As of yesterday, Bangkok’s elevated rail (called the BTS or Skytrain), serves Thonburi as well as central Bangkok. Two stops, Krung Thonburi and Wongwian Yai, have officially opened, adding fast public transportation to a part of the city that was previously only accessible by car. read more »
Phra Padaeng is a lush district south of Bangkok and across the Chao Phraya River. Some people call it Bangkok’s lung because it’s a little green bubble of land surrounded by the river, but I suspect Bangkok’s lung would be a little dirtier than Phra Padaeng.
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Ko Kret is a small island in the middle of the Chao Phraya River but f you’re looking for sandy beaches and palm trees just outside of Bangkok, skip this post. It’s not that kind of island. It was just a knob of land jutting out into the river until a few decades before Bangkok was founded, when clever engineers cut a canal through it to create a shortcut.
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Political instability and a global recession are bad news for the tourism industry here, but for those visiting Thailand it means great travel deals (there has to be some good news, right?).
I was just fact-checking some information for the new Moon Bangkok and came across this deal at one of my favorite funky hotels, Reflections Bangkok — 1,500B per night for any room. Reflections is a really special property, as each guest room has been designed and decorated by a different local artist. Obviously, not the right choice for someone who wants to come back from a day of sightseeing to straightforward, neutral surroundings, but those of you looking for a quirky, arty place to hang out or otherwise interested in the modern art scene here should check it out.
Reflections Room 408, how cool is that?
There are plenty of other great deals around. As I come across noteworthy ones, I’ll be sure to post them but if you’re planning a trip now make sure to have a look at hotel websites of properties you’re interested in.
I had a chance to talk to the travel editor of the Charlotte Observer a few weeks ago about traveling in Thailand, here’s the interview.
