SOUTHEAST ASIA BOUND?
Start your trip in Thailand. Amazing sights and food will get you off on the right foot
Heading for Southeast Asia? Thailand should be the country you think of first.
Reasonable prices, great food, amazing sights, a rapidly improving infrastructure and English spoken virtually everywhere complement the fact this is a genuinely welcoming land. Of course, there’s always room for upgrades. Auto traffic remains formidable, and visitors are wise not to rent cars. But, within the capital, the air- conditioned elevated overhead Skytrain, and swift underground Metro make getting around the city significantly easier.
Bangkok is also the ideal gateway for neighbouring country visits. Canadians heading for Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar ( Burma) or Cambodia will find connections particularly easy once their trans- Pacific carrier lands in Bangkok.
First- time Bangkok visitors will certainly want to experience the city’s most famous attractions. These include the glorious Grand Palace and the home of Wat Phra Kaeo, the legendary Emerald Buddha.
Other “must- sees” are the 46- metre long gold- leaf- covered reclining Buddha statue ( Wat Pho), Wat Arun, ( Temple of Dawn) the soaring riverside Buddhist temple decorated with broken crockery; and the Royal Barges Museum. Everyone should ride along the dynamic Chao Phraya River, and wend through the klongs the dense network of canals, feeding into the Chao Phraya. Here, thousands live on, or directly above, the waters. The best way to experience the klongs is to board a narrow wooden, powered “dragon boat.”
Beyond sightseeing, Bangkok is famous for its shopping. But don’t just focus on shopping malls that are primarily filled with international goods. Rather, wander among the many streetside shops purveying fashion, antiques and souvenirs.
One favourite choice is the Jim Thompson stores, including a main centre and locations within major hotels, where quality silks are the main draw. A main store is at Surawong, quite near legendary Patpong, Bangkok’s most famous red- light district. You can also visit Thompson’s former home, now a veritable museum. It’s filled with artifacts he acquired during years of promoting Thailand’s international silk trade. A fine restaurant and retail outlet are also on- site.
For a total change of pace, take a weekend Skytrain to the Chatuchak market, Thailand’s largest, featuring more than 6,000 stalls. While you cannot possibly see everything, do check out the amazing pet section, which includes Siamese fighting fish, live coral in filtered water tanks, astounding fluorescent and iridescent sea creatures and fearsome lizards. Also here are antiques, artifacts, textiles, fresh seafood and an astounding array of fresh vegetables.
Since Chatuchak exists primarily for Thais, you can see an amazing cross- section, not only of the country’s goods, but its peoples. Arrive early to avoid the heat and the crowds, both of which increase during the day.
There are many other fascinating Bangkok destinations, some of which require hiring a driver or booking a tour. One of these is the intriguing Prasart Museum, a private architectural and decorative art collection requiring advance reservations for weekend visits. Somewhat near the airport ( but extremely difficult to reach on one’s own), Prasart — the brainchild of a Thai real- estate mogul — features works the owner acquired during the past half- century.
On- site are temples, pavilions, libraries, altars, lintels and all manner of decorative arts including woodcarvings, furniture, sculpture, Buddha statues and jewelry. Much is housed in traditionally designed buildings he erected to showcase his treasures.
Then there is Ayutthaya, Thailand’s capital for more than four centuries before it moved in the late 1700s near — and ultimately to — present- day Bangkok. Roughly an hour’s drive north of Bangkok, it is most easily reached via day trips starting at most major hotels. These usually feature a morning bus trip to the site, lunch and a leisurely afternoon Chao Phraya River return to Bangkok.
Highlights include the brick remnants of Buddhist stupas, many of which were broken open by invaders who incorrectly thought vast gold hordes were hidden inside.
Other must- sees include the 14thcentury Wat Phra Mahathat, palaces and pavilions built by traders who returned to the city after the conquering Burmese left soon after their 1767 invasion; and the treasure- packed Chao Sam Phraya National Museum. It’s filled with extraordinary remnants of Ayutthaya’s glory days, including copious gold artifacts and a jewelencrusted sword and scabbard.