Bangkok is a bucket-list city of epic proportions. It also happens to be the capital of a nation that’s up there with the biggest TEFL markets in Southeast Asia. Thousands of teachers will touch down in the town every single year, some to start new jobs, others to continue their EFL career. We’ll say this: If you’re one of them, you won’t be disappointed. Bangkok offers electrifying markets, otherworldly Buddhist temples, and nightlife streets to shame anywhere on the globe. Here’s a taster of just five things we think you should begin with…
Khaosan Road
First time in Bangkok? Everyone heads to Khaosan Road. This 400-meter-long strip that carves through the heart of the Banglamphu district along the river has gained mythic status in the backpacker world. A lot of that is down to its cameo in the 2000 Danny Boyle cult hit The Beach – Leonardo DiCaprio came here to start his Thai adventure. Anyway, expect to find a rambunctious run of ad hoc beer stalls, street-food sellers touting deep-fried insects, tailoring shops, and clubs. Grab yourself a Chang beer during the happy hour and settle in for some people watching. Who knows where the night will take you?
Wat Arun
Wat Arun – or Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan, to give it its full name – is one of Bangkok’s most eye-catching religious sites. It looms large against the meanders of the Cho Phraya River, sprouting a colossal stupa at its center that’s clad in multicolored tiles and glowing white marble. Built between the 17th and 19th centuries to mimic the sacred Mount Meru of the Hindu myths, it’s now a Buddhist shrine replete with golden Buddha effigies and meditation halls. You can visit for 100 THB on the cross-river ferries. Or settle in one of the rooftop bars on the banks opposite to get the best view of the temple during the sunset.
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Cue the biggest market in the whole of Asia. Yep – the WHOLE OF ASIA. Chatuchak Weekend Market spans a complete segment of the Chatuchak district in northern Bangkok. By some estimations, there are a whopping 15,000 stalls and sellers. We haven’t counted to verify that but will agree that there’s a lot. You can buy just about anything, from incense sticks to knock-off designer underwear to vintage candelabras and even puppies. The action starts on Thursday afternoon but the best night to visit has to be the Friday evening, when the whole place is abuzz with street-food cooks touting satay sticks off the BBQ and tamarind-laced pad Thai noodles.
The Reclining Buddha
The Reclining Buddha is just as its name implies – a statue of the Buddha that’s reclining. But it’s also a whole load more impressive than that, since this particular Reclining Buddha spans 46 meters in length and several meters in height. It also happens to have jade-inlayed feet and comes covered in glimmering gold leaf. The attraction is nestled in a huge hall in the Wat Pho temple complex, which is one of the most important temple complexes in the whole of Thailand. In fact, the site is said to be the birthplace of traditional Thai massage. Entry is 200 THB per person and you’ll need to dress appropriately (no exposed legs and whatnot).
Sukhumvit
Sukhumvit is one of the most famous districts of Bangkok. It’s a huge area, spanning the whole length of its namesake road as it runs away from the historic center of the city in the west to the outskirts in the east. Some parts are forests of steel-glimmering skyscrapers with cocktail bars at their top. Others are gritty nightlife strips with rowdy sports bars aplenty. We especially love the area around Sukhumvit 23 – a hip and happening neighborhood with Japanese sushi restaurants and hipster coffee joints – and Sukhumvit 39 – where there are loads of authentic Thai food stalls spilling on to the street sides. It’s local Bangkok at its best.
If you can think of any more must-see things to add to this list of the top five draws you simply cannot miss in Bangkok, be sure to add them into the comments below. Or, if you’re interested in teaching in this amazing country, check out our Teach in Thailand program right now!
If you’re readying yourself for your first TEFL year in the wild and wonderful Thai capital, be sure to read on. We’ve slung together 10 of the top things you should know before you touchdown in the electrifying megacity that is Bangkok…
It’s huge
Bangkok is not a bite-sized city. You can’t stroll from one neighborhood to the next. It hosts a whopping 8.28 million people, which is just shy of London or New York. It’s going to take you a while to see the whole place, but that’s okay – that’s part of the fun!
Getting around can be a chore
Going from A to B in Bangkok is never a breeze. Yes, the tuk-tuks are wild and the MRT is uber-efficient, but traffic and a lack of metro lines can cause an issue. The key is to be creative in how you get from one place to another. Use the canal barges or the river boats, or summon one of those nifty scooter taxis if you’re feeling really brave.
The best food is on the street
There’s just no way around this. Bangkok might have Michelin-starred bistros and uber-chic sky bars, but there’s nothing that can beat the street food. In fact, we’d go one step further and say Bangkok is the street-food capital of the world! There’s much more than just the quintessential pad Thai (although they are lovely). You can also get fiery noodle soups, pork skewers, mango sticky rice – the list goes on!
The playing of the national anthem
It’s common for travelers to be caught unawares by the spontaneous playing of the Thai national anthem. It happens around key areas of the city, and in bus and train stations, usually in the morning and early evening. When it’s on, be sure to stand up, be still, and stay respectful.
Taxis can be as fast as walking
We remember being sat in a taxi on the way to a bar while the person we were meeting strolled alongside the car. They got there before us. That’s just Bangkok – a city where the traffic moves slower than the pedestrians. You can dodge the jams if you take a motorbike taxi, but they’re not for the faint hearted.
This is the world’s hottest metropolis
Yep, move over Dubai, take a backseat Riyadh, it’s Bangkok that comes in as the world’s hottest city when you measure temperatures by the mean average. According to the stats, BKK is a steady 28 degrees throughout the year. That’s balmy to say the least, which is why it’s always nice to try and score a condo with a pool if you can, eh?
Durian, durian and more durian
Durian is unquestionably the most-hated fruit in the world. You can’t even eat the stuff in public down in Singapore. Thailand has no such qualms over the fruit, which is infamous for its sickly, rubbishy smell. That’s great news if you love the taste (but don’t ever eat durian with alcohol!) but not so good if, like most, you find the aroma a tad pungent!
Chinatown is massive
Bangkok boasts one of the biggest Chinatown districts on the planet. You’ll find it strung all along the Yaowarat Road. It’s not a drop-in-and-wander sort of place. It’s more of a city within a city, with spice stalls, seafood bazaars, noodle cookhouses, dim sum chefs, and all sorts running for mile upon mile. An amazing neighborhood, but take a map!
Cockroaches are common
Don’t fret: It’s normal to have a roach or two hanging around a street-food stall. You’ll have to get used to it in these tropical reaches. We even had a particularly feisty encounter with a big ole’ roach on our 17th-floor apartment. They can get anywhere!
Don’t stick to only Khao San Road!
This shouldn’t be an issue if you’re planning on adopting Bangkok as your new home, but you’d be surprised how many travelers get caught up on the classic backpacker mecca of Khao San Road and never leave. There’s so much more to this city than that heady mix of pubs and bars. Check out hipster-cool Ekkamai in the east, or try the market district of Chatuchak in the north – both offer something totally different.
There are LOADS of TEFL opportunities in Thailand and Bangkok. Check out our Thailand jobs or Thailand internship page for more information. Or, if you’ve got anything to add to this list of things that everyone heading to BKK should know, we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below…