Bangkok: The Monocle Travel Guide Series, Hardcover

Bangkok is a city that welcomes visitors but is complex in both history and layout. There's a reason that people come back time and time again: this is not a place you can fully comprehend with just one trip. The Thai capital is both socially tolerant and deeply conservative; its businesses are often friendly but difficult to find. It's a city where both an old monarchy and a young creative class find common ground.

In helping you navigate Bangkok's streets, Monocle will show you a city where business and design is thriving. Hidden in plain sight are great parks for running, architectural masterpieces designed by Thai firms, and hidden bars playing music you've never heard before. And, of course, Monocle will tell you where to head for the city's famous street food, spa treatments, and hotels for both business and leisure (or a mix of the two). Even if you have been to Bangkok before, you're about to find out why there's so much more to discover. Monocle reports from around the globe in print, on radio, and online. As its editors and correspondents dart from city to city, they get to know the best places to rest their heads, stretch their limbs, and kick back with a contact in a hard-to-find cocktail bar. That information is now available in Monocle's Travel Guide Series: a line-up of titles that speaks to you in an informed but informal way about everything from architecture to art, late-night bars to early-morning markets.

These are books that go beyond the traditional tourist beats to make sure you get the best out of a city--no matter how short your stay. Designed to be compact and collectable, they are also discerning; Monocle's team won't list a hundred places to eat but they will tell you where's best for everything from some tasty fast food to something truly celebratory.