Bangkok

Bangkok was founded as the Thai capital in 1782 on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, and the river still defines the old city. The Grand Palace, Wat Pho with its reclining Buddha, and Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn on the opposite bank, form a cluster of royal and religious buildings that can be seen in a long morning. The temples have a dress code: shoulders and knees must be covered, and the lines at the Grand Palace are shortest early in the day.

The river and the canals, the khlongs, give the city a second layer. Ferries and long-tail boats cross the Chao Phraya and enter the narrow waterways of Thonburi, where wooden houses stand on stilts and temples sit behind gardens. Away from the water, the city is dense and loud, with elevated trains, expressways and some of the heaviest traffic in Asia. The BTS Skytrain and MRT metro are the fastest way across town.

Food is a reason to come by itself. Yaowarat, the Chinatown district, is busiest at night, when street stalls serve noodles, seafood, grilled meats and desserts along the main road. Elsewhere, markets, shophouse restaurants and hawker lanes cover every price level, and the Chatuchak weekend market is among the largest in Southeast Asia. The Jim Thompson House, a museum of Thai architecture and silk, is a quieter stop.

Bangkok is also the base for some of the best day trips and overnight excursions in the country. Ayutthaya, the former capital, is an hour or two to the north. Kanchanaburi, with the Bridge on the River Kwai and the Death Railway, lies roughly three hours to the west, and the Erawan waterfalls are in the national park beyond it. Khao Yai National Park, to the north-east, is Thailand's oldest national park and is known for forest trekking and wildlife. Each of these works better as an overnight than as a rushed day.

The cool season, from November to February, is the most comfortable time, though it is also the busiest. March to May is hot, and the rainy season from May to October brings daily downpours that are usually short. Suvarnabhumi Airport is the main international gateway, and Don Mueang serves many low-cost carriers.

Three days covers the main temples, the river, the food districts and one market. Stay near the river or on the Skytrain line, since time spent in traffic is the main hidden cost of a Bangkok stay.