Bangkok

Pick your base by what you're here for. Sukhumvit (around BTS Asok to Thong Lo) is the easiest all-rounder: mid-range hotels, malls, food at every price, and a BTS station always in sight. Riverside hotels cost more but put the temples, Wat Arun sunsets and river boats at your doorstep — the best pick for a short, sight-heavy trip.

Silom works well for a mix of business-district calm by day and Patpong night market by evening. Budget travellers still head to Khao San Road and nearby Banglamphu — cheap, loud and walkable to the Grand Palace, but far from any train line, so you'll depend on boats and taxis.

If it's your first visit and you're unsure, choose any hotel within a 5-minute walk of a BTS or MRT station. In Bangkok traffic, that one rule saves more holiday time than anything else.

Bangkok works well with kids — the trick is pairing outdoor mornings with air-conditioned afternoons. Safari World is the best full day from about age 3: drive-through animals plus dolphin and stunt shows that hold short attention spans. SEA LIFE Ocean World under Siam Paragon suits toddlers to about age 10, and pairing it with Madame Tussauds upstairs fills an indoor half-day — which matters more than it sounds. (KidZania Bangkok has closed permanently; skip older lists that still name it.) Skip the Grand Palace with under-5s; it's hot, crowded and strict on dress.

Stay on Sukhumvit near a BTS station (see Where to stay) — big stations have lifts, and a mall with a food court and clean washrooms is never far. Watch the traffic: hold hands at every crossing, and never put kids on motorbike taxis. Pace the day the local way — one activity in the morning, pool from 1 to 4 pm, then a night market once the heat drops.

Ayutthaya is the best history day trip from Bangkok. The ruined temples of Siam's old capital sit about 80 km north — around 1.5 to 2 hours by road. Guided day tours with lunch start around ฿1,000-฿1,500 ($30-$45); the train is cheaper but slower and unairconditioned in the cheap seats.

The floating markets are the classic photo trip. Damnoen Saduak is the famous one, about 1.5 hours away, and very touristy — go before 9 am, before the canals jam with boats. Many tours pair it with the Maeklong Railway Market, where stall awnings fold back as a train rolls through the market itself. Fun once; skip it if you'd rather have a slow city day.

Both trips leave early, usually around 7 am. Book one, not both on back-to-back days — early starts plus Bangkok traffic tire you out fast.

November to February is the best time. Days are 30-33°C, humidity drops, and evenings are pleasant for markets and cruises. This is also peak season, so book hotels early for December and January.

March to May is very hot — 35°C plus. June to October is monsoon: short heavy showers, usually in the afternoon. The city still works fine in the rain, and hotel prices fall, so it's a fair budget option.

Use the BTS Skytrain and MRT for anything near a station. Fares run ฿16-฿50 ($0.45-$1.40) per trip, and trains skip the traffic entirely. Buy a Rabbit card if you'll ride the BTS more than a few times.

For temples by the river, take the Chao Phraya Express Boat — it's cheap and faster than a taxi at rush hour. For everything else, use Grab. Insist on the meter if you take a street taxi, and avoid tuk-tuk offers of "special tours" — that's a common tourist trap.

Bangkok stays cheap if you eat and move the way locals do. Rough guide:

• Street food meal: ฿50-฿80 ($1.50-$2.50)
• Food-court meal in a mall: ฿80-฿150 ($2.50-$4.50)
• Thai massage, 1 hour: ฿300-฿500 ($9-$15)
• BTS or MRT ride: ฿16-฿50 ($0.45-$1.40)
• Grab across town: ฿150-฿300 ($4.50-$9)
• Grand Palace entry: around ฿500 ($15)
• Mid-range hotel double: roughly ฿1,500-฿3,000 ($45-$85) per night

A comfortable mid-range day — hotel, three meals, transport and one paid sight — runs around ฿2,500-฿3,500 ($70-$100) per person. Street-food-and-hostel travellers manage on half that. The big extras are rooftop bars and shopping, which cost whatever you let them.

Bangkok is the natural base for any Thailand trip. The classic combo is Bangkok plus Pattaya — 2 hours by road, so you get beaches and shows without another flight. Give Bangkok 2-3 days and Pattaya 2.

If you have a week, fly to Phuket or Krabi for islands, or north to Chiang Mai for temples and elephants. All are about an hour's flight from Bangkok. See our full Thailand guide for route ideas.