More Ideas for Experiencing a Little of "Real Bangkok"   Markets Walk through colourful Bangrak Market (on New Road, just behide the Shangri La Hotel).  They have the best cut flowers in downtown Bangkok.  It's more fun at night. Explore any fresh food market and try fruits and vegetables you haven't had before. Stroll through Chinatown especially the narrow footpath "Itsaranupharb" between Bangkorn and Plaeng Nam Roads. Visit a Chinese pharmacy and ask about a traditional herbal cure for an ailment. If you are here a week or two and can wait to pick it up, have your name carved on a wooden "chop" in Chinese by one of the Chinese woodcarvers on Yaowaphanit Road off Yaovaraj. Buy some police or army hats and medals in any of the little shops near the Giant Swing and also look in the shops stocking religious articles for temples nearby on Bamrung Muang Road. Wander through Banglampoo Market area and try to find the "Duriyabanna" musical instrument shop (151 Tanao Road) and the gold leaf beaters village in a small soi behind it. Prowl through the little covered lanes next to Wat Rachanada just off Rajadamneon Road, not far from the Golden Mount.   You can find Buddhist amulets and even small bottles of love potions there! Compare both Thieves Market's; the one called Nakorn Kasem and the other REAL one on Klong Lord near the Royal Hotel and Sanam Luang. Spend a couple of hours prowling through Pratunam Market at the junction of Petchburi and Rajaprarop Roads (behind the Amari Watergate Hotel). If it is too hot to be outdoors try the indoor vendors stalls in Mahboonkrong Centre near Siam Square or Naraianaphand across from Central World Plaza. Visit the Monks' Bowl Village in the little sois behind the Golden mount, just to the south of Bamrung Muang ("Baan Bart"). Explore Talaat Bobay (walk across the footbridge opposite the army surplus shops on Kong Mahanak on Krung Kasem Road, just after the railway to the right of Rama I Road). It is the main wholesale market for buying clothes by the dozen! Temples Visit the peaceful garden inside Wat Bovornivet (in Banglampoo) where trees and herbal plants are actually labelled. If you see a foreign monk wandering around, have a chat with him (but if you are a woman, don't touch him or his robe).  Also look for the pools of giant turtles. Visit the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) at sunset. Go inside Wat Suthat (by the Giant Swing) and admire the newly restored mural paintings. The Kanit Bakery across the street does excellent Italian food in air conditioned comfort. Wander around the grounds of Wat Po (the Reclining Buddha) in the late afternoon to watch some of the herbal medicine and Thai Traditional massage practitioners at work. Go to the lively temple fair at the foot of the Golden Mount (next to Wat Saket) during November.   Ask TAT which week it is on or look in the papers. Take part in the "wien tien" procession around a temple on the special religious days. Explore the old Thai houses inside the compound of Wat Chana Songkram on Chakkrapong Road near the Phra Pinklao Bridge.   You might even see cows inside too! Have your fortune told inside Wat Mahathat (on Sanam Luang).  There is a very lively market there on Sundays. Try to find the Haroon Mosque down by the Oriental Hotel and the French Embassy. Transportation Get familiar with the Chao Phya River Express Boat service. You can go all the way from the Oriental Hotel to Nonthaburi for about Bt. 13.  Use it to go to Tha Chang and explore the Grand Palace and Tha Thien for Wat Po. Hire a boat (the slow comfortable ones, not the noisy long tailed boat) at sunset. Take along drinks and snacks and ask to go to the Floating Market area along the small klongs of Thonburi.  Boats are usually available for hire by the Oriental Hotel and take about a one to two hour ride. After enjoying a meal at one of the three main riverside hotels, jump on the river shuttle boat that joins them; the Oriental, Baan Rim Naam, Hoi Thien Lao and the Royal Orchid Sheration (the Shagri-La connects only with River City). This shuttle service is FREE to hotel guests. Go on one of the teakwood rice barges for dinner about 6pm and you can drift by the Grand palace while you eat. Book a place on the Ayuthaya tour. Go up by bus and return by river on the Oriental Queen in the afternoon or vice versa. Hire a long-tailed boat from under the bridge at Petchburi near Soi 71 and explore the small narrow jungle-type klongs in this Muslim area. Jump on any air-conditioned bus you see and go to the end of line.   Bus rotes 1,8,11 and 13 are especially good. Rent a pedal boat and tour the pond either at Lumpini Park or at the Dusit Zoo. Take a cross river ferry  (only 50 satang) from the little landing stage behind Thammasat University over to Siriraj Hospital and visit the Acupuncture Clinic and the Forensic (Criminal) Museum. Take any long tailed bus/boat from the Tha Chang landing and it will take you into the Klongs of Thonburi. See George Veran's book and map on exploring the klongs of Thonburi. People Watching Stroll onto the campus of Chulalongkorn University, sit down under a tree and see how long it takes for one of the curious students to practice his or her English with you. Get up at sunrise (between 05:30 and 06:30) and go outside to see what the monks are doing.   Visit the shrine of Lord Braham on the corner of Rajdamri and Ploenchit Roads at the Erawan Hotel site.   You will probably see some Thai dancing for free (this is 5 minutes walk from the Amari Watergate). If you see a crowd gathered around something stroll over and have a look too. Walk or jog around Lumpini Park between 06:00 and 07:00 any morning to watch the graceful dignified old Chinese doing their Tai Chi exercise in unison. Go to Wat Phra Kaeo on Sunday when many of the up-country Thais come to Bangkok. Eating Adventures NB: Although it is great fund to eat at sidewalk vendors' stalls or in the market places, one must be very careful.   The adventures listed below should be a bit safer for your health. Try a truly continental breakfast by ordering a croissant and French coffee in the Alliance Francais cafe on Sathorn Tai Road. Have an international feast (mostly Asian food) at the Ambassador Hotel Food Center. Go with a group of hungry friends for a Dim Sum lunch (Khanom Jeep in Thai) at a Chinese restaurant (such as Heichinrou at the Amari Watergate Hotel). Stop off a small coffee shop for a "cafe yen", and "oleang" or and "oyua". Order a khanom buang at Dachanee Restaurant on Prachatipathai Road near banklampoo after a morning visit to the National Museum where there are conducted tours at 9:30 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays. Have some Gai Yang (barbecued chicken) and sticky rice (khao neeo) at one of the restaurant by the Rajdamnoen Boxing Stadium.   This is good north eastern food. Eat some Khao Neeo Mamuang (mangoes and sticky rice) during the season (March to April). Go restaurant hopping at many different kind of restaurants in a one block radius off Silom and Patpong Roads. Go to a big noodle restaurant (like Coca Noodles) and try the Thai version of sukiyaki. Entertainment and Sports Watch a Thai boxing match at either Rajdamnoen or Lumpini Boxing Stadiums. See a Chinese sword fighting movie. See the Thai language version of a popular Western movie or see a popular Thai movie. Attend a real Thai cultural performance at the National Academy of Dramatic Art, next to the National Theatre.   Many of the nation's musicians and classical dancers graduate from this school. Attend a 'Wai Kru' ceremony at a Thai school or university where the students pay their respects to the teachers. Drive along the entire length of the Krung Kasem Klong during the hot season (March-April) when the flame trees are in full blossom. You might even think you are in Paris for a moment! Visit the Kamthieng House (a folk art museum) in the peaceful garden of the Siam Society on Soi Asoke (Sukhumvit Soi 21) Spend a Sunday afternoon at the horse races - either at the RBSC or the Royal Turf Club. Drive out to Rama IX Park.   The TAT can tell you how to get there.   This park has lovely gardens and a permanent exhibition on H.M. the King's life and work. Go on one of the Siam Society's day or weekend trips.  Non-members are allowed. Watch Thai TV. Go to Jim Thomson's house on Soi Kasemsan 2 and find out why he's not at home. Go into one of the many fine bookstores in Bangkok and just spend an hour browsing through all the wonderful books about Thailand.   Then buy two of them; they'll be a great reminder of your time here.   There are also many fabulous books on Asia style design. Drop into the Neilson Hayes Library at 93 Suriwongse Road (next to the British Club), browse through the books, see if there is an exhibition in the Rotunda and enjoy the 70-year-old architecture. If you happen to see a Chinese Opera or Thai "Lakorn" show stop and enjoy it.  They are often done outdoors in the evenings. Visit Lak Muang, the pillar of the city, and look at the amazing offerings on the tables.   It is just across Sanam Luang from the Grand Palace. Drive to Ratchaburi and visit a pottery kiln and factory. Especially For Children Go to the Papa Cafe on Rama VI Road near Nakorn Chaisri Road and have fried ice cream. Take the children to Apichart's Restaurant on Lard Prao Road (just opposite Soi 80) and let them play on the swings or eat inside the airplane, boat, train and bus. Visit a fishing farm on the way to Siam Park. Go to Siam Park or Magic Land (preferably on a less crowded week day). Go ice skating at one of the two rinks in the city: Imperial Samrong or Big C lad Prou. Have lunch at the Phaholyothin brand of D'Jit Pochana. Sit in the garden so the children can enjoy looking at the birds and fish in the ponds. They can also climb all over the train parked there too. Go to any of the big new department stores and you are almost sure to find a big noisy play land on the top floor. Buy a kite or two and fly it during the windy season (February - March) either in Lumpini Park or at Sanam Luang. Go to the Snake Farm on Rama IV at 11:00 daily to see the snakes milked.  Visit the Natural History Museum in Nonthaburi or the Train Museum or the Airplane Museum. Ride an elephant in the Rose Garden. Visit the Crocodile Farm near the Ancient City (Samut Prakarn) Take windsurfing lessons at Taka Windsurfing Club on the Bang Na Trad Highway towards Pattaya (between Km. 13 and 14, turn right through a Wat gate and you'll see a sign on your left). Drive our to the Ancient City and have a relaxing day in the park.   You might even take the children's bicycles with you. Take the special weekend boat (Chao Phaya River Express) at 8:00 from the Maharaj Landing and spend the day (until 17:30) visiting places on the river for about Bt. 200.   It stops at the Queen's Support Handicrafts Project at Bang Sai and also at Bang Pa In. Find out more information from the landing stage. For more ideas, click here for the travelling with the family section.