Bangkok is first and foremost a fascinating mix of chaos and calm. The city is big, overpopulated, noisy, crammed in every way – with people, with cars and every kind of motorized vehicle, with buildings. But she also has – sometimes in the most unexpected places quiet places, oases of rest. In the middle of the bustle, one finds peaceful little streets lined with old teakwood houses and the brightly colored colors of the magnificent chapels (bots and viharns) and towers (chedi) of the Buddhist monasteries and the tranquility and shadow of the temple courtyards.

Bangkok is a strongly western-oriented capital. Nevertheless, she has kept her roots and her Asian traditions. Bangkok is the political, cultural and economic center of the country. However, the rapid changes and increasing prosperity have also brought disadvantages. There is too much traffic and the city often comes to a complete standstill.

The best and mostly 5-star hotels overlook the Chaophraya River, on the shores of which is the Great Palace. The huge area is home to the Wat Phra Kaeo. The Buddha figure is made of a particularly bright green jade and is not, as one might expect, covered with emeralds. For the visit of the Grand Palace (as for many other cultural sites by the way also) certain clothing rules apply. Women have to wear a skirt that covers their knees. Men are expected to wear long pants. Incorrect clothing will be refused entry.

If you drive upriver from the Grand Palace, you will come to the Royal Boathouse. Here you can admire the richly decorated royal barges, which are also used for special processions on the Chaophraya. Within the city limits of Bangkok there are more than 300 temples and shrines. The best known of these are Wat Benchamabophit (Marble Temple), Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) and Wat Traimit (Temple of the Golden Buddha).

Speaking of Bangkok – the city is not really called that way! The correct and full name of Bangkok is: “Krung Thep Manakhon Bovorn Ratanskosin Magintharayutthaya Mahadilokpop Noparatratchathani Burirom Udomratchanivetmahasathan Avatartsathit Sakkathattiya Visnukarmrasit”, that means translated: “City of angels, largest of all cities, residence of the Emerald Buddha, invincible fortress, immortal, precious jewel, exceedingly powerful, time-honored, heavenly city nine times adorned with jewels, donated by Indra and rebuilt by Vishnu “. The Thai people briefly call the city: “Krung Thep” (City of Angels). It was founded by King Rama I, who also had Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace built.

One of the largest temples in the country is WatPho. The entire complex consists of over 30 temples, of which the Temple of the Reclining Buddha is the largest. With a length of over 44 m and a height of 15 m, this Buddha figure has incredible dimensions.

We can definitely recommend a visit to the many colorful markets, especially mention the famous floating market. We heard, however, that in recent years he has become more and more a tourist attraction. Other attractions include the LakMuang, the Erawan Shrine, where daily fresh offerings are made, and the National Museum. In Suan Pakkard Palace you can visit valuable antiques.

Attractions include the converted to a craft museum of the American silk trader Jim Thompson, who disappeared in 1967 without a trace in Malaysia. Equally interesting are the Bangkoker Zoo and the snake farm of the Red Cross Center. The distances between these sights are quite big. On foot, they are hardly to create. We definitely recommend the use of a taxi, especially since the costs are very low.