The Bangkok you don’t know

Last year, Bangkok attracted 21.5 million visitors, making it the world’s most popular travel destination. So it can pay explore the city’s lesser-known quarters. Here’s our list of the best things to see to get away from the crowds.

Thonburi: The old capital

“On this side of the river you get the best views of Bangkok because there are no other buildings around us,” says Christian Hoechtl. He is the general manager of Avani Riverside Hotel, a new hotel in a skyscraper in Thonburi – the land east of the Chao Praya River. “Because Thonburi is where Bangkok was founded, it has many secrets,” he says.

To help uncover some of those secrets, I call an expert, Chin of Chili Paste Tour, a former school teacher who takes food and history tours in Thonburi.

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