To sum up Bangkok is like trying to grasp a dream and very hard to describe in just a few words. It has so much to offer, is so rich in culture and tradition and yet so wonderfully alive. From the glorious Royal Grand Palace with all its regal importance, to the Wat Arun Temple and its 17 metre golden spire, the former home to the Emerald Buddha. Then there’s the Wat Pho temple with its massive 46 metre reclining Buddha, murals, sculptures and landscaped gardens, where you can take advantage of a traditional Thai massage, have your palm read by an astrologer, or receive a blessing from one of the monks.

Covering an astonishing area of 35 acres and containing no fewer than 8,000 market stalls, the Chatuchak weekend market is not as daunting as it may sound. The stalls are arranged in sections depending on the type of items being sold. It may not be the best possible place for bargains, but it’s incredibly popular—attracting over 200,000 visitors over a weekend—and all manner of articles, from clothing, handicrafts and ceramics to food, art, books and collectables, can be snapped up.

The nights can come alive in Bangkok, Thailand like nowhere else. In particular, two neon-lit thoroughfares are worth investigating: Khao San Road with its bright lights, shopping malls, clubs, stalls, street sellers, cocktail bars and its bustling 24/7 attitude; and Soi Cowboy, a very popular dazzling, brash entertainment hub with its colourful go-go bars and nightclubs crammed into a street all but 400 metres long.

Bangkok: so exotic and so much more.