Bangkok, Thailand Named One of the Top Ten Cities in the World to Visit by The Traveling American
Over the past twenty-five years, The Traveling American has visited over one hundred cities around the world. This article focuses on the best cities we have visited outside of the United States and Canada. All places have their faults, but some cities have special characteristics that make them more memorable to visit. The task of naming the Top Ten World Cities was a difficult one and we considered an initial list of twenty five places. We then selected twelve cities (there were a few ties) that we believe are the most interesting to see for our Top Ten list.
Here is Bangkok which is tied for our selection as the World's Number 9 City:
Thailand has many diverse activities to offer visitors ranging from the popular beaches of the southern regions like Phuket and Pattaya to the festivals, cultural attractions and elephant camps of Chiang Mai. But the top attraction in the country and one of the most visited cities in the world each year is Bangkok. Life in Bangkok is centered around the Chao Phraya River and people there are known for their pleasant nature and reverence for the King and the royal family. Some of the best landmarks to see and experiences to pursue while visiting Bangkok are the following:
Visiting the Old City - The Old City located on the east bank of the river has some spectacular shrines and buildings. The Grand Palace served as the royal residence for several hundred years and includes dozens of gilded pagodas, galleries with paintings of the life of Buddha, throne rooms, and statues of various mythical beasts. It is also revered for the Wat Phra Kaeo shrine which features a carved emerald image of Buddha high atop an altar.
Temple of the Reclining Buddha- Another popular place to visit in the Old City is Wat Pho commonly known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Most people come to see the statue which is a 150-foot-long, gold plated Buddha embroidered with jewels and dusted with gold. But there is a lot more to see and learn at this temple. It dates back to the 18th century and as the first university in Thailand students were taught science, religion and medicine. Traditional medical arts are still practiced there and visitors can receive a Thai massage from trained monks for a reasonable price. The temple also contains four chapels with hundreds of Buddha statues from all over Thailand, many of which are clothed in bright yellow or orange robes.
Longtail Boat Ride: Water is at the heart of all life in Bangkok. In addition to the Chao Phraya River, there is an intricate network of canals that run inland for miles. Tens of thousands of city residents live along the canals on dry patches or in elevated houses with their own boats. The classic vessel in Bangkok is the longtail boat made famous worldwide by James Bond in the chase scene from the movie “The Man with the Golden Gun”. You can enjoy racing through the canals to enjoy this waterside view of city life and take in a rare cool breeze.
Thai Boxing: Another unusual form of entertainment in Bangkok is to visit the Lumpinee Stadium to have a drink and watch Muay Thai martial arts contests, sometimes referred to as kickboxing. Each event features about 10 five-round fights between spirited contestants who have been training at Muay Thai schools from a young age. These matches have a more festive atmosphere than western boxing matches as the fans furiously bet in the stands throughout the contest and cheer enthusiastically. There is also a band which plays a strange chanting melody during each round to which the boxers bob and weave.
Visiting Ayutthaya World Heritage Site: Beginning in the late 1600s, European trading companies, military adventurers and missionaries flooded Asia seeking economic and political opportunities.One destination was the Siamese city of Ayutthaya located about 50 miles north of modern Bangkok. Ayutthaya served as the capital of a powerful kingdom that dominated large portions of Southeast Asia for several centuries starting around 1450 AD. Full of ornate temples, a formidable fleet of trading barges, and royal gold, Ayutthaya was known as the “Venice of the East”. In 1767, the rival Burmese conquered Ayutthaya and destroyed most of the valuables. Ayutthaya’s leaders regrouped to the south and created a new capital on the west bank opposite today’s Bangkok. Most of the ancient canals of Ayutthaya have been filled in but there are still several dozen large bronze colored temples, bell-shaped stupas and small palaces on the site, with murals depicting the history of past battles.Visitors also enjoy the elephant stockade which is a large rectangular enclosure surrounded by high stakes.
Other Day Trips- Tours offer a wide variety of other activities that accent the energy of life in and around Bangkok. Some of the most popular ones are visiting the floating markets in Ratchaburi Province such as Damnoen Saduak, exploring the history of the famous Bridge over the River Kwai built by Allied prisoners during World War II in Kanchanaburi, touring the Erawan Waterfall, or visiting a private elephant preserve.