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Chatuchak weekend market (3 hrs - ½ day)

Bangkok is definitely known for it’s shopping options. That’s why we pay attention to that a lot in this Bangkok page. We will start with the biggest and cheapest market, which is only open at Saturday and Sunday, Chatuchak weekend market.

Here you will find everything, souvenirs, decoration for your house, clothes, food, really everything you can imagine. If you need a dress for your hamster… You will find it at Chatuchak.

The best way to go there is by sky train. Take the Sukhumvit line to Mo Chit, it’s the last stop. From there, just follow the flow and the people will guide you easily to the market, where you can easily spend a whole day. But our advice is: go early, as it’s not too hot and not too crowded.

Lumpini night market (0 hr)

This nightmarket is still mentioned in several travel guides, but since 2011 this night market is closed.

If you want a touristic night market you’ll have to go to Pat Pong at Silom Road.

Shopping malls (2 hrs)

Bangkok is shopping and besides all markets, this city has the most wonderful shopping malls. And many of those malls are all close to each other. There’s the most legendary Mah Boon Krong (MBK), with specialised floors for computer, phones and clothes. But there’s also Siam Discovery, the beautiful Siam Paragon, and the biggest lifestyle shopping mall in Southeast Asia; Central world. They’re all easily accessible from Sky train stations ‘National Stadium’ or ‘Siam’.



Mango Tree Signature (2 hrs)

Bangkok has a great new restaurant: Mango Tree Signature. There are more Mango Tree restaurants, but this one is absolutely top of the bill. Located in a wonderful 60 year old colonial building just behind Oriental Hotel, Mango Tree Signature offers a wonderful bar downstairs with a lovely garden and upstairs is a beautifully decorated dining room. The young chef is coming from the Oriental Hotel and prepares wonderful fusion dishes, or Modern style Thai as chef Nattapong Norchoovech likes to call it.

It’s a bit more expensive then most ‘normal’ restaurants in Bangkok, but for sure cheaper then restaurant Normandy in Oriental. And to be honest, the food and service are comparable. The decoration is wonderful and it’s an invitation to dress up yourself as well for a wonderful evening. O.P. Garden Soi Charoenkrung 36, tel: (662) 238 6400.

Spanish food (1 ½ hr)

To us it’s hardly impossible to get enough of Thai food, but if you really like to eat something else, we suggest you eat Spanish food. There are two good places owned by the same company. Tapas Cafe and Spanish on 4.

The first one is located at 1/25 Sukhumvit Soi 11. The other one is located at the famous Soi 4 at Silom Road. (Don’t mistake it for Tapas bar, which is just a bar and doesn’t serve any food.) The restaurants are open daily from 11 am till late night.

The food the serve has a real Spanish taste. No wonder if you know the chef are truly from Spain. They serve both traditional and moderns style tapas dishes. And, as it should be, they have a great wine list with affordable wines.

Sirocco Bar State Tower (2 hrs)

This bar at the 63rd floor of State Tower at Silom Road has for sure the best view at Bangkok. The view at the city and Chaopraya River is absolutely breathtaking, and so are the prices of the menu. For the price of a glass of wine, you can easily have a whole dinner outside, but ok, the view is worth a million. The bar and restaurant are opened daily from 6.00 pm till 1.00 am.

-5 Ice Bar (½ hr)

If it’s too hot for you in Bangkok and like to cool down, you should go to the -5 Ice Bar at Silom Road. In this small Absolut ice bar the temperature is -5 degrees Celsius.
You enter through the Irish Pub of the Holiday Inn Hotel. You pay 500 Baht, which gives you 20 minutes entrance time. They will give you a warm jacket and gloves before entering the freezer. It’s just a small bar and everything inside is made of ice; the walls, the bar, seats and even the glasses you drink from.
During your stay in the bar you can drink as many shots of Absolut Vodka as you can. And Vodka is the only thing you can drink there. Of course you can try several different flavours. Before entering you will be told you can drink as much as you can and they tell you as well: make sure you’re drunk when you come out. But be careful, when you come out it’s not only the vodka that makes you dizzy, it’s the difference in temperature as well.
The -5 Ice Bar is located at the ground floor of the Holiday Inn hotel at 981 Silom Road. The opening hours are every day from 6 pm to 1 am.

Sampeng Lane (2 hrs)

In walking distance from Chinatown you will find a market called Sampeng Lane. At this market you can find a lot of stuff like clothes, jewellery, accessories, fabrics and decorations. You can buy just one piece, but the market is mostly meant for wholesale. So if you buy a dozen or so of something, you will get great wholesale prices. There’s no bargaining at this market, as they are all fixed wholesale prices. But the prices are very good already.
You will find the market at Sampeng Lane and the small soi’s (streets) in between Ratchawong Road and Thanon Chakkrawat. Just walk into a soi and have a look at the small shops. Don’t forget to go upstairs sometimes and you’ll be amazed what they sell. You can do some serious shopping here. Most shops are open during daytime from 8.30 am to 6 pm.

Impact (2 hrs - 1 day)

Impact is a huge expo centre located in Nonthaburi, about half an hour taxi drive from downtown Bangkok. In this huge centre are many varying exhibitions where you can buy good stuff. Some events look like Chatuchak, but less crowded and air-conditioned.
There are exhibitions for furniture and decorations; exhibitions that feature hand made, Thai foods, travel, arts & fashion, cars and much more. There are big shows and concerts given as well.
You will find impact at 9 Popular Road, Banmai Sub district, Pakkred District, Nonthaburi. An event calendar can be found here.

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Language of the world

Of course you like to speak a few words of the local language onboard the plane or at your destination. Here you find some simple basics of the main language spoken in Bangkok.