Day Trip: Bangkok in 20 Hours

In Bangkok, Thailand's power resides-both its economic and especially its political power-central to the 77 provinces of the country. Thousands of skyscrapers stand as proof: this capital is reaching for the sky, driven by ambition, greed, a thirst for recognition, and the pursuit of pleasure.

Krung Thep, as the capital is called in Thai, is often compared to New York. At first glance, that seems too simplistic, but on closer consideration, I agree. Bangkok too is intriguing, surprising, and exciting; it's loud and especially captivating for those who find chaos more interesting than order.

So what can you do in twenty hours? Because we care about your health and the tropical temperatures among the skyscrapers can really test your body, we suggest dividing this time into two: 2x10 hours, with a short nap in between, and you decide how long your rest will be.

Breakfast today is a quick one, if at all. We want to be early to places where water and temples provide the first and most important clues to understanding Bangkok, and thereby the whole country. In this introductory course, your nose is more important than data and facts; it's about engaging the senses, not the intellect.

With the Skytrain, called BTS in Bangkok, you head to the Saphan Taksin Station at the bridge with the same name. But casually on the side, why is it that even the oldest find it so easy to buy a ticket here on this sleek elevated train, while seniors in Germany practically need a diploma to crack a ticket machine at bus stops?

So Saphan Taksin it is. From above, you descend the stairs to the Sathorn Pier on the Chao Praya, the River of Kings. Here, you book a tour with a longtail boat into the small tributaries on the opposite bank, into the klongs (canals). A guided tour is your best option.

The ride takes about 80 minutes; long enough to study the life along the few remaining canals and thus, the almost forgotten Bangkok. Most klongs have now been paved into normal streets; the once 'Venice of the East' is gone, or exists only in fragments.

Important: After returning from the klongs to the Chao Praya, the trip should stop at Wat Arun ('Temple of Dawn') and finally end at the Tha Tien Pier. Whether you buy fruits, drinks, or souvenirs from docking boats during the ride is up to you. Visits to crocodile shows or orchid gardens can be skipped.

From the Tha Tien pier, the bustling life is only a few meters away: fresh markets, food stalls, restaurants, an amulet market, tourists, locals, monks, traders, narrow lanes, souvenirs, buzzing tuk-tuks, hustle and bustle: Asia!

And finally: Time for a relaxed, late breakfast! For instance, at Goodjob Café. A place also for digital nomads who start up their Macbooks here and aim to do a good job-hence the name. The coffee is delicious, and many a guest has succumbed to the temptation of the many luxury leather objects (handbags, notebooks, etc.) calling 'Buy me!' from the wall shelves.

Afterwards, stroll through the Rattanakosin and Phra Nakhon districts, the historic old city of Bangkok. Surrounded by white walls, you'll see the rooftops of Wat Phra Kaeo, the temple with the Emerald Buddha, a prominent neighbor to the Grand Palace in the same expansive complex. If you had to locate the center of the country-the Thais would point to this place. So head in, wearing appropriate clothing, please.

Right next door, Wat Pho awaits, a temple complex with much charm (if one may speak of charm in temple terms) and Thailand's most renowned massage school. Here, you can even take a massage course, provided you have a week's time.

The highlight of Wat Pho lies in the horizontal and has no intention of getting up. It wouldn't be easy either, because the reclining, gilded Buddha is 46 meters long and 15 meters high; you'll need a wide-angle lens to capture the Enlightened One completely with your camera.

Tip: If a reclining Buddha props his head on his right arm, it means he's already enlightened. However, if he props it on his left arm, it suggests he had a bad sleep (the latter is a favorite joke among Asian tour guides).

Hungry? Thirsty? It's normal after the thorough visit to two of Thailand's most important temples. Exit Wat Pho through a side door and you're almost at the Boutique Hotel Sala Rattanakosin, where you can dine and drink excellently at 'eatery & bar' with a view of the river from as early as 7:30 am.

Culture on a full stomach isn't everyone's thing, but we'll push through. Not far from the Sala Rattanakosin (everything here is somewhat close, atypical for Bangkok) stands the Bangkok National Museum, once the Vice-King's palace. Freshly and impressively renovated; not just a surface polish-a true renaissance!

Tip: The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and open from 9 am to 4 pm on other days.

Now it gets exciting. For those who believe. For everyone else, it's good entertainment. At the Tha-Pra Chan amulet market (near Phra Athit Road), fortunetellers reveal your future or what they see of it in cards or your palms. For Thais, a quite normal occurrence, even leading politicians have 'esoteric' advisors.

Perhaps the fortunetellers will even predict the cocktail you'll sip at sunset. Where? At the Phra Nakorn Rooftop Bar & Gallery. It was already bolted to the roof before the big hotels even thought of luring visitors with rooftop bars. And the prices here (58/2 Ratchadamnoen Rd) are more down-to-earth than sky-high.

Evening approaches, and it gets dark early near the Equator, between 6:15 pm and 7 pm. The scene on Phra Athit Road is more student-oriented, but the venues are still meeting places for all age groups. An especially cozy space claims with fine tones that size is overrated. 'Jazz happens' is the name of the place that opens at 7 pm, and exactly that happens on few square meters: Jazz at its best.

To Khao San Road, you can take a tuk-tuk or a motorbike taxi; the famous mile is not far. Or you might walk through Soi Rambuttri, the less-known, significantly quieter, and yet lively alternative to Khao San Road. Restaurants, massages, water holes, as the English say (holes with almost exclusively alcohol on the menu)-all available. Just quieter.

Khao San, Ground Zero of the backpackers, thrives audibly off its own myth, into whose arms the younger of both genders throw themselves joyfully and perhaps tipsily. In memory of 'The Beach', the novel by Alex Garland, and the young Leonardo DiCaprio, star of the movie of the same name, which made this chaotic stretch of street a longing destination for backpackers once and for all.

New day, new luck. Sukhumvit Road stretches its entire length to Cambodia. But we content ourselves with a short section near the center of Bangkok, connected by just four stations of the BTS elevated railway.

Breakfast at Calin Café, open from 8 am in the ground floor of the 'Eight Thonglor' building. Thonglor is the proper name of a two-kilometer short street officially called Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Sukhumvit's side street 55). The Skytrain station is also named Thonglor.

The Calin Café is a quaint Paris-style spot. Connoisseurs praise the Eggs Benedict, served with salmon and zucchini, as the best in the city. Even more popular are the oeufs en cocotte (oh la la!)-eggs in a pot with spinach and Parma ham.

A motorbike taxi (the drivers wear orange vests) takes you for 20 Baht to the BTS Station Thonglor and then just one station further: Phrom Phong. Two of the city's most fashionable shopping malls lie to the left and right of this stop, 'Emporium' and 'EmQuartier'.

At this juncture, I'd like to warn you, whether you're a woman or a man: Now's the time to resist temptations and use your hard-earned savings or credit card with wisdom. I realize, of course, this warning, like all intoxications, will fall on deaf ears, even in the shopping spree.

Bangkok has over 500 shopping centers, and the tendency is rising. Investors remain undeterred, believing that the terrorism of consumerism is the most popular form of terror.

'Thailand is reborn! Experience a world-class setting and ultra-exclusive service!' So advertises the Emporium on its homepage. We live in the age of superlatives and now know that the term rebirth has emancipated itself from Buddhism.

Nonetheless, I lived near the Emporium for four years (the EmQuartier was added later) and enjoyed my visits there. To some of the lovely cafés, the impressively rich, qualitatively convincing, and often surprisingly affordable food court. Besides, I'm completely immune to the temptations of consumerism. At least as long as I keep away from the men's fashion department. And from the bookstores Asia Books and Kinokuniya. And from...

Back on the street and in the warm air, you walk a few meters into Benjasiri Park, one of Bangkok's few green lungs. Here, children also get their fun, as the edge of the park hosts the growling T-Rex and the fast predator Velociraptor. From its first day, the 'Planet of Dinosaurs' theme park, located right on Sukhumvit Road, has been quite a hit.

At the next Skytrain Station 'Asoke', another shopping mall, 'S 21', awaits. We'll pass by it today, exit to the left in the direction of travel, and walk a few meters to Sukhumvit Soi 12. In this side street, after about 150 meters on the right side, an unusual restaurant awaits.

A curious combination. In the long entryway of the restaurant stand Santas, women figures in bikinis, rabbits, golfers-all and everything shaped from various-colored condoms.

A unique concept, a restaurant with a message. Officially stated, the owners want to promote greater acceptance for the topic of family planning with the sculptures and a portion of the proceeds. Especially for Thais, as their country is still one of the leading ones for teenage births; discussing sex in families remains as awkward as discussing enlightenment. Without putting it so bluntly, Cabbages and Condoms also supports protection against HIV infections (Thailand is one of the world's most successful countries in AIDS prevention).

The concept is consistently implemented in the restaurant right through to the end. Although the operators expressly state that their food won't make you pregnant, a condom is included with the bill.

Important: With its well-tempered offering of spicy and lightly seasoned dishes, Cabbages and Condoms especially assures Bangkok rookies of the perfect entry into Thai cuisine, which also includes cabbages.

It's not far to the next BTS Station Nana at the entrance of Sukhumvit Soi 8, so you walk; satisfied, with a condom in your pocket and in a cheerful mood. Doctors advise against a Thai massage on a full stomach, but you should pamper yourself with a beneficial foot reflexology massage now. Head to 'Foot Joy', located after 50 meters on the right side of Soi 8. One hour for the lower extremities plus 30 minutes for shoulders and neck-it's the perfect double pass for relaxation.

Before diving into the nightlife, settle into 'Viva', a tapas bar directly across from 'Foot Joy'. From there, you can watch everyday life in Bangkok, preferably with a latte or an avocado salad with grilled chicken strips. Bangkok enthusiasts fortify themselves here with more substantial dishes on the menu, as about 50 meters away, on the opposite side of Sukhumvit Road, begins Soi 11-one of the epicenters of the capital's nightlife.

At the very start of Soi 11, about 100 meters in, you turn left into a kind of horseshoe with many restaurants of international orientation: Snapper New Zealand, Chez Papé, Tapas Cafe, Charley Browns, The Alchemist, and more. But initially, everyone somewhat puzzledly gazes at the first bar with its nook, enchanting, confusing wooden façade. Its name: Cheap Charlie's. Now and then, keen eyes may catch a train sneaking through the wooden labyrinth.

The place has stood for 34 years, popular with locals, expats, and tourists. The ideal location to get into the spirit of the night with a couple of affordable beers. But there are reasons to visit now: At the start of March, Cheap Charlie's will close. The whole horseshoe will be demolished along with it.

This is because the leases end in March. The landowner has sold the land to investors. Where these unmistakable bars and restaurants just stood, a new, large hotel or a new apartment skyscraper will soon be built. There's only a mere thousand modern buildings smoothing Bangkok's historical wrinkles to kiss the polished feet of a future of concrete, steel, and glass already.

To follow the boozy prelude at Charlie's with a hearty meal: At Old German Beerhouse. Sauerkraut, schnitzel, bratwurst, pork knuckle. But also plenty of Thai dishes.

But off you go, the night calls, and Oskar calls the loudest. It's a bar for those wanting to spend a little more than usual and get House music and the sight of many beautiful women who come here to celebrate the night.

'Apoteka', a venue with live music, blues/blues rock, on some evenings featuring the great keyboardist and singer Keith Nolan; Wolff's Jazz Bar; Above Eleven; Havana Social; The Australian; The Marshmallow, or 'The Nest', a rooftop bar. All these distributed over a few hundred meters.

For most of the night owls meandering on Soi 11, the evening ends at the Climax discotheque, almost hidden within an underground garage. Every night, two Thai live bands ramp up the mood there, and I can attest: they know what they're doing.

Those looking to delve into the notorious kind of nightlife for which Bangkok is famous don't have far to go from Soi 11 either: Nana Plaza (Sukhumvit Soi 4) is a few walking minutes away; it takes roughly 10 to 15 minutes by taxi to reach the 'Soi Cowboy' (Asoke intersection/Sukhumvit 23) with its go-go bars, depending on traffic.

No problem: Here are tips for Bangkok in two hours and Bangkok in 200 hours.