Overwhelming, loud, crowded: these are just a few words that could be used to describe the massive Chatuchak Weekend Market. That said, this is one attraction visitors to Bangkok on the weekends surely cannot miss out on. It is one of the largest markets in Asia, and hosts thousands of vendors and stalls to prove it. Rare art pieces, northern handicrafts, genitalia-shaped soap: you name the souvenir, Chatuchak is bound to have it. The best time to visit is in the morning. It is not as hot and vendors are more likely to give shoppers a deal, as the first sale of the day is meant to bring good luck. Be sure to barter, as well.
Bangkok shopping pick : Chatuchak Weekend Market : One of the largest markets in the world: Its land size is huge, covering an area of 35 acres. The number of stall is vast with 8000 stalls. The place brims over products of all kinds as a result. While Chatuchak covers everything you can ever imagine, unique sections worth checking out are rare to find antiques, ceramics, home furniture, and souvenirs. Best place to buy Thai handicrafts in Bangkok: Get some beautiful handicrafts while touring Chatuchak market if you plan to bring home something truly Thai. The product range is huge; the quality is high; the prices are competitive among shops. These are simply the reasons.
Just by the name itself, you might have guessed that Terminal 21 has a certain theme to it and what else would it be but everything related to travel! The design starting from the airport-esque feel of the glass and steel front to the electronic display boards to the Golden Gate Bridge spanning across an entire floor, Terminal 21 truly resonates the traveller spirit in you. Each floor resembles a famous world city. There’s Tokyo City, Carnaby Street in London , an Istanbul Souk, and Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Here you can shop anything from clothes to accessories to home decor. See more travel tips about Paris, Bangkok or Los Angeles on Things to do in Paris.
If you have your eye on everything high class, luxurious, and upscale, Gaysorn Village is the shopping mall in Bangkok to go to. The marble and chrome interiors reeks nothing but sophistication and class. To put it simply, Gaysorn is where the rich and famous head to for their fill on fashion and fun. In this exclusive shopping centre, an impulse of shoppers isn’t the normal case here but just a few elite members out on a splurge. Other than the international brands such as Ermenegildo Zegna, Louis Vuitton, and Hugo Boss, another note-worthy feature here is its innovative ‘Purely Gaysorn’ campaign that aims to offer a gold standard lifestyle shopping with its new Lifestyle Consultant team that exclusively helps you out on your style, parties, and gifts. With only a few shoppers at a time, the shopping experience here is truly relaxed. Expect only up-market fashion brands, jewellers, and the like when you enter Gaysorn Village.
The most visited tourist attraction in Paris, the Eiffel Tower also ranks high on the list of places to visit in France. It’s hard to believe that the structure was dismissed as a monstrosity when it was first unveiled. The iconic tower was designed by Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel for the Paris Exhibition of 1889, which marked the centenary of the French Revolution. The tower consists of 18,000 sturdy iron sections (weighing over 10,000 tons) held together by 2.5 million rivets. This innovative structure is now considered a masterful architectural feat and is the most emblematic sight in Paris. From the Jardins du Trocadero and the lawns of the Champs de Mars, there is just the right distance from the Eiffel Tower for a picture-perfect photo-op. Reaching 324 meters in height, the tower was the world’s tallest building until the Empire State Building was erected.
If you only visit one major historical tourist attraction in Bangkok, this should be the one. The royal compound lives up to its name, with spectacular structures that would put the most decadent modern monarchs to shame. It’s also the home of Wat Phra Kaeo, which houses the Jade (or Emerald) Buddha. Built in 1782, the grand palace was the royal residence for generations and is still used for important ceremonies and accommodating heads of state. Dress modestly when visiting the Grand Palace, which basically means covering your arms and legs and avoiding any sloppy attire. To avoid any hassle and to make the most of your visit, take the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew Tour. This is a half-day sightseeing tour, either morning or afternoon, with pick up from your hotel and a local guide to put what you are seeing in context. Without a guide, it’s easy to miss important features or not fully understand the relevance of what you are seeing, and the hotel pick up makes the whole experience that much simpler. Source: How to save money on hotel booking.
Paris shopping pick : Boulevard Saint Germain, Bon Marche & Rue du Bac: Running through the elegant 7th arrondissement, the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Pres and into the lively Latin Quarter, Boulevard Saint Germain is a street shoppers won’t want to miss in Paris. Starting at the Seine River in the 7th, this pretty street is lined with trees and beautiful Parisian buildings. It’s a great spot for home decor shops, fashion boutiques and gourmet food shops. As you reach the intersection with Rue du Bac and Boulevard Raspail, you’ll enter a fabulous shopping neighborhood. Follow Boulevard Raspail down to Rue de Rennes, and along the way you’ll find many interesting stores, including Genevieve Lethu for dishes, tablecloths and so on (95 Rue de Rennes). Plastiques (103 Rue de Rennes) is great for home gift ideas, including cool cheese trays, salad bowls out of clear plastic with Provencal flowers inside and so on.
Sitting at the highest point in Paris like an ornamental decoration, the Basilique Sacre-Coeur has a special aura. Its alabaster facade blends Romanesque and Byzantine styles, and from far away, it looks like a wedding cake (which is its nickname). Inside the Basilica, the striking mosaic of Christ with a flaming heart gives the sanctuary an emotional and spiritual intensity, fitting for a church that was created as a symbol of hope after the Franco-Prussian War. The sanctuary is illuminated with many candles, which provide a contrast to the dark, somber space. Visitors can spend time on the terrace admiring the views of Paris or climb the tower for an even higher perspective. The Esplanade that leads up (by a staircase of over 200 steps) to the Sacre-Coeur church is a popular area for people to hang out and is often animated by street musicians.
Paris restaurant pick : After working with Alain Passard and Marc Veyrat, Toutain first wowed Paris at Agape Substance, a hole in the wall in Saint-Germain. Now he has his own place, and his constantly changing tasting menus (55 euros at lunch, 80 euros or 110 euros at dinner) deliver the boldest and most interesting food in Paris. Think dishes like seared foie gras in baked potato bouillon with black truffles; a monochromatic white composition of cuttlefish with yuba; and nearly translucent Parmesan gnocchi, seasoned with the juice extracted from cooking the cheese at very low temperatures for hours.