Thailand ranks as the #1 destination for Indians according to the Tourism Board of Thailand with over 900,000 Indians visiting in 2011 and that number is continuing to rise this year. Why the popularity? Thailand offers good value for money and a focus on a range of niche travel segments – from Bollywood tourism to backpacker haven, wedding and honeymoon travel and luxury holidays, there’s an interest for every type of traveller.

Bangkok is the capital and most likely the first city you will fly into when travelling to Thailand. Like other Asian cities, Bangkok offers the best of tradition and modernity: mega malls to markets, Buddhist temples to glaring neon signs, pollution and smell of diesel to air conditioned skytrains.Jump back and forth between the two worlds to get a real taste of modern Bangkok.

For the first time budget traveller, here are some must see’s, things to do and common scams to avoid to keep your travel stress free and full of adventure!

1. Stay atleast a minimum of 4 days – you will need it!

I was in Bangkok for two days while on my honeymoon before my husband and I went to northern and southern Thailand. We explored quite a bit in two days, but had we known beforehand how much we liked the city, those extra days would have been well worth it.

2. Go Temple Gazing

The top 3 Buddhist temples to see in Bangkok are the Wat Pho, Wat Arun and Wat Saket temples along with the Grand Palace. Make sure to be respectful and wear the proper attire when visiting. Beautiful places of worship. Pictures say it all.

3. Visit the Local Markets

From Patpong Night Bazaar to the Floating Market, you will find many locals to haggle with. Makes for an awesome story and memory when you come back home (like when I bought my aviators from Patpong from a very charismatic ladyboy!).

4. Head to MBK Centre: 8 Stories of Knock Off Goods

Even if you’re not into shopping, MBK is still a mall to see just for its sheer size and to get a glimpse of local youth culture. This shopping mall is not only an interest for foreigners, but is equally popular with Bangkok residents. If knock offs aren’t your thing, Siam Paragon and Siam Discovery are shopping centers that sell authentic goods.

5. Take a Long Tail Boat Ride on the Chao Phraya River

This is a great way to see the waterways running through the middle of Bangkok and you can hop off the boat to see the temples. 

6. Try Local Street Food

The best way to experience a culture is through its food as they say. Visit outdoor street food stalls in and around the night markets and be prepared for a flavourful explosion in your mouth. 

7. Take a Day trip to Ayutthaya 

Located approximately 90 kms from Bangkok, Ayutthaya was the capital of the Kingdom of Thailand for many centuries between 1350 and 1767 and houses many of the ancient ruins from that period. I didn’t go on my first trip to Bangkok, but will definitely be going there when I head back to Thailand.

8. Explore by Foot – Both Day & at Night

Not just by skytrain, tuk tuk or taxi and not just during the day. Half the fun of travel is exploring without a map and just walking around, getting lost, being curious and learning to let go. Start off with the neighbourhood near your hotel or hostel and go through the narrow lanes and alleyways and see where it takes you. If you’re nervous, always go with your gut instinct and be cautious, but not paranoid. One night my husband and I went across the street from our hotel to a 7-11 to pick up some late night snacks and walked through a random empty parking lot and past it was another busy area with bars. Something that was not on our to do list, but if we didn’t take the chance to go by foot we wouldn’t have ever found this place.

9. Taxi Drivers – Wealth of Knowledge 

When you do take a taxi, make sure to atleast try to have a conversation with the driver. Sometimes it might be a bit difficult due to language (try to learn a few phrases of Thai before you go) or the taxi driver might come across as allusive. When you do get a driver willing to engage with you, they’ll be able to tell you a lot about the city and what the working class locals think about it. While heading to dinner one night, our driver was able to converse with us and tell us about the local housing prices, average wages along with directions to the nearest skytrain from our restaurant.

10. Lebua State Tower**Splurge Item 

Not a well kept secret anymore, the Lebua Hotel was recently shown in the movie Hangover II and since then has exploded as must visit place to stay or atleast have a drink, but it does come with a price tag. If you have some room in your budget, go for it. I didn’t stay here, but did visit Lebua’s Skybar on the 64th floor, open air bar with the best views of the city. I got one cocktail ($12 martini!) and my husband bought an expensive beer, both of us sipping our drinks slowly so they lasted. Views were worth it, but did I miss not staying at the Lebua? Not really, as it was closer to the financial district and our hotel, the Majestic Grande (smaller, boutique hotel) was way more central and closer to the skytrain (a plus for us).

11. Tips for Backpackers 

If you’re looking to meet other travellers, pick a hostel/hotel at or near Khaosan Road, a haven for cheap accommodation and an area to socialize with other foreigners.

Scams to Avoid

Bangkok is generally a safe city and I felt relaxed and calm during the night just as much as during the day. Let’s just say I felt more safe taking the skytrain in Bangkok, then in some parts of Metro Vancouver. However, as Bangkok is still a very touristy city, here are a few common scams to avoid:

1. Sorry, Temples are Closed

• We were approached by a friendly Thai man dressed in a business suit while we waited at an intersection. He spoke fluent English and seemed overly chatty and willing to help us find the temple we wanted to visit.  While he talked directly to my husband, I made sure to look at Paul’s pockets just in case someone was going to pick pocket.  But it wasn’t pick pocketing scheme. I was trying to decipher if he was legitimately trying to help us, but he approached us first, not the other way around.  The man said that the temples are closed for a few hours (either for cleaning, lunch time, prayer time, etc, etc, etc).  Don’t believe him.  He’s just trying to get you to another shop or use a tuk tuk where he gets kickbacks. Luckily we didn’t follow his advice. We went straight to the temple to find out for ourselves. The temple was not closed and in fact, they rarely close.

2. Tuk Tuk’s – 10 Baht Anywhere in the City! Yah right.

• If you find a driver trying to offer you this price, it’s too good to be true. They will try to take you to gem shops or tailor shops and you’ll be pressured to buy things you don’t want. Research before you go and see what the average price is for a ride.

3. Uninvited Shopping Advice

• Similar to the first scam mentioned, a well dressed man or woman will approach you, strike a friendly conversation and try to get you to the nearest gem shop where the prices will be expensive and you won’t know a real gem from a fake one.

Have you been to Bangkok? What are some of your favourite places to see and things to do? Add your comments below!

Photo Credit: All pictures by Desiglobetrotter.com except for: floating market by Alaskan Dude, and reclining Buddha by Luca.