Bangkok: Surrender to the Chaos

Bangkok does not ease you in, and neither does this guide.

Written in first person by a traveler who paid 1,500 baht for a metered ride on his first night so you do not have to, it decodes the zones one by one, does the great temples in the right order, eats where the city actually eats, and names the hustles before they name your price.

Inside the guide:

• The great temples done right: the Grand Palace at opening, Wat Pho and Wat Arun, Chatuchak's 15,000 stalls

• Where to eat: Jay Fai's Michelin-starred wok, Pe Aor, Wattana Panich's perpetual broth and Yaowarat after dark

• Rivers, canals and rooftops: the Chao Phraya as a transport system, khlong boats and the hidden green loop of Bang Kachao

• Watch Out: the palace that is never closed, the 20 baht tuk tuk tour, the upstairs bar bill, the monk who asks for money

• Honest logistics: the 45 baht Airport Rail Link, current BTS and MRT fares, and ready itineraries for 1, 3 and 5 days

18 full-color photographs lead the way. Come for the temples. Stay because Bangkok got under your skin.