Bangkok

Bangkok hits all your senses at once and never quite lets go. Glittering golden temples sit next to gleaming shopping malls, street food sizzles on every corner, tuk-tuks weave through the traffic, and rooftop bars look out over a skyline that goes on forever. It can feel overwhelming on day one, and then somewhere around day two it clicks, and you realise this chaotic, generous, endlessly surprising city is one of the most exciting places on earth. It's the gateway to Southeast Asia, the start of countless great adventures, and a destination in its own right. For the budget traveller, Bangkok is close to paradise. It's the backpacker capital of Asia for good reason: some of the best food in the world costs a couple of pounds from a street stall, the public transport is cheap and efficient, dorm beds are a few pounds a night, and many of the greatest experiences, the temples, the markets, the riverside, cost very little. You genuinely can eat like royalty and see incredible sights on a tiny budget here. The trick is to embrace the street food, use the Skytrain, and not let the tuk-tuk drivers talk you into the tourist-trap detours. We'll show you how.