46 TRAVEL+LEISURE | SEPTEMBER 2019
AFTER YOU’VE had your
fill at Nang Loeng Market,
venture beyond the sur-
rounding government
buildings to the Queen’s
Gallery (queengallery.org),
which showcases both
rising Thai talents and more
established names within a
striking five-story, Brutalist-
style structure. Climbing the
300-plus steps up to Wat
Saket (344 Chakkraphat
Diphong Rd.) is ambitious
in the Bangkok heat, but
the payoff is sweeping views
of the Grand Palace and
Chinatown. Shoppers will
delight in the craftsmanship
of the master jewelers at
S.J. International (sjjewelry.
com); keep an eye out for
pieces by Kavant & Sharart
(kavant and sharart.com),
which have a more contem-
porary aesthetic. The area
immediately surrounding
the market isn’t great for
hotels—unless you’re outfit-
ted with a giant backpack
and elephant-print pants.
Instead, take a cab to the
Siam (thesiam hotel.com;
doubles from $613), an inti-
mate Art Deco hotel on the
Chao Phraya River with
impeccable service.
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO...
Bangkok