BANGKOK GUIDE

1 WEATHERAIRPORT TRANSFERSSIM CARDS ANDDIALING PREFIXESGETTING AROUNDCURRENCYTIME ZONEELECTRICITYIMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS BANGKOKE verything You Need to BANGKOK GUIDEYOUR FREE BANGKOK GUIDE FROM THE ASIA TRAVEL SPECIALISTSC ultural phenomenon, shopping haven and tourist treasure. Welcome to BANGKOK ; one of the most cosmopolitan, contrasting and,above all, compelling of Asian cities. A steamy, pulsating, yet smiling metropolis of more than ten million souls intense at first, butaddictive as anything. Come find your niche among dazzling temples, hotels of every type and size, eclectic markets, gleaming palaces, ritzy shopping malls,a famous nightlife and the many things in between. Enjoy a memorable dinner cruise along the Chao Phraya River. Bask in the city swarm, affluent glow at a skyscraping rooftop bar.

2 Experience all the things a tuk-tuk ride, a ladyboy show, Muay Thai (kickboxing)match, Thai massage everyone always comes home talking has a tropical monsoon climate andholds claim to being the hottest city in theworld. Sitting close to the equator, it is bothhot and humid in equal measure, isunrelenting simply because it doesn't coolsignificantly at night. The period betweenApril and May is the steamiest (avg. 25-35 C).The Southwest monsoons arrive between Mayand October, and with it pouring rain andthunderstorms for many, though, this is awelcome respite. road transport to downtown BANGKOK islocated on the 1st Floor. The Airport Link(06:00 - midnight) is the fastest mode (ExpressLine takes only 15mins), while taxis require anadditional 50 baht on top of the meter feeand expressway tolls.

3 Running a fixed route tofour downtown areas, namely Silom,Sukhumvit, Khao San or Hualamphong(Central Train Station), the Airport ExpressBus (05:00-midnight) is the cheapest way togo. If cost is not your main concern, then why notsave the trouble and use the airport limousineservice (24 hours)? You can book one inadvance through the websiteor, upon arrival, locate the nearest servicecounter in the arrival hall (2nd Floor). SIM cards are available for purchaseat most convenience stores (you will find 7-Elevens everywhere) as well as the serviceoperators shops DTAC, AIS and TRUE located inside shopping malls. To make a callto a landline within BANGKOK , dial 02 then theseven-digit number. Making a call outsideBangkok requires a three-digit area code,starting with 0, the area code, then the six-digit number.

4 Calls between mobile phonesrequire the three-digit prefix (08x), followedby the seven-digit subscriber s traffic is notorious, particularlyduring the rush hours when road transportshould be avoided at all costs. Betteralternatives are the Skytrain (BTS) andUnderground (MRT) rail systems (06:30-midnight), together connecting the mainshopping, entertainment and business areasof the city. Consider buying a one-day BTSpass, which may help save you a few baht, ora store-value Smart Card, for the sake ofconvenience. Taxis are ubiquitous, while tuk-tuks once anicon of BANGKOK are fast disappearing fromthe streets; simply hail one from anywherealong the pavement, but be careful not toblock the on-coming traffic. For sightseeingalong the riverside, the river ferries andexpress boats (06:00-20:00) come in your journey at the Sathorn Pier (BTSS aphan Taksin), then hop on and off atwhichever point you baht (THB).

5 US$1 = approximately +7 (the same as Cambodia, Laos andVietnam).Voltage is 220 Volts with either two flat blades(NEMA 1-15 or JIS C 8303) or round two pinplugs (Europlug CEE 7/16).Police191 Tourist Police1155 Ambulance1554 Fire199 Samitivej Hospital02 711 8000 Bumrungrad InternationalHospital02 667 1000 Medical Emergency1669 Operator-assisted overseas calls100 Directory Assistance1133, 13 Airport Flight Schedules1566 Traffic Hotline1197 Immigration11111 SUKHUMVIT2 SIAM3 SILOM4 RIVERSIDE5 KHAO SAN & OLD CITY6 CHINATOWN BANGKOKE verything You Need to BANGKOK AREA GUIDES Covering an area of 1,500 sqkm, the greater BANGKOK Metropolis fits into the big city league with ease. Add to that an estimated ten millioninhabitants, more than 30,000 taxis and an ever-increasing number of tourists, and you ll soon realise that getting to grips with such a vast concretejungle is no easy feat, especially if you re a first-time visitor.

6 This is where our Area Guides come in pretty The longest road in Thailand and the centreof up-to-the-minute shopping, eating andnightlife, Sukhumvit has something to offer allvisitors. While there are touches of 'Thai-ness'on every corner, the many fashionablerestaurants, bars, air-conditioned malls, hotelsand clubs give the area a distinctly modern,cosmopolitan flavour. Some of the city's most sinful spots, red-light districts Nana Plaza(Soi 4) and Soi Cowboy (off Soi 23) are alsohere. The elevated Skytrain (BTS) helps makeexploring incredibly is unquestionably the centre of shoppingin BANGKOK , home to some of the city's mostpopular and important shopping centres likeMBK, Siam Discovery, Siam Center, and SiamParagon. Within Siam Square itself, there is awide range of shops and services, includingrestaurants, caf s, designer clothingboutiques, record stores, cinemas,bookshops, a Hard Rock Cafe, hotels andbanks.

7 Shoppers vary, from students to officeworkers, trend-setting city dwellers and, ofcourse, a throng of is an area of contrasts. By day, sharplydressed business folk head into the numeroushigh rise offices and financial institutionsalong Silom Road. While at night, many ofBangkok s finest restaurants bring peoplefrom far and wide, as well as the infamousnightlife scene around Patpong. Silom enjoysexcellent public transport options and,bordered by the Chao Phraya River on oneside and Lumpini Park on the other, there area host of different experiences to be 's riverside is where its historic rootslie; the traditional heartland of this magicalcity with origins that read like an epic of the most fascinating and scenic areasof BANGKOK , the riverside reflects a constantlychanging scene; water-taxis ferryingcommuters and heavily laden rice bargeschugging upstream, set against a backdrop ofglittering temples and palaces, historicallandmarks and luxury, five-star hotels.

8 Despitesome modernisation, the area has retained itsunique identity and seductive Old City (Rattanakosin) is home toBangkok's most spectacular and reveredhistorical attractions, among them The GrandPalace, Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Pho. Notonly part of the Kingdom's rich past, butintrinsic to it, a day or two exploring hereprovides a deep insight into the heart, souland psyche of the Thai people. Part of theOld City, Khao San Road is jam-packed withbudget guesthouses, internet caf s, lively barsand clubs, restaurants, massage parlours,travel agents, tattoo shops and , bustling and packed with market stalls,restaurants, shrines and the greatestconcentration of gold shops in BANGKOK ,Chinatown is an experience not to miss. Aftersunset, the entire strip becomes a food havenfor gourmands who flock here to enjoy street-side cuisine.

9 The energy that oozes from itsrows of wooden shop-houses is plaincontagious and will keep you eager for your visit during festivals, like ChineseNew Year and the vegetarian festival inOctober, for Chinatown at its hectic at ST REGIS BANGKOK ,CHIDLOM-PLOENCHIT 1 LEBUA AT STATE TOWER,RIVERSIDE 2 SIAM KEMPINSKI HOTELBANGKOK 3 HANSAR BANGKOK HOTEL,SIAM 1 HOTEL MUSE BANGKOK ,CHIDLOM-PLOENCHIT 2 PRAYA PALAZZO HOTEL,RIVERSIDE 3 BANGKOKE verything You Need to BEST LUXURY HOTELSWith a 24 hour butler a mere phone call away,the service at St Regis is unparalleled. Thespacious, elegant rooms display subtle Thaitouches. Stunning views from the floor toceiling windows and the marble bathroom isfit for a king. Communal spaces are equallydecadent, with a European inspired pool areaand refined dining and bar options like theclassic Decanter wine bar.

10 Handily locatedwith direct access from Ratchadamri Sky Trainstation, the hotel is close to both Siam andSilom BANGKOK hotel with arguably the bestview in town, Lebua at State Tower is a 67storey skyscraper close to the Chao PhrayaRiver and the BTS line at Saphan Taksin. Theornate exterior of the hotel hints at the luxuryto be found inside, with an amazing rooftopbar and restaurant, attractive swimming pooland sundeck, and the requisite business centreand fitness centre befitting of a five-star are a muted, masculine mix ofwooden flooring, cream and bronze withfloor-to-ceiling windows and balcony in eachof the 557 guestrooms of this all-suite s location behind Siam Paragon Mall makesit a fantastic choice for those who want toindulge in some retail therapy, but once youstep inside you might not want to leave thismajestic five star hotel.