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Check out these nine curious facts about Bangkok:

1. Thai food is the bomb.

If there’s one thing Bangkok will not disappoint, it’s your taste buds. From five star restaurants to colorful street food stalls, Bangkok offers a unique culinary adventure to all types of travelers. You can’t miss their fragrant jasmine rice – a staple that goes with just about anything but most perfectly with their spicy dishes! For an exotic kick, try fried cockroaches and caterpillars in the night markets or have authentic Pad Thai cooked right before your eyes. Wherever your pleasure lies, dining and drinking is sure to be one of the highlights of your Bangkok trip.

2. Longest name

Bangkok currently holds the Guinness record for having the longest name of a place. Apparently “Bangkok” is just the short version because the city’s ceremonial name is “Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit”. Say what?

3. Hot hot hot!

Several years ago, Bangkok was named the hottest city in the world by the World Meteorological Organization. It may not be the hottest city in the world every single day but you can be sure it’s pretty consistent. Touring the Grand Palace (a large complex of palaces and temples) at 10 in the morning is almost unbearable due to the scorching heat. When exploring the city, be sure to keep hydrated and bring an umbrella.

4. Temples much?

Bangkok can very well be called “Temple City” with the presence of Buddhist temples in almost every street and corner. These fascinating temples serve as one of the greatest cultural symbols of Thailand.

5. Candy cabs

If you like colors particular candy hues, you’ll be delighted by the streets of Bangkok because candy-colored cabs are everywhere! Unlike in other big cities where taxi cabs come uniform in color, taxi cabs in Bangkok vary in hue depending on which company a cab belongs to. So expect to see lots of happy colors in the streets – bright green, sky blue, vivid orange, and my favorite – lovely baby pink cabs.

6. Underwear is a must.

We all know underwear is pretty essential, but not as much as in Thailand and Bangkok, where leaving the house with no underwear on can very well land you in jail. Going bare-chested in public is illegal too.

7. Thais love their king.

No doubt. The nation’s adoration for him is particularly apparent in Bangkok where pictures and posters of the royal power can be found in almost every other street. Take note that it’s also illegal to say anything bad about the king or to even laugh at a picture of him. In the cinemas, a short tribute clip to the king is played before a movie starts and everyone is expected to stand up and pay respect.

8. Land of Smiles

Bangkok lives up to Thailand’s nickname as the “Land of Smiles”. As peace-loving people with ready smiles, Thais exude pleasant auras and generally seek harmony over social conflict. A lot of tourists like going back to Bangkok simply because of the charm and warmth of its people. While it has its share of crimes, Bangkok remains to be one of the friendliest cities in the world.

9. World’s Best City

In the thirteenth annual World’s Best Awards Readers’ Survey of globally leading travel magazine Travel + Leisure, Bangkok was named as “World’s Best City 2008”, beating 2007 winners Florence, Italy and Bali, Indonesia. Bangkok has been in the top 5 for the last three years but gained top spot only in 2008, winning over famed cities of the west like New York, Rome, and San Francisco. With its rich culture, fantastic food, excellent shopping, vibrant sceneries, nightlife, and more, Bangkok has no doubt become well-loved all over the globe.

5 popular Bangkok hotels on Venere.com:

• Salil Hotel
• P2 Boutique Hotel
• FuramaXclusive Sukhumvit Hotel
• Hotel Vaboir Lodge Royal Suite
  
• Hotel City Lodge I

Photo of Wat Mahathat temple, Bangkok, Thailand, by Telmo32