Bangkok Travel Guide

It isn't conventional charm that keeps us coming back to Bangkok. The Thai capital doesn't have an Old Town like Hanoi, the modernity of Hong Kong, or the density of temples like Siem Reap (though few places in Southeast Asia are as spectacular as Wat Arun at sunrise). But in a region filled with metropolises worth the long haul, Bangkok's point of difference is found in the thrills of the unexpected. It's in the fiery display of wok-manship on Yarowat Road, which is absolutely the better place to do dinner than any restaurant (though the oxtail stew at Namh is beyond spectacular). Or in the unassuming Chinese mansions found down nondescript alleys of car parts and old lanterns in central Talat Noi. It's even found in the quiet, calming oases that is this city's epic hotel scene, a wonderful contrast to the heaving and exhilarating urban energy beyond its grand doors. Which is exactly what draws you back out and keeps you exploring.