Pump Up The Posh: Four Ways To Do Bangkok In Style
Sunrise might be the traditional time to visit Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), but Bangkok's iconic ... More riverside temple is even more gorgeous when illuminated in the evening. (Photo by Mladen Antonov)
For anyone who first visited Bangkok as a backpacker doing the famous 'Hippie Trail' across Asia, distinct memories come to mind.
Staying at the legendary Malaysia Hotel (where Tony Wheeler wrote the first Lonely Planet guidebook), tooling around town in tuk-tuks, sipping tom yum gai at a street stall, and making the obligatory pilgrimage to the Grand Palace to view the Emerald Buddha.
You might have taken a dragon boat tour of the floating market, flitted across the river at the crack of dawn to experience sunset at Wat Arun, or made the trek to the summit of the Golden Mount (Wat Saket) for a panorama of a city where temples were once the tallest structures.
How times have changed . . .
Bangkok has grown into a modern, first-world city. While all of the old landmarks remain, the Thai capital is now a city of skyscrapers, superhighways and air-conditioned shopping malls.
And you're (hopefully) ready to do Bangkok in the style you couldn't afford as a traveling college student, Peace Corps worker or NGO volunteer.
Here are four ways to pump up the posh on your next visit to Bangkok:
Decorated with genuine antiques and exquisite reproduction furnishings, The Siam Hotel could easily ... More double as a Thai royal palace.
Or at least something that resembles one — like The Siam Hotel.
Located in the Dusit District near Chitralada Palace where the current king of Thailand and his family reside, The Siam could easily pass for a royal residence.
Although it looks vintage, the all-suite property was created in the early 21st century, an architectural blend of traditional and modern elements filled with original artworks and antiques from Thailand and beyond. There's also a luxury spa and Muay Thai boxing arena where guests can practice the national sport with a professional trainer.
Even the simplest three-room suites boast ample space, exotic views, and elegant furnishings and décor. The ultimate overnight is a courtyard or riverside villa with its own garden, swimming pool, and outdoor seating area.
Adorning The Siam waterfront are the upscale Chon Thai Restaurant, the outdoor pool area, and wooden deck with al fresco bar and landing for the hotel's own dragon boat, which ferries guests up and down the Chao Phraya.
Pichaya "Pam" Utharntharm, founder and head chef of one Michelin star restaurant Potong, oversees ... More her kitchen in the Chinatown area of Bangkok. (Photo by Manan Vatsyana)
Bangkok has always been an awesome foodie destination and nowadays the city sports 34 Michelin star restaurants.
At the pinnacle of the local food chain is Sorn, a three-star establishment serving southern Thai cuisine not far off busy Sukhumvit Road. The extravagant 23-course chef's menu might include dishes like Roti Crab Curry, Phuket Lobster, Grilled Crispy Pork or Taro Soup with crab stock.
If you can't snag a table at Sorn (it only seats 40 diners), consider one of the city's seven two-star eateries.
Two of them — Mezzaluna and Chef's Table — serve contemporary French on the upper floors of the State Tower Building at the river end of Silom Road. While Sühring, located in a smart residential neighborhood, specializes in 'whimsical' modern German cuisine in a restored villa with greenhouse seating.
But when in Thailand, it seems kind of sacrilegious not to cherish the local cuisine. Which means you should really be sampling the Spicy Ant Egg Larb Soup, Seven Color Lobster Curry and Spicy Snow fish at R-Haan restaurant. Or the artistically presented Thai-Chinese fusion dishes at Potong in Bangkok's Chinatown district.
The vertigo-inducing view from Sky Beach Bar at the summit of the King Power Mahanakhon skyscraper. ... More (Photo by Petr Svarc)
Even if you don't dine in the State Tower Building, be sure to ride the rocket-like elevator to the summit for a sunset cocktail at the Sky Bar by Lebua. Hovering at 820 feet above sea level, the outdoor rooftop seating area is literally breathtaking (and vertigo inducing). Among the signature cocktails is the Hangovertini, a blend of Dewar's 18 years, sweet vermouth, rosemary honey and green apple created by the resident mixologist after parts of the movie Hangover Part II were filmed there.
If bubbly is more your thing, CRU Champagne Bar perches on the 59th floor of the Centara Grand Hotel. The al fresco drinking hole complements its champagne cocktails and rare single malts by the glass with Caspian Sea caviar, oysters on the half shell, Wagyu beef skewers, and truffled French fries.
Higher still is Sky Beach Bangkok. The world's third highest rooftop bar rides the summit of the 1,030-foot King Power Mahanakhon skyscraper, one of the tallest buildings in Southeast Asia. During the winter dry season, the bar hosts DJ parties under the stars. Among the standout drinks are the Thai Daiquiri with passion fruit, a mocktail called the Last Mango in Paris, and quite good local craft beer.
Celebrating Thai design, the cast of "The White Lotus" decked out in Jim Thompson clothes and ... More accessories at a soirée hosted by the celebrated Bangkok fashion house. (Photo by Amanda Edwards)
Chatuchak Market is a blast to browse — and you might even find a few unexpected treasures. But collectors of genuine Asian art and antiques or faithful reproductions, it's best to consult the experts.
A great place to start is River City shopping center, which boasts more than 50 upscale antique, fine art and jewelry outlets. While Thai artifacts predominate, you can find exquisite items from around Asia — Morita specializes in Japanese relics, Bo Gu Zhai in decorative arts from China, Himalayan Treasures in objects from Nepal and Tibet.
Locals tend to favor small out-of-the-way places like Paul's Antiques near busy Soi Sukhumvit 11. It's a great spot for Burmese and Javanese antique furnishings and collectibles, as well as custom-made furniture created by artisans in the onsite workshop.
Serious collectors zero in on RCB Auctions. Either online or in person, buyers can bid on a wide array of rare gold, silver, ceramic and wooden masterpieces from Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and China. Even if you're not a potential buyer, you can preview the items and browse the catalogues in RB's River City showroom.
Fashion wise, Jim Thompson is still the first name in Thai silk clothing and accessories (which feature prominently in the latest season of The White Lotus). The flagship store is on Surawong Road, the factory outlet on Sukhumvit 93. But the ultimate haute couture adventure is visiting the Jim Thompson Heritage Quarter, which includes the original shop and the museum house where the line's namesake American businessman and Allied spy lived after World War Two.
Browsing modern Thai paintings at River City art and antique center in Bangkok. (Photo by Guillaume ... More Payen)
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