Travel Tips - Laura Gregory in Bangkok

This newsletter sees Laura - Founder of Great Guns reporting from Bangkok (soon to covered online at LBB). A Day In BKK - Sawadee ka...I am on Sukumvit Soi 38 home to my favourite street food vendors.  I order some spicy Thai noodles and for desert some mango and sticky rice. Delicious. In Bangkok some of the finest chefs work on the street, not in the many five star hotels. Although if you feel the need for that five star service I recommend the Oriental - easily the most famous hotel in Bangkok. If it is too pricey for your wallet it is a great place to have a drink or grab a bite. An afternoon by the pool could do wonders for that jet lag.

After eating I am off to the Chatuchak weekend market for some bargain hunting. It is the largest market in Bangkok. Remember your sunscreen, your patience and your best haggling skills. Bangkok is a shopper's paradise. From your local neighbourhood street market to Suan Lum night bazaar (a good choice for a cooler shopping experience) from MBK (a crazy, big mall that has one full floor of just mobile phones! It is truly a must see) to the high end Central World Mall. Bangkok has something for all your shopping needs.

I hop on the sky train, a slick train that runs through the heart of the city. It is cheap and easy but remember: no eating or drinking on these trains as they are kept extremely clean. I make a quick stop by Lumphini Park. It feels great to be surrounded by grass and trees. Bangkok can be a little too concrete. A walk, a run, a bike or boat ride can make for a fun afternoon here.

After shopping and picking up a beautiful Thai Buddha for my brother's birthday I am feeling like a massage. There is only one place...Health Land. Cheap and great. I recommend the 2 hour Thai message.

It seems like life in Bangkok revolves around food probably because it is so good. So I am off to a fancy dinner with friends. TJ Hall, our LA director resident in Bangkok has just seen his John West clients off to the airport. TJ's been resident for six months and knows all the serious haunts like a local. He takes me to a new place called 'long table'. It has communal dining and a killer view. After dinner it is time to bar hop. It's late so we jump on a Bangkok helicopter...a motorbike taxi. Speeding through the thick Bangkok traffic (Bangkok is known for its serious traffic...ugh!) is completely dangerous but totally exhilarating! We are dropped off at Sukhumvit Soi 11 (one of the main sois for good clubs), a chill rooftop bar that overlooks the city. Just be careful it doesn't rain! I finish my Singha beer and it is off to Bed Supperclub were some cool English DJ is playing. The place is packed and the international crowd is starting to rock. We finish our whiskey (the most popular drink in Thailand) and...you guessed it...off to get something to eat. We head down to the infamous Nana, an area known for its Middle Eastern food and friendly Thai ladies. We grab some beef kebabs and, well, call it a night. We'll just leave it at that because some parts of Bangkok need to be experienced for oneself.  Sawadee ka!

Laura Gregory, Founder Great Guns writing from the Great Guns Bangkok Office