Unpacked by AFAR · Thursday, September 10, 2026
Catherine Romaine advises travelers to experience Bangkok by intentionally getting lost and following their senses rather than relying on navigation apps. She suggests picking a neighborhood for the day due to potential traffic issues and highlights the friendly, curious nature of locals who are approachable on backstreets and canals.
“And a lot of people I talk to, whether they're Bangkok locals, have lived there all their lives, have lived there for a decade, really do recommend intentionally getting lost. Like trying to just not like Google Maps.”
“Pick a place, take a bus, stand there, and then look around and like follow your senses, follow your instincts. It's a very safe city, um, open-minded city. People are very friendly, especially when you do get on those kind of backstreets, back canals. I think there's a curiosity on both ends that then kind of elicits this really kind, friendly response of like, oh, how did you end up here?”