5 Things you should do in Bangkok – Bangkok adventures

A visit to the Grand Palace is one of the top things to do around Bangkok. The Grand Palace as the name denotes was once a royal residence. It is vast and glorious. You would need the better part of the day to explore the entire palace. Instead of trying to explore every nook and corner of the palace, you should pick the spots that catch your fancy from the map they provide with the ticket and make it a short but a sweet visit. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is one of the most visited areas at the Grand Palace. The iconic building is located within a half an hour's drive away from the AVANI Riverside Bangkok Hotel.

You can buy a full day ticket for 150 baht from a riverside cruise in Bangkok to travel along the Chao Phraya River for an entire day to sightsee. This is one of the cheapest yet most time-saving ways to see Bangkok. Your cruise service provider will hand you a leaflet with all the key attractions alongside the river. All you have to do is get off the boat when you reach a particular spot that you wish to see. Before you take your tour, find out the time of the next cruise to be back in time to continue the journey.

In the beginning, the Taling Chan Floating Market was a few bamboo rafts floating on the river. These days you can buy various Thai delicacies and other goods from the wooden boats for around 40 baht. You can get a pretty good seafood dish at a reasonable price at the market. Choose your favourite seafood dish from a lineup of freshly caught prawns, blue crab and large fish and sit at a wooden platform to savour your meal along with a zesty sauce. You could feed the catfish that swim in the river with scraps. You could even go for a long boat ride to catch a glimpse of the old ways.

China town feels like an old-world bazaar from the Far East with the aroma of street food, many shades of red and innumerable wares for sale. You can buy any number of pre-loved or brand new goods at a reasonable price in Chinatown. Don't leave the area without trying some congee, soup noodles or fried meat. Pay a visit to Wat Traimit to catch a glimpse of its gilded exterior.

Traditional Thai massages invigorate and rejuvenate the body and awaken the mind. You could ask a fellow traveller to recommend a reputed massage parlour in Bangkok. Thai massage therapists are skilled at finding stress points on your body and helping you relax.