Two sides of Bangkok STOMACH

Explore the Thai capital’s food scene via tuk tuk or delve into the country’s spiritual realm

The cacophony of traffic soundtracks the city and the dizzying detonation of neon and gold drapes it in a technicolour robe. But that’s all central to the fun in Thailand’s capital. Bangkok is a truly 24-hour city and, given the stifling heat of the day, a lot happens on the street at night, once tourists have been soothed to sleep by their hotel airconditioning.

But taking that off-ramp to comfort means you’re missing the pulsating heart of the city, where the noise of the day melts into a lively melody of South-East Asian life.

It’s vibrant, cool(er), and, most of all, incredibly delicious. If you’re the foodobsessed type, your stomach quickly deposes your brain as you greedily take in the buffet of Thai street food.

It’s certainly a lot to navigate for the uninitiated, especially when your appetite has wrested control of the decision making, so it’s a good idea to let someone else herd you through the potential mishaps of gut-searing spice and vaguely labelled meats.

Klook pedals a four-hour midnight food tour (Bangkok’s Best Eats Midnight Food Tour by Tuk Tuk) that pinballs you through the juiciest parts of Bangkok’s evening, from a secret bar to douse the heat with a beer, to sampling some of Thailand’s iconic dishes and exploring the incredible flower market.

For a hidden gem outside of the city, Michelle Julius-Baty from My Cruises suggests taking a taxi ride to the Silver Lake Vineyard to enjoy a glass or two of locally produced wine.

Brace yourself for a stroll through the night markets: persuasive curls of smoke emanating from grilled meats and wok-tossed everything lure you from one stall to another