In a monthly column produced for the Australian Financial Review‘s Boss Magazine, we highlight the best of a city for biz visitors and sophisticated travellers alike. This month LUXE Bangkok resident curator and food writer Chawadee Nualkhair shares her fave places in the Thai capital.
When travellers think of Bangkok, they usually envisage temples, spas, smiles … and traffic. But like most cities, the “Big Mango” is more than the sum of its tourist spots; this is a vibrant metropolis of eight million, criss-crossed with a collection of distinct neighbourhoods, each bearing its own special flavour.
It’s Bangkok’s multi-faceted nature that first drew me to the city of my parents’ childhood when I moved here 20 years ago. Every winding alleyway was a new discovery: a great oyster omelette vendor in Chinatown, an old shop selling 1970s movie posters in the Old City, a farmer’s market on Sukhumvit. It is this obsession with discovery that has led me to what I do today, writing about the thousands of Thai street food vendors dotting the city’s many streets.
Bangkok In A Nutshell
Bangkok is able to be many things to many people – the country’s political and cultural heart, a centre for fashion and entertainment, and a regional hub for business. Officially known in Thai as Krungthep (City of Angels), Bangkok lacks an obvious city centre and is comprised of different focal points for politics, art, entertainment or commerce. Of course, foodies will find happiness on any street corner in the city, especially if it’s the cool season from November to January.
Half A Day
Although Bangkok is a surprisingly diverse city, traversing the megalopolis is compromised by gridlocked traffic. Avoid feeling the swell of passenger rage by focusing on the central business district, where post-work playgrounds for the business visitor abound.
Indulge in a sundowner at Moon Bar, on top of the Banyan Tree Hotel, which offers a panoramic view of the city’s skyline. Then burnish your foodie credentials down the road at must-try Thai culinary destination Nahm in the Metropolitan Hotel, helmed by Aussie Thai food guru and world-renowned David Thompson.
After dinner, hurry over to the Rajaprasong intersection, where shopping options from the high-end (Gaysorn, Erawan) vie with more local offerings (Siam Square) just a short walk away. All stay open until 10pm, at least.
Where The Business Crowd Meets
Neighbourhood joints tailor-made for the post-work crowd have mushroomed over the past few years. Chi-chi Vogue Lounge, lures fashionable business and high-society types with its swish, deco-ish design and city vistas, while Opus Wine Bar, is a schmick urban wine bar with great pasta and an extensive cellar.
Creative types are drawn to Sathorn Soi 10 and 12, where a flurry of new bar and restaurant openings have made this area one of the city’s busiest after-hours destinations. Enjoy a green curry at Supanniga Eating Room or Asian-inspired tapas at Bunker before absconding to perennial favourite Maggie Choo‘s for a shot of Bangkok nightlife.
Eat, Sleep, Play
Eat Me: Boho meets cosmo sweetie with artwork, balcony and a global crowd here for the amby as much as the food. 1/6 Soi Pipat 2, Soi Silom. eatmerestaurant.com
Ruen Urai: Meticulous farang-friendly to hot ‘n fiery victuals in a serene, tropical, century-old teak house. Rose Hotel, 118 Surawongse Rd. ruen-urai.com
Mandarin Oriental: Grand old riverside matriarch still sets the standard for legendary service, silky rooms/duplexes, sumptuous spa, terraces, starry Le Normandie, sexy China House and jazzed Bamboo Bar. 48 Oriental Ave. mandarinoriental.com
I.Sawan: Splendid Thai-Zen garden complex, for head-to-toe pampering. Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, 494 Rajadamri Rd. isawan.hyatt.com
Chatuchak Market: It’s hot and sticky, but it’s worth it. A must-visit shopping destination for any Bangkok visitor. Kamphang Phet 2 Rd, Chatuchak.
This article originally appeared on the Australian Financial Review Boss Magazine, 7 November 2016.
For more of Chawadee’s Bangkok recomendations…
