Bangkok

Bangkok is a glorious shock to the senses — a metropolis where golden temple spires rise from a sea of skyscrapers, street vendors toss Pad Thai into wok flames at three in the morning, and tuk-tuks battle limousines through the legendary traffic jams. Thailand's capital, known to locals as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (City of Angels), is chaotic, loud, sultry, overwhelming — and absolutely irresistible. Anyone who views Bangkok merely as a stopover to the islands misses out on one of Asia's most exciting cities.