8 Things not to miss in Bangkok

When it comes to big cities, Bangkok is definitely one of my all times favorite. Fancy Skybars, hip night markets, the world's most famous backpacker street and ancient temples...Bangkok has it all.

To truly understand why, I guess you have to stay longer than just a few days and let it suck you in. There are so many and different neighborhoods and districts to go depending on your mood and what you are up to. You could sip a nice cocktail with a spectacular view in one of its numerous sky bars and right after that you move to Khaosan Road and just chill in a laid back reaggy bar, get a full bottle of Thai whiskey for the price you payed earlier just for one cocktail and have a nice chat with locals or other travelers. And there is also the smell. No city smell like Bangkok, sometimes it's like tasty  and fresh street food and sometimes it's like...mhh, I better don't tell. Anyway it has its very own unique smell I never noticed in any other city. But no matter how much time you have, these 8 things you shouldn't miss during your stay in Bangkok or shall I say Krung Thep (that's how the capital is called in Thai).

Wether you are looking for some shopping or delicious street food and some drinks one of Bangkok's many night markets are an excellent choice. My favorite is the Talad Rot Fai train market, located close to Esplanade Mall. With all shops and food stalls having a colorful tent it is really fun just to stroll around even if you are not looking for something specific. Also there are many small bars with a rooftop to get an nice overview of the market. However for the best view climb the stairs of the nearby carparks top floor. The view of all those colorful tents perfectly lined up beneath is simply stunning. The place is very hip and a trendy place for young locals. You can even get a new haircut in an old modified cargo container with glass walls.

A bit more far outside, close to the airport, there is Talad (...) which is also worth a visit. It has a huge variety of restaurants from seafood over local snacks to the best pizza I had in Bangkok.

No plans for the evening yet? How about visiting one of Bangkoks fancy skybars? There are a lot to choose from. The good thing is they do all offer great views of the city, especially by night the view is amazing with all the city lights beneath. And due to the hot climate in South east Asia almost all of them are open air...no walls or glass...just a nice 'n fresh breeze between you and the view. Perfect to take pictures of the stunning view or just enjoy it while sipping your cocktail.  The bad thing...yes there has to be a downside...they are all quite expensive, at least for Thailand. Prepare to spent around 500 Baht for one cocktail (which is around 20 $) or 300 Baht (10 $) for a small bottle of beer. But if you ask me it's totally worth it once in a while. At least there is no admission fee so in the end you will pay the same if you go to an observation deck like on Bayokek Tower II for example.

So which Skybars is the best? A difficult question as all of them offer great views and the prices are nearly the same. The most popular is definitely Scirocco Skybars on top of the Lebua building. It also was a film location in Hangover Part II.

Slightly cheaper and with no dress code, unlike all others Skybars, is 7th Heaven on Silom Road.

If I had to chose my favorite I would say Zoom Bar, because it is not that crowded and you can find a free table easily. And the view on downtown Bangkok is really great.

A stay without visiting at least one temple wouldn't be complete. It is nice how the ancient architecture blends in perfectly with modern buildings and skyscrapers. Take your time and stroll around these beautiful temple areas and escape the chaotic traffic and hectic city life for a while. The most beautiful and unique temples are Wat Pho, the Royal Palace, Wat Saket (Golden Mount) and Wat Arun, wich is especially nice at sunset.

The gate to South east Asia. As most travelers and especially backpackers start their adventure right there. Actually it is just a quite small street wich turn into a pedestrian area in the afternoon. It is packed with souvenir shops, restaurant, massage parlors, guest houses and bars. Just walk around, grab some food and feel the travel vibes. But as night falls you will find yourself on one of Bangkoks biggest party miles. Small improved bars just put plastic chairs out on the street and open their business. Hostess girls, hired by clubs and bars trying to lure you inside and Tuk Tuk drivers waiting at the corners to take you to a ping pong show. It might be not for everyone, but at least it's an experience.

If you are looking for a restaurant check out Soi Rambutri, there are dozens of restaurants with all kinds of food and it is not that crowded as on Khaosan Road itself.

You still haven't enough of shopping? Head to Siam square und you will find one shopping mall next to another. Especially MBK Center is worth a visit as it offers the best bargains around that area. Looking for boutiques and Brand stores? Siam Paragon is your choice. Also Central World is a good option for cloth and electronics, it also has a ice ring on the basement floor if you need a break from shopping.

There are some cool abandoned places in Bangkok. The most famous one is surely the "Ghost Tower". It is an abandoned 45 floor high hotel, which never was finished.

Right away I want to mention that it is not legal to go there and it will be on your own risk. But it is an unmatched experience to walk around all the empty rooms and finally get to the rooftop with a spectacular view and atmosphere. Due to higher safety regulation I am not sure if it is still possible to go there. I tried 3 times to go, but made it only once when there were some construction workers who let you in for a small fee. But things are always changing and maybe an opportunity will open up again in the future. The Ghost Tower is located very close to central pier station.

Much easier to access is the airplane graveyard with a half Boing 747 aka Jumbo Jet. You can walk around freely and climb the wrecks, all you need is to pay a small fee (around 300 Baht) to the locals living there.

The graveyard is a bit outside the city center but can easily be reached by river taxi boat. Take the boat from Central World pier and drop of at Wat ... pier. From there it is just a 2 minute walk and you are there.

Even if they are not looking that clean on the first sight, they are totally fine and worth giving a chance. If you are just looking for a little snack on the go or a proper meal, the next food stall won't be far away...just follow your nose and you'll find some fresh cooked food around the next corner. Mostly there are more than just one stall, so you will have a good choice of different kinds of food. My favorite Thai meal is Kaw Moo Yang with Som Tam Thai (grilled pork neck with a spicy sauce and spicy papaya salad). Actually it is considered as Esan Food, which is the northeastern region of Thailand. But not all shops are offering those dishes, so look out for Esan Food stalls. 

Streetfood with a great view....I discovered a small restaurant close to Rama 8 bridge where they serve the food on a rolled out a picknick matt just in front of the Chao Praya river. Jim Jum is their speciality. That's another Esan style dish and is comparable to a hot pot. You will get a small pot of soup where you put vegetables and any the kind of meat or seafood depending on what you ordered inside and cook it yourself. It is suited for 2 people. For any drinks or booze just grab what you need from a nearby 7/11 store. The shop isn't that easy to find if you don't know it, but it's located on the right hand side when you crossing the Chao Praya River via Rama 8 bridge and walk downstairs at the end...opposite of Rama 8 Park.

Asking yourself which might be the best way to get to your destination? Well...it depends. And they all have their benefits. Most fun fore the fearless are motorbike taxis as they move really fast through the traffic jammed street. They are also the best choice if you need to be somewhere right in time during rush hour, because they don't wait in line at red traffic lights but move to the front.

Tuk Tuk's are definitely Bangkoks iconic way of Transportation and it has it's own charm to take a Tuk Tuk ride, but mostly they are overcharged. So they are best for a small group of up to 3 people when you can share the fare. But anyway you will have to negotiate for an acceptable price. To get an imagination of which price is acceptable you best compare the fare to prices of metered taxis. In general you won't pay much more than 100-200 Baht to go anywhere around the city center by taxi, but this also depends a lot on the traffic. Most likely Tuk Tuk drivers won't agree on the same prices as a taxi would cost, but it shouldn't be too much more.

Taxis are my preferred way of getting around in Bangkok as they should normally go by taximeter and you don't have to negotiate that much. just open the door if one is stopping by, tell where you want to go and wait what happens. If the driver tells you a price, he doesn't want to use the meter and I normally say not right away and close the door. Mostly this happens at tourist hotspots or when it rains and people don't want to wait outside in the rain. If he says nothing or okay, just get in and make sure he turns on the meter. Taxis are normally the cheapest way of getting around, especially if you are in a small group. But they get easily stuck in a traffic jam at rush hour and your ride could take longer than expected. At night I would always choose a taxi, as there is no traffic anymore.

The skytrain is also a good choice and not dependent on traffic. Unfortunately there are only two lines. Especially on Silom Road and around Siam Square the skytrain is a good choice. 

The slowest option but also the cheapest and the one with the best view will be the river boat taxi. It cost only 15 Baht per person and is great if you have time and want to go somewhere not too far from the Chao Praya river. Make sure you take the boat with the orange flag and not that one with the blue, this is the tourist boat and will cost more. Beside on Chao Praya river there is another taxi boat service on a small canal. If you want to go from old Bangkok (Banglampoo, Khaosan Road, Royal Palace) to Siam Square you will find a station near the Golden Mount Temple and the ride shouldn't take more than 20 minutes. The taxi boats on the canal are much more time efficient unlike those on Chao Praya , because it flows around the city center and the distance is much longer.