From the lavish Sukhumvit district to Khao San Road, the infamous backpacker hub, the capital of Thailand has just as wide a variety of neighborhoods as it does lodging.

Luxury

The Siam

This stunning, antique-laced property on the Chao Praya River recalls the time of King Rama V (1853-1910), a period when Bangkok was a tranquil, smog-free riverside idyll. Since opening in 2012, the accolades have been rolling in from travel rags around the world.

With great restaurants, a poolside bar, muay Thai gym and spa, this 39-room resort set on three acres is almost a vacation unto itself. Though a bit of a hike from the city center, there’s a regular hotel-operated ferry that shuttles guests to the Taksin pier, where they can jump on the BTS Skytrain.

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

This Bangkok institution is a step back to a time when luggage was carried in trunks, dinner dress was de rigueur (tropics or not) and tea on the veranda was served with a stiff G&T to ward off mosquitoes.

More than 100 years old, the Oriental’s Author’s Wing retains its magical aura with its picturesque parlors, each named for a scribe they once hosted, including the likes of Somerset Maugham, Joseph Conrad and Ernest Hemingway.

The Garden Wing offers similar heights of nostalgic luxury, while the modern River Wing and Tower have a more contemporary design. And if it weren’t patently obvious from the never-ending stream of awards rained upon this five-star, best of Bangkok landmark, high tea in the Mandarin Oriental’s library is simply too civilized for the mere words of us regrettably nonfamous authors.

St. Regis Bangkok

Nearly a quarter of the 227 guest rooms at this elegant property are suites. This should give you an idea of the level of comfort to which the St. Regis aspires and generally attains.

A specialty is off-site activities geared toward “the artistic visionary, the epicurean voyager, the passionate connoisseur.” Care for a deep-sea fishing trip with one of the hotel’s celebrated chefs? A private Fendi shopping trip? The hotel will arrange it.

W Hotel Bangkok

Wonderful guest room.

W Bangkok

The stylish W concept remains intact at this 407-room hotel (“chili-hot nightlife” is advertised) located on Bangkok’s Embassy Row near a vibrant commercial district.

Rooms are basic but fully wired and come with good robes and a Munchie Box. Bathrooms come with rainforest showers. City-view room views are nice.

Midrange

Mode Sathorn

With the opening of Mode Sathorn, Siam@Siam gets the second design hotel in its Bangkok portfolio, which the brand is somewhat predictably characterizing as “fashionable lifestyle.”

The property has 201 rooms and suites in five categories, each featuring a different design concept, plus a presidential suite on the 36th floor. F&B offerings come in the form of three restaurants and three bars.

Theatre Bar is the standout thanks to a circular TV screen and three areas segregated by your poison of choice, be it wine, beer or cocktails. As with its sister hotel, Mode Sathorn features a rooftop bar. If live DJs in al fresco vogue settings aren’t your thing, Secret M has a private indoor dining cove one floor below.

Galleria 10 Hotel Bangkok

Formerly the Ramada Encore, the Galleria 10 is a 188-room, chrome-and-glass hotel with modern furnishings. It’s geared toward “always-on-the-go” business travelers, with high-speed Internet access included in the room rate, 40-inch LCD TV with satellite channels, good-sized working areas, direct dial telephones and HDMI easy plug-in. There are some nice outdoor spaces for drinks around the pool.

Bangkok Treehouse

Bangkok Treehouse’s “View with a Room.”

Bangkok Tree House

Inspired by Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden,” the 12-suite Bangkok Treehouse allows guests to get back to nature in Bang Krajao, the “green lungs of Bangkok.” Guests arrive via a dedicated shuttle boat across the Chao Phraya, disembarking onto a floating pontoon overlooked by the hotel’s gourmet organic restaurant.

Each standard suite is divided into three levels (living room, bedroom and roof deck), offering views of the surrounding river, mangroves and coconut plantations. Inside, the rooms are comfortable and cozy, with all the expected features (TV, DVD, Wi-Fi) and optional air-conditioning.

Loy La Long

Quirky and comfy, the seven color-coded rooms at this two-story wood property on the edge of Chinatown range from a four-bedroom family dorm (guests pay per bed) to the river-view suite that allows you to wake up to the sight of barges floating past — along with the occasional roaring longtail engine.

There’s a fantastic “living room,” where guests can park on a floor cushion and watch the life on the river pass by. Near Tha Tien Pier, Loy La Long is hidden behind a temple complex right on the edge of Chinatown. Not easy to find, but the payoff is worth it.

Budget

Lub D

Lub D proves that being on a budget doesn’t have to mean losing out on style or location. There are two Lub D “hostels” in Bangkok, both rocking an industrial chic design. The original is on Decho Road, off Silom.

The newer Siam location is opposite National Stadium, close to the BTS SkyTrain and a short walk to Siam Square and the malls of Rajaprasong. It has four-bed dorms, economy twin rooms, doubles and, our favorite, a queen-bed suite with a private bathroom and LCD TV. The Wi-Fi is free and the beer cheap. You won’t find those attributes in too many five-star establishments.

The Speakeasy

An upmarket bar with great views, The Speakeasy at Hotel Muse is set in a beautiful space on the 24th and 25th floors. Designed to bring back some Prohibition Era nostalgia, it consists of two bars, a cigar lounge, private salas and a boardroom.

Sukhumvit Soi 11

In recent years, this busy Bangkok street in the city’s Nana area has been pumped full of hotels, tourist-friendly pubs, nightclubs and restaurants.

Soi 11 newcomers worth checking out include Apoteka — great live music, stiff drinks and craft beer — and Levels, an enormous, high-ceilinged room whose centerpiece is a circular, glowing bar with a jazzy LED chandelier overhead. The latter has house-heavy DJs every night, with the occasional visiting big deal international act.

RCA

Another great place for bar hopping — if you don’t mind hanging with the under-25 set — the numerous clubs and pubs that line Royal City Avenue (taxi drivers all know it as RCA) provide a congregation point for youngsters looking to chill out.

Named for the historic American highway, Route 66 is the mother of all clubs here, where the ghetto riche and urban fab descend in throngs to dance to a variety of music. For live music, there’s Cosmic Café.

WTF

Curious name aside, WTF on Sukhumvit Soi 51 lives up to its multifaceted concept of food-drink-art-friendship, attracting the city’s intellectual and creative class.

WTF is comfortably tiny, with a few tables scattered around on the first floor near a well-stocked bar, while the second floor serves as a gallery space.

Maggie Choo’s

Maggie Choo’s

courtesy Maggie Choo’s

It may be located in the basement of a hotel (accessed via a separate, dark entrance), but this speakeasy-like bar with a Shanghai opium den vibe comes with the solid pedigree of nightlife mogul Ashley Sutton. Sutton is behind several of the city’s time warping establishments, such as Iron Fairies and Fat Gutz.

At Maggie Choo’s, you get live jazz, leather armchairs, bank vaults and Queen Victoria busts juxtaposed with cocktails, tile work, lattice and heavy wooden doors. Beautiful women clad in cheongsams hang from swings and drape themselves across the bar.

Alfresco 64

How about a drink at a place that bills itself as the world’s highest outdoor whisky bar?

Alfresco 64 — A Chivas Bar sits on the 64th floor of the Bangkok’s Lebua at State Tower hotel. (That’s about 800 feet above ground in case you’re wondering)

Alfresco 64’s atmosphere is intimate, and the whisky selection is superb. Don’t come here thinking you’ll order a beer. This is a serious whisky bar. However, they do know how to whip up creative whisky-based cocktails.

CNN’s Forrest Brown contributed to this article.

As you get closer to the city center, the jungle gives way to old warehouse structures, with Bangkok’s skyline gleaming close by.

Below the Airport Rail Link, between its Makkasan and Ratchaprarop stations, you’ll find the State Railway of Thailand’s Makkasan station — separate from the rail link’s station of the same name. Walk along Nikhom Makkasan Road toward the station and transport yourself to what feels like the Thailand of 40 or 50 years ago.

You’ll enter through a market, but it’s nothing like the LED-lit, pulsating night markets that lure tourists across the Thai capital. This place is strictly local. It offers everything: fresh fruits and vegetables, slabs of fresh pork, whole chickens and household items such as plates and detergent.

Dried fish for sale in the local market that fronts the Makkasan train station.

Brad Lendon/CNN

On a recent Sunday morning, the market was crowded with shoppers, the aroma of Thai food blending with the scent of fresh flowers, the pungent whiff of dried fish and some scooter exhaust to immerse a visitor into the experience.

At the end of the market lies the rail station. It’s all open-air. No fast-food joints, bars, lounges, large flat-screens with timetables. But you can catch a train on the State Railway of Thailand’s Eastern line, which can take you to Pattaya or the Cambodia border, or just a stop back to central Bangkok if you want a quick visit.

And you just might be riding on an antique. Engines and cars used on the line can be as much as 50 years old, though that may not be apparent from their condition.

Here’s where one of Makkasan’s other secrets comes in.

Across the tracks from the station is the expansive main repair yard for the state railway. Those rail cars you saw seemingly being eaten by jungle on the way into Bangkok might one day be taking you to Cambodia.

Where trains are brought back to life

Railway officials recently gave CNN Travel an exclusive tour of the sprawling 186-acre (752,000-square-meter) facility, which is not open to the public.

Away from its main working buildings and stretching into the jungle are rows of train cars. Some are the victims of wrecks and accidents and are mangled beyond repair. They may be scavenged for parts to fix cars that will make their way back onto Thai rails.

Other curiosities are scattered in the woods.

Among the hulks of old train carriages, we’re careful not to step on newly planted mango and banana trees. In other parts, the fruit trees flourish as their branches entwine with old train cars.

There’s also a pair of old Japanese steam engines, once used to provide power to the massive complex.

The Japanese engines date back to World War II, when the Makkasan yard was linked to Japan’s Burma Railway that linked Japanese forces in Thailand to those in what is now Myanmar.

The 258-mile link was also known as the Death Railway, for the tens of thousands of forced civilian laborers and Allied prisoners of war who died during its construction.

That link made Makkasan a target for Allied bombers during World War II, says Kohpong Sutthikorn, engineer of the mechanical department for the facility and a 32-year veteran of the state railway system.

Inside the Makkasan yard’s buildings today, about 1,100 workers are striping down old passenger, dining and sleeping cars and getting them back on the tracks in a continuous restoration process.

In one cavernous 150,000-square-foot (14,000-square-meter) building, dozens of passenger cars are in various states of repair. Some are completely sanded down to bare metal. Others are elevated so that new undercarriages and wheels can be attached. And others still await refurbished doors and interior fixtures.

In another building, workers used massive furnaces and lathes to give refurbished rail wheels the edge that keeps them on the tracks.

Other buildings work on engines, evident by the large diesel blocks sitting outside.

Sutthikorn says of the 1,000 passenger carriages belonging to the Thai railway system, about 15% are out of service for maintenance at any one time. And 20% of the 2,000 cargo cars are routinely under maintenance.

Sutthikorn keeps the results of the yard’s work for last: shiny American-made General Electric and French-made Alstom locomotives that are ready for service, possibly on that line running through Makkasan station.

Thai Labour Museum

The Thai Labour Museum isn’t fancy, but it gives visitors a take on Thailand far different from what one gets in the tourist districts of Bangkok.

Brad Lendon/CNN

You won’t get flashy interactives or large IMAX cinema presentations. But you will learn about Thailand’s history of slavery and unpaid labor, how Chinese immigrant workers changed the country, how Japan’s occupation planted the seeds of organized labor in Thailand and how the labor movement fought military governments.

There’s also a somewhat spooky exhibit of items from one of Thailand’s worst workplace tragedies, the 1993 fire at the Kader Toy Factory, which killed 188 workers, mostly women.

The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and admission is free.

Built at a cost of US$1.65 billion, this 750,000 square meter riverside complex is made up of retail, dining, entertainment and residential spaces.

According to the developer — a joint-venture made up of Thai companies Siam Piwat, Magnolia Quality Development Corporation and Charoen Pokphand Group — it’s Thailand’s biggest commercial property project to date.

But why all the fuss for what on the surface is essentially another big shopping mall?

In the Thai capital, retail spaces are famed for being dazzlingly over the top, featuring everything from gardens and waterfalls to Michelin-starred restaurants and parking lots with designated “Supercar” zones.

Iconsiam is no exception. in fact, it might just be the grandest one of them all.

Iconsiam cost developers $1.65 billion to build.

Iconsiam

It’s eight floors are filled with more than 100 dining options and 7,000 Thai and international brands, including Thailand’s first Apple store.

There’s also Thailand’s first Takashimaya — a well-known Japanese department store — and Asia’s largest Adidas Original store.

In the “Iconluxe” zone, shoppers will find all the usual high-end brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Hermes.

But there’s plenty to do for those of us not in the market for a new Kelly bag.

Other highlights include SookSiam, a huge, 16,000 square meter themed zone on the ground floor that aims to promote the arts, culture and foods of Thailand’s 77 provinces and has its own small floating market.

There’s also the outdoor River Park — a 10,000 square meter riverside public space — and Southeast Asia’s largest multimedia water feature.

Artworks and architecture by more than 100 Thai and international artists can be found dotted throughout the complex.

Don’t call it a mall

The mega project isn’t quite finished though.

An IMAX movie cinema is due to open in December. In July of 2019, a massive auditorium will open to cater to the city’s meetings and conventions industry. “River Museum Bangkok,” which developers say will host top global touring exhibitions, will also open next year.

In fact, for all of these reasons the developer would prefer we not call Iconsiam a “mall” at all.

“Iconsiam is a destination — not a mall or a mixed-use development — and it is born of a joint creative effort that has united the hearts of Thai people from many different walks of life,” said Chadatip Chutrakul, Iconsiam’s director, in a statement.

There are also two residential towers. The 70-floor Magnolia Waterfront Residences is made up of 379 condominiums. The other 52-floor tower houses the Mandarin Oriental’s first branded residential development in Southeast Asia, which has 146 super luxury units.

Two-bedroom units in the towers start at $2.58 million.

The “other side” of Bangkok

According to Apple, hundreds lined up overnight to be among the first to enter its new Thailand store.

Apple

There’s been no shortage of critics throughout the Iconsiam construction process, many saying Bangkok doesn’t need yet another retail center that your average resident can’t even afford to shop in.

But if the opening weekend was any indicator — it opened to the public November 10 — Iconsiam won’t have any trouble filling its shiny corridors. Thousands poured through its doors, a mix of Thais and foreign tourists, leaving little room to move.

According to Apple, hundreds of people lined up outside its new Iconsiam store overnight to be among the first to enter Saturday morning.

What’s also notable about Iconsiam is its location.

The project sits on Charoen Nakhon Road on the Thonburi side of Bangkok, across the Chao Phraya river from the downtown core — an area predominantly filled with traditional shop houses and mom-and-pop businesses.

But, already home to luxury hotels like the Peninsula and the Millennium Hilton, Thonburi has begun to receive more attention in recent years thanks to the addition of venues like the Jam Factory — a riverside arts and dining space — and Lhong 1919, a shopping and heritage zone set in reclaimed warehouses.

More backpacker hostels and small bars/restaurants selling craft beers and have popped up in the area as well.

Iconsiam’s developer has invested in its own BTS Skytrain elevated rail line to alleviate traffic issues, called the “Gold Line,” but it won’t start running until 2020.

In the meantime, those coming in by Bangkok’s BTS Skytrain can hop off at Saphan Taksin station and catch a complimentary shuttle boat or continue to Thonburi station, where shuttle buses make the 1.5-kilometer journey to Iconsiam. A number of riverside hotels also offer shuttle boat services.

(CNN) — Chef Garima Arora just became the first Indian woman to win a Michelin star.

One popular dish on her tasting menu brings together grilled unripe jackfruit, roti and homemade pickles. Unripe jackfruit is popular in India, but the roti is made with the ripe version of the fruit, more popular in Thailand.

Gaa is right near the two Michelin-star restaurant, Gaggan, run by another celebrated Indian chef, Gaggan Anand.

Arora said there should be no shortage of star chefs coming from India.

“We are a population of one billion with food culture that is centuries old,” said Arora in an email to CNN. “In my opinion, we should be making food trends, not following them. The best chefs and restaurants of the world should be from India.”

Jarek Pajewski/Restaurant Gaa

Arora grew up in Mumbai and drew inspiration early on from her Punjabi family, particularly her father, who loved bringing home exotic foods.

She started her career as a journalist but was quickly drawn to cooking.

“I have always had in the back of my mind that someday I would like to have a restaurant of my own,” said Arora. “But after 6 months working as a journalist, I began to realize that I probably should get on with it since, to be quite honest, cooking is a young person’s game.”

She studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris before working her way through stints with the UK’s Gordon Ramsay and René Redzepi of Noma in Copenhagen.

Arora moved to Bangkok to work with Anand, but the plan fell through leaving her in Thailand. Anand and three other investors then offered Arora a chance to start her own venture.

“This year’s guide is a reflection of the growing talent in Thailand’s culinary scene with many new restaurants added to the selection, including 13 specializing in Thai food, reinforcing Thailand’s reputation as a go-to destination for gastronomy,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guides, in a statement on their website.

Terrifying experiences that make your palms sweat and your knees shake? No so much, unless you count the city’s notorious traffic jams.

The new Mahanakhon SkyWalk, however, is a thrilling addition to Bangkok’s roster of family-friendly tourist attractions.

The terrifying bit comes in the form of a large glass floor, which juts out over the edge of the building.

Before stepping onto the platform, visitors must slip protective fabric booties over their shoes.

Some shuffle confidently onto the floor as they look down, others squeal in horror and drop to their knees. Almost everyone takes a moment to lay on the glass for a photo.

But even if you’re not brave enough to step onto the glass floor, the SkyWalk offers unrivaled city views, particularly up the stairs at the open-air “Peak”.

Zoom up to the 74th floor in 50 seconds

The fun begins as soon as you enter the video-themed elevator on the ground floor. Visitors ascend to the 74th floor in 50 seconds, while a fast-paced Bangkok-themed video plays on all four of the elevator’s walls.

From there, you’ll step into the Indoor Observation Deck, which offers floor to ceiling 360-degree panoramic views and interactive installations that highlight some of Bangkok’s key landmarks.

Up one level is the mezzanine and glass elevator boarding area, which takes visitors up to the 78th floor — home to the outdoor observation deck.

The bar — Thailand’s highest, of course — offers a selection of cocktails, soft drinks and beer, including their very own Mahanakhon White Ale — a Belgian-style witbier. However, there’s no seating. Most visitors in need of a spot to sit down head for the stairs leading up to the Peak.

Our advice: Make your way over around 4 p.m., when the heat begins to fade.

Closer to sunset, around 5:30 p.m., the crowds begin to increase significantly — as does the line-up for access to the glass floor.

Bangkok’s “pixel” building

King Power Mahanakhon is a mixed-use project, worth close to $1 billion.

Its 2016 completion earned it the title of “Thailand’s highest building,” knocking out long-time titleholder Baiyoke Tower II, a 304-meter-high hotel in the city’s Pratunam district completed in 1997.

Its striking steel and glass figure rises into the sky, with a three-dimensional strip of “pixels” weaving its way down the building — an architectural trick achieved through the construction of “sky boxes.”

The main Mahanakhon skyscraper has 78 floors. Floors one through 18 will feature the yet-to-open King Power Hotel.

Floors 23 to 73 are reserved for the Ritz-Carlton Residences — 209 residential units managed by the Ritz-Carlton.

Floor 73 is where you’ll find the penthouse Sky Residences, which range in size from 125 to 844 square meters (two to five bedrooms).

Levels 74-78 are for the observatory/bar.

A separate building on the project’s grounds, the Mahanakhon CUBE is a high-end retail and dining space that includes venues like L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and Bangkok’s flagship Dean & DeLuca.

The building was the brainchild of Pace Development Corporation. Thai duty-free giant King Power purchased a huge chunk of Mahanakhon’s assets this year.

Not surprisingly, visitors to the SkyWalk need to walk through a large King Power duty-free shopping area on their way out of the attraction on the ground floor.

The Dusit Thani Bangkok, a city icon famed for its striking modernist architecture, is closing its doors in early 2019.

It will be torn down to make way for a mixed-use project that will include a rebuilt version of the hotel.

Though the new Dusit Thani will undoubtedly be spectacular, nostalgic locals are sad to see the original go. They’re using these final months as a chance for one last visit.

“So many Thais, as well as expats, have told me how many memories they have of the hotel,” says Titiya Chooto, Dusit VP of operations and general manager of Dusit Thani.

“As part of the transition into the new chapter we’re now showcasing what we’ve been legendary for. The graciousness, the beauty of the building, the architecture, the people side, the product side — every single bit of it. It’s a lot to be proud of.”

When Dusit Thani’s familiar edifice disappears next year, it will forever change the skyline in one of the busiest parts of the city — a view many Bangkok residents have grown up with.

Sitting on a corner of prime land at the Rama IV and Silom Road junction across from Lumpini Park, the Dusit Thani first opened its doors in 1970.

Designed by Japanese architect Yozo Shibata and inspired by Bangkok’s Temple of Dawn, it represented a new era for the Thai capital and quickly became a hotspot on the dining and event scene, its function rooms hosting many weddings of the rich and famous.

A section of wall on the mezzanine floor is covered in faded black and white photos of the recognizable names and faces who have stayed in its suites over the years, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Whitney Houston, Ronald Reagan and Tom Jones.

Classic Thai designs

A recent stay revealed a property full of warmth, charm and traditional Thai decor so many travelers once eagerly sought out — that means plenty of teakwood, classical Siamese art works and fine silks.

The Dusit Thani has 517 rooms and suites, which feature a variety of themes and decor. Basic guestrooms offer more subtle Thai influences, while decor in the higher end options, like the Ratanakosin Suite, are inspired by Thailand’s historical eras.

Even if you’re not staying at the hotel, it’s worth dropping by for a drink or a meal. (And be sure to visit the hotel’s funky octagonal pool, which wouldn’t look out of place in a campy 1970s film.)

The hotel offers six dining options, including Benjarong (contemporary Thai), The Mayflower (Cantonese) and Vietnamese eatery Thien Duong.

In need of a red meat fix? Head for the excellent Hamilton’s Steakhouse — once upon a time one of the only place in Bangkok to get a decent cut of meat. Table service in this classic restaurant is as good as it gets.

If you only have time for one Dusit Thani experience, make it the Beyond the Boundaries weekend brunch, on from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

It’s as decadent as it gets — a fitting farewell to what was once one of Bangkok’s most decadent hotels. There’s free flow wine and a massive selection of sushi and other seafood on ice, as well as grilled fish and Canadian lobster, Alaskan king crab, river prawns, New Zealand mussels, Scottish scallops and plenty of imported oysters.

Diners can order as many main dishes as they like off a menu that includes dim sum, NZ lamb, lobster thermidor and grilled US rib-eye steak then finish off the day at the cheese cart or the dessert buffet.

What comes next?

The Dusit Thani was originally due to close earlier this year but planning on the new project was delayed. This is great news for those wanting more time to enjoy the original before it closes for good on January 5, 2019.

In the lead-up to the closure, a number of events and promotions are happening, such as charitable concerts and fashion shows, concluding with a large New Year’s Eve gala.

The new Dusit Thani is due to open in 2022 and will be part of a 36.7 billion baht (US$1.1 billion) project made up of commercial and retail space as well as residences, built in partnership with Thai developer Central Pattana PLC.

“I’m so excited about the return of this property in a few years’ time,” says Titiya.

“While incorporating the latest technology, we will ensure the essence of Dusit Thani Bangkok is kept. Certain furniture, art pieces…we’ll bring a lot of those things into our new property. The ‘Thainess,’ which is our signature, will always be part of Dusit Thani.”

Vajiralongkorn, 66, inherited the crown following the death of his father, King Rama IX, in 2016, becoming King Rama X. He is the 10th member of the Chakri dynasty, which has ruled Thailand since Rama I took the throne in 1782.

The coronation ceremonies will include a mixture of sacred Hindu and Buddhist rituals that date back centuries.

Gathering at Sanam Luang

Though much of the royal coronation will happen behind closed doors at Bangkok’s famed Grand Palace, it will be televised/live-streamed, and there are a variety of opportunities for the public to take part in the celebrations.

For many Thais, this will be their first chance to experience a coronation. King Rama IX took the throne in 1950 and was the world’s longest-reigning monarch prior to his 2016 death.

Thousands are expected to gather at Sanam Luang, a historic field adjacent to the Grand Palace, over the May 4-6 coronation period.

A young Thai man holds a portrait of King Rama X on May 1, 2019 in Bangkok.

Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images

According to officials, free food and water will be handed out while rest areas and mobile toilets have been set up to facilitate the expected masses at Sanam Luang.

Schedule of events

May 4 — Royal Coronation Day

This is the official coronation day, when the most important rituals will take place at the Grand Palace. (Normally open to the public, the Grand Palace and its Temple of the Emerald Buddha will be closed over the coronation period. See below for info on additional attraction closures.)

Again, though these events will take place behind closed doors they will be broadcast live on Thai television networks and online.

On this date, the King will take part in a Royal Purification Ceremony, which involves being anointed in sacred waters gathered from Thailand’s 76 provinces.

Then, he will be seated under the nine-tiered Umbrella of State — a symbol of full sovereignty — and presented with various royal regalia.

Later that day, the king will grant an audience to members of the royal family and senior Thai officials.

May 5 — Public Procession

At about 4:30 p.m., King Rama X will tour the area around the Grand Palace on an ornate royal palanquin and stop at three major temples — Wat Bovoranives, Wat Rajabopidh and Wat Phra Chetuphon.

According to officials, Vajiralongkorn will pay homage to the main Buddha images at each temple, before returning to the Grand Palace.

Large crowds are expected to line the seven-kilometer procession route to greet the king.

May 6 — Light and Sound Show

Monday, May 6, has been declared a public holiday so government offices and some banks will be closed.

At 4:30 p.m., the King is scheduled to greet the public on a balcony of the Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall inside the Grand Palace.

Celebratory shows will kick off at Sanam Luang from late afternoon. These include a drone light and sound display — see the above video of the rehearsal — around 7 p.m.

Volunteers walk in front of the Grand Palace before a rehearsal for the royal coronation of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Impact on local travel

All of the coronation activities will take place in the city’s Rattanakosin area.

Often referred to as “Old Town,” it’s a popular destination for tourists due to the high concentration of historic attractions as well as hotels, restaurants and bars in the Khao San Road and Phra Arthit Road neighborhoods, among others.

In addition to the Grand Palace, which will reopen May 7, other attractions set to close over the coronation period include the National Museum of Bangkok, the Queen’s Gallery, National Gallery, the City Pillar Shrine, Museum Siam, Pipit Banglamphu Museum, Coin Museum, King Prajadhipok Museum, Wat Saket (Golden Mount) and Rajadamnern Boxing Stadium.

Wat Pho and Wat Bowonniwet Vihara are only closed on May 5, while the Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall is closed May 5-6.

More than 30 area roads will be shut to traffic at different times from May 2-6 as well, including Ratchadamnoen, Sanam Chai and Maharat. Travelers should expect major traffic delays and are advised to use public transportation when possible.

Outside of Rattanakosin, Bangkok is expected to be up and running as normal over the coronation period, with bars, restaurants and malls open for business.

Royal Barge Procession

The last Royal Barge Procession took place in Bangkok in 2012.

CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Not going to be in Bangkok for the Royal Coronation Ceremony this weekend?

There will be one more chance to experience the celebrations later this year. Though the exact date hasn’t been announced, we do know a Royal Barge Procession will take place in honor of King Rama X on Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River in October 2019.

If past processions are any indicator, it will be an incredible scene involving about 2,300 oarsmen, who will row over 50 barges from the city’s Wasukri pier to dramatic Wat Arun — a total length of four kilometers. The rare spectacle is heightened by rhythmic barge-rowing songs.

In the meantime, travelers can get an up-close look at the magnificent boats by visiting the National Museum of Royal Barges (80/1 Arun Amarin Khet, Bangkok).

Mahanakhon Bangkok SkyBar’s open-air terrace.

King Power Mahanakhon

Open in early July, Mahanakhon Bangkok SkyBar is now Thailand’s highest restaurant and bar. It takes up the 76th and 77th floors of the King Power Mahanakhon skyscraper, which towers over the city at 314 meters (1,030 feet).

Billed as a “modern brasserie” offering both Western and Asian dishes, SkyBar’s menu comes from the skilled hands of American executive chef Joshua Cameron, formerly of New York’s Eleven Madison Park — awarded World’s Best Restaurant in 2017.

Among Mahanakhon SkyBar’s starters is the Thai banana blossom salad.

King Power Mahanakhon

The menu is accompanied by a huge list of classic cocktails and over 100 wines.

Once diners finally yank their gazes from the unrivaled views of the city outside, they’ll notice plenty of original touches in the stunning space. Designed by Tristan Auer and his team at Wilson Associates, it combines French elegance with Thai-inspired patterns.

We recommend reserving a seat in the stunning outdoor glass-encased open-air dining area.

“The scheme for the outdoor terrace plays on the concept of an urban jungle, surrounding guests in abundant greenery to evoke the feeling of a forest in the sky,” says the Wilson Associates design brief.

Free SkyWalk access

An added perk of dining at SkyBar is easy access to the Mahanakhon SkyWalk, two floors above.

This 314-meter-high (1,030 feet) observation deck and rooftop bar — Thailand’s highest — presents 360-degree views of the city.

The big attraction here is the terrifying glass floor, which juts out over the edge of the building. Before stepping onto the platform, visitors must slip protective fabric booties over their shoes.

The Mahanakhon SkyWalk features a glass floor, which juts out over the edge of the skyscraper.

King Power Mahanakhon

Both the restaurant and observation deck are part of the King Power Mahanakhon, a mixed-use project, claimed to be worth close to $1 billion.

Its 2016 completion earned it the title of “Thailand’s highest building,” knocking out long-time titleholder Baiyoke Tower II, a 304-meter-high hotel in the city’s Pratunam district completed in 1997.

Nevertheless, Mahanakhon remains one of the city’s most striking pieces of architecture, its eye-catching three-dimensional strip of “pixels” weaving its way down the steel and glass building — a trick achieved through the construction of “sky boxes.”

King Power Mahanakhon is a mixed-use development.

King Power Mahanakhon

The skyscraper is made up of 78 floors. Floors one through 18 will be occupied by soon-to-open Orient-Express hotel.

Floors 23 to 73 are reserved for the Ritz-Carlton Residences — 209 residential units managed by Ritz-Carlton, of course, including penthouse SkyResidences, which range in size from 125 to 844 square meters (two to five bedrooms).

Levels 74-78 are for the observatory/restaurant/bar.