BANGKOK RENAISSANCE

Whether it's extended metro lines, the huge number of new hotels or the parks springing up in the heart of the city, Thailand's capital is so much more than a stopover destination

- TAMARA HINSON

Change is afoot in Bangkok. Yes, traffic still occasionally grinds to a standstill during rush hour, but huge investment in its public transport system means more people are leaving their cars at home. The MRT's Yellow Line, which connects Lat Phrao (a neighbourhood popular with backpackers) to Samrong in eastern Bangkok, opened in June 2023, while the MRT's Pink Line, connecting the riverside district of Nonthaburi to Bangkok's Min Buri district, launched at the end of the year. Getting around Bangkok using public transport has been relatively easy in recent years, thanks not only to the MRT but also the BTS Skytrain.

ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT

It's also likely that Bangkok's ancient canals (known as klongs) could soon become widely used transportation routes once more, courtesy of regular spruce-ups (in July 2023 more than two tonnes of plastic waste was scooped from the Lat Phrao Canal during an organised clean-up). These canals are destinations in their own right, lined with floating markets and riverside restaurants, although for now a cruise along the mighty Chao Phraya River, which weaves through Bangkok's centre, is perhaps the next best thing. Guests staying at riverside properties such as The Siam Hotel Bangkok and The Peninsula Bangkok can take free water taxis across the river to places such as Sathorn Pier (which connects to the Saphan Taksin BTS Skytrain station) and Asiatique, a sprawling riverside market filled with souvenir and street food stalls. It's also worth noting this popular tourist spot operates its own free river shuttle between 4pm and 11.30pm.