Burke Andrew - Bangkok

Why is our travel information the best in the world? Its simple: our authors are passionate, dedicated travellers. They dont take freebies in exchange for positive coverage so you can be sure the advice youre given is impartial. They travel widely to all the popular spots, and off the beaten track. They dont research using just the internet or phone. They discover new places not included in any other guidebook. They personally visit thousands of hotels, restaurants, palaces, trails, galleries, temples and more. They speak with dozens of locals every day to make sure you get the kind of insider knowledge only a local could tell you. They take pride in getting all the details right, and in telling it how it is. Think you can do it? Find out how at lonelyplanet.com.

The legendary traffic notwithstanding, Bangkok is an easy place to travel and assuming you avoid protests by people in coloured shirts one of the safest cities in Asia. Transport is cheap and fairly efficient, enough people speak English to help you out and there are hundreds of hotels catering to any budget. Bangkok is well wired so its easy to research most lodgings and events online.

The City of Angels has three distinct seasons: the hot season runs from March to May or June, followed by the rainy season until November, and the cool season from November until the end of February. With its low humidity, relatively low temperatures and clear skies, the cool season is the best time to visit, though regular days of high 20s and low 30s might leave you wondering just who came up with the term cool. The hot season vivifies the famous Noel Coward verse: In Bangkok at twelve oclock they foam at the mouth and run, But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. The fresh winds from February to April are a relief, but May is deadly. The monsoon season brings rain almost daily, but its rare that it will rain all day and its often limited to a short, refreshing afternoon downpour. For more on Bangkok's climate, see .

Not surprisingly, Bangkoks peak tourist season is during the cool season, with a secondary peak during July and August. If your main objective is to avoid crowds and to take advantage of discounted rooms and low-season rates, come during April to June and September and October.

Thais love little more than a festival full of snk (fun) and Bangkok is host to an eclectic mix, from Buddhist celebrations to jazz events and festivals of food. Dates and venues often vary from year to year because the festival adheres to the lunar calendar, organisers arent organised enough or local authorities change festival days. Which means youll often have to wait until the festival is only months or even weeks away before exact dates and locations are available. That said, wherever dates have been available we have included them here. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (www.tourismthailand.org) features major festivals and events.

On Buddhist holidays its illegal to sell alcohol so bars stay closed. For a list of public holidays, see .

35 Feb 2011, 2325 Jan 2012

Some time from late January to late February, Bangkoks large Thai-Chinese population celebrate their lunar new year, called rt jeen in Thai, with a week full of house cleaning, lion dances and fireworks. The most impressive festivities, unsurprisingly, take place in Chinatown.

Makha Bucha is held on the full moon of the third lunar month (late February to early March) to commemorate the Buddha preaching to 1250 enlightened monks who came to hear him without prior summons. The festival culminates with a candlelit walk around the main chapel at every wt.

www.thaicatwalk.com

Thai designers show their work in this trade fair that is busy with catwalk shows and parties, usually in mid-March. If you want a seat but dont have a ticket, be sure to look the part.

During the windy season from the middle of February to early April colourful kites battle it out over the skies of Sanam Luang and Lumphini Park. The Thailand International Kite Festival is held at this time every second year; next in 2012.

Week-long mooay tai (also spelt muay thai) festival in mid-March with a spiritual aspect, the ancient Waikru Muay Thai ceremony.

1315 Apr

Songkran is the celebration of the Thai New Year. Those Bangkokians who dont head home for the holiday observe traditional rites such as Buddha images being bathed and monks and elders receiving the respect of younger Thais through the sprinkling of water over their hands. Travellers tend to become thoroughly immersed in one mega-waterfight or another. The biggest are organised shows at Th Khao San and Patpong, where you can arm yourself with a high-calibre water gun and go beserk. Dont carry anything you dont want to get wet.