Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, is a bustling metropolis of nearly 10 million inhabitants and like New York, it’s often cited as ‘the city that never sleeps’. As a gateway to
Southeast Asia, Bangkok attracts close to 20 million tourists each year, from those returning for the umpteenth time to backpackers embarking on their maiden adventure in the Far East. But the city has also become increasingly popular as a brief stopover for those travelling further afield to destinations such as Australia and New Zealand. The question is what is there to do if you have a couple of days in Bangkok?
The city’s main airport, the impressive Suvarnabhumi, is around 20 miles from the centre of Bangkok and is easily accessed by various methods of public transport. The
quickest way is the Airport Rail Link, which runs from 06:00-23:59 every day and costs 90 THB (£1.80) for a single fare to downtown Phaya Thai station. For those with deeper pockets, taxis are readily available outside the terminal and will set you back around 400 THB (£7.90), while they may be more expensive, the advantage is you can be dropped directly outside your hotel.
Referred to by the locals as Krung Thep, or ‘City of Angels’ when translated to English, Bangkok is home to many historical monuments and buildings dating back hundreds of centuries. With nearly 95% of the country’s population being Buddhist, one of the various temples dotted around the city are definitely worth a visit if you’re looking to soak up some real Thai culture. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, located in the grounds of the Grand Palace, is Thailand’s most sacred temple and certainly worth seeing. Other
attractions include Wat Pho, one of the world’s largest reclining Buddha and the National Museum, which offers a great insight into the country’s history.
A great way to spend a morning or afternoon is visiting the famed floating markets. With a maze of canals zigzagging their way through the city, there are a number of smaller markets such as Bang Nam Phueng and Klong Latmayom, which offer a glimpse of Thailand from years gone by and are a great place to pick up a handmade, authentic Thai souvenir. For those who are willing to go the extra mile (or miles!), Damnoen Saduak is the most famous and original floating market, but be warned, its located around 70 miles from the city itself so a trip there would more than likely take up a whole day. A tour of a floating market will normally cost between 600-800 THB (£11.80-£15.80).
As the sun sets over the Bangkok skyline, the city comes alive. Renowned for its nightlife, there is something for everyone. From the makeshift bars that appear after dark along the Khao San Road where you can sample a famous ‘Thai bucket’, a mixture of original recipe Red Bull and the locally brewed Sang Som rum for around 250 THB (£5), right through to high end establishments like the Sky Bar, located on the 63rd floor of the Lebua Hotel in central Bangkok. This is the place to head to to take in the incredible views of the city while sipping on a cocktail.
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Established in 2008, Travelfx are solely an internet business providing an alternative to a Bureau de Change with some of the best exchange rates online. The company has been ranked 34th in the 2012 Sunday Times Fast track 100.
Established in 1979. Moneycorp also have retail bureaux de change at Gatwick, Stansted, Southend and Southampton airports, and across Central London. They provide next day delivery and can deliver on Saturdays for an additional fee
Established in 2007 with three bureau de change branches in London as well as running a postal delivery service in the UK with a focus on reputation, trust, reliability and quality of service.
Established in 1976 the business has grown to become one of the most recognised travel money brands in the UK with over 1,100 branches worldwide. They also provide wholesale services to many banks and supermarkets.
Established in 2008 with one mission, to bring the retail foreign exchange business online identifying an opportunity to redefine how people purchase travel money. The team of three partners has over 30 years experience in the retail foreign exchange market.
Established in 1981, Covent Garden FX is a family-owned and operated Bureau De Change located in the heart of Central London, providing some of the best exchange rates online for branch collection or home delivery.
The post office is one of the most recognised brands for holiday money in the UK. They allow you to order your travel money online and collect it from any Post office branch or have it delivered to your address for free.
As a well known British high street retailer, M&S stock one of the widest ranges of currency on the high street (up to 42 currencies) available online, by phone or in store operating as one of the most competitive providers for those needing to purchase last minute from one of their 120 stores nationwide.
Established in 1968 and acquired by RBS in 2000, foreign exchange forms part of the general financial services offered by the bank. You can purchase notes or travellers cheques for collection from your local branch or home delivery.
Established in 2002, FairFX cut out the middle man and use state of the art technology to execute your orders and deliver holiday money to your door while eliminating the cost of running expensive foreign exchange kiosks.
Established in 2011 by Ben Wakeham, a young travel mad entrepreneur who wanted to simplify the purchase of holiday money and use the internet to allow consumers to gain better exchange rates than long established travel money providers.
