Bangkok

The vibrant capital of Thailand

Malls

The culture of malls here is so cool! Malls are everywhere and each unique. They have creative designs and great decor. The weekends, malls would have an event, a guest speaker or some kind of celebration happening. There are also temporary decorations for Songkran (Thai new year), summer, etc. Each mall is usually 4-7 levels tall. The food courts are massive and include variety and great quality food. Some malls had an arcade and movie theatre. A great way to escape the heat is to explore these unique malls.

Parks

There are 10 main public parks in Bangkok. Each park having their own style. Benchakitti park is gorgeous with a large body of water with fountains, flowers, greenery and large city buildings. The combo is so beautiful. Benchasiri park was more a community park. You'll find many locals having picnics, running the track or being active on the sport courts. A more active park while it also had a small man-made lake and bordered with greenery.

My favorite in Bangkok is Lumphini park. It has so much to offer. There is a running path, great views including the big city buildings around the lakes, kid playgrounds, statues throughout, outdoor workout stations and equipment. Beware of the Bangkok dragons, also called water monitors, which are large reptiles that can be found all around Lumphini park. You will also find many stray cats too. At the time I was visiting, there was an aerboics class where the instructors were on stage, good music and there was a decent-sized audience. The park was beautiful and had so many things to do.

Temples

There are about 400 temples within Bangkok. About 9 are the tourist - type (for good reason) and several more that are also touristy however not so popular. The ones I visited ( which are the free ones or not-free, I look from a far. The buildings are stunning. The building details are extravagant. The colors are beautiful. A few are very unique in structure. It's fascinating to see. The photos do not do it justice but does give a great idea of the wonder of these Temples.

Transportation

Since Bangkok is so spread out, there are several ways to get around the city. The skytrain, the subway, buses, Grab App (their version of Uber) or motorbike. At first, I was so nervous to try any of these local transportations due to not knowing how to work them and I can get intimidated as it's a new country. Once I got the nerve, I stepped on a bus. Then tried the skytrain, then the subway. All are fairly easy to navigate since Google maps tells me which stop to get off on and which bus/train to take. There are SO many different buses and routes ( a big reason I was intimidated). The subway, like any other, have different routes as well. Of course I had a few tiny hiccups. Overall, once I started using the public transportation, I got the hang of it and would use it everywhere.

Asiatique The Riverfront

Asiatique is a large open-air mall. It occupies the former docks of the East Asiatic Company, and faces the Chao Phraya River and Charoen Krung Road. "This lively place mixes shopping, dining, and entertainment for both locals and tourists. Once a trading port from the 19th century, it has become one of the city’s top night markets. With over 1,500 shops and many restaurants, it’s more than a market—it’s a unique mix of culture, modern style, and beautiful views." - Bangkok Magazine

There is also a few exhibits to do such as a haunted mansion and a Jurrasic Park exibit. Unfortunately, I did not do either exhibit, but they both seem thrilling. During my visit, there was a temporary market for Songkran. Altogether, you could spend hours here relaxing with views, shopping and eating.