Our Asia Adventure 2026: Bangkok - take it from me, let a private guide handle the (good) chaos

1 day ago
12 min read

After a peaceful week in Tokyo (if you are interested, see my blog “Our Asia Adventure 2026: Tokyo off the beaten path - a big cat, more cats, historic villages, a sweet potato, and ‘fine dining’ at the 7-11”), it was time for the next leg of our adventure - Bangkok, Thailand. We were met at the airport by our GoThai shuttle driver for a safe trip to our hotel. We highly recommend this company and its counterpart GoMy (in Malaysia) for well-organized shuttles and day trips.

You know, we learn something new about travel planning with each trip we take. Generally, we search online for ‘hotels’, ‘boutique hotels’, ‘affordable hotels’, etc, in the city we are travelling to, but we are now going to add to our search ‘new hotels’. When we were in Lisbon, Portugal several years ago, we found a brand new, cutting-edge hotel for a very affordable price. Several years later, as the hotel became established and popular, the price is about four times what we paid. In Bangkok, we found the Voco Bangkok Surawong, an IHG hotel, for a very reasonable price compared to other popular chains. The hotel is two months old and simply gorgeous with the brand new smell, designer furnishings, and the most modern ‘everything’ - and not busy. I wonder what the price will be in several years when it ‘catches on’? So, travel tip - check out new hotels for possible luxury at affordable prices.

Bangkok is Thailand’s capital, and the population is about 17.5 million in the larger metropolitan area. Bangkok sits in central Thailand around the Chao Phraya River and, yes, it is hot, very hot. Its history dates back to the 15th century. It started out as a trading post and remains the economic and political centre of Thailand. Being that old, Bangkok has plenty of history attached that you can research if you choose.

On our first day in Bangkok, we purposefully chose to do nothing but get used to the heat (and good chaos), so we wandered slowly around our hotel neighbourhood which had no shortage of 7-11’s, cafes, hotels, food stands, and massage parlours. This might sound a little sketchy, but not at all. For instance, we found a completely modern grocery store between massage parlours and drinking establishments. This is life on Surawong Road, and maybe in all of Bangkok, which has been described as “a mix of sensory overload and cultural charm”, an eclectic mixture of business, banks, markets, and service industry living side by side.

For interest, here’s a few internet stats from Bangkok: there are over 6,500 (yes, that is 6,500) 7-11 stores, one every 167 metres; there are over 4 million registered motorbikes, the primary mode of transportation; there are about 70 authentic registered massage parlours; there are over 9.7 million registered vehicles (motorcycles and cars) which is eight times what the road system can handle, putting Bangkok in the top three most congested cities in the world. I can’t say that these stats are 100% correct, but from our experience, they are pretty darn close.

Did I say it was hot? Fortunately, there is no shortage of what I call ‘foofy’ drinks at very reasonable prices.

If there is ever a city to hire a private guide, I would say it is Bangkok. Through an internet search, we found Mr. Chob’s private company which receives five-star ratings across the board. We had thorough communication with him, and he assigned Mr. George to be our private guide for the rest of the week.

*I try to be accurate with information, but always do your own research. It’s hard to narrow down information in another language!*

Day 1 was what they call the “Must See Itinerary” for an introduction to Thailand ‘s architecture, culture, and tradition. (An important fact to know about Thailand is that 90% of the population has some degree of adherence to the Buddhist teachings. Thus, there are references to Buddha everywhere.)

We started the day at the Royal Grand Palace and the Royal Temple. We were flabbergasted at the extravagance and opulence and excessiveness of this complex. The palace and temple sit on 218,400 square metres of land. To be honest, the size, the colours, the architecture, and the structures were mind-boggling. I encourage you to read about this palace and temple at a site such as https://www.emerald-buddha.com/grand-palace-history. Construction began in 1782 and the palace housed the royal family (“Rama”) of Siam (which is now Thailand) until 1925. Without Mr. George skilfully steering us through the crowds, we would have been lost and overwhelmed. So, I am just going to provide a collage of photos but I will point out the intricacy of every monument and the use of tiles, gold leaf, glass, and semi precious stones to construct magnificent buildings and monuments.

The date we visited happened to be a very special day in Thailand. It was a religious holiday for people committed to Buddhist principles. As well, the body of the King’s mother is lying in state at the Grand Palace for a year after her passing in October 2025, and people can pay respects at certain times. Finally, it was the day of The Emerald Buddha Seasonal Costume Changing which is overseen by the king, so the grounds were closing at noon, and workers were polishing the brass. (The clothing is changed three times a year to mark the beginning of summer, the rainy season, and winter. Only the king or his representative is allowed to touch the statue during the clothing change.)

With our heads shaking in wonderment from the Grand Palace, Mr. George then guided us to the nearby Chao Phraya River where we boarded a private long boat for a cruise down the river and ‘khlongs’ (canals), passing all manor of houses (some poor, some opulent), temples, and cafes. We marvelled at the skill of the long boat ‘drivers’ as they manoeuvred the waterway and boat traffic. This was a delightful, refreshing respite from the heat and bustle. One of the major temples we passed was Wat Paknam or Big Buddha who stands 69 metres tall (envision the height of a 20-story building) and is the largest Buddha statue in Bangkok. We also passed Wat Arun, known as The Temple of Dawn, one of Bangkok’s most stunning landmarks where the early morning sun gives it a pearly glow. But there are over 400 temples in Bangkok, and you just can’t tour them all in a four day visit.

Bangkok’s largest, 69 metre, Buddha.

The Temple of Dawn:

Our long boat pulled up outside Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha). This temple is one of the oldest and largest in Bangkok and remains a centre for Traditional Thai Medicine and Thai Massage. The temple is famous for the Reclining Buddha which is 46 metres long and 15 metres high and is one of the largest Buddha statues in Thailand. It represents the entry of Buddha into Nirvana. The photo ops were exquisite with so many unique angles. Note that the Buddha’s toes are even instead of slanted. This is to symbolize balance and stability.

Aside from the Reclining Buddha, the temple contains over 1,000 images of Buddha. The ground contains large and and small ’chedis’, a Buddhist bell-shaped monument for sacred relics), halls, gardens, and small statues, many relating to the practice of traditional medicine, yoga, and massage.

By this point, hot and tired, it was time for lunch. Mr. George lead us to a local Thai cafe where we sat outside in the street with the locals and enjoyed Mr. George’s choice of food for us. Mama was doing all the cooking, speedy and efficient as she has probably been doing for many years.

Our final stop of the day was Pak Klong Talan, the flower and vegetable market where Mr. George pointed out vegetables and flowers foreign to us. This is the most important market in Bangkok as it sells wholesale to venders, markets, restaurants, and hotels. The sights and smells were intoxicating. Here are just a few photos for the senses.

If Day 1 was intriguing and somewhat overwhelming, Day 2 was a day we will never forget. They call it the “Floating Market and Bangkok Walking Tour (local lifestyle)”. Mr. George and his driver picked us up at 7:00 for the hour drive to the Maeklong Railway Market at Samut Songkhram. It is known as the “life risking” market as vendors sell their wares right along the tracks and pull up the awnings and their goods as soon as the train is announced. The train passes eight times a day, and the vendors return to their sales immediately after the train has passed. (Sometimes you just have to take tourist photos, but it is a legitimate local train.)

The surrounding market is a haven for fresh seafood, fruit, and snacks. Mr. George told us it was less expensive than some tourist markets. Despite the fact that the train track market is visited by hoards of tourists daily, it remains a local market.

Of course, the early start and the visit to the train market made it about time for coffee and a snack, and my snack-finding instincts served us well with a roasted banana on a stick and Americano. If you have never tried roasted banana on a stick . . . .

We were then in for an even more special treat. After a short, 20 minute drive, we boarded our private long boat for a cruise down the canal to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market where sellers ply their goods either on boats while maneuvering the canal or at small stores and cafes bordering the water. This was an amazing sight, with row boats, motor boats, and sellers’ boats all battling for space on the waterway.

My favourite part of the floating market, though, was when Mr. George lead us on a walk along the canal which was lined with houses and plants and flowers and vegetables and lots of herbs. It was quiet and serene. He explained that only the older folk were home as the rest of the people were working on the canal market. One older lady proudly and kindly invited us in to see her humble, immaculate little house and sweet cat. I love how she is looking at the cat and me with such pride and adoration. There was not another tourist in sight - that’s why you hire a local private guide.

Mr. George had a good ‘line’ about this basket. He said it was the first “online food delivery”. If someone wanted something, like a bottle of beer, from the little store across the canal, they would put the money in the basket and send it across the canal like a clothesline to be returned with the bottle of beer.

It was an hour and a half drive back to Bangkok. Mr. George took us for lunch at a local Thai Restaurant in the Old Siam Plaza for possibly one of the best (albeit a bit spicy-hot) meals in my life.

The Old Siam Plaza is known for Thai silk shops, gold jewellery shops, and a dessert market (yes, a dessert market). I would have liked to spend more time wandering the market but we, of course, did take a moment to sample a traditional delicacy.

Our last big stop of the day was a visit to Wat Traimit, the world’s largest solid gold Buddha statue. The Buddha sits on the top floor of the temple under an elaborate gold ceiling. It is said to be comprised of 85% gold and weighs five and a half tons. It has a good story attached in that it spent many years hidden under a plaster and stucco coating to keep it from being stolen. When it was cracked during a fall in 1955, the gold was revealed, and the statue is now a popular sight for visitors. I would have liked to have more time to explore the museum that tells the history of the Buddha statue and also the museum that tells the history of Bangkok’s Chinese community, both contained in the temple building. Always save something for ‘next time’, I say.

We ended the day with a brief walk around the side streets of Bangkok’s Chinatown, a conglomeration of shop after shop selling any manner of trinkets or clothes on a narrow street packed with people, motorcycles, and food stands. Retro Vespas seemed to be the fashion.

Day 3 is called the “UNESCO Ayutthaya Tour” which took us some 70 kilometres north of Bangkok to Ayutthaya, the former Siam capital, which originally dated to the 14th century and was built on an island created by the joining of major rivers, the Chao Phraya and Pa Sak. It once was one of the world’s largest cities but was destroyed by the Burmese Army in 1767, and the present city of Ayutthaya sits to the east. The historic ruins have been preserved on the island as a UNESCO site, the Ayutthaya Historical Park. A good, brief, overview of the park is ‘Ayutthaya, the capital of Siam’ by Mundo Nomada Travel at inthailand.travel; and with any culture centuries of years old, there is much fascinating history online, if you are interested.

Our first stop was the Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon temple (or the Great Monastery of Auspicious Victory) and the white reclining Buddha. The grounds remain a working monastery. The huge bell-shaped ‘chedi’ temple might be the centrepiece of Ayutthaya. It is surrounded by Buddha statues. The temple and grounds are truly magnificent.

The ordination hall:

The ordination hall is guarded by the five headed serpent (Naga) for protection, energy, and spiritual consciousness.

The altar inside the hall was particularly beautiful with a picture of the King’s deceased mother. Her picture was all over Bangkok as the mourning and memorial continues for the year.

The doors to the inner hall were ornate:

The white reclining Buddha east of the temple was remodelled in 1965 after being illegally excavated. The head points north with the face towards the east.

Our second stop was the Wat Mahathat ruins, one of the first temples to be built and which once was home to the Supreme Patriarch who is the top of the Thai Buddhist hierarchy. Besides being a beautiful ruin with amazing photo angles, one of the ‘tourist draws’ is the Buddhist head that was ‘eaten’ by tree roots but continued to show the Buddha’s face.

Our third stop was Wat Ratcha Burana which is known for the ‘prang’, a Khmer-style tower considered to be one of the most beautiful still standing in Ayutthaya. It has a very interesting history as, after the death of the king at the time, two of his sons killed each other as they disputed who would be the next king, and the third son constructed the temple in memory of the deceased family. (And you think you have family drama?) We were able to climb to the top chamber which is now overridden by bats, and the ammonia-like smell of bat feces was rancid. The outside of the tower is decorated with protective sculptures.

These tour days are so well-arranged, it was as if the company knew exactly when we would be exhausted from the heat and new information, and it was now time for a private long boat cruise on the river surrounding the entire historic island of Ayutthaya which was a great opportunity not only to see the diversity (and opposites) of life in Thailand but to see these historic sites from afar. It was also interesting to see little tug boats towing huge rice barges down the river.

And, of course, it was time for lunch and, once again, Mr. George did not disappoint with his selection of dishes from an authentic Thai cafe on the river.

Our final stop of our Ayutthaya tour was Wat Phrasisanpeth which was originally situated on the grounds of the royal palace. The focal point is the three ‘stupas’ which contained ashes of the kings. Interestingly, the three ‘stupas’ are not altogether original - Mr. George explained that they have been restored from a ruined state (and we noted that some steps appears to be poured concrete). Beautiful, all the same.

That concluded our UNESCO Ayutthaya Tour. As with everything we have seen in the Bangkok area, you could spend hours here, especially if you are a history buff.

And that concludes our tour with Mr. Chob’s tour company and our smart and kind leader Mr. George who just had to pet every cat and dog along the way. Mr. George was accompanied by our driver who was definitely a professional manouvering amidst NASCAR-like conditions. I noticed that Mr. Chob also arranges all-inclusive day-long tours of Thailand, and we would have no hesitation hiring this excellent company given what we experienced in our three days in Bangkok.

So, yes, Bangkok is hot, humid, busy, congested, eclectic and could be overwhelming; but it is also historic, intriguing, and magnificent and is completely manageable and not stressful if you hire a private guide to do all the work.

And one last note, the City of Bangkok has taken steps to provide areas of respite. They invested 900 million baht (almost $40,000,000) in parks and green spaces between 2020 and 2025 to make Bangkok one of Asia’s most connected green spaces. During our first day walk, we landed upon one of the largest near our hotel, the half a million square metre Lumpini Park. This is a large green space with flowers, playgrounds, a lake, outdoor gym equipment, a public library, and 30 species of birds. We were somewhat fascinated by the Water Monitors that were crawling out of the lake, lounging on the shore, and slowly waddling their way across roads. Water Monitors are carnivores, native to SE Asia, one of the largest lizards on the planet, excellent swimmers, and can climb trees skilfully. They really blend in with the foliage, so I was stepping carefully.