"Hot tips" for Sight Seeing off the Beaten Track My first piece of advise to visitors to Bangkok is to buy a Nancy Chandler Map.   Nancy has honed in on all the really cool places to go which give a taste of the "real Bangkok" whether it's a stall selling particularly delicious dim sum or an amulet market that you would have never found yourself.   Nancy's map can be bought from any good book store or alternatively visit www.nancychandler.net   If you are planning spending a while in Bangkok then consider investing in a Bangkok Guide which is touted as the expatriate's primary reference guide; it's published every two years by the Australian-New Zealand Women's Group (with the proceeds to charity) and can be bought in any Asia Books.   For a sneak preview of contents, visit www.bangkokguideonline.com Below are some of my top tips for must see places, where I take any visitors who come to Bangkok. The Flower Market in "China Town" (Pak Klong Talat) One of my favourite trips is a visit to the flower market; not just because I like to fill my home with beautiful flowers, but also because it is such an amazing place with great smells, lots of colour and frantic activity going on in every direction. I go at the weekend when the traffic in China town is heavy so I prefer to go on the skytrain to Saphan Taksin and then get the express boat to the Memorial Bridge (you cannot miss it as it's a huge old fashioned iron bridge).   Turn left off the pier and walk through the warehouses of fresh vegetables on the way to the flower market.   At the market it self, you will see every shape and type of tropical flower in little stalls on both sides of the pathway.   Being laiden down with flowers, I always take a taxi home.   Much of Chinatown is one way and the traffic is slow moving.   However, I enjoy peering out of the window into the shops at the street side.   The shops cluster by type, so you will have one street which sells second hand electrical equipment and another selling trophies for sports competitions.   As you pass the giant swing, you will see a street of shops selling temple supplies.  This is worth getting out to have a look. Sampeng Lane Another interesting place to go is Chinatown's Sampeng; however, be warned it is a tiny, crowded, street with shops either side and a small walkway with people competing with vendors, motor bikes, carts selling ice cream etc. Get off the express boat at stop 8, Thai Ratchawong (the stop before the Memorial Bridge), and walk up away from the water until it intersects with Sampeng Lane (again, Nancy's map is an essential here).   Sampeng is Chinatown at it's best; frantic commerce going on in every direction.   If you can sew or want to buy fabric to give to a dressmaker, this is a fantastic place to browse,  otherwise just enjoy the sights and sounds. Tour of the "Klong" (canal) Another, more relaxing, activity which you can do is take a longtailed boat and make a trip around some of the small canals off the main river, where people live in houses on stilts above the water.   These waterways don't have too much traffic and you can get a snapshot of the river lifestyle.   Children bathing in the murky waters and women washing their clothes or daily dishes will wave to you and smile as you pass by.   Although you can hire a long tailed boat from almost anywhere, I would recommend using the pier at either the Shangri La Hotel or River City Shopping Complex.   This way you will pay a fixed hourly rate and you'll be less likely to have any "bad behaviour" from the driver who will be stopped from taking passengers from that pier if complaints are made about him.   There is enough to see to do a 2 hour trip; I would not suggest stopping at the rather sad and touristy snake farm which is offered (go to the Pasteur Institute Snake Farm instead), however it is worth having a look at the place where the ceremonial royal barges are kept. When your trip has finished, enjoy a cocktail on the terrace of the Shangri La or Penninsular Hotels and watch the sun go down over the river. The Ancient City (Muang Borang) This is an 200 acre outdoor museum designed in the shape of a map of Thailand.   The exhibits are replicas of the most famous monuments and temples in Thailand along with a selection of buildings which no longer exist.   Each building is positioned in the park according to its geographical location in Thailand and is reproduced in authentic detail.   The grounds are beautiful and you can both drive between the exhibits or rent a bicycle.   There are some lovely spots to either enjoy a picnic which you have brought with you or buy a Thai favourite at one of the little restaurants, such as chicken noodle soup. http://www.ancientcity.com Vimanmek Palace This is the world's largest golden teak building.   Take a tour of this beautiful 3 storey building which is packed full of Royal memorabilia.   If you have paid for entrance into the Grand Palace, then you also have a ticket into Vimanmek. There are shows of Thai dance and the beautiful gardens are pleasant to walk around. Sanam Luang Park Next to the Grand Palace, Sanam Luang Park is a favorite place for Thai's and their children to go at the weekend.  It is famous for kite flying.   The kites are inexpensive; buy one for yourself and have a go.   Alternatively, buy one for a small child who doesn't have one (check with their parents that it's ok first) and either help them fly it or sit and watch them enjoy themselves.