Bangkok

Weave through buddhas, flowers and roosters at Chatuchak Weekend Market, enjoy a túk-túk ride and visit the Oriental Hotel where literati have been inspired. Take a canal taxi past teak houses on stilts, experience the splendid Grand Palace and indulge in a steaming bowl of tôm yam. Whatever your Thai temptation, this smart, stylish and streetwise guide will satisfy them all.

• Shop till you drop in bustling market stalls or gleaming shopping malls - you'll get the inside word on the city's best bargains
• Hit the town with sexy cocktails at Bangkok's most elegant bars or work up a sweat in the hottest hi-tech clubs
• Sleep tight in the ultimate luxury hotels or budget guesthouses - there's a price to suit every hip pocket
• Tickle your tastebuds with one of the world's tastiest menus, whether it be streetside noodles or stomach-stretching banquets
• Escape the big city bustle with excursions to Ayuthaya, Kanchanaburi and nearby beach retreats