Bangkok Street Food in Photos

Perhaps one of the greatest pleasure of exploring Bangkok is enjoying the amazing food on offer. Famous around the world, there is nothing quite like the Thai food experience in Bangkok itself. While an emerging middle class has led to an influx of new, experimental restaurants, my favorite foods aren’t found on menus, but on the streets of the city itself. Walk a few blocks in any direction and you will begin to notice small stands, often marked with an umbrella to keep out the afternoon sun, offering simple but delicious meals on the go. Language knows no boundaries when it comes to food and while I may not know the name of what I order, I do know it’s delicious. Chicken, fresh vegetables and a unique assortment of spices all come together to form mouth-watering harmony. If a full meal isn’t of interest, snacks are just as easy to find. My favorite snack is a bag of freshly chopped pineapple, served with a skewer to help avoid making a mess. The best part of enjoying these delicacies? The price. Not only is the street food in Bangkok delicious, but it’s cheap and affordable for even the most slim of budgets.

Walking down the streets of Bangkok lends a cacophony of sounds and experiences for your senses; the smells, the colors, the sights. The sheer nature of everything feeling foreign, is why you travel to Bangkok: to get out of your 'normal' and wander through these streets that allow you to drift in to another place altogether, and be absorbed by it. Bangkok's street food is utterly characteristic of this place: colorful, fragrant, unusual and delicious. Stop in at any stall or small restaurant/store: they are sprinkled and lined up everywhere throughout the city, with some things that are recognizable and sweet, like coconut ice cream and the durian fruit that is repulsive to smell but has the familiar taste of Juicy Fruit gum, to vendors selling scorpions on a stick and unrecognizable delicacies.

When I travel to a new place, I like to get my basic bearings on a map - then, it's time to put the map away and just wander. I spent three days in Bangkok, the second stop on my recent journey with the Azamara Quest, most of which I spent ducking in to tiny alleyways, perusing markets filled with handicrafts and local food, and hopping on and off of Tuk Tuks to navigate this canal-filled, sprawling city. Within 10 minutes of leaving the touristy area of the Grand Palace and heading west towards the Chao Phraya River that splits Bangkok in half, I wandered through some alleyways that led me in to the Rattanakosin District, filled with the 10 ft. Buddha statues that this area produces. The alleyways were quiet and housed hundreds of these golden statues; I popped my head into various shops and received warm smiles from the Thai people who were meticulously painting and crafting these shrines.

You can find street vendors with their own special mix of yadong on the streets of Bangkok. This alcohol is mixed with Thai herbs and tastes somewhat like tequila. They chase it with some sour mango dipped in chili salt. An enjoyable treat!

I was on my way to dinner by cab and saw this strange street art outside the window. I speak English and math, but very little Thai.

Great to see in the morning, take a tour to see the train go through the center of the market and then purchase some great fruits and Thai treats.

Evening in China town

Few things beat the steaming noodle soups available from street carts along the roads of Thailand. With fish and chicken balls, flash cooked noodles and local veggies, I ate this meal three times a day. Be sure to add chili, vinegar peppers, fish sauce and sugar. To me, this soup represents all the tastes and colors of Thailand. Mix up the toppings and noodle choices to avoid monotony. Either way you do it, this bowl of soup will be absolutely delicious!

In Bangkok, fruit vendors can be found on just about every corner. While the pineapples and mangoes are certainly quite tasty, I was in the mood for something different this night. So I scored some jackfruit for 20 baht. These guys are posting up on Soi 11 in the Ratchathewi district of Bangkok.

To put it simply, Bangkok is really, really hot all the time. One of the way locals stay as cool as possible is to indulge in some tasty, fresh street-side drinks. Iced coffee is perhaps the most popular choice--probably because it's tough to resist that ridiculous jolt of sugar. But, if I had to choose, I'd go fruit juice every time. Pomegranate juice is certainly available, but relatively hard to come by. Fresh-squeezed OJ, on the other hand, is available on just about every sweet corner and is the perfect antidote to the unbearable heat. I particularly loved how this girl's mask brilliantly matched her tasty wares.

Okay donut holes are the closest American food item that I can compare this stuff too. It's honestly ten times better/completely different AND better. Walking around, you'll see street vendors deep frying these "turtle eggs" and they may not look like much but MAN! Sweetened with condensed milk, chewy with a light crisp texture. Where can I find these again?!

A visit to Chatachuk Market on the weekend in Bangkok is well worth it, reportedly the largest market in the world with 9,000+ stalls selling everything you could possibly imagine, and there's even a DHL right there, so you can ship whatever you buy home. And just when you can't make it down one more aisle of shops, it hits you - Cafe Ice. Tucked in Section 7 of the market, the food here is wonderful, the service friendly and the smoothies, well, hot and humid Bangkok doesn't have a chance. For under $10, you can have a full and tasty lunch, and rest your feet for another assault on the market.

Best thing to do in any foreign city... check out the grocery store... this particular shop just off Ko San Road in Thailand's Bangkok, had all sorts of awesomely disgusting looking treats!

About my friend Nancy Chandler. If anyone knows what to do in Bangkok, it’s her. A co-worker tipped me off to Nancy’s intricately detailed, hand-drawn maps the last time I visited. Not only does Nancy identify and index every nook, cranny and alley in this city, but she also provides useful, firsthand advice on transportation, shopping, eating and entertainment. Her guide is not just a resource – it’s a companion – and I couldn’t imagine navigating Bangkok without it. Luang Prabang & Bangkok trip report: http://bit.ly/17Q0Cup

Bangkok. Home of every vice or want you could desire. After arriving to Banglamphu and finding a hotel after a long search through sign after sign of “No Vacancy” and “Full” (with a mattress that was about as comfortable as a dining room table), I headed out to explore the notorious Khao San road and surrounding area. Sensory overload. Life on Khao San starts when the sun goes down and does not stop until the last dregs of the large tourist community head home in the early hours of the morning. You pass tourist after tourist. Thais surround you with their roaming food carts, in clothing stalls, or offering bracelets or tuk-tuks or ping pong shows. If you can get used to the music, the lights, and the crowds, your attention will immediately be drawn to the vast amounts of carted street food that cram into every corner. There is fresh fish, grilled fish, dried fish, smoked fish. There are noodle carts where you can get some of the best pad thai for under $1US. There are banana pancakes, pastries, ice cream, and fresh fruit carts that make a darn good fruit smoothie. There are noodle soups with vegetables, beef, and pork balls. There are dumplings, meat satay, and spring rolls. And the cart I dare not approach – the scorpion, grasshopper, larvae, creepy crawly cart. Kabob carts can also occasionally be found if you want to switch up tastes and textures. The smells and sights are amazing. Bangkok will steal all of my money make me a fat kid for sure.

If there is one thing Bangkok isn’t short of it is places to get a massage. While some of these venues may err on the naughty side, most are completely above board and do a mean line in nuat phaen thai, or Thai-style massage. Regarded as one of the most distinct styles of massage therapy, nuat phaen thai has been influenced by the traditional medicine systems of India, China and Southeast Asia, as well as by yoga. Claimed benefits are many and include relief from ailments ranging from asthma and migraines to strains, bruises and anxiety. There are hundreds, perhaps, thousands of places to get a decent massage in the Thai capital but for high-end stretching you might want to consider Thann Sanctuary, the award-winning spa extension of the Thai-based wellness provider.

Arguably Thailand's most famous dish, this hot and sour soup is packed with shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes, lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves. The healthy version, tom yum gung nam sai, comes without coconut cream. The more indulgent one (tom yum gung nam kohn) is loaded with the good stuff. Photo by Matt@PEK/Flickr.

A rich, sweet curry with strong hints of peanut, cinnamon and nutmeg, Massaman originated in Southern Thailand, probably through contact with Arab traders. Its Muslim origins mean that it is commonly made with beef. However, chicken, tofu and duck versions are also popular. There are countless great versions of the dish to be found around the country. A particularly fine take can be enjoyed at Baa Ga Din in Bangkok where Thai street food is taken to a higher level by the team behind Le Du, one of the city's top restaurants.

The heady smell of chicken being grilled can be enjoyed all over Bangkok and some of the best gai yang is served up at street-side stands. For the full experience, enjoy with some tangy som tam (papaya salad) and sticky rice. Photo by Arnold Gatilao/Flickr.

Essentially just braised pork served with rice, kao ka moo transcends its prosaic nature by dint of it sheer deliciousness. A pig is boiled for hours in a sweet soy sauce base and the result is an alchemy of juicy, fatty, unctuousness. To locate the dish look out for the soy-sauce stained pig legs sitting openly in large metal pans. Photo by Charles Haynes/Flickr.

One of the two most popular dishes from Thailand's north-eastern Isaan region (the other one is som tam), larb is a refreshing salad of minced pork and liver dressed with lime juice, fish sauce, onions and chilli. Toasted rice, meanwhile, adds some extra crunch. Photo by Jessica Spengler/Flickr.

One of Thailand's great lunch dishes, this Chinese-influenced concoction of wide rice noodles wok-fried with garlic, meat and broccoli and dark soy sauce offers tasty ballast for the rest of the day. A scrambled egg adds a dash of extra protein while chili flakes, vinegar and sugar are also favored extra additions. Photo by Kristen Taylor/Flickr.

If Thailand's desserts don't transcend to the same level as the country's savory options, perhaps it is is because they are overshadowed by this wonder of simplicity. Sweet, ripe mango is placed lovingly on a bed of sticky rice then drizzled with some coconut cream. The dish is ubiquitous and deservedly so. Photo by Eric Molina/Flickr.

So inseparable is pad Thai to westerners' notion of Thai cuisine that it surprising that it only sprang to widespread popularity in the 1940s when it was promoted by the country's then government as its nominal national dish. Whatever its history, the concoction of rice noodles fried with egg, tofu, shrimp, tamarind pulp and topped with peanuts and beansprouts is fully deserving of its current popularity. Photo by Winfried Mosler/Flickr.

Along with its close counterpart Gang Phet (red curry), this soup-like curry made from green chilies has become synonymous with Thai cuisine. Packed with a variety of ingredients that include galangal, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, the coconut milk based concoction is a rich and fragrant treat. Photo by Krista/Flickr.

The humble little dish that conquered the world, som tam remains one of Bangkok's most popular street food dishes. Many versions are available but the base is always garlic and chili to which shredded green papaya, tamarind juice, lime juice, peanuts, tomatoes, dried shrimp, string beans and sugar cane paste are added. Photo by Neajjean/Flickr.

I love coconut water, and of course the best way to have it is straight out of the coco. Whats better? Cocos with orchids. These were a refreshing (and hydrating) delight while wandering the streets of Bangkok.

Locals would come out and start kneading dough for some sort of pastry at 5 AM. I found out about this when I arrived from Nong Khai to Bangkok's train station the day before New Years.

In Thailand’s capital two worlds coexist: a bustling, contemporary metropolis and a more traditional Bangkok, which can be experienced in its incense-scented temples and many floating markets. On the city’s canals, life unfolds in the markets as it has for centuries, as merchants sell produce and fish, and juices and noodles from their boats. Order some dumplings from a passing boat, and then float through the scene. Note that Bangkok has two cruise terminals. The one for larger ships, Laem Chabang, is about two hours from the capital. Another for smaller ships, including Azamara Club Cruises®’, Khlong Toei, is in the city itself.

Splurge on an indulgent dinner 59 storeys above the streets of Bangkok at the open-air Vertigo Restaurant and Moon Bar.

Our Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam journey offers up fascinating frozen-in-time scenes like farmers bringing crops to market along the Mekong River, a historic and culturally rich waterway. Even in the bustling city of Bangkok, a canal ride in a Thai longtail boat gives travelers a sense of everyday life in an urban village. Traveling like a local along the waterways and byways of these Southeast Asian countries opens the door to many fascinating discoveries.

Thailand is truly a street food country. There is not one street corner or large public space that doesn't offer you some kind of street food. Life in Thailand revolves around street food with many Thai people eating street food as one or more of their daily meals. For the foreigner in Thailand, street food might come off as intimidating. While a majority of the food on the streets is likely safe for you to eat, you should keep in mind that sanitation conditions aren't the same as back at home. Depending on the person making it, you might have a problem explaining any food allergies you might have as well. Having said that, experiencing street food in Thailand is more often than not safe, and is a great way to get into the local culture. For the most part, street food vendors offer one food item, sometimes they'll have a few variations, however variety is rare at each street food vendor. Because of this you'll often find street food vendors in groups each offering something different. This can be a great way to sample different dishes in a group. Often what you see is what you get, so don't be afraid to watch them cook other people's food, to get an idea of what to expect. Many street vendors also offer a few low tables to eat at. At busy times, at popular vendors, these seats can fill up fast. The seats are nothing fancy, but will allow you to take in the local atmosphere while eating dinner. In some cases, when vendors clump together, you'll find that they have almost a mall food court situation for dinning. This can be a great way to relax and maybe meet a few locals.