Thailand treasure

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18 JUNE 2004
Excursions on the big screen in movies as wide ranging as the most recent version of The King And I to the Leonardo DiCaprio vehicle The Beach have made Thailand a popular holiday destination. But if you've done Phuket and Phi Phi and exhausted the palaces and pagodas of Bangkok, maybe it's time to discover, as Claudia Schiffer and the Beckhams did, a different side to the country. Beyond the familiar it offers a host of new activities just waiting to be discovered such as learning traditional massage or Oriental cuisine, exploring unknown islands, and even meeting a princess…

Experience Bangkok
No holiday in the Thai capital would be complete without gazing in awe at the Grand Palace, mingling with contemporary youth in teeming Siam Square or floating up the Chao Phraya River on a romantic rice barge. But Bangkok has much more to offer visitors who delve a little deeper into local life.

Why not study Thai massage with monks at the Wat Pho temple school, or learn to cook Thai-style at one of the hotel schools – both the Shangri-La and the colonial-style Marriott Resort and Spa run classes. Or spoil yourself with a silk dress (£60-£80) tailored by Alex Sarto at his shop opposite the Shangri-La, where Claudia Schiffer is a customer.

Bangkok’s futuristic Skytrain will give you an aerial view of the city – and a break from Bangkok’s congestion and pollution. And from next month you’ll be able to ride the new underground system. Finally, hone your bargaining skills at the weekend Chatuchak Market where you, and the other 200,000 visitors a day, can haggle for anything from an antique to a snake at more than 8,000 stalls. You’re unlikely to get the stall-holders down to your asking price, but they’ll respect you for trying.