| A Place Apart |
Yes, the food in Bangkok is generally good to great, and tempting street eats beckon everywhere. But if it’s great green and organic you’re seeking, well, not so easy. Health food markets are few in this raucous, sprawling metropolis where getting across town can literally take hours unless you’re on the subway, skytrain or river ferry routes. We’re told that Lemon Farm, with several Bangkok locations, is good source for organic necessities but the closest to our guesthouse was a long way off. We did discover the top floor of the highly upscale Emporium department store and the nearby Paragon Mall Gourmet Market, both on Sukumvit Road, which boast fantasy supermarkets with both organic produce and dry goods at mostly fantasy prices (still well worth a look if you’re like us and would often rather “tour” a Thai market than another Buddhist temple).
But here’s a must-do tip, particularly if you’re anywhere near heavily touristed Khao San Road and the Phra Arthit river ferry stop. Call it Green Soi (lane). Find it by walking to the end of Khao San (where you can buy everything on the sidewalk from pirated music to fake driver’s licenses to “strong cocktails…we don’t check ID”) and make your way to the unmarked lane behind the Burger King. Here wait May Kaidee’s and Ethos, a pair of very good and reasonably priced (cheap!) green restaurants.
Energetic May herself may be at her wok—in the mornings conducting cooking classes, in the evening whipping up vegetarian and vegan fare using organic rice from her own farm. In the near future, she tells you, she hopes to add many more organic options to her menu. Every Saturday she presides over a buffet party with classical Thai dancers in her upstairs dining area (take off your shoes and head up there—it’s like an open-air living room).
Ethos is a farang (foreigner) owned café and offers big comfy cushions, world music, and soft lighting to go with its great Thai, Indian, Middle East and Western vegetarian and vegan fare using organic rice, pure fruit juices, no GMOs or MSG. Great breakfast selections here, including a housemade muesli with coconut milk. Desserts like a dense vegan chocolate cake are yummy, too. It’s also a popular spot because it has free WiFi.
The culture and experiences offered by Bangkok are truly unique, and if you plan on traveling to the area, you should put some preparation into it. Arguably one of the most important steps in this endeavor is looking for affordable hotels in Bangkok. One great strategy is to use Expedia to pinpoint the perfect place to lay your head while visiting this magical but often mystifying city. You might be looking for something at the last minute, or maybe you just want the cheapest place possible. Hopefully, you also want the greenest place that fits your budget and schedule. Expedia offers an unbelievably large library of green hotels all around the world, including several in Bangkok, with constantly updated rates and deals. Whatever the case may be, you’ll be much happier if you spend a few minutes online searching for just the right room.
