It may have been called the village of the wild plum trees at one time, but travellers taking cheap flights to Bangkok will more often hear it described as "the City of Angels".
This is the capital city of the Kingdom of Thailand, at once heavenly and seamy with a good dash of consumerism thrown in.
Bangkok has 400 Buddhist temples, of which the must-sees are Wat Phra Kaew (the Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in the grounds of the Grand Palace, Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha) and Wat Traimit (the Temple of Golden Buddha).
Patpong and Khao San Road are popular with backpackers wanting to kick up their heels. Patpong, cleaned up in recent years, may not be quite as infamous as it was, but it's still lively, filled with bars, clubs and the ubiquitous Irish pub.
The shopping in Bangkok is legendary too. You can go high-end in the city's designer stores or haggle at Chatuchak Market at the weekend.
To really get a flavour of the city, eat out. On the street. Thai food is freshly cooked, ready in seconds, cheap and delicious - filling a gap at any time of the day or night.
