I have been to Bangkok at least 5-6 times this year, and so, naturally, when friends are planning a holiday to Thailand, they all ask me to give them the lowdown on the city.
So, here's Bangkok from my perspective.
Live Like a King
My favorite reason for visiting bangkok has got to be the hotels. You can get a pretty nice hotel in the low $100 range. My favorites are Novotel Ploenchit or Novotel Platinum. But you can get 5-star hotels like the Intercontinental at under $300 / night. But beware that not all seemingly sweet deals will give you a nice room. Check and double check what you're getting :)
The cheapest transportation is quite easily the cab. Starting fares are less than $2 and most trips will cost less than $4. It's even cheaper than the train/BTS but beware of the traffic jams. There's a reason why it's cheap! Do make sure that the meter is on - many a cab driver have cheated many a tourist by not turning on the meter.
If you're up for an adventure take a tuktuk at least once just for memory's sake.
Recreation & Relaxation
My second favorite reason for visiting Thailand is the Thai massage. Cheap and good (for me that means hard), you can get a 1 hour Thai massage (dry) for $10. If you want to go for the oil massages, they're a bit pricier but still priced well under the typical massage you get in Singapore.
For those that want the more posh spa, I tried the Urban Retreat Spa near the Asoke BTS. The ambience is quite nice.
If you are not the spa sort - you are probably a guy... you can try Rifle Shooting or if you are like my MMA friends, try out Muay Thai. According to the fellas who think that the bright blue or red shorts with golden wing decors are nice, the fight gyms are filled with expats who are up for a good tussle almost every day. Classes are usually open but be ready for a pretty good workout
Fighting isn't my cup of tea; I prefer dance. But unfortunately most of the dance studios in Bangkok are closed classes for regular students. I did find one that offers a variety of open classes. It's called Rumpuree Dance Studio at Amarin Plaza (Across the Hotel Intercontinental). The prices however, are as expensive as Singapore (if not more).
A Taste of Japan
The Thais have this unusual obsession with the Japanese culture. I asked a friend of mine if the Korean craze has hit Japan--apparently it hasn't. The Thais are hardcore Jap all the way. Many of them do cosplay. Cosplay, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants wear costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea.
Truth be told, I never understood the cosplay subculture; but I must say that I am quite happy for this Japanese obsession because along with it came very good Japanese food. There are a lot of Japanese treats all over the city. One I tried was this place called On the Table, a Jap-fusion chain. I really liked my main course - the Foie Gras Rice Bowl. But what really sent me over the moon were the desserts!
And to further tempt my sweet tooth, we discovered this place called Kane Mochi. They sell mochi ice cream - 9 pieces for like $8. The flavors are fantastic - from more exotic thai iced tea and green tea to comfort flavors like vanilla and milk. I crave this... I seriously wish I could bring it to Singapore.
I'm sorry that I won't really talk about Thai food - coz everywhere you go, the Thai food's quite good. I haven't mustered up the courage to try the street food... especially not the creepy crawlies, but generally Phad Thai and the Curries are great. As for me, I have a love affair with the $1.60 Magnum Ice Cream - I just wish they would sell the Magnum Gold there... hehe....
Shopping
Bangkok is supposed to be known for shopping. The city offers a variety of options. If you are a high roller, you can visit Siam Paragon or Central World or pretty much any mall near the Siam BTS Station (give or take 1 stop). They have your branded names such as Kate Spade, Prada, Louis Vuitton as well as mass market brands such as H&M. But don't get me wrong, this is as high end as high end can get - Siam Paragon even has a Lamborghini showroom (with actual cars) inside the mall... !
If you are into more bargain shopping, the typical traveller would go for places like MBK shopping center or Platinum Mall (for clothes). You can get pretty good deals (Platinum mall is a place for blogshop buyers - you get tops below $10 and dresses below $20), but you have to be ready to bargain. Personally, I am not the bargaining type, but these malls are worth checking out if you are.
However, my local friends tell me that while foreigners fancy the bargain malls, locals still find them too expensive. For them, night markets are the way to go. Most people talk about the Chatuchak weekend market but I don't find it too enticing - a lot of things look the same and... quite... rustic. But I did give the street night markets a try and you really can get very good deals - I bought 2 shirts at $2 each. If you're in to cheap shopping, you should definitely check it out, but you would need a local to show you where to go. I even managed to get a personalized ipad case... :)
Suvarnabhumi Airport
I personally think the airport plays an important role for any trip. The Suvarnabhumi Airport, whilst not lavish, offers a variety of things to do. While you are waiting for your flight out, be sure to check out the delicious free "try-me" treats. They come up with new ones almost every month, but my favorites are the TomYum flavored rice crackers! The freeze dried fruits and the chocolate-dipped lady's fingers are really nice too!
So that's my take on Bangkok... but recently I saw a different side of Bangkok... that's coming in a second installment... :)