Entrance is 125 baht and the complex is open from 8

Entrance is 125 baht and the complex is open from 8.30am to 11.30pm and 1pm to 3.30pm daily. The ticket for the palace also covers the Vimanek Teak Mansion, to the north, although you do not have to visit on the same day. A curious mix of Western and Thai from the turn of the century, set in lovely gardens, it is well worth the trip.Wat Pho Most famous for its enormous reclining Buddha, this temple also has many other features to explore – look out for the wonderful Chinese-style carvings and the curious statues of European visitors in top hats. The centre for teaching of Thai massage, Wat Pho, features the cheapest and arguably the best massage service in Bangkok, although if you want air-con luxury you have to go elsewhere.

Loose clothing is also preferable, as you don’t get the pyjamas available elsewhere. Entrance costs 10 baht and the temple is open between 8am and 5pm daily, although the ticket booth is closed from midday to 1pm. Just across the river by ferry is the unique Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), its decoration largely made from broken porcelain. It is open the same hours and also a must- see.Chinatown Off Yaowarat and Ratchawong Roads, Bangkok’s Chinatown is not as “authentic” as, say, Kuala Lumpur’s, the local Chinese community being more integrated into Thai life. If you are staying near the river, the regular ferry services are a good way to avoid traffic.What to see and doWat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace This is the very centre of Thai national and ceremonial life.

The wat (temple) is also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. By meter, the cost across Bangkok is unlikely to exceed 150 baht (pounds 2) From the airport into town should cost around 300 baht. Few drivers speak English, so get your destination written down in Thai. If you get a driver you like, try to arrange a day rate – around 1,200 baht is reasonable. Thai Airways flights before the Christmas peak cost pounds 525.Getting aroundMeter taxis are the easiest way to get around; avoid taxis parked outside hotels and tourist sites.

Yet by doing so, they have missed some of the key sights of Thailand, and an essential part of its character.
With the economic crisis the traffic has lessened, the level of pollution has fallen as building has ground to a halt, and Bangkok has become a far more accessible place. Travel Trade Consultants (tel: 0171-434 1681) offers a Kuwait Airlines flight for pounds 395, until 9 December. April and the first half of May are to be avoided (the peak of the hot season), as are August and early September, when there are often floods.Getting thereTravelSelect ( www.travelselect ) offers a Finnair flight via Helsinki for pounds 398, but recommends going direct by Eva Air for pounds 460. The exotic temples, the colourful markets and the great restaurants are now back on the travel map.When to goThe best time to visit is November to February. This is the “cool” season, with daily top temperatures of around 30C and moderately cool nights. Why go there?

In recent years, Bangkok has been placed into many travellers’ “too- hard” file. Fearing the infamous traffic, the pollution and the rampant construction industry, they have chosen to flee to the southern beaches or the cultural north.