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Staircase inside of the second floor of the Erawan Museum in Bangkok, Thailand. The Erawan Museum is located in Samut Prakan Province (on the outskirts of Bangkok) and was built by Lek Viriyaphant, an eccentric Thai millionaire who was also responsible for the construction of The Ancient City (also in Samut Prakan) and the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya. The building is a syncretic blend of traditional Thai and European architecture and design elements and is incredibly psychedelic--it’s like a church dedicated to the worship of one man’s subconscious. The museum’s three separate floors symbolize the universe and are designed in accordance with the three-tiered cosmology of the Hindu-Thai Buddhist concept of Tribhumi. The structure is topped by a massive 20-meter high statue of a three-headed elephant outside and many Thais come to worship on the grounds of the museum as they view the building as one of the most revered objects in the province. Not to be missed.

To first-timers, the idea of negotiating the heat, congestion, and frequently homicidal motorists of Bangkok by bike may seem foolhardy. However, the city’s pancake-flat topography and multitude of quiet, traffic-free sois (side streets) make exploration by pedal-power one of the most rewarding ways to experience the Thai capital. Numerous bicycle tour agencies can guide you through the back routes of urban Bangkok. However, if you’d rather go it alone the best place to make for is Bang Kachao. Accessible by a boat across the Chao Phraya River from a little terminal next to Wat Klong Toey temple, this vast green lung is veined with raised cement pathways through the jungle. Bikes are available for hire at the boat jetty.