2020-05-01_Lonely_Planet_Traveller

THE URBAN EDIT

Afterprayers,I usuallytake

a bus to nearbyChinatown.

It’soneof theoldestpartsof Bangkok,known

locallyas Yaowarat.Theareawasbuilt

duringKingRamaV’sreign(1868–1910),

andthemainroadcurveslikea dragon’s

body.It’sfamousforits wholesale market,

buttherearealsomany

restaurantsoering

Thai-Chinesefood.

Oneof myfavourite

dishesis yenta fo

(picturedright),

whichis riceor

eggnoodlesin

a pinksoupwith

a varietyof

seafood inside.

At dinnertimeI usuallyask

myselfhow hungryI stillamaer my

lunch.If I am,I willlookfora streetfoodsnack,

butif not,I mightgoto oneof themanyrooop

barsin Bangkokto seethesunset.TheGrand

ChinaHotelis oneof myfavourites,forits

friendlypricesandcasualdresscode,as well

as thespectacularskylineviews.Fromhere

youcanseesuchhighlightsof Bangkokas the

GrandPalace,WatPhoandWatArun.

In the morning,I’llvisita

localtemple.Therearea fewplaces

I goto at leastoncea month,includingthe

BangkokCityPillarShrine(picturedbelow).

I tryto gettherebeforetouristhoursbegin

so I canhavemyprivatetimeto praywith

Buddha.Wepayrespectto enhance

stability in our lives and fulfil happiness.

In the afternoonI might

eitherstayin Chinatownforshopping

andconversationwithlocalsI know

there,or I gofora walkto Phahurat

Road,whichis alsoknownas Little

India.Thereis a Sikhcommunityhere

thathasbeentradingin textiles for

more than a century.

WittayaVanvirunis a Bangkokcity

tour guidefor UrbanAdventures–

you can browsetheircity tours

via lonelyplanet.com/experiences.

MY PERFECT DAY

Bangkok

Afterlunch,I want

somethingsweet, so

I liketo visitoneof theoldest

coee shopsin thecity.Eiah

Saeopenedin 1927,andit

oerssomegreatThaimilkteas

andsnackssuchas freshtoast

andeggcustards.It’sgoodfor

refreshmentin summer(late

Februaryto June).In Thailand

wejokethatwehavea hot

season,a veryhotseason

and a super-hot season.

Usuallyon my day

off workI skipmy

breakfastso I canlie in.

Butif I’mhungryI’llcook

breakfastat home– a

simplemeallikepadkra

paogaikaidao,whichis stir-

friedchickenandholybasil

withfriedeggs.MostThai

peopledon’teattoastor

pancakesin themorning,

butwelovericeandeatit at

breakfast, lunch and dinner.

LonelyPlanethaspartneredwithIntrepidTravel

to launchLonelyPlanetExperiences:morethan

300 grouptours(runby Intrepid,andits daytour

companyUrbanAdventures)withpositivelocal

impact and low environmental footprints.

Takein

Bangkokold

andnewfrom

thisrooftop

bar

2 PM

7 PM

11 AM

4 PM

8 AM

7 AM

PHOTOGRAPHS:

SAMART

BOONPRASONGTHAN/GETTY

IMAGES,

WITTAYA

VANVIRUN,

JAKRAPHAN

INCHUKUL/

ALAMY, VASSAMON ANANSUKKASEM/SHUTTERSTOCK, DAVE STAMBOULIS/AGEFOTOSTOCK/ALAMY