Bangkok Luxury Holidays

From heritage sites and colourful nightlife to perfect white sand beaches.

Thailand welcomes visitors with a wealth of attractions from heritage sites and colourful nightlife to perfect white sand beaches. It is a land suffused with Chinese and Indian influences, an unforgettable blend of tranquillity and teeming cities. In Bangkok, take time out to visit the Grand Palace, designer malls and kaleidoscopic floating markets with their myriad of boats piled high with tropical fruit, vegetables and local delicacies. A day trip to ancient former capital Ayuthaya, home to some of Thailand's most impressive ruins, is also highly recommended.

Wat Pho | Seek enlightenment at the oldest and largest wat in Bangkok, dating back to the 16th century, most famous for the golden reclining Buddha and the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand. Enjoy a traditional Thai massage which is practiced and taught at the Wat Pho Thai Traditional Medicial & Massage School at the temple. Wat Phra Kaew & The Grand Palace | Set aside a few hours viewing Bangkok’s famous palace, built in 1782 following the design of the former palace in Ayuthaya. Within the palace walls are Royal Residences and Wat Phra Kaew, “Temple of the Emerald Buddha, dating back to the 14th century. Wat Arun | Often called The Temple Of Dawn, is one of the most remarkable sights of Bangkok. Ensure you visit this striking temple in the late afternoon as the sunsets on the 67 metre high tower. The central balcony offers great views of the Grand Palace and the Chao Phraya River. Chao Phraya River | Hop on a long tail boat and view daily life of this working river and the assortment of Bangkok’s temples or opt for an evening dinner cruise aboard a traditional rice barge. Jim Thompson’s House | Enjoy the exquisite antique and art collection of Asian artefacts by the man who revived the Thai silk industry after the Second World War. The gardens are equally impressive. Dining With The Stars | Capture the breathtaking views of Bangkok’s city skyline some 60 floors up on the open- air roof top restaurants and bars of Vertigo and The Moon Bar at Banyan Tree or The Dome at The State Tower. Shopping | Modern shopping malls, local shops, bustling street markets…visit the maze of stalls at the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Shadow Play Puppets| The hand-made classic nang yai shadow play associated with the royal courts of Ayuthaya and Bangkok features larger pieces which have no moving either principal characters or scenes from the Thai version of the classic Ramayana. Day trips from Bangkok Ayuthaya | Visit the ancient ruins of Thailand’s former capital from 1350-1767. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site. River Kwai | A few hours drive from Bangkok where in the infamous prisoner of war built bridge over the River Kwai stands. Damnoen Saduak Floating Market | Thai women wearing wide brimmed straw hats paddle their wooden tail boats laden with bright and colourful fruit and vegetables to buyers along the crisscrossed canal-sides.

Late January/Late February – Chinese New Year. Have a walk to Chinatown for fireworks, Chinese Dragon and Lion Dancing. March – Fashion Week & Jewellery Fair April – Songkhran Festival – New Year celebration in the Thai calendar, visitors from 13-15 April should brace themselves for a thorough soaking. Also known as the “Water Festival”. May – Coronation Day. A public holiday where the King and Queen preside at a ceremony at Wat Phra Kaew to commemorate their 1946 coronation.(Public Holiday) Mid May – Mid June – Royal Ploughing Ceremony. To mark the official start to the rice planting season in Bangkok, the King participates in this ancient ritual. August – Queen’s Birthday. The Grand Palace is covered in coloured lights and splendid decoration can be seen throughout Bangkok. (Public Holiday) November – Loi Krathon, “Festival of Light” on a full moon night small lotus shaped baskets or boats made from banana leaves containing incense, candles, flowers and coins are floated down Thai rivers. November – Bridge Over The River Kwai Week, remembering the brave from WWII December – King;s Birthday, as with the Queen’s Birthday, lots of lights and decoration. (Public Holiday) New Years Eve – Celebrations and fireworks on display at the Central World Plaza.

Tom Yam - the famous hot and sour soup which originates from the Central region. Snacks - traditional favourites include stuffed dumpling, satay, crisp-fried noodles topped with sweet-and-spicy sauce, and spring rolls. Chilli Dips - served with vegetables, meat or fish and made with garlic, onion, shimp paste, sour tamarind Salads - Thai salads, called yam, are sour, sweet and salty and made with fiery little chillies and fresh herbs such as marsh mint, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and cilantro. Soups - usually either hot and spicy or clear and bland. The soup is served not as a first course but together with the other dishes, and can be spooned onto the plate of rice the same as the other dishes. Desserts - sticky rice with ripe mango, banana or flour dumplings in sweetened coconut cream and seasonal fruits in sugar syrups with crushed ice are favourites. Fresh fruit is always on hand to end a Thai meal. Curries - the heart of all Thai curries is the curry paste, which is made from fresh herbs and spices. The paste is cooked in coconut cream before the meat or vegetables are added. Main ingredients in most curry pastes are chilli, garlic, shallot, galangal, coriander root and krachai, the latter a small indigenous root. Silk & Cotton - A variety of gorgeous silks and cottons originate in Thailand where cloth weaving is a traditional folk craft. Varieties include silks from Northern Thailand with complicated weaving patterns and multi-coloured combinations of threads; the traditional dark blue rustic, denim-like cotton favoured by Thai farmers; the silk of southern Thailand, produced by applying traditional weaving patterns to Japanese silk plus cotton batiks and patae skirts that glow with brilliant colours. Gems & Jewellery - Thailand is rich in precious stones, with a natural abundance of rubies, sapphires, zircon, onyx, jade and opal. The country also has a long tradition of fine jewellery cutting and making. Local cutting, design and manufacturing skills ensure a fine range of quality items with a wide choice of prices. Kanchanaburi and Chanthaburi are both well-known gemstones mining areas, while Bangkok is the major manufacturing centre, where experts converge to judge, grade, buy and sell. Pearls - Cultured pearl production mimics the natural process to produce pearls of guaranteed quality. Gold - Gold has been used primarily in temples and palaces, as golden Buddha images, jewellery, royal insignia and decorations. Buddha images are decorated with gold leaf and gold is used to enhance modern jewellery. Shadow Play Puppets - The hand-made nang talung shadow play in southern Thailand features distinctive puppets with moving parts, while the classic nang yai shadow play associated with the royal courts of Ayutthaya and Bangkok features larger pieces which have no moving either principal characters or scenes from the Thai version of the classic Ramayana. Leather Goods - A variety of leather goods are available in many beautiful designs with durable genuine leathers. Wickerwork - Rattan sedge, kok, bullrash or kra chud are also used to produce beautifully designed furniture, souvenirs, woven mats and the popular and delicate lipao vine ladies' handbags. Ceramics & Pottery - Thailand has a Chinese-influenced tradition of pottery making. Hand-painted decorative porcelain bowls, jars and spittoons are the most popular. Other styles include distinctive rust-red objects such as vases, flower pots and tiny ornamental accessories. Wood Crafts - Chiang Mai has been the commercial centre of wood crafting in northern Thailand for decades. Look out for wooden elephants and carvings featuring mythical angels, dancing figures and animals as well as the reproduction of ornamental fragments from old palaces and temples. Lacquerware - Hand-painted bamboo or wood objects with elaborate designs. Items include boxes, trays and dolls in gold and black, or yellow and green on a red-brown background. Silverware - Bowls, boxes, cigarette cases, vases are fashioned in a craft which has been practiced in southern Thailand for hundreds of years. Neilloware - objects decorated with delicately etched designs which are filled with a metal alloy to produce a smooth patterned surface in back and gold. Pewterware - Beakers, goblets, tankards and decorative figurines.

CLIMATE Generally very hot and humid, the best time to visit Thailand is from November to April. HEALTH Precautions must be taken to avoid the risk of contracting Typhoid, Cholera and Hepatitis A. There is also a risk of Malaria in certain regions. TIME DIFERENCE GMT +7 hours CURRENCY Thai Baht VISA REQUIREMENTS British passport holders do not require a visa. HOW TO GET THERE A number of airlines offer direct services to Bangkok including British Airways, Qantas, Thai Airways and Eva Air. FLYING TIME 11 hours 30 mins

Bangkok Luxury Holiday Accommodation

• The Sukhothai
• Metropolitan
• The Peninsula Bangkok
• Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
• The Eastern & Oriental Express
• Banyan Tree Bangkok
• Four Seasons Hotel, Bangkok

Bangkok Luxury Holiday Special Offers