MUANG BORAN (The Ancient City)
An open air museum spanning 350 acres laid out to resemble the country of Thailand itself. Landmarks are constructed in 3/4 size. Whether you opt to join a group or embark on a self-guided tour, the expansive grounds are a living history experience in which you’ll find reproductions of temples, houses, castles, and early cities as well as crafts people and performers doing demonstrations of folk art, performing dances and songs, and introducing visitors to a typical day in the lives of their Thai ancestors.
THE GRAND PALACE
Perhaps the most popular and most photographed spot in the city…and with good reason. Built over the course of three years at the end of the 18th century by King Rama I, it is the official residence of the current monarchy. This is also where you will see the temple of Wat Pra Kaeo housing the 15th century Emerald Buddha whose robes are rotated three times a year by the king himself. The king, in fact, is the only person allowed to touch the statue.
WAT PHO - The Reclining Buddha
In an uncharacteristic pose, the Reclining Buddha is covered in gold leaf and faces his viewers, propped up on one elbow with the back of his head resting on his hand and in blissful expression. Measuring a little over150 feet long, the soles of his feet are meticulously inlaid with mother of pearl. Wat Pho is the largest and oldest temples in the city of Bangkok. It also has the distinction of being the country’s first university as well as the most popular place in the world to learn the art and techniques of Thai massage.
THE KLONGS
Life on the rivers of Thailand has changed very little with the passage of centuries. Entire communities conduct trade by boat, subsist on fish and snakes caught in the coffee-colored canals, and participate in tourism by offering their boats for hire at the docks near the River City shopping complex and at the pier by the Grand Palace. The Klongs, as they are called, are a glimpse at life in the slow lane of Bangkok. Multiple generations live on the sampans and use the waters for their bathing, swimming, and laundry. In contrast to the extreme poverty, however, is the proliferation of bright colors found in the flowers that the boat people use to decorate their habitats and their boats.
WAT SUTAT
The temple of Wat Sutat is interesting for its connection to an unusual ceremony designed to show appreciation to the gods for a bountiful rice harvest. A giant teak swing, erected just outside the temple entrance, was ridden by daring young men who would not only see how high they could go but also try to catch bags of coins with their teeth. Suffice it to say, a number of these zealous thrill seekers fell to their deaths every season, a circumstance that finally prompted the city to put an end to it in 1932. All that remains of this “swing time” is the teak arch.
THE HOUSE THAT JIM THOMPSON BUILT
In March of 1967, an American architect and CIA operative named Jim Thompson disappeared without a trace in the Cameroon region of Malaysia. His teak house, however, very much puts forth the suggestion that he has only stepped out for lunch and will be returning at any moment. Thompson’s claim to fame was his passion to reinvigorate the Thai silk industry and encourage merchants to beat a path to Bangkok’s door for hand-woven goods. The house itself is noteworthy in that it is actually a combination of six smaller dwellings that were transported from outside Bangkok and reassembled along one of its canals. Thompson’s reputation as an art connoisseur is reflected in an impressive collection of Asian art and sculpture throughout his former home and landscaped gardens.
BANGKOK NATIONAL MUSEUM
If your visit to Muang Boran whet your appetite for Thai art and archaeology, the city’s National Museum is a place you won’t want to miss. Open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 until 4, the museum offers a mix of artifacts from the private collections of early rulers as well as rotating regional exhibits. A large variety of rooms and separate pavilions in what is Southeast Asia’s largest museum complex will enhance your knowledge of Thailand’s social, religious and political structure. Of particular note is the museum’s collection of chariots still used to this day to transport deceased members of the royal family to the crematorium.
A DAY AT THE PARK - (Walking distance to the Sukhothai)
Outdoor enthusiasts will find it hard to tear themselves away from Bangkok’s Lumpini Park. Jogging paths, bicycle roads, picnic and chess tables, Tai Chi classes, plenty of shade trees, weight-lifting, and rowboats for rent on its pair of lakes offer plenty to do and all the time in the world to do it. Lumpini is also known for its concerts and art shows in the park and year round festivals. And if you should finish that book you were reading while your kids were playing Frisbee, there is even an onsite library where you can go find something new.
Nearby also is the snake farm where parents will muse and children will enjoy.
THE ROYAL ELEPHANT MUSEUM
Revered for their strength and their intelligence, elephants are not only used to move the trees that are used for construction but have been employed in the more perilous task of removing debris wrought by catastrophes such as the recent tsunami and helping to locate the victims buried beneath. The Royal Elephant Museum located within the Parliament compound is a video and artifact testament to the value of the largest land animal and to the beliefs surrounding its participation in religious ceremonies.
VIMANMEK MANSION
Although it is no longer a royal residence, Vimanek Mansion continues to be used for state receptions and banquets. Entirely made from teak—one of Southeast Asia’s most precious exports— it is filled with photographs, artwork, furniture, and personal memorabilia hailing from the 19th century reign of one of its late kings. It also goes without saying that your kids probably won’t be the only ones to wonder if anyone was ever tempted to slide down that long teak banister! A stroll on its grounds just before dusk is a photo memory you’ll want to carry home.
