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Few cities in the world are as exciting - or as exhausting - as Bangkok. The Thai capital is fabulous and charming one moment, and steamy, brutal, and difficult the next. Whether it be the kamikaze traffic on the roads, the 'ladyboys' lurking in the bars or the spice bombs hiding in the menus, it is a city that demands your attention.

First impressions from the expressway in from the airport are of a megapolis of skyscrapers which could be anywhere in the world, but on closer examination Bangkok becomes completely distinctive. This is not a destination where you'd spend much time in museums or galleries; life on the street and in the markets is so dense and colourful that you can spend whole days just wandering around, watching.

At the city's heart is the Chao Phraya river, a sullen slab of brown water which is carved up by a huge variety of boats; tugs pull strings of fat rice barges down the centre, foot ferries crisscross every hundred yards and chartered longtail boats charge up and down in showers of spray like brightly-coloured barracudas.

Most of the city's top tourist sights lie within a single wide bend in the river. Here, the first port of call should be Wat Phra Keow, a collection of pagodas, stupas, frescos and mosaics under arching roofs of red and gold; its small emerald buddha is of tremendous cultural significance to the nation. The Grand Palace is part of the same complex, and still used by the royal family for ceremonial occasions, but don't expect to catch the King reading the paper with his slippers on.

Just down the road is Wat Po, the city's oldest and largest temple and home of a giant reclining buddha with enormous mother-of-pearl feet. Even if you've already had enough of temples, it is worth coming here for the traditional massage halls in the temple grounds. These two large buildings are jammed with tourists and locals being bent in all directions; the air fills with the gentle gossip of the masseuses, the whirr of the fans, and the inadvertent groans from the customers - most of the time from pleasure rather than pain.

While in the old city, it is worth seeing something of the river at one of its busiest points. Spend some time on the jetty at Thatien by Wat Phra Keow watching the boats pass, and sample some of the unlikely looking foodstuffs (the deep fried locusts are delicious) in the small market here. Charter boats set off from this jetty on canal tours, providing an interesting glimpse of local living conditions, but don't expect to see much of a floating market; for that, you need to head 90 minutes out of town to Damnoen Saduak.

It's a 15 minute walk from Wat Phra Keow across the open park of Sunam Luong to Khao San Road, one of the world's most well known backpacker ghettos. This is the setting for the opening pages of Alex Garland's the Beach, and the network of small streets is a magnet for young people of all nationalities. If you want to have your hair braided, trade in your old paperbacks, check your email, and watch widescreen movies with copious supplies of beer and banana pancakes to hand, then come to Khao San Road.

The majority of the more upmarket hotels, restaurants and large American-style air conditioned shopping malls are out along Sukhumvit Road, which is really the hub of tourist Bangkok, and where most visitors will spend the majority of their time. Craft and clothing stalls line the pavements in the evenings and some of Bangkok's nightlife is focused here, particularly around Soi Nana ('soi' = side street) where the Nana Plaza is something of a landmark, with its three storeys of lurid bars, all with pumping music and giggling girls. This is either paradise or hell, depending on your point of view, but it has to be seen.

The original infamous Bangkok nightlife is back closer to the river at Patpong road, on the edge of another hotel and shopping district called Silom. Patpong was once basically just sex bars with insalubrious shows, but over recent years it has turned itself into a nightmarket of cheap and imitation branded goods, albeit with glimpses of gyrating flesh between the stalls.

The third concentration of hotels is along the riverbank to the south of the centre. Here stands the Oriental, which regularly tops the poll of the world's most luxurious places to stay, and is well worth visiting for tea on the terrace if you feel suitably dressed. The Oriental and its riverside neighbours have good views and a rather more peaceful atmosphere than the hotels in Sukhumvit road - and with Bangkok, you might need a bit of peace and quiet occasionally.

Day Trips

- Get an impression of Thailand's central plains with a day trip to Ayutthya, the ancient capital, a couple of hours from Bangkok. This was once a majestic city with three palaces and 40-odd temples. A lot remains, and you really need to go with a guided tour for it to make sense.
- You need to make an early start to catch the Floating Market at Damnoen Saduak. These days the tourist boats outnumber the market traders, but it is still very visual, and worth the trip if you are a photographer.
- The Bridge over the River Kwai at Kanchanaburi was originally assembled by Allied prisoners in the Second World War, under the supervision of the Japanese. A staggering 16,000 of them died while making the railway. You can walk across the original bridge, although its age and construction might make you a bit nervous.

Getting around town

Bangkok now has the Skytrain, a smooth, slick urban transit system which glides over the city 60ft up. The city is so congested that even though the Skytrain network is limited, it is always worth taking it as far as you can and then hailing a taxi. Don't be tempted to walk - it will always be further, and hotter, than you think.
If you do travel on the comprehensive bus network, make sure you choose the aircon routes. Not only is it cooler, but for a few baht more you will usually get a seat.
On the river, the Chao Phraya Express runs approximately every fifteen minutes, although not every boat stops at every jetty.

Where to eat

The Nipa, upstairs in the Landmark Hotel, is one of the best Thai restaurants on Sukhumvit road. Downstairs in the Landmark shopping centre is the Huntsman, a fair stab at recreating a British pub in Bangkok, which serves good Mexican food. One other restaurant in the Sukhumvit area known for its inexpensive Thai cuisine is Lemongrass (soi 24), which is very popular with the local expat community.
There are several eating places right on the river. The S&P Restaurant and Bakery by Wat Phra Keow (past all the amulet sellers up Maharat Road) has a fully illustrated menu.
For a rather different visual experience, go up for dinner or a drink on the 42nd floor of the Baiyoke Tower, which is behind the Indra Centre on Ratchadamri Road. From up here, Bangkok looks like Chicago.

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