Bangkok

I was pleased this week to be asked by a producer from PeterGreenberg.com to contribute to a feature on Peter's Website named "Off the Brochure". Peter is an Emmy award-winning journalist; he's the Travel Editor for NBC’s Today show, CNBC and MSNBC. He's also a best-selling author. I was asked to give some recommendations for travelers who want to experience Bangkok beyond the typical tourist sites.

One of my suggestions included enrolling in a cooking school. Ever think to do that on your vacation?!

You can check out the entire feature at: http://www.petergreenberg.com/2007/08/14/off-the-brochure-bangkok/

I am fortunate to have visited Bangkok at least 20 times! I thought to share with you my three favorite things to do in Bangkok:

- Take a private long-boat excursion through Bangkok's many residential canals. Here you see the entire spectrum of Thai life from the high-end wealthy estates to the more modest homes, along with floating markets and spirit houses. There are many great spots to stop for lunch!

- My wife, daughter and I always love returning to one of the most luxurious hotels in the world, The Oriental. One of our favorite things to do is to spend a relaxing afternoon at The Oriental's wonderful spa, situated across the river from the hotel in a Thai-style golden teak wood house. The Oriental truly defines understated luxury. Check it out here: http://www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/

- Antique shopping is terrific in Bangkok. Some of the most interesting pieces of Asian art we have acquired have come from our visits to Bangkok. We had a beautiful 19th century Tibetan chest shipped back to Chicago from our last visit!

At Kipling & Clark, we've created a wonderful sample itinerary for an expedition to Cambodia and Thailand. Paste this link into your browser to see what your trip could look like:

http://www.kiplingandclark.com/pagesNew/KC_Thailand_Family_Tour_Itin2.pdf

I think you'll be amazed at all there is to experience - I know I'm looking forward to my next visit!