Cheap Flights to Bangkok
Visit Bangkok for the first time and your senses will explode as you step out of the airport into the humidity, noise, colour and excitement. This city is youth, exuberance and growth in urban form, with skyscrapers flying up almost before your eyes and thousands of people bustling about the city streets amid food sellers, street hawkers, tuk-tuk drivers and entertainers. The street food is often the first thing you notice, with intense flavours mixing up with the city's sights, smells and sounds. Every regional Thai cuisine jostles for space with international food in this ultimate foodie city.
In fact, Bangkok is very much a city of contrasts. You'll find vast air-conditioned shopping malls sitting alongside golden Buddhist temples, with slow-moving traffic fog at commuter hour being overtaken by traditional long boats on the royal river. Visit hidden markets and stroll along Banglamphu to see monks in their traditional orange garb. See a Chinese opera in a Chinatown lane or get the Skytrain to the local nightlife scene of Sukhumvit, which is at once dizzying, sleazy and sophisticated.
If you can, experience Thai new year with its fireworks, street parties and incredible food. Other great spectacles include the Trooping of The Colours and the Golden Mount Fair.
Things to do
Hail down a tuk-tuk or meander the streets before taking a boat-ride as you experience this jostling, bustling and, at times, overwhelming city, Bangkok. From the majesty of the Royal Palace through to the calm of the ancient hidden temples, there is an incredible amount to do.
- See golden splendour at Ko Rattanakosin
Visit this stunning artificial city to see some of the most important temples and palaces in the city, including the glorious Wat Pho, a golden towered Buddhist temple. Slightly less busy than nearby Wat Phra Kaew, it is home to the largest reclining Buddha in the world. Make sure you see the Grand Palace just next door too -- and bring your camera.
- Cruise Chao Phraya in comfort.
Head along the rivers on a water taxi to enjoy a low-cost and authentic sight of the city and its surroundings unfolding before you.
- Be inspired by the beauty of the temples.
Take the time to visit Wat Saket and the Golden Mount along with other Buddhist temples that are dotted around the city.
Calendar of Events
Be prepared to enjoy art, food, entertainment, sport and culture when you visit the pulsating city of Bangkok. From local micro-events in hidden old streets through to international fixtures with all the modern trimmings, Bangkok has quite the events calendar for visitors!
Songkran / Thai New Year. Visit Khao San Road to be at the heart of this three-day extravaganza which features water throwing, decorations, fireworks, food and wild celebrations all across the city. Not to be missed!
Rama VIII Traditional Long Boat Races. Held in December, these impressive races see Longboat crews compete for the King's Trophy.
Golden Mount Fair. Head out of town to Golden Mount next to Pom Mahakhan fort for this fair in November. It features a huge candlelight procession that snakes up the hill towards the temple.
Ready to experience the heady delights of Bangkok yourself?
