More Reasons to Like Bangkok

As with every large city I've visited around the world, Bangkok has some drawbacks.  Traffic and the challenge of getting around is usually my main c!omplaint, along with pollution.  Bangkok is no exception.

There are some good things about Bangkok, though.  Here are some:

Massages - you can get a massage for less than $6 an hour at a clean, quiet locals place or you can pay $60 at an upscale place in a high end mall.  The facilities may look a bit different but the experience is about the same.  I've been enjoying almost daily massages on this trip.  For about $8 I get a one hour foot/leg massage and 30 minutes of head/neck/shoulder massage. 

Health care - This is my third visit to Bangkok that focused on time at a hospital.  The first was when I got sick in Myanmar and ended up in Intensive Care at Camillian Hospital in Bangkok.  I got excellent treatment for a very low price.  The second time, I hung out at Bumrungrad Hospital with a friend who was hit by a truck in Myanmar.  He needed surgery so we came to Bangkok.  He received excellent care with the most modern treatment available in the world. 

This trip, I'm hanging out again at Bumrungrad but for a very positive reason.  Friends from Myanmar have opted to have their first baby in Bangkok because of the superior medical care.  The hospital has all the amenities you could want or need, at a reasonable price.  There's a reason Bangkok has become a medical tourist destination.

A private room at Bumrungrad is $90 a night.

People - I've found people to be overall very friendly and helpful.  The service from the receptionists at Pannapat Residence is more like what you'd get at a 5 Star Resort rather than a $17 a night room.  When you are away from the main tourist areas most people don't speak English but they generally make an effort to communicate.

Parks - Bangkok is a large, crowded city. To break that up, there are numerous parks with small lakes and walking paths.  This week I visited Chatuchak park.  The highlight, for me, was the butterfly garden.  My expectations were low but it was large, very well maintained and free.  I even got to see a small Komodo dragon wandering around.

The Butterfly Garden in Chatuchak Park.

A shady place to relax in Chatuchak Park, which happens to be next to one of the largest open air weekend markets in Asia.