Looking for a Christmas luxury getaway? Bite into ‘Big Mango’ Bangkok with these great options
Budget trips are great but nothing spells indulgence quite like a wine-soused luxury getaway. Here is all you can do in Bangkok on a two-day trip that will leave you feeling like a royal.
Think Thailand and delicious street food, busy floating markets, colourful nightlife, and tourist-speckled beaches immediately come to mind. But we tell you that while these experiences are great the mainstays do not define this popular tourist destination. Especially if you are looking to indulge yourself a little bit as the year winds down, Bangkok has some great options that will leave you pampered and relaxed. This city allows you to take in tradition that is restyled for 21st-century tastes.
Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index pegs Bangkok as the top travel destination in the world in 2019, a spot it has occupied for four years now. And the company is now working with Tourism Authority of Thailand to elevate the appeal of Bangkok, and Thailand in general, to Indian tourists, through ease of digital payments.
A view of Bangkok
Manasi Narasimhan, Vice President, Marketing and Communications, South Asia, Mastercard, told YS Weekender,
“From priority access at the most exclusive places to unique culinary encounters, Mastercard unlocks a world of priceless experiences for its cardholders. Thailand is a natural choice for curating many such experiences, and allows Mastercard cardholders to create lifelong memories, merely by the swipe of a debit or credit card. This is why, Bangkok has been the number one travel destination for the fourth consecutive year on the Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index 2019.”
So, with Christmas around the corner, there is no reason why you shouldn’t take advantage of some great luxury travel options in this heady city. YS Weekender tells you what to do for a quick two-day getaway in the city. This itinerary is crafted with indulgence in mind for you to see the ‘Big Mango’ in a whole different light.
Tower Club at lebua
Do you want to stay in the lap of luxury and wake up to breathtaking views of the city? We suggest you check into Tower Club at lebua in Bangkok, which also has some great bars and restaurants, as it embraces the concept of ‘vertical experiences’.
Room with a view
A labyrinth of suites at lebua look over Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River, or the River of Kings, as it is often referred to. Walk into your wind-whipped balcony and take in the bird’s-eye view of the towering skyscrapers and Buddhist temples dotting the banks of the river.
If you are able to tear away from the sweeping views of the city from the comfort of your luxury suite, we suggest you head down to Café Mozu at the hotel where you can feast on a range of goodies—from salmon maki rolls, to satay, or bacon—for breakfast from the wide buffet spread. Sit by the glittering pool and slowly sip on some strong Thai coffee, watching the city whirring to life again.
Rosé at Pink Bar
The Pink Bar
End your long day of shop-crawling (more on that later) by heading to the Pink Bar to celebrate your first night in Bangkok with a glass (or three!) of wine. Located at the lebua, the bar is pink-hued to match the Rosé that you can belt by the bottle. Hey, this is your much-anticipated holiday, so no one is keeping count! Look over the city from your table in the balcony and take in the sights and sounds of this glamourous city.
Feast on food and views at Chef’s Table
Bangkok has an unparalleled food experience, with tourists flocking the city just to sample some of the best delicacies Asia has to offer. While picking up a stick of satay on-the-go or biting into a creamy slice of durian right on the streets has its own draw, you should not give the city’s many fine dining options a miss. Bangkok has some of Asia’s best chefs competing to attract food connoisseurs from across the world.
Chef's Table
If French cuisine is your thing, head to Chef’s Table, right at lebua. Holding a well-deserved one-star Michelin rating, this is a must on your luxury trip. You don’t get to just feast on the food and wine at this restaurant; the panoramic views of the city from the floor-to-ceiling windows and the open kitchen to see genius at work will leave you mesmerised.
Headed by the famed Chef Vincent Thierry, dining theatre is on full display, with multiple courses of delicately balanced French food being paired with complementary wines. Experience a touch of French royalty while sipping from wineglasses that are just like the ones from Marie Antoinette’s table (with the bases lopped off so that her guests could never put down their drink!).
Shop till you drop at Central World
Central World is touted to be one of Asia’s largest malls. The seven-storeyed mecca for shopping is dressed in green, red, and gold for Christmas and boasts the largest tree of the season in the city. Take your pick from a wide array of high-end boutiques, artisanal shops, gadget stores, high-street fashion labels, and small stalls selling handmade jewellery and crafts. There is an amazing maze of restaurants, cafes, and eateries to choose from for a spot of lunch between spending sprees. We recommend heading to the Living House and helping yourself to a steaming bowl of barbeque pork and crab wanton noodle soup. Then get right back to snagging that coveted Hermès bag.
Sip on champagne on a Chao Phraya boat ride
Chao Phraya boat ride
If champagne breakfast boat ride sounds exactly like what a luxury trip should have, Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river will not let you down. With an interpreter along, navigate Bangkok’s busy waterway that leads into most businesses, shopping malls, hotels, and restaurants. Bite into tiny sandwiches and take sips from your champagne flute as the water gently cradles your boat down the King of Rivers. Your guide will point out all the many places of interest on both sides of the river, as boats around you will transport tourists and city-dwellers alike. Throw chunks of bread that your guide provides you and watch as sunny shards of light fall on catfish clamouring to pick them apart. A toast to good times, indeed.
Muay Thai massage
A Muay Thai Massage
If a boozy boat ride did not put you into a lazy haze, we suggest you step out of the waters and embrace a couple of hours of pampering. Try the inimitable Muay Thai massage at The Siam Hotel nestling the river. After downing the sweet lemongrass shot that awaits you, sign up for a 90-minute traditional Thai massage and experience work pressures and life stresses slowly melting away. Be sure to inform your masseur/masseuse the level of pressure you can handle because these massages can get a little firm. For the brave-hearted, go for the extra firm massage that may leave you sore the next day but will give you sound sleep for days.
Wine and dine at Gaa, another Michelin star restaurant
If you think you have had everything Indian cuisine has to offer, Gaa will have the last laugh. Head to the Michelin-star restaurant helmed by Chef Garima Arora—the only Indian woman to hold a Michelin star in the world—to experience a reimagined Indian fusion fare.
Seeing betel leaf, mulberries, and khakra on the tasting menu may have you wondering if you are still at home in India. But Asia’s Best Female Chef awardee for 2019 and her team of young, intrepid chefs will give you a dining experience that will leave you swooning in culinary pleasure. Much thought is given to pairing the perfect wine/juice with the courses (there are 14 of them, so get ready for a long night!).
An unassuming Chef Arora will walk out of the kitchen and walk you through the first course. Tuck into a delicious duck course that champions the bird’s tongue, interspersed with fried savoury doughnuts stuffed with minced duck meat.
Sprinkled through the whole affair are Indian inspirations—be it bhel or jackfruit or the humble betel leaf—that are interpreted and deconstructed by a team of talented chefs. A particularly enjoyable drink is the lychee sake.
We cannot think of a better way for you to wrap up your luxury getaway in Bangkok than a long-drawn-out banquet at Gaa. So, what are you waiting for? Book your tickets soon for an eventful and luxurious Christmas in Bangkok.
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