Silk and Stones Travel

Thailand Shopping, Restaurants, Reading, Activities

 

Temple Guardian at Royal Complex, Bangkok

Thailand Resources


Review the lists of restaurants, hotels, shops, books, articles, and activities to help you find just the right spot on your trip for the perfect meal, room, museum, or spa.  The names in bold are Silk and Stones Travel favorites. See the Thailand Photo Album for inspiration to build your personal itinerary.  Read recipes of traditional Thai cuisine.  Read Thailand Country Information to begin understanding the history and traditions.


Visa:  There is no visa required for a tourist visit of less than 30 days.


Tipping: A 10% service charge is typically included in restaurants, bars.  For outstanding service, leave a bit more.  For baggage handling, US norms are appropriate, especially in the four and five star hotels.  For sightseeing guides and drivers, a 10-15% tip, unless there is some component of the total service that is not depending on the guide (e.g. a boat rental).  Tip a hotel concierge $10 for a special service, bellboys $1/bag and cleaning staff $1-2/day, but this is not required.


Bangkok Food:  Try the following 10 typical and delicious dishes:

  1. • Phad Thai - perhaps the most popular Thai dish with rice noodles stir-fried with shrimp and fired egg.

  2. • Som Tam - raw papaya salad with sugar, lemon, jaggery, chilies, tomatoes, yard-long beans, crab or shrimp.

  3. • Tom Yum - a soup of stock, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lime juice, fish sauce and chili.

  4. • Larb (Gai, Moo, Nuay) - a Lao/Thai tradition with minced chicken, pork or beef with intense chili and fresh mint, coriander, shallots.

  5. •Khao Man Kai - boiled chicken on rice with pumpkin soup

  6. •Kuaythiaw Naam - soup and noodles with endless variety of additional herbs and condiments

  7. •Khao Soi - noodle dish from Chiang Mai with crisp fried egg noodles in curried chicken

  8. •Yam Wun Sen - spicy glass noodle dish with minced pork, shrimp, onion, tomatoes, fresh herbs and lemon and chilies

  9. •Pla Neung Manao - sea bass steamed with spicy lime sauce

  10. •Kaeng Kiaw Waan - Coconut based curry with Jasmine rice and Thai basil.


Bangkok Restaurants: 

  1. 1. Baan Klang Nam - Great seafood in an old house on the Chao Phraya River 66 -2-682-71-80

  2. 2. Bo.Lan - Bo and Dylan present great green curry, beef curry with casssia leaves,66-2-260-29-62

  3. 3. Jok’s Kitchen in Chinatown sepcializes in seafood, and requires reservations a month out.  Try the crab.  66-2-221-4075Na Phra Lan Cafe - near the Grand Palace complex, left of the Post Office, for rice and noodle dishes.  Try the upstairs for a quiet lunch. Na Phra Lan Road     

  4. 4. Maeyanang - the Oriental Hotel’s evening cruise dinner about the converted rice barge.

  5. 5. Cafe Lenotre, a French bistro for coffee and breakfast pastry on the ground floor of the Natural Ville Executive Residence, 61 Soi Langsuan, Lang Suan Road, 250-7050    

  6. 6. The Sky Bar - on the 63rd floor of the State Tower north of Saphan Taksin, Silom Road, 624-9555

  7. 7. Mahanaga - lovely Thai and fusion cuisine at Soi 29 Sukhumvit Road, 662-3060 

  8. 8. Cafe at Jim Thompson - have lunch and shop at the main store on 9 Surawong Road

  9. 9. Grand China Princess Hotel Restaurant - wonderful view of both the Grand Palace and the Golden Mount with a menu offering Japanese, Chinese, and seafood dishes.  215 Yaowaratt Rd, Samphantawong, 02 224 9977

  10. 10. EST 33 - a microbrewery with a roster of handmade beers and sturdy New york style bar food.  The name refers to the year the owner company, Singha Brewery, was established.  Crystal Design Denter, Bldg  E, Praditmanutham Rd, 02 102 2096

  11. 11.FTV Studio Bar for intimate cocktail hours.  President ARcade, 973 Ploenchit Rd, 087 033 3919

  12. 12. Face - a cluster of restaurnats, Thai, Japanese, and Indian, with a cocktail bar and spa.  Lovely wooden structure.  Try the appetiser assortment with chicken in Pandan, fish cakes, spring rolls, or a whole sea bass.  Sukhumvit Rd. Soi 38, 02713 6048

  13. 13. Royal Orchid Sheraton (Vanguard Travel Trips)

  14. 14. White Cafe - contemporary design with an open kitchen.  Try the rich dish, phat kraphao (stir-fried chicken with holy basil) served with scallops or sirloin (0) 2 714 7623

  15. 15.Lin Fa - renovations have updated a top Chinese venue.  Har gow (Chinese dumplings) are delightful

  16. 16. Roast Coffee & Eatery - a new American menu at a new cafe in Thonglor

  17. 17. Madison - the steakhouse at th eFour Seasons has a great Saturday brunch.

  18. 18. Cabbages and Condoms - restaurant chain that supports family planning.

  19. 19. Nahm - authentic Thai haute cuisine with celebrity chef David Thompson

  20. 20. Tacos & Salsa - the capitals most authentic Mexican fare



Bangkok Dusit Neighborhood Restaurants - near Vimanmek Palace

  1. 21. Krua Ba Cha-Am, try pad thai for fried noodles - go out the back door of Sri Yan market, continue past the motorbike queue, and look for an open-air restaurant painted bright pink, on Thanon Sri Yan, just behind the market

  2. 22. Krua Apsorn, for dry curry with crabmeat and yellow curry (kaeng luang) with crisp lotus shoots, sour tamarind, and shrimp paste.  On Thanon Samsen near the corner of Soi Samsen 9 and the National Library

  3. 23. Lan Taw Toon - an established dessert cart vendor at lunchtime near the back door of Sri Yan market.


Bangkok Shopping:

  1. 24. Railway Market (TAlat Rot Fai) - this retro flea market is located in decommissioned train carriages and is a hew shopping destination.  Located in Ratchada on weekends, Saturday and Sunday from 2 t midnight.  Browse for antiques, vintage inspired fashions and collectibles.  Kamphaeng Phet Rd.

  2. 25. Seenspace - the latest community mall is a gathering of local designers in a three story complex where each shop has an outdoor entrance.

  3. 26. Kabul House Co, gems, textiles, silver from Central Asia at Jatujak Market on Sat and sun, Section 22 Soi 4/7 and Soi 4/8, shop # 144-145 fromJ

  4. 27. Jaana - Jewelry and Art Objects at the River City Shopping Complex, Shop #246, 23 Trok Rongnamkaeng, Vota Road, Sampantawong, Bangkok 10100, 66 2 639 6044

  5. 28. The Fine Arts.  See Lah for interesting antiques at the convenient River City shop.  3/F Room 354 or 4/F Room 452/454, 23 Yotha Rd, Bangkok 1010

  6. 29. Jim Thompson - the well known main store with several floors of elegant, sophisticated silk and linen clothes and home furnishings and accessories.  Also find branches in many of the larger hotels.  This store is just a few blocks from the skytrain stop.  6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama I Road, 216-7368. 

  7. 30. Jim Thompson factory sales outlet - several spots around the city.  Call the main store for locations

  8. 31. Narai Phand at Amarin Plaza for a huge choice of handicrafts including silk, pottery and mango wood.  Also Keeping One of a Kind has unique jewellery and Olivia Diamonds at Gaysorn had unique jewelry

  9. 32. House of Chao, 3 story colonial house with antiques, Decho Rd in Silon District,  02 635 7188

  10. 33. L’Arcadia, Sukhuvit, varied Khmer, Burmese and Thai antiques, 12/2 Soi Sukhumvit 23, 02 259 9595

  11. 34. Chatuchak Market, Phahonyothin Rd - perhaps the largest of all markets with 10,000 stalls and 200,000 shoppers each day.  Expect to get separated so agree to meet at the Clock Tower.

  12. 35.Suan Lum Night Bazaar - covered market with authentic paintings and pottery, as well as the usual souvenirs, provides a lovely spot for an evening stoll.  Listen to live music, see the Jo eLouis Puppet Theater with traditional Thai shows.   Cool off at the Beer Garden at 62 Langsuan Road, Lumpini, pathumwan, 02-651-9501

  13. 36.Talad Nang Loeng - the old Chinese market place with shop houses in bright colors, Thanon Nakhon Sawan at Nakhon Sawan 7, open Monday - Friday

  14. 37. Libra - pretty necklaces and white voile shirts at Chatachuk Weekend Market, Sec 27, #45.  Owner is Raynu (Nun) Nangno, nunnun1967@gmail.com.  This section has great stalls with tribal textiles and necklaces. 

  15. 38. Khushi Co., Ltd - exporter and importer of antique beads and stones in Jatujak Weekend Market, Section 25, 33.  haroonRasoully@yahoo.com.

  16. 39.  Buddha Art by Nurba Lama at Chatuchak Market, Shop #258-259, Section 25 #3,4.  Great Nepal and north India necklaces and beads.  08-4711-0149, nurba10@hotmail.com

  17. 40. Thai Cotton and Silk Garments - stylish jackets and ethnic pieces at Chatachak weekend market, 47-48-49-50 Zone B, 34, 0-2272-4645, pouangthong@yahoo.com

  18. 41.  Pak Klong Talat - the biggest flower market in the city

  19. 42. O. P. Garden, a collection of boutiques in colonial style houses.


Bangkok Hotels/Guesthouses:

  1. 43. Bangkok has outstanding 5 star hotels:  The Peninsula, The Mandarin Oriental, the Four Seasons Hotel, The Shangri La (the Krungthep Wing), and the Sukhothai - all elegant and easy to access either by Sky train or water ferry

  2. 44. Bangkok also has a growing set of boutique hotels:  Arun Residence, on a small residential street in the Old City, the Baan Thai Wellness Retreat, near the city center, The Eugenia, and the Luxx, off Silom Road.

  3. 45. Tenface - 79 suites with a sitting room and kitchen, including a sim card and skytrain pass.

  4. 46. Ariyasom Villa, a 25 room hotel in a renovated World War II villa with gardens, spa, pool and meditation room.

  5. 47. Hotel Muse - a new hotel with both European and Siamese influences, two bars, a rooftop green space, library and cigar lounge.

  6. 48. Hansar Bangkok - a sleek global style located in the central shopping district next to Ratchadamri BTS.

  7. 49.Le Meridien

  8. 50. Sasa International House at Chulalongkorn U, across the road from MBK Shopping Centre.

  9. 51. Phyathai Princess Hotel, part of the Thai chain started by Thanpuying Chanut. 

  10. 52. Dusit Thani at the corner of Silom Rd and Rama IV, near the Sala Daing sky train station.

  11. 53. Swiss Park Hotel, Sukhumvit, Soi 11

  12. 54.The Eugenia - boutique hotel with antique architectural elements in a 12 suite hotel.  Highly personal service and excellent cuisine.  267 Sukhumvit Soi 31, 02 259 9011

  13. 55. The Pantip Suites, used by OAT

  14. 56. Menam Riverside Plaza Ramada Hotel - convenient, pleasant and good value for a hotel just a minute by hotel boat from the central pier. 

  15. 57. Imm Fusion - new hotel converted from an old Thai style shophouse with low rates, good lounges, and a pool.  located in an area away from the usual crowded tourist areas, but close to the Sukhumvit Soi 50 skytrain station.  +66 (0) 2331 5555

  16. 58. Chinatown’s River View Guesthouse, tricky to find, but great view from the 8th floor rooftop.   Good for a sandwich and coffee, 768 Soi Panurangsri, Songvad Rd, 02 234 5429 

  17. 59. Metropolitan Hotel for two nights, massage, through Dec.  30, 66-2/625-3322.

  18. 60. Vie hotel

  19. 61. Siam @ Siam, artistic flair and convenience with a dramatic interior.

  20. 62. The Bhuthorn - a century old shophouse in historic Samphraeng neighborhood lovingly restored by an artistic Thai group.  An easy walk to the Grand Palace, Wat Pho.  Only three guest rooms.

  21. 63. St. Regis, 227 guest room with unrivaled service, 159 Rajadamri Rd, 1-877-787-3447

  22. 64. Hansar Bangkok , next door to the St Regis, is a resort with 94 suites, and slightly less expensive, 3 Rajadamri Rd, 66-2/209-1234

  23. 65. Anantara Bangkok Sathorn, large scale rooms and outdoor infinity pool, 36 Narathiwat-Ratchanakarin Rd, 66-2/210-9000

  24. 66. Asadang - a new hotel in the historic district in a restored 19th century mansion.  9 intimate rooms. Great value for $110, 94 Asadang Rd, 66-2/622-2239

  25. 67.The Siam - 3 acres of landscaped gardens with 39 suites including 4 traditional teakwood houses salvaded by silk designer Jim Thompson.  On the Chao Phraya River.  Owned by Thai-American musician Krissada Sukosol Clapp.


Bangkok Activities:

  1. 68. Joe Louis Puppet Theater - an 80 min puppet show acting out Ramakian stories near the Suan Lum nIght Bazaar, a good spot for souvenir shopping.

  2. 69. Dusit Park and vimanmek Palace - lovely park, gardens with the largest teak palace in the world betwee Thanon Ratchawithi and Thanon Sri ayutthaya, and Thanon Nakhon Ratchasima and Thanon Ramam V, open daily from 9:30 to 4pm

  3. 70. Suan Kularb - former royal residence at the corner of Thanon Nakhon Ratchasima and Thanon Sri Ayutthaya

  4. 71. The Prasart Museum - a 6 acre garden of temples and artifacts outside of Bangkok.  Open to the public, but call ahead for an appointment at 66-2379-3601.   Admission is 500 baht or $16.


Sukothai Hotel/Guesthouses (Sukothai is a UNESCO World Heritage Site)

  1. 72. Ananda Museum Gallery Hotel - traditional dark wood and modern minimalist decor next to the Sanghalok Museum with centuries-old ceramics and weapons in Sukothai, Ban Lum, (0) 55 622428


Chiang Mai

  1. 73. The Travel Guru - for all services, including personal shopping.   Also available for excursions to Chiang Rai.

  2. 74.


Chiang Mai Hotels

  1. 75. Sukantara Cascade Resort for eco tent villas in the countryside, 12/2 M 8, mae Rim, 081 881 1444

  2. 76. Four Seasons Resort - one of the luxury resorts in Chiang Mai, best rated in Asia by Travel and Leisure

  3. 77.Part Hotel or Centara Duangtawan Hotel, used by OAT

  4. 78. Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi - another of the luxury resorts in Chiang Ma

  5. 79. U Hotel - contemporary, Lanna nd Lao motifs and designs.  Breakfast available anytime you like.

  6. 80.The Chedi - on the banks of the Mae Ping River, with 84 rooms, each with a private courtyard, open balcony and views.


Chiang Mai Restaurants

  1. 81. Ice Chic - ice cream bar for unusual flayvors at 14 Nimmanhem soi 11, 053 289262

  2. 82. Khun Charn - vegetarian restaurant, inexpensive at 4 Nimmanhaemin Soi 17, 053 224124

  3. 83. The Rachamankha - dishes from Myanmar, Thai, Shan and Lanna traditions, with an extensive range of old and hew world wines.

  4. 84. Pun Pun Organic - towards the rear of Wat Suan Dok, a garden restaurant with organic food.   (0)8 1470 1461

  5. 85. Try the Sunday Night Market street food, especially tom yum, sai krok, Thai pork sausage


Chiang Mai Shopping

  1. 86.Think HO! Market Artisans - craft market during June each year

  2. 87. Jang Muang Gallery - in a restored Lanna home, selling treasures including antiques, wooden panels, lamps and traditional and contemporary art.


Chiang Rai

  1. 88. Anantara Golden Traingle Resort and Spa - beautiful and expensive

  2. 89. Lanjia Lodge, Chiang Rai, perched on a hillside overlooking the Mekong River blends in with surrounding Lahu and Hmong villages with tribal handicrafts.  with an established NGO, local villagers have direct participation in the lodge’s development.

  3. 90. Imperial Golden Triangle Resort, used by OAT, 73 rooms, bar and lounge

  4. 91.Phowadol Resort and Spa - 10 min from town, 3 restaurants, spa lounge, 154 rooms

  5. 92.Village of Mai Salong hill tribe


Sukothai Restaurants

  1. 93. Dream Cafe offers both indoor and outdoor dining options at 86/1 Singhawat Rd (0) 55 612081

  2. 94.Chopper Bar = popular watering hole with live music at 96/1 Prawet Nakhon Road (0)55 611190


Koh Samui Hotels

  1. 95. Langham Place Samui - new hotel with wi-fi access everywhere, but beautiful ambiance.  146/24 Moo 4, Lamai Beach 800/588-9141 or 66-77/960-888

  2. 96. Impiana Resort


Krabi Hotels

  1. 97. Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve resort with 54 villas and enclosed gardens


Other Thailand Resources

  1. 98. Thai Cookery Package from Phuket’s Paresa Resort


Please contact Silk and Stones Travel for any additional information.


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