A Perfect Day In Bangkok

9.00am

Breakfast

Drop in for a leisurely breakfast at The Verandah, on the Mandarin Oriental’s riverside terrace. The luxurious surroundings provide a fine start to the day, and the Oriental boat pier is next door, with boats waiting to whisk you on to the next leg of the day’s journey.

10.00am

Lying down

Take a Chao Phraya river boat to Tha Tien pier where, just beyond a market and Chinese shop houses, the grounds of Wat Pho host the Reclining Buddha. Afterwards, get pampered at the temple’s traditional massage school.

12 noon

Gold and dragons

Grab a taxi to Chinatown, which has some of the most historic shopping alleys in Bangkok. Along with gold, dragon dresses and Chinese lanterns, these lanes are full of cheap food stalls that make it an ideal stop for lunch. At Wat Traimit see the world’s biggest solid gold Buddha.

2.00pm

Shopping

A taxi to Pathumwan brings you to the heart of the city’s mall district. As well as offering local and international fashions, Siam Paragon hosts Sea Life Ocean World, home to penguins, sharks, stingrays and other creatures of the deep.

4.00pm

Culture

A 10-minute walk away, the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre has regular performances and exhibitions by local and international artists, restaurants and a café. A further 10 minutes’ walk away is the Jim Thompson House and Museum, a traditional Thai house full of art and antiques. There is a restaurant here, too.

6.00pm

River sunset

Hop on the Skytrain to Saphan Taksin station, from where it is a 10-minute walk to the 200m (656ft) -high, al fresco rooftop restaurant Sirocco. Have a sunset cocktail at the rooftop bar with stunning views along the Chao Phraya River.

8.30pm

Night market

Ten minutes in a taxi brings you to the infamous Patpong red light district, which has a bustling night market. The stalls are full of funky T-shirts, watches, jewellery, trinkets and handbags. Bargain hard. There is a good choice of restaurants and bars in the surrounding streets, with and without the ignoble pole dancers and ping pong acrobatics.

10.30pm

Bars and clubs

Take the Skytrain to Nana Station and stroll down Sukhumvit Soi 11, the location of some of Bangkok’s best clubs. Levels Club & Lounge (formerly Q Bar) has one of the city’s best stocked bars and good views out over the city. For dirt-cheap drinks, try Cheap Charlie’s.