TRANSPORTATION How to get around Bangkok

GUIDE including some money-saving

tips!

SIGHTSEEING Insight information to some

of the most important sights

in Bangkok.

SHOPPING GUIDE Listing some of the best

shopping centres in Bangkok.

DRINKS AND Some of the Best Bars & Clubs

PARTY for a great night out.
AND MUCH MORE..

This Guide was made possible thanks to :

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

ABOUT OFF THE PATH

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

WELCOME TO THE CITY OF ANGELS

WHEN TO TRAVEL TO BANGKOK

10

HOW TO GET AROUND BANGKOK

12

SIGHTSEEING IN BANGKOK

16

SHOPPING IN BANGKOK

23

WHERE TO STAY IN BANGKOK

27

WHERE TO EAT IN BANGKOK

31

WHERE TO DRINK & PARTY IN BANGKOK

34

BANGKOK OFF THE PATH

39

LEARN THAI FOR BEGINNERS

43

EASY PRINT AND FOLD TRAVEL GUIDE

44

ITINERARY RECOMMENDATIONS

46

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed

by the things you didnt do than by the ones you did do...
Explore. Dream. Discover.
- Mark Twain -

ABOUT

OFF THE PATH

Off The Path was founded in 2011
by Sebastian Canaves. Sebastian is
half Spanish, half German. He was
born on the Spanish island Mallorca
where he lived until he was 13.
He moved to Austria for four years
before moving to Australia when he
turned 18. He spent one year living
and working in Brisbane and after
being hit by a car in Sydney, he
moved to the Netherlands. There he
studied International Business and
Management, which was followed by
semester in Bulgaria studying Journalism and Mass Communication.
In 2012 he lived and worked in Bangkok, Thailand.

Today he has his homebase in Berlin,

Germany and travels the world from
there.
Off The Path is an adventure travel
blog. It publishes articles from around
the world and is one of the premier
information resources for active travelers, offering some of the finest adventure travel advice.
Follow us on our social media
channels :
facebook.com/offthepathcom
twitter.com/offthepathcom
@offthepath

ABOUT

THIS GUIDE
One Week In is a series of
E-guide books published by Off-ThePath.com. The idea behind the
E-Guides is to help you around a city
or country within a week. Its aimed for
people that dont have that much time
to travel but still want to experience
the city as much as possible and try
to live like a local. Slow travel and
getting to know a place requires a lot
of time.
With the One Week In-Guides one
should be possible to get to know and
experience a place faster than usual.
Guides about following destinations
will be published in the future:
- Myanmar
- Norway
- Mallorca
- Berlin and many more

Lumpini Park
Enjoy a peaceful evening.

UNION MALL
ROI FAT MARKET

TOURIST MAP

CHATUCHAK MARKET

NIGHT MARKET
HUAI KHWANG

LEGEND
KHAO SAN ROAD

TEMPLE
VICTORY MONUMENT

FORTUNE TOWN

PALACE

CENTRAL PLAZA

ATTRACTION

GRAND PALACE

MARKET
SHOPPING MALL
PARTY
PARK

FORENSIC PATHOLOGY
MUSEUM
CENTRAL WORLD
WAT PHO

SIAM PARAGON

WAT ARUN

SUKHUMVIT SOI 11

TOWARDS AIRPORT
FLOWER MARKET

MBK MALL

LUMPHINI PARK

TERMINAL 21 MALL

FLOWER
AIRPORT LINK
BTS
MRT

* Illustrative Map only. Not true to scale.

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty,

charm and adventure. There is no end to the
adventures that we can have if only we seek
them with our eyes open.
- Jawahar Lal Nehru -

WELCOME TO THE

CITY OF ANGELS
While most of us think of Los Angeles
when hearing City Of Angels, it is
also the local name for Bangkok.
Bangkok is only the English alias for
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, which is a
shortening of Krungthepmahanakhon
Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya
Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit meaning:
City of angels, great city of immortals,
magnificent city of the nine gems,
seat of the king, city of royal palaces,
home of gods incarnate.

Many tourists and travelers that arrive

in Bangkok are overwhelmed by the
chaos, dirty streets, pollution and the
amount of people on the streets.
Many simply use Suvarnabhumi
Airport as a stopover to continue
down south to the islands or up north
to the jungle. But many never get to
experience the craziness and beauty
of this huge city that extends all the
way to the gulf of Thailand.
With a population of officially over 8
million it is one of the biggest cities in
South East Asia.
Bangkok has something to offer to
every type of traveler. From cheap
hostels to 5-Star hotels. From street
food stalls to Michelin-Star restaurants. From cheap $1 shirts to luxury
brands. Anybody, with any budget,
will love this city once they know how
to get around it correctly.

TO BANGKOK

The best time to travel to Bangkok is

during the winter high season
(November - February/March.) Temperatures are around 25-30C and its
not as humid as April and May.
High season also means that prices
are more expensive than during the
rest of the year.
If you are travelling on a budget and
still want to experience Thailand with
reasonable temperatures, visit
between June to November. Officially
the rainy season, but its not as hot as
April and the rain showers usually
only happen once a day around 6 PM.
Unless you are in the rain forest, it
won#t rain for very long.
April to June are the worst months to
travel since its the hottest time of the
year and gets incredibly humid. However its important to remember that
the Songkran Festival is in April.

TI
P

WHEN TO TRAVEL

Its always warm in Bangkok and the

concrete buildings and many cars
arent doing you a favor by cooling
down the heat in the narrow streets
and alleys.

IMPORTANT EVENTS & FESTIVALS

CALENDAR ON NEXT PAGE

WHEN TO TRAVEL

TO BANGKOK
OCTOBER
There are many events in Bangkok
that are worth planning your stay
around them.

FEBRUARY

10th February

CHINESE NEW YEAR

China town comes to life with people

dancing, and celebrating this festive
day.

APRIL

13 - 15 March

SONGKRAN FESTIVAL

To have fun is part of Thai culture, this

festival though is a blast. April is the
hottest month of the year and people
go crazy in water fights and street
parties. The best place to celebrate
this event is in Silom where many
locals are. Travelers meet and celebrate at Kaoh San Road.

TBA

TBA

According to the
Moon

VEGETARIAN FESTIVAL

LOY KRATHONG

One of the most anticipated events in

Bangkok, people from all over the
world come to Bangkok for this event.
Restaurants and street stalls across
the city put up yellow flags to
announce their participation. Most
stalls you will find in China town.

This festival falls on the full-moon

night of the twelth lunar month. Along
the Chao Praya River locals and
expats meet to celebrate this event.
They gather at the river banks with
their lit krathongs and release them.
The whole sky is quickly flickering
from all the thousand pinpoints of
light.

NOVEMBER

09th November

ROYAL BARGE PROCESSION

On the 9. of November the Chao

Praya River is the host of the Royal
Barge Procession. Try to make your
way up to the old part of the city
around the Wat Pho and Wat Arun
from where you will have a great view
of the barges arriving around 16:00.
Since the royals are taking part in this
procession it will probably be full and
you have to be early to get a good
spot. The rehersals take place on the
2nd and 6th of November.

DECEMBER

31st December

NEW YEARS EVE

As in most parts of the world, Thais

also celebrate the western way of new
years eve. The biggest countdown
event is at CentralWorld Square.

HOW TO GET AROUND

BANGKOK

Bangkok is a huge city and it can be

a little confusing when arriving for the
first time. This guide will hopefully
help you figure out how to get around
in Bangkok easily.

AIRPORT CITY LINK

When you arrive in Bangkok at the
Suvarnabhumi international airport
you have the option to take the Airport
City Link that connects you with the
city within 15 to 30 minutes depending on which train you take. The
Express Service takes you to Makkasan, from where you can switch to
the MRT line, in 15 minutes and the
regular train in 30. The Express Service costs 150 THB and the normal
service 45 Baht. You will find the
Airport City Link in the basement of
the arrival hall.

Traffic in Bangkok
Be ready for a crowded city.

TAXI

BTS

TI

Bangkok is a taxi city much like New

York. Locals often drive everywhere
with their cars causing frequent traffic
jams. Taxis are the most comfortable
way to get around. Prices start at 30
baht and then cost you a couple of
baht every hundred meters. For a
distance of 10 kilom- eters you usually
pay around 70 Baht.

if you arrive at the Suvarnabhumi

International Airport DONT go to the
taxi stand downstairs. Go to the
Departure Area, which is located on
the third floor, and take a taxi from
there. This way you save 50 Baht
Airport fee. The taxi ride from Airport
to the city costs around 200 Baht.

ALWAYS DRIVE WITH THE METER ON.

Make no deals with taxi drivers. They
often try to rip you off.

MRT
The Metro has one line, which connects you from the train station, Hualomphong, in the west of the Bangkok,
to Bang Sue in the north. The MRT
connects you to places like the
Chatuchak Market in the north of the
city.

The BTS connects you easily with

most places of interest in the city. The
fares depend on the distance you are
driving and vary between 15 to 40
baht one way. They have daily tickets,
three day tickets and monthly subscriptions. If you stay longer than
three days a prepaid card might be
worth getting as you only need to top
up every now and then. This way, you
only pay once and dont need to cue
up to buy tickets each time.

BUS
Buses in Bangkok are very unreliable
and have no timetable. If you havent
spent a long time in the city you probably wont understand which bus
goes where and when. As a visitor it is
safer to stick to the transportation
methods mentioned above. However,
driving with the bus in Bangkok can
be a big adventure.
When taking the bus you dont need
to buy the ticket with the driver, simply
take a seat and sombedoy will come
and sell you a ticket.
There is currently a promotion with
government run buses, where about
50% of them are actually free! They
are the red buses and have a big blue
sticker in their front window, which
would help distinguish them from the
paid buses. If they dont have the
sticker, theyre still the cheapest
buses to ride, for only 6.5 Baht per
journey.

Taxi in Bangkok

MOTORBIKE TAXI
During rush hour the bike taxis are a
great alternative for a short distance
ride since they get through between
the cars. They are cheap and quick
and adventurous. Just be careful with
knees since the drivers drive between
the cars.

FERRIES
Ferries are a great way to get around
the city. They have different lines,
some go fast and only stop at certain
stops on the river, others are very slow
and stop at many. Its a great way to
see the city from the water a little and
perfect transporation during the many
beautiful sunsets in Bangkok.

TUK TUK
Tuk Tuks are there mostly for tourists
or farmers who transport their goods
from home to a market or vice versa.
They have no meter and you have to
make a deal with the driver before
getting the tuk tuk. They will often
overcharge you. If they offer you a
very cheap day tour they will probably
take you from one shop to another
where they get a commission for each
person they bring!

To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is

to be able to experience everyday things as if for the
first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is
so familiar it is taken for granted.
- Bill Bryson -

SIGHTSEEING IN

BANGKOK

Wat Pho

Bangkok has many tourist attractions

which may suit every travelers taste.
Depending on your itenary, you can
plan to visit important tourist places.
Although almost all the attractions in
Bangkok are worth a visit, you could
carefully plan your daily travel to
accomodate these attractions.

Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a

change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the
ideas of living.
- Miriam Beard -

SIGHTSEEING IN

BANGKOK

WAT ARUN

Spectacular
sight in the
evening.

THE TEMPLE OF DAWN

One of the most beautiful temples of
Bangkok is Wat Arun. Located at the
western shore of the Chao Phraya
River in Bangkok.
The English translation is The Temple
of the dawn. During dawn, the first
lights of the morning reflect off the
surface of the temple with pearly
iridescence. During sunset the view is
absolutely stunning.
To get there you can take one of the
many ferries i.e. the one at the opposite river side at the wat po also
known as the temple of the reclining
buddha. The ferry only costs 3 baht
(0,075 Euro).
The entrance to the Wat Arun is 50
Baht (1,10 Euro) and worth every
single baht. Go and buy an orchid to
respect the gods in one of the many
little inner temples.

You can go to one of the upper levels

but to get up there you have to climb
very steep stairs and getting up is
easier then going down again. From
up there, you have a great view. The
best view during sunset is on the
other side of the river at a little park
close to the ferry stop. Set up your
tripod there and youll have a great
view of the wat arun with the sun
going down behind it!

SIGHTSEEING IN

BANGKOK

WAT PHO
TEMPLE OF THE
RECLINING BUDDHA
Wat Phra Chettuphon Wimon
Mangkhlaram Ratchaworamahawihan
or as most people know it Wat Pho
-Temple of the Reclining Buddha is
one of the most visited attractions in
Bangkok.
The temple is one of the oldest and
largest of its kind in Bangkok and
features the famous reclining Buddha,
which measures more than 40 meters
long and 15 meters high. This statue
amazes you with its size when you
enter the room where it is laying. Very
impressive and everything made out
of gold! To avoid the masses it is
recommended to visit Wat Pho at the
end of the day.

At about 5 PM not many tourists are

running around the temple and you
have a lot of time to take enough
pictures and quietly wander around
the halls and inspect all the single
Buddha sculptures around the Wat.
At the foot of the reclining Buddha
you can find over 100 panels which
display symbols by which Buddha
can be identified like white elephants,
tigers, flowers and many more.
In the corridor on the backside of the
Buddha you can find 108 bronze
bowls, which indicate the 108 characters of Buddha. Visitors drop coins in

these bowls as it is said that they

bring good fortune. Additionally, this
also helps the monks to maintain the
wat.
The Wat Pho is also the home of the
traditional Thai massage. It is home to
the first public University of Thailand.
We didnt count them all but weve
seen quite a lot. They say that it is
also home to the biggest collection of
Buddha images, more than 1000
images hang on the walls of the
temple.

GRAND
PALACE
KINGS OLD RESIDENCE
The old residence of the King is now
open to the public. Today the palace
is only used for official ceremonies.

Withing the complex there are many

individual buildings including the Wat
Phra Kaew, which is known for its
Emerald Buddha. This buddha dates
back to the 14th century.
The tickets for the Grand Palace are
sold between 8:30 AM and 3:30 PM .
The tickets are also valid for the
Vimanmek Palace and Abhisek Dusit
Throne Hall. Remember to not throw
them away after you have visited the
Grand Palace.

BANGKOK

TI

SIGHTSEEING IN

A strict dress code applies. Visitors

must be properly dressed before
being allowed entry to the temple.
Men must wear long pants and shirts
with sleeves (no tank tops. If youre
wearing sandals or flip-flops you must
wear socks. Bare feet are not allowed.
Women must be similarly modestly
dressed. No see-through clothes,
bare shoulders, etc. If you show up at
the front gate improperly dressed,
there is a booth near the entrance that
can provide clothes to cover you up
properly (a deposit is required
thought).
The tickets for the grand palace
and wat phra kaew cost 500 Baht
per Person.

Chatuchak
Probably the biggest Market
you have ever seen.

CHATUCHAK
WEEKEND MARKET
( Saturday & Sunday )

This market is one of the biggest you

have probably seen. Over 9000 shops
can be found in over 27 sections.
Hundred of thousands of visitors
come here each weekend. You will not
only find tourists and travelers here
but also locals and expats doing their
weekly shopping.

Are you looking for antiques? Here

you will find nearly everything! Not
what you are looking for? What about
Clothes? Thousands of shops will sell
you fake Louis Vouitton bags and
cheap Ralf Laurren Polo shirts but you
can also find young Thai designers
who have little shops here with very
affordable prices. If you are not looking for clothes, how about food? In
each section you will find little restaurants with delicious Thai food, for
30-40 baht (1 ) you will find a good
meal with a drink!

You can get bigger discounts if you

buy more than one thing for several
people!!!
You will need a lot of time for this
market. Plan at least 3-4 hours but
you can easily spent the whole day
there!
LOOKING FOR
DELICIOUS INSECTS ?
If you plan to eat some insects like
cockroaches, or grass hoppers you
should go out of the market. Near the
fish market at the east side of the
market you will find some little wagons
that cell some insects.

YOU HAVE TO BARGAIN.

Remember that bargaining is part of
the purchasing process and is part of
the whole experience. Every price is
too expensive. Take a deep breath
when you hear the price and roll your
eyes, the sales person will automatically go down about 20 per cent. If
you now ask for a even lower price
you will meet at about 25-30 % lower
than the original price! You can of
course try to negotiate more but that
is already a pretty good deal!

BANGKOK

YOU CAN GET

NEARLY EVERYTHING.

TI

SIGHTSEEING IN

Having lived in Bangkok I know that

if you buy something of value and
tell the seller that you live in the city
they often give you an additional
discout. Tell them that you live in
HuayKwang or Ladprao. If you
are lucky youll get another 10-15 %
discount! Good luck!

SHOPPING IN

BANGKOK

Siam Paragon
Most Luxurious Shopping
Mall in Bangkok.

Bangkok is a shopping paradise for

travellers of all budget. From street
stalls to big Malls, you could get just
about anything you wish to buy. Bargaining is the key to a happy shopping experience.

MAHBOONKRONG
One of the most famous places for
shopping in Bangkok is MBK. This
huge shopping mall offers anything
any traveler needs. A new camera,
new clothes, fake backpacks, shoes,
and much more! MBK is located at
the BTS stop National Stadium. They
also have a second hand camera
shop in the ground floor where you
can find some great bargains.

CENTRAL WORLD
This relatively new and modern shopping mall is located between the BTS
stops Chit Lom and Siam. Here you
will find more international brands and
is more expensive than MBK. If you
are looking for the perfect style you
can order a free consultant who is
going to take you shopping. If you
need something special for a event
this might be the right thing. You need
to make an appointment for this.
Informatoin you will get at the info
booth in Central World.

PANTHIP PLAZA
For tech-lovers this is a dream come
true. Panthip sells everything from the
newest high end electronics, to the
cheapest imitations, and everything in
between. It definitely lives up to its
nickname IT World. Ive gone there
several times to find abstract electronic components, like VGA adapters, or replacement cell phone batteries. I also had a hard drive repaired.
This is your one stop shop for electronics, and youre almost guaranteed
to find the best deals there, just due
to the sheer volume.

The cinema in the top floor is one of

the newest and most luxurious cinemas in Thailand and offers different
seating categories. If you love going
to the movies make sure to try the
gold ticket. You will get served while
watching the movie from your huge
seat and they provide snacks and
blankets and pillows while watching
the movie on one of the biggest
screens in the country.

TERMINAL 21
This shopping mall brings the dream
of traveling into Bangkok. With its
cutting-edge concept that has some
of the world famous cities under one
roof. You can go shopping in Tokyo
City, Londons Carnaby Street, bargaining in Istanbul or wander around
San Francisco.

Terminal 21 is located at BTS stop

Asok and MRT stop Sukhumvit.

FORTUNE TOWN
Located directly at the MRT stop of
Rama IV (Rama 9) Fortune Town is the
shopping mall when it comes to electronics. Here you will find cheap cameras, mobile phones, DVD players,
DVDs, Computers and anything that
has to do with electronics.

CENTRAL PLAZA
Opposite Tortune Town is Central
Plaza. Another big mall that on 6
floors offers many thai labels. On the
upper floors of any mall you mostly
will find the entertainment area where
cinemas and restaurants are located.

CUSTOM MADE SUITS

There are many places where you can
get a custom made suit done. Most
though will charge way too much and
the quality will not be good enough.
Take care of places where Tuk Tuk
drivers offer you to drive for small
amounts or for free. These places pay
the fee with a provision if you buy
something.

UNION MALL
P

The most luxurious shopping mall is

Siam Paragon located at the BTS
station Siam. This huge mall has
anything you can buy for a lot of
money. If you love shopping and
spending money, this should be no
problem at Siam Paragon.

When shopping at Terminal 21 it feels

like walking down an airport isle. The
floor signs direct you to different cities
and the crisscrossing network of
escalators will make you feel like
being at a new airport.

Located in the north of Bangkok and

away from all the tourists you will find
Union Mall at the ever busy Lad Phrao
junktion. It boasts easy access from
the MRT Phahon Yothin station. Union
Mall serves a younger crowd, mainly
university students and young office
workers. Great place to go shopping
with locals in Bangkok.

TI

SIAM PARAGON

If you buy a lot you can get a TAX

refund at the Airport when leaving
the country! Simply keep all receipts
and fill out the paperwork. There is a
big office at the departure lounge at
the Airport taking care of TAX
refunds.

To awaken quite alone in a strange town is

one of the pleasantest sensations
in the world.
- Freya Stark -

WHERE TO STAY IN

BANGKOK
In Bangkok you can stay in hostels for
cheap as 100 Bhat (2,50 ) but the
average prices nowadays are at 300
(7,50) This price is for shared rooms.
For private rooms in hostels you pay
about 400-500 (10-12 .)
Bangkok also has a lot of high end
hotels where rooms are at 6.000 Bhat
(150 .)
If Bangkok is your last stop of your
Thailand trip it often is worth to treat
yourself to a nice hotel after backpacking around the country for
weeks.

Banyan Tree

WHERE TO STAY IN

BANGKOK
For the best places to stay in
Bangkok, our friends at
Hostelbookers.com have given us
a selection of their highly rated
hotels. From the comtemporay to
the traditional, from the bustling
Thai street views to peaceful spa
hotels and from the night life to the
city historical sites, everyone has a
choice!

city and is located close to Seacon

Square, Tesco Lotus and Paradiee
Park. For any thrift shopping, be sure
to visit the Chatujak or JJ Weekend
Market, both popular for Arts and
Crafts, Clothing, Books and Food in
BKK, just dont forget your sunscreen
before you go! For a Budget Studio
with private bathroom, prices start
from 19.70 per night per person.

HOTEL DE MOC
30.21 per night per person onwards
The Hotel De Moc is conveniently
located in the heart of Bangkok, the
perfect vacation near all the great
tourist attractions, such as Rattanakosin Island, Grand Palace, Reclining
Buddha, Emerald Buddha, Democracy Monument, and the stunning
Golden Mount.
The hotel is next to Khao San Road,
world famous for its bustling street
market, variety of Thai restaurants,
and exciting nightlife. For a Superior
Private Double prices start from
30.21 Per Person per Night.

THE LOFT 77 HOTEL

19.70 per night per person onwards
If you are looking for something more
in a hotel than just a night to sleep at
then check out the contemporary
designed boutique hotel, Loft 77. The
hotel is designed to put guests in a
relaxed frame of mind with its cool
colour scheme adapted all over the
building. The hotel has rooms open to
balconies for a beautiful view of the

Hotel De Moc

The Loft 77 Hotel

SUPHANLAKE HOMETEL
IMM FUSION SUKHUMVIT

IMM FUSION SUKHUMVIT

14.43 per night per person onwards
Located within walking distance from
BTS On Nut, and 20 minutes from
Suvarnabhumi Airport via expressway,
the Imm Fusion Sukhumvit is perfect
for a fabulous city break. Sporting
Bohemian design elements you step
right into a lush environment.

The hotel includes a Pool and Spa area

for all you chill seekers and for the
opposite explore the trendy Thonglor
area which is home to hip restaurants &
bars. Prices for a private room start
from 14.43 per person per night
(breakfast included)

SUPHANLAKE HOMETEL
8.54 per night per person onwards
Suphanlake Hometel is located 6.5
kilometres away from Suvarnabhumi

Airport, only 10 minutes by driving.

The hotel is situated in front of 60th
Anniversary of Queen Sirikit and walking distance.Bangkok City, China
Town,Exhibition Center, Museum and
Famous Siam Park are now accessible from the new city train station for
only 40 Baht. Double room prices
start from 8.54 per person per night.

ASOK MONTRI HOSTEL

NEAR SUKHUMVIT
10 per night for shared room onwards

SAKUL HOUSE
24.96 per night per person onwards
Sakul House is a modern designed
small hotel, located on Soi Rambuttri,
one block away from Khaosan Road.
Soi Rambuttri, is in the prime location
of Bangkoks Rattana-Kosins Island
(Bangkoks historical quarters), just in
case you fancy getting your city
knowledge on! Prices for a Private
Double start from 24.96 per person
per night.

This hostel is very central located

near the BTS station Asok and MRT
station Sukhumvit. In the neighborhood you will find Terminal 21,
Sukhumvit Soi 11, Soi Cowboby and
you can get anywhere withing 20
minutes with public transportation.
The hostel is clean and has good
service. Shared rooms start at 400
Baht (10) and are divided by genders. They also have prive rooms for
375 Baht (9.75)

SMART SUITES IN
SUKHUMVIT SOI 11
20.00 per night per room onwards
If you want to be located in central
(there is no real center in Bangkok)
and dont pay too much while having
a nice room the Smart Suites might be
the right hotel for you. Its located on
the popular sukhumvit soi 11 in a
small and quiet alley. Rooms start at
800 Baht (20) and have an ensuite
bathroom.

URBAN HOUSE IN SI LOM

NEAR LUMPHINI PARK
18.00 per night per room onwards
Nice little and cozy hotel located right
at the Lumphini Park and next to the
MRT stop Si Lom. Rooms are big and
comfortable and start from 715 Baht
(18)

VIENGTAI HOTEL AT
KAOH SAN ROAD
22.00 per night per room onwards
Pool, big rooms and a stones throw
away from Kaoh San Road. This hotel
is perfect for anybody who wants to
stay and experience the popular
backpacker area. Rooms start from
875 Baht (22)

WHERE TO EAT IN

BANGKOK

TI

Bangkok has some of the best street

food in the world. These are a few
great restaurant where you need to
eat while in Bangkok.

If you are vegetarian or vegan its not

a big deal to find something in
Thailand. There are many vegan and
vegetarian meals on the menus in
most restaurants.

BANGLAMPHU
At Thip Samai in Banglamphu (near
Khao San Road) you will find probably
the most famous Phad Thai.
Address : Phutthamonthon Sai 4,
Salaya, Bangkok

VICTORY MONUMENT
Not far from Kaoh San Road you will
find the Victory Monument (BTS Station Victory Monument.) There is a
large street market here with street
vendors, outdoor seating and many
diners that stop for a bite to eat. Here
you will find all the typical noodle and
rice dishes but also some other more
quirky things.

NIGHT MARKET HUAIKWANG

CHEAP EATS IN
OFFICE BUILDINGS
If you want good, fast and cheap food
go to one of the many restaurants and
food courts in office buildings. There
the food is good and very cheap and
since office workers dont have a lot of
time it often also is fast! You can get a
full meal with a drink for less than 60
Baht.

ARAWY VEGETARIAN FOOD

This place offers a wide range of
vegetarian and vegan meals.
It is located in Banglamphu. 152
Thanon Din So.

THAI BBQ
If youre slightly carnivorous, this is a
must try! Similar to a Korean BBQ, a
Thai BBQ consists of a massive meat
buffet, all pre marinated. Theres often
a hefty salad selection as well, in
addition to some pre-cooked side
dishes such as steam buns and
shish-kababs. Once youve loaded
your all you can eat plates, you bring
the food back to your table and cook
it to your own perfection on a grill
placed in the centre. Theres also a
soup base around the grill, which you
can boil noodles and veggies, as it
collects the meat drippings. These
are scattered all throughout the city,
and are a cheap, BIG meal. The meal
alone will cost 129-149 Baht, though
the drinks are extra, and could easily
double that cost.

On Thanon Pracharat Bamphen you

will find a daily night market. At 8 PM
vendors start to build their stands and
sell all kinds of things on the street.
You can also eat very well on the
street stalls. Be warned, night markets
are full with rats.
Thai Food

For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go.

I travel for travels sake. The great affair is to move.
- Robert Louis Stevenson -

WHERE TO
DRINK AND PARTY IN

BANGKOK

Even prior Hangover 2, Bangkok

has had a reputation for being one of
the craziest cities in South East Asia.
The sentence Once Bangkok has
you in its grip, it wont let you go is
very true. Bangkoks Nighlife can be
dirty and glamorous at the same time.
Many clubs, bars and lounges invite
you to party as if it would be your last
day on earth.
Wine Connection

Cheap Charlies
Dont forget to leave you
business card here.

WHERE TO
DRINK AND PARTY IN

BANGKOK
CHEAP CHARLIES

Located at one of the most popular

streets of Bangkok, cheap charlies
attracts all kind of expats to Sukhumvit Soi 11. At around 7 pm the bar fills
up with expats from all around the
world. You will find the traveler who is
living on a budget in Bangkok and
trying to figure out the next step in his
life or the business man who stops by
after an important meeting. Its a very
diverse bar with many faces.

It was founded in 1982 by Mr. Charly

himself who apparently is still watching over you as a skull is hanging and
looking down at the bar. Everybody
who wants is welcome to leave his
business card on a wall at the back of
the bar which today covered by hundreds of cards from all over the world.
Prices at this bar are very cheap and
start at 60 baht for a chang beer.
Mixed drinks cost 70 baht and wine
100 baht. Very reasonable and you
will always find somebody to have a
chat with.

SAXOPHONE PUB
Located at the busy Victory Monument this bar attracts many expats
who are into Jazz and live music.
Its a very relaxed and rustic bar with
two stories. Saxophone has a very
special vibe which gets your right
from the second you enter the pub.
Here you will not only find many
expats who enjoy their drinks with
nice live music, you will also find
many locals who move their hips to
the rhythm of the music.
Prices are very reasonable and they
have a big variety of drinks.

Q-BAR
Q-Bar is also on Sukhumvit Soi 11.
Opened by the same owner who
managed the famous Q-Bar in
Saigon, Vietnam. It is a very popular
expat bar in Bangkok where you will
meet many foreigners. It carries the
biggest choice of spirits in Bangkok.
There is nearly nothing that they dont
have and if it happens that they dont
have your liqueur of choice, they will
make sure to have it the next time you
come if you are a regular customer.
The prices are more expensive than at
Cheap Charlies and Saxophone but
the atmosphere is nice.

Open since March of this year Zaks

WinePub offers exceptional wines at
everyday prices. The atmosphere is
great at this bar and the PR manager
Richard always tries to welcome every
guest personally. Zaks is also at
Sukhumvit Soi 11 between the
German Beerhouse and the Australian
Bar.

Its at the end of Soi 11 opposite Nest.

This place seems to have no last

order, it closes when the last customer leaves. Its almost impossible to
dance in here since it is so small, the
service is non-existend since you
have to grab the drinks yourself from
the fridge however, the legendary Mr.
Wong still insults you personally when
you leave the door open too long.
When at Wongs Place you feel like
back in the 80ies and 90ies! Legendary!

BED SUPERCLUB
Its regarded as the hottest club in
town and definitely worth going at
least once while in Bangkok. Prices
are extremely expensive but atmosphere is extremely good! Here you
will meet many expats dancing to the
finest electro beats Bangkok has to
offer. The club is separated into two
sections, one that is aimed at dinner,
drinking and relaxing and another one
which is aimed to party and dance!

ZAKS WINE PUB

WINE CONNECTION
Wine Connection opened its new
restaurant at the Rain Hill Shopping
Complex on Sukhumvit 47. The chick
restaurant is popular among expats in
the area in thonglor. Surprisingly the
prices are very reasonable and the
food is delicious.

WONGS PLACE
This dive bar is legendary in Bangkok.
Known to few and loved by many!

27/3 Soi Sribamphen, Rama 4 Road,

Yannawa , Bangkok

PENNY BLACK CLUB

This place is so unknown that only a
very small sign tells you that it exists.
Right on Soi Cowboy this place is
hidden on the third floor of a guest
house. Simply walk into Soi Cowboy
and enter the floor next to The
Corner bar. Pass the main desk and
take the elevator to the third floor. This
place is open until late!

NEST
The little rooftop bar is a nice hangout
spot it the end of Sukhumvit Soi 11.
Its opposite Q Bar in the Le Fenix
Hotel building. It has nice lounge
furniture with live music and good
DJs. On Wednesday they have a
special evening where beers and
cocktails are offered for 100 Baht.
Nest is a nice place to start the evening and continue the night in one of
the clubs blow.

THE AUSTRALIAN
The Australian is packed with farang
(Thai for foreigner) but you wont only
find Australians here, all kind of

find Australians here, all kind of

foreigners come here to enjoy a coopers beer and watch some sports
while enjoying a good homemade
burger. They normally have a live
band which is pretty good! Its always
a lot of fun to come here for a couple
of stubbies.

VIVA & AVIV

Right at the Chao Phraya River lays
this little gem. Viva & Aviv is nicely
decorated with a big terrace where
you can relax on a lazy Sunday or
come for a sundowner after work. Its
located behind the river city complex.
Take a boat from BTS station Saphan
Taksin or go with the Metro to MRT
Station Hua Lamphong and ask a taxi
or tuk tuk to take you to the River City
complex or Royal Ohrid Sheraton.

MIXX
In the basement of the Intercontinantal Hotel Bangkok you will find one of
the few late night clubs in Bangkok.
Mixx has a nice balance of sound,
light and elegant decoration. There
are two sections inside where they

play different music. In the second

(the smaller section) smoking is
allowed. There is an entrance fee of
about 250 Baht including one drink.

INSOMNIA
Open until very late this club invites
party folks looking for their electro
vibe. The cover charge is 300 Baht.

NARZ
Formerly known as Narcissus this
place is a three in one club. Over
three floors you will find different
rooms with different kinds of music.
The mix of music is good and there is
no cover charge. Its located near BTS
Asoke and MRT Sukhumvit.

RCA
Commonly known as RCA, the Royal
City Avenue is home to many clubs
and one of the many epicentres of
Bangkoks nightlife.
Clubs such as Route 66 and Slim are
just two of the many clubs packed
into this area. Its located close to
Rama 9 Road.

HYDE & SEEK

Located close to the BTS station of
Phlon Chit, this is one of the central
hotspots of Bangkok. Cocktails are
expensive but good and the interior is
a mix of gentlemans club with a touch
of modern sophistication. This is a
great expat bar in bangkok to start
with drinks and good cigars before
going out to some of city#s clubs.
Its located next to the Plaza Athenee.

VERTIGO BAR
Located in Silom on the roof top of the
Banyan Tree Hotel, youll find one of
the high end roof top bars of Bangkok: Vertigo Bar. This bar invites you
to enjoy your evening overlooking
Bangkok and the neighboring Lumpini
Park while enjoying a delicious
sundowner.
Vertigo Bar
Enjoy a magnificient view of Bangkok
skyline with a delicious sundowner.

BANGKOK
OFF THE PATH

Discover some of Bangkoks Off-beat

yet must visit places. Without these,
your trip to this wonderful city may not
be termed as complete.

Do not follow where the path may lead.

Go instead where there is no path
and leave a trail.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson -

ROT FAI MARKET

Tucked away just a few blocks from
Chatuchak Market, this weekend night
market specializes in all things
vintage. Built on an old train yard, it
offers a very unique location, with
some of the old train cars still present
for you to hop on and enjoy a drink.
Theres a number of food stands and
bars set up with live entertainment,
and this has become a bit of a thai
hipster hangout. Similar to its neighbouring market, Rot Fai is only open
on weekends, and is a great end to a
day, with some wonderful photo
opportunities.

FORENSIC PATHOLOGY
MUSEUM
Something for the brave, or scientifically minded, this interesting museum
is located inside a hospital. Its full of
very graphic photos and displays.
There are several sections. One which
focuses on the history of forensics in
Thailand. Theres an exhibit on pulmonary science, theres an exhibit on the
Tsunami of 2004, theres even a mummified remains of Thailands worst
serial killer.

The exhibits that are the hardest for

some to swallow is the fetal deformations, and the head injuries. Really a
cool and very unique type of museum
unlike any other. If you like the show
CSI, youll probably really like this just keep in mind, this is the uncensored edition

FLOWER MARKET
While most of the city sleeps the
street in and around Chak Phet Road
start to flourish at around 3-4 AM. This
is when all the vendors arrive from the
provinces around Bangkok with
freshly cut flowers.
During the day, the whole market is a
little sleepy which is perfect if you just
want to shop around and buy a few
things.

KLONG TOUR AROUND

THE CANALS
If you really want to experience Bangkok, take a klong tour. The long-tail
boats will take you around the canals
and youll get a little glimpse of what
Bangkok was like before all the
modern buildings were in the city.

KOH KRET
This is an island which is actually in
Bangkoks suburbs, and easily a day
trip for those short on time. Found on
the Chao Phraya river, its not your
typical beach island that Thailand is
known for.
This island was actually man made a
few centuries ago by cutting through
the land to bypass a big loop the river
naturally had. The bypass channel
was intended to speed up travel time
along the river, but in the process
created a new isolated home for the
Mon tribe who dug it out. This has
helped develop an entirely new culture amongst the inhabitants. Its
become popular for its pottery and a
tempura of deep fried flowers, both
unique to Koh Kred. You can rent
bicycles and ride around the small
island visiting all the villages along the
way. Its a great way to escape the
bustle of Bangkok, experience some
culture, and see some history! This is
definitely one of Bangkoks hidden
gems!

Lumpini Park

LUMPINI PARK
The green lung of Bangkok. Take a
stroll at lumpini park and join the
locals during their workout. At 6 PM
there is a lound noise and the whole
park stands still to honor the king and
listen to the national anthem. You have
to experience this once!

LEARN

THAI

INSTRUCTIONS :
For perfect fit, kindly take a print only
on A4 size paper.

FOR BEGINNERS
STEP 1
Thai is a very difficult language
because it has no similarities with
English or latin languages. Also it has
a completely different alphabet.

STEP 3

Place your A4 size paper into your

printer tray and print Side 1 ( mentioned
on the page ) in landscape mode.

Place the paper with Side 1 facing

towards you and fold along the dotted
lines. Carefully follow the order of Fold.

FOLD 1

To make learning Thai more easier and

useful for you at the time of traveling,
we have designed this section as a
Handy reference guide.
Simply follow the instructions on this
page and take a print of the next 2
pages on a single page, front and
back, and you shall have a real quick
reference guide which will definitely
help you in communicating with local
people.
We strongly suggest you read these
instructions well before taking a print.

SIDE 1

STEP 2
Flip your paper and insert into printer
tray to print Side 2.
Note: Settings for double side printing
may vary on your printer. So take care of
this while printing Side 2.

FOLD 2

YOUR GUIDE

SIDE 2

SIMPLE

CONVERSATION
STARTERS

WHILE

SHOPPING

sanam bin

Hotel

Very expensive
paeng mak (krub/ka)?

Sai bai dee mai (krub/ka)?

The bill please

OTHER

PHRASES

rong raem

Embassy

san tantood

Hospital

rong-payabann
prai-sanee

Postofce

gep taang (krub/ka)

Fine Thank you

sa-tanee tum road

Police Station

nee arai (krub/ka)

How are you ?

sa-tanee rot fai

Railway Station

What is this

kob koon (krub/ka)

sa-tanee rot mai

Bus Station

nee tao rai (krub/ka)

THANK YOU

mai pen rai (krub/ka)

IN THAI

How much does this cost ?

sawasdee krub (male)

sawasdee ka (female)

Never mind / Its ok / No Problem

PLACES
Airport

HELLO

sai bai dee (krub/ka)

FOLD

FOLD

SIDE 1 ( CUT ALONG THE DOTTED LINE )

Market

talaad

DIRECTIONS

IN THAI
I want to go

phood Thai mai dai (krub/ka)

la gon (krub/ka)

Where is

yuu tee nai (krub/ka)

Please speak slowly

Goodluck

Turn Left

leeo sai (krub/ka)

phood cha cha (krub/ka)

kor hai chock dee (krub/ka)

Turn Right

I dont understand

Sorry / Excuse me ?

Straight Ahead

mai kao jai (krub/ka)

kor thoad (krub/ka)

Stop here

Where is the Rest room ?

I need a doctor

Slow down

hong nam yoo tee nai (krub/ka)

tong karn mor ma raksa (krub/ka)

Be Careful
FOLD

Goodbye

FOLD

I cannot speak Thai

yaak ja pai (krub/ka)

leeo kwaa (krub/ka)

trong pai (krub/ka)

yuut tee nee (krub/ka)

cha cha (krub/ka)
ra wang (krub/ka)

SIDE 2 ( CUT ALONG THE DOTTED LINE )

BASIC

NUMBERS

QUICK

REFERENCES
HELLO sawasdee krub (male) | sawasdee ka (female)

suun

nung

soong

Fine Thank you

saam

I cannot speak Thai

sii

haa

hok

jet

bpeet

gao

10

sip

THANK YOU

kob koon (krub/ka)

How are you ?

Goodbye

Sai bai dee mai (krub/ka)?

sai bai dee (krub/ka)
phood Thai mai dai

sa-tanee rot mai

Sorry / Excuse me ?

kor thoad

This basic Thai language guide will

help you feel a little comfortable while
talking to locals.

Thai number symbols

In Thai people put a Khrup

(pronunced like cup) at the end of
a sentence. Men say khrup and
women say ka.
* offthepath doesnt take any responsibility for change in details whatsoever.
This guide is for reference only.

THAI

FOR BEGINNERS

la gon

Bus Station

LEARN

nung

hok

soong

jet

saam

bpeet

sii

gao

haa

Brought to you by

Bangkok emergency numbers

Police - 191
Ambulance & Rescue - 1669
Tourist Police - 1699 Fire - 199

www.off-the-path.com

10.00 - 11.30

Visit the Grand Palace (See Page. 20)

See where the King of Thailand lived
and reigned over this big country.
12.00 - 13.00

Visit Wat Pho (see Page. 18). About 10

Minutes away from the Grand Palace,
the Wat Pho is known for its big laying
buddha statue. Water is included in
the ticket price.
13.00 - 14.00

Buy some street food and relax at the

park next to the Tha Tien Boat Pier.

ITINERARY

RECOMMENDATIONS

24

14.00 - 14.05

Take the ferry to the other side of the

river to visit Wat Arun.
14.05 - 15.30

HOURS
IN BANGKOK

Visit Wat Arun - The Temple of the

Dawn (see Pag. 19)
16.00 - 16.05

Take ferry back to Tha Tien Boat Pier.

16.15 - 16.45

Take express ferry to Sathon Pier.

17.00 - 17.40

Take BTS to Asoke and walk to Soi

Suk Chai (about 10 Minutes Walk) to
the restaurant Cabbages & Condoms. Weird and at the same time
fun atmosphere, with excellent Thai
food!
18.00 - 19.30

Dinner at Cabbages & Condoms

19.30 - 02.00

Pub Crawl. Start at Cheap Charlies

(See Page. 35) at Sukhumvit Soi 11 and
drink your way up the street.
For after hour parties visit: MIXX,
Insomnia or Wongs.

DAY 1

Start by exploring the old city of

Bangkok. The Grand Palace, Wat Pho
and Wat Arun are located very close
to each other and if you have time you
should go explore all the little buildings and temples within the complexes. You will be busy for the whole
day!
DAY 2

ITINERARY

RECOMMENDATIONS

07

DAYS
IN BANGKOK

Visit Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of

Thailand, which is about an 1,5 hours
north on Bangkok.
DAY 3

Take the day off and do some shopping. Shopping opportunities in Bangkok are excellent. See from Page 23
DAY 4

Visit the floating markets a little bit

outside of Bangkok. To finish the day
of traveling visit one of the many sky
bars to enjoy the sunset over the city.

DAY 5

Wander around China Town and

indulge yourself in chinese and thai
food. Walk down to the river and relax
in the sun or visit Lumpini Park to relax
in the biggest and one of the few
parks of Bangkok.
DAY 6

Chattuchak Market is open on the

weekends. Go and get lost between
the thousand stalls. End your shopping day with a drink in Sukhumvit Soi
11 and drink your way up the street.
Places to stop: Cheap Charlies, Zaks,
Smile 11 (Street Bar) and more.
DAY 7

After a long night, treat yourself to a

Spa and a massage. Massages start
at 250 baht an hour and are a great
way to spend a lazy day!
GUIDE MAP BELOW

24

TOURIST MAP

HOURS
IN BANGKOK

GRAND PALACE

START HERE

LEGEND
WAT ARUN

TEMPLE

CHEAP CHARLIES
WAT PHO

PALACE
PARTY
PARTY

BTS ASOKE
THA TIEN BOAT PIER

CABBAGE AND CONDOMS

PARK
AIRPORT LINK
BTS

TOWARDS AIRPORT

SATHON PIER

MRT

* Illustrative Map only. Not true to scale.

No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until

he comes home and rests his head on his old,
familiar pillow.
- Lin Yutang -

All pictures by Sebastian Canaves

(Off-The-Path.com).
All content is free to share with attribution and not allowed to derivate.
CC BY-ND 3.0 DE
Thanks for the support to friend and
fellow travel blogger Ian Ord from
Wheresidewalksend.com
www.off-the-path.com