4 Ways to Enjoy Bangkok’s High-Luxe Side

4 Ways to Enjoy Bangkok’s High-Luxe Side

Bangkok is synonymous with bustling streets, open-air markets, and Buddhist temples, but did you know that the city also offers tourists a host of luxury activities to indulge in? If you are someone who enjoys the finer things in life, then Bangkok will surely surprise you with its glitzy shopping malls, fine-dining restaurants, and cultural expeditions. Here are four ways you can enjoy a luxury vacation during your stay in Bangkok!

Dine With a View

You know what’s better than gorging on Thai food? Having it on a luxurious cruise with a picturesque view. We are talking about Baan Khanitha Cruise, an award-winning restaurant set along the majestic Chao Phraya River. Freshly made authentic Thai food set against a traditional, colonial-style decor coupled with impeccable hospitality is what defines Baan Khanitha and makes it a memorable dining experience.

Some of their famous delicacies include Ayutthaya giant river prawns, Gaeng Massaman Gai (chicken and vegetables in a coconut curry), and Kao Niew Mamuang (mango sticky rice). Baan Khanitha is one of those places you cannot afford to miss. Consider booking an IHG hotel nearby, so you can walk over when it’s time for the cruise.

Shop ’til You Drop

Image via Flickr by Ninara

You haven’t shopped in Bangkok until you’ve visited EM District. This shopping arena promises to leave you with a shopping experience you won’t forget. Comprising of Emporium, EmQuartier, and EmSphere, EM District has over 1,000 Thai and international labels in luxury fashion, technology, dining, and lifestyle. While you’re there, don’t forget to visit The World’s Pop-Up Beach — a pop-up beach tucked away inside this mall that has huts, live music, massage centers, ping-pong tables, and lots more.

Private Tour of Bangkok’s Khlongs

Image via Flickr by David McKelvey

Exploring Bangkok’s khlongs (canals) is on every tourist’s to-do list. For those of you who don’t wish to be part of a noisy and crowded affair, it is recommended to book a guided private tour to peacefully explore the Chao Phraya River and Thonburi Khlongs. A remarkable contrast from the rest of the city, the tranquil khlongs will take you to a world of old-teak houses, floating markets, and temples looming over the canals. Get ready to be enamored by the old-world charm while listening to stories of Bangkok’s past and soaking in the scenic beauty around you.

Take a Cooking Class

We have all eaten and relished Thai cuisine at some point in our lives, but learning how to make some of Thailand’s most iconic dishes from the local experts is a culinary adventure worth experiencing.

Blue Elephant, a restaurant known for its world-renowned Royal Thai Cuisine, offers visitors cooking courses to let them truly discover the many culinary wonders Thai cuisine has to offer. From amateurs to professional cooks, this cooking course is open to all. It starts with a trip to the nearby market to pick the local ingredients, followed by learning the traditional cooking methods to cook up a delicious four-course meal. The session ends with having your own-cooked Thai food.

With so many luxury activities to offer, Bangkok is not just another “cheap and cheerful” holiday destination. It truly has lots in store for both the careful spenders and those who wish to indulge.

Sapphire Kharyzma

Queens of Virtue was birthed through the desire to create a brand for multicultural women – to inspireHER, motivateHER, influenceHER, educateHER, empowerHER, and leadHER to make her passion and purpose, her paycheck. Travel has always been my passion and therapy, with beauty and style being my creative outlet. Originally, the brand was my blog – ‘Travel. Beauty. Style.,’ but I decided to plant seeds of expansion. I focused on becoming a certified travel consultant, but I wanted to create a platform where women can not only travel but connect through genuine togetherness. I did not want just another travel agency, so the brand operates as a DMC (Destination Management Company) and a DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) as well.

As a blogger I noticed that influencers of color were being left out of the “influence” space, especially in the luxury sector. Campaigns continued to go to black and brown destinations, yet the message appeared extremely whitewashed. So, I became the change I desired to see! No longer did I care to come to the table. I realized that my entire life, I was a master chef. I asked myself, why sit at the table, when I am the createHER of the Michelin 5-star menu? Coming from a Caribbean culture, raised in Brooklyn, NY – I knew that it takes a village! So, I built one.

The ‘She Rize” movement is all about the ‘Power in the Pack.” We are Women of Power, uplifting multicultural women, helping them to recognize their role by unleashing their Queendom that exists within. The brand offers resources within pillars of motivation – through coaching and mentoring – for small businesses and entrepreneurship development. As a woman, one of the hardest things to accomplish is being mentored and/or coached by other women. Not too many women take the time to be our sisters’ keeper. I remember looking up to Toni Morrison, Terry McMillan, and of course, Maya Angelou. Their creative works gave me the inspiration and fuel I need to ‘rize’ when the world told me I cannot! “You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise!” – Maya Angelou.

I work 1-on-1 with women aspiring to take their brands higher. For those who are interested in the travel industry, you will receive mentorship and coaching, in addition to training and job placement upon industry certification. In fact, you can expect my guidance and support throughout the entire process.

For the last decade, as a digital influencer, I recognized a void within the industry. The goal is to be the bridge that connects the not-so-invisible dots. Working with women influencers and creators of color, is my passion – as well as a privilege! This initiative works with top brands, professionals, and influencers/creators (by invitation only) to create content as storytellers! Throughout the year, this collective hosts exclusive FAMs (familiarization) and Press trips for influencers to experience destinations and events, saturated in luxury and style. I also create luxury campaigns in the Travel and Lifestyle arenas. The initiative also provides a luxury digital magazine for creators and influencers, by creators and influencers called ‘Shades of Beauty, Influence of Color,’ as well as a podcast series called the ‘Queen’s Qorner,’ training, courses, and virtual travel content – all launching soon.

The vision I have for Queens of Virtue continues to transform. I hope to impact over 1,000 women globally by the end of 2022, leaving a digital footprint of change and growth. By 2025, I hope to reach over 10,000 women. When I say impact – I mean to influence, inspire, empower, educate, lead – to shape in some way, helping HER to not just tell her story, but to manifest her dreams into a sweet reality. My goal is to have properties; Airbnb’s, resorts, and Inn’s in exotic destinations around the globe, in addition, catamaran(s), private jet(s) and thousands of sustainable women-led and owned businesses under my wing by 2030. I plan to leave a legacy for my children and grandchildren. Queens of Virtue aims to be a household staple and world-renowned luxury lifestyle brand for decades to come.

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