Anton Swanepoel - Bangkok: 20 Must See Attractions

Bangkok

20 Must SeeAttractions

By AntonSwanepoel

Copyright 2015 AntonSwanepoel

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Bangkok a city of extremes. Gleaming temples and extravagantfive-star hotels compete against exotic red-light districts andhumble street stalls. Within hours of arriving in the most visitedcity in the world, you will realize why, there is action on everycorner.

No matter your preference,be it luxury malls, backpacker scruffy stalls, romantic rooftoprestaurants with exquisite cuisine, or humble but tasty localdishes, Bangkok and its famed Thai hospitality has itall.

This book gives you 20 mustsee attraction in Bangkok. From exquisitely decorated Buddhisttemples, bustling markets, to relaxed evening meals while having a360 panoramic view of the famed city and river.

Some of these attractionsmay not be included in a normal tour, but should not be missed,such as the Seashell museum with its 300kg clamshell, or the Pagodawhere Royalty studied, including the current king, HM King BhumibolAdulyadej.

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The places selected are what I think is nice to see, and mythoughts only. They are not listed in rank, but alphabetically.Bangkok is massive, and you will need more than a few days to seeit all. However, these places cover the major tourist areas, aswell as a few smaller ones, and should keep you busy for three daysof hectic sightseeing, and more if you take a more relaxedapproach. I have tried to blend important, such as the GrandPalace, with new, such as shopping malls, with very old, andhistorical places, to a bit of local things such as a streetmall.

I have no affiliation toany of these places, and do not represent them or any travelagency, nor do I speak for them or receive any compensation forrecommending them. Pictures are what I took of the places, exceptwhere noted otherwise. I normally replace pictures when people areeasily recognizable in a picture and cannot be edited or croppedout of my own pictures, as not to violate the rights of privacy ofpeople.

The information such asdates built, renovated and who built a place, are as correct ascould be found. In many places, wild discrepancies exist betweensources, and I have chosen the most trustworthy in my eyes,normally local guides or the official web pages for anattraction.

The times given for placesare what were sourced from the tourism board at the time ofwriting. However, attractions reserve the right to change operatingtime at will, without any notice. Do not arrive at an attractionminutes before closing and try to argue in stayinglonger.

When saying best time asAnytime for an attraction, then it is meant as anytime theattraction is open, and not that you can enter at 12pm atnight.

Prices are quoted in Baht(THB). The prices were as of Jan 2015, and should remain stable forsome time, but do take a few extra notes with, just in case. Theattractions reserve the right to change their prices at will,without any notice. US$1 = around 30 THB.

Always take local Bahtwith, as payments of other currencies are not accepted, except forthe Grand Palace, where you can exchange money.

There are a number of ATMmachines around Bangkok, as would be expected, but do know that atransaction would cost you around $6 to $10 in total forwithdrawing money. This is the Bangkok ATM machines fee as well asyour banks fee. So draw reasonable amounts at a time. Local ATMmachines disperse Baht.

Many larger retailers(inside Siam Paragon and CentralWorld mall) and large hotels,accept Visa and Master card, but smaller shops and guest housesnormally only accept local Baht, with some taking US$. Streetvendors only accept local Baht.

GPS Coordinates wheresourced from a handheld BadElf Pro GPS receiver, or Google Maps.Although the receiver that I use is very accurate, the accuracy ofthe coordinates does not help if you use a low-enddevice.

Normal smart phones copereasonably well in open areas, but do struggle a bit in the citywith large buildings around. Do not just blindly follow yourdevice; look at offline map applications such as ForeEvermap. Thisapplication allows for offline maps, as well as direct input of GPScoordinates and route planning.

Time: 1hour

Importance: 3,000specimens of 600 species and a clamshell of 300kg

My Impression: Thisis a nice and very different way to relax and spend an hour or twoaway from temples and busy shopping malls

Best time to visit:Anytime

Entrance Fee: 150Baht

Open: 10 am to 7pm

Address: 23 SilomRoad, near Leardsin Hospital and State Tower.

GPS: 1343'22.2"N10031'06.0"E

This small but veryinformative museum has three floors. The shells are not just putout on display with a name card, but have a rich amount ofinformation about shells as the museum aims to educatevisitors.

Some of these creaturesrank amongst the most deadly creatures on earth. Interestingly,shells have even been used as currency, and as ballast in ships,not to mention decorations for temples.

The museum has 3,000specimens of 600 species, arranged by families. Annotation is inEnglish and Thai, with a range of illustrations and diagrams. Ifyou want to see a giant clam, that tops the scale at 300 kg, youhave to see this place. As if that is not enough, the stunningcolors of the shells are breathtaking. The museum has a videopresentation in English on the first floor.

The museum is on the cornerof Silom 23 Road, near Leardsin Hospital, about 190 meters down theroad from the State Tower, as well as close to Rivercity, Lebua skybar, and the Bangkok Museum.

Note: Although themuseum sounds boring, it is not. Yet, if you feel nothing forhistory or nature and have never bothered to pick up shells on abeach to look at them, this place may not be for you.