The origin of the name Bangkok, is unclear. Bang is a Thai word meaning 'a village on a stream', and the name might have been derived from Bang Ko, ko meaning
'island', stemming from the city's watery landscape. Another theory
suggests that it is shortened from Bang Makok, makok being the name of Elaeocarpus hygrophilus, a plant bearing olive-like fruit. This is supported by the former name of Wat Arun, a historic temple in the area, that used to be called Wat Makok.
Officially, the town was known as Thonburi Si Mahasamut (from Pali and Sanskrit, literally 'city of treasures gracing the ocean') or Thonburi, according to the Ayutthaya Chronicles. Bangkok was
likely a colloquial name, albeit one widely adopted by foreign
visitors, who continued to use it to refer to the city even after the
new capital's establishment.
Welcome to Bangkok – a sprawling, humid metropolis of more than 10
million souls that rose along the eastern banks of the Chao Phraya river
a little more than 200 years ago. Today, the Thai capital brims with
interesting historic sites, stylish hotels, incredible culinary
adventures, and fantastic shopping, and none of this need break the
bank. The city has had some success in shedding its longstanding image
of sleaze for a younger, more cosmopolitan mantle and is a pretty safe
urban space. And while the military government has put the break on
non-stop partying, the arts scene and the world-famous street food
culture, many visitors continue to feel enchanted by this cornucopia of
sights, sounds, smells, tastes and moods. Bangkok remains on the map for
its temples, palaces, malls and markets, but it’s the ever-present
smiles of its citizens that give the city a quite lovely human
dimension.
The weather in
Bangkok is dominated by a tropical monsoon climate. This means the city
has three main seasons: hot season from March to June, rainy season from
July to October and cool season between November and February. As
Bangkok holds claim to being the hottest city in the world, expect
daytime temperatures to be in excess of 30 degrees centigrade throughout
the year. The possible exception to this is in late December and early
January. Bangkok weather may not be the warmest in the world every day
but, overall, it is unrelenting simply because it doesn't cool at night.
The two periods – April to May and September to October – are the most
humid. The southwest monsoons arrive between May and October bringing
unsettled, cloudy conditions. For many people, this is a welcome
respite.
Bangkok hotels range from luxury international chains to one-off
boutiques with only a few rooms. However, choosing the one that lives up
to your expectations depends on the purpose of your visit. Business
travellers will feel right at home at one of the high-end hotels in
Ploenchit-Chidlom and Sukhumvit areas. Visitors who come to shop might
want to stay in Siam, where glittering mega-malls are just a few steps
away from several hotels. Khao San and Silom are popular for Bangkok’s
pulsating nightlife. Both offer an extensive lineup of hotels that cater
to a wide range of budgets. If culture and history is a major part of
your trip, then book accommodation close to the riverside for easy
access to the Old City’s attractions. These include impressive landmarks
like Wat Arun, the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. With more than a decade of
experience in online travel, we know the best places to stay in
Bangkok. The city has a wide range of places in every style, price
category and all popular locations.
Yes, Bangkok's traffic is notorious - with good reason. It's very easy
to get caught up in gridlock traffic any time of the day or night, and
waste a lot of valuable time in the process. However, with excellent and
modern public transport systems in place, Bangkok is surprisingly easy
to navigate your way around. The Skytrain (BTS) and underground (MRT)
rail systems connect the main shopping, entertainment and business areas
of the city, while river taxis and express boats can be used to explore
many historic sites and attractions at the riverside. Taxis are cheap
and appear on virtually every corner at almost any time. Tuk-tuks, once a
big Bangkok attraction, are slowly disappearing in favour of more
comfortable transport, but are still worth a ride at least once.
Bangkok’s
culture is influenced by the modern day, yet still retains very proud
links to its tradition and Buddhist spirituality. This culture can be
found on every street corner, in the food, language, music, dance, the
arts, and Buddhist temples.
"Bangkokians"
are a warm and friendly people, generous with their welcoming smile,
deeply proud of their "Thai-ness", and normally too polite to show
offence, anger or annoyance. Only a fool though, would dare mistake
their friendliness for weakness.
There
are standards of behaviour that should be upheld at all times in
Bangkok, and Thailand more broadly. Thais take great pride in their
monarchy, especially the King. Visitors are well-advised to respect the reverence in which Bangkokians hold the Thai Royal family.
