Bangkok Shore Excursion Reviews

Gourmands will tell you that Bangkok offers a heavenly array of restaurants and bars, with something delectable in every price range. Thai cuisine is a spicy blend of flavors, based on lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, basil, garlic, onion, ginger, coriander, mint, chili peppers, curry and eggplant. Popular menu items include vegetarian or shrimp spring rolls; chicken, beef or pork satay skewers, served with a coconut and peanut dipping sauce; pineapple fried rice; and Pad Thai, stir-fried noodles with eggs, tamarind, fish sauce, bean sprouts and red chili peppers, plus chicken, shrimp or tofu.

Have you tried the deep-fried banana flower or crispy morning glories? If not, head to Tongue Thai Restaurant (tel: 66-2-6399189), just around the corner from the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Chareoun Krung Road. You'll find traditional Thai dishes, such as pad Thai, green and yellow curry, fish balls and lemongrass soup. The chef prepares each dish to be a spicy treat. If you require a milder version, just ask. The waitstaff can also provide photo menus if you're new to Thai food.

Want to mix some serious shopping with an outstanding lunch? Head to the Jim Thompson caf? (tel: 66-2-2559813) at Japanese department store Isetan on Rajadamri Road. If you've got some picky eaters in your group, this is a good bet, since they offer traditional Thai cuisine, Western dishes and sumptuous desserts.

For an upscale seafood buffet with a knockout river view through floor-to-ceiling windows, Lord Jim's (tel: 66-2-6599000 ext. 7680-1) at the Mandarin Oriental is the place. With an emphasis on seafood, you'll gorge yourself with scallops, tiger prawns, lobster, crab, mussels, clams, snapper and more. Meat lovers take note: Lord Jim's also serves succulent Wagyu beef.

Liquor made in the area includes several varieties of beer, whiskey and rum. Be on the lookout for rice-based Mekong whiskey, Sang Som Thai rum and Beer Chang (a pale lager). For those who eschew alcoholic beverages, go for cha yen (a Thai version of iced tea). It's made by combining red tea leaves, star anise, sugar and evaporated milk. The creamy sweetness is the ideal complement to the spicy food you'll be eating. You're also sure to sample a variety of refreshing smoothies, made with combinations of fruit, such as tamarind, pineapple, bananas, mangoes and rambutan.

Looking for a hip and trendy version of Bangkok's best cocktail? Venture to Siricco's outdoor sky bar, located on the 64th floor of a residential/office tower. The martini menu is just about as good as the views overlooking the city. Give the rose apple martini a try, but beware that our cost for four drinks there was a whopping $95.

In 1782, King Rama I decided to move Thailand's capital to Bangkok from Thonburi, just across the river. The Grand Palace was built to serve as the official royal residence and has served in this capacity ever since, although the current king (Rama IX) makes Chitralada Palace his home these days. Easily toured on foot, the palace is most interesting for its unique Thai architecture, but be aware that you cannot enter any of the government buildings. On the grounds of the Grand Palace, you will also find Wat Phra Keo, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Bangkok is, in fact, home to a plethora of temples and shrines, and there are several you should visit, no matter how crunched you are for time. Once you've seen the Emerald Buddha, visit Wat Arun, Temple of Dawn; Wat Po, Temple of the Reclining Buddha; and Wat Traimit, Temple of the Golden Buddha.

If you're intrigued by Thai architecture, silk and a good mystery, a visit to Jim Thompson's House is in order. Jim Thompson was the "best known foreigner in Southeast Asia" from the late 1940's through the 1960's. An architect by trade, he joined the U.S. Army during World War II and was the OSS station chief in Bangkok as the war ended. He decided to stay in Thailand and founded the Jim Thompson Thai Silk Company. He also purchased land in the city and built an exquisite Thai-style home. In 1967, he mysteriously disappeared, while on vacation in the jungle of Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. Today, you may tour his fascinating home.

Bangkok is an incredible metropolis, but it's important to understand that many Thais still live the old ways in various fishing villages outside the city. Take a "Tour With Tong" to a typical fishing outpost, where you'll spend the day with a local fisherman and his family. You'll arrive by Thai long-tail boat, visit the fisherman's bamboo stilt home, eat a traditional seafood lunch and meet a local monkey troop along the way.

If you've got time on a Saturday or Sunday, take the Skytrain to the Mo Chit station, and head directly to the Chatuchak Weekend Market. This place throbs with action, as 15,000 vendors hawk their wares to over 200,000 visitors each day. Spread over 35 acres, stalls are organized according to the merchandise sold -- housewares, clothing, ceramics, amulets and antique Buddhas, live animals, etc. Prices are fair, and bargaining is encouraged and expected. If you're looking for Thai crafts (bronzeware, lacquerware, silk items), you'll find them here. Chatuchak can be chaotic, so do yourself a favor and purchase Nancy Chandler's Map of Bangkok, which charts, stall by stall, each vendor at this market, as well as those on Sukhumvit Road and in Chinatown, Greater Bangkok, Central Bangkok and Banglamphu.

The Damnoen Saduak floating market is a must-visit for any newcomer to Bangkok. About an hour and a half outside of the city (in Ratchaburi Province), you'll find this busy khlong, clogged with long-tail boats that are piled high with every type of fruit and vegetable imaginable. This is mainly a produce market, but you'll also find typical souvenir items -- albeit nicer and less expensive options can be had directly in Bangkok. Take a taxi, or hire a private car, and spend a few hours exploring. It's a typical tourist trap, but you'll get some amazing photographs to show your friends and family back home.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a Bangkok visitor who didn't stop in at least one jewelry store. There, you'll find excellent deals on sapphires and rubies, and Thai jewelers are very adept at custom-designing or copying pieces of jewelry. Shop at reputable stores -- not those recommended by your tuk-tuk driver -- and know how much similar gems or gold would cost here at home. Try SJ International (tel: 66-2-2432446; 125/8 Sawankhalok Road) or Venus Jewelry ( tel: 66-2-2539559; 167/1/2 Withayu Road).