How to Time Your Trip to Bangkok

Thais have earned a reputation as friendly and hospitable folk who are proud of their nation. As a kingdom Thailand avoided most of the ugliness of colonialism and foreign domination. Despite rapid growth, recent economic pains and nasty pollution, Bangkok is still charming thanks to its rich traditions and fun-loving citizens.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Luggage Sets
• Travel Clothes
• Foreign Language Phrase Books
• Local Guidebooks
• Maps
• Airline Tickets
• Travel Services
• Cameras
• Film
• Maps
• Cameras

General Considerations

1. Take weather into consideration, if possible, for your trip to Bangkok. The climate is quite hot and humid, and the hot season from March to May sizzles From June through October the monsoon winds bring daily rain to the still-hot city.

2. Visit Bangkok between November and February, when you'll be happiest with the weather. The average high in March is 96 degrees F, and the average low in December is 67 degrees F.

3. Check out what festivals, attractions and live performances are happening (see below).

4. Take care of your flight, transportation and accommodations (see Related eHows).

5. Check the weather forecast for Bangkok shortly before leaving.

Attractions and Seasonal Events

6. Splash your way into the Thai New Year (Songkran) in mid-April. During this holiday you'll witness the "bathing" of Buddha statues and other religious observances, as well as a city-wide melee of water throwing.

7. See the king of Thailand play his role in the Royal Ploughing Ceremony - a ritual marking the beginning of the rice season in early May (May 5, 2000).

8. Witness thousands of points of light flow down a slow-moving river in mid- to late-November. During Loi Krathong, the Festival of Lights, lighted candles in simple banana-leaf boats meander down the Chao Phraya, which runs through Bangkok.

9. Escape the hustle of the streets. Visit one of the city's 300-plus wats (Buddhist temples, shrines and monasteries), or ride a river taxi up the side of the Chao Phraya, or sit by one of the numerous canals (khlongs).

10. Tour the monumental buildings of the Grand Palace. Bangkok's other most crucial sights are the Erawan Shrine, Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, and Wat Traimit.

11. Don't miss the National Museum and Jim Thompson's house. He was an ex-pat American who collected Thai art before disappearing mysteriously.

12. Eat your way to ecstasy. Thai cuisine is world-renowned for its sumptuous coconut curries, pungent soups and pad Thai, but when you're in Bangkok you'll find a whole world of Thai dishes you've been missing.

on 11/22/2005 Be wary of tuk-tuk drivers that offer a tour through the city's sites for 10 or 15 Baht (as opposed to the normal 100 or more baht). After they have you in the tuk-tuk, they will want to take you to visit a couple of gem stores and pick up some sort of receipt for browsing. With this receipt they can get a free tank of gas - the real motive for the trip. If the place has no receipts left, the driver will want to take you to other gem stores. This is not the sightseeing journey you expected. If you decline to visit the shops, they may abandon you. But don't get me wrong, other than this, Bangkok is an amazing city to visit. It has good shopping and good food, too.