hihi blue blue.... i jus wrote an email to my friends who are going BKK, so here's the recommendation from me :
Shopping:
(1) Cha-Tuk-Chat Weekend Market
Do visit the famous weekend market Cha-Tuk-Chat. It's the BIGGEST market in the world, selling all kind sof things. (clothes, furniture, bags, shoes, pets, food...u name it they have it. ) Try to arrive very early like 8.30am, to avoid the afternoon heat & crowd. Best place to get soveniors.
(2) Pat-Pong Nite Mkt
This is their red light distrcit. Things are very very expensive and highly marked up. Try not to buy things there. People visit this night market usually to see the pretty 'girls'. IF u been to cha-tuk-chat, u will find everything at patpong ridiculously priced. A lot of fake branded goods can be found there, but u have to be an expert to tell how good the imitation is, dun get cheated !
(3) Suan Lum Nite Mkt
Personally I like this new nite market a lot cos a lot of trendy stuff here. Dun be disappointed by the number of stalls closed, cos this is a new market so only half the stalls are occupied. You have to walk thru the long corridors of stalls to find your 'gems' . I bought a lot of ethnic looking bags and clothes from this place. They also sell toys and cartoon stuff, I also bought cartoon cushions at very low prices. The stall assistants are all very friendly here (generally the Thais are very friendly lah), the Suan Lum mkt ones are friendlier cos they not so busy.
(4) MBK (Ma-Boo-Kong Shopping Centre)
One huge shopping centre with lotsa stuff. There is an emporium named 'To-kyu' in there where u can buy the 'inner beauty' at low prices. Oh yah, there is a huge foodcourt on the 5th or 6th floor of MBK, try the delicious and cheap food there. Birdnest available too!
Another place where you can buy 'inner beauty' is called the Emporium (i dunno where this shopping centre is, u can ask hotel staff)
(5) World Trade Centre
Huge, things are more expensive & 'high class'. Do visit this shop named "Naraya", very popular in Thailand. Their bags are not bad ! It's the best place to buy soveniurs for your mummies, aunties and friends! for your information, a lot of SIA stewardess use bags from Naraya ....cool rite?
(6) Pat-tu-num
This is a wholesale market, It's near the Baiyoke Sky Hotel (Baiyoke is the tallest hotel in BKK, you can go to the restaraunt on the top for a meal, enchanting view!) Also a lot of tee shirts, jeans etc sold here.....mostly wholesale prices....
(7) Siam Square (near Novetel Siam Hotel)
Quite near MBK shopping centre so you can visit Siam Sq before or after going to MBK. Hippy stuff here. u can do nail art/manicure/pedicure at this area too.
Things you can do
(1) Traditional Thai Massage
There is one quite good one called 'Marble house', it's just behind novetel siam hotel. (i.e. it's at Siam Square)
They charge like 500 baht for 2 hours of heavenly massage. Must try!
(2) Visit the Four faced Buddha
It's near the World Trade Centre, just beside the Erawan Hyatt Hotel. Very 'Ling' , so dun forget to go.
(3) Grand Palace
It's the grand temple of BKK, actually I nv go b4....walked past it...very grand. Closes quite early I think, so do check with the hotel it's operating hours...
(4) Wat Po
Near grand palace - has the largest sleeping buddha in the world.
(5) River ride
I also nv try before ...hahaha....cos the river water like murky murky one... keke.... but heard it's not bad lah. Jus remember to bargain....
(6) Eat at Chinatown (Yao-wat-rat)
Good & cheap chinese food. But unfortunely i cant remember where i ate at. Jus explore and find your own fav restaurant.
(7) Take a tuk tuk ride
Thai version of 'trishaw'....the one that James Bond and Zhang Zhi Yi sat in for the mastercard advert. It's fun but you will also get to 'absorb' a lot of exhaust fumes from other cars haha... more suitable for short short trips....e.g. from MBK to Siam Sq (actualy walk also can i think but i nv tried walking)
u mean Cha-Tuk-Chat Weekend Market opens so early?? thought it opens ard evening time...oh beter dun miss it!! haha.. me will be stayin at Baiyoke Sky but frm there how to go to four faced buddha?? n oso we nt so sure how to pray will there b ppl ther who speak english to teach us?? paiseh so many qns!! very excited!!!!!!