Bangkok has a population of about 10 million and it keeps increasing. But under the shadow of the skyscrapers you'll find a heady mix of frenetic markets and hushed golden temples, of glossy cutting-edge clubs and early-morning almsgiving ceremonies. For accommodation, most budget travelers head for the Banglamphu district where they can find a lot of discount hotels in Bangkok, which is just a short walk from the dazzling Grand Palace, Wat Po and National Museum. For livelier scenes, explore the dark alleys of Chinatown's bazaars or head for the river. The great Chao Phraya River is the backbone of a network of canals and a useful way of crossing the city.
Most of the canals have been filled in, to be replaced by endless rows of concrete shop-houses, sprawling over a built-up area of 330 square kilometers. The benefits of the economic boom of the 1980s and early 1990s were concentrated in Bangkok, which attracted mass migration from all over Thailand and made the capital ever more dominant.