I have made a list of some of the places I often recommend to friends and other photographers I know when they come to Bangkok. Some are obvious and others may be a bit more off the beaten path for some people.
Jim Thompson House Tour - Very touristy, but a must see. Photos are not allowed inside, but outside you can get a few nice snaps of the building exteriors. Take the BTS Sky Train to National Stadium and it is a 5 minute walk from there.
Pay A Visit To Wat Suthat - An interesting Buddhist temple in Bangkok with an amazing cloister of Buddha statues running around the inner perimeter of the temple. Amazing photo ops.
Got to the night time flower market called Bpak Klong Dtalat next to the Sapan Poot bridge. Go any time after dark (can combine with visit to Wat Suthat). Very colorful photos ops, but very low light. High ISO and a wide angle lens will be needed.
Go down to Chinatown at night for some street food. Noodles and/or seafood. The selection of Chinese deserts on the street at night is also great, including one known as Bua Loy Nahm Kihng (black sesame seed dumplings in hot ginger), my favorite!
Go for street food at night to Sukhumvit Soi 38. Good photo ops for street food in general and a great selection of eats to choose from. Extremely easy to get to. Take the BTS Sky Train to Thong Lor station. The best time to go is around 7-10PM.
Go to the Suan Lum Night Bazaar any evening to see handicrafts and eat a variety of food in the food court. Take the MRT Underground Subway to Lumpini station.
Saturday Or Sunday only - Take the sky train in the Mor Chit direction and get off at the last station which is the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Very very cool, but it can be tiring and sensory overload after a while. A great place for all your gift shopping and grab a few snaps. Also, visit the fruit market across the street from Chatuchak called Au Taw Gaw market. Great colorful photo ops there of exotic fresh fruit and market food in general.
When you need a break, get a massage at Ruen Nuad located on Soi Convent Road (Silom Road area) in a small Soi opposite from BNH Hospital. A nice setting in an old Thai house and only 600 Baht for a 2 hour massage which is of spa quality.
Visit the south Indian temple on the corner of Silom and Tanon Pan. Can be combined with a massage at Reun Nuad. Photos are not allowed inside the temple, but you can get some beautiful shots of the colorful figures which make up the temple exterior from outside the temple.
Visit the new Bangkok Art & Culture Centre at the National Stadium sky train station (
http://www.bacc.or.th/) - Hopefully they have some interesting photography on exhibition when you visit. Note that they are closed on Mondays. Located at the National Stadium exit on the BTS Sky Train via the sky bridge and can be combined with a visit to the Jim Thompson House.
Go to Taksin Bridge (Taksin Bridge station on the sky train) and take a river ferry north up to the end of the ferry line and back. Do it early in the day to allow yourself enough time to go and come back. Boats only run until dark. Costs next to nothing and a nice way to see parts of the city from the river. You can also use the boat to get up to temples like Wat Suthat. Get off at the Pra Athit Pier. Pop in for a quick visit to Wat Pho which is only 150 meters from the pier. You will need a super wide angle lens to get an interesting shot of the massive reclining Buddha at Wat Pho. From there hop in a Tuk-Tuk and it is just a short 70 Baht ride to Wat Suthat.
Make a visit to the Dragon Lotus Temple in China Town. Can combine it with a boat trip on the river. Get off the boat at Ratchawong Pier. Walk straight down Ratchawong Road, crossing over Yaowarat Road and keep going straight until you hit Charoenkrung Road. Then turn right onto Charoenkrung and the Dragon Temple will be on your left. Photos are not permitted inside the temple, but still a very interesting cultural site with lots of incense burning and a bustling crowd of people making prayers and merit. Afterward, go for some good Dim Sum right across the street opposite the temple entrance on Charoenkrung Road. The little baked red pork pies are delicious!
Golden Mountain Temple - Ratchadamnoen Road - climb to the top for a view around the older part of the city. Best to go on a clear day at around 3PM in the afternoon when the sunlight is softer and can get some nice view shots of the west end of the city.
While at the Golden Mountain Temple, visit Wat Saket Temple (next door). At 5:15 PM you can see a large group of monks chanting in afternoon prayer. Spectacular photo opportunity. World class!
Siam Niramit Theatre Show (
http://www.siamniramit.com) Spectacular! No photos allowed during the show, but there is an old Thai mock village outside the theatre where you can take photos and walk around in before the show starts.
Free Snake Show at the Thai Red Cross on Rama IV Road at the Henri Dunang intersection Great if you like snakes!!!!
Enjoy!
February 11, 2012, 07:57:39 PM
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