Cowboy (off Soi 23) are also found here. The elevated Skytrain (BTS) helps make exploring its daunting options incredibly easy. 2.Siam Siam is unquestionably the centre of shopping in Bangkok, home to some of the city's most popular and important shopping centres like MBK Center, Siam Discovery Center, Siam Center, and Siam Paragon. Within Siam Square itself, there is a wide range of shops and services, including restaurants, cafés, designer clothing boutiques, record stores, cinemas, bookshops, a Hard Rock Cafe, hotels and banks. Shoppers vary, from young-aged school and college students to office workers, trend-setting city dwellers and, of course, throngs of tourists. 3.Silom Who would have thought that an empty, swamp-like field with a tall 'silom' (windmill) stuck in the middle would somehow become Bangkok's equivalent to New York's Wall Street? Today, Silom (by day anyway) is undoubtedly one of the city's most important financial districts with many bank headquarters, financial institutions and office buildings. Fine hotels, smaller type malls and great restaurants abound in the area too – and then of course there's the infamous nightlife scene of Patpong. 4.Riverside Bangkok's riverside is where its historic roots lie; the traditional heartland of this magical city with origins that read like an epic novel – complete with fallen and rising Kingdoms, heroes and traitors. One of the most fascinating and scenic areas of Bangkok, the riverside reflects a constantly changing scene day and night; water-taxis ferrying commuters and heavily laden rice barges chugging upstream, set against a backdrop of glittering temples and palaces, historical landmarks and luxury, five-star hotels. Despite some condominiums and corporate towers that have risen from the river banks over the past decade or so, the area has retained its unique identity, exclusiveness and seductive charm. 5.Khao San and Old City The Old City (Rattanakosin) is where you'll find Bangkok's most spectacular and revered historical attractions, among them The Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Pho. Not only part of the Kingdom's rich past, but intrinsic to it, a day or two spent exploring here will give you a deep insight into the heart, soul and psyche of the Thai people. Part of the Old City, Khao San’s 500-metre long strip – dubbed backpacker’s street – is jam-packed with budget guesthouses, internet cafés, swanky bars and clubs, restaurants, massage parlours, travel agents, bookshops, market stalls, tattoo shops and much, much more. 6.Chinatown Packed with market stalls, street-side restaurants, shrines, Chinese medicine stores and probably the greatest concentration of gold shops in the city, Chinatown is an experience not to miss. After sunset, the entire strip becomes a food haven for new-generation gourmands who flock here to explore the vibrant street-side cuisine. The energy that oozes from its endless rows of wooden shop-houses is plain contagious – it will keep you wanting to come back for more. Plan your visit during major festivals, like Chinese New Year and the annual vegetarian festival in October, and you will see Bangkok Chinatown at its best. More at http://www.bangkok.com/bangkok-area-guide.htm BANGKOK GUIDE YOUR FREE BANGKOK GUIDE www.asiawebdirect.com FROM THE ASIA TRAVEL SPECIALISTS Book online or call us at +66 (0)2 651 9515 BEST LUXURY HOTELS 1.The Peninsula Bangkok, Riverside There are probably not enough walls in all of this uber-elegant hotel to hang the awards it has reeled in since opening in 1998. At Bangkok’s postcard-pretty Riverside, The Peninsula proudly lives up to the reputation this global luxury hospitality group has earned the world over. The indulging of guests starts from the moment they check in and, frankly, never stops. A well-deserved place for a nothing less than sumptuous treat. http://www.bangkok.com/peninsula/ 2.Grand Hyatt Erawan, Chidlom-Ploenchit This prestigious five-star hotel is as famous for its exemplary service and culinary offerings as its location right next to the sacred Erawan Shrine and the BTS Skywalk. The hotel’s 380 rooms and suites boast an elegant, modern ambience, complemented by sweeping views of the cityscape or landscaped pool from the panoramic windows. Dining is a big highlight, with seven gourmet restaurants and bars topping the city’s dining hotspots chart.