World's Greatest City: 50 reasons why Bangkok is No. 1

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World's Greatest City: 50 reasons why Bangkok is No. 1

Greg Jorgensen, CNN • Updated 16th July 2017, http://www.cnn.com/travel/arti...orlds-greatest-city/

Editor's Note — This article was previously published in 2009. It was reformatted and republished in 2017.

(CNN) — Bangkok's buzz is like no other place in the world. Relentless traffic gives way to quiet "klongs" or canals and 24-hour party people queue up for clubs next to serene colonial mansions on quarter-acre blocks.

All of this and its people are among the friendliest on earth. Not a bad effort for a city of 14.5 million people.

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Former Member

1. World's best cuisine

Papaya salad with salted egg -- no words can do it justice.

It's so well-known that you hardly need reminding but Bangkok produces -- quite effortlessly -- some of the best food in the world.

Forget about Italian simplicity and French savoir faire, Thai cooking is all about intricacy, complexity and some of the most indefinable flavors ever attempted in gastronomy.

Thai celebrity chef McDang characterizes Thai food as demonstrating "intricacy; attention to detail; texture; color; taste; and the use of ingredients with medicinal benefits, as well as good flavor."

All that and it's cheap too. What's not to like?

8/15/176:23 PM

Former Member

2. Real cities have long names

Known as Krung Thep to locals, the full name of Bangkok -- given by Rama I, first king of the still-reigning Chakri dynasty in the late 1700s -- is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.

Try to fit that on your tax return.

8/15/176:24 PM

Former Member

3. See it while you can

Built on a vast expanse of plains and river deltas at an elevation of a little less than two meters (some six feet), the entire city is sinking into the muck at the rate of about 7.5 centimeters (three inches) per year, say scientists.

Like Van Gogh or the one from Milli Vanilli who's not still alive, you're only going to love us more when we're gone.

8/15/176:24 PM

Former Member

4. Best little movie poster shop in the East

This tiny closet of a space is home to the densest collection of new and classic movie posters this side of Hollywood.

When owner Mr. Santi isn't here selling to collectors from all over Asia, he's on the web trawling for lost treasures.

Best find: original Thai-language posters for "Star Wars," "Apocalypse Now" and "The Great Escape."

236/6-7, Siam Square Soi 2, Rama 1 Road (next to Lido Theater)

8/15/176:25 PM

Former Member

5. Hang out with Thai-Chinese octogenarians as they argue, gamble, smoke, play mahjong, smoke, drink coffee, spit and smoke

Iae Sae coffee shop on Chinatown's Padsai Road has been straining java for 60 years.

The coffee's actually nothing special, but the lively, loud clientele will entertain for hours.

Raise a glass to the gaffer at the next table and he might regale you with wild tales of a time when the area was accessed by dirt paths and tram lines.

42 Padsai Road, Yaowarat, Samphantawong

8/15/176:25 PM

Former Member

6. Reddest red light district

Pat Pong is watered down and clogged with tourists. Nana Plaza is big, but too crowded.

But Soi Cowboy (BTS Asok; MRT Sukhumvit) is big enough to have fun, and small enough that you won't lose any friends.

Its neon glow can be seen for miles around, and a quick drink with friends here can turn into a night that few remember but no one will forget.

8/15/176:26 PM

Former Member

7. Best all-night food counter

Took Lae Dee (cheap and good) at the 24-hour Foodland grocery store on Sukhumvit soi 5 is great for breakfast, lunch or a hair-of-the-dog nightcap at 4 a.m.

Its krapow gai (fried chicken and basil) is unforgettable, as is the motley crew that will be sharing the counter with you.

87 Nai Lert Building, Soi 5, Sukhumvit Road. Tel +66 (0)2 254 2179

8/15/176:26 PM

Former Member

8. The market to end all markets

Chatuchak Weekend Market is a must-visit for shopaholics.

You're not a serious shopper until you can spend a day at Chatuchak Weekend Market without screaming for help.

It's a 35-acre maze of aisles and alleys that offers solid wood furniture, pets from around the globe, original art, old comic books, antiques, plants and clothes from every decade since the Great Depression.

BTS: Mochit, MRT: Chatuchak Park or Khampaeng Phet

8/15/176:27 PM

Former Member

9. A pretty girl can sell anything

From Burger King promotions and temple fairs to 7-Eleven giveaways, the ubiquitous "pretty girl" and her flashy, colorful outfit are there to make sure you pay attention to whatever it is that's being hawked.

If you ... hey! Are you paying attention? I'm pretty!

8/15/176:28 PM

Former Member

10. Intermittently hilarious business names

Japan has the market locked on Engrish, but Thailand takes the "Thinglish" ball and runs with it.

From "Hair Saloons" to "Englash Programs" to names we can't reprint on a family website, a wary eye will often reward you with comedy gold.

8/15/176:28 PM

Former Member

11. Steak that will break the bank

Anyone can cook a slab of beef, but few in Asia can cook it as skillfully as the JW Marriott's New York Steakhouse.

It ain't cheap, but after a meal here, the next time you slum it at McDonald's your stomach will churn and gurgle in protest.

4 Sukhumvit Road, Soi 2. Tel: +66 (0)2 656 7700

8/15/176:28 PM

Former Member

12. Watch the sun set above the little people

Vertiginous dining at Sirocco.

Sirocco sits on the roof of Silom Road's 64-story State Tower, giving diners a near-360-degree view of the entire city.

If the $10 chocolate martinis from the bar that pulses with pastel lights aren't enough, get a bottle of the Chateau Petrus 1990, Pomerol AOC Bordeaux, a steal at $3,600.

Those with vertigo are advised to stay away from the edge -- a four-foot glass wall is the only thing separating you from an exciting BASE jump.

State Tower, 1055 Silom Road. Tel +66 (0)2 624 9999

8/15/176:29 PM

Former Member

13. Most ironic monument to consumerism

Why anyone would go to Bangkok and buy a genuine Gucci shirt that's just as -- if not more -- expensive as it is back home is beyond us, but who are we to judge?

The local "hi-sos" certainly enjoy their luxury brands. The lower levels of Paragon shopping mall (BTS: Siam) are packed with restaurants and teenyboppers, but the other four floors are chock with high-end merchandise, from Lamborghinis to McIntosh stereos.

8/15/176:30 PM

Former Member

14. Eager (too eager?) bathroom attendants

Men using the urinals at many bars and clubs might be startled when a strong pair of hands grabs theirs shoulders.

Don't whip around with your zipper down ready for a fight -- it's just the bathroom attendant, who will put a hot towel on your neck and give you a quick shoulder rub -- for a small tip.

If you find this creepy, like many do, just say "no thanks."

8/15/176:30 PM

Former Member

15. Best Middle Eastern food outside the Middle East

Bangkok is a huge melting pot of undiluted cultures, and with culture comes cultural food. Sukhumvit soi 3/1 (BTS: Nana) is lined with Middle Eastern restaurants that won't disappoint.

Burqa-clad women and Nigerian fashionistas mingle amid hawkers of laser lights and imported Arabian perfume.

The steering-wheel-sized bread baked fresh in wood ovens is perfect for scooping up freshly prepared hummus and tahini.

8/15/176:31 PM

Former Member

16. Cutest attempts to suppress teen hormones

Mill around any known teen hangout on Valentine's Day, and you'll likely see a lot more police than usual.

The boys in brown are out in force on February 14th -- usually with press in tow -- to deter any amorous youths from doing anything more than holding hands.

Because, obviously, the first place teenagers go to make out is a bench at the shopping mall.

8/15/176:31 PM

Former Member

17. Eat among forgotten 20th-century curios

A night at Tuba, on Soi Ekkamai, is like partying in Grandma's attic. Ancient glasswork, 1950s pop culture iconography and oddly shaped furniture give each dark and musty corner its own unique dose of kitsch.

Best part? Every bit of it is for sale.

11-12A Soi Ekkamai 21, Sukhumvit 63. Tel: +66 (0)2 711 5500

8/15/176:31 PM

Former Member

18. The world's most beautiful pain

Tourists get a foot massage in Khao San road in Bangkok, Thailand.

Traditional Thai massage is renowned the world over, and for good reason: it's painful, but you'll never sleep sounder once you get back to your room and you'll be bounding with energy the next day.

The well-known HealthLand Spa offers many types of massage from quick finger rubs to two-hour full body oil marathons that will leave your muscles wondering what just happened.

8/15/176:32 PM

Former Member

19. Adrenaline-fueled affordable mass transit

It's not perfect, but for what Bangkok's mass transit system offers, the prices can't be beat: $0.25 canal taxis, $0.50 river taxis and buses, $1 taxicab flag fall and $1.25 end-to-end skytrain and subway rides.

Throw in the haggle-happy tuk-tuks and motorbike taxis and the permutations are complex enough to make those "Amazing Race" amateurs throw in the towel.

Privately-owned green minibuses are the bulls in Bangkok's china shop. Often seen flying around corners with the ticket attendant hanging out of the door with one hand, bored out of his mind, they don't offer the safest trip from A to B via S, but it's certainly not the dullest.

8/15/176:33 PM

Former Member

20. Party like it's 1989

The house band at Rock Pub, next to the Rachathewi BTS station, belts out classics from Guns N' Roses, Warrant, Ozzy and Iron Maiden at astonishing volumes.

Put on your leathers and aviator shades and walk in with your fist held high.

Hollywood Street Building, Phrayathai Road, BTS: Rachathewi. Tel: +66 (0)2 251 9980

8/15/176:33 PM

Former Member

21. Best place to see cutting-edge trends that you don't get

On weekends, the maze of shopping aisles at Siam Square (BTS: Siam) is crowded with teenagers wearing the latest and greatest Bangkok fashions.

In vogue this week: outrageously impractical high heels; eyeglasses with no lenses and teased hair that recalls the glory days of Joan Jett.

Begin shaking fist at darn kids in 3, 2, 1...

8/15/176:34 PM

Former Member

22. Swinging-est politician

They don't come much livelier than Chuwit Kamolvisit, the massage parlor tycoon-cum-politician.

After an alleged kidnapping following his threats to release the names of the people he's given "gifts" to, he unsuccessfully ran for governor of Bangkok -- twice -- and had most of the city's power elite sweating when he said he had hours of security camera footage from his various after-hours establishments.

His in-your-face campaign billboards are sadly no more.

8/15/176:34 PM

Former Member

23. It's easy to give back

There are plenty of worthy charities in Thailand, and most are based or have offices in Bangkok.

The language barrier and various levels of mismanagement often make it difficult to find something, but a local blogger named Dwight Turner has put a lot of work into separating the wheat from the chaff.

8/15/176:34 PM

Former Member

24. See a sunburned British college kid dance in the street with a tipsy African businesswoman while downing a falafel sandwich and a Laotian beer

All part of the daily commute on Khao San road.

The (in)famous Khao San Road is still the champion of whacked-out people watching, with every nationality, age, color, occupation, education level and smell getting equal representation.

Take a seat on the curb outside of Buddy's Bar and get to know the local punks who flock here for after-hours beers.

8/15/176:35 PM

Former Member

25. Eat without touching your food

If you're feeling lazy -- really lazy -- the helpful girls at the aptly named "No Hand Restaurant" (there are several around the city) will help you out by actually putting food in your mouth for you, leaving your hands free for other more worthy pursuits, such as drinking beer or playing PSP.

19 Rama IV Road Sri Phraya. Tel: +66 (0)2 235 5000

8/15/176:36 PM

Former Member

26. Great food where you least expect it

Pantip Plaza, the dingy Roman-columned monument to all things tech, has a surprisingly awesome food court on the 3rd floor.

Try the khao soi gai (chicken and egg noodles in a tangy coconut curry), dished up by possibly the surliest old lady since "The Goonies."

604/3 Petchaburi Road, BTS: Chidlom. Tel +66 (0)2 251 9008

8/15/176:36 PM

Former Member

27. World-class acrobatic mash-ups

If you've never seen a guy spike a wicker ball over a net with his foot -- while upside down -- you've never seen Takraw. Benjasiri Park (BTS: Phrom Phong) in the late afternoon is the best place to catch some crazy moves.

Imagine Jackie Chan playing volleyball with his hands tied behind his back.

8/15/176:37 PM

Former Member

28. Pizza toppings most likely to give an Italian heartburn

Thailand sure knows how to shake things up pizza-wise. Normally eaten with ketchup, popular ingredients include squid, octopus, corn, green curry, mayonnaise, broccoli and salad dressing.

Great for the adventurous epicure, but if you prefer a more traditional pie, check out Ronnie's New York Pizza on Sukhumvit soi 4. Order something custom to ensure they cook it fresh and your taste buds will be dancing.

8/15/176:37 PM

Former Member

29. The coolest night market

Forget Pat Pong and Suan Lum, with their shopkeeps numbed by the clumsy haggling of sweaty tourists.

Head to Rachadaphisek Market at the Lad Phrao MRT station for a real Thai shopping excursion. Ancient typewriters, refurbished Vespa bikes, hipster clothing and funky apartment decorations shine brightly under the bare light bulbs strung from overhead wires.

8/15/176:37 PM

Former Member

30. An outrageous variety of street food

Cheap, cheerful and very moreish.

Bangkok's well-deserved reputation for 24-hour street food gets crazier with each corner. Barbecued duck tongues and soup made from bird saliva are passe.

Head to Phraeng Phuton a few blocks west of the Giant Swing in Chinatown to indulge in some pig brain soup that's surprisingly good ... if you can forget that it's pig brain soup.

8/15/176:38 PM

Former Member

31. World's hippest musical grandma

Doreme music shop at the back corner of Siam Square soi 11 is run by a musical-minded lady who can chat about everyone from Billie Holliday to the Clash to Green Day.

Her little store is stocked with an incredibly disparate variety of Western and international music, and she can help you find just the thing to spice up your library.

422/6 Siam Square Soi 11

8/15/176:39 PM

Former Member

32. Rally an army for a few bucks

Bangkok's trusty motorbike taxis -- recognizable by their orange vests -- are the under-utilized chore champs of Asia. Need a package delivered? Bill paid? Envelope dropped off? Friend picked up? Someone to lead you to your destination while you follow behind in your taxi as lost as you've ever been?

They're willing to help with pretty much any task you have, after a bit of haggling, of course. Best part -- no waiting in traffic.

8/15/176:40 PM

Former Member

33. The disappearing school uniform

Every year around September, the same stories turn up in the press about the incredible shrinking university uniform favored by female Thai students.

Dresses get shorter, blouses get tighter, conservatives get louder and the rest of us sit back and watch the brouhaha.

Although, when you see students climbing stairs sideways because going straight up would mean a flashing, you have to wonder if the powers that be have a point.

8/15/176:40 PM

Former Member

34. Affordable luxuries

Maids, manicures, massages, tailors and personal drivers can all be enlisted for a fraction of what you'd pay in any Western country.

Expats be warned: Friends back home don't want to hear you grouse about how you've forgotten how to do your own laundry or drive a stick shift.

8/15/176:41 PM

Former Member

35. Most indulgent movie theaters

Any recently built cinema in Bangkok offers some type of Gold Class seating. For the price of a regular ol' ticket in the West, you get a plush recliner, a pillow and blanket, and even a welcome drink.

The Paragon shopping mall's Major Cineplex venue is newer, but the EGV Grand in Siam Discovery Center has comfier chairs.

8/15/176:41 PM

Former Member

36. Statue with the craziest back story

Yes, it's made of pure gold.

In 1955, renovators dropped a five-ton 13th-century image of the Buddha, cracking its plaster casing. Horror gave way to awe when they realized that, underneath, it was in fact made of solid gold, covered up to fool the invading Burmese back in the day.

A brand new temple, Wat Traimit, has just been finished to augment the glitz factor.

661 Tri Mit Road, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, near the Hualumphong Train Station. Tel: +66 (0)2 509 9091

8/15/176:42 PM

Former Member

37. Escape the city without actually escaping the city

Phrapadaeng, also known as"'Bangkok's Lung," sits amid an oxbow bend in the mighty Chao Phraya River.

A bylaw stating that no building can be higher than three stories ensures that, infrastructure-wise, the place remains suspended in the 1950s.

Cement pathways and densely-treed mangrove swamps cover the whole area, which is popular with cyclists.

It's actually rather eerie to be surrounded by quiet, lush jungle, yet still be able to see skyscrapers and city lights.

8/15/176:42 PM

Former Member

8. LGBT-friendliest

Ladyboy cabaret.

Sexual orientation in Bangkok is often a rather ... elastic classification. "Oh, they turned gay" is often heard when talking about an ex. But the amazing thing is, no one cares.

Many Thai celebrities are openly gay, bisexual or even full-on transvestites. Gay, straight, transgendered, stuck in the closet or flamboyantly out of it, most Thais consider one's sexuality a personal decision and leave it at that.

8/15/176:43 PM

Former Member

39. You want fresh food? We got fresh food

The sprawling Klong Toey market is a stunning mishmash of smells, sights, sounds and people.

Runners scurry back and forth with raw food ingredients, many of which just came from the farm/sea/ranch that morning, and hawkers of all sizes yell at each other, as well as potential customers.

It's also home to the Mercy Centre, long-time resident Father Joe's shelter/orphanage/hospice/school for the poor.

8/15/176:44 PM

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Topics

World's Greatest City: 50 reasons why Bangkok is No. 1

Attachments

1. World's best cuisine

Papaya salad with salted egg -- no words can do it justice.

2. Real cities have long names

3. See it while you can

4. Best little movie poster shop in the East

5. Hang out with Thai-Chinese octogenarians as they argue, gamble, smoke, play mahjong, smoke, drink coffee, spit and smoke

6. Reddest red light district

7. Best all-night food counter

8. The market to end all markets

Chatuchak Weekend Market is a must-visit for shopaholics.

9. A pretty girl can sell anything

10. Intermittently hilarious business names

11. Steak that will break the bank

12. Watch the sun set above the little people

Vertiginous dining at Sirocco.

13. Most ironic monument to consumerism

14. Eager (too eager?) bathroom attendants

15. Best Middle Eastern food outside the Middle East

16. Cutest attempts to suppress teen hormones

17. Eat among forgotten 20th-century curios

18. The world's most beautiful pain

Tourists get a foot massage in Khao San road in Bangkok, Thailand.

19. Adrenaline-fueled affordable mass transit

20. Party like it's 1989

21. Best place to see cutting-edge trends that you don't get

22. Swinging-est politician

23. It's easy to give back

24. See a sunburned British college kid dance in the street with a tipsy African businesswoman while downing a falafel sandwich and a Laotian beer

All part of the daily commute on Khao San road.

25. Eat without touching your food

26. Great food where you least expect it

27. World-class acrobatic mash-ups

28. Pizza toppings most likely to give an Italian heartburn

29. The coolest night market

30. An outrageous variety of street food

Cheap, cheerful and very moreish.

31. World's hippest musical grandma

32. Rally an army for a few bucks

33. The disappearing school uniform

34. Affordable luxuries

35. Most indulgent movie theaters

36. Statue with the craziest back story

Yes, it's made of pure gold.

37. Escape the city without actually escaping the city

8. LGBT-friendliest

Ladyboy cabaret.

39. You want fresh food? We got fresh food

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