Q. We are spending two nights in Bangkok en route to Vietnam. What are the must-see-and-dos for such a short visit? I have been told that both are cheap places to visit. Is this true? - Elvia Els
We published an excellent guide by freelance writer Allison Foat recently on what to do for a day in Bangkok.
Here are some of the highlights, starting with a morning bicycle tour that will give you another way of seeing the city.
As Allison writes, "doing a bike tour in Bangkok is especially interesting and - I won't lie - an adrenaline rush when you're zipping in and out of the traffic swarm.
Hitting the streets on a bike shows you true backstreet life and offers a glimpse into what lies behind the main road and mall madness".
I once spent a month in Bangkok, staying in a small guesthouse close to the backpacker chaos of Khao San Road yet far enough away for it not to be a distraction. We were close to a number of the temples, which offer proper respite from the bustle of the city.
There are more than 400 temples but the big ones, such as Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) and Wat Pho with its beautiful reclining Buddha, are popular for a reason: they are simply spectacular.
If you visit only one temple, our writer recommends Wat Arun with its 70m-high landmark spire. The spire is sheathed in Chinese porcelain and coloured glass which lends a particularly beautiful glow to the temple at sunset.
Allison also recommends a visit to the Jatujak Green Night Market - close to the Chatuchak outdoor market - which is famous for its vintage and retro goods, great food and lively scene.
Apart from offering what is arguably the best street food in the world - probably the best reason to visit Khao San Road - Bangkok has other lesser-known treasures. One is the teak villa that once belonged to Jim Thompson, silk trader, art collector and former operative of the wartime Office of Strategic Services.
After the war, Thompson rebuilt his home with pieces from old, derelict Thai homes and filled it with local furniture, textiles and artworks to create a sort of living museum, a wonderful fusion of Khmer, Chinese, Indian and Chinese style and art.
He later disappeared without a trace in 1967 in the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia.
The house is open 9am-6pm daily (entrance is 150 baht for adults - about R60) and is close to the Sky Train transit system.
The city was once criss-crossed by a network of khlongs (canals) leading off the Chao Phraya river. Most were filled in to make roads, which in turn made Bangkok one of the most gridlocked cities on the planet.
However, there is still a web of canals and it is on a tour by longtail boat of these hidden waterways that you will get to see a another side of the city's life.
Longtail boats can be rented privately but it's probably best to take a guided tour. Thonburi, on the west bank of the Chao Phraya, is cut with khlongs along which people still go about their lives from their houses on stilts.
A search on bangkok.com turned up various excursions including a morning trip on the backwaters for 1171 baht (R470) and a full-day trip on the Thonburi khlongs plus a visit to the Grand Palace for 2,408 baht (R960).
You could also take one of the regular waterbuses down the Khlong Saen Saeb, the 18km-long waterway that runs east-west across the city and is a vastly more pleasant way of travelling in Bangkok than sitting in traffic.
That brings us to getting around. Tuk-tuks go everywhere but farangs (foreigners) are easy targets for rip-off drivers. Rather use the cheap Sky Train where you can. Or call an Uber.
Is Thailand cheap? That depends. Five-star hotels are expensive. But if you eat street food, are happy with three-star accommodation and use public transport, Bangkok can be a very affordable place.
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