Bangkok attractions

Over 8,000 market stalls in this sprawling shopper’s paradise offer everything from bargain-rate handbags to gardening tools, to antiques and boiled chicken feet. You can even buy a lizard, cat or tortoise! Chatuchak Weekend Market has reached landmark status as a must-see Bangkok highlight, so clear your Sunday diary, put on your comfiest walking shoes (or just buy another pair there) and get ready to barter like a pro.

Take a canal-side stroll, or board a boat and try to ignore the pungent smell of stagnant water - it’s all part of the charm in what’s called The Venice of the East. This ramshackle network of criss-crossing waterways has been thriving for hundreds of years. Ancient bridges, even more ancient market sellers, crooked houses and the fumes from waterside cooking all add up to a feast for the senses along Bangkok’s Khlongs and canals.

The former capital of Thailand glitters with colorful Thai architecture and unmistakably European influences. Taking a guided tour is highly recommended if you want the full details on Ayutthaya’s rich (literally) and royal history. The full day tour around its cool crumbling temples includes a swanky private vehicle, a buffet lunch and a trip back to Bangkok by boat, along the Chao Phraya River.

Housing the art collection of American businessman and architect Jim Thompson, this intricately detailed property will also teach you about the man who single-handedly saved Thailand's silk industry - that’s quite a feat! Thompson disappeared mysteriously in 1967, but his influence on the nation is not forgotten. Witness the mercurial entrepreneur’s Thai treasures and artworks, and get the inside scoop on a tour.