Things to Do in Bangkok Near Skytrain Silom Line Stations

Bangkok's Skytrain is a quick, cheap and efficient way to get around Bangkok. This guide will let you know where to get off the Skytrain for some of the major attractions in Bangkok.

The Silom line is one of two lines on Bangkok's elevated BTS Skytrain mass transit system that covers much of the areas of the capital that are of interest to tourists. The other line is the Sukhumvit line and these two lines intersect at Siam station, one of the major stations on the network.

The Silom line runs from National Stadium in the Siam area, interchanges with the Sukhumvit line at Siam, then heads down through the Silom area and crosses the majestic Chao Phraya River and continues on for two stations to Wongwian Yai. If these names mean nothing to you, don't worry because I'm going to show you some of the interesting things to see and do near a lot of these stations.

National Stadium

This is the first station on the Silom line and around here you will find one of the huge youth meccas of Bangkok, MBK, Center (Mah Boon Krong). This is a multi-storey mall that has a lot of fashion stores (and knock-offs), as well as a lot of restaurants and a multi-screen movie theater. There are also a large number of electronics stores and this is where a lot of people purchase their mobile phones. You can also get your iPhone unlocked here and put in a local SIM card so you can avoid extravagant data charges while on vacation.

Jim Thompson House, a museum of the life and times of the famous silk baron is also in this area. Jim Thompson silk stores are ubiquitous throughout Bangkok and he certainly left his mark on the country. This museum was built inside the beautiful home he built and is a fascinating look into Bangkok of days gone.

Siam

Siam station is one of the busiest stations on the Skytrain network and also serves as an interchange between the Silom and Sukhumvit lines. It is also where you alight if you are in the mood for some serious shopping.

Siam Paragon, Thailand's most upscale shopping complex opened in December 2005 and covers more than 400,000 square meters. Just about every luxury brand that you can think of has their flagship store here amongst the 250 establishments housed here.

Within Siam Paragon you will find the 21 screen Siam Paragon Cineplex, which also features an IMAX theater. Going to the cinema is very cheap in Thailand, with tickets costing the equivalent of about USD 3. You may want to spend a little more though and try the truly luxurious VIP seats, which offer reclining leather seats with blankets and waiter service.

The basement of Siam Paragon houses Siam Ocean World- the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia, covering 10,000 square meters. The aquarium is home to 30,000 marine animals of 400 species.

Across the street from Siam Paragon is the lively district of Siam Square, a trendy area of shops and restaurants popular with young Bangkokians. This area is always lively and it is a great place to see emerging trends. You will also find Siam Discovery Center here as well as a Hard Rock Café.

Sala Daeng

This is the station you get off at if you want to see the famous Patpong. Patpong has nightly markets that are very popular with tourists selling everything from fake designer jeans and watches to pirated CDs and DVDs as well as a lot of handicrafts.

Patpong is perhaps better known though for it's many go-go bars which line both sides of the street which houses the night markets, as well as a number of other nearby streets.

There are also a number of clubs, restaurants and bars in this area, but they mostly cater to foreign tourists and can be overpriced.

Saphan Taksin

Saphan Taksin was the final station on the Silom line until May 2009 when the network was extended across the Chao Phraya River two more stations to cater to the many commuters who live in Thon Buri.

Being by the river, Saphan Taksin has a ferry wharf where many local ferries, Chao Phraya river express boats, as well as shuttle boats from many of the riverside 5 star hotels drop off and pickup passengers. Also a number of the dinner cruise companies depart from here.

A free cruise can be had by boarding one of the hotel riverboats that taxi guests up and down the river. The Bangkok Marriott Resort & Spa is about 15 minutes downriver and provides two teak boats that go back and forth between this pier and the hotel all day until late in the evening. You don't have to be a guest at the resort to board this boat and it provides a fantastic view of the Bangkok skyline at no charge.

The Skytrain is a very inexpensive and efficient way to travel around Bangkok, with fares ranging from 15 Baht (around 45 US cents), to a maximum of 40 Baht (USD1.20). The stations are clearly signposted in English and there are also announcements inside the carriages in English.

With the streets of Bangkok being notoriously clogged most of the day with seemingly endless traffic, the Skytrain is a smart way to move around Thailand's largest city.

For a convenient place to stay in Bangkok, check out our comprehensive list of hotels near BTS Skytrain stations, as well as many other thoughtful lists of hotels we have put together at http://www.reservethaihotels.com.

By Aaron James