Perhaps your plans to visit Bangkok have been shelved owing to reports of a military coup, bombings, and unrest in the south. Or maybe you think long-haul flights are not worth the hassle these days.
Think again. Bangkok is one of the world’s safest cities. It’s also one of the most pulsating and exotic. And there are treatments for your jet lag. This year is an especially good time to drop in. Here are just five great reasons to visit the Thai capital in 2007.
1. It’s The Critics’ Choice
Bangkok was voted best city in Asia by Travel & Leisure magazine ousting green Singapore and frantic Hong Kong. Bangkok was also selected by DestinAsia as Best Leisure City by virtue of it being cheap, safe and vibrant along with its good food.
2. Jet Cheaply Around the Region
Local and regional airfares are a bargain. The recent launch of many low-cost carriers has resulted in jaw-dropping fares for short hops to other Asian cities as well as the islands and beaches of Thailand. Check out the web sites of Air Asia and Nok Air among others for budget trips in the region.
3. Hook Into The Matrix
While still rooted in the past, this city of venerable temples and palaces is racing into the future. Bangkok is getting wired. Wifi is cheap and easily found. The whole of Siam Square is an outdoor Wifi zone and you can find a Starbucks on every corner. Geeks can spend their whole vacations in the IT paradise of Panthip Plaza with its staggering range of hardware and software.
4. Shop Till You Flop
Long a poor cousin of Hong Kong and Singapore, Bangkok can now rival those city-emporia for the range and quality of shopping. Prices are generally lower too. Other than old-style markets, there’s a glut of trendy malls. The jewel in the crown is the new Paragon shopping center. It sprawls over 7 floors, each the size of a football field and offering every brand name imaginable.
5. Pamper Yourself At A Spa
Bangkok is the spa capital of Asia. With a long history of traditional massage and herbal therapies together with a gracious concept service rooted in ancient Siamese culture, Thailand can offer an unparalleled standard of spa and beauty services. In fact, Travel & Leisure magazine chose three Thai spas in its top five best resort spas. Whether it’s a five-day total pampering or a one-hour jet-lag relief head massage, you can find what you want here.
If all this hasn’t tempted you, remember the great hotels and the spicy, piquant food. And don’t forget that Bangkok is one of the best places in the world for a sex change. Doctors are very experienced and prices are much lower than in the west.
If you’ve ever wondered how Bangkok developed into such a place of exotic contradictions, find out at http://insiders-bangkok.ampawan.com/