Thailand, Bangkok

http://www.bangkok-city.com has good info an Bangkok

There is an airport bus directly from the airport to Khoa San Rd. is you're planning on staying there for 100 Baht which is easy to find. There are minibuses that hotels can organise back to the airport for 80 Baht.

Definately go and see the Grand Palace, make sure you have long trousers and covered shoulders.

Wat Pho is worth a look for the huge Reclining Buddha.

Walk up to Wat Saket and The Golden Mountain for a good view over the city.

The National Museum was actually very good with a great display about Thai history.

Jim Thomson's Thai House was fairly interesting if you haven't seen other teak houses.

Take a river trip anywhere along the river. It's very cheap and you get to see real Bangkok life. It's the cheapest way to get around. There is a water taxi stand near Jim Thomson's house near Siam Square which is a quick route back to near the Golden Monutain which is a quickish walk to Khao San Road.

We found taxis to be cheaper than tuk-tuks if you use the meter.

We did a day trip to see the floating market at Samnoen Danoek, the Bridge over the River Kwai and the Tiger Temple.
The market is VERY touristy, not a local one at all. You are encouraged to pay for a boat trip around the market which is a rip off at 100 Baht for 15 mins with everyone offering to sell you things from their boats, mainly tourists stuff but also fruit which is good. You can walk around for a bit and don't have to do the boat although there is something to be said for seeing the floating market from the water - your call. The Bridge over the River Kwai is, well a bridge, we didn't go into the museum. The Tiger temple is very strange. You can go into an area in a quarry and sit next to and stroke the tigers while someone takes your picture with your camera (good photographers actually) but the tigers seam drugged and Lonely Planet says a tourist has been seriously mauled. This is not a real tiger experience and too much of a gimick. It's a long day out with lots of driving. We also didn't have a particularly good guide.

We used Welcome Travel (email: welcometravel@hotmail.com) at the entrance to the Palace Hotel who were very good, very friendly and most of all honest. We booked our flights to and from Vietnam and from Bangkok to Sydney with them.

If you're templed out go to the cinema. English language, very comfortable and with air-con! We went to Siam Square and to the EGV Cinema.

We went to Ayuthaya by day train from Bangkok. If you've sen Sukhathai or Angkor Wat you probably don't need to bother. You can get the train ticket at the main station. Rent bikes and ride around. Check the times of the trains back before you head off around the temples so you're not stuck with a long wait at the station.

Eat the food at the stalls on the road parallel to Khao San Road. Much cheaper than next door and must tastier.

If you've got shopping to do, plan to be in Bangkok over the weekend to see the Chatuchak Weekend Market. This is The Worlds Biggest Weekend Market selling practically everything under the sun, from the smallest nails, to fish to chopsticks. You can get there on the SkyTrain or the Metro.

There is a 500 Baht departure tax from Bangkok Airport for international flights.