For years, Bangkok, the capital of Thailand has been considered the world’s capital of odd. With the unique architecture, abandoned places, and other mysterious happenings, the city has become a destination that is filling flights to Bangkok with people looking to discover something totally unusual and fun so they can share their memories of it with their friends and families back home.
However, in recent years, other cities and countries have started to notice that tourists are looking for something a little different, and so, various odd attractions have opened up to capitalize on this trend, but can they steal Bangkok’s crown as the world’s oddest destination?
The Macabre
One of the great things about the odder side of Bangkok is that there is always so much to see and do. While some of the city’s main strange attractions concern themselves with medical oddities such as the Forensic Science Museum, home to the mummified bodies of murderers and preserved corpses of children, odd Bangkok isn’t just about the grotesque.
Strange Buildings
There are thousands of beautiful, ancient buildings in Bangkok, but some of the most singular are more modern. Sites such as the Robot Building on Sathorn Road, which serves as the headquarters for UOB Bank, looks like a giant robot. The legend goes that it was based on a toy owned by the architect’s son.
Elsewhere, the Elephant Building is one of Bangkok’s most famous buildings. It can be found between Phaholyothin Road and Ratchadaphisek Road, and needs to be seen to be believed.
Abandoned Places
Perhaps not as well-known as some of Bangkok’s other sites, the city’s collection of abandoned buildings has also proven to be a sure fire hit with tourists.
The New World shopping mall was abandoned over 15 years ago. Now it houses vast shoals of tropical and exotic fish, which swim freely in the flooded basement of the abandoned mall, creating a very strange, yet natural attraction.
In the heart of a city suburb lies an abandoned 747. That’s right, an abandoned plane can be found in the Bang Kapi district of Bangkok, which is just a short ride from the city center. Why is it there? Who does it belong to? These are questions that maybe only the visitors can answer.
The Adult
Bangkok is perhaps most famous for its Phallic Shrine. There you’ll find lots of phallic statues, and the shrine is visited by women who are trying to conceive. Oh and you’ll find bemused tourists, of course. The shrine is located in the very heart of the city.
There are so many strange things to stop and admire in Bangkok, and while other destinations may do their best to imitate the oddness of the city, they just can’t compare. So, before you catch your flight to Bangkok, why not plan where exactly you’re going to go before you land? It could really make all the difference to your trip.
Photo Credit: Creative Commons
