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In a city where gold-spired temples are much more ubiquitous than green space, Lumphini Park is a veritable oasis in the heart of Bangkok. Established by King Rama VI in the 1920s and completed after his death, the 142-acre chunk of tropical greenery is a treasured spot. One of the few parks of any size in central Bangkok, Lumphini is well used: In the morning, tai chi practicers arrive, while in the early evening, joggers monopolize the main path that runs around its perimeter. Even so, there’s ample room to get away from the crowds here. More than 30 species of birds flit among the park’s giant trees, and monitor lizards and turtles inhabit its waterways. Other attractions within the park include a public library, a youth sports center, and swan paddleboats in the man-made lake.

Experience the khlongs, or canals, of the “Venice of the East” on a longtail boat and you’ll get a special look into the heart of Bangkok. Most of Bangkok’s waterways were dug in the 18th and 19th centuries, and while some have been filled in and paved over, there are still an amazing number to explore. Several of them, such as Khlong Saen Saeb, go through the center of the city, and the Khlong Bangkok Yai, on the western side of the Chao Phraya, cuts through one of the oldest parts of town. Many tours leave from the central piers on the river and are no more than a couple of hours long.

One of the most respected tailoring operations in the Thai capital, Narin Couture counts prime ministers, ambassadors and Hollywood stars among his client list. Suits and dresses – especially cocktail or formal dresses – don’t come cheap and take around two weeks to finish, but Narin’s wide range of mostly imported cashmere, cotton and wool as well as his schooling at a French fashion school makes him a premium choice for discerning dressers.

Gaa is located directly opposite Gaggan, Bangkok’s most famous eatery, which was named the best restaurant in Asia in 2017. The brains behind the venture is Garima Arora, former sous chef at Gaggan and chef de partie at Noma. A native of Mumbai, Arora doesn’t shy away from her Indian roots. They are balanced, however, by international influences, including prominent Thai flavors. As you would expect from someone with her pedigree, Arora gives full rein to her creativity throughout the tasting menus (10 or 14 courses), with dishes such as grilled pork ribs marinated with split-pea miso and served with chopped shallots, spring onions, and pomegranate seeds showcasing her talent.

Among the most loved and respected purveyors of fine antiques and Thai art is OP Place. Built in 1908, OP Place features a plethora of art galleries and shops offering a spectrum of wares ranging from Asian handicrafts to jewellery, fabrics, antiques, artworks, Thai silk and carpets. Even if you’re not in the market for antiques, the building itself deserves a visit. Neoclassic architecture and a manually operated lift add to the sense of grandeur.

Already a landmark on the Bangkok skyline, the 77-story MahaNakhon tower was designed by the Dutch firm OMA and opened at the end of 2016. The mixed-use tower encompasses the Bangkok Edition Hotel, nearly 50 floors of the super-luxury Ritz-Carlton Residences, and the MahaNakhon Observation Deck, offering tourists 360-degree views of Bangkok from its top four floors. At the base of the tower, the MahaNakhon Cube is home to markets and restaurants such as Dean & DeLuca and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon.

Over the past two centuries, the covered market at Borough, not far from London Bridge, has become one of the country’s most famous foodie spots. From Wednesday to Saturday each week hundreds of traders gather to sell homemade breads, hand-reared pork, artisan chocolate and all manner of ingredients—plus excellent coffee, fresh juices and organic wine. Plentiful samples add to the convivial vibe, and restaurants around the market’s edge provide additional sustenance for longer stops.

Chiang Mai residents tend to think that their city beats Bangkok when it comes to bohemian spirit. And the presence of occasionally experimental venues such as the North Gate Jazz Co-Op does much to strengthen that case. There’s a blissfully uncommercial freedom to this spot. The shophouse interior is crammed with musicians and patrons, while the party busts outdoors to the tables set on the sidewalk. As you might expect from the name, jazz is the order of the day here. Local and visiting instrumentalists come to play sets and to stretch out in jam sessions. The results aren’t always music to everyone’s ears, but the variety of genres encapsulates the loose, fun ethos of the place.

The unofficial world capital of massage, Bangkok has no shortage of choice venues for kneading, pummeling, and pampering. Nonetheless, some places stand out above others. A case in point is the Oasis Spa, which offers one of the most idyllic spa experiences in the Thai capital. Hidden away down a quiet soi (small street) in the Sukhumvit area, the spa’s cool white buildings have 12 treatment rooms with louvered wooden doors and are surrounded by lush greenery, lotus ponds, and water features. The meditative atmosphere is the perfect setting for a range of treatments that include signature massages, body scrubs, facials, and hydrotherapy.

Both of Waikiki’s Outrigger hotels are a good value, but this one is a little bigger and a little quieter. It’s right on the beach, just north of the main resort cluster, and though a short walk to the middle of the action, far enough to feel out of the fray. The hotel itself is a quintessential Hawaiian family resort—big and friendly, with an unmistakable good-time vibe, old-school Polynesian decor throughout, and any number of activities on offer. The pool is set back from the beach and nothing fancy (no waterslides, no swim-up bar, and up against a giant wall), but it’s large enough for a serious game of Marco Polo, and there are plenty of lounge chairs to go around. Perhaps the best reason to stay here is the beach—a fairly narrow but sparkling white strand with more elbow room than its sister beaches; the rocky bottom may have something to do with that, but it’s a good place to learn to surf and a great place to catnap in the sun. One warning: the hotel lobby may feel overly commercial to some, what with a row of gift shops and a hard-to-miss timeshare desk, but it’s easy enough to ignore, if you wish.

Opened in 1932 in the historic Royal Khmer compound, this landmark hotel was the first luxury lodging in the area, catering to well-heeled adventurers intent on visiting the storied ruins of the temples at Angkor. Everyone from Charlie Chaplin and Charles de Gaulle to Jackie O and, more recently, Angelina Jolie have slept within its dramatic, art deco walls. Just a short walk or tuk-tuk ride to central Siem Reap, the hotel, now part of the Raffles collection, features 15 acres of manicured gardens with more than 20,540 species of tropical plants, making it a relaxing oasis after a day spent exploring the temples. Following a major restoration by David Grace Designs in 2019, the 119 rooms, suites, and villas—some set in the original main building, others overlooking the garden or pool—are now a vision of French windows, hardwood floors, and marble bathrooms with Italian tiling and oversized rain showers. Some have added perks like furnished terraces, high ceilings, or four-poster beds. Elsewhere in the hotel, features like the 1929 metal-and-timber elevator, art deco black-and-white tiles, and classic conservatory have been refurbished but maintained.

The large central swimming pool is ringed by loungers, while the tucked-away spa has a sauna, Jacuzzi, and six treatment rooms for excellent, regionally inspired therapies. Both in-house and outside guests frequent the six drinking and dining options, which include the legendary Elephant Bar, the elegant Restaurant Le Grand (serving both Western and Royal Khmer cuisine), and the completely renovated Apsara Terrace, which offers a dinner-cum-cultural dance show three or five nights a week, depending on the season. The on-site gallery and boutique showcase high-quality local goods.

Head chef Bee Satongun and co-owner Jason Bailey, a husband-and-wife team, are dedicated to bringing back lost recipes and techniques of heirloom Thai cooking. Paste is one of Bangkok’s most exciting Thai restaurants, and the Michelin judges have duly noted that fact by gracing it with a star. The cuisine is based on century-old family recipes served with innovative twists and an attention to detail that make it as aesthetically pleasing as it is delicious. Signature dishes include black cod poached in duck lard and larb salad with pheasant, hog plum leaves, and edible flowers, but really everything is good.

Bangkok’s culinary scene has recently been enlivened by an influx of talented U.S. chefs who are upping creativity levels at venues around the city. One such addition is Texan Riley Sanders, the head man at Canvas. Sanders cut his teeth at restaurants in Austin and Chicago, as well as on a luxury yacht, and his globe-trotting approach to cooking is evident here. The emphasis is on local ingredients in the six- and nine-course tasting menus, which showcase modern Bangkok cuisine in a freewheeling approach. Recent menu highlights have included shrimp noodles dressed in an intense seafood sauce, and mud crab prepared with lotus root, lotus stem, swamp algae, and rice paddy herbs.

The true nature of old Bangkok can’t be sampled at its busy malls and modern shopping districts, but in enclaves such as this timeless thoroughfare in Chinatown. A narrow pedestrian lane, Trok Issaranuphap links two of the area’s main streets, Yaowarat Road and Charoen Krung Road, with Sampeng Lane, another pedestrian-only street filled with small department stores. It’s a portal to the traditional side of the city, especially for those who want to sample street food, as it is filled with stalls and vendors purveying tasty Chinese/Thai snacks and meals such as roast pork and duck and dumplings. The alley’s wet market is a great place to purchase fruit and vegetables. Other attractions include traditional-medicine shops, fortune tellers, and stalls selling assorted bric-a-brac.

Famous throughout Thailand, Nittaya is the perfect place to pick up some takeaway curry pastes for an authentic flavour of Bangkok. Located in the Banglamphu area of the city, the shop is easy to find - just follow your nose. Photo by LexnGer/Flickr.