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We Reach! Your Guide to Bangkok
From Michelin-recognised dining and sprawling malls to wellness experiences, art, rooftop bars and hidden corners, Bangkok is a city that lets you choose your own adventure.
Bangkok is busy and a little hectic in some parts, but it is also full of charm. It can be relaxing and tranquil, deeply rooted in history, artistic, indulgent or completely chaotic. The beauty of Thailand's capital is that you can find almost any version of Bangkok you want.
In this edition of We Reach, we explore several sides of the city, from well-beaten concrete streets and popular attractions to quieter experiences and places that may not immediately make it onto a first-time visitor's itinerary.
First, You Have to Get There
Getting from The Bahamas to Bangkok will involve some connections. There is really no way around it.
For this trip, the route was Nassau to Miami, Miami to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Hong Kong and finally Hong Kong to Bangkok. With a deliberately long layover in Miami to leave room for possible delays, the entire journey took more than 40 hours.
If you are travelling through Los Angeles International Airport, prepare to walk. LAX is massive, and getting from our arrival point to the next departure gate took roughly 25 to 30 minutes on foot. Hong Kong, on the other hand, made for a relatively easy connection, with a passport and boarding pass scan followed by security before heading into the boarding area.
Before booking, check Thailand's current entry requirements. Currently, Bahamians need an eVisa, which costs approximately $40. You can apply here: https://www.thaievisa.go.th/
Apply about 30 days out from your trip, and have your flight and accommodation details handy.
All non-Thai nationals entering Thailand are also required to complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, or TDAC. It can be submitted online prior to arrival, so this is one item to add to your pre-flight checklist.
TRAVEL TIP: Airline points can take some of the sting out of a long-haul trip. For this journey, we used American Airlines rewards, bringing the Miami to Bangkok portion of the trip to approximately 70,000 points plus less than $200 in taxes and fees.
Travelling during the off-season can also stretch your budget. September falls within Thailand's rainy season, which can mean fewer crowds and lower prices on flights and accommodation. Of course, nature is unpredictable. You could encounter heavy rain, passing showers or days of beautiful weather, so there is always some risk involved.
Where to Stay in Bangkok
Choosing where to stay depends heavily on what you want from the trip.
Some neighbourhoods put you in the middle of Bangkok's shopping, restaurants and nightlife. Others offer convenient access to the BTS Skytrain or MRT, while areas along the Chao Phraya River can provide a quieter, more relaxed base.
While there are no hard and fast rules on where to stay, below is a general guide:
SIAM: Shopping, families & first-time visitors
SUKHUMVIT: Nightlife, dining & modern hotels
RIVERSIDE: Luxury, scenic views & quieter stays
KHAO SAN: Budget stays, temples & nightlife
SILOM & SATHORN: Rooftop bars, business & green spaces
CHINATOWN (YAOWARAT): Street food, culture & vibrant nightlife
Regardless of where you stay, a few practical things can make getting around much easier.
Download Grab, Southeast Asia's popular ride-hailing app, before you arrive. It works similarly to Uber and can be a convenient and relatively affordable way to get around Bangkok. At Suvarnabhumi Airport, follow the designated signs to the Grab pick-up area, located one floor down after baggage claim and through Door 4.
An eSIM can also make arrival easier. We used Airalo, although there are numerous options available. And while cards are widely accepted in malls, hotels and many restaurants, cash is still useful for markets, smaller businesses and local purchases, so it is worth having Thai baht on hand.
Once the logistics are sorted, Bangkok becomes much more fun.
Eat Your Way Into the City
Food is one of the easiest ways to ease yourself into Bangkok.
The city's dining scene covers almost every end of the spectrum, from casual neighbourhood restaurants and street food to international cuisine, tasting menus and Michelin-recognised dining.
For something intimate and relaxed, Kushiro Omakase offers a multi-course omakase experience away from Bangkok's busiest tourist areas. Its more residential setting makes the meal feel removed from the city's usual pace.
For an entirely different experience, afternoon tea at Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok offers a few hours of calm and luxury. The visually elaborate tea service is accompanied by the sounds of a live pianist, creating a welcome break from Bangkok's streets.
Then there is Paste Bangkok.
Located inside Gaysorn Village, Paste is led by Chef Bongkoch "Bee" Satongun and her husband, Jason Bailey. Satongun was named Asia's Best Female Chef in 2018, and the restaurant has built its identity around what it calls heirloom Thai cuisine.
Its menu looks to royal Thai history, old family cookbooks, aristocratic recipes and centuries-old techniques while presenting them through a contemporary fine-dining lens. For travellers interested in exploring Thai food beyond its most familiar dishes, Paste offers another perspective on the country's culinary history.
Bangkok's Malls Are an Experience of Their Own
Calling Bangkok's malls "shopping centres" almost undersells them.
Many are enormous lifestyle complexes filled with restaurants, beauty services, entertainment, art installations and experiences that could easily occupy several hours.
CentralWorld is one of the city's biggest examples. Beyond its seemingly endless collection of stores and restaurants, the complex regularly hosts events and pop-ups and is home to the viral bed cinema that has made its rounds on social media.
Nearby, Platinum Fashion Mall offers a very different experience. Floor after floor is packed with clothing and accessories, with hundreds of vendors and a wide range of styles, prices and quality.
ICONSIAM takes the mega-mall concept even further. Sitting along the Chao Phraya River, it combines luxury shopping, dining and entertainment with SOOKSIAM, an indoor space inspired by Thailand's regional markets. Its riverside location also makes it relatively easy to combine with a day of visiting sites like the Grand Palace and Wat Arun using Bangkok's river boats.
Terminal 21 turns the mall itself into the attraction. Each floor takes inspiration from a different international destination, allowing you to move from one "country" to another without leaving the building.
Bangkok's Wellness Side
Bangkok can be exhausting, but it is also remarkably good at helping you recover.
Beauty and wellness treatments are everywhere, ranging from quick massages to elaborate spa experiences and aesthetic clinics.
At The Glam Clinic, visitors can book treatments that include the viral facial analysis and multi-step skincare services.
Sleep treatments and head spas are another popular option. At places like Chandee at Silom, the experience goes far beyond simply washing your hair. The treatments are designed around relaxation and scalp care, with the kind of pampering that makes heading directly back to your hotel afterwards seem like a very good idea.
Bangkok is also a major medical tourism destination. Facilities such as Bangkok Hospital offer health-screening packages ranging from basic assessments to more comprehensive programmes. Depending on the package, multiple tests can be completed during a single visit, followed by a consultation with a physician. Travellers interested in this option should research packages, eligibility, preparation requirements and appointments before arriving.
Wellness also does not always have to mean a spa.
If you are visiting the MBK mall, head next door to the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. The multi-storey contemporary arts space offers exhibitions alongside small shops selling art, books, handmade items and more unusual souvenirs.
Sometimes art is therapy too.
When Bangkok Lights Up
Bangkok's creative side does not disappear when the sun goes down.
At Akara Sky Hanuman Bangkok, dinner becomes part meal and part production. The experience combines a regional Thai set menu with immersive rooms, lighting effects and theatrical elements before giving guests the option to continue the night at the rooftop bar.
Rooftop bars are practically a Bangkok category of their own, and there are plenty to choose from.
For something with a little old-school character, The Speakeasy Rooftop Bar offers a polished escape above the city.
Paradise Lost, located at the colourful Siam@Siam Design Hotel Bangkok, takes a more playful approach with bright surroundings, skyline views, cocktails, mocktails, bites and a soundtrack that can lean heavily into nostalgic pop.
Then there is Philtration, a hidden speakeasy tucked behind a bookshelf. The intimate bar trades the scale of Bangkok's rooftops for creative cocktails and a setting that encourages you to settle in rather than rush through a drink.
And Bangkok nightlife does not always have to mean rooftop cocktails.
Chinatown comes alive after dark with bright signs, packed streets, food vendors and restaurants. If you want to step away from the chaos for dinner, restaurants such as Madaam K offer another way to experience the neighbourhood before heading back into the crowds.
Live music is another option, and sometimes the best plan is simply finding a seat, ordering a drink and allowing Bangkok to provide the soundtrack.
Before You Leave
If you shop during your visit, keep your VAT refund paperwork and original tax invoices from participating retailers. Depending on the value and type of goods purchased, you may need to have the items and paperwork inspected by Customs prior to security before heading to the VAT refund counter.
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