Four Nights in Bangkok

In the 1980s, the radio blared, “One night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster.” We don’t know if that’s strictly true, but it appears Travel and Leisure Magazine thinks it is. They recently named Thailand’s largest city the best tourist destination of 2010. This is the second time in three years that the city has won the award. To top it off, another Thai city, Chiang Mai, took second place on the list, ahead of such perennial travel destinations as Paris, Rome, Florence, and New York City. Of course, whether you go to Thailand or anywhere else on your holiday, it’s a good idea to take out travel insurance. That may be especially true if you’re going to Bangkok. Here’s why:

They put the BANG in Bangkok shortly after polling ended for the world’s best travel destination. A bomb was set of in a crowded shopping center, wounding ten and killing one. The authorities aren’t saying if there was politics involved.

Student rioting has become more common in recent months in Bangkok. Whether this is tied to the grenade, no one knows (or at least no one has said.

Many people have had to cancel or change travel plans as a result of the surge in political violence. In a nutshell, make sure you have travel insurance.

With all that being said, if you still want to see what all the fuss Travel and Leisure Magazine is making over Bangkok, here are some of the best attractions there:

The Floating Market at Damnoen Saduak. Picture Venice. Now put it in Southeeast Asia. Throw in a busy marketplace, cut the canals in half, and put it on speed. Now you have the floating market. You can travel by rowboat, where you will see farmers and other vendors trading their goods brought in by boat as they have for many years. Buy a meal while you’re still sitting in your boat (we swear, the drive through window was these people’s idea originally).

Wat Pho. What for? Because Wat Pho is the Old City, where you can see the giant reclining Buddha (rub his tummy for good luck). The Old City was once a center of learning, and still retains that flavor. This part of Thailand was one of the first places in the world to offer public education. Additionally, herbalists will enjoy the College of Traditional Medicine.

Chinatown. I know, you thought that was in San Francisco. Well, Bangkok has one, too, and if you like the one in Cali, you’re going to love the one in Thailand. The Chinese have been here since the 1700s and retain their unique customs. The best time to come is during the Chinese New Year.

The Grand Palace. The home of the Thai king for over 150 years, this opulent palace makes the whole trip. If you’ve even seen The King and I, you have the general idea, but there’s nothing like seeing the real thing.

Travel Insurance 24