Koh Kret

From dazzling temples to dizzying nightlife, Thailand’s capital is a dish of delicious contradictions, and one of the world’s most dizzying, fast-paced cities.

The world’s biggest weekend market is a treasure trove of antiques, handicrafts and quirky fashion by homegrown designers, and a walking buffet of Thai comfort food.

Blood, sweat, and muscled men in tiny shorts – there are few better ways to see Thailand’s national sport than a Muay Thai match at Bangkok’s Rjadamnern Boxing Stadium.

With its gleaming mega-malls and ramshackle riverside markets, Bangkok makes it dangerously easy to part with a whole lot of baht.

As the epicentre of one of the world’s most beloved cuisines, Bangkok is a superb spot to hunt down little-known dishes from all corners of the country.

Once a sombre festival to celebrate cleansing and starting afresh in the New Year, the yearly Songkran festivities have since grown into a rowdy mass water fight with little cultural value. Couples are better off escaping town, but it’s fun for solo travellers.

Tucked away in an unassuming street snaking off Ratanakosin, the little-visited Nang Loeng Market feels frozen in time. It’s a street food hotspot, especially in the early mornings – don’t miss the crispy roasted pork at Jib Ki and the traditional Thai desserts at Nanta.

A short stroll from Bangkok’s Old City sights and set within the Wat Saket temple complex, Phu Khao Thong (the Golden Mount) boasts a 58m gleaming golden chedi. Most visitors climb the 318 steps to savour the views over Bangkok, which are particularly spectacular at sunset.

This eye-popping temple, decorated in shimmering mosaics and vivid murals, is the centrepiece of the Grand Palace. It’s also home to the famous Emerald Buddha statue that stands 66cm tall and was carved from a single jade stone in the 14th century.